Dish Tech is here upgrading my ancient system to Hopper, I want to mirror the Hopper signal to a tv in the next room about 20 feet away. I was told this was a simple wiring issue, but this guy doesn't have a clue. I hope this isn't a warning that he doesn't know what he is doing. I told him to just install the Hopper/Joey and I would take care of the mirroring. Do I just use a splitter on the Hopper or the Joey? The joey will be on the 2nd HD tv, the other smaller tvs are SD, so that isn't an issue.
Help! Tech installing Hopper - doesn't have a clue how to mirror anything!
- Thread starter Crickee
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If you are mirroring via a coax you need to get an RF Modulator. Then you plug in a Red, White, Yellow cable between the Hopper and the modulator and the coax to the modulator going to the 2nd room. If you are mirroring via component cabling simply connect it to the Hopper. If you are going to mirror over HDMI you will need a 1 in 2 out HDMI switch... Note: if you are mirroring over coax it will be SD on the 2nd TV....
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103095#tabsetBasic
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103095#tabsetBasic
Yeah you can't mirror from the hopper/joey unless you use some 3rd party hardware purchased else where or use say HDMI on the hopper and run 20+feet of RCA cables over to the other TV or use that RF Modulator as explained by Bobby. I've run into this a few times with customers thinking this is possible as it was from the old VIP's but you can't do it with the equipment techs carry by default for the installs.
But yeah don't ask the tech to do all that extra stuff unless you intend to tip good cause anything over and beyond like that certainly takes cash of his pocket, but there are charges he can apply thru Dish for mirroring TV's which should be done anyway. Case in point, he does that and you have a problem with the mirrored TV so you call dish and complain and now he gets a trouble call out of it for trying to help you (the customer) out. I've done this a few times out of the kindness of my heart and because lines were already in place but then get burned.
But yeah don't ask the tech to do all that extra stuff unless you intend to tip good cause anything over and beyond like that certainly takes cash of his pocket, but there are charges he can apply thru Dish for mirroring TV's which should be done anyway. Case in point, he does that and you have a problem with the mirrored TV so you call dish and complain and now he gets a trouble call out of it for trying to help you (the customer) out. I've done this a few times out of the kindness of my heart and because lines were already in place but then get burned.
I can see dvrexpander's thoughts on this. In reality it's not really a DISH installation to mirror. I don't think you will find on their site anywhere that talks about mirroring their equipment. It is entirely possible the installer has never done it especially from a Hopper.
Most CSR's are salespeople and they will promise that the tech will do the windows and walk the dog if they can close the sale. That doesn't mean it's gonna happen.
OP does not state who told him it was a simple wiring issue, CSR, friend with DISH or someone on Sat Guys.
Lol really? I had a CSR tell one old lady that knew damn well she couldn't get HD locals cause of tree's blocking any chance in hell that we could aim a dish at that satellite as we had already been out there a few times in the last few years that the next tech out was a certified lumberjack and could take care of topping those trees to get her service. I was that last tech out and yeah I got chewed out by her when I told her under no circumstances will I even touch a tree and that she was SOL. I didn't do nothing and called in to report what I was told to a supervisor and I flagged her account thru my office for no return visits for anything related to this work order.
CSR's will try to promise anything and everything to get someone either off the phone for a service type call or get them sold and signed up for service.
OK, let me rephrase a little, a case to argue and enough of a reason to be upset enough to cancel the install. I've never had the issue with Dish, but I have made ATT stick to phone quoted install prices when they tried to charge extra (sometimes thousands), but I've always had either written or recorded documentation.
But generally folks here what they want, "you can mirror a joey" is not the same as "we will mirror the joey," but folks will interpret as "we will" no matter what the CSR actually says and how many disclaimers are given. Not saying that's the OPs situation.
The person who said it was a "simple wiring issue" was a Dish advanced tech support person and it was done through chat. I do all my communications now through chat so I have a copy in writing. I found out today after the Tech's supervisor came out at hour 3 of the install that the 1st tech was new and had never seen a home distribution system set up like ours. He hadn't done an upgrade from a Dish 500 to the Dish 1000 or from a 722K to a Hopper. The supervisor said that they do new installs of the H/J in brand new neighborhoods, but not many upgrade like ours. The reason I want to mirror a Joey is the 3rd tv is SD LCD in the kids bedroom and I don't plan on upgrading anytime soon. I also don't want to pay $7/month for something that I might do 1-2 times a month. This is the 2nd Dish upgrade install (first was in 2006 when we went to HD) that we have had issues where the tech was new and didn't know what to do. I wish Dish would do a install consultation on an upgrade so they know what they need in advance of the actual install in case they need to send a more experienced tech. I wouldn't be opposed to paying a flat fee for consultation if it would save us from the aggravation we have experienced.
You don't have to explain why you want to mirror, it makes good sense in some situations. It's just that does not change that many of us would be surprised if DISH actually installed a mirror set-up and not the owner. As already posted it requires other third party equipment and is something if done I would suspect would have to be a a separate job done by the installer after an agreement not part of the DISH agreement. But then you have something not really supported by DISH. And in reality the Tech Support guy is right, it is a relatively simple wiring issue, just not one DISH really does. I think that's where the communication gap happened.
Like so many things here, what gets discussed as being possible or being done by people doesn't mean DISH will do it or supports it. A similar situation might be asking about can you use an antenna to get locals and DISH saying yes it's a simple antenna installation. They won't be installing the antenna either.
Like so many things here, what gets discussed as being possible or being done by people doesn't mean DISH will do it or supports it. A similar situation might be asking about can you use an antenna to get locals and DISH saying yes it's a simple antenna installation. They won't be installing the antenna either.
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Your unfortunate situation could be the result of so many things: the person on Chat (likely from a 3rd world country), thought a Hopper was like a ViP gave your the wrong response as so many of those in the Chat/Call centers are OUT of the US and almost NEVER get it right; a statement of "a simple wiring issue" could mean so many things as in one thing to them, and one thing to you; other miscommunications or misunderstandings, ignorance or even a fib.
Agreed, Dish should see to it that people and installs all go 100 percent as customers expect, but with all the outsourcing of CSR and Chats, it is less likely today than ever. Ironically I AVOID Chat whenever possible because like the phone CSR's, you will be chatting with someone in India or what other 3rd world country who may have NO clue how things really work outside of the big notebook of answers they have. With Dish, and many other services, you are far better off requesting a phone CSR in the USA, and they are the most often (not always) correct.
It is true that mirroring is NOT part of any standard Dish install. Most often, you can arrange such an EXTRA service as "mirroring" with a local retailer, or you can ask the installer who shows up if he is willing to do the work, and if it won't take too much time, he may do so being a nice person AS A COURTESY, but I would certainly TIP him for his labor beyond any services of a "standard install," unless Dish specifically charges you for the additional mirror service install, but as a rule, Dish doesn't do "mirroring" installs. Keep in mind the Hopper is a whole home DVR, and from the engineers and Dish's point of view, their Hopper system addresses mirroring. But, of course, there are situations as yours where mirroring makes much more sense than an extra $7 per month for only occasional use.
Now, let's move forward, and it is true that it really is a "simple matter of wiring." As stated, a 3rd party RF modulator needs to be connected to the Hopper (or Joey, if you wish) and then use coax between the RF modulator and your TV. Happy viewing.
Agreed, Dish should see to it that people and installs all go 100 percent as customers expect, but with all the outsourcing of CSR and Chats, it is less likely today than ever. Ironically I AVOID Chat whenever possible because like the phone CSR's, you will be chatting with someone in India or what other 3rd world country who may have NO clue how things really work outside of the big notebook of answers they have. With Dish, and many other services, you are far better off requesting a phone CSR in the USA, and they are the most often (not always) correct.
It is true that mirroring is NOT part of any standard Dish install. Most often, you can arrange such an EXTRA service as "mirroring" with a local retailer, or you can ask the installer who shows up if he is willing to do the work, and if it won't take too much time, he may do so being a nice person AS A COURTESY, but I would certainly TIP him for his labor beyond any services of a "standard install," unless Dish specifically charges you for the additional mirror service install, but as a rule, Dish doesn't do "mirroring" installs. Keep in mind the Hopper is a whole home DVR, and from the engineers and Dish's point of view, their Hopper system addresses mirroring. But, of course, there are situations as yours where mirroring makes much more sense than an extra $7 per month for only occasional use.
Now, let's move forward, and it is true that it really is a "simple matter of wiring." As stated, a 3rd party RF modulator needs to be connected to the Hopper (or Joey, if you wish) and then use coax between the RF modulator and your TV. Happy viewing.
The biggest problem with mirroring the Hopper system is that it requires a second coax cable from the receiver. The VIP series of receivers could diplex and use a single cable in a room but the Hopper system does not work well that way. In order to do it the proper way a customer would need a cable run to the Hopper for the sat signal and a cable run for the mirror output. In a finished house running a second cable can be very tough.
