Expert Satellite vs. Value Electronics

[mr_lucky]

I'm looking at Directivo equipment packages from Expert Satellite and Value Electonics that are roughly comparable in price, so service and level of installation are will be the real discriminators for making a choice. Does anyone have any recommendations/experiences with these two companies? Thanx in advance. :grin:

[beejaycee]

I'm looking at Directivo equipment packages from Expert Satellite and Value Electonics that are roughly comparable in price, so service and level of installation are will be the real discriminators for making a choice. Does anyone have any recommendations/experiences with these two companies? Thanx in advance. :grin:

I can't do a comparison because I don't know anything about Value Electronics but I did just purchase 2 DTivos, a 3rd receiver, and a 3 lnb dish from Expert Satellite. I place the order on the Friday before Thanksgiving and the equipment was here on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (5 days, counting Sunday). The installer called me on Tuesday, the day before the equipment arrived and asked that I call him back when the equipment got here. I called on Wednesday but he didn't get back to me until Saturday (which I don't consider a major faux pas, what with Thanksgiving in the middle). We agreed on a Sunday install, sometime after 8 AM. He and his helper were here shortly after 8 and by 10 am I had DirecTV.

All in all, it was a very pleasant experience. YMMV but I would not hesitate to purchase from Expert Satellite again. They even called me to confirm my order and to make a recommendation that I purchase a switch needed to hook up the 2 DTivos & 1 receiver to my dish (which I didn't need since one receiver is for the RV) and were very pleasant on the phone. Oh, and they have a $20 guarantee if your equipment isn't installed within 5 days of delivery.

Now watch somebody post a glowing recommendation for the other company and your biggest problem will be deciding who to believe :scratch: ! But count this as a big :righton: for ES. If they do appear to be equal, maybe compare :money: and let that guide you!

[EricG]

The REAL problem with buying online or even at a local BigBox store is that you have NO idea what type of installer you will get. I've had friends who purchased from Expert Satellite and had Great and not so great installers. My friend who had an unpleasant experience with an installer called Expert right up and THEY cleared the problem up with the LOCAL installer.

[Bowtieman]

I'm looking at Directivo equipment packages from Expert Satellite and Value Electonics that are roughly comparable in price, so service and level of installation are will be the real discriminators for making a choice. Does anyone have any recommendations/experiences with these two companies? Thanx in advance. :grin:

I used expert satellite. They were friendly and professional. got the equipement in 3-4 days. The install appointment was longer than I had expected or hoped for. The installer was very professional and completed the tivo,3lnb dish,and HD receiver in around an hour. I am going to use the same installer again when I get express Vu.

I can't say that all the installers are going to be of this guys caliper. You can only hope that expert satellite would find a new installer in an area if they had complaints from customers.

Overall I would give them a four on a one to five. If the install appointment would have been a week instead of two I would have gave them a five.

[Mark Holtz]

I had a two week wait. The installer arrived on time and most of the install was removing one set of dishes and replacing it with another, with only one cable run needed. It was a hotter than usual day in August, so I made sure that the installer's glass of water was always full, and I think he was friendlier when he left than when he arrived. His policy was to leave the existing Dish Network dishes installed, but charged $20 to take them down. Considering that it's about the second story roof level, that was a bargain.

[micky]

You might also try Americansatellite.com...got all my stuff there with no problems...Micky

[sorahl]

Mark,
this is part of why I am hesitating to make the move to DTV. I have two dishes on the roof. and I am worried about getting stuff removed and new stuff installed.....

John

[cyberized]

I, too, am interested in finding just the right Internet Retailer and Installer in order to switch from E* to D* - - - - BUT - - - I want to be sure that the new Install is totally FREE as advertised. I would think so - all they have to do is pull my DISH 500 out of it's stand, install their Dish, run the cable thru presnt hole in wall and hook it up to a DTIVO unit.
I live in the Portland Or area.

TKS Michael

[Bowtieman]

I, too, am interested in finding just the right Internet Retailer and Installer in order to switch from E* to D* - - - - BUT - - - I want to be sure that the new Install is totally FREE as advertised. I would think so - all they have to do is pull my DISH 500 out of it's stand, install their Dish, run the cable thru presnt hole in wall and hook it up to a DTIVO unit.
I live in the Portland Or area.

TKS Michael

My install was totally free. I switched from Dish to Direct and the installer removed my Dish500 and replaced it with the 3lnb direct dish. He had to run another line for the Tivo. As I said in an earlier post I plan on using the Dish500 for Express Vu early next year.....

[tivosmart]

I had a wonderful experience with Expert Satellite, that is one of the reasons I recommend them to everybody. My local installer didn't have the skill (or the will) to point my dish correctly to the 3 sats, Expert made them try again, and after they still didn't get it right they payed for another installer, more experienced, to come to my house and get the job done right. My only hassle was having to call them and explain what happened, everything else was handled beautifully and fast, as one would expect from good customer service.