Must-Have Weather Preparedness Gadgets
The post Must-Have Weather Preparedness Gadgets appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
View ArticleIs the USB port on a Gemini good for anything?
Take a look at this picture. It’s the back of a DIRECTV Gemini. You’re probably pretty familiar with Gemini at this point, but for those who aren’t: It’s the latest and greatest DIRECTV box. It adds...
View ArticleDo you need obstruction lighting on your antenna tower?
If you’re serious about antennas, you might be considering a tower in your backyard. Antenna towers make it possible to put your antenna high above roofs and trees. Remember up to 90% of your signal...
View ArticleWhat to do if you lose local TV channels in your RV
See if this scenario sounds familiar. You have a satellite dish in your RV. It may be a fixed one like a KING Phoenix for DISH or DIRECTV, or a portable one like a KING Tailgater Pro or KING One Pro....
View ArticleWill DRM (copy protection) kill 4K over-the-air television?
Friends, let me apologize right up front for the clickbaity headline. I prefer not to use these overly dramatic headlines but there’s no denying they work. Anyway. For the last six or seven years,...
View ArticleCan you use an indoor antenna if you’re 85 miles from the towers?
There are some folks who won’t go up on the roof, no matter what. Some people just physically can’t, some don’t have roof access because they live in a high-rise, and some people’s spouses don’t let...
View ArticlePodcast #558: The truth about cell phone signal boosters
Will a cell booster fry your brain? Here’s a myth that just won’t go away. Take a listen and see if you can understand why. Then, shop at https://www.solidsignal.com or call 888-233-7563 for the cell...
View ArticleWhy can’t you get TV from other local markets?
“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” This saying was in common use in the 1800s and was believed to have first been published by Benjamin Franklin. Personally, I...
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Ken Reid’s Year In Review
As is (now at least) the tradition, Ken flies solo for a warts and all, behind the scenes, stream of consciousness, week by week, episode by episode review of 2023, and anything else that pops into...
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How can antennas be shaped like Xs and Os?
It isn’t tic-tac-toe, you know. Take a look at the antenna at the top of this article. It’s the Antennas Direct Clearstream 2V. The elements are nice and round. Now take a look at this antenna, the...
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Will “Windows Dynamic Lighting” make a difference?
I don’t often give Microsoft a lot of credit for innovating. Generally when I speak of Microsoft products at all, it’s about how I hate Outlook or how they messed up the perfectly good Start menu. For...
View ArticleTHROWBACK THURSDAY: Broadcasting in the Year 2000
Back when the 21st century was first opening itself up to us, we wondered what it would mean for television. This was a time when getting on the internet meant dialing a phone number, when printed...
View ArticleIs it worth it to recycle that old antenna?
If your house was built before 1980 it probably has an old antenna on the roof. You might consider it an eyesore, and I get it. A lot of these old antennas aren’t in great shape after 50 years or...
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2023: The Year In Signals
It’s that time again! During the last week of every year I look back at the big stories that defined the year in Solid-Signal-Land. 2023 was certainly exciting and it’s amazing when I look back at all...
View ArticleDipping my toes into the “grain reduction” controversy
OK, dear readers, let me lay some truth on you. In the 20th century, most moving images were stored on film. Video tape was pretty common but it was used mostly for live events and low-budget sitcoms....
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FUN FRIDAY: Casio SK-1
If you were a nerd in 1985, you had to have this. I fondly remember the Casio SK-1. Back in the 1980s there were a lot of cheap electronic keyboards. If you wanted to play piano but couldn’t afford a...
View ArticleShould you run RG11 cable straight to the receiver?
Quick answer: probably not. RG11 cable is a special kind of coaxial cable. It’s built for longer runs, and in general you’ll find that you can run 50-100 feet longer with RG11 and still keep an...
View ArticlePredictions for 2024
Here we are at the end of 2023 and that can only mean one thing: it’s time for my parade of predictions for the coming year. My predictions for 2023 were pretty tame, after my past predictions made me...
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NICE AND EASY: What model of DIRECTV box do I have?
A lot of times it does actually matter what model receiver or client box you have. If you are looking for specific accessories, there are some that only work with some models. When you’re shopping,...
View Article2023 Predictions: How did I do?
When it comes to predictions, I’ll admit that I’m sometimes way off base. That’s probably why I wrote such a tame set of predictions back at the end of 2022. Looking at this article, there’s not a lot...
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