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Podcast #532: What happens when a cable company doesn’t want to be a cable company?

Too many longtime pay-TV providers are giving up. They’re telling you to move to streaming. But is that the best move for you? If you want a better option, call us at 888-233-7563. Listen to the podcast your way! Just choose one of the following: Option 1: Click on the image above to stream the podcast in your browser. If you use the YouTube player above, be sure to subscribe to get future videos delivered to you! Option 2: The Solid Signal Podcast is available on several podcast aggregators. Search for us, or tap on the links below on your mobile device. If you want us to add another aggregator leave a comment below. Amazon iTunes Google Podcasts Overcast TuneIn Spreaker Stitcher Player.fm Spotify Option 3: Download the podcast in...
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Satellite TV on a boat? What a great idea!

When you’re out on the water… often the last thing you think about is television. That’s good — you should spend time outside, getting fresh air and having fun. But hey, we all have a need to feel connected, and whether that is e-mail, web surfing, or good-old-fashioned TV, it’s hard to leave it on the shore. Despite the ongoing stream of naysayers talking about the death of live TV, it’s still a big part of the entertainment landscape. Streaming, especially on the water, can be unreliable and costly. Live TV is where you get the best news and sports, the things you need right now. No one wants to be without the latest information. That’s the best part… you don’t have to. SolidSignal.com has an incredibly expansive selection of the...
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Can you still activate non-SWM equipment on DIRECTV?

DIRECTV has been using SWM technology since 2009, which means that the service, now almost 30 years old, has been advocating SWM for about half its existence. And yet, surprisingly, there are still people in 2023 who are hesitant for one reason or another to use it. We get this question at Solid Signal pretty much every day. What is SWM technology? There are a lot of technical articles on this blog you can read if you wish, so here’s a quick overview. SWM technology allows for satellite signals to flow over a single wire. That wire can be split to increase the number of receivers or DVRs you have. It also allows for multi-tuner DVRs like the Genie 2. Without SWM, you would need to run seven cables from the dish to the Genie, which...
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Can you use a VPN with a GOTSPOT or SIMTELL device?

The summer’s here and everyone wants to get away from it all. But, getting away from it all doesn’t mean being disconnected. We all know it, too. It’s not 1995 anymore and we all want to stay in touch. As vacation season heats up, we’re all faced with a simple question: do you keep up on emails or let them pile up and not think about them? A lot of folks sleep better at night knowing that they have put out any small fires at work so they’re not big fires when they return. That’s why GOTSPOT and SIMTELL are so popular. The GOTSPOT and SIMTELL devices from gotw3, and available at Solid Signal, give you the connectivity you crave for the things that need it. It’s all well and good to try to use your phone for everything but you don’t...
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What does a flashing light on a DIRECTV power inserter mean?

I recently explained the basics of a DIRECTV power inserter to one of the team at Solid Signal HQ. A power inserter, I said, is a pretty simple thing. It takes power and puts it on the same coax line as the signal from the dish. Before it does that, it transforms the 110 volt AC power to 29 volt DC power, but that’s no trick. Pretty much every cell phone charger does a similar thing, just with less voltage. The whole thing with putting the current on the coax cable is a neat trick. It relies on a basic theory of RF transmission called “the skin effect” which allows signals to travel on the outer edge of a cable while power travels through the center. It’s also notable that the signals are coming down from the dish, while the power is...
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Can you use DIRECTV’s H44 receiver on a boat?

Our marine customers love DIRECTV. What’s not to love? Satellite TV is a great value for boaters. It’s a lot less expensive than satellite internet and gives you hundreds of channels of live TV. Our marine customers often have two questions, though, and while they’re easy to answer, the answers may not be what you expect. Question 1: What’s the best satellite receive to use? There are two kinds of DIRECTV accounts: commercial and residential. Boaters who have their vessels in their own names are considered residential accounts. Boaters who put their boat in the name of a corporation are considered commercial customers. Even if you’re just doing it for tax reasons, putting the boat in a corporation’s name means a commercial account...
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NICE AND EASY: What is a DAS (Distributed Antenna System)

Right now, I imagine that you’re sitting on your computer at work, wondering why you can’t get cell service at your desk. This is a problem that about 75% of workplaces face, and it’s a big problem. Folks, this isn’t 1997. People rely on their cell phones to provide information and security. There was a time when employers actually banned cell phones in the workplace but that’s just impossible now. People need to stay in communication and cell phones are how it’s done. But hey, you know that which is why you’re so frustrated. There’s a big move today to make sure that cell coverage inside large buildings is as good as cell coverage outside. It’s an expensive proposition to be sure, but cell service is important and it’s just one of...
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RV Newbies: Tips to Reduce Your Anxiety

As an RV newbie, I used to be a nervous wreck. I would freak out every time I had to turn a corner (right or left), or back my fifth wheel into a lot. I wasn’t used to having so much more vehicle attached to the back of my pickup truck. This anxiety made me so hyper-focused on driving that I ended up making many common rookie mistakes with my lines, hoses, and other things. Looking back on it, I see that I couldn’t get out of my own way enough to enjoy the RV life. I don’t want it to be this way for anyone who purchases an RV, camper, or motorhome these days. As a former RV owner, I can’t bottle the confidence I developed after years of practice and send it to you. What I can do is tell you about some of the mistakes new RV...
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Is it ok to charge your cell phone in an electric car?

Let me tell you, who wouldn’t want a Tesla Model S like this one? They’re handsome, go faster than most supercars, are perfectly silent, and best of all they never ever need gas. Electric cars were a novelty ten years ago, but in some parts of the country it’s quite routine to see them. In addition to the Tesla, arguably the most popular car, there are tons more. Pretty much every manufacturer either has an electric model or they are planning one. Some, like Hyundai and Kia, have several. Ford has an electric version of the most popular vehicle in the US, the F-150. These cars all have one thing in common. They all promise low or no gas consumption and energy costs that compare to paying about 30 cents a gallon. It’s a dream come true...
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STREAMING SATURDAY: Spoiling “The Power”

Friends, this article will contain spoilers for The Power, which is available on Prime Video. And let me be clear, I really mean spoilers here. I’m going to talk about the book on which the series is based, and why I’m mad enough to release electricity from my fingertips at this point about both the book and the 9-part series that is available to stream. So, if you are not interested in really knowing what goes on at the end of either, simply stop reading here. In fact, what I’m doing at the moment is just filling this article with words so you will have time to dash away if you don’t want to know how it ends. The Power: The Book (and the ending) I became aware of The Power, oh, it must be five years ago now. It seems like millions...
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It’s 2023. Are people out there still using FTA satellite receivers?

It being 2023 (as I pointed out in the title of this article), the chances are that you personally fall into one of two categories. You might have some knowledge of FTA from many years past. Or, you may not have any idea what FTA is and you’re curious to find out. Either way, come on in and enjoy the ride as we go through what seems like an article I did not expect to be writing. What is FTA Satellite? FTA stands for “Free-to-Air.” It describes a satellite system that became popular in the 1980s as an alternative to cable or antenna, before DIRECTV and DISH existed. With this system, you pointed the dish using motors and gears at multiple different satellites. Typically, the dish itself was large by today’s standards, between 10 and...
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Here’s everything you need to know if you’re thinking about marine satellite TV

Don’t believe the naysayers. Satellite TV is the best, most economical way to get live entertainment up to 100 miles offshore. Cellular internet is great if you can stay within 5-10 miles of the shoreline. Satellite internet is great if you love spending $2,000 a month on enough internet to stream every night. Satellite TV delivers a great experience full of entertainment for about the same monthly price as a regular land-based pay-TV subscription. If you choose right, you’ll end up very happy. But, you do need to know the facts. What makes marine satellite antennas special The big difference between satellite TV on land and at sea is the satellite dish itself. Typically, you don’t expect your house to move a lot. That means you can...
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FUN(?) FRIDAY: Will Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ruin my childhood?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny premieres in theaters on June 30. It’s been screened at the Cannes film festival, and we’ve known the basic beats of the film for a while. But will it, put simply, suck? What we know The film takes place largely in the late 1960s, where we find Indiana Jones ready to retire. There is, apparently, a long flashback sequence to 1939, where a de-aged Harrison Ford delivers a performance that’s supposed to be identical to what you’ve seen from the first three films. There’s also Phoebe Waller-Bridge, a brilliant comic actor. There are hints that she will continue the franchise, if people want her to. What we’ve seen A lot of people...
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Who is Howard Hughes and what did he have to do with DIRECTV?

Howard Hughes. If you know the name at all, you probably think of a crazy man who lived in total seclusion, or maybe you know few bits of trivia. The name doesn’t come up much these days, which is a shame because he was a model for a lot of the way that tech tycoons operate now. Before Bill Gates, before Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk, there was Howard Hughes. There was a time that his power and influence was everywhere, and the sad lessons of his life cast a shadow over others who came after him. When you look at a billionaire and assume they’re eccentric, it’s because of him. The amazing achievements Howard Robard Hughes, Jr., was the driving force behind the largest wooden aircraft ever to fly, the biggest-budget movie of his day...
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