View Full Version : Pros & Cons Moving Cables - Electrician vs. DTV installer
stickywicket
02-02-09, 11:01 PM
I am moving from the lower flat in a 2-flat 1906 Victorian in SF to the upper flat. I have 2-HR21s, 1-HR20, and 1-HR10-250. The cables from the dish run along the side of the house from the dish mounted on a pipe connected to the back porch (AU-9) and from the original 1996 installation (old deactivated 2nd generation dish is still on the chimney) running along the top of the house.
I am having electrical work done on the upper flat next week. The electrical contractor will be running the electrical wiring from the attic through the walls into the flat. I would like my DTV cables to run through the walls from the attic into two rooms that are next to each other.
What are the pros and cons of having the electrician move the cables and running the cables through the walls? Is this work the type of work that should be done by a DTV installer in conjunction with the electrician or is it okay for the electrician? How will my current multi-switch work? Will I need a dish upgrade?
Will I lose my NY/LA SD DNS (no NFLST, I watch E/W feeds in addition to locals during football season) with the move?
Thanks in advance.
Lauren
I am moving from the lower flat in a 2-flat 1906 Victorian in SF to the upper flat. I have 2-HR21s, 1-HR20, and 1-HR10-250. The cables from the dish run along the side of the house from the dish mounted on a pipe connected to the back porch (AU-9) and from the original 1996 installation (old deactivated 2nd generation dish is still on the chimney) running along the top of the house.
I am having electrical work done on the upper flat next week. The electrical contractor will be running the electrical wiring from the attic through the walls into the flat. I would like my DTV cables to run through the walls from the attic into two rooms that are next to each other.
What are the pros and cons of having the electrician move the cables and running the cables through the walls? Is this work the type of work that should be done by a DTV installer in conjunction with the electrician or is it okay for the electrician? How will my current multi-switch work? Will I need a dish upgrade?
Will I lose my NY/LA SD DNS (no NFLST, I watch E/W feeds in addition to locals during football season) with the move?
Thanks in advance.
Lauren
You will still be using the same dish, the same receivers, and will be at the same location, right? I see no reason the electrician couldn't do the job for you, especially running the wiring inside the walls. The DirecTV installer would not do that for you (without extra charge).
As to getting DNS, if you do anything to your account you might be at risk of losing that. You could lose it regardless just on a system review. Keep your fingers crossed.
wildbill129
02-03-09, 12:15 PM
If you have the electrician run your cables, and you install the boxes and connect your multiswitch/dish yourself, you won't even need to call DirecTV, so you won't risk losing your east/west locals. You could also call a local installer and have them make the connections for you.
Make sure your electrician runs two RG6 lines to each room, and if your thinking of adding an antenna (don't know where you are in CA), add an extra RG6 for that to the attic.
veryoldschool
02-03-09, 12:20 PM
If you have the electrician run your cables, and you install the boxes and connect your multiswitch/dish yourself, you won't even need to call DirecTV, so you won't risk losing your east/west locals. You could also call a local installer and have them make the connections for you.
Make sure your electrician runs two RG6 lines to each room, and if your thinking of adding an antenna (don't know where you are in CA), add an extra RG6 for that to the attic.
Think this explains it: a 2-flat 1906 Victorian in SF
firefighter4evr
02-03-09, 02:32 PM
What the heck is a flat? :confused:
tomkarl
02-03-09, 02:38 PM
(my post in no way is meant to disparage any D* installers here)
As I understand it, the Directv installers don't get paid much for each job. That being said, I would think that the electrician you hired and are paying would take more care and do it to your satisfaction.
veryoldschool
02-03-09, 02:56 PM
What the heck is a flat? :confused:
An apartment in England. :)
firefighter4evr
02-03-09, 05:08 PM
An apartment in England. :)
Thank you... never knew that..... :D
I would have the electrician do it. No reason to try and get Directv all involved and most of the time they are not really that great at wiring anyhow (no offense to the good installers around here).
Just keep track of how it is connected now and you should be fine doing whatever you like with placement ;)
firefighter4evr
02-03-09, 06:41 PM
I would have the electrician do it. No reason to try and get Directv all involved and most of the time they are not really that great at wiring anyhow (no offense to the good installers around here).
Just keep track of how it is connected now and you should be fine doing whatever you like with placement ;)
Agreed, i would have one of us electricians do the job. There gonna be there anyways fishing there wires why not have them fish a few RG6's....
As grentz said, most of the time D*'s people are not really great at wiring anyhow....
Again.. no offense to the many great installers around here...
BattleZone
02-03-09, 07:59 PM
As grentz said, most of the time D*'s people are not really great at wiring anyhow....
That's because most of the time, you get what you paid for.
Simmerman
02-03-09, 08:41 PM
No offense taken ( as I would like to think that I am a good installer- Just got a $100 tip today).
The only problem I have ever encountered is, not all electricians use the good strippers/crimpers and fittings and some think of Satellite cabling in the same terms of cable i.e. using splitters. This does not sound like it should be an issue in your case.
That's because most of the time, you get what you paid for.
Very true, which is why I think free "professional" installs are just stupid.
But people want free, and all the other companies are doing it so Directv has to too.
TigersFanJJ
02-04-09, 08:43 AM
No offense taken ( as I would like to think that I am a good installer- Just got a $100 tip today).
The only problem I have ever encountered is, not all electricians use the good strippers/crimpers and fittings and some think of Satellite cabling in the same terms of cable i.e. using splitters. This does not sound like it should be an issue in your case.
+1
90% of the electricians I went behind when I was an installer (pre-wired homes) used a pocket knife to strip the cable, crimp connectors (or RG59 twist-on connectors on RG6 cable), and pliers to squeeze the crap out of the connector instead of a crimp tool.
You don't always get what you pay for.
joe diamond
02-04-09, 10:59 AM
+1
90% of the electricians I went behind when I was an installer (pre-wired homes) used a pocket knife to strip the cable, crimp connectors (or RG59 twist-on connectors on RG6 cable), and pliers to squeeze the crap out of the connector instead of a crimp tool.
You don't always get what you pay for.
Yup,
Most new construction...even new flats...you have to open all plates and re cut all fittings to replace the twist on fittings. They work most of the time....you just can't tell when or where.
And then, even the newest electrician understands a CHANGE ORDER.
"Oh? You mean you can't spend two days here and run double cable everywhere as part of the FREE installation? My electrician will just have to do it!"
Joe
BattleZone
02-04-09, 01:18 PM
Electricians usually aren't low-voltage contractors, so I wouldn't expect them to terminate the cables properly. All I would need is the cables ran. The DirecTV installer will have no problem terminating them correctly for you.
firefighter4evr
02-05-09, 06:45 PM
Electricians usually aren't low-voltage contractors, so I wouldn't expect them to terminate the cables properly. All I would need is the cables ran. The DirecTV installer will have no problem terminating them correctly for you.
Agreed, most electricians (mostly the old school guys, no offense) aren't low voltage contractors. Being that i have just graduated with a degree as an electrician a few months ago, i can tell you that our school did spend some decent time teaching us about low voltage wiring and the proper way to terminate the cables. Our instructor was an electrician worked for IBEW for 30+ years... he "Retired" and ended up finding himself working again as a install supervisor for Comcast aka Comcrap. Personally, i found more interest in learning how the cable and sat. systems worked and how the wires where properly terminated. We where also provided a compression tool in our tool bag and giving a test on how to use it.:lol:
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