With the superbowl weekend fast approaching, smart TV’s will be all the rage with consumers, but there is one thing that can have your smart TV looking like a big dummy. Eager buyers across the country will undoubtedly be streaming music and video like crazy from their new sets. Media streaming sites like Pandora, Netflix, Amazon and Hulu is where you might notice the first sign of trouble. It’s all fun and games of course, until the WiFi connection starts lagging. Having a feeble signal can easily negatively impact the quality of your TV and cause some frustration. An inadequate connection can also be hard to pinpoint because it can stem from a number of reasons, sometimes something as simple as your router being too far away. Those unsure with their internet troubles might blame internet provider issues, heavy traffic or a technical issue with playback equipment.
You might be able to partially remedy the problem using a booster, a unit that takes your current signal from your router and rebroadcasts it. This however, simply makes the problem better much like a bandaid, but doesn’t completely fix it in all cases. Sometimes if you reposition the booster between your router and the farthest device, you can effectively extend your router’s range. Your best bet to getting the most out of all your devices and expanding your wi-fi range is by installing a wi-fi extender product. The Amped REC10 Compact Hi-Power Extender seemed to be up for the challenge so we set out to give it a shot.
The REC 10 came surprisingly small sleek compact packaging, barely bigger than a cigarette box with rounded corners and beveled side parts. It plugs directly into the wall with double prongs on the backside. Unlike most extenders that leave a trailing chord behind, the REC10 be plugged in and virtually disappears from sight leaving you with plenty of options for placement. Set up with the REC10 was relatively simple and included a painless instructional and an easy-to-understand wizard. Tests concluded the unenhanced network at 40% signal strength. After the REC10 was activated, the signal strength was increased to 70% and sometimes up to 90%. Testing with the media streaming site Vudu, the site fully loaded in less than 20 seconds with the unassisted network failing to play at all or taking more than 30 seconds to load. Video clips loaded in as little as 6 seconds and with crystal cleat playback, The extended REC10 made it easy to play movies without the peskiness of buffering or any skipping, all the way through the end with sharp, clean detail.
Aside from purchasing a whole new router, the $70 spent on the REC10 extender seem to be worth the dramatic improvement. Everyday use of the REC10 proved to be extremely doable and high-functioning if you are simply looking for a way to enhance your existing router. In general, the REC10 lived up to its hype as being discreet, powerful and simple to install. So before you throw out that ancient router, give the REC10 a chance and you just might find yourself impressed. Make sure your smart TV has all the necessary equipment needed for lightening fast streaming that you can be proud of.
