[…]plug an antenna right into it and start getting free broadcast TV. Most modern TV’s can take either cable TV or broadcast TV input. They both plug into the same coax jack. No external box needed to try an antenna. If you have a smart TV, it will be able to connect to the Internet and get low-cost video services like Hulu or Sling TV, eliminating the need for a Roku or Apple TV. Check your TV’s manual. If you have an old tube type of TV, all is not lost, but you’ll have to buy a converter box to […]
[…]and it was fine for regular web browsing. Passthrough Mode The ideal way to use your own router with the Verizon 5G gateway, however, is to put the gateway into Passthrough mode because it offers maximum compatibility with various ways to use your router (due to avoiding the “double NAT” problem). For example, I needed to do this in order to watch recordings from my Tablo Dual Lite when away from home. You might need to do this in other special cases like peer-to-peer gaming, VPN connections, etc. If you just do regular web browsing from home, you probably don’t […]
[…]your TV antenna, I’ll be honest.. Getting the best reception requires lots of experimentation with where you put your antenna in your room. There can be a big difference in the number of channels you get depending on antenna orientation, location, height, and whether it is indoors or outdoors. Changing the antenna angle by a few degrees could change reception drastically for a particular channel. If you are using an indoor antenna, I suggest placing it near a window, then scanning for channels to establish a baseline. Write down the channels you get, move your antenna, and scan again. If you […]
One of my readers told me that his Amazon Fire TV Stick was causing interference with his broadcast TV channels. When he unplugged the stick, his reception improved and his TV could receive more channels. I did a quick test with my own Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (purchased in 2019) and didn’t find any difference in my TV reception with on or completely unplugged. However, when I researched online, I found a ton of other users in various forums complaining of TV interference caused by their Amazon Fire TV Sticks. They all said the interference went away when they […]
[…]work as a “quick and dirty” antenna: power extension cord lamp power cord wire coat hanger (with the paint scraped off at one point so it can make contact with the coax cable) piece of wire (a few feet long will do) Here are some types of cables that won’t make a good antenna: USB cable (it is shielded) another coax cable (it is shielded) audio cables (RCA, 1/4″ instrument, etc. These are shielded) Now, Let’s Begin! Take the length of coax cable and screw it into the CABLE/ANTENNA input on the back of your TV. There is usually only one […]
[…]plug your TV antenna into the box, then you connect your box to your TV. It converts the signal either to an analog signal that your old TV can use, or to a digital HDMI signal that you can plug into a more modern HDTV. Many of these boxes today have a USB port where you can plug in a USB drive or stick. You can then record broadcast TV shows for viewing later. My Recommended Converter Box: The Mediasonic HOMEWORX HW130STB There are many converter boxes on the market today with almost the same feature set. At just $30, […]
[…]having a home in good working order can actually prolong your life! 4. Host board game night with your family or friends Board games are NOT just for kids or nerds (like me)! If you’re not into Settlers of Catan, there are plenty of easy and fun (and some risqué) party games for adults! Or, for more tame, mellow, entertainment, how about doing a 1000-piece puzzle? 5. Volunteer for something Few things in life are as rewarding as helping other people. Check with your local homeless shelter, retirement home, or a national volunteer organization like Habitat for Humanity. […]
[…]you ever upgrade your TV to 4K, you’ll be all set. What You Get The Amazon Fire TV Stick comes with a surprising amount of stuff: remote control with batteries, power adapter and USB cable, quick start guide, and short HDMI extender cable so you can mount the stick behind your TV easier. Installation Installing the Stick on your TV is pretty simple with a few caveats. First, Amazon recommends using the HDMI extender for optimal Wi-Fi performance. If you can plug in your stick directly into the side of your TV, and it works fine (as it did with […]
[…]I don’t have a magic fix for every situation, here are some tips that have helped folks with this problem. 1. Reposition Your Gateway This is easy to do and a good number of people online said this helped. Try moving your gateway to windows facing your nearest cell tower. Here’s one way to find out where your cell towers are. Or, just experiment with placement near different windows in your home. Higher up is better, so if you have multiple stories, try the highest one. Using an extension cable for power might make this testing process easier as you […]
[…]Point presentations or watching video stored on your computer’s hard drive on your TV though (without special workarounds). It works with the Chrome browser and certain compatible apps like the YouTube player. Chromecast is significantly cheaper than Roku or Apple TV, at only $30! That’s because it uses your existing laptop to do much of the work. Chromecast is only concerned with mirroring what is in your computer’s browser through Wi-Fi (you can purchase a wired Ethernet adapter separately for $15 from the Google Play Store). There is no remote control because your laptop is the “remote”. Setup Setting up a […]
