Do some installers sell HDMI cables on the side?

[the new guy]

This is not really a huge deal, but it has been at the back of my mind...

When I had my HR21's installed recently, I had run an HDMI cable I had to the back of my living room TV before the installer arrived, because it would have been difficult to access quickly while the installer was present. The DVR in the bedroom had to be connected via component. I know the boxes for the DVR's had HDMI cables in them when they were opened, but when the installer left, the cables were gone. I am planning to upgrade the bedroom TV by Christmas, and will use the HDMI connection at that time. The included cable would have been useful for that.

After the install, the cartons were left with me, just in case there were any issues with the hardware, and contained only packing material and empty plastic bags. So do some installers supplement their incomes by taking and selling cables not used by customers during the installations? Or is there some other reason he would not have left the cables with me?

Tim

[litzdog911]

The newer HD DVR packages no longer include connection cables or BBCs. The installers are supposed to provide whatever accessories are required for your TV connection.

[Phroz]

The newer HD DVR packages no longer include connection cables or BBCs. The installers are supposed to provide whatever accessories are required for your TV connection.What about the receivers purchased retail (Best Buy, etc.)?

[Mertzen]

What about the receivers purchased retail (Best Buy, etc.)?

Retail [ and dealer ] IRDs still come with a full set of cables.

[idigg]

Retail [ and dealer ] IRDs still come with a full set of cables.

With that being said, the installers shouldn't touch anything in a retail purchased box.

[davring]

You bought and paid for them, I would call the HSP and demand them back, especially the way the prices on cables have gone up. He essentially took what wasn't his.

[Mertzen]

Well if the HDMI wasn't used he probably just didn't leave it since he could use it for a next job. Who knows.

[damjr]

The cables may be included in the D* boxes but not Dish.

I train installers on how to sell these items. Most of the time you, as a customer, should be able to get these from the installers and close to half the cost of the big CE chain stores.

Most of these guys have had their pay cut and are worked to the bone. By having the opportunity to sell you HDMI cables helps to subsidize their incomes.

[jared52]

The cables may be included in the D* boxes but not Dish.

I train installers on how to sell these items. Most of the time you, as a customer, should be able to get these from the installers and close to half the cost of the big CE chain stores.

Most of these guys have had their pay cut and are worked to the bone. By having the opportunity to sell you HDMI cables helps to subsidize their incomes.

But they are selling cables that aren't theirs to sell! If it came with a receiver I purchased, I want it, whether I am using it in the original set up or not. If the installer asked if I wanted it and I said no, that's different but the OP is implying that the installer took HIS cables without asking.

[damjr]

But they are selling cables that aren't theirs to sell! If it came with a receiver I purchased, I want it, whether I am using it in the original set up or not. If the installer asked if I wanted it and I said no, that's different but the OP is implying that the installer took HIS cables without asking.

Sorry is there was some confusion in my post. I only deal with Dish retailers and those boxes do not come with them.

Not sure what comes in DTV boxes any more.

[the new guy]

When the boxes containing my HR21's were opened, the BBC's and HDMI cables were inside. The installer actually went as far as to say the included HDMI cables were known to have issues with Samsung TV's, due to the frequency of the signal being carried over the cable.:rolleyes:

It's not really a major problem for me, as I can get better cables from Monoprice.com for just a few dollars. I just found it curious that he took them. Aside from the missing cables, the installer did a great job mounting my new dish, including running cables where I wanted them run.

Tim

[davring]

Only a very few Samsung models had HDMI issues and that was a model year or two ago. Mine works fine and my fathers Sammy works with HDMI as well.

[thespaceghost]

As said, the refurbished boxes only come with receiver and power cord. If I have HDMI and you are nice, I will give you one or two or three, or if you're a jerk, i'll sell it to you. Getting your system up and running is my main priority. I won't be making a two hour round trip to pick up HDMI cables only from the office.

[BattleZone]

The installer actually went as far as to say the included HDMI cables were known to have issues with Samsung TV's, due to the frequency of the signal being carried over the cable.:rolleyes:


This is true; BTDT many times. Dish's HD receivers also have issues with some Samsung and some Sharp HDTVs and HDMI. It isn't all of them, but we still run into the problem with brand new TVs sometimes. There's lots of info on the web about this issue; the installer didn't just make it up.

[RobertE]

Here's an easy way to tell if the box had cables included.

Any retail box (nice color graphics) will have cables.

Refurbs may or may not included cables. At a minimum they should have a power cable.

Now for tech delivered receivers. Look at the model number on the side of the box.
Example
R16-300 will (should) have cables.
R16NC-300 will not have cables.

Anyone want to guess what the NC stands for? :D

As to those claiming that you "purchased" the box and the cables. Please. You leased the box, it belongs to DirecTv, technically so do the cables.

Why is it when something doesn't go the way the customer wants it's always DirecTvs Dish, equipment, wiring etc. But when it's to the customers advantage, it's their dish, equipment, etc? :confused:

[davring]

Here's an easy way to tell if the box had cables included.

Any retail box (nice color graphics) will have cables.

Refurbs may or may not included cables. At a minimum they should have a power cable.

Now for tech delivered receivers. Look at the model number on the side of the box.
Example
R16-300 will (should) have cables.
R16NC-300 will not have cables.

Anyone want to guess what the NC stands for? :D

As to those claiming that you "purchased" the box and the cables. Please. You leased the box, it belongs to DirecTv, technically so do the cables.

Why is it when something doesn't go the way the customer wants it's always DirecTvs Dish, equipment, wiring etc. But when it's to the customers advantage, it's their dish, equipment, etc? :confused:

I agree with you Robert, whole heartedly regarding customers abusing the company and wanting everything for free. Although, the customer, without the PP, is responsible for everything but the receiver, so the way it appears all the accessories, cables, remote, multi-switch, dish, etc. should be considered the customers property.

[Carl Spock]

I think the OP had it right when he said this wasn't a big deal. It shouldn't be a big deal.

Still, whenever I've installed something, I've usually left the spare parts with the customer. It's a good general guide. In a few cases, where I knew that they would be viewed as garbage, I took them, the boxes and all of my trash with me. The customer wanted a clean house. I left them a clean house.

You have to judge the customer. In this case, the OP would have gotten his cable if I'd been working on his home theater.

[deboxer1]

The instructions we received when "D" went to not including the cables, cords and bbc's was to install only what was needed to complete the installation. A gray area was left to the tech's discretion with the boxes that all the cables.
Selling cables to a customer no I don't do that. If they wanted one for future use I give it to them.

[the new guy]

If the cables had been left with me, they would be sitting, still in their plastic bags, in the DVR boxes, which are currently stored in the crawlspace under my house. I just don't want to get dinged by D* for not returning the cables with the DVR's, should the issue ever arise.

Had the installer asked if he could take the cables for possible use in someone else's installation, I probably would have let him, since I generally prefer to use aftermarket cables (not Monster, though, but that's a debate for another thread :lol: ).

I do appreciate the responses from installers I have gotten in this thread.

Tim

[BattleZone]

I just don't want to get dinged by D* for not returning the cables with the DVR's, should the issue ever arise.


DirecTV does NOT care about cables. Refurbs are issued out with new cables, and HSPs strip out old cables on the receivers they collect from in-field replacements (saves on shipping costs by reducing weight). All DirecTV cares about is the receiver itself. And surprisingly often, not even that.

[jckm]

i wouldn't be supprise that the installer took your hdmi and sell it to another customers. We got few of these shady installers that make good installers to have a bad rep!!!!!!!!

[Wukillabeez78]

The same thing happened to me during my install two days ago. I was going from Time Warner Cable to DirecTV. With Time Warner I also had HD-DVR receivers so I had three HDMI cables already hooked up. The DirecTV installer came and when he opened the boxes of the HR21-100's all three of them had HDMI cords inside. He said "Oh, you already have HDMI cords connected" and just used the ones I had since they were already connected. When he left he also left the empty receiver boxes and the HDMI cords were no where to be found. Didn't really bother me because I'd planned to use mine anyway and wasn't sure if DirecTV provided them (Time Warner Cable only gives you component cables so I'd bought my HDMI cords). It's interesting though to think that installers might very well be selling them on the side. What else would they do with them?

[the new guy]

I suppose there is an outside chance some of the installers may have a cable fetish.

"Oh, you've been a very naughty cable, haven't you? Am I going to have to connect you to an adapter? You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

:biggrin:

[TigersFanJJ]

It's interesting though to think that installers might very well be selling them on the side. What else would they do with them?

They tie the cables together and use them to escape out the window of the local office when they should be watching a training videos. :D