Upcoming installation (soliciting suggestions)

[PusOozes]

After repeated promises to myself to dump despicable comcast...directv installer is coming day after tomorrow. (I just noticed that the word "despicable" actually contains the word "cable" Coincidence? I think not). Anyway, from what I can tell reading here, it's pretty much a crapshoot what you get with your free installation (I ordered through directv). Can anyone advise as to what I should request, look out for, pay extra for... or anything else? I've ordered the 3-room (one directivo) setup, with a triple lnb dish, but no HD receivers (yet). I have one standalone tivo, and one replaytv....I'll probably wind up with some sort of PVR everywhere that I have a television...I'm waiting a bit to see what goes on with the HD DirecTivo.

I'm in a townhouse, I own and maintain my roof and walls...I can drill as I please, but I'm not eager to have a stranger that is probably not being paid very much make holes in my house. Currently I have two separate lines coming into the house from the single comcast line...splitter outside (one into the attic, and one onto the main level). The line in the attic drops into several rooms upstairs, and the line coming into the main level stays there.

If feasible, and affordable I'd rather have (at least some) separate line run for the directv, in case I need to go back to using comcast's overpriced cable modem sevice (that's a very depressing prospect). Is this making any sense? From what I can tell, "free standard installation" is not going to include any fishing wires through the walls. I'm rambling...sorry. Any suggestions folks? Thank you.

[Sat Buddy]

If you live in the inner city, ask the installer if he's from the In-home installation company of DIRECTV's, (Can't remember the official name).

If it's a retailer or sub-contractor, it is notorious for them to do good enough work to get the job in. That includes watching the clock, and straying away from in-depth conversation. (If they get paid by the hour, the likelyhood of a better installation).

The biggest mistake an installer can make is installing the dish WAY to high, insufficent mounting, stapling into the line, and using 20 splices in the line runs.

It's your system, and you should feel you have the right to access the dish for whatever reason. To go along with that is insufficient mounting of the dish. The roof should be the last resort. Four lags into the side corner of the house no more than halfway up is ideal in most situations, given that there are no line of sight issues.

I would say the only thing to worry about is the dish mounting & peaking, and the cable runs.

MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T USE A STAPLE GUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And make sure he takes his shoes off!

Enjoy DIRECTV!

[pez2002]

Ive been with directv 13 months And love it

What Package did you Choose

[PusOozes]

Thank you. This is helpful...I'm in suburban DC...montgomery county...I dooubt they have their own installers here.

If he is not supposed to use a staple gun, what should he be using? And what does "four lags into the side corner of the house..." mean? I don't actually have a corner...attached townhouse with neighbors on both sides. I do have a small backyard...not sure aboout line-of-sight from there...it's kind of shady.

I'm also aware that people don't enjoy working without being paid..and I'm generally used to tipping people do get what I want. (I recently moved here from new york...we tip...hardly anyone accepted my christmas tips this year here, though...pretty strange). Usually, though, the money is given for a job well done, or adequately done. Perhaps fifty bucks before he starts might help? I'm not looking for anything special really. Just acceptable...I don't want to have to keep having tem come back...too much inconvenience and time for me (yet another reason I hate comcast....techs that make you wait all day....but forget to bring the equipment for the job).

So okay, no staples....tape? glue? rubberbands?

[Mike500]

I am a professional installer with many years of experience as an electrician. I've installed DirecTV and dish since 1996, and c-band before that.

I install most of my systems on the roof. Then again, I always used hardened correct length hex drive screws and get them into the rafters. I don't "glue" the mounting foot to the shingles with silicone sealant, as recommended by install manuals and many installers. By driving 1/4" x 3" long screws through the shingles into the wood, the tar in the shingles actually melt and reharden at the shanks of the screws, thereby requiring no further sealing. To satisfy the customers, I cover the screw heads with non-hardening HVAC duct sealant. This way, years later, the duct sealant can be peeled away; the screws removed; and the duct sealant used to fill the very small holes in the shingles. Gluing the base mounting foot to the roof almost always result in tearing off the shingles, when the mounting foot is removed.

It appears that the South side of your townhouse is the front, since the back is ahaded. Depending on the pitch of the roof, the dish can be mounted on the roof right above the current entrance box for cable and connected to the current runs into the house, if the cables are RG6. The cables can be run under a rain gutter or slipped into the "j" corner channel, if you have vinyl siding.

If the pitch of the roof is greater than the elevation angle of the lowest satellite position in the sky, the dish must be mounted close to the gable of the roof.

Unfortunately, if your entrance drops or laterals are on the front of the townhouse, the dish must be mounted on the front siding.

Without seeing the exact location, there is not much more that I can provide.

I can tell you that the majority of installs are done by many inexperienced installers, who do not choose the best locations or do the neatest work. I redo a lot of them.

For the cables, most installers use "nail on" black plastic clamps. Some use screwed on plastic clamps. The best are screw down aluminun straps that circle totally around the cable. That is what I use. The UV rays of the sun eventually kill the plastic clamps.

[jwwahly]

If you ordered from dtv itself you should get an installer from an H.S.P. home services provider. We are held to higher standards than the general installer from other outfits. As far as him chargeing you this is only if we do pole mounts,wall fishes,attic fishes etc. these are considered non standard installs meaning the company does not pay us unless we collect from you. And we also get paid pretty good so some of us let some things slide without chargeing you just because A. the cust. was polite. If the cust. is a real jerk that is the only time that any extras he/she wants is charged by me.

[Bowtieman]

After repeated promises to myself to dump despicable comcast...directv installer is coming day after tomorrow. (I just noticed that the word "despicable" actually contains the word "cable" Coincidence? I think not). Anyway, from what I can tell reading here, it's pretty much a crapshoot what you get with your free installation (I ordered through directv). Can anyone advise as to what I should request, look out for, pay extra for... or anything else? I've ordered the 3-room (one directivo) setup, with a triple lnb dish, but no HD receivers (yet). I have one standalone tivo, and one replaytv....I'll probably wind up with some sort of PVR everywhere that I have a television...I'm waiting a bit to see what goes on with the HD DirecTivo.

I'm in a townhouse, I own and maintain my roof and walls...I can drill as I please, but I'm not eager to have a stranger that is probably not being paid very much make holes in my house. Currently I have two separate lines coming into the house from the single comcast line...splitter outside (one into the attic, and one onto the main level). The line in the attic drops into several rooms upstairs, and the line coming into the main level stays there.

If feasible, and affordable I'd rather have (at least some) separate line run for the directv, in case I need to go back to using comcast's overpriced cable modem sevice (that's a very depressing prospect). Is this making any sense? From what I can tell, "free standard installation" is not going to include any fishing wires through the walls. I'm rambling...sorry. Any suggestions folks? Thank you.

I was with Dish for 5 years and switched to direct around 3 months ago and I couldn't be happier with the picture quality and especially my tivo.

Now add in that we will be getting high definition from CBS and enhanced definition from FOX by the end of the month and I am elated. A big plus is that we will be able to see the super bowl in high definition. Biggest shame as far as HD goes is they aren't making the new TIVO HD unit with a DVI connection. Not very smart thinking from a very smart company.

I purchased my system for Expert Satellite and it was a most pleasant experience from the start to the end. The installer was very professional and knew exactly what to do. He was in and out with my install in around a hour.

Stop worrying about having to go back to cable and enjoy the experience with direct. I know I have so far.

[PusOozes]

Well not exactly just like comcrap. They were profusely apologetic, and the woman from "Advance Technologies" or whatever they're called (the installatin outfit) said three or four times "Please tell me what I can do to make this up to you." Too bad that she was not actually able to do any of the things that I asked for (Guarantee that I receive the Samsung DVR...she said that was completely up to what DirecTV sends them every few days)

And they didn't exactly no-show. They phoned me at 6:45 PM to come for my 1 to 5 o'clock appointment. What annoys me most is not the overbooking, or my sitting around all afternoon...I phoned DirecTV at about five o'clock to see what was going on...and they attempted to reach the installation company...and the only number they had (supposedly) was continuously busy....it turns out (supposedly, according to the installation company that their Texas call center was being moved or something that weekend). Whatever...similar garbage as comcrud, except, they did pretend to be sorry for inconveniencing me...I asked if I could just hire one of the installers on my own...sort of eliminate having to deal through DirecTV for installation arrangements, and miscommunication...they wouldn't do it that way.

I'm not in as much of a hurry to dump the cable now...until the next time they bill me incorrectly, or cut off my service for no apparent reason, forcing me to spend 45 minutes on the telephone (much of it on held, the rest talking to a complete imbecile)...if the last two years are indicative, they'll screw something up within another week or two. Just in time for my next DirectTV installation appointment.