Installed Today

An initial install should include “running wire”, but that typically includes only drilling holes through outside walls to get the cable to the receiver. If the installer had to “fish” any wire through exterior walls or run wire under a crawl space or through an attic and then fish through walls, that would be extra. The installer should have covered this with you before doing the work. Some installers will go the extra mile and do some simple attic or crawl-space work for free, but if they end up having to cut-in boxes and wall plates, that’s definitely extra-charge.

As for not having local HD, try an OTA antenna. Even if you might not get good reception for SDTV locals, the HD channels often come in much better. If you have an HR20, it has inputs and tuners for OTA HD and can integrate the channels into your guide and record them just like satellite channels. IF you have an HR21, you’ll need an AM21 module for this capability. They can be bought form D* for $50, or, you might ask and see if they will give you one since you were told you’d have HD locals.