Entertainment Magazine: Movie FAQ

How to watch and download movies on mobile devices

Almost every mobile device (iPhone, iPad, iPod and Touch, Android, Nexus, etc. or cell phone with video capabilities) can stream most movies automatically without any special actions.

The major concern is the cost to stream any movie, or TV show, over any cellular connection. Networks, like Verizon and AT&T, for example, charge by usage.

A full length movie could often take up 1 gigabyte of cell use. If your limit is 5GB, you have only 4GB left for the month to do everything else- surf the web, text, email, more downloads, etc.

Wifi hot spots are ideal to watch a movie online without downloading. Just log in or join a nearby network and save your celluar charges.

If you are connected to a cable or land line internet connection (through companies such as Comcast, Cox Cable, Warner, etc.), join your home network instead of your carrier's network (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc.).

If you must have a movie for yourself, avoid any cell charges and still enjoy a movie on your device: Download the file to your PC and synch it to your device!

 

Problems watching movies on a mobile device

Not all smart phones have the software to play mvoies and videos, especially older models.

If the movie file is recognized by your mobile device, and begins to play normally, it is not necessary to download the file.

Most web browsers can locate the correct movie player needed to play the file. But some devices cannot. Check your device specifications to see what movie formats it accepts if you aren't sure why the movie doesn't play.

But, if the movie does not play, the challenge is to get the original video into the correct format for your portable device.

Mobile devices with video capability have some type of video software, like Quicktime, Flash or Windows Media Player to play most movie formats. If it is not recognized, you need to change it to the format that will play.

Many older mobile devices do not support Flash players. Even if the movie can play on a computer, Try the suggested steps (listed in the right column) it may take several steps to get the movie file to play on a mobile device.

Adding a webclip or bookmark to your portable

Most devices allow you to bookmark a web page to make it easier to access it later.

Add iPhone web clips to the Home screen for faster access to your favorite webpages. Web clips appear as icons on the Home screen, and you can arrange your web clips along with the other icons.

How to add a web clip on Safari

Open the webpage and tap the + symbol. Then, tap “Add to Home Screen.” When you open a web clip, Safari will automatically zoom and scroll to the area of the webpage that was displayed when you saved the web clip. (from Apple's iPhone tips)

Watching Videos on a TV with an iPhone

To connect your mobile device to a TV and watch videos on the larger screen use the Apple Component AV Cable, Apple Composite AV Cable, or other authorized iPhone/iPad or iPod compatible cable.

Also use these cables with the Apple Universal Dock to connect iPhone to your TV. (The Apple Universal Dock includes a remote, which allows you to control playback from a distance.) Apple cables and docks are available for purchase from Apple. (Apple iPhone Tips).

 

Convert the video for mobile

If you add a video from iTunes to an iPod, iPad or iPhone and a message says the video can’t play on iPhone, you can convert the video.

  • Select the video in your iTunes library and choose Advanced > “Create iPod or iPhone Version.”
  • Add the converted video to iPhone (Apple iPhone Tips). Then synch.

Also, video conversion software, such as Adobe Software and Roxio Software, can be used to convert video files into many formats for a variety of platforms.

Return to Movie FAQ Index

Entertainment Magazine

© 1995-2023 EMOL.org Entertainment Magazine. All rights reserved.
FAQ: Mobile Devices

Entertainment Magazine: Movie FAQ

How to watch and download movies on mobile devices

Almost every mobile device (iPhone, iPad, iPod and Touch, Android, Nexus, etc. or cell phone with video capabilities) can stream most movies automatically without any special actions.

The major concern is the cost to stream any movie, or TV show, over any cellular connection. Networks, like Verizon and AT&T, for example, charge by usage.

A full length movie could often take up 1 gigabyte of cell use. If your limit is 5GB, you have only 4GB left for the month to do everything else- surf the web, text, email, more downloads, etc.

Wifi hot spots are ideal to watch a movie online without downloading. Just log in or join a nearby network and save your celluar charges.

If you are connected to a cable or land line internet connection (through companies such as Comcast, Cox Cable, Warner, etc.), join your home network instead of your carrier's network (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc.).

If you must have a movie for yourself, avoid any cell charges and still enjoy a movie on your device: Download the file to your PC and synch it to your device!

 

Problems watching movies on a mobile device

Not all smart phones have the software to play mvoies and videos, especially older models.

If the movie file is recognized by your mobile device, and begins to play normally, it is not necessary to download the file.

Most web browsers can locate the correct movie player needed to play the file. But some devices cannot. Check your device specifications to see what movie formats it accepts if you aren't sure why the movie doesn't play.

But, if the movie does not play, the challenge is to get the original video into the correct format for your portable device.

Mobile devices with video capability have some type of video software, like Quicktime, Flash or Windows Media Player to play most movie formats. If it is not recognized, you need to change it to the format that will play.

Many older mobile devices do not support Flash players. Even if the movie can play on a computer, Try the suggested steps (listed in the right column) it may take several steps to get the movie file to play on a mobile device.

Adding a webclip or bookmark to your portable

Most devices allow you to bookmark a web page to make it easier to access it later.

Add iPhone web clips to the Home screen for faster access to your favorite webpages. Web clips appear as icons on the Home screen, and you can arrange your web clips along with the other icons.

How to add a web clip on Safari

Open the webpage and tap the + symbol. Then, tap “Add to Home Screen.” When you open a web clip, Safari will automatically zoom and scroll to the area of the webpage that was displayed when you saved the web clip. (from Apple's iPhone tips)

Watching Videos on a TV with an iPhone

To connect your mobile device to a TV and watch videos on the larger screen use the Apple Component AV Cable, Apple Composite AV Cable, or other authorized iPhone/iPad or iPod compatible cable.

Also use these cables with the Apple Universal Dock to connect iPhone to your TV. (The Apple Universal Dock includes a remote, which allows you to control playback from a distance.) Apple cables and docks are available for purchase from Apple. (Apple iPhone Tips).

 

Convert the video for mobile

If you add a video from iTunes to an iPod, iPad or iPhone and a message says the video can’t play on iPhone, you can convert the video.

  • Select the video in your iTunes library and choose Advanced > “Create iPod or iPhone Version.”
  • Add the converted video to iPhone (Apple iPhone Tips). Then synch.

Also, video conversion software, such as Adobe Software and Roxio Software, can be used to convert video files into many formats for a variety of platforms.

Return to Movie FAQ Index

Entertainment Magazine

© 1995-2023 EMOL.org Entertainment Magazine. All rights reserved.