INSTALLERS: Mind those cable lengths
If you’re a longtime installer, your experience may be working against you. Any installer worth his (or her) salt knows that long cables mean high loss. A 250 foot run of RG6 is going to give…
Read MoreFebruary 2013
PlugCam problems? Try these tips
The PlugCam is cool. It uses your home powerlines to create a security system that needs no wiring and doesn’t even rely on your wi-fi. It’s easy to configure and easy to use. But what if it doesn’t…
Nielsen ratings to include streaming
Our habits have changed. It’s been two generations since everyone sat down in front of the family’s only television every night to watch something from the major networks. We all got multiple TVs, then computers, then…
Hands on with Vanco’s HDMI IR Control Kit
What do you do when you want to control a device in another room? You have several solutions. We’ve always recommended the NextGen MultiRoom Extender as a way to add RF capability to any remote control. It’s a…
Hands on with the YX550 Verizon Data Booster, part 1:What’s it all about?
Most people use Wi-Fi when at home. However, there are plenty of cases when wi-fi isn’t an option. Maybe you work in a small office and don’t want unsecured wi-fi connections. Maybe you don’t want to…
Another Home Brew antenna?
This is a very quick post because I just came across another antenna design which is easy to build, looks like it may also be omni directional with some gain and picks up VHF and…
How to install a legacy DIRECTV system
While it’s true that the DIRECTV world has moved to SWM technology, there are times when a plain legacy install is the best way to go. You may be replacing parts and have no need for…
Should you uninstall Java now?
It’s a black time for Java. There was a time when Java was an essential part of the World Wide Web experience. It was so pervasive it showed up in unlikely places: Blu-ray disc players and…
Living without the scourge of .NET
It’s probably on your computer right now. It’s called the Windows .NET Framework, and it’s probably sitting there taking 2 or 3 gigabytes of space. (That’s ridiculous right there. It wasn’t that long ago all of…
TIP: Fix a blocky or pixelated picture (DIRECTV version)
If you are seeing an overly blocky picture like the one above or if you see random blocks of green or pink appearing through your picture, there are some things you can try immediately to try…
HOW TO DO IT: Create a favorites list on DIRECTV receivers
1500 channels? It’s a little much for anyone to get through. No one thinks that all 1500 channels are going to appeal to you, especially with some of them being sports that maybe you don’t like,…