Diary of a Dish Customer Conversion [Archive]

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sorahl

01-08-04, 02:57 PM

Well I've decided to make the move to Direct Tv and this is the day I made the start.
Here is the setup that I want to have eventually. 2 DirectTivos and a triple LNB dish. nothing complicated. I have heard the rumours of the folks who order the tivo thru Direct TV's website getting the 100hr Samsung model. That should explain what I have done below.

At lunch I went over to Circuit City because they had an ad with a great deal which included free installation etc etc and a $75 gift card. Needless to say, that didn't apply to anything about what I wanted to get. At CC it would have cost me 296 dollars and change to get a single Hughes tivo, a RCA Direct TV receiver, a triple LNB and installation. Wow....Needless to say I left.
PART ONE

I get home and call up Expert Satellite. I decide I'll wait on the second dvr and order it through Direct TV and if I get the 100 hr samsung BONUS, if NOT I have not spent any more money than I would if I ordered 2 Tivos through Expert Satellite.
A CSR answers the phone and we go through the rigamorol of the ordering. She is polite, of course I'm gonna pay her money :). She tries to sell me an optical cable since the tivo has an optical port. Now I don't know if it does or not because I don't have a receiver unit that has optical inputs on it. Once I get this point across to her she drops that. She then tries to sell me on the warrantee which she admits will only cover the Dish and the cables. Well the cables are already in place and if the dish goes bad... I'll find a way to get that replaced ( who knows maybe by then I'll be switching back to Dish! <grin>) End of discussion.
Final Price $89.99. $20 of this is shipping which will be rebated to me. My cost $69.99. I will in addition receive some form of DVD player sent to me also once I send in a form for that.
Not too bad, in my opinion.
I am ambivilent about this change because there is nothing basically wrong with the feed from Dish. It is for equipment capabilities and features that I am making this move. I still recommend Dish to friends who have no desire for a two tuner reciever and don't worry about the cash outlay for equipment. True, once I get the second dvr installed my monthly bill will be $5 less a month than it is currently BUT i will NOT have the warrantee from Direct TV that I have from Dish. Dish's plan only costs me $1.99 a month. The direct tv version would cost me $7.99 a month. AT that rate I can save the $8 a month and in 11 months buy a new DirecTivo.

I am told to expect delivery in 3-5 days by FedEx. At which point I BELIEVE that an installer will automatically contact me. We'll see.
Stay Tuned. I hope this will help fill in the voids for those other people who are considering making the change. (I also hope this all goes well!! :sure: )

Until Next time.....

beejaycee

01-08-04, 03:59 PM

Dish Customer Conversion? Sounds kinda dangerous! ("Ve half vays ov making jou svitch!") :) Good luck and you're going to love the 2-tuner Tivo! 1 & 1/2 months into my switch and the only thing I miss is the 'multiple favorites lists' feature of my old 501.

Incidentally, thanks for posting this. It led me to check out the D* website for the DTivo because I thought that the upgrade program expired this month. It seems to have been extended a month or twelve. Hurry! Order soon! :lol:

Pantageas

01-08-04, 03:59 PM

Good luck to you. I will confirm for you that I ordered my DirecTivo through the website and received the 100 hr. Samsung. (Woo hoo!) :D

shalverson

01-08-04, 06:11 PM

I also converted to D* about 6 weeks ago. What's the story on the DTivo upgrade? Will that apply to me also? I have a slight problem with one of my receivers now. Maybe this will give me a good excuse to trade in and upgrade. Is this an exchange?

Thanks,
Scott

Chris Blount

01-08-04, 06:18 PM

Capmeister

01-08-04, 07:41 PM

Congrats Sorahl! You will love your new toys. I converted a couple of months ago and have still yet to encounter a reboot or freezup on either of my DirecTivos. The ease of use and stability is amazing!

I can't even get DirectTV. I seem to be in a "Pegasus" area. What's that all about anyway? :-)

shalverson

01-08-04, 08:37 PM

Question for the experts out there. Am I able to pull a plain RCA brand receiver out of service if I replace it with the $99 D* Tivo upgrade?

Thanks

Neutron

01-09-04, 11:08 AM

How does a new customer get on that 100 hour samsung deal? Do you have a choice? Is that through Directv's website? To get locals in my area I will need the triple LNB dish. Is that included?

sorahl

01-09-04, 11:16 AM

Neutron
I don't even know for sure that I will get that receiver. I won't know until after i get the stuff installed and then call direct tv to order the other dvr.
stay tuned....

sorahl

01-10-04, 12:26 PM

On Friday I received a call from *****, the csr who took my order. She was calling to let me know that my equipment had shipped and if I wanted to call tomorrow (Saturday) they would have my tracking number for me.
This is a nice touch, doesn't take any time, and is a good touch feely customer service kind of thing. nice

On Saturday I dutifully called up ExpertSatellite and spoke with ******** who said that I would get my equipment before they had a tracking number. It would not be available until Monday after 10:00 AM. I said that I had been called yesterday to tell me that I could get call and get my tracking number on Saturday. Here comes a peach of a response...."She probably was not aware that today is Saturday".......rofl
what ever... I don't care but.... I do strongly dislike CSR's who deal out BS like the one today...

More on Monday!

sorahl

01-13-04, 08:29 AM

Monday/Tuesday's Update
I got a phone call and an email on monday telling me who the installer is going to be and how to contact them. I FINALLY got the tracking number today. Unit is scheduled to arrive on 1/14.
On Tuesday morning I called the installer but they won't talk to me until I have the equipment. So.... I'll have to wait to call them when fed ex finally arrives tomorrow. The guy at the installer was less than helpful. After he told me he wouldn't schedule it until the equipment arrived I asked him what the time frame looks like. He just spouted off the 1 to 5 day junk. I really want this done before this weekend but he just wouldn't let me know if that could happen. I mean 1 to 5 days could mean NEXT wednesday!
:) More tomorrow!

sorahl

01-13-04, 02:05 PM

Tuesday Update part 2
the package arrived with no fanfare. Fedex dumped it on my doorstep and never rang the bell! Hey, it's here. and there is stupid sticker on the box instructing me not to open it until the installer arrives !ARRGGH, that's like saying to a dog not to lift his leg on a fireplug!
Anyway, I called up the install company and have arranged for an installation on Friday from you guessed it 12-5. We'll see how it goes!

More on Saturday <grin>

Ray_Clum

01-13-04, 07:02 PM

Question for the experts out there. Am I able to pull a plain RCA brand receiver out of service if I replace it with the $99 D* Tivo upgrade?

Thanks

Yes, you can get the $99 D*TiVo and then drop the service on your RCA. I got the TiVo, moved my RCA up to the bed room and gave my in-laws (poor Pegasus customers...) my old Samsung SIR-S60.

pez2002

01-13-04, 07:07 PM

pez2002

01-13-04, 07:08 PM

one more thing

What part of Nj are u from

sorahl

01-16-04, 01:24 PM

I'm going to get the Total Choice plus Locals
after the free hbo ends I might do that 20 dollars off the Everything one... not sure
I live in Somerset County NJ

Friday Update - The Installation

didn't happen
The installer's truck died this morning and they are also complaining that the cablingis braking in the cold. All of which I could care less about. They have rescheduled the installation for Monday 12-5....
We'll see.....

skaeight

01-16-04, 03:04 PM

So does expert send out Samsung 100hr recorders to everyone that orders a directivo system from them, or do you have to mention it? If Expert sends out 100hr recorders for 35hr prices, they just won my sale!

sorahl

01-16-04, 04:01 PM

that deal was rumoured ONLY through the DirectTV site, nothing to do with Expert. I thought i made that clear up above :)

jdspencer

01-17-04, 08:45 AM

I can't even get DirectTV. I seem to be in a "Pegasus" area. What's that all about anyway? :-)
Not to hijack this thread, but I need to answer that question.
Pegasus is a reseller of DirecTV, so you can get it.
Go to the TiVo forum thread that will give you that info.
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=137573&highlight=pegasus

AHallenberg

01-17-04, 09:59 AM

that deal was rumoured ONLY through the DirectTV site, nothing to do with Expert. I thought i made that clear up above :)

I too have been looking to make the switch from Dish to DirectTV becaus of the two tuner Tivo. I will be anxious to hear how the cancelling of Dish goes.

Was there a reason other than price you chose Expert to start this process?

Kenster

01-17-04, 10:00 AM

Good luck to you. I will confirm for you that I ordered my DirecTivo through the website and received the 100 hr. Samsung. (Woo hoo!) :D

I'm just about ready to change from Ultimate TV to DTivo. I see the DirecTV.com site has extended the $99 DTivo deal through 12/31/04.
Now I'm thinking about holding off for a while. Surely in a couple of months or so they will be totally out of the 35 hour boxes and have only the 100 hour ones. When I read on the board that people are receiving 100 boxes all the time, I'll go for it. Then I'll sell my UTV- hate to but I think it's the thing to do.

jdspencer

01-17-04, 10:31 AM

Why sell the UTV? If it's working okay, just use if for its two tuners.:)

Ray_Clum

01-17-04, 10:40 AM

Possibly because the UTV is $9.99 / month / receiver and TiVo is $4.99 / month / account.

sorahl

01-17-04, 02:34 PM

I chose expert for price, for the reputation they have here, and for the referral that someone gave me who is splitting their referral reward with me :)

Sorahl

Strong

01-17-04, 05:47 PM

The installer's truck died this morning and they are also complaining that the cablingis braking in the cold. All of which I could care less about. .....
Show some compassion for your fellow humans.

Wasn't it single digits with negative wind chills and snow? How would you like if he fell off your frozen roof? I take it you could care less as long as you got your system installed.

jwwahly

01-18-04, 05:40 PM

Thank you very much Strong for your respectful attitude towards us installers.

sorahl

01-19-04, 07:48 AM

Dudes
you miss my point. I totally do NOT want the installer to fall of my roof!! My comment was based upon all the 'excuses' i have gotten in the past on any type of work being done in my house. In fact I thinking of cancelling my installation for today again because of that exactly. We had more dang snow and ice yesterday and there is NO way the roof will be clear by noon...

And I have rescheduled the install now for thursday. Hopefully the roof will be clear by then..

sorahl

01-22-04, 02:46 PM

Thursday - Installation Day
Well, the roof is still snow covered so I call up the install company and talk to them about it. They say to let the installer make the call when he arrives. My appt is from 12-5 and I eagerly await his arrival. At slightly after 2 they arrive. I tell him where the existing dish is and what the set up is in side. They are very happy that all the wiring is done and ready and the hardest part is the roof. Clint doesn't think there will be a problem. He scrambles up the roof and gets the new Triple LNB installed on an existing Dish post so I have no new holes in my roof. Everything is done, yay! I have one problem that I have to figure out. I have a lot of audio static and I don't know why. I didn't have it before. When i move all the cables the frequency changes but I can not get it go away. It is really bad.... I don't notice it so much when I watch the tv, just when I use my sound system. Anyone have any ideas?????

Thanks!

Sorahl

jdspencer

01-22-04, 02:58 PM

Check all grounds in your system, including the shields on coax cables. You have a loose one somewhere. Move one cable at a time to isolate the bad one.

sorahl

01-22-04, 03:16 PM

I don't think they grounded the block from the satellite now that I look at it. What can I ground it to (a water pipe?)

Sorahl

Martin Tupper

01-22-04, 04:13 PM

So tell us, did you get the 35hr or the 100hr?

jdspencer

01-22-04, 05:01 PM

Depending on your local electrical code, it may need to be grounded at the same place as your electrical sytem.

Also, check for loose connections.

jwwahly

01-22-04, 06:01 PM

If thats the last resort then yes,but you might still have a ground loop inside the house somewhere.My brother has this problem and it is grounded i did his install ground block outside with 17 gauge wire to one side of the block and the 10 gauge to main house ground from the other side of the ground block.He has a persistant hum in the system and he is an av nut.

sorahl

01-23-04, 11:03 AM

I'll let you know if I got the 100 hr model when that shows up on 2/3. The dvr I had installed yesterday came through Expert Satelite, not Direct TV. I ordered my dvr through Direct TV today.
In the mean time I have to fix that ground problem :( rats.

speedy4022

01-27-04, 12:53 AM

that deal was rumoured ONLY through the DirectTV site, nothing to do with Expert. I thought i made that clear up above :)

This deal is not a rumor it is a fact I received a 100 Hr unit in December because it was all the installer had due to a shortage but I was also on a wait list for a month. Also there is no special way to get one it is just luck of the draw.

Tyralak

01-27-04, 04:57 AM

Thank you very much Strong for your respectful attitude towards us installers.

Agreed. It's hard work, especially in incliment weather.

sorahl

02-03-04, 12:55 PM

Well today was install #2 day. Unfortunatly the weather has hit me again....
The installer arrived and said he didn't feel safe to go on the roof.
That's fine.

I was confused that he needed to go on the roof. The installer that hooked me up last week said that he wouldn't need to.
Can any one confirm this? his reason was that I have a triple lnb dish on the roof and only two lines coming down. He said that he needs to run another line down to hook up a second tivo.

My install has been rescheduled for thursday.

Sorahl

Pantageas

02-03-04, 05:17 PM

jm9

02-04-04, 08:47 AM

sorahl,

SO you have one Tivo and one standard box, are you adding another Tivo or replacing the tivo with the standard box.

I just want to know if you need 5 outputs and if Direct is providing your multiswitch on the Tivo upgrade.

sorahl

02-04-04, 03:30 PM

I have One Tivo. nothing else I am ADDING one more Tivo so I'll have 2 TIVO's. nothing else.
The deal is that DirecTv is installing it, so what ever is needed to do the job they are providing. (I did all the inside wiring already) my price was 113.95 plus tax for a total of 119.89.
If you add in my costs for the original Tivo and install, the total cost of my DirecTv conversion will be 119.89 plus 39.99 for a total of 159.88
I will be selling my Dish 501, 4000 and 4900 receivers ( my next step). Can anyone provide me the target prices I should be going for? Should I bundle them, sell them separately? EBAY, here? where?
Thanks,

Sorahl

bonscott87

02-04-04, 03:44 PM

You need 4 lines running from your dish into the house, 2 lines for each DirecTivo.

sorahl

02-04-04, 04:12 PM

what happens when I want to add a standard receiver in my office?

jm9

02-04-04, 04:18 PM

Then you will need to get a multi switch. When I get the HD Tivo I will be getting the 5X8 multi switch. 4 lines from the dish, one line from antena gives 8 ouputs. Expert had them for $50 which is a great price. In stores locally they are over $100. I was wondering if Direct would provide the switch if I upgraded to another Tivo.

sorahl

02-04-04, 04:20 PM

As I understand it if you buy the receiver from DirecTv they provide the switch.
You can buy a regular receiver for 50 bucks on their website.

Sorahl

jwwahly

02-04-04, 04:43 PM

jwwahly

02-04-04, 04:44 PM

OOOPS sorry forgot the damn caps lock was on again

Mark Holtz

02-04-04, 05:23 PM

You're forgiven. - Holtz

jwwahly

02-04-04, 05:40 PM

You're forgiven. - Holtz
Thanks :grin: :D

bonscott87

02-04-04, 10:10 PM

Note with the Phase III dishes that the multiswitch is built into the LNB housing. Thus if you need more then 4 outputs then you need to add a 4x8 or 5x8 CASCADABLE (usually powered) multiswitch. A regular multiswitch will not work.

sorahl

02-04-04, 10:19 PM

does the location of this multiswitch matter? can it be located near the receiver? not that i will have this issue until i reach the point where I want to add the third receiver but it's good to be prepared. I pride myself that installers don't need to do anything inside my house. If I wasn't so afraid of heights they wouldn'thave to do anything outside my house either but... :) I'm pretty pathetic on the 40plus foot high roof of my house :(

bonscott87

02-05-04, 08:07 AM

No, does not matter. My setup:

My dish is on an old fence post in my back yard. 4 lines running from the Phase III underground into the basement. I have a central distribution point for all incoming signals (Sat, Cable, OTA, phone, etc.). I have a board where I have all 4 cables coming into various grounds (grounded to main ground cold water pipe). Then all 4 go out to various receivers. Some are only 10 feet away, one is another 70 feet 2 stories up.

If I needed a 5x8 (and I will soon) then I would mount it to my board and run short cable from the ground into the 5x8 and then out to the receivers.

So the short of it is, doesn't matter where you put it, so long as it works.

jm9

02-05-04, 11:21 AM

sorahl,

all four lines from the dish need to go to the multiswitch, so yes it does matter. If you don't have all four lines coming into the house at the same point where do you install the switch? If you have one distribition point in your house then that is where the switch would go. If you will end up with 2 lines from the dish going to one side or your house and the other 2 entering some other place then you will have problems adding more recievers.

Jon

sorahl

02-05-04, 12:31 PM

Fortunately all the lines come in the house to the same place :D

Well my conversion has been completed

the last install happened today. A very professional polite and NEAT installer came (should have asked his name) and did a bang up job. had a near miss with a major power cable :grin: but all's well.
The first dvr we pulled out of the box was doa, luckily he had a second one in the truck (someone is going to be dissapointed when their install today is cancelled).
The good news is it is a Samsung dvr
The bad news is it is 35 hrs

He said they had been doing the 100 hr models for a while but a week or so ago it all changed :nono2: my luck, ya know

No matter I'll upgrade both the tivos when i have the money for the hard drives.

Thus ends the conversion of a long time Dish Subscriber to a DirecTv customer. So far I am VERY pleased.

Thanks for your attention and I hope it has helped someone who was looking to do the same thing!

Sorahl

jwwahly

02-06-04, 10:37 PM

The reason we were putting in the 100hr ones is that was all we could get from D*. They figured it was better to eat the loss than lose the customer.

Mark Holtz

02-07-04, 01:06 PM

Speaking from experience.... the newegg pricing for Samsung hard drives is as follows (and is current as of this posting):

* 120 GB - $88 - Gives you ~105 hours of recording time. ($0.84 per hour)
* 160 GB - $103 - Gives you ~120 hours of recording time, but because of a kernal limitation, can only use the first 137GB. ($0.86 per hour)

(GB=1,000,000,000 bytes)

Without going into too much detail, I would recommend swapping out the original drive and storing it in a safe place and doing a drive copy over to the new hard drive rather than doing a drive add. This will allow you to increase the swap space in case the TiVo has to do a drive rebuild.

If you do a full copy from the TiVo drive to the new drive (which means keeping all existing recordings), then you are best to perform the copy overnight. If, however, you don't need to keep the programming, that the process is much faster.

Mike Richardson

02-07-04, 09:12 PM

* 120 GB - $88 - Gives you ~105 hours of recording time. ($0.84 per hour)
* 160 GB - $103 - Gives you ~120 hours of recording time, but because of a kernal limitation, can only use the first 137GB. ($0.86 per hour)

http://www.pricewatch.com/ can give you very cheap prices. I see a 120 GB for $74 shipped and a 160 GB for $99 shipped.