Who are the ATSC?
Every so often you hear about the ATSC. Most people have some idea that they’re the organization that created our HDTV standards. That’s true, and that’s why we call the tuners in our equipment “ATSC tuners.”…
Read MoreOctober 2016
FESS UP: Do you miss the clock on your DVR?
It’s ok if you do. It’s a funny thing, cable DVRs and satellite DVRs evolved along different tracks. Cable DVRs were originally seen as fancy VCRs, adding a small amount of recording space and a…
NICE AND EASY: Can you give DIRECTV as a gift?
Easy answer: you can’t. With the holidays coming up you’re going to need to think of something else to get that hard-to-buy-for person on your list. DIRECTV has no gift card program and you can’t sign…
SOUND OFF SUNDAY: How much live TV do you watch?
Our Sunday Contests Continue! All you have to do to win an indoor/outdoor amplified TV antenna like this one is leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random. You’ll get an Antop antenna with…
STREAMING SATURDAY: Top 10 Streaming Services
When it comes to streaming services, Netflix is the No. 1 among the top 10 subscription-based streaming services in the U.S. Netflix has the most paid subscribers of all over-the-top (OTT) video services, according to…
NICE AND EASY: Fix audio drops on DIRECTV
It doesn’t happen often, but occasionally you’ll get short audio drops when watching live TV on a DIRECTV DVR. It’s not a sign of a real problem and it’s easy to fix by yourself. Generally changing…
Still not bundling? Why not?
It’s like free money. One of the biggest benefits of AT&T coming together with DIRECTV is bundling. In the past, it was enough to have “just” a TV service or “just” a wireless service, but consumers…
What is a pitch pad and why would you use one?
In general, if you can avoid drilling holes in your roof, you should. But sometimes you can’t. I always recommend using other forms of mounting first, but sometimes you can’t avoid it. Sometimes you’re just going to make…
Is Verizon’s Go90 about to… go? 90? (Whatever that means?)
Could Verizon’s streaming service be failing, just as AT&T plans to launch theirs? DIRECTV Now is expected to launch in Novmber, although details are sparse. We believe it will be 100 channels, and start at $35…
How can a cellular booster help your battery life?
SureCall’s EZ4G gives you great cell coverage without even making you put up an outdoor antenna. But it’s not cheap, and you may wonder why you should bother unless you have outright terrible cell service indoors. The…
THROWBACK THURSDAY: California says you can’t GPS while driving
Ah, California. It seems particularly apropos to say that California grows the most nuts of any state in the union. I mean walnuts, cashews, that sort of thing. Right? Well, decide for yourself. About three years…
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: It hasn’t been that long
The average person lives about 80 years. There has been some form of human civilization for about 20,000 years. Because of that, it’s really hard to think about how other people lived, not that long ago….
Is there an easy way to calculate loss over a cable?
Not if you really want to be accurate but… if you’re willing to cut a few corners you can calculate signal loss in your head. There are a lot of variables but if you’re willing to…
DIRECTV Now: $35 a month, 100 channels “that are all good”
He went there. At least partway. Speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s WSJ.D conference, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson confirmed that DIRECTV Now, the top tier of their trio of streaming apps, will be $35 for 100 channels. He…
What will happen to the 119 satellite location when SD service stops in 2019?
It’s coming. DIRECTV has already told us that in 2019, they will be stopping all SD service. They’ve been aggressively trying to get customers to move to HD for years, and with some of their older satellites…