What is RDK?
Cable companies across the country are racing to change over from the old way of doing cable TV, known as QAM, to new IPTV technology. With IPTV, all the TV information comes through as digital data…
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What is net neutrality?
Maybe you’ve heard the term and maybe you’ve never been curious before. But, with “over-the-top” streaming services like Netflix getting more popular, it’s something you might want to get familiar with. Net neutrality is the idea…
What’s so special about the Winegard FlatWave Air?
It’s the little antenna that packs a big punch. The Winegard FlatWave Air uses HD-BLADE technology to give you an outdoor antenna that’s small, easy to install, and picks up both UHF and VHF signals from an amazing…
Solid Signal goes HANDS ON: DIRECTV Sports Search
Everyone knows that DIRECTV is all about sports dominance. Now, DIRECTV subscribers with Genies have a new tool at their disposal… DIRECTV Sports Search. This new interactive feature gives you total control of your viewing experience… from choosing…
DISH to close all remaining Blockbusters, keep streaming
They say that all good things must end, someday. That day for most Blockbuster Video stores will be sometime in January. DISH has issued a press release saying that all company owned stores, as well as…
When will DIRECTV stop SD broadcasting?
Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest when you’re standing so close to a tree. Our Solid Signal Blog readers are the elite of home theater DIY’ers an we sometimes forget that the rest of the…
What’s all the fuss about curved screens?
Curved screens on phones. Curved screens on TVs. It seems like everyone is gaga over curved screens all of a sudden. Is this a flash in the pan or is it a real thing? Curved screens…
Where’s the STOP button on my new DIRECTV remote?
So you just got that brand new HR44 Genie and its slick little RC71 Genie Remote. You sit down, you watch a recording and… hey, where’s the stop button! You want to go back to live TV,…
FINALLY: FAA says you can use some electronic devices on planes!
OK, not everything. You won’t be able to surf or text below 10,000 feet. You won’t be able to make phone calls, period. But, if your device has an “airplane mode”, if it’s smaller than a…
Bow Tie Element Length Evaluation
THE QUESTION The question I wanted to answer was, “Does making a bow tie (BT) antenna with longer elements improve the VHF response of the antenna?” It is easy to answer this question for a…
Do you still need a phone line for DIRECTV equipment?
Easy answer: no. Like millions of folks, you might be thinking of ditching traditional phone service. Most people have cell phones and they’re just as reliable as land lines (and sometimes easier to use.) If…
HDMI Shootout! Solid Signal Redmere cables vs. “the competition”
It’s the new cable that’s catching on everywhere. We’ve told you about our Redmere cables, full of fancy new technlogy that makes long runs of up to 140′ possible without a translation device and as thin…
NICE AND EASY: How can I connect a Broadband DECA?
Looking for an easy way to connect all your SWM-enabled receivers to the internet? We’re happy to provide an easy installation diagram showing you how to install your new-style DECA and network all your receivers! If…
What is MPEG anyway?
MPEG. Everyone talks about it like they know what they’re talking about. They talk about MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and all the compression technology, but do you know what MPEG really is? MPEG is an acronym for Moving Picture…
Which is better… a second SWM off the same dish, or a second dish?
You’re expanding your home DIRECTV system. You’ve gone over 16 tuners, and you’ve read our White Paper. You’re left with a nagging question though… with one run going to your guest house, is it better to have…