622 Upgrade - Install Questions

[SouthRider]

I am contemplating having my 942 upgraded to a 622. they have just contacted me to offer me the free upgrade after rebates & credits.

I currently have 2 dishes - a Superdish and a 500.

I am in the New Orleans DMA, and subscribe to AT180, MPEG2 HD Pak, Voom, and New Orleans Locals.

I've heard so many bad things about signal quality I hate to get a Dish 1000.


Will the upgrade require a different dish combination, or just a receiver swapout?

 

[VinceT3]

I don't believe the issue is with the 1000 as its more to do with 129. Everyone complains that it doesn't work well. In South Florida they automatically give you 61.5 because 129 isn't a strong enough signal down here (or so the tech told me)

 

[bhelms]

You should be good to go with the dishes you currently have. I'm guessing you already have one of them pointed to 61.5 since you're getting the "old" HD package/voom? I think you can talk them out of an exchange on that part of the system. The "national" HD content is identical on 61.5 and 129 however. If they give you a choice, stick with 61.5 unless your HD LiLs will eventually be on 129. (I don't know what the plan is.) If/when that happens you can make a change to repoint the 61.5 dish to 129, and that would probably give you a better result than the D1000 anyway...

 

[SouthRider]

Yes, I believe the 500 was re-pointed to 61.5 when I got the 942 (the 500 faces roughly ESE).

I'm happy with the signal I get now, and it took 6 tries for the install to get completed correctly. I ended up on the roof re-pointing the 500 because the installer was a heavy equipment operator from Chicago who was afraid of heights. He was down here in the Katrina madness to make some quick money doing installs for former cable customers.

Do you know if I can get the same upgrade from a local installer I know instead of the "Dish Roulette" I'll get if I call Dish directly?

 

[DaveyBoy26]

SouthRider, call and press 3 for tech support. You should have much better results than playing csr roulette.

 

[SouthRider]

Davey,

I was actually referring to INSTALLER ROULETTE.

In the past when I have used a local retailer I got good service, BUT when I ordered my 942 through the CEO office I got 6 trips by the worst installers imaginable ranging from wouldn't work to couldn't work to shouldn't work.

I'm curious if the 622 free upgrade is available from local shops. Guess I need to call around.

 

[bhelms]

If you own the 942, consider buying the 622 as well and do a self-install. You'll have to pony-up the current retail price ($479 from some?) but you'll avoid the lease fee and 18-month commitment. I'm not sure if E* will buy the 942 back for any reasonable price but you could still unload it elsewhere. I think the value is dropping fast tho'. I don't think E* will activate them as HD receivers anymore...

 

[SouthRider]

No, it's a lease. That's why I've waited until now. the only cost to me will be the increased cost of programming.

I just don't want to wait around for another jackleg untrained installer. I'm going to call the local guys. If they can't do it I'll take my chances.

 

[bhelms]

Either way you shouldn't have any problem with a self install and reactivation. Sometimes E* is reluctant to do that, but I believe most who reported resistance from E* eventually got results. I would definitely contact the tech service folks, tho'. Good luck with it...