Installer says I can get standard satellite but not HD?

[carolkr]

We are scheduled to have DirecTV installed at our mountain cabin - 2 HD receivers and 1 regular receiver. We have DirecTV in our home and I ordered what we are used to. Cable is not available in the mountain neighborhood we are in. I had three different conversations with the local satellite company near our cabin to gather info before I finally scheduled installation. In none of those conversations did they say we may have an issue getting HD service.

Installer did a site visit today and says there is no way to get HD service but we will be able to get standard service. Our cabin is in a clearing by a creek with a steep hill behind so I can understand potential for problems lining up the dish. Seems curious that we can get standard service but no HD, but then I don't know what I am talking about. I have read that the HD installation is more involved so I wonder if the guy just doesn't want to do it. Since I just bought two HDTV's I am very disappointed. I don't really want to have the service installed and be obligated for 2 years.

I would appreciate some insight - is that common to be able to line up the standard dish but not the HD dish? If I changed to Dish Network would that make any difference?
Thanks,
Carol

 

[Jimbo]

We are scheduled to have DirecTV installed at our mountain cabin - 2 HD receivers and 1 regular receiver. We have DirecTV in our home and I ordered what we are used to. Cable is not available in the mountain neighborhood we are in. I had three different conversations with the local satellite company near our cabin to gather info before I finally scheduled installation. In none of those conversations did they say we may have an issue getting HD service.

Installer did a site visit today and says there is no way to get HD service but we will be able to get standard service. Our cabin is in a clearing by a creek with a steep hill behind so I can understand potential for problems lining up the dish. Seems curious that we can get standard service but no HD, but then I don't know what I am talking about. I have read that the HD installation is more involved so I wonder if the guy just doesn't want to do it. Since I just bought two HDTV's I am very disappointed. I don't really want to have the service installed and be obligated for 2 years.

I would appreciate some insight - is that common to be able to line up the standard dish but not the HD dish? If I changed to Dish Network would that make any difference?
Thanks,
Carol

Carol,
Don't be disappointed,
You installer has no idea what he's talking about.
IF he can get signals from the 99* to the 119* you can get the Standard channels, provided he can get those sats in, you will also be able to get your HD as well.

IF he says he can get the SD channels, the main core programming is on the 101* sat he should be able to get the 99* as well.
I would call and get someone else out there and try again.
NO reason that you would get only SD if you can get the 99-119 range of sats ..... The 99* is barely used at this point, so as it stands right now, the the HD is mainly on the 103*, and he told you he could get the SD so the 103* is inside of the SD arc ...

Have them try again

Jimbo

 

[vurbano]

WHy doesnt D* hire competent installers?

 

[skyviewmark]

WHy doesnt D* hire competent installers?

Cause they don't pay enough to keep them.

 

[vurbano]

Cause they don't pay enough to keep them.

That statement makes no sense. WHy would someone that doesnt make enough money stay at the job? The fact of the matter is that they have hired a bunch of lazy asses that do n ot want to work. If you do not want the job then quit. D* needs to start firing these incompetent installer companies.

 

[TulsaCoker]

WHy doesnt D* hire competent installers?

Probable the same reason E* doesn't either.

 

[grydlok]

Carol,
Don't be disappointed,
You installer has no idea what he's talking about.
IF he can get signals from the 99* to the 119* you can get the Standard channels, provided he can get those sats in, you will also be able to get your HD as well.

IF he says he can get the SD channels, the main core programming is on the 101* sat he should be able to get the 99* as well.
I would call and get someone else out there and try again.
NO reason that you would get only SD if you can get the 99-119 range of sats ..... The 99* is barely used at this point, so as it stands right now, the the HD is mainly on the 103*, and he told you he could get the SD so the 103* is inside of the SD arc ...

Have them try again

Jimbo

1st of all if the customer cannot get the 110/119 sat we are not to install.
If op calls D* back and says I can't get TNTHD, ESPNHD, or HDT. The tech is on the hook for the job. So get your facts correct from both sides and not a one sided view on things. It doesn't effect your paycheck if this guy gets it or not but I can effect the installers.

 

[grydlok]

That statement makes no sense. WHy would someone that doesnt make enough money stay at the job? The fact of the matter is that they have hired a bunch of lazy asses that do n ot want to work. If you do not want the job then quit. D* needs to start firing these incompetent installer companies.

Look Genius It has nothing to do with being lazy. It has to do with the fact he is going to be MISSING CHANNELS. Until DIRECT TV moves all HD from the 110/119 you are going to find installers who CARE about their paycheck not taking a hit when this guy calls back about MISSING CHANNELS.

 

[shmeff]

That statement makes no sense. WHy would someone that doesnt make enough money stay at the job? The fact of the matter is that they have hired a bunch of lazy asses that do n ot want to work. If you do not want the job then quit. D* needs to start firing these incompetent installer companies.

skyviewmark's does make sense, and you just explained it perfectly.

 

[Jimbo]

1st of all if the customer cannot get the 110/119 sat we are not to install.
If op calls D* back and says I can't get TNTHD, ESPNHD, or HDT. The tech is on the hook for the job. So get your facts correct from both sides and not a one sided view on things. It doesn't effect your paycheck if this guy gets it or not but I can effect the installers.

Wait a minute there...
The OP said that they get ALL the SD channels, that INCLUDES the 101, 110 and 119 IF the installer can give her all the SD channels on the 101 and the 119 then he certianly should be able to give her the HD channels on the 103.
Remember they don't install the single LNB set up anymore.

Get YOUR post straight before you jump on someone trying to help.

Jimbo

 

[hhh222]

Where I live and probably everywhere the installers are either contractors or work for contractors. Generally, the faster you "complete" jobs the more you make so why take your time and do the best job. AM appointments are generally overbooked because DTV contolls quota irregardless of what the contractors are capable of reasonably handling. That being the case, at some point appointment times won't matter to the installer.

 

[shmeff]

Remember they don't install the single LNB set up anymore.

Did I miss something? If by single LNB dish you mean the basic 18” dish, with one dual LNB, we’re still installing them. OP’s installer may have been referring to the SD channels from the 101 only. But as you stated, if OP has LOS for 101 to 119 then installer was full of it.