Understanding GPS
GPS is magic. At least it seems that way. Whether you’re using a smartphone, in-car unit or standalone, GPS technology is pretty awesome. You never get lost. It always knows exactly where you are. But how…
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Confused? Use our free antenna recommendation service
Antennas are still a bit more of an art than a science. Not only are there all the different manufacturers but you have to know UHF and VHF, all the rules of your homeowners or condo…
TIP: How to use slow motion on a DIRECTV receiver
Most people don’t even know that DIRECTV offers slow motion on its DVRs. For some reason, DIRECTV chose not to include a dedicated slow motion button on its original remotes, and its new Genie Remotes have even fewer…
Compression connectors: Your solution for heat problems?
Stuff gets hot. that’s just a simple fact. And here’s another simple fact: heat kills electronics. That’s why the devices we own have big fans and big heat sinks. There’s another solution, though: improve airflow. One…
A flat satellite cable? Could it be?
Hundreds of uses. This Eagle Aspen flat RG6 cable solves so many problems that it’s hard to know where to use it first. it’s suitable for cable, satellite, antenna, even cell booster use and it will give…
NICE AND EASY: How hot should your SWM16 get?
This hot. DIRECTV’s SWM16 multiswitch is a miracle of modern technology, but it’s not a miracle of thermal engineering. It runs hot, too hot to touch in some cases, and that’s perfectly normal. It can run 10-15 degrees…
What is a B-Band Converter and when would you use one?
It’s not something you see every day… at least not any more. Many a DIRECTV veteran has a dozen of these B-Band converters in a box in the garage, but if you’ve been with DIRECTV fewer…
Balun Use and Antenna Updates
To Balun or Not to Balun That TV antenna? When should it be done? In an article of mine published in Popular Communications, January 2013, “An Omnidirectional DTV Antenna – With Gain,” I included a little…
TIP: Older DIRECTV DVR making noise? Might be fixable!
As your equipment ages, you may notice that it has gotten noisier. This can be due to a lot of different things, and while there are some you can fix, there are other things you…
Can I use two Genie remotes on the same receiver?
Come on, you know you love DIRECTV’s Genie Remote. Maybe you were a doubter at first, but it’s easy to use, easy to hold, and gives you just what you need. So you want to have a…
Wi-Fi Plugs Create Smart Home
I came home from a two-week business trip that felt a lot longer than 14 days. When I finally walked inside my house, my hands were filled with luggage, two weeks of mail, and my…
What you need to know about third party installers
There’s been a video floating around the internet about a woman who was “scammed” when a door-to-door representative switched her from DIRECTV to DISH, and she said she wasn’t informed. In the end, she was switched…
WRONG TOOL/RIGHT TOOL: Tighten (or loosen) a coax cable
WRONG TOOL: Your hand. Finger tight is not tight enough for most coax connections. The only (possible) exception is the connection between the receiver and the final leg of coax. For connecting to splitters and…
NICE AND EASY: DIRECTV D12 with a SWM-30 Multiswitch?
Does this receiver look familiar? It’s the DIRECTV D12, the last standard-definition-only receiver ever made by DIRECTV. Believe it or not, it only went out of service for commercial customers last year and actually in most…
TIP: If you use SWM at home, use SWM in your RV.
Nothing like settling in to an evening of televised entertainment… courtesy of DIRECTV. If you have DIRECTV service at home, there’s no reason not to put a DIRECTV dish on your RV as well. DIRECTV’s rules…