What’s the best alternative to GenieGO?
For about 5 years DIRECTV sold a product called GenieGO. It never really lived up to its potential, but if you liked what it did, it was great. Quite simply, it put DIRECTV programs from your…
Read MoreMay 2016
Why does a DIRECTV receiver get slower over time?
After all, it’s not like they have gears that get stuck. A DIRECTV receiver or DVR is basically a computer. In fact, they run a specialized version of Linux, the same operating system that runs…
NICE AND EASY: Are there “Easter Eggs” hidden in DIRECTV receivers?
If there are, I’ve never seen them in 13 years. You know what I’m talking about – often times there are hidden key combinations in software that reveal special information, tell you about the authors, or…
FUN FRIDAY: Shanghai Disneyland
So the first thing is, there is such a thing as Shanghai Disneyland. Which, I didn’t even know that. Apparently it opens in about 3 weeks. And it looks uh-maaaa-zing. I found this video of someone…
What does it mean, “pay TV is a mature market?”
When DIRECTV’s Mike White says that US pay television is a “mature market,” what he really means is that it’s not growing very quickly. Sure, people are growing up, getting homes and putting in pay TV,…
DIRECTV in your car?
This article has been replaced by this one which is more accurate for the 2020s. There’s an interesting piece today in The Washington Post about the possibility of live DIRECTV programming in your car. Upon reading it, I…
OPINION: Why do TVs sound so bad?
Because TVs sound like the speakers are made from tinfoil. My $2,000 TV sounds terrible. My $300 TV sounds even worse. It’s kind of ridiculous. I shouldn’t need a whole home theater system just so I…
How can you tell a high-quality antenna?
Well, to some extent the brand name will give you a clue. When you’re talking about a name you know, a name you’ve known for a long time, that’s going to give you an impression of…
What’s the deal with splitters from Prime Electronics?
Is one of these splitters a ripoff? At the bottom is a splitter with a DIRECTV and SWM logo labeled MSPLIT4-R1-03. It sure looks legit. But what’s that above it? The label is on upside…
REVEALED: Why you can’t have more than 1 4K stream at a time
It’s not just one reason, it’s every reason. There isn’t a lot of 4K programming out there at the moment on DIRECTV, but there are three live channels plus the opportunity for downloaded pay-per-view content….
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Bigger is better
Goodbye, 17″ monitor, hello 40″ screen!
Let There Be Light With the Solar Shed Light
The tool shed at my grandparents’ house was the scariest part of my summer vacations. It was a small, thrown-together contraption next to my grandparents’ lakeside cottage. Gramps kept his tackle box and the fishing poles…
NEW REVIEW: Televes Mast Mounted Amplfiers
There’s only one brand of amplifiers designed for the way you use your antenna today. Most amplifiers are designed for analog technology. Televes’ unique mast-mounted amplifiers are designed with digital television in mind and incorporate the…
OPINION: UltraHD Blu-ray?
I really want an UltraHD Blu-ray player, which is a sure sign the format is headed for an early death. As my friends know, I have the worst luck picking sides in electronics battles. I was…
OPINION: A VR monitor?
I can’t explain why, but it seems like the world has gone batty for virtual reality lately. I’m old enough to remember the last time this came around, back in the 1990s, and I have a…