The modern family home is more connected than ever to the Internet, and these days that includes everything from multiple computers, tablets, gaming systems, 4KTVs, even network-controlled lights and thermostats. Yet many households fail to realize their expanding collection of hardware – growing to an average of nearly eight connected devices each this year – strain home networks, producing sluggish connections and a real need to free their speed.

With the explosion of video content on the Web, many of us are using our computers, at least some of the time, to just watch TV.

Video sharing services like YouTube, Web broadcasting sites like Hulu and Netflix, and pay-for-play services like Amazon Prime and iTunes have made our computers a key source of video entertainment in the modern home.

Over the years, we at Geek Squad have seen technology grow and change at an amazing rate.  At the 2012 International Consumer Electronics show, we continue to see the ways we interact and control our technology change.

Geek Squad Agents William Phillips and Ryan Luering offer ways to cuts costs through the use of technology.

We’ll try to take some of the mystery with a video.

It’s been 13 years since the Telecommunications Act of 1996 mandated the DTV transition that’s taking place today. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be some growing pains for viewers of over-the-air television. Here’s some last minute DTV tips for those still working on their own transition:

The DTV transition only affects over-the-air broadcasts received through a regular rooftop or set-top (“rabbit ears”) antennas. If you get your television service through satellite or cable providers, you will not be affected. If your TV lists itself as having a DTV (or ATSC) tuner, you are ready, on the other hand, just because the TV says “digital” somewhere on the front does not mean the system is ready.

I recently had an opportunity to man a DTV question phone bank on behalf of Geek Squad and I came across a fair number of questions that could be best summed up as, “I know about the DTV transition. I have the converter box. It’s not working. HEEEEELLP!”

Here’s some tips for those now trying to troubleshoot their post-DTV setup before the conversion takes place on June 12: