Why pay more for digital signage?
Here’s the thing that my friends in Solid Signal’s marketing department don’t want you to know. You don’t need to spend a lot to get good digital signage. Let’s back up a bit, since it’s been a…
Read MoreArticles by Stuart Sweet
Commercial Installers: Should you prewire for 4K now?
4K is coming. Actually, 4K from DIRECTV is here. But let’s hope there’s a whole lot more coming. DIRECTV’s own three channels are great but they’re not enough to start a whole 4K revolution. The good…
What is the right price for streaming programs?
It really is the question of the day. What’s the right price to pay for your streaming content? What is an hour of entertainment worth to you? The world of streaming is changing fast and it’s…
FUN FRIDAY: The world in miniature
Few things out there as cool as a photograph of something really really small. AdaFruit industries recently published a series of what they call “macrophotographs” showing very small things at high magnification. Of course, the photos…
THROWBACK THURSDAY: That time AT&T stopped offering cell service
Sometimes, when you move forward, you leave some things behind. Such was the case back in 2013, when I told you that AT&T was retiring its old 2G/3G network. This was really the network that built AT&T…
Do you need an expensive cell signal meter? Or just a cheap cell phone?
This is Wilson’s cellular signal meter. It’s awesome. It will tell you things about your cell signals you never thought to ask, and it’s a must-have for a professional installer. But is it a must-have for you?…
COMMUNICATIONS PIONEERS: Laika the Dog
The first creature to fly through space wasn’t a person. That honor goes to Laika the dog, who was launched into space in 1957, just months after the launch of the first successful artificial satellite. Laika…
Why doesn’t anyone use that flat 300 ohm antenna wire anymore?
You remember this stuff, right? Two wires with a fat piece of plastic between them. Bare wire or lugs at the end. If you’re old enough to remember knobs on TVs, you’ve probably seen your share…
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Download gigabytes at 65mph
You’re driving along at highway speeds and (ahem) your passenger is safely using a mobile device. Perhaps watching a movie, updating an app, crushing a candy, whatever. So let’s get this straight. Since the average range of a…
Can using a cell phone cook your brain or give you cancer?
I’m not a doctor, but I blog like I play one on TV. How’s that for a disclaimer? The truth is I don’t know. And no one else does either. What I do know is that…
DIRECTV releases Fall 4K Schedule
Get ready for even more great 4K programming from DIRECTV this fall. DIRECTV’s three full-time 4K channels already offer the best documentaries, movies and special events on channels 104-106 for customers with the right hardware. Now,…
With (almost) any DIRECTV Genie: use IR and RF at the same time!
DIRECTV’s Genie System just keeps getting better! The new Genie DVR isn’t just smaller and faster, but we’ve confirmed that it has one feature that no (almost) other DIRECTV DVR has… Whether you have an older Genie…
UPDATED: Show me how to pause in one room and start in another (DIRECTV)
This article originally ran in 2013. The answer has changed since then. You’ve seen those DIRECTV commercials where they walk from room to room and start the program at the same place they left it? Have…
What’s the easiest way to tailgate with DIRECTV HD?
DIRECTV is the perfect add-on for a tailgating party. And if you’re going to watch DIRECTV over satellite, you’ll need a dish. The good news is that kits like the one above are inexpensive, and with a little…
How to tell if the cable company is ripping you off
QAM is the technology cable companies use to send digital TV to your home. Cable companies are unique in using this technology, which dates back to the 1980s. Satellite TV companies use DSS technology and fiber…