DISH’s AirTV is a bona fide hit
It’s good to be right. For years this blog and others have been talking about the strong demand for free, over-the-air TV. We’ve watched as most of the news focused on the streaming side of cord-cutting,…
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OPINION: Is the computer mouse obsolete?
If so, it’s had a good run. The mouse was invented back in 1965, in the days when interacting with computers meant flipping long banks of switches and getting paper tape printouts in return. It took off…
Will we see more live 4K programming in 2017?
Last year, DIRECTV became the first television provider in the US to broadcast live, full-time 4K signals. DIRECTV now has three live channels of 4K and a large library of downloadable 4K content. This puts DIRECTV…
CES 2017: In a nutshell
So, did you get what you wanted from our blog team this year? We’re not the biggest or the best funded but we try as hard as anyone else. Take a look at the reports we…
Why get a new router? Just add an access point!
If you’re like most people, you get your home internet from a company that used to sell mostly phone or internet service. If you’re in AT&T territory, hopefully you’re thinking of bundling AT&T internet with DIRECTV….
Screen saver problems on your DIRECTV equipment?
Sitting there watching TV, and suddenly the screen saver comes on? You’re not alone. This is a strange behavior that has plagued DIRECTV receivers for over ten years. It’s come and go, and it seems like…
CES 2017: The rear view mirror
With the last of the blog team home safe, it’s time to take one last look at the show. It wasn’t the biggest… and that was on purpose. At times it actually felt a little underattended. It seemed…
Will 2017 be the year of virtual reality?
Will we all be wearing headsets like the one you see above by the end of the year? There’s no doubt that the Oculus Rift has rebooted the once dead virtual reality industry by providing an…
STREAMING SATURDAY: Netflix Redemption 2017?
As streaming services go, Netflix has taken a beaten over at this blog. Perhaps its January releases will redeem Netflix’s position as a top streaming channel. With its January lineup, Netflix might have addressed some of…
CES 2017: What year is it again?
So this article’s a little off topic. As in, none of these items are for sale at Solid Signal, and none are likely to be. Maybe if I had a DeLorean and could go back and…
BREAKING: DIRECTV and Hearst kiss and make up
Over, practically before it began. Hearst stations reapppeared overnight in over 25 cities for DIRECTV customers, a sign that a new contract has been signed. The 5-day long blackout was resolved before most new programs came back from…
What is “mesh networking?”
You know how you can walk through an airport and not lose Wi-Fi? That’s got to be some trick when you realize that a Wi-Fi signal can reach 100 or 150 feet, sometimes less. Did you…
Do you really need an outdoor antenna for your cell booster?
This is SureCall’s Signal Catcher antenna. It’s an admittedly pricey little piece of kit, but the promise it makes is pretty enticing — use the most powerful cell booster without getting up on the roof. Is it…
CES 2017: Trend of the show (that you can’t have yet)
In the words of that great sage Robin Thicke, “you know you want it.” Transparent monitors are a staple of near-future sci-fi and it just seems like the kind of thing we’ll all have at our…
CES 2017: They probably wished they’d bought the smaller booth
This is probably my favorite article of the year. This is the fourth time I’ve written it now… and my 2016, 2015, and 2014 articles are still available if you’re curious. I know it’s a little bitter and cruel of…