I'm about to cancel my service before I get it.

[JINXR]

So I called the installation company (Ironwood Communications) to see if they could come out beforehand and let me know if the place I want to move my dish to has a good enough line of sight to the satellites. While talking to her, I find out that I have to have two satellite dishes installed. Is that right? I don't want two dishes.

Also, she said they will have to run an extra line in for my HD DVR.

I'm seriously about to cancel my order. Between lying to me about how many hours I'll be able to record to not telling me about this other stuff, it's been more trouble than it's worth.

 

[NutFlush920]

JINXR, where are you located? Some area's need 2 because of the locals.

Most setup's need 4 lines ran into the home for satellite. From there they connect a multiswitch that sends 2 lines to each DVR and 1 line to each non DVR.

Now, the good news is with SWM (single wire multiswitch) setup's you only need 1 wire into the home and 1 wire to each reciever regardless of DVR or non DVR. This however isn't an option everywhere yet as it is still "new technology". You can get the parts needed from the sponsors websites though for a price. You will however, have to determine if the benefit outweighs the cost.

 

[JINXR]

I'm in Springdale, Arkansas, which is in the Northwest corner of the state.

Do I have to use the install company that they gave me or can I call up a local installer and go with them? That way I could actually talk to someone who knows what the heck they're talking about.

 

[atp1313]

Chances are you will only have one installation company in your area, unless Springdale is a big town/city. You can check the yellow pages for Satellite Installers, but you may only find this one company. What is the largest "big" city near you? What local networks do you get? If you are in a DMA that D* carries local in HD for, then you may not need the second dish.

 

[JINXR]

Ok. I called a local retailer. He told me that I will have to have 2 dishes to get local channels. I'm not too happy with all of this. I was planning on moving my dish from the roof to a pole install. But if I have to have two dishes, it's not going to work where I want to put the pole.

I think I'm going to give DirecTV a call and tell them to cancel my order. Anyone know if it'll be too late to cancel the order once the installer gets here? I would like to see what equipment they're bringing before cancelling it. If by some chance they bring a new HD DVR that has 500 total hours of record time (like they promised) and only takes one cable between the dish and receiver, then I'll stick with them. Otherwise, they can GTH. I don't like being lied to or misled.

 

[raoul5788]

I'm in Springdale, Arkansas, which is in the Northwest corner of the state.

Do I have to use the install company that they gave me or can I call up a local installer and go with them? That way I could actually talk to someone who knows what the heck they're talking about.

Your sd local channels are on the 72.5 satellite, meaning that you do need a second dish to get them. If you want to wait a couple of months, maybe more, those channels will be moving to a different satellite that will not require a second dish.

 

[jcrandall]

The locals on 72.5 WILL be moving, but no idea when. It is dependent on ALL HD subs receiving new equipment and freeing the space on 119. I think this is still a year or so away.

 

[NutFlush920]

OTA is always an option for locals then you don't need a second dish.

 

[joed32]

Ok. I called a local retailer. He told me that I will have to have 2 dishes to get local channels. I'm not too happy with all of this. I was planning on moving my dish from the roof to a pole install. But if I have to have two dishes, it's not going to work where I want to put the pole.

I think I'm going to give DirecTV a call and tell them to cancel my order. Anyone know if it'll be too late to cancel the order once the installer gets here? I would like to see what equipment they're bringing before cancelling it. If by some chance they bring a new HD DVR that has 500 total hours of record time (like they promised) and only takes one cable between the dish and receiver, then I'll stick with them. Otherwise, they can GTH. I don't like being lied to or misled.

You should definitely cancel! There isn't any 500 hour DVR. If you are this unhappy with Directv don't get the service.

 

[scottie_h]

You should definitely cancel! There isn't any 500 hour DVR. If you are this unhappy with Directv don't get the service.

See this thread for that story: http://www.satelliteguys.us/directv-hd-discussions/141017-receiver-am-i-getting.html

I had 3 installs that required 10 installer visits, so I'm not a D* apologist by any means. But from reading these boards for years I know not to always trust what the CSR says (not that this is a good thing by any means). Why that is, I'm not sure. Many questions get different answers from different people. So you've unfortunately gotten some clueless people on the other end of the phone - most of us have been there and done that. I still don't believe you were intentionally lied to - but maybe it's just me that is positive enough to believe that they're simply clueless as opposed to liars.

If you are this dis-satisfied before even before becoming a customer, it seems you're destined for disappointment. But I could be wrong.

 

[swampman]

If the installer hasnt arrived with the equipment...its NOT too late to cancel.

 

[Zynergi]

You can Cancel at the door, just be courteous and let the installer know if he precalls that you may cancel and to make it his last appointment. They don't get paid to drive to your house to have the door shut in their face because your curious. Hell they don't even get paid to stop by, only when the receivers are successfully activated.

IMO if your 90% sure you will cancel, if you do... give the guy a $20 and say sorry for your trouble.

All Times are based off SD recordings btw.

HR20 +- 200hrs ($99-$199)
HR21 +- 200hrs ($99-$199)

R15 +-100hrs ($0-$99)
R16 +-100hrs ($0-$99)

HR21PRO +- 400hrs ($550-$750 No contract)

You could always get a modified HDDVR from http://www.weaknees.com/directv-hd-dvr.php up to 1000 hours of SD

If your totally bent on getting 500 hours of recording pick up a couple 500 gig USB Drives

 

[JINXR]

So USB works on the HR20 and HR21? I thought only the eSATA connection worked.

 

[rad]

So USB works on the HR20 and HR21? I thought only the eSATA connection worked.

No, you can't use USB drives on the HR2X DVR,s eSATA only.

 

[JINXR]

Well I ended up canceling my order last night. I was scheduled to get it installed this afternoon. Thankfully the phone call was short and sweet.

Dish gave me a deal I couldn't refuse. I have the 522 DVR with the everything pack right now, and it costs about $111 per month. Well they added HD Essentials to it and threw in a free 722 HD DVR receiver. My first three months will be 58.99, next 9 months will be 98.99, and after that it'll be 108.99, so it's cheaper than I'm getting now. They also waived the external hard drive activation fee, so I can expand my hard drive easily when I fill it up. Best part is that I will still have a DVR that can connect to 2 TVs and only one dish. I'll get that installed tomorrow too.

FINALLY , a pleasant satellite company experience!

 

[swampman]

2 year contract?

 

[JINXR]

Yep, had to get a 2 year.

 

[Sori4mvp]

Well I ended up canceling my order last night. I was scheduled to get it installed this afternoon. Thankfully the phone call was short and sweet.

Dish gave me a deal I couldn't refuse. I have the 522 DVR with the everything pack right now, and it costs about $111 per month. Well they added HD Essentials to it and threw in a free 722 HD DVR receiver. My first three months will be 58.99, next 9 months will be 98.99, and after that it'll be 108.99, so it's cheaper than I'm getting now. They also waived the external hard drive activation fee, so I can expand my hard drive easily when I fill it up. Best part is that I will still have a DVR that can connect to 2 TVs and only one dish. I'll get that installed tomorrow too.

FINALLY , a pleasant satellite company experience!

Unfortunately you can have a bad experience with any company. After being a loyal D** customer for about 4 years. Had the platinum package the NFL, MLB and NBA package the whole 9 yards!!! I had to move, the location where I moved the only option for the install was up on the roof. The installer DTV used refused to drill on the roof, said I would have to drill myself than they would install it. I was frustrated called DTV bitched and moaned, got nowhere, said that they couldn't control what their installer could or could not do, I didn't understand it. The installer told me to try DISH as they would drill on the roof. I called DISH wanted to make sure I can get all my yankee games with the package they said, YES!!!!! WRONG, they don't have a deal with YES so I couldn't get all the Yankee games on the EI package and if I did it was with the other teams feed only!!!! (or if the game was on MY9 since they had those superstation package which was a nice perk) My main purpose of having a dish is to watch my Yankees, Magic and Jets, I figured 2 out of 3 aint bad with DISH but I was misled big time and found out on the 3rd game of the year when we played the Orioles and there was NO coverage of it on the Dish EI package. I called, was upset and was told I would still have to pay for hte EI package and an early termination fee unless I returned all my equipment. I returned my equipment, still got hit with an Early term fee and had to pay the EI package, I cancelled my card they were auto debited and never paid them out of frustration.

Sorry for the long story, but you can get screwed and misled on both ends. It sucks, I know!!!!!! Luckily after that DTV could then come out and just use the pre existing arm that was drilled in the roof and hook me up!!! So I guess in the end if worked out and I was back where I wanted to be!

 

[blueguy]

You can Cancel at the door, just be courteous and let the installer know if he precalls that you may cancel and to make it his last appointment. They don't get paid to drive to your house to have the door shut in their face because your curious. Hell they don't even get paid to stop by, only when the receivers are successfully activated.

I

Do they get paid for visiting though? Because DTV is demanding a guy visit my house to swap my HR-250 (I already have the cruddy MPEG4 HD DVR too) for another MPEG4 HD-DVR. We already have the 5 lnb dish too.

I don't get why DTV is insisting a person come to my house for this? How does this financially benefit DTV?

 

[charper1]

IMHO; It is one way to try to keep DIY'ers from wrecking their own setups/installs (a good bit of users really have NO IDEA what they are doing) and then bitching and moaning to DirecTV about why it won't work; in the end that CAN and DOES cost them money.

P.S what "cruddy" unit are you talking about? Mine operate flawlessly.