Any good Dish deals that allow self-installation?

[jellato]

I want to install a 3-receiver Dish Network system *cleanly* in my house (cables in crawlspace and walls) rather than what appears to be the standard installation of drilling multiple holes through the exterior walls. I see a lot of great Dish deals with no upfront hardware costs, but these deals require a Dish installer. So I have 2 questions:

1) Should I pre-wire my house for the Dish installer so he doesn’t have to drill holes? Secondary question: is there a risk he won’t use my cabling?

2) Is there a Dish (online) retailer that will give me comparable deals with no upfront hardware costs but let me do the installation?

 

[mailman390]

I ran all my cable days before the installer came. He was thrilled! However, you must use R6 cable rated to just under 2200 MHZ. I bought R6 that was swept tested for 3GHZ. The only thing is you must know where your dish is going to be installed. Mine was put in a different location than expected. So, I did have to re-route a few cables while he mounted the dish. Also I would let the installer put the connectors on the cable, as he'll have better connectors. You also need to know if your going to have a multi-tuner receiver because they need multiple cables run to them.

 

[ScottChez]

I am wondering this also. With Direct TV there is an Online retailer that does this.

What they do is Credit your VISA later for the Self Install Discount
(which is most of there installer commision ). I was surprised at how much the credit was (its a lot).

Once you install and activate AND they get paid from Direct TV they refund it to you. That way they are sure to get paid for the install they did not do and you get the money credit.

They call it a self install Rebate.


So the question should be, do any Dishentwork Retailers offer rebates.

I would think Dishstore.net could offer it to the members of this board. Just an idea / Hint.

 

[Mike500]

As a professional installer, who has done many installs, I welcome it, if you had pre installed the cables. Make sure that you use a good grade of rg6 coax.

Since a lot of the free deals are lease ones with the 322 and 522 PVR, you need to run two cables from where the dish is located to the main location for at least two receivers, with another cable to the house antenna or cable tv system to feed to the other televisions.

Talk to a local dealer, who is more likely to work with you on these matters. They can be very flexible. They might even send out a technician to advise you on what cables you need to string. They can basically offer the same offers that you can get on the internet.

 

[Dish Dude]

Also remember it is a good idea to pull a phone line along with it as some receivers do require them. Heck I would pull 3 rg6 and a phone line to the main viewing area(s) just to cover your bases. This way you would have an extra one for other things(damage, audio feed to an amp, etc) This is your house and nothing is overkill. As long as the cable is rated the installer will be extremely happy

 

[Stargazer]

Every once in a while I run into someone that has installed the wires themselves or already have the wires in place. It sure makes things go quicker which makes the customer happier. They get anxious to get the system turned on.

 

[AlaJoe]

I wish there was a rebate for self install

I am getting My dish hooked up tomorrow. I wish I could have got a discount for doing things myself but I could not find one. I guess the installer will just really like me. I am getting a 522 and 322 and ran everything myself because I wanted all my wires in interior walls with good wall plates, no dioplexers and I did not want my cable wiring messed with as I am keeping cable internet. I used all RG6 swept to 3000 and compression fittings. I ran two wires from the dish to each receiver and one back out to the remotes and ran a fourth wire to put the remote antenna in the attic. I clearly labeled all the wires and ran a phone wire to each location. If my installer has a complaint I can not imagine what it would be, all he should have to do is screw four connectors and a phone line into two receivers and mount the dish.

 

[ScottChez]

I had tons of extra RG6 so I just ran 5 RG6 runs to where my TV will be in my basement that Im finishing, you never know with those new Home Media Centers due out next year with Direct TV and hopefully DIsh.

Dont have a TV there yet, waiting for the 942.

Im thinking of getting a 522 and 942 as I have 4 TVs, then I put the 522 on one Channel and the 942 on the other for TV2 so Ill be covered. I should have lots of Avl Hard Drive storage with Two DVRs.


Also looking for a Self install Deal. Already have Direct TV that Im dumping so I got Two runs to all TVs anyway and Ive installed many systems before under the Direct TV self install deal.

 

[Dish Dude]

Chez is got the right idea even if you don't put the wall plates on for all them cables. they are still there if need be. In my home theater room I have 12 rg6, from the utility room as well as a loop to my whole house music system. 4 cat5e to the utility room, 1 to the music rack. You never know what will be changing in the future and extra is never a bad idea. One last thing make sure the barrels in the wall plates are rated as well, I can't tell you how many times that is the issue in a TC, replace the barrel and all the signals are there put the barrel back on and where did the 110 go?

 

[jpezz]

I want to install a 3-receiver Dish Network system *cleanly* in my house (cables in crawlspace and walls) rather than what appears to be the standard installation of drilling multiple holes through the exterior walls. I see a lot of great Dish deals with no upfront hardware costs, but these deals require a Dish installer. So I have 2 questions:

1) Should I pre-wire my house for the Dish installer so he doesn’t have to drill holes? Secondary question: is there a risk he won’t use my cabling?

when they schedule the installation, as for the installer's cellphone then ask him. They aren't stupid so if the job is half done, they aren't going to say no just to make work for themselves.

I showed the installer where all the holes were that I had made to go through the floor from the crawl space and told him how I wanted the cable run. He had no problem with it and was more than willing to follow my requests as it made it very easy for him and really looked much better than outdoor cables. For the antenna connection, I told him where it was best to enter the house and he figured out where it was best to hide the cables to the entrance point. I didn't get a discount but my payoff was a much better install.

I would recommend that you at least cut the holes and if feeding might be difficult, run flex conduit so he can push the cables through. My installer supplied wallplates but not boxes. So you might want to buy boxes and cut the hole for them (I did). This makes the cable feed easier as a 2x3 hole in the wall is much better than a 3/4" one. with "old work" boxes from Lowe's or Home Depot, it's easy to install them in sheetrock. They just pop in the hole and you turn a screw to lock the box in. They can be removed later easily for running more cable.

If you supply your own cable (and I wouldn't if you have to pay anyway), ask him for some extra to keep to make up for what you used. My installer left me with some long RG-59 pieces with connectors installed as I made it much easier for him. Shoulda hit him up for an extra remote. You might do that.
JohnP

 

[ScottChez]

With all my Wires ran, I wonder if an installer would get me a free upgrade to a DPP 44 switch in case I want to add my receivers later or maybe an old Legacy recevier that I got in garage sale for $5.

Any chance? Or are the installers stuck with cetain combinations so they get paid from Dish?

 

[SimpleSimon]

With all my Wires ran, I wonder if an installer would get me a free upgrade to a DPP 44 switch in case I want to add my receivers later or maybe an old Legacy recevier that I got in garage sale for $5.

Any chance? Or are the installers stuck with cetain combinations so they get paid from Dish?

Sorry, installers can be very flexible with most anything except new electronics.