Anything I should do to make sure my installation goes right tomorrow?

Clear access to the TVs+ Have enough electric outlets for all the equipment.
If you want to use PPV or caller ID pick spots near phone jacks for the receivers.....they don't have to be on the TV but need to be connected to a landline for those two functions to work.

The cable connection is where it is because that is where the ground bond is.
The tech will have to build the installation from that ground point.

Unless a SWM is available the tech will have to run an additional line for tuner #2 on each recorder.

Relax and know that if the roof pitch is less than the elevation needed for LOS the dish can point at the roof but clear it for signal.

The alternative to using existing cable is to wrap the building and drill the walls and or floors.

In spite of the horror stories you read here most jobs go in ok. You hear the problems here. Report how it goes.

Joe

Be sure you ask the installer where he plans to run the cable and where he will install the outlets in the wall, before he gets started. For example you may want him to hide the cable under your overhang neatly. And if they run them down an exterior wall, be sure to show him where you want them run, so they aren't as noticeable. Also, you may want the outlets behind your home theater stand, not next to it where you can see the cable and outlet. If you don't make suggestions based on your expectations, you may end up with lazy installer that does a sloppy job.

Since you have DVR's, be sure he calls in and activates each DVR. You can test this by trying to record the program you are watching. If he hasn't completed this, it won't let you record and will give you an error message.

Make sure he gives you the remote you are supposed to get and that he programs the remote for your specific TV. It should be a model RC64R or RC64RB (backlit keys) if you’re lucky (model # is upper right hand corner above TV output button). Any other model may be older and only IR, with no RF capabilities. Check to see if you can turn your TV on and off and control the volume.

If you have an HDTV with HDMI inputs, be sure he gives you an HDMI cable N/C. If not, be sure he supplies the composite or component cables for free. I have read that sometimes they try to sell them to you.

Hope this helps!

The fault was in a couple people's hands on why the install didn't happen on Saturday.

First off, I made a special request for HR-20's because my area does not have HD locals and I didn't want to spend another $100 on two AM21 boxes. Because I knew it was an older model I called THREE times last week to verify that the installer would be able to bring two of those receivers. I was promised by DTV that they spoke to the company handling the installs and that they would have two HR-20s for me. The installers told me that they were never told by DTV to bring HR-20s and my installer said he hasn't seen a HR-20 in a long time.

Second problem was that the installer never looked at the work order that said "Customer must have HR-20 model" until he drove up to the house with a couple HR-21s. He said he cannot get HR-20s and that he has never seen a AM21 either. So I talked to a supervisor at the local installer branch and she said that they were never told to bring HR-20s and that there is no way they can get me one. She said that I had to get DTV to mail me the equipment, then they'll come back and set everything up.

I was irritated at this point and canceled the install for the day because I did not want to have my service started when I could not DVR my HD locals yet because that would be a big waste of the service to me. I told the installers I will try to work it out with DTV and get back with them.

So I called DTV and they told me they cannot mail me any HR-20s and that I would have to buy them from a retailer. But I'm not going to do that because I got the package I wanted where I didn't have to pay very much for 2 HD DVRs. So I told them I was rethinking the whole DTV deal because of this unless they can either get me two HR-20s or give me two AM21s for free to go on the HR-21s. So they said they will give me the AM21s. But here is the catch on that, because my account is Pending, DTV cannot send me any equipment until my service is activated. So, the installer will have to come back out and install the HR-21s then DTV will FedEx me two AM21s for free.

So at the end of the day, I should have let the installer go ahead and install the dish and the two HR-21s and start my service and then have DTV send me the AM21. But because I had not talked to DTV yet about the AM21s I didn't want my service started because then I would be asking for something free when I already had my service activated. Now I have to wait 10 more days before the installer can get back out unless there is a cancellation, and then DTV will FedEx me the AM21s. So maybe in about two weeks I will have everything set up like I want it.

I knew I was asking a lot to get HR-20s at the house, but I called three times and asked DTV to verify with the installers that they will bring them and they promised that they would, three times. So Saturday I was pretty irritated and then to wrap it up Auburn lost to Vandy that night in football, so all in all it was a pretty forgettable day.