[xtoyz]

My installer's are from a company called Halsted. It just so happens that the owner/operator of Halsted just moved in two houses over. Thank god for free accesories and any/everything I could ever want or need. Besides, if they screw up, I know RIGHT where to go.

HA! For once, I catch a break.

 

[bwaldron]

My installer's are from a company called Halsted. It just so happens that the owner/operator of Halsted just moved in two houses over. Thank god for free accesories and any/everything I could ever want or need. Besides, if they screw up, I know RIGHT where to go.

HA! For once, I catch a break.

Heh. Nice!

 

[F1Fan]

There is a lot of truth to that. There are some great ones and many good ones, but far too many poor installers out there; and it certainly does impact their reputation.

But many people expect "free" installs...and they get what they pay for, alas.

Seriously, I'd install the dish my self. But D* told me it's not an option. I would've been done weeks ago and enjoying my HD Locals. A little too late now, it's kind of cold up on the roof! :lol:

 

[bwaldron]

Seriously, I'd install the dish my self. But D* told me it's not an option. I would've been done weeks ago and enjoying my HD Locals. A little too late now, it's kind of cold up on the roof! :lol:

It's an option, but if you buy from them they won't let you. Dishes are available online.

Costs a bit more, but you're in control.

 

[apco25]

No line of sight, he claimed. Oh well... I've been with D* since 1999 and installed everything by my self. Seems to me that installer gave up way too easy ("don't want to waiste my time" he said). My second HR20 is going back to BB. Anybody knows how good 622 really is?

I made the switch to E*, after being a customer for 6 years at D*. At least call them and see what they can do (E*). I got the HR20 and called them to install the 5 LNB, it was a month out. I called E* just to see how long it would take to get an install and they came the next day! I made the switch after they (D*) made me wait for a month (I wanted to install myself as well). Also, I heard that E* had better HD content and and a better DVR.

I have to say the 622 is superior in every way than the HR20. Better HD content, better PQ (on both HD and SD). Last night I recored 3 shows at once while watching 2 shows all at the same time.

I even Payed the fee to get out of the two year contract that D* would not budge on. I'm really glad I switched.

 

[bpayne]

...The peak signal (now) is around the high 90's and about high 70's during the summer...

This statement really caught my attention. Could you share any details as to why this is so?

 

[xtoyz]

This statement really caught my attention. Could you share any details as to why this is so?

Leaves on trees blocking the signal?

 

[Twosted]

I made the switch to E*, after being a customer for 6 years at D*. At least call them and see what they can do (E*). I got the HR20 and called them to install the 5 LNB, it was a month out. I called E* just to see how long it would take to get an install and they came the next day! I made the switch after they (D*) made me wait for a month (I wanted to install myself as well). Also, I heard that E* had better HD content and and a better DVR.

I have to say the 622 is superior in every way than the HR20. Better HD content, better PQ (on both HD and SD). Last night I recored 3 shows at once while watching 2 shows all at the same time.

I even Payed the fee to get out of the two year contract that D* would not budge on. I'm really glad I switched.

While it its true that E* has more HD programing right now, that won't be the case in the future. The whole reason for the MPEG4 content is so they will be able to offer consumers more HD content. IMO D* is way ahead of they other providers in this department. And once they get all of the bugs worked out they will be very hard to compete with.

 

[F1Fan]

This statement really caught my attention. Could you share any details as to why this is so?

Leaves on the trees. But never really lost signal completely, except when it snowed really hard or heavy thunder storm. Normally the signal lost will last about an hour max. When that happened the signal strength will be at around the 40's.

 

[F1Fan]

I made the switch to E*, after being a customer for 6 years at D*. At least call them and see what they can do (E*). I got the HR20 and called them to install the 5 LNB, it was a month out. I called E* just to see how long it would take to get an install and they came the next day! I made the switch after they (D*) made me wait for a month (I wanted to install myself as well). Also, I heard that E* had better HD content and and a better DVR.

I have to say the 622 is superior in every way than the HR20. Better HD content, better PQ (on both HD and SD). Last night I recored 3 shows at once while watching 2 shows all at the same time.

I even Payed the fee to get out of the two year contract that D* would not budge on. I'm really glad I switched.

Hmmm.......

 

[AnonomissX]

Call CIS: Customer Installation Support, at 1-888-355-7530 and tell them what happened.

Its ___THEIR___ job to fix this.

 

[devellis]

After receiving my HR20 on Thursday, the installer arrived today to put up the AT9 and connect the box. He gazed over the top of my 3lnb dish and said, "no line of sight." He was actually very nice about it and said that if I could get one large tree and a low branch on another removed, I'd be in great shape. He said that D* has really been adamant about not installing a 5lnb dish without full line of sight on all satellites and that some installers have been threatened with dismissal when they've done installs under those conditions.

So, I'm going to get the local tree guy out here do do some cutting. Our lot is heavily wooded and, while impressively tall, the tree in question won't be missed in what is virtually a forest.

In the meantime, I'm running the HR20 in a very undemanding environment. I have two lines in from the dish but no HD (because I haven't been able to get 110 even before getting the HR20) and, obviously, no MPEG4 locals. With this fairly bare-bones configuration, the unit seems to be working very well. I'm getting all of the channels I got before (from a D10) as far as I can tell and all of the record functions seem to be working properly. I've done a little FF and RW and they seem to work properly so far. Initially, I only connected 1 dish feed and, when I connected the second, it didn't recognize it until I rebooted, but then all was well.

So, I'm obviously disappointed not to have full functionality yet, but I had anticipated that the tree might have to go, so I don't feel that I've been hoodwinked or treated unfairly. It's just taking longer for everything to get up and running than I'd hoped.

I'll be a happier camper when OTA is activated, as of right now, I can't get any high-def locals. November is sweeps month isn't it? Maybe D* will try to get those locals up and running before too much of that important month rolls by.

 

[bpayne]

Leaves on the trees. But never really lost signal completely, except when it snowed really hard or heavy thunder storm. Normally the signal lost will last about an hour max. When that happened the signal strength will be at around the 40's.

If you have impaired line of sight, I can completely understand why the installer refused to do your upgrade.

I know it's bunch of crap. He wanted the easy way, I currently using a temporary RG6 from other room for SAT2 input and he's not interested in running a second RG6 upstairs and started showing me "his price list" for running extra cable and whole bunch of crap. What a waste of my time, can't skip work too often.

I'm sorry you feel that he took the easy way out. He saw an impaired system, he didn't feel he could fix it (<- this is open to debate, he may have been able to relocate the dish but without pictures I can only speculate) and if he can't do the whole job, he wouldn't be able to run the other coax and expect to get paid for his time. Him handing you the price list seems to be the proof indicating that.

Hopefully, the 2nd opinion survey will come out and find an option for you. If there's a way to get it done, they will find it. The supervisor has no motivation to back up the tech if they tried to get away with something- and if it was an innocent mistake due to lack of experience then the installer would most likely not get into trouble either.

 

[F1Fan]

If you have impaired line of sight, I can completely understand why the installer refused to do your upgrade.

I'm sorry you feel that he took the easy way out. He saw an impaired system, he didn't feel he could fix it (<- this is open to debate, he may have been able to relocate the dish but without pictures I can only speculate) and if he can't do the whole job, he wouldn't be able to run the other coax and expect to get paid for his time. Him handing you the price list seems to be the proof indicating that.

Hopefully, the 2nd opinion survey will come out and find an option for you. If there's a way to get it done, they will find it. The supervisor has no motivation to back up the tech if they tried to get away with something- and if it was an innocent mistake due to lack of experience then the installer would most likely not get into trouble either.

That's why I asked him to install the new Dish on my roof, that's the best site with less obstruction. The only reason I installed the old dish where it is was because I don't have tall ladder, and I'm affraid of height. If he is too, then he needs another job.

 

[taz291819]

Don't feel bad, a co-worker had a similar experience with his installer two weeks ago. The guy came out with the AT-9 and H20, but said due to a large tree in his yard, he didn't have line of site for the AT-9.

The installer left the AT-9 in his garage, and said once he had the tree removed, call his cell number and he'll come back and install it for only $40.

When my co-worker told me this, the red-flag went up. I asked him how his signal was with the current Phase III dish, he said everything was in the 90's.

I then asked him where the big tree was in relation to his Phase III if looking from behind the dish. His reply, the tree was to the right of the dish (or more West-ward). We then looked up his house on Google Earth, and he should me the where the dish was and you could clearly see the tree.

The tree looked like it may block a satellite at the 140-degree position, it was nowhere near 99 or 103.

Anyway, he called retention, they sent another tech last Thursday, and installed the AT-9 where the Phase III was without a problem. The tech said the original installer would probably be fired because of what he did (or didn't do), and because he tried to charge him for a return revisit.

 

[F1Fan]

Don't feel bad, a co-worker had a similar experience with his installer two weeks ago. The guy came out with the AT-9 and H20, but said due to a large tree in his yard, he didn't have line of site for the AT-9.

The installer left the AT-9 in his garage, and said once he had the tree removed, call his cell number and he'll come back and install it for only $40.

When my co-worker told me this, the red-flag went up. I asked him how his signal was with the current Phase III dish, he said everything was in the 90's.

I then asked him where the big tree was in relation to his Phase III if looking from behind the dish. His reply, the tree was to the right of the dish (or more West-ward). We then looked up his house on Google Earth, and he should me the where the dish was and you could clearly see the tree.

The tree looked like it may block a satellite at the 140-degree position, it was nowhere near 99 or 103.

Anyway, he called retention, they sent another tech last Thursday, and installed the AT-9 where the Phase III was without a problem. The tech said the original installer would probably be fired because of what he did (or didn't do), and because he tried to charge him for a return revisit.

Thanks for the information. If the second installation doesn't go well, either I ask him to leave his AT-9 dish, or I'll call E*. God help me decide.