CEDIA Day 1 Report
It’s show day here at CEDIA Expo in Indianapolis. I’ve been busy, and as usual hotel internet speeds aren’t going to be much help, but I thought I’d share some of the highlights. Fresh off the…
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Hands on with the HD-BLADE, part 10: In a bathtub!
I think I finally figured out something the HD-BLADE can’t do. Signal Group Forums member Babalu suggested we try the HD-BLADE in a bathtub full of water. The more I thought about it, it’s a great…
HD-BLADE vs. Paperclip … who wins?
When I tested the HD-BLADE covered with foil, I got several comments. Even though I tested the cable all by itself, it was suggested that to do it right I might use a paper clip as…
Hands on with the Netgear NeoTV NTV-200 IPTV Streamer
IPTV boxes aren’t anything new. In fact, this little streamer, the Netgear NTV200, has been around for about a year. The idea is simple: connect one of these little, hockey puck sized boxes to your older TV…
DISH expands its IPTV offerings
According to a press release DISH is moving further into the IPTV space with additional international channels. DISH has taken the lead over DIRECTV in IPTV, partnering with Roku to provide DishWorld service on Roku IPTV…
Hands on with the HD-BLADE, part 9: Tossed up into the attic
I’m beginning to think this is the “Terminator” of antennas. For today’s test, I connected it to 50 feet of cable and literally threw it up in the attic. I hate going up into the attic,…
Bad news for cable, good news for cord-cutters
The second quarter numbers are in, and it’s not a great time to be a cable company. Broadcast Engineering reports that the top 13 multichannel providers (cable and satellite companies) lost a total of 325,000 subscribers last month….
Hands on with the HD-BLADE, part 8: Covered in aluminum foil
Thanks to Signal Labs member kturcotte for this suggestion! I have tried everything I could think of. One of our facebook followers suggested I wrap the HD-BLADE in tinfoil, suggesting that I could finally eliminate all…
Hands on with DIRECTV’s C31 RVU Home Media Center Client
This document is available in PDF format! Click here to download. It’s about time. We’ve been talking about RVU for a long time. DIRECTV’s HR34 is the first device on the market to use this technology, and the idea is that RVU-enabled…
Hands on with the HD-BLADE, part 7: Behind the TV
Yes, I admit it. I’ve done some very unlikely things to the HD-BLADE. But it keeps passing every test! For today’s testing I thought I’d do something you might actually do at home: mount the antenna behind…
Hands on at the DIRECTV Los Angeles Broadcast Center (LABC)
It’s one of the coolest places I’ve ever seen. Last week, I was invited to an all-access tour of DIRECTV’s Los Angeles Broadcast Center (LABC), where DIRECTV controls national satellite channels, live sports, and produces Audience…
Hands on with the HD-BLADE, part 6: Give it to a 4-year-old
It works when laid flat.It works with wall paint all over it. It works behind pictures. I’m beginning to wonder if anything is going to stop this mighty little antenna. When I thought of the kind…
DIRECTV Protection Plan gets even better
DIRECTV’s Protection Plan is a great deal for those folks who don’t do their own upgrades. We’ve got a lot of DIYers here but there are also a lot of folks who want a simple, worry…
Hands on with the HD-BLADE, part 5: Behind a picture
Oh that poor antenna. I keep finding odd things to do with it. I thought, if I had a flat antenna, what would I do with it? Why, I’d put it behind a picture! And, it…
Hands on with the HD-BLADE, part 4: Cat/Tenna
If you’ve been reading our reviews of the HD-BLADE you’ve seen that even after being painted and cut, this little indoor antenna really performs. In part 1 you saw that I got 29 channels with proper mounting, and…