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How long do those old burned discs last?

Remember when you used to make mix tapes? Then you got a CD burner and you could burn CD’s. That was really cool, right? You moved on, and now you share Spotify channels, but you might still have a bunch of old burned media, stuff you like or that has sentimental value. Maybe it came from an old boyfriend or girlfriend. Maybe it’s best that you not remember where that media came from, since we all did a lot of semi-legal sharing back then. What about all those old data backups, those pictures and videos from days gone by? Chances are you put them on a CD or DVD thinking they’d last forever. Unfortunately that’s not the case. You might pick up one of those data backups and find the information’s gone for good. Burned optical media just...
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HEY INSTALLERS: You do what you do best. Let us handle the rest.

Being a home theater, corporate A/V, mobile, or marine installer is a lot harder than it used to be. Friends, I go back a little while and when I did a lot of stuff out in the field it was a lot easier to make money. Why? Because it really took an expert to do this stuff. Whether it was just wiring a VCR (yes, I go back that far) or putting in a multi-media program for a large group, it took a qualified technician. A regular person would just be lost. So, you could charge a lot for what you did. Flash forward a few years. OK, flash forward a lot of years. Today, it’s simpler and a lot more people think they can do it on their own. I’ll admit, it’s a lot easier than it used to be, thanks to things like HDMI cables and standards like...
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Ken Reid, Anna Rubanova and Adam Bozarth Part II

November 14-20, 1992 This week Ken welcomes Left Handed Radio’s Adam Bozarth and Anna Rubanova BACK to the show to finally (a year and a half later) do Part II of what they started. Ken, Anna and Adam discuss how tired Adam and Anna are, mosquitos, tubes in ears, having your tonsils removed, having bad gas send you to the hospital, Ken’s kidney stone, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, placentas as extra credit, The Phillip LeBlanc Show, early morning WNYC, Marketplace, Halloween III, moving from Hard News, Fresh Scare, UPDATES on things Ken said to watch last time, including The Monster Club, That Guy Dick Miller, Charles Bronson, going on a Vincent Price kick, the modern Vincent Price, art collections, Voyager, playing poker, Steve...
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Which DIRECTV remotes work with the new Gemini?

When it comes to Gemini, it’s all good news. DIRECTV’s new box for its residential customers really brings the goods. It’s a Genie client like the older generation, plus it adds 4K, smaller size, even lower power use, and of course the ability to run all the streaming apps you want. It even comes with a voice-enabled remote that pairs easily and works in more scenarios than the Genie remote. All this is great news. But, of course, any time there’s a change there will be people who are happy with the way things have always been. When DIRECTV rolled out its RC24 remote back in the mid-2000s (the grandfather to today’s RC66X “white” remote) there were those who wanted to use the older RCA-style remote. When the Genie remote was rolled...
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You want marine-rated electrical wire? We’ve got it

Marine-rated electrical wire. First of all you have to know that at some level, operating something big and electrical while you’re on the water is about the most dangerous thing you’re going to do. Electricity and water famously do not mix, and when they do, the result is someone or something gets fried. That’s why you need marine-rated cable, cable that is insulated well enough that there’s practically no possibility of a short due to water getting in. Even if this wire is going to be in a part of the boat that doesn’t get wet, it doesn’t matter. The last thing you need, if there’s an emergency and water gets somewhere it shouldn’t, is to get electrocuted. Get marine rated cable from Solid Signal Luckily, Solid Signal has, and...
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NOT THAT YOU WOULD BUT: Could you hook up a cell booster in a plane and get service?

In the early part of the 2000s, airlines started telling you that you couldn’t use your phone on a plane. Back then, it wasn’t a big deal since the only thing you could do on a phone was talk anyway. But of course, now we use our phones for so much more. Since 2014, you can legally use your cell phone on a plane… but there’s a hitch. It turns out that if you want in-flight data, you have to pay the airline. It turns out there’s no service up in the friendly skies. Before the 21st century, when it was legal to make a call on a plane, cell technology was different and since then, new tower technology has meant that cell signals are pointed out toward the people who need them, not up in the air. So, let’s just say that you brought a cell...
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Activating new technology is a drag. It doesn’t have to be.

What’s the worst part of getting a new gadget? Well I’m pretty sure you’d agree it’s the activation. (After all, you found this article, so you’re aware of the problem.) Whether it’s a new phone, a new entertainment product, new internet service… it can be incredibly annoying. All you want to do is play with your new toy and you’re stuck on the phone with an overseas call center. You’re talking to someone who doesn’t know the product and doesn’t understand your needs. Then, you get transferred. We’ve all been there. There is a better way. And you’ve found it I’m going to tell you something that won’t make sense to you. Here goes. Calling the manufacturer isn’t the best way to get activated. Some of the companies you’re buying from...
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6 Technology Tools Every Sales Team Needs to Have

Over the years, manual sales have become ineffective, and sales technology is becoming quite popular. This is generally evident in sales follow-up emails, tracking customers in spreadsheets, and connection to a decision maker. That’s something to celebrate as only 34% of salespersons spend their time in actual selling, while the rest spend time selling using technology tools that enable them to accomplish various tasks such as prospecting, data entry, and scheduling. But with numerous sales tech tools and services available, how do you choose a technology tool that fits your sales team? Below we’ve covered six must-have technology tools for a sales team and how they facilitate sales. Read on! #1. Display Screen A high-resolution...
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Podcast #528: Is it the end for satellite TV?

Here’s an honest look at the technology that seemed so promising 15 years ago. 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 MP3 format. Option 4: Paste the following link into your favorite podcast app...
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What are my options for HDTV on a small boat?

Hey marine fans, I get it. You don’t go out on the water to watch TV. But, a lot of people do put some sort of TV system on their boats. If you’re staying on the boat overnight, it’s nice to sit back and relax below decks. It’s also nice to have the ability to have “tailgate” parties on the boat where you bring friends onboard to enjoy a game while also enjoying the water. Satellite TV is one of the most popular upgrades for a boat, but if you’re running an average size cabin cruiser, you’ll need to choose your options carefully. Traditional TV Obviously, you’re not going to be able to get cable TV on your boat. I mean, unless you’re in the marine, you’re not going to be able to connect a cable, which ends up being the problem. That’s...
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Working from the RV – what’s it worth to you?

Remote work is here to stay. It’s less common than it was three years ago when health concerns drove millions to work from home. However, the percentage of people working from home is a lot higher than it was in the last decade. The Hill reports that 30% of us do at least some work from home, up from about 6% in the last quarter. Working from home is great of course, but even that can be a little constraining. When we talk about working from home, we’re actually talking about working remotely and that can happen anywhere that there’s an internet and phone connection. So why not work from the RV? The problem with working from the RV Your RV is your home away from home. With a kitchen and a bed, it beats the idea of finding some hotel...
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What’s the difference between a booster and a microcell?

This is one of our most popular products… the weBoost Home Multiroom cell phone signal booster. It’s the perfect solution to the problem of working at home or in an office with really bad cell reception, because it boosts the signal that it gets very effectively. You may have also have heard of something called a “microcell.” Maybe the term sounds familiar to you, or maybe not. It hasn’t been used officially in some time. So what is a “microcell?” It sounds like it does the same thing. So what’s the difference? First of all there isn’t a “government standard” or anything that regulates the use of the term, but there are some definitions that fit the bill. We’ll tell you about those. Here’s what a microcell does (or used to do) A...
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The Best DIRECTV Receiver for Businesses

DIRECTV is the best live TV option for business such as bars, restaurants, and hotels. There really isn’t a viable commercial streaming or cable TV option for commercial installations, while DIRECTV offers the best news, sports, and entertainment programming. It’s a much better value, and DIRECTV is more reliable, too. If you’re a business owner who has DIRECTV at home, you might be wondering which receiver is best to use at your business. Signal Connect, your commercial DIRECTV dealer, answers this question. What’s the Best DIRECTV Commercial Receiver? It’s natural for someone to ask this question, especially when they’re making a substantial investment in electronic equipment. When it comes to commercial DIRECTV receivers...
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Viasat’s evolution from a small defense contractor to global satellite operator

Reimagining the future of satellites all started with three guys, a few Macintosh computers, and sketches in a notebook. ViaSat-3 rendering For a long time, Viasat was more known for its defense products than anything else. That all changed when Viasat delivered the highest capacity broadband satellite of its time – ViaSat-1. Soon after came ViaSat-2 with even higher capacity. Now each satellite in the ViaSat-3 constellation is anticipated to deliver at least 1 Terabit of data throughput per second (1Tbps) to its wide range of global customers –on the ground, in the air and at sea.https://www.youtube.com/embed/lFRxFu2xTzI?enablejsapi=1 Seasoned satellite telecommunication professionals Mark Dankberg, Steve Hart and Mark Miller...
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