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…
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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…
How do you know if your multiswitch is going bad?
Multiswitch problems can be very frustrating. The problems may be intermittent, or look like dish or LNB problems. So how can you test a possibly faulty multiswitch? Most of the time the answer is to simply…
The Standard Bow Tie Antenna
This blog is long overdue. Here is the standard bow tie antenna that I’m comparing all other antennas to and how to build it. To build this antenna, you’ll need: Two pieces of stiff wire…
What’s the best multiswitch for DIRECTV SD receivers?
The answer’s simple… SWM. If you’re still working with Zinwell, Spaun or Eagle Aspen multiswitches, you know that they work well and they’re reliable. We stand behind them and still sell quite a few. However, if…
How to make your own RG6 cables the Solid Signal way
This tutorial is available in PDF format! Click here to download! It’s not that hard, but you have to pay attention. Coaxial cables carry a lot more information than they used to. Rather than the 15-20 channels of…
QAM 101: All QAM is not the same
Thanks to ahaley for this suggestion. QAM. Most likely you think it’s either an unpronounceable random set of letters or an Australian airline. In both cases you would be wrong. It stands for Quadrature Amplitude Modulation….
HOW TO DO IT: Aim your DIRECTV Dish using the SATLOOKLITE meter
This document is available in PDF format! Click here to download! Solid Signal’s SATLOOKLITE meter is the best solution for a tailgater or enthusiast who wants an easy way to align a dish quickly. It’s packed with features,…
SELECTING A MOUNTING SITE FOR YOUR TV ANTENNA part 2
Multipath occurs when there is a large barrier with several openings in it. The barrier might be either a series of building near the transmitter or a mountain range a short distance away. Multipath…
20 Tuners from a SWM-16! It can be done!
DIRECTV’s SWM Technology is awesome. With just a pair of wires, you can run 16 receivers. But what if you have 17? That’s kind of a pain, right? I mean that would mean another whole SWM…
What dish do you need for DIRECTV HD service?
Our tech support department is often asked what dish is needed for DIRECTV service. DIRECTV has had many dishes through the years, but today, only the Slimline series will work with DIRECTV’s HD channels. Slimline-3 The Slimline-3 is…
Selecting a mounting site for your TV antenna
(Edge Diffraction, MultiPath, Bounce and Trees) Authors Note: I hereby acknowledge and give thanks to the website TVFool.com for the information that was used to illustrate this article. Many of us, when we look at…
DIRECTV Receiver showing “Regular Schedule” in the guide? Here’s what to do
Our new guide gives you all the tools you need to figure out guide data problems with your DIRECTV equipment. You don’t have to live with “Regular Schedule” anymore and you might not have to replace…
Can you use an RVU TV without a SWM System?
You’ve heard of these TVs that show DIRECTV Service without needing a box at the TV? They’re called RVU TVs. Our tech desk was recently asked if you can use these RVU televisions without having SWM technology….
RVU Networking for Genie Clients — is it necessary to set a static IP?
DIRECTV’s Genie Mini Clients are a really slick piece of technology. Although they have no hard drives, they act like DVRs. They are small, quiet, and easy to set up. However, more advanced techies aren’t always comfortable…