Summer 2019 Newsletter

Cornerstone Group © 2019 Understanding the TV Requirements for Streaming Older Routers May Not Be Up to Speed Nothing lasts forever, including that router you have under your desk. Rout- ers have a lifespan—typically 3-6 years —and become outdated as technol- ogy advances. For example, some older routers have a speed cap limiting the maximum internet speed possible. If your internet connection from All West doesn’t seem as fast as you expected, the router you purchased several years ago could be to blame. You can find out if this is the case by following these steps: 1. Go to www.speedtest.net and do a speed test. In seconds, your download and upload speeds will be displayed. 2. Next, unplug the broadband internet cable from the back of your router and plug it directly into a laptop or desktop PC. 3. Run the speed test again to see what your speeds are without the router. (Be sure to plug the broad- band internet cable back into the router after testing to continue using your wireless devices.) Did your second speed test without the router result in higher speeds? Then it’s time for a new router! Stop by the All West Communications office to pick one up for as little as $9.95/month. All TVs are not created equal. In addition to screen size, picture quality, and sound quality, you also need to consider a TV’s stream- ing capabilities. To help you navigate today’s TV landscape, we’ve gathered some common questions and their answers. A smart TV is one that incorporates an operating system/platform that allows you to access, manage, and view online and network-based media content without the need to connect to an additional device (such as a Firestick). How do smart TVs work? Smart TVs access online content by connecting to the same broadband router and Ethernet or Wi-Fi network that you use to connect your computer to the internet. Do I need a smart TV to use a streaming media player? No. A smart TV is one that can connect to the internet directly to access content from it. Since that’s what a streaming media player does, you could say it turns a regular TV into a smart TV. Can I use a streaming media player with an older TV? Whether a TV can work with a streaming media player depends on what kind of connection ports it has. If it has an HDMI port, then it will work with most players. If it doesn’t have an HDMI port but it has RCA ports (red/white/yellow), then you’ll need to get an RCA to HDMI converter adapter. What are the general “rules of thumb” for TVs and streaming? • If you’re buying a new TV and don’t have any other devices that provide access to internet streaming content, get a smart TV. • If you already have a smart TV that doesn’t provide access to the number or type of streaming channels you would like, consider adding an external media streamer, stream- ing stick, or internet-enabled Blu-ray disc player rather than buying a new smart TV. • If you already own a TV without smart features but are satisfied with its picture quality and other features, you don’t need to buy a smart TV. Just add a media streamer, streaming stick, or internet-enabled Blu-ray disc player to your current setup. You may want to upgrade to a faster internet plan to better accommo- date streaming. Check out our internet speeds at www.allwest.com .