What is a “skinny TV bundle?”
It seems like it’s all the rage. All of a sudden every pay TV company is talking about a “skinny” bundle. Even DIRECTV Chair Mike White referenced the term in a recent conference call. Verizon’s gone…
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FROM THE FRONT LINES: Add cable TV to a DIRECTV system?
Can you use one cable for both cable internet and DIRECTV at the same time? In general, no. DIRECTV’s networking signals tend to occupy the same space that is used by many cable TV systems….
What is HDMI-ARC and is it for you?
What’s the best way to get the sound on your home theatre working? That used to be a pretty easy question to answer, back when the humble RCA cable was the height of modern technology. Now,…
Why is DIRECTV using big power bricks now?
If you’ve been using a newer DIRECTV receiver like the H25, you’ve noticed that DIRECTV has started using big “power bricks” instead of simple power cords. It’s kind of silly that the power supply for the tiny C41…
Should you buy a new A/V receiver with Dolby Atmos?
Bragging rights. Come on, you know we love ’em. According to my research, a lot of you folks reading this blog are guys, and guys love bragging rights. We want the cars that go faster, the…
ATSC 3.0 is coming and you should not care
Yes, I’m a little cynical. The Advanced Television Standards Committee, the people who designed the HDTV standards we use today, have gotten a lot closer to release version 3.0 of the ATSC standard. There are some…
DIRECTV removes YouTube icon from most HD receivers
Well, we knew it was coming. It was about two weeks ago that we told you of a change to YouTube that would essentially break it for older smart devices. That unfortunately includes DIRECTV DVRs, since they were…
IT CAN BE DONE: Connect one SWM32 to another
Behold the SWM-32. It’s the biggest multiswitch in DIRECTV’s arsenal and capable of feeding 32 receivers at a time. It’s strictly for commercial use, since you can’t really use it efficiently to share programs between devices. On…
Digital Signage makes sense on the factory floor
I’m beginning to think there’s a place for digital signage in every single industry. Not that long ago I had the opportunity to help a Michigan factory modernize with digital signage. Digital signage is used to…
What is the DIRECTV RC73 Genie Remote?
It’s the latest Genie Remote, but you probably don’t need it yet. The DIRECTV Genie Remote has been the standard for several years now. It started as the RC70 remote which was originally used only for DIRECTV-ready…
Should you put a flat antenna on the outside of the window or on the inside?
Flat antennas like our HDBLADE are so slender that they’re just begging to be put on the window. This is especially true with the clear ones that let all that sun shine through. But the question remains,…
How can you change the bar color on your DIRECTV SD programs?
Do you watch a lot of standard definition stuff on your HDTV? If so, you might notice that the bars on the left and right are grey. You might have set things up to stretch the…
Is DIRECTV losing YouTube support?
The following message is making the rounds at several support forums: YouTube Application No Longer Available via DIRECTV April 20, 2015 Due to changes in third party software, the YouTube application will no longer be available…
Best of the Blog 2014, Volume 4
The end of 2014 was a great time for The Solid Signal Blog!
NICE AND EASY: Can you use an RF Remote on a DIRECTV receiver without RF?
Yes, but you can’t use it in RF mode. It’s true that many DIRECTV remotes can operate in RF mode, giving you the ability to control your receiver or DVR through walls and doors. But…