installers and "un" diplexing ota line

[gregftlaud]

ok...i have my mpeg4 upgrade tomorrow. i want to keep my ota antenna for the hr20 for subchannels, etc which arent offered yet by dtv..... which is on a diplexed line right now. so basically i just want the installer to use the diplexed line dedicated just to ota since u cant diplex lines for mpeg4.......then run an additional sat line to my hr20. unfortunately we deal with the contractor "mastec" down here in south florida and they are always a pain in the rear end. they act like they are doing u a favor when the do any kind of work. anyone out there have a situation like mine and have the installer use the diplexed line just for the antenna and then run another sat line in and what was their reaction and or were they willing to do it. i've actually had mastec people tell me in the past they wouldnt do stuff and i've had to call the installation line at dtv so they could light a fire under their well....butts.

[davring]

Mastec does leave a bit to be desired. Since it is an upgrade tell them that the one line is for your antenna and that he has to run more cable. He won't like it I'm sure. It is your cable and it is used for other things, he needs to add one, his problem, you are the customer. If they give you a problem, call D* while he is there. He may do it if he sees you reach for the phone. They are coming out to my house tommorrow for an "incomplete install", in other words make corrections to my dish install that should have been done six months ago when I upgraded. "MAKE SURE HE GROUNDS THE DISH!" Do NOT sign off if he does not. Good luck

[gregftlaud]

wuld have been nice too to get the receivers before the installer comes out just to ge them setup for it. the installation dept i just talked to said the installer should do all the things i mentioned but to call them if there any problem. i really like my 6-2, 7-2, 33-1 and 39-1 (plus u can watch tv during those occasional rain fade events) ....so that's why i want to keep the ota run. but mastec always comes up with some excuse to try and get out of a "hard" install if everything doesnt go their way. i lived in a house about 5yrs ago and wanted them to run the lines thru the attic and they refused. i called dtv andthey told them to do as i asked......then all of a sudden the mastec (one didnt speak english!!!) installers decided they wanted to go to lunch at 11am. they didnt return for 4hrs! i hate to say this but i think with mastec it is a cultural thing more than anything. i think they really dont know how businesses should treat customers in this country. they act like they are the ones in power not the customer. i had one mastec installer who told me he was cuban tell me to "find god" because i needed my dish re-aligned after hurrican katrina.....he came out and came up with this crap that he was only a troubleshooter and that he couldnt do the realignment (even though his van had a ladder on top of it). i argued with him about it then he told me to shut up and that i needed to find god. i called dtv after he told me to shut up........i got my dish realigned! i wouldnt be ocd about this upgrade if it wasnt for all the bad and frustrating experiences i've had with mastec. it's not like they are flying the space shuttle! oh and about grounding it. i'm on the 2nd floor of an apt complex.....i'm not sure they can.

[davring]

On my initial HD upgrade it ended up requiring 3 return trips, due to an elusive bad LNB. It was tough to diagnos, I knew what the symtems were and tryed to tell the "tech" to save him time. Two of them acted like I wasn't in the room as they talked(non_English)to there office. I asked them to speak English, one left. never returned and the second installer couldn't speack English and I sent him away. I called D* and raised hell, they finally sent someone who fixed the system in minutes, very courteous and helpfull. You are correct about the cultural aspect, see it all the time. I guess we owe them.

[gregftlaud]

get this. mastec called me today and asked if i wanted a technician to speak english. how sick is this country becoming my god! i had to ask her to repeat herself because i could not believe my ears. i was like "well....that would be nice!" they told me they are sending a "senior" tech since it's a mpeg4 upgrade. that's probably what they call all their techs lol

oh....i'm getting the hr20 and h20 receivers.....the whole upgrade for free. they bring access cards with those receivers correct? the ordering person at dtv yesterday seemed confused about this.

[davring]

The access cards are packed in the boxes with the tuners. Yes, I think they are all senior "techs" lol Make certain you get good signal strenght on sat 99, MPEG4 sat, at least 90%. Check signal on HR20 only as the H20 will not let you see Sat 99 on the signal strenght meter.(software bug to be fixed next update)

[carl6]

get this. mastec called me today and asked if i wanted a technician to speak english.

You should have insisted on a German speaking installer (or perhaps Italian, or French).:lol:

Carl

[gregftlaud]

davring.....

do u have an ota installed on your hr20 also and if so did the tech run thru the ota guided setup too or did he make u do it?

also....i have about 50 feet cable runs to my receivers. i'm on the 2nd floor of an apt complex and the installer is gonna have to use a wall mount in order to get the slimline on the side of the facade/overhang. my neighbor had it installed that way so now i know it can be done. ok......the orginal installer that ran these lines didnt run them long enough to reach the receiver so he had to use those little connectors to piece two lines together on each one to make it long enough to reach. do mpeg4 signal travel ok over that kind of setup or do i need one long run without any "patchwork"?

[davring]

Splices are not prefered, but if done right should pose no problem. I have an outdoor Radio Shack ($25.00) outdoor antenna. Works excellent, many WPB stations too. I set it up,(OTA) easy to do. 50 ft runare no problem. Make certain the installer uses the monopoles(extra braces) when he mounts the dish. Not a lot more work, but the dish won't get blown around in the wind.

[gregftlaud]

yah they put he extra braces on the install next door to me. i asked the installer who was doing it about it and he told me exactly what to tell the installation dept to bring for the install. he was very nice perhaps i might get him. i'm getting 99-100 signal strengths right now over those spliced lines so i suppose they will be ok

oh so u put up the ota after u had the mpeg4 upgrade. my antenna is already up there as u know i just wonder if he'll set it up on the hr20 for me too. the installation dept told me tonite that the installer is to setup the receivers and even activate the cards. yah good luck with that.

god i wish it was this time tomorrow nite. i got ocd about this!

[davring]

He should set up your OTA, if he knows how. It is very simple, follow the steps. You may have to re do it anyway. Be certain and have a zip code for WPB to use as your seconday DMA so your tuners will display those stations as well.

[gregftlaud]

n/m

[davring]

Sounds like a simple install, best of luck. Keep us posted

[gregftlaud]

how do the mpeg4 hd locals and the ota hd locals show up in the guide. well..what i'm asking is how can u tell which is which. unfortunately i cant get wpb with the ota antenna i currently have. i had one before that i culd and i miss it.

also u mentioned the grounding thing. i live on the 2nd floor of an apt complex. can they ground from that far up?

[davring]

The grounding is his problem, code requirement. Locals will show up multiple times EI:
WPLG Sat HD
MI10 Sat SD
10-1 OVA HD

WFOR Sat HD
MI4 Sat SD
4-1 OTA HD

WSVN Sat HD
MI7 Sat SD
7-1 OTA HD

WTVJ Sat HD
MI6 Sat SD
6-1 OTA HD


If you key in Channel 10, it will default to the HD feed

[gregftlaud]

ah thanks. i just like to know as much info as possible ahead of time. i'd do a search on these forums but going thru the results that come up is like finding a needle in a haystack. thanks for all your help. have a good nite!

[gregftlaud]

well...as expected the guy cam out from mastec......and get this didnt have a 5lnb dish. didnt have a dish. i showed him the work order on dtv's website and he just pulled up his clipboard and took his pin and bounced the pin against it extremely hard. he weighted like 300 pounds. it was attitude from the time i opened the door and i just know that lazy butt just didnt want to do the install. i'm on the phone with the dtv installation dept right now. they show the same work order that i have and that i comfirmed with mastec yesterday morning when they called to confirm my installation. oh i am SOOOOOO mad. i told him to get the u know what out and he was typical mastec.