smokes20
09-22-07, 09:01 PM
After reading the horrible installation threads here and other forums, I took the pro-active approach. I was a return customer to Directv. I left late April 06 and moved all my services to a Cox bundled pkg. Worst mistake I could have made.
I signed up for FIOS internet and phone Sept 5. Called Directv same day and ordered a hr20-700. Because of porting my phone number from Cox to Verizon I set up both installs for 9.22.07. Verizon screwed up but they were able to reschedule me for 9.21. They completed the install in 2.5 hours.
9.17 I called Directv, installation dept, and got the number for Mastec/Advanced Technologies. Spoke with them, making sure the installer was a lead tech, the equipment would be available and the time slot was right, 1-5pm. I didn't get the day before confirm call I was told I would receive. On hold with them for 2.5 hours, getting disconnected twice, I call back to Directv at 9:30p and yes, my install is still scheduled for 9.22.
I call Mastec again this morning at 8:15a and I am told there is NO equipment, boxes. The truck shipment didn't arrive from TX. Ok, I am reasonable somewhat, but on my last thread of sanity about this. I am rescheduled for Oct 2, morning. Immediately I call Directv and let them know what I was just told. They were accommodating, giving me more add'l credits, yada, yada, yada.
10 minutes later the installer calls. Tells me he will be at my home around 3p, has two jobs in front of mine. Whoa, he has all the equipment. Seems he loaded his truck the night before. Ok, so I call back to Mastec and they were surprised and said they will call me back around 4 to see if the tech actually showed up.
I jump into the shower because it's now close to 12:30p. Five minutes after I get out, the installer is calling me, asking me if he can come out in the next five-ten minutes. Yep, I was ready.
1pm he appears at my door, slimline dish, HR20-700. I am using two other receivers I had. Access cards just needed to be reactivated. He installs the dish on my roof as this is the only place to get good reception. Luckily, I had earlier been looking at the forum threads on roof installations and so prior to his install I ask about how he was going to do this. He told me basically what I had read about, mounting the brackets on studs, he used silicone both outside and inside, ran the dual cables under the eves into the vent and grounded it. I kept running back to the computer to keep reading to make sure I understood what I was reading and he was saying.
Being as I had Cox rewire my entire home in the attic last Nov. he was able to use that coax for the two receivers.
The HR20 was the last receiver he installed. He took time to show me how the remote worked with it, cleaned up the floor from drilling, put a nice white outlet place to replace the beige single plate Cox used and made sure all tv's worked properly.
It was after 6:30p when he finally left. And yep, he got a nice tip for all his work.
I signed up for FIOS internet and phone Sept 5. Called Directv same day and ordered a hr20-700. Because of porting my phone number from Cox to Verizon I set up both installs for 9.22.07. Verizon screwed up but they were able to reschedule me for 9.21. They completed the install in 2.5 hours.
9.17 I called Directv, installation dept, and got the number for Mastec/Advanced Technologies. Spoke with them, making sure the installer was a lead tech, the equipment would be available and the time slot was right, 1-5pm. I didn't get the day before confirm call I was told I would receive. On hold with them for 2.5 hours, getting disconnected twice, I call back to Directv at 9:30p and yes, my install is still scheduled for 9.22.
I call Mastec again this morning at 8:15a and I am told there is NO equipment, boxes. The truck shipment didn't arrive from TX. Ok, I am reasonable somewhat, but on my last thread of sanity about this. I am rescheduled for Oct 2, morning. Immediately I call Directv and let them know what I was just told. They were accommodating, giving me more add'l credits, yada, yada, yada.
10 minutes later the installer calls. Tells me he will be at my home around 3p, has two jobs in front of mine. Whoa, he has all the equipment. Seems he loaded his truck the night before. Ok, so I call back to Mastec and they were surprised and said they will call me back around 4 to see if the tech actually showed up.
I jump into the shower because it's now close to 12:30p. Five minutes after I get out, the installer is calling me, asking me if he can come out in the next five-ten minutes. Yep, I was ready.
1pm he appears at my door, slimline dish, HR20-700. I am using two other receivers I had. Access cards just needed to be reactivated. He installs the dish on my roof as this is the only place to get good reception. Luckily, I had earlier been looking at the forum threads on roof installations and so prior to his install I ask about how he was going to do this. He told me basically what I had read about, mounting the brackets on studs, he used silicone both outside and inside, ran the dual cables under the eves into the vent and grounded it. I kept running back to the computer to keep reading to make sure I understood what I was reading and he was saying.
Being as I had Cox rewire my entire home in the attic last Nov. he was able to use that coax for the two receivers.
The HR20 was the last receiver he installed. He took time to show me how the remote worked with it, cleaned up the floor from drilling, put a nice white outlet place to replace the beige single plate Cox used and made sure all tv's worked properly.
It was after 6:30p when he finally left. And yep, he got a nice tip for all his work.