Sorry for the length of this!
Some advice please. The question is whether to try to salvage my 10 or so year relationship with dish or switch to DirecTV, then bide my time until Verizon FIOS becomes available here in about a year (they're laying down cable now). I know next to nothing about DirecTV except the info I got from a zealous salesperson.
My first question is if I can get a receiver comparable to the VIP 722 from DirecTV.
I have no problem with Dish's product; it's the service. Over the years, the service really seems to have deteriorated to an intolerable point. I doubt DirecTV is any better, but at least I'll get to take advantage of big savings in the first year with the promotions. Like I said, I hope to have FIOS in about a year, so the fact that the savings are temporary is of little concern.
Here's the straw that is about to break the camel's back. A technician came to my house on 7/5. In the process of trying to diagnose the problem, he disconnected and did not re-connect several cables properly, something I realized after he had left. I still haven't figured out how to get my DVD player working.
He left with the understanding that i was going to get an external drive to back up my programs and I would then call him and he would swap my VIP 722. He wanted to do it personally to see if that took care of the problem (he thought it was a defective HDMI port on the receiver).
I promptly purchased an external drive and paid the activation fee. (Why is there an activation fee?) The tech left me his office number as well as 5 other numbers - for superiors and others who he said could be of assistance. I called every one of the numbers (starting 7/6), left voicemail and received no call backs.
I ended up calling Dish and swapping the receiver. However, that did not resolve the issue, which is a line on the very top of the picture. I tried again calling the number the technician gave me for the field supervisor, left a message, again no response.
So, my problem now in addition to a line on top of the picture, the original problem, is that I cannot figure out what the tech did and can't hook up my DVD player (I don't claim to be technically oriented) and I'm needlessly out $$ for an external drive, activation fee and movie rentals. Plus all the aggravation.
On Friday, I wrote to [email protected] and explained the problem in detail. No response to that message or a followup. Is there a phone number for the executive office? Anyway, I'm hesitant about calling since I've been promised things on the phone before only to be told later there was no record of the conversation.
So what do I want? I suppose I'd be content if they simply sent someone back to hook up my DVD player. And a sincere apology from someone. I can live with the line on top of the picture.
That's where I stand. Thanks for any suggestions.
Some advice please. The question is whether to try to salvage my 10 or so year relationship with dish or switch to DirecTV, then bide my time until Verizon FIOS becomes available here in about a year (they're laying down cable now). I know next to nothing about DirecTV except the info I got from a zealous salesperson.
My first question is if I can get a receiver comparable to the VIP 722 from DirecTV.
I have no problem with Dish's product; it's the service. Over the years, the service really seems to have deteriorated to an intolerable point. I doubt DirecTV is any better, but at least I'll get to take advantage of big savings in the first year with the promotions. Like I said, I hope to have FIOS in about a year, so the fact that the savings are temporary is of little concern.
Here's the straw that is about to break the camel's back. A technician came to my house on 7/5. In the process of trying to diagnose the problem, he disconnected and did not re-connect several cables properly, something I realized after he had left. I still haven't figured out how to get my DVD player working.
He left with the understanding that i was going to get an external drive to back up my programs and I would then call him and he would swap my VIP 722. He wanted to do it personally to see if that took care of the problem (he thought it was a defective HDMI port on the receiver).
I promptly purchased an external drive and paid the activation fee. (Why is there an activation fee?) The tech left me his office number as well as 5 other numbers - for superiors and others who he said could be of assistance. I called every one of the numbers (starting 7/6), left voicemail and received no call backs.
I ended up calling Dish and swapping the receiver. However, that did not resolve the issue, which is a line on the very top of the picture. I tried again calling the number the technician gave me for the field supervisor, left a message, again no response.
So, my problem now in addition to a line on top of the picture, the original problem, is that I cannot figure out what the tech did and can't hook up my DVD player (I don't claim to be technically oriented) and I'm needlessly out $$ for an external drive, activation fee and movie rentals. Plus all the aggravation.
On Friday, I wrote to [email protected] and explained the problem in detail. No response to that message or a followup. Is there a phone number for the executive office? Anyway, I'm hesitant about calling since I've been promised things on the phone before only to be told later there was no record of the conversation.
So what do I want? I suppose I'd be content if they simply sent someone back to hook up my DVD player. And a sincere apology from someone. I can live with the line on top of the picture.
That's where I stand. Thanks for any suggestions.
