[…]channel 5.1 this time. I had control over my TV again! Of course, he said I’d have to delete channel 5.1 from my channels, or else the problem would happen again. But, that was a small price to pay to get my TV working!! I figure what happened is that there is some firmware bug in the TV that is triggered by the digital signal coming from channel 5.1, which is KTLA in my city. (Since first writing this article, KTLA fixed the problem for a while, but it’s back to misbehaving now. I’m leaving channel 5.1 out of my […]
[…]heatsink of sorts). But, it’s another thing to keep an eye out for. 2. Use a Long Male-to-Female HDMI Extender Cable A less “hacky” solution is to get a long HDMI extender cable (like six or ten feet) and use that to plug your Stick into your TV. That will allow you to place it far away from your antenna. You will need to experiment with position until the interference goes away. Folks in the forums have reported that this works as well, and there’s less chance of causing problems with your Wi-Fi or remote with this method. Here are […]
[…]ideal for surfing, but much better! You also have the channel guide. Most of the time, I don’t channel surf by going from one channel to the next but rather I step through the guide and only watch things that look interesting. Recording Scheduling a recording is super easy. Just click on a show, movie, or sporting event in any of the grids, then choose which episodes (if there are several) to record. If you are subscribing to their channel guide service, you can easily record the entire season of a show (also known as a “season pass” feature), so […]
[…]a major city, you should be able to get free broadcast TV to see sports on the networks and local channels. ESPN (along with other channels) is available on Sling TV❯❯ for $30/month. Here’s more info on how to get sports without cable TV. Q: How can I watch (insert your channel here) without cable or satellite TV? A: My Streaming Service Finder will show you which streaming services you should get based on the channels you want. Q: Can I record broadcast TV? A: Yes, there are several options! See my recommended solutions for recording broadcast TV. Q: Can I record video from […]
[…]quality! HD channels looked crisp and colorful. The unit was also pretty quick when changing channels. Time to change channels was about the same as my Sony. The Weak Link: The Remote Control The one annoying thing I noticed was that you have to point the remote control right at the unit. If your aim is off by a bit, it won’t register. It’s not the end of the world, but it can be annoying. If you read the reviews for other low-cost converter boxes, the remote control seems to be the weak link in most of them. Other units […]
[…]Hands down, the TiVo was the fastest DVR that I’ve tested, taking only 2-3 seconds to tune a new channel after selecting it in the channel guide. Nice! I was able to pause live TV, then fast forward to the current time with no problems. I also love the remote control. It’s pretty chunky, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The buttons feel great, with a tactile click when you press them, as opposed to most other remotes that have buttons that feel like mush. Most other DVRs do not come with a remote; they rely on the set-top […]
[…]is a bit more challenging to set up than, say, a Roku. Chromecast plugs directly into an HDMI port on your TV, so you will need a modern TV to use it (i.e., it won’t work with an old tube-type of TV without an expensive converter). You can power it using the included AC adapter, or plug the power cable into a USB port on your TV. Although slightly less convenient, you might get better results when using the AC adapter, since the power coming out of many TV’s is poor quality. For my testing, I used the AC adapter. […]
[…]like Samsung for instance, are known to have better quality tuners (i.e., they bring in more channels). Depending on what brand of TV you have, a DVR might bring in more channels. I’ve found the best tuners in the AirTV 2, HDHomeRun, and TiVo Edge DVRs. 6. Watching TV on Other Devices at Home A DVR lets you watch TV shows on other devices such as a computer screen with a web browser. After getting a DVR, I discovered that I enjoyed watching shows on my computer, sometimes in a small window in the corner of my screen, while doing […]
[…]unlimited recordings to your computer. You install the software on your computer and choose from channels to record from. Current channels include Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, HBO, Disney+, and many network and cable TV websites, but not all (it doesn’t work with Sling TV for example). I personally have not tried it, but several readers recommended it. Let me know what you think! The Bottom Line: Which DVR Should I Get? My number one pick for most users is Tablo Gen 4 because of its free channel guide and ease of use. Most existing Tablo users should probably not upgrade though […]
[…]TV, had moved and had an RF channel of 34. Well, I know that modern TVs have the ability to map a channel’s physical RF channel to a different tuner channel on your TV to make it so the channel number you know and love never changes, even if the physical frequency changes. So, theoretically, I should have been able to see KCBS on channel 2.1, but for the heck of it, I tried tuning to its physical RF channel, 31.1, and voila!! KCBS was there!! I actually talked to the head of engineering at KCBS and he told me […]
