Cheapest way to get Dish installed with no contract?

[matt314159]

$200 is reasonable. I would not do it for less than that.

Really? $200 for a job where there's a fairly recently pre-installed dish, about a ten foot horizontal run, 12' vertical run, and then just poke it through a single exterior wall wall and walk away? I'll bet it doesn't take a pro 30 minutes, unless the dish is way wacked out. I've all but decided I'll go the DIY approach.

I've looked into cable but their basic plan is now $49 a month for my small-town regional provider. A lifeline account with them would just be like channels 2-12 which doesn't quite cover what I'd want.

 

[WiCkeDuDe]

If you are convinced it is so simple but some rg6 and run the cable yourself.


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[robert6715]

$200 is reasonable. I would not do it for less than that.

I am a blue collar working stiff (ASE certified Auto tech), and would not feel right charging $200.00 for what he is describing below. $100.00 / $125.00 maybe, I would be providing, maybe 35 feet of coax, a few wall clips, some silicon sealer, and my knowledge.

Really? $200 for a job where there's a fairly recently pre-installed dish, about a ten foot horizontal run, 12' vertical run, and then just poke it through a single exterior wall wall and walk away? I'll bet it doesn't take a pro 30 minutes, unless the dish is way wacked out. I've all but decided I'll go the DIY approach. .

Have you seen one of these window/door jumper's? It would alleviate drilling the hole in the wall. http://www.hollandelectronics.com/dish-network-approved-products.html The cable at the top.If you went that route, you could then reach out the window and attach a wall anchor. Then go down to the ground level and pull the coax tight and attach another wall anchor (alleviating the loose flopping cable). After all its only 12 feet, in a perfect world, you would have at least 1 more cllip at the half-way point. If it was me & I was dealing with vinyl siding, I would get the wall anchors that are vinyl & use double sided tape to just stick to the siding.

You might need to invest in a Crimping tool, flat cable (http://www.hollandelectronics.com/dish-network-approved-products.html), Connectors, Receiver, Etc, but you own it & can take it with you. Not to mention NO CONTRACT.

Rob

 

[matt314159]

I actually have a compression tool and a handful of fittings laying around here somewhere from when I wired up the house I used to live in. At this point all I need is some cable, and some clips. I kind of like the window idea, actually, as then I'm really making no holes whatsoever and the landlord will be all the happier for it. If i catch a break and the dish is already aimed well, it could be fairly simple and a $15-20 job instead of $200.

 

[ChadT41]

Does the Dish have previous run cables coming down off it? You might be able to reroute that cable, depending on its length and run, and where your apartment is in conjunction with it.

 

[dangue]

I am a blue collar working stiff (ASE certified Auto tech), and would not feel right charging $200.00 for what he is describing below. $100.00 / $125.00 maybe, I would be providing, maybe 35 feet of coax, a few wall clips, some silicon sealer, and my knowledge.




Have you seen one of these window/door jumper's? It would alleviate drilling the hole in the wall. http://www.hollandelectronics.com/dish-network-approved-products.html The cable at the top.If you went that route, you could then reach out the window and attach a wall anchor. Then go down to the ground level and pull the coax tight and attach another wall anchor (alleviating the loose flopping cable). After all its only 12 feet, in a perfect world, you would have at least 1 more cllip at the half-way point. If it was me & I was dealing with vinyl siding, I would get the wall anchors that are vinyl & use double sided tape to just stick to the siding.

You might need to invest in a Crimping tool, flat cable (http://www.hollandelectronics.com/dish-network-approved-products.html), Connectors, Receiver, Etc, but you own it & can take it with you. Not to mention NO CONTRACT.

Rob

Your $100-125 charge plus the $80 cost of acquiring a receiver from eBay and shipping puts him right back to $200. Assuming the receiver is included in the install price Dish quoted, I don't think it's really that far out of line.

Personally, I would take the contract; between the free install and the new sub benefits/discounts you get to break even on the ETF fairly quickly. Throw in the opportunity cost of forking that money out up front and I really don't see it as worthwhile.

Also worth noting, if the OP chooses to buy his receiver, I would not expect to get too much back for it in resale value in the future. The value of these older receivers is only going down over time.

 

[robert6715]

Your $100-125 charge plus the $80 cost of acquiring a receiver from eBay and shipping puts him right back to $200. Assuming the receiver is included in the install price Dish quoted, I don't think it's really that far out of line.

Personally, I would take the contract; between the free install and the new sub benefits/discounts you get to break even on the ETF fairly quickly. Throw in the opportunity cost of forking that money out up front and I really don't see it as worthwhile.

Also worth noting, if the OP chooses to buy his receiver, I would not expect to get too much back for it in resale value in the future. The value of these older receivers is only going down over time.

Except he own's everything, and if you live in the lower 48 (like most do) there is no shipping $. If he opted for the $200.00 install, he would own nothing, not to mention that what I say is worth $100.00 / $125.00, he says is worth $15.00 / $20.00 (to him) . Our time is worth something, but were not all charging each other $200.00 an hour, especially for our own time..

Look;s something like this - $20.00 install / materials, + $80.00 fleabay receiver, = $100.00 in savings + he owns the equipment (even if the equipment loose's value, It willl take 5-7 years for it to be worthless,) Contracts scare the hell out of me.

Rob

 

[Stargazer]

$200 is for the equipment, they are providing free installation. I thought they had a $150 option as well for one tv and that $200 was for two tv's. Usually the dish is $50 and the receiver is $100. You could just buy a used receiver, hook it up and activate it. A used one may be had for $50 or $100 for a new receiver. That would save some money.

 

[Tampa8]

I am a blue collar working stiff (ASE certified Auto tech), and would not feel right charging $200.00 for what he is describing below. $100.00 / $125.00 maybe,.......

Wait wait wait...... You don't think mechanics charge outrageous prices? I come to them, sometimes virtually no parts involved? Next time I'll tell the mechanic his $275 just isn't right, I wouldn't feel right charging that, he should be charging $180.

 

[Mark609]

If you are convinced it is so simple but some rg6 and run the cable yourself.

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In the good ole days, when Echostar was first launched, that's exactly what the homeowner/renter did. You picked up your equipment, dish, etc. from a video/stereo store, ran the cable, installed/aimed the dish attempting to get the best signal strength you could, hooked up the receiver and crossed your fingers. If memory serves me correct that was about 20 years ago, about 1996. You could also get your channels ala carte!

Ahhhhhhhhh, the good ole days!

Actually there's plenty of tech info out there of how to configure the equipment and such but IMO a fee of $199 is fair when you consider the costs of doing business and labor that might go 2-4 hours.

 

[matt314159]

I didn't really mean to get this type of discussion going, my apologies. Based on the difficulty of this particular job and what I know about how to do it, I'd probably pay somebody $100 to do the job neatly,and professionally so that I don't have to worry about anything. When that price is doubled is when I start exploring other alternatives such as DIY. I prefer to own vs lease, and I prefer no-contract vs contract. I also have a decent level of skill compared to the average joe (I have a compression tool and know how to terminate RG6, I have installed and aimed my own 1000.2 once before, etc) so for me it's not worth $200.

 

[Mark609]

...... When that price is doubled is when I start exploring other alternatives such as DIY. I prefer to own vs lease, and I prefer no-contract vs contract.

I'm the same way. I don't like contracts and I can smell a deal "pack" a mile away....especially from the telecommunication industry that draft/design their contracts to protect the service provider and not the customer. I bought my 722K years ago and it's still going strong. I like the autonomy and responsibility of owning my own equipment, tend to shy away from the Dish/DirectTV type equipment "protection" packs, the associated monthly fees in case the equipment poops out. Think of the poor folks who have to ship their lease equipment back, the time and expense! Extended warranties? Mama didn't raise no fool.

The industry has drastically changed, the consumer is slowly being squeezed and we're partly to blame for falling for every tech gadget that's shoved in our face. Like I said, in the beginning there were no contracts and you chose your viewing ala carte and bought your equipment outright. There are few choices these days - it's my way or the highway.

Good luck

 

[dare2be]

I have leased for the 13+ years I have had Dish. No upfront costs, new customer discounts, free replacement receivers when they crapped out (twice), free Dishmover when I moved, free upgrade to HD. Never paid for protection plan.

It was just horrible.

 

[rvvaquero]

I didn't really mean to get this type of discussion going, my apologies. Based on the difficulty of this particular job and what I know about how to do it, I'd probably pay somebody $100 to do the job neatly,and professionally so that I don't have to worry about anything. When that price is doubled is when I start exploring other alternatives such as DIY. I prefer to own vs lease, and I prefer no-contract vs contract. I also have a decent level of skill compared to the average joe (I have a compression tool and know how to terminate RG6, I have installed and aimed my own 1000.2 once before, etc) so for me it's not worth $200.

Respectfully, you're making assumptions that Dish can't make. You're assuming that the existing dish is functional. Remember, they have to stand behind it after they leave. You're assuming that it's a slam dunk installation, they can't assume that since they haven't seen it. So, Dish is charging for a full start to finish installation including all materials and labor and any obstacles they encounter. This is commercial property, which brings other factors into Dish's transaction.

No, charging $200 per hour labor is not appropriate. But, that's not the case here. A business is charging that much for overall costs of labor and materials and any obstacles which may come up. Would you be satisfied to pay them $100 to run the cable for you, only to find out the dish is not functional? They know you wouldn't, that's why they have to charge to satisfy you regardless of what they find.

Auto mechanics may not charge $200 per hour, but their employers darn sure do. Several GM dealers wanted $270 to drain the tranny (it has a drain plug) and change out a spin on filter and refill with fluid. I found a Chevy dealer who did it for $110. It took the mechanic less than twenty minutes, some of that washing his hands three times. Material was about $70 retail.

 

[Mark609]

I have leased for the 13+ years I have had Dish. No upfront costs, new customer discounts, free replacement receivers when they crapped out (twice), free Dishmover when I moved, free upgrade to HD. Never paid for protection plan.

It was just horrible.

And you didn't have any monthly receiver lease fees for 13 years, right?

 

[JM42]

I have leased for the 13+ years I have had Dish. No upfront costs, new customer discounts, free replacement receiver s when they crapped out (twice), free Dishmover when I moved, free upgrade to HD. Never paid for protection plan.

It was just horrible.

Same here.

I don't understand the zealotry of some of the purchase/no contract crowd.

Run the numbers, see where the break even point is, make a reasonable guess how likely you will make it to the break even point, decide accordingly.

Like you, I've moved, had replacement receivers, added receivers, had several upgrades (SD to SD DVR to HDDVR to Hopper to HWS), etc. I think the only thing ever paid other than my monthly fees was $99 for the first dual Hopper upgrade.

And I've never had the protection plan.

 

[JM42]

And you didn't have any monthly receiver lease fees for 13 years, right?

That is irrelevant. The fees are the same whether you own or lease.

 

[Mark609]

He said $199 for the entire install, not per hour. Like I said, that is very reasonable for doing an install, making sure everything works and you have TV....as you pointed out RV.

 

[Mark609]

That is irrelevant. The fees are the same whether you own or lease.

At a lease fee per receiver/DVR of $7 - 12 per month, the fee becomes very relevant over the 13 years, to the tune of $1,000 + http://www.mydish.com/support/fees

And then it just keeps on going up with each new box & I quote - "Each Duo DVR and HD Duo DVR Sling Loaded receiver $17/mo."

He's trying to beat the system, save some money, that's the American way, yah sah! More power to him and his kind.

But there's no easy way out, the fix is in.

You can't buy your equipment at DirectTV, only lease. What does that suggest?

Mark

 

[dare2be]

The only fee I had was a $6-7 DVR fee. Same whether you own or lease. Next.