Best of the Blog 2018, Volume 1

The Solid Signal Blog is your resource for thousands of articles and reviews, with new content coming every day. 2018 marks our twelfth year since our humble beginnings, and today over 200,000 people read the blog every month. Every month, the staff gets together and gathers articles that really seem like they have long-term appeal. Here’s the list for January, 2018.

  1. Where did they get the names “DIRECTV” and “DISH”
  2. Are BNC connectors still used for anything?
  3. NICE AND EASY: What does that light on my Genie Client mean?
  4. TIP: If you use SWM at home, use SWM in your RV.
  5. NICE AND EASY: What does the CE logo mean on electronics?
  6. Someone INVENTED it: Emoticon
  7. NICE AND EASY: DIRECTV D12 with a SWM-30 Multiswitch?
  8. Someone INVENTED it: Transistor
  9. What is RoHS Compliance?
  10. WRONG TOOL/RIGHT TOOL: Tighten (or loosen) a coax cable
  11. What you need to know about third party installers
  12. NICE AND EASY: Can you put a preamp in the attic?
  13. WRONG TOOL/RIGHT TOOL: Mount a dish on your patio
  14. CES 2018: Day 1 at the Sands
  15. Someone INVENTED it: the Zipper
  16. CES 2018: No DIRECTV? No DISH?
  17. CES 2018: The obligatory post about televisions
  18. Wi-Fi Plugs Create Smart Home
  19. CES 2018: They probably wished they’d gotten the smaller booth
  20. CES 2018: North Hall Impressions
  21. CES 2018: Where the real show happens
  22. Why can’t Solid Signal sell DIRECTV equipment meant for other countries?
  23. Can I use two Genie remotes on the same receiver?
  24. NICE AND EASY: Why is copper used for cables?
  25. How can one satellite dish feed 100 receivers?
  26. DONT DO THIS: Use a chimney cap as an antenna
  27. CES 2018 Wrapup
  28. TIP: Older DIRECTV DVR making noise? Might be fixable!
  29. Why can’t you send HD to your television on channel 3?
  30. Why are there so many satellite locations?
  31. Balun Use and Antenna Updates
  32. NICE AND EASY: Whats the best place to mount your antenna?
  33. WRONG TOOL/RIGHT TOOL: Get great TV reception
  34. COMMUNICATIONS PIONEERS: Voyager I
  35. What is a B-Band Converter and when would you use one?
  36. Want a component connection from your H25 or Genie Mini? We can help!
  37. What’s the purpose of the access card in your receiver?
  38. A flat satellite cable? Could it be?
  39. Can an amplified antenna actually be worse than a non-amped one?
  40. Get the real story: How does a splitter work?
  41. Can you mount an antenna where your dish used to be?
  42. The problem with everything — yes everything — is the battery.
  43. Keep your phone on all the time? It’s called “nomophobia”
  44. OPINION: The importance of broadcasting
  45. TIP: How to use slow motion on a DIRECTV receiver
  46. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: They thought about grounding in 1749
  47. Confused? Use our free antenna recommendation service
  48. Understanding GPS
  49. 150+ mile antenna? Its a myth!
  50. Your Indoor/Outdoor TV Antenna Solution!

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.