HELP!!! Installs Inc finally struck...(trolls not welcome)

[Bilodeaumj]

Any advice/help on this situation would be much appreciated:

Well I guess the Gods have declared it was my time and have cursed me with Installs inc. As of last Saturday, my two boxes both stopped receiving Satellite signals, however, I am still receiving my OTA stations. I did all the reboots/hard reboots and was finally scheduled to have Installs Inc. out today to "fix the problem".

To sum it up quickly (longer story follows), the Installs Inc guy's position was that my boxes must have failed at the same time (however he couldn't explain how I was still getting OTA with failed boxes) & I would need to order 2 new boxes myself through VOOM which would be at least a 1-week wait. My questions are as follows:

1) What are the chances of two boxes going out on the same day?
2) can he make this decision without checking the satelitte signal, the LNB or the diplexor?
3) What things can I have the new Installs guy check when he does finally come back out?
4) When is the DVR coming out? (Off topic but it's the only thing keeping me going)

(Now for the long story)

I was walking with with the Installs guy as he was "diagnosing" the problem (I did after all take the whole morning off for this) & he never checked to see if my satellite position had moved, if my LNB was still good, or if my di-plexor went bad. All he did was hook up my cables coming to the house side of the diplexor to the in-lines at the boxes and did some diagnostic test. His diagnostic tool let out a really cool beep when it went from line to line (no box) but when he hooked it up to the diplexor (houseside) to the box it didn't beep and hence concluded that it was my boxes & I would need new ones. I'm not a electronic guy by any means and I'm the last one to question really cool beeping noises (or lack of them) but he wouldn't humor me and check the di-plexor, LNB or satellite positions. Q: Did he do everything he could have done here?

I can tell you that he was NOT VOOM friendly (talked lots of smack how it's all VOOMs faulty equipment and management), & VOOM almost lost a loyal customer today based on his actions. I won't go into much detail but I'm the one losing out here because I had to reschedule with INSTALLS Inc. for this Saturday and could have to wait up to a week for new boxes. To top it off he "fixed" a stuttering problem I was having with fox and now I don't get Fox or several other of my OTA's. In fact I'm down to 3 OTA's when I should be getting 8. Way to go INSTALLS!!! & Way to go VOOM for relying on them. I do have grief with VOOM in that now that I've seen the INSTALLS Inc. process first hand, it's broken. Instead of sending me the boxes directly, they have to send it INSTALLS, who then sends it to the installer and then they schedule with me. All the while I am without TV. I could go back to cable (which has a DVR in my area) and get hooked up within 2 days time. Why does it take voom over a week? Systems gotta be fixed. I guess I'm hooked on HDTV=VOOM as I'm willing to go without TV for what looks to be up to two weeks because what are the options. Good thing VOOM doesn't have any competitors...

I live in San Diego, so no weather to speak about (except the constant good weather that is)

 

[r.jones1116]

Go to Radioshack and buy a new diplexor. I would almost bet that could be your problem. The chances of both boxes failing at the same time are slim. I would doubt that the dish has moved if the wind hasn't been blowing extremely hard prior to your problem. If the diplexor isn't the problem that would leave you with a faulty LNB.
If you want to diagnose the problem before buying the diplexor, by-pass it by running the a coax directly to one of the boxes. Good luck!

 

[TYORK]

Any advice/help on this situation would be much appreciated:

Well I guess the Gods have declared it was my time and have cursed me with Installs inc. As of last Saturday, my two boxes both stopped receiving Satellite signals, however, I am still receiving my OTA stations. I did all the reboots/hard reboots and was finally scheduled to have Installs Inc. out today to "fix the problem".

To sum it up quickly (longer story follows), the Installs Inc guy's position was that my boxes must have failed at the same time (however he couldn't explain how I was still getting OTA with failed boxes) & I would need to order 2 new boxes myself through VOOM which would be at least a 1-week wait. My questions are as follows:

1) What are the chances of two boxes going out on the same day?
2) can he make this decision without checking the satelitte signal, the LNB or the diplexor?
3) What things can I have the new Installs guy check when he does finally come back out?
4) When is the DVR coming out? (Off topic but it's the only thing keeping me going)

(Now for the long story)

I was walking with with the Installs guy as he was "diagnosing" the problem (I did after all take the whole morning off for this) & he never checked to see if my satellite position had moved, if my LNB was still good, or if my di-plexor went bad. All he did was hook up my cables coming to the house side of the diplexor to the in-lines at the boxes and did some diagnostic test. His diagnostic tool let out a really cool beep when it went from line to line (no box) but when he hooked it up to the diplexor (houseside) to the box it didn't beep and hence concluded that it was my boxes & I would need new ones. I'm not a electronic guy by any means and I'm the last one to question really cool beeping noises (or lack of them) but he wouldn't humor me and check the di-plexor, LNB or satellite positions. Q: Did he do everything he could have done here?

I can tell you that he was NOT VOOM friendly (talked lots of smack how it's all VOOMs faulty equipment and management), & VOOM almost lost a loyal customer today based on his actions. I won't go into much detail but I'm the one losing out here because I had to reschedule with INSTALLS Inc. for this Saturday and could have to wait up to a week for new boxes. To top it off he "fixed" a stuttering problem I was having with fox and now I don't get Fox or several other of my OTA's. In fact I'm down to 3 OTA's when I should be getting 8. Way to go INSTALLS!!! & Way to go VOOM for relying on them. I do have grief with VOOM in that now that I've seen the INSTALLS Inc. process first hand, it's broken. Instead of sending me the boxes directly, they have to send it INSTALLS, who then sends it to the installer and then they schedule with me. All the while I am without TV. I could go back to cable (which has a DVR in my area) and get hooked up within 2 days time. Why does it take voom over a week? Systems gotta be fixed. I guess I'm hooked on HDTV=VOOM as I'm willing to go without TV for what looks to be up to two weeks because what are the options. Good thing VOOM doesn't have any competitors...

I live in San Diego, so no weather to speak about (except the constant good weather that is)

Yes there is chance both of your boxes could have gone bad. But sound like to me that you have a bad diplexer of a bad cable if it beeped in one place then if should have beeped in inside more than likely with both receiver going out it is the diplexer.

 

[Bilodeaumj]

Thanks, I will check the diplexer. To run a straight line I have three lines running into the diplexer, with the middle line (I think) being the OTA and two lines running out from it. Would I just connect the left side (in) to the left side (out) abnd would that give me a direct line to one of my two TV set ups? Thanks in advance! MJB

 

[jimmykce1]

Buy the diplexor at Home Depot, its cheaper that radio shack. The both stores are selling the RCA brand diplexor.

 

[VMI]

Another example why it's better to use authorized VOOM dealers that do their own install work. The independent's seem to for the most part do a much better job than Installs Inc and they don't bash the product since they are using it to help make a living.

 

[sksatellite]

It is alway a good choice to get your equipment from a local dealer then some company hundred of hundred miles away and can't do things immediately. What good is these company offered ? IT maybe the same deal with your local company, I am not talking those BIG chain store that they use national installation company which the installer or service man not within your area and still take a while to schedule your service or installation.

 

[TYORK]

Another example why it's better to use authorized VOOM dealers that do their own install work. The independent's seem to for the most part do a much better job than Installs Inc and they don't bash the product since they are using it to help make a living.

Install inc installs all Voom installs>

 

[r.jones1116]

Thanks, I will check the diplexer. To run a straight line I have three lines running into the diplexer, with the middle line (I think) being the OTA and two lines running out from it. Would I just connect the left side (in) to the left side (out) abnd would that give me a direct line to one of my two TV set ups? Thanks in advance! MJB

Buy a coax coupler (probably a buck or two), disconnect line"A input" from diplexor and disconnect line "A output" from diplexor and couple the two lines together .

 

[Bilodeaumj]

O.k. Thisis just strange...

Both of my boxes just started working again. I'm not going to cancel my Installs inc. second call today because of my OTA issues but does anyone have any advice on what could have caused a 6 day failure of my boxes and then have them miraculously repaired? I know as soon as the repair guy leaves, they'll both go down again (Mr. Murphy commands it!).

Q: What can make 2 boxes go down at the same time for 6 days and then suddenly both become active again? I'm still leaning toward the diplexer...tia

 

[Bilodeaumj]

...not that anyone cares...But it was the Diplexer! I'm up & running with all stations in including all 8 OTA. All is good in HDTV land again! MJB

 

[Ilya]

...not that anyone cares...But it was the Diplexer! I'm up & running with all stations in including all 8 OTA. All is good in HDTV land again! MJB

Great! Another mystery solved!

 

[JimP]

I highly recommend that you notify Voom so that they don't pay the idiot that came out there. Either A)he's incompetent or B)makes more money installing new units.