Recent content by chasfh

I see. So, nothing else to do. Damn it. Thanks.

I have had my HR-54 for a few years now, nary a problem with it. Just yesterday, I pressed the red button on the side to reboot. It shows me three purple screens: First it says, “Hello Your DirecTV receiver is starting up”; then “Almost there, a few more seconds please” while showing a progress...

Get yourself a late model Genie. I just got an HR54-500 to replace my failing HR44-200. Get yourself an AM21 ota tuner. I got one on Amazon a few years ago. They might be a little harder to find now. Once you get one, hook it up to your Genie and hook up an antenna to the tuner. Go to Settings...

I've looked into it before but never did it. I have VPN on all my client devices except the streaming boxes so I think I'm OK for the most part. But I'll consider looking into it. I assume this is what you're talking about? DD-WRT OpenVPN

Thanks for the clarification. It's pretty much what I'd thought. However, when you say "won't protect anything else on your network", do you mean internet activity specifically? Or do you also mean they can do deeper these days and help themselves to my files on my hard drives if they like? If...

I believe you’re right, and I already did. I was hoping a subject matter expert would come in and give me the definitive answer. BTW, there are some pretty good deals on VPNs. PIA is a good one and you can’t get it for $40 a year, or I think $5 a month if that’s more your speed.

I see. I’m less concerned about my streaming boxes. I don;t care much what they see I watch. They already know that from my DirecTV as it is. I go to websites and transfer files for my business and I’m trying to keep outsiders from seeing what they are and compromising my livelihood.

The VPN is installed on my PC, although I'm not sure where else it would be (besides the router)? It starts up as soon as my PC boots up. Is that enough to block their view of what websites and files I download and upload?

After years of paying $67/month for 25 down/1 up, I finally got off my butt and called in for better service. the deal I am getting is AT&T GigaPower, 1,000 up and down, for $70 a month. However, it is also pretty well known that they build "snoopvertising" surveillance into the service, and...

OK, great. Can you guess what my next question is?

Really! Huh. Maybe their satellites are going out of alignment. Who knows. How long has this been going on? Tell you what, if it goes on much longer, that's really going to reduce the utility of the service versus the alternatives.

Over the course of the last month or so, I have been noticing occasional pixelation when I watch D*TV. It will last anywhere from a split second to maybe a full second, and pop up, I don't know, maybe once or twice an hour. I haven't really audited my shows for pixelation but I do notice when it...

I called for discounts maybe 3-4 months ago and they put me on the hook for a year after that. Just so I understand: are you saying it would not matter whether you're in contract? Or do you have to be out of contract to get them to budge? I ask because I don't want to threaten to leave when they...

Wow, I haven't noticed this one yet. That's kind of terrible.

OK, so I'm not crazy for noticing or wanting that. I suppose I could leave it on, although the DTV remote button is programmed for turning both the TV and box on and off. Would have to work a second remote just for this.