DIRECTV satellite technology has gotten very stable. Although there have been changes over the last decade, overall the story is one of slow and steady growth and stability. When DIRECTV moved to Genie technology, they set in motion a process. This process led to the Genie clients we have today, which are more stable and capable than ever before.
But which one should you choose? There are four families of Genie client. They’re all good, but you might want to know the plusses and minuses of each.
Genie technology has one simple point. Simple, inexpensive, efficient boxes that deliver the DVR experience to every room. Before Genies, you needed a DVR in order to pause live TV in every room. People want to pause live TV, and this led to situations where DIRECTV was actually losing money giving people multiple DVRs. It also confused people because recordings could take place in multiple rooms. While this made things redundant, it also could lead to missed recordings and complex setups.
Genie fixed that. Starting with one box that could record five things at once, the original Genie DVR gave people the power they needed in a single location. It also introduced the Genie Client. The Genie client looks like a tiny satellite receiver and acts just like one too. Funny thing, it’s not.
A Genie client is a very simple device that takes input from a remote and puts video out to the TV. Everything else is done by the DVR. It doesn’t receive signals, it doesn’t deal with copy protection, it doesn’t connect to the internet. When you ask for video, it connects to the Genie DVR and gets it. That’s all.
Without tuners, hard drives, or decoders, Genie clients can be smaller and lighter, more energy efficient and less expensive. Remember keeping costs down for the parent company helps everyone.
The Wireless Genie Mini client, shown here, works in any room without a cable connection to the DVR. Generally you need to be within 50 feet with no more than 3 walls between you.
There are two models of Wireless Client. Shown above is model C11W. There is an older model, C41W, which is identical except for the logo on the front.
I call it the “good” solution because it’s sometimes a bit slower than the wired version. The change isn’t very much, but it really depends on how well the wireless signal gets to it.
The wired Genie Mini Client is the most common of all the clients. It provides the same function as the wireless client but requires a coaxial cable connection to the DVR. That cable makes for a more stable, slightly faster experience. In theory the wired client should also use slightly less power.
The original client, model C31, is no longer offered. It is the only one that uses the old-style white DIRECTV remote. All other Genie clients use the Genie remote.
Models C41 and C51 are identical. Model C61, shown above, is the newest in manufacture and generally has either the AT&T Globe logo shown here or the newest DIRECTV logo which is just the word “DIRECTV.”
The wired client is the smallest of all the clients and therefore the easiest to place in a bedroom or spare room. However, it does not support 4K or apps. It’s noticeably slower than other client boxes, but still fast enough for most tasks.
The 4K Genie Mini Client is the reliable way to get 4K programming and increased speed. It’s wired and lets you output to a 4K TV. There is just one model, C61K, although that model may have different logos on the front depending on the date of manufacture.
For years, I recommended the 4K Genie Mini as the top of the heap. While it’s been surpassed by the Gemini (see below), it’s still a reliable choice in one specific use case. The Gemini always outputs HDR when possible. A lot of folks find that this makes the picture unacceptably dim. If you don’t care about the other things Gemini brings to the table but you do care about using only SDR, you’ll want this client.
This is the latest and greatest from DIRECTV: the Gemini. Gemini combines the fastest performance with the ability to run streaming apps, all from the same box. It brings a newly-designed remote and the ability to search with your voice. It also outputs 4K HDR (although there is no way to turn off HDR). It’s going to be the best choice for most people because it’s the most reliable and fastest Genie client. This one box can be used wired or wirelessly for even more flexibility.
With an HR44 or HR54 Genie DVR, you can have a maximum of 8 clients, of which 3 can be on at any time. With the Genie 2, you still have a maximum of 8, but 7 can be active at one time. If you’re ready to upgrade your DIRECTV system, check out Solid Signal for the best selection and the best prices. If you have questions, call us at 888-233-7563 or fill out the form below and we’ll call you right back!
The post UPDATED FOR ’24 AND BEYOND: What is the best Genie client? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
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But which one should you choose? There are four families of Genie client. They’re all good, but you might want to know the plusses and minuses of each.
What is a Genie Client?
Genie technology has one simple point. Simple, inexpensive, efficient boxes that deliver the DVR experience to every room. Before Genies, you needed a DVR in order to pause live TV in every room. People want to pause live TV, and this led to situations where DIRECTV was actually losing money giving people multiple DVRs. It also confused people because recordings could take place in multiple rooms. While this made things redundant, it also could lead to missed recordings and complex setups.
Genie fixed that. Starting with one box that could record five things at once, the original Genie DVR gave people the power they needed in a single location. It also introduced the Genie Client. The Genie client looks like a tiny satellite receiver and acts just like one too. Funny thing, it’s not.
A Genie client is a very simple device that takes input from a remote and puts video out to the TV. Everything else is done by the DVR. It doesn’t receive signals, it doesn’t deal with copy protection, it doesn’t connect to the internet. When you ask for video, it connects to the Genie DVR and gets it. That’s all.
Without tuners, hard drives, or decoders, Genie clients can be smaller and lighter, more energy efficient and less expensive. Remember keeping costs down for the parent company helps everyone.
GOOD: The Wireless Genie Mini Client
The Wireless Genie Mini client, shown here, works in any room without a cable connection to the DVR. Generally you need to be within 50 feet with no more than 3 walls between you.
There are two models of Wireless Client. Shown above is model C11W. There is an older model, C41W, which is identical except for the logo on the front.
I call it the “good” solution because it’s sometimes a bit slower than the wired version. The change isn’t very much, but it really depends on how well the wireless signal gets to it.
GOOD: The Genie Mini Client.
The wired Genie Mini Client is the most common of all the clients. It provides the same function as the wireless client but requires a coaxial cable connection to the DVR. That cable makes for a more stable, slightly faster experience. In theory the wired client should also use slightly less power.
The original client, model C31, is no longer offered. It is the only one that uses the old-style white DIRECTV remote. All other Genie clients use the Genie remote.
Models C41 and C51 are identical. Model C61, shown above, is the newest in manufacture and generally has either the AT&T Globe logo shown here or the newest DIRECTV logo which is just the word “DIRECTV.”
The wired client is the smallest of all the clients and therefore the easiest to place in a bedroom or spare room. However, it does not support 4K or apps. It’s noticeably slower than other client boxes, but still fast enough for most tasks.
BETTER: 4K Genie Mini Client
The 4K Genie Mini Client is the reliable way to get 4K programming and increased speed. It’s wired and lets you output to a 4K TV. There is just one model, C61K, although that model may have different logos on the front depending on the date of manufacture.
For years, I recommended the 4K Genie Mini as the top of the heap. While it’s been surpassed by the Gemini (see below), it’s still a reliable choice in one specific use case. The Gemini always outputs HDR when possible. A lot of folks find that this makes the picture unacceptably dim. If you don’t care about the other things Gemini brings to the table but you do care about using only SDR, you’ll want this client.
BEST: Gemini for Satellite
This is the latest and greatest from DIRECTV: the Gemini. Gemini combines the fastest performance with the ability to run streaming apps, all from the same box. It brings a newly-designed remote and the ability to search with your voice. It also outputs 4K HDR (although there is no way to turn off HDR). It’s going to be the best choice for most people because it’s the most reliable and fastest Genie client. This one box can be used wired or wirelessly for even more flexibility.
Get another client now
With an HR44 or HR54 Genie DVR, you can have a maximum of 8 clients, of which 3 can be on at any time. With the Genie 2, you still have a maximum of 8, but 7 can be active at one time. If you’re ready to upgrade your DIRECTV system, check out Solid Signal for the best selection and the best prices. If you have questions, call us at 888-233-7563 or fill out the form below and we’ll call you right back!
The post UPDATED FOR ’24 AND BEYOND: What is the best Genie client? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
