New Baltimore installation: call local or direct?

[rotarius]

Hello...been lurking here for a while and this is my first post. Just moved to Baltimore City and would like to get the dish. It's an older home, so I'm going to rewire it to get ready.

My question is about ordering. I've seen conflicting reports, so I'm wondering if it is better to order direct from Directv, to order from a national reseller like Solid Signal (of whom I am already a satisfied customer of), or to order locally (Action Antenna in Baltimore seems to be well regarded). This will be for a brand new install...I've never been a customer before. My objective isn't necessarily isn't to get the cheapest installation, it's to get the job done right the first time.

Oh, I'd probably want the AU9 Slimline dish, the H20, HR20 and a standard receiver...D12 or similar.

I guess everyone has a different opinion, but if there is any consensus, or anyone local that has first hand experience, I'd appreciate it. Thanks guys, great forum.

[convem24]

Rotarius - if your local installer for Directv is Ironwood Communications I would stay away from them. Otherwise I have heard good things from other install groups for Directv. An independent installer should do a good job. Just make sure the Slimline dish is aligned properly and has the two anchor poles installed to make sure the dish is properly installed (the AU9 slimline is more sensative to movement on the HD channels). Good luck.

[aim2pls]

everything depends on the actual individual installer .... good luck

[captain_video]

If you order from DirecTV, they'll send out whatever local contractor is available in your area. If you buy through Action Antenna then they'll probably use their own installers, although I won't swear to that. Your best bet would be to contact Action and ask them who actually performs the installation. If you buy through Solid Signal then you'll either have to install it yourself or go through DirecTV and have them do it. The local yokels DTV has sent to my home have left a lot to be desired. I'm in Ellicott City just southwest of Baltimore. I believe Action Antenna is located in either Arbutus or Halethorpe, IIRC. I just remember it's on Washington Blvd (Rte. 1) south of the city. I've never dealt with them other than talking to a salesperson about 10 DirecTV when it first came out over 10 years ago.

[TimGoodwin]

Mastac is the local install company. They are hit or miss... mostly miss if you know what I mean. Good luck with who ever you get and remember to check there work whenever they finish.

[pbielski]

Mastac is the local install company. They are hit or miss... mostly miss if you know what I mean. Good luck with who ever you get and remember to check there work whenever they finish.

I couldn't agree more re: the "hit or miss... mostly miss". I finally did find one really good Mastac installer. I don't have his name with me at the moment, but I'll pass it along as soon as I can. It took more than 3 months to get my installation set up correctly - but in the end, it was and works great.

There's a lot of good advice in this forum about what good installation looks like when it's done correctly, especially regarding signal strength. As was noted before, check their work when they are done. Don't believe the BS you'll get if the installation isn't up to spec. - make them fix it or send someone else out who can. Many of the Mastac installers know how to install a 3 LNB system but have no idea what to do with the AT9.

[Michael D'Angelo]

My original install with them was great years ago. Then last June when I had them come out to upgrade my dish to the 5 LNB dish the guy did a good job installing it but I needed a TECH to come back out to re-align it because the signals were to low on 103 and I was having problems. At the time they did not have the right signal meters because it was so new. So it was not a big deal. Every other time they have came out when I added a new receiver I just had them hand it to me and I signed the paper work and they left. One time I had an installer coming out between 1 and 5 and he did not show up until 7:45. But Directv made it right. So all in all not to bad for me with them.

[stiffi]

Mastac is the local install company. They are hit or miss... mostly miss if you know what I mean. Good luck with who ever you get and remember to check there work whenever they finish.

Mastec is no longer the installation company for Baltimore, or Baltimore County. I had an install done last week in Lutherville and it was Aerosat, a company out of Tennessee. Mastec told me they lost the contract with Directv effective June 4th, 2007.

My Mastec work was nightmare, having dealt with them for 3 years. I had one person from Aerosat come out to fix a Mastec problem last week, and while he was nice, and on time, the dish is still out of alignment and I have to have someone come out Saturday.

[TimGoodwin]

I've had some ok installs and some I would not like to remember. The biggest problem I've had with Mastac is not showing up on time. And when they are late they are really, really late!

[n3ntj]

Rotarius - if your local installer for Directv is Ironwood Communications I would stay away from them.

I agree 110%. Stay away from Ironwood at ALL hazards! They do not properly train their employees, assuming they do show up. I think Ironwood gets people off the street corner and asks them 'wanna make a quick 15 bucks?' and hires them that way. When I once asked an installer if he was using RG-6 for the install, he didn't know what RG-6 coax was. Then I proceeded.. "OK, what kind of wire are you going to use?".. the installer said, "the black wire". I just had to laugh.

I hope that D* would punish Ironwood by canceling or not renewing the contract.

[rotarius]

Lots of good information here. Thanks guys. Interesting that Mastec lost the contract effective 6/4/07.

[dinotheo]

Lots of good information here. Thanks guys. Interesting that Mastec lost the contract effective 6/4/07.

Mastec was horrific for me. Complete idiots. I've had them come out twice to look at my problem of MPEG4 channels breaking up now and then. Both times they were supposed to swap the LNB and both times they didn't. Both guys had no idea what they were talking about and the one guy was going on and on about how he was the top quality control guy for all of Baltimore. He said my problem was moisture getting into my coax connectors.....so he installed rubber boots......on my OTA coax....what a doofus. The next guy would not go up to replace my lnb. He swore that I just needed a software upgrade. After I insisted he go up and replace the lnb, he said "fine". He placed a ladder against my house, but all the while my receivers never lost a sat signal....so basically he lied to me.
I had Aerosat come out this time. While I don't know if they fixed the problem at least the installer was nice and for the most part knew what he was talking about. He swapped my lnb and actually sat with me trying to fix the problem. He laughed about the other guys not going on the roof. He said he had no problem climbing my "little" roof. He used to work in NYC. He said my 3 story roof is nothing compared to some of the apartments he's had to climb....on rickety fire escapes, tripping over people's stuff (many folks use the fire escapes as balconies) etc....

So hopefully things will be better with Aerosat.

[AnonomissX]

SO LONG MASTEC! Dont let the door hit you in the a$$ on the way out!!!! :lol: :lol: :D

Gee, did I let THAT slip out?:rolleyes:

[tonyd79]

Of the four installs I have been involved with (my own upgrades or friends upgrades/installs), none of them were local contractors. They were all contractors from different regions who were working in the region week by week. They varied in ability but all got the job done.