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What’s the Best Cell Phone Booster Out There?

Reprinted with permission from the weBoost blog. In 2024, staying connected for work, entertainment, or emergencies is more critical than it has ever been. And this means reliable cellular service is non-negotiable. Even so, we have all experienced frustrating moments when our cell phone signal drops, interrupting a call or bringing data to a standstill. This is where you need a signal booster, but what’s the best cell phone booster out there? This article will help you answer that question, so you can live with fewer interruptions—wherever you are. What causes poor cell signal? The reliability of cell service can be influenced by several signal-weakening factors, including building materials, distance from towers, network...
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STREAMING SATURDAY: Streampocalypse begins

There’s an old saying that translates roughly to, “if you are patient enough, you will always be right.” In other words, every prediction you make will come true if you wait long enough. That seems to apply here to the idea of “Streampocalypse,” a term I originally coined back at the end of 2020. Even back then I was predicting that major streaming services would merge or close, and that’s certainly been happening. Take for example the merging of HBO and Discovery content. Granted, that one didn’t go so well. But that doesn’t mean things are going to get worse. This week’s rumors point to… a little bit of a mess Just in the last week, there have been three little tidbits of news that point to major consolidation in the streaming...
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NICE AND EASY: Can you adjust the backlight on the Gemini remote?

Personally I love the new Gemini remote. It’s easy to handle with one hand, has “just the right number” of buttons, and of course has advanced features like the voice button. But, we’ve had a lot of people call us about the backlighting. It seems that there are people who want to change it in some way. Yes, the Gemini remote is backlit. I go into details here, but yes the Gemini remote is backlit. There are some things on the internet you’ll read saying it isn’t, but it is most definitely backlit. Here’s a photo I took in near total darkness. The issue is that the backlighting isn’t as bright as previous DIRECTV remotes. The light also doesn’t stay on very long. This has led some folks to believe that it isn’t backlit at all, but...
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Can you broadcast a TV signal to a TV inside your house? I tried it

Look. You’re either a person who doesn’t mind a lot of wiring or you’re a person who wants to hide every wire you can. There isn’t much of a middle ground. If you’re trying to get TV into a spare room, you will have to make a choice as to how much wiring you really want. I went the extra mile to see if it was possible to eliminate practically all wiring in a spare room. And, I’m here to tell you all about it. Problem 1: Wireless isn’t really wireless If you have something like DIRECTV’s Gemini satellite client, you’ll be able to use a wireless connection between your Genie and the Gemini. But, once the connection gets to the Gemini, there are still wires. There’s the power cable to the wall, and the HDMI cable to the TV. If you’re...
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Best of the Blog 2023, Volume 9

The Solid Signal Blog is your resource for thousands of articles and reviews, with new content coming every day. 2023 marks our seventeeth year since our humble beginnings, and today over 250,000 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 September, 2023: Are your Wally and Tailgater having problems with Western Arc lately? Choosing the right lens for your Blackmagic Pocket Cinema camera Can you use a phone charger (or your TV) to power your Gemini Air? Get the real story: How does a splitter work? What is “Eclipse Temurin?” Can you use the DIRECTV Local Channel Connector (LCC) with the H26K Commercial Receiver? Can...
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Can’t get cell service? Too far away? No problem for Signal Connect

Here’s something you probably didn’t know: your cell phone doesn’t work well unless it’s within about 1.5 miles of a cell tower. In some cases, like high-band 5G, you can lose service in as little as 500 feet. We tend not to think about this because the major carriers have done a great job of covering populated areas with cell towers. But what if you’re in the middle of nowhere? What if you’re out at sea? That’s where Signal Connect comes in There are specialized solutions available for this kind of problem, and they’re not some sort of magic. They’re just simple applications of electrical engineering. But, they’re not always simple to put into place. That’s why an expert like Signal Connect comes in. What can be done about poor...
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FUN FRIDAY: Spirit Duplicators

Call them Spirit duplicators or Ditto machines… if the mention of those words sends you back in time, you’re not alone. If you’re like me, you can actually still smell that duplicating fluid. Ah, there’s nothing like the smell of mimeographs in the morning. Smells like victory. The purple perfection In the days when photocopiers were expensive and finicky, the Ditto or mimeograph ruled supreme. These were simple machines that untrained people could use all day with little fear of breaking anything. Today’s teachers may do a lot online, but back in the 20th century, most teachers spent a lot of their time making copies to distribute to their classrooms. Ditto machines and mimeograph machines made that possible. A Ditto is not a Mimeo...
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THROWBACK THURSDAY:When someone thought the TiVo HD was “all that”

There was a time when this blog was really focused on TiVos. Look, don’t blame me. I actually started authoring The Solid Signal Blog in 2012. Five years before that, we published this article about the TiVo HD. It was all-new, all-exciting, and all the rage back in the late 2000s. Of course its specs seem puny today, when DIRECTV’s latest DVR gives you 200 hours of HD recording space and when virtually any device out there will let you stream content from Amazon. Still, I have to give “props” to TiVo for its early work here. The TiVo HD was the latest in what was then a very successful line of DVRs from the company. At that time, the word “TiVo” was literally synonymous with DVR, and it was common to hear people say “I’ll TiVo that.”...
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Still missing channels after Tuesday’s outage? Here’s how to fix that

I’d like to take one more moment to congratulate the folks at DIRECTV for the speed and efficiency they showed during the satellite outage on February 27, 2024. Yes, some DIRECTV fans were left wondering why this happened at all, or why it couldn’t have been taken care of in minutes, I’m not one of them. To me it’s amazing how much can be done remotely to keep these satellites up and running. Just this morning I read another article about two satellites that came within 66 feet of crashing into each other. What really popped out was the international effort to track literally every satellite in the sky at all times. Let’s remember, DIRECTV restored a large proportion of service to its customers before prime time and all service to all...
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NICE AND EASY: How far offshore will satellite signals go?

Boat owners rejoice: chances are that unless you’re on a long cruise, your satellite receivers will work. There are no hard and fast rules, but generally you will continue to get DIRECTV or DISH satellite TV at least 10 miles offshore. How satellite TV works All satellite TV transmissions are, essentially, spot beams. That is to say, they are designed to focus on the area of the planet where they’re needed. Even the widest beams, known as the “CONUS” beams, are designed so that they closely follow the borders of the United States. This is done on purpose. It’s not that they don’t want international customers, it’s that DIRECTV and DISH would need to get licenses for every country they cover. These licenses only cover the United...
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Why do so many web sites want to know your location?

All of a sudden we’ve all become much more aware of privacy on the web. Originally it was some of the news about Facebook and other social media. Then Europe enacted new privacy standards. That caused every web site to up its game. In 2024, we are all expecting Google to get rid of “cookies.” While I think that’s a good move it also creates a lot of uncertainty. It’s actually a good thing that we’re all paying a bit more attention, even though it can lead to some annoying popups like the one above. You’ve probably noticed this “know your location” message on more than one web site, and you might have asked yourself, “why do they need to know?” That’s actually a really good question. They probably don’t need to know… When a web site...
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DON’T DO THIS: run a coaxial cable through a swimming pool?

If there ever was a clearer case of “don’t try this at home…” well I haven’t seen it. This story is true. As they used to say in old TV shows, some details have been changed to protect the innocent. I was recently asked if it was ok to run a coaxial cable through a swimming pool. Apparently, this guy wanted to have DIRECTV programming out on the other side of his large backyard, too far for a wireless signal from his Genie 2. The easiest way, he figured, was a straight line. This straight line, apparently, went straight through the pool. Does it seem like you should do this? Coaxial cable is designed to be water-resistant, for sure. The rubber outer jacket should stop water from coming in. Coax cables work in the rain. They work in...
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There’s another option besides the Affordable Connectivity Plan

It seems like good internet service is as important as lights or heat these days. What would you do if you lost internet service? How would you even stay in touch with people. Now imagine not having internet at all, or worrying about it getting shut down because you couldn’t afford it. That’s why the federal government created the Affordable Connectivity Program, or ACP. If you or your kids qualify for pretty much any sort of federal aid, you can probably also qualify for a discount on your internet service and a one-time rebate on a new device. It’s a way to make sure you have the connection you need. To me, it seems like a great idea. If you’re asking, “how does our government even function?” The funding for the government’s...
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Does your Genie 2 have an amber light on the front? Here’s what to do

If you have a Genie 2, you know that it generally has two green lights on the front. The top shows the general status of the system. The bottom shows the status of the wireless adapter. For the most part they stay green all the time. What happens if one of them changes color? What should you do? First thing: check out our error code list. This site maintains the most comprehensive listing of error codes and error lights for DIRECTV. You can find it here. You’ll find a list of the lights on your Genie 2 and what they do. A yellow or amber light indicates some sort of signal issue. Before you do anything: are any of your channels affected? An amber light can happen for a lot of reasons. It could mean a temporary signal outage on a...
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