First post of a long time lurker. I have had standard DirectTV service since 2004. I like it mainly for the sports packages, and a picture quality far better than the Comcast Digital (original version) that it replaced.
My problem is that, through a combination of a property with few clear sight lines (due to trees and a close neighboring house at an odd angle), and a shoddy original installation I was losing the "signal" for about 1/3rd to 1/2 of my channels on the 101 sat even on clear days. The locals on 110 work OK, and since I have no HD thus far, I thought I did need 119 and wasn't set up to receive any signal from them (but I just discovered that some of the "International" channels are in the package I paid for). On windy days the signals pop in and out, and on rainy days I lose signals on all sats for hours at a time. I've had enough, but I don't want to give up without a fight. But I don't want to be duped again... here's my story:
On my original install in late summer 2004, the Irownwood tech (after missing more then one "appoiintment") shows up on LABOR DAY and said "no signal, I have to do a pole install". Having just paid $500 to clear a heavy canopy of tree limbs for a site line, I was crushed. He then had the audacity to ask me to "go to Lowes and buy a pole" while he went to his next appointnment. I refused, and said he would have to do it himself. He left for his other appoitnment, and returned with a stud. He then dug a little hole, put the stud in the dirt and said, "still no signal". He then asked for "scrap wood", attached it to the end of the stud for an additional extension, and said "voila", we have a singal. It looked like crap, but I really wanted Sunday Ticket. He ran two of the lines, and was in the process of drilling through my brick wall to run the third (even though he said he didn't have the right bit), when he said he was "sick" and couldn't finish. (leaving a gaping hole in my bedroom wall). He then asked me for $150 for the "free" installation. As the two boxes he did install looked fine with good pictures on all channels, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
That first week it rained. And when it rained, I would get "no signal" messages on all my channels for hours thereafter. I called Direct TV "customer service" and to say this is unacceptable, and fill them in on the whole story. I told them they had one week to finish the job and fix it right, and I don't want them to send anyone from Ironwood again. They said they had to use Ironwood for my location (Montco, outside Philly), but would give me the month free. I reluctantly agreed.
The second tech from Ironwood was better . He took a look at the makeshift pole and laughed and said it was "amateur hour". He said he could attach the dish to the house with a signal, and finished the wiring to the third room (and spackled the hole in the plaster the other fellow drilled). All was well for about a year. (I later learned that I wasn't receiving anything from 119 under this set up-- but since I didn't have HD, not a huge loss).
After a year, however, the "popping" on windy days returned in the summer. And then the loss of signal after rainstorms. Again, I "lived with it" for about two years. This past Spring, however, it was getting to the point where I was losing signal on clear days for about 1/2 the channels. Since I am paying from the EI package, its annoying when half the games aren't coming in. I thought it had to be the leaves/limbs "sagging"--- since this "problem" doesn't occur in the winter.
So I called my tree guys and they came last week and took off three more limbs in the direction the dish was pointing (another $350, as these limbs are now higher and higher up). I expected my signal to return to 80-100 the moment the last limb fell. To my disappointment, while there was some improvement (and most of the channels were back),the signals were still pretty weak (in the 40's), and,to my chagrin-- ESPN, USA and someother key channels still weren't coming in at all. To add insult to injury, it rained that night and we were back to "no signal" messages again.
Frustratred as all get out, I did something I resisted for nearly three years, I "played" with the dish setup. But I didn't really improve things, and still can't get ESPN (I suspect its on transponder 2 of sat 101-- but I really am not a "techie" at all--- as you can probably deduce from this message)).
I don't want to call a DirectTVcall center that will be of no real help and deal with Ironwood again. I would like an expert who I can trust to assess my sitaution and tell me whether or not a clear signal is possible or whether I should give up the ghost. Can anyone suggest an installer in the MOntco-North Penn/Philly area. I'm not going any further on the tree-- but I'll stick the dish anywhere on the property (the yard isn't that big) if it will just work (although I would like it done a bit more professionally than a stud in the mud and like to know the cost ahead of time). In fact, I may even upgrade to HD (and the 5-sat system) if I get some assurance that the darn thing will work and I don't have to go trhough this every year or two. The alternative? well, Verizon FIOS is wired in my area, and their version of the "triple play" sounds awfully tempting: I'd keep Direct TV for NFL (if the SUnday Ticket channels still come in), but otherwise go over with the rest to FIOS.
Any thoughts from the community woule be appreicated. Thanks for listening to my venting.
My problem is that, through a combination of a property with few clear sight lines (due to trees and a close neighboring house at an odd angle), and a shoddy original installation I was losing the "signal" for about 1/3rd to 1/2 of my channels on the 101 sat even on clear days. The locals on 110 work OK, and since I have no HD thus far, I thought I did need 119 and wasn't set up to receive any signal from them (but I just discovered that some of the "International" channels are in the package I paid for). On windy days the signals pop in and out, and on rainy days I lose signals on all sats for hours at a time. I've had enough, but I don't want to give up without a fight. But I don't want to be duped again... here's my story:
On my original install in late summer 2004, the Irownwood tech (after missing more then one "appoiintment") shows up on LABOR DAY and said "no signal, I have to do a pole install". Having just paid $500 to clear a heavy canopy of tree limbs for a site line, I was crushed. He then had the audacity to ask me to "go to Lowes and buy a pole" while he went to his next appointnment. I refused, and said he would have to do it himself. He left for his other appoitnment, and returned with a stud. He then dug a little hole, put the stud in the dirt and said, "still no signal". He then asked for "scrap wood", attached it to the end of the stud for an additional extension, and said "voila", we have a singal. It looked like crap, but I really wanted Sunday Ticket. He ran two of the lines, and was in the process of drilling through my brick wall to run the third (even though he said he didn't have the right bit), when he said he was "sick" and couldn't finish. (leaving a gaping hole in my bedroom wall). He then asked me for $150 for the "free" installation. As the two boxes he did install looked fine with good pictures on all channels, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
That first week it rained. And when it rained, I would get "no signal" messages on all my channels for hours thereafter. I called Direct TV "customer service" and to say this is unacceptable, and fill them in on the whole story. I told them they had one week to finish the job and fix it right, and I don't want them to send anyone from Ironwood again. They said they had to use Ironwood for my location (Montco, outside Philly), but would give me the month free. I reluctantly agreed.
The second tech from Ironwood was better . He took a look at the makeshift pole and laughed and said it was "amateur hour". He said he could attach the dish to the house with a signal, and finished the wiring to the third room (and spackled the hole in the plaster the other fellow drilled). All was well for about a year. (I later learned that I wasn't receiving anything from 119 under this set up-- but since I didn't have HD, not a huge loss).
After a year, however, the "popping" on windy days returned in the summer. And then the loss of signal after rainstorms. Again, I "lived with it" for about two years. This past Spring, however, it was getting to the point where I was losing signal on clear days for about 1/2 the channels. Since I am paying from the EI package, its annoying when half the games aren't coming in. I thought it had to be the leaves/limbs "sagging"--- since this "problem" doesn't occur in the winter.
So I called my tree guys and they came last week and took off three more limbs in the direction the dish was pointing (another $350, as these limbs are now higher and higher up). I expected my signal to return to 80-100 the moment the last limb fell. To my disappointment, while there was some improvement (and most of the channels were back),the signals were still pretty weak (in the 40's), and,to my chagrin-- ESPN, USA and someother key channels still weren't coming in at all. To add insult to injury, it rained that night and we were back to "no signal" messages again.
Frustratred as all get out, I did something I resisted for nearly three years, I "played" with the dish setup. But I didn't really improve things, and still can't get ESPN (I suspect its on transponder 2 of sat 101-- but I really am not a "techie" at all--- as you can probably deduce from this message)).
I don't want to call a DirectTVcall center that will be of no real help and deal with Ironwood again. I would like an expert who I can trust to assess my sitaution and tell me whether or not a clear signal is possible or whether I should give up the ghost. Can anyone suggest an installer in the MOntco-North Penn/Philly area. I'm not going any further on the tree-- but I'll stick the dish anywhere on the property (the yard isn't that big) if it will just work (although I would like it done a bit more professionally than a stud in the mud and like to know the cost ahead of time). In fact, I may even upgrade to HD (and the 5-sat system) if I get some assurance that the darn thing will work and I don't have to go trhough this every year or two. The alternative? well, Verizon FIOS is wired in my area, and their version of the "triple play" sounds awfully tempting: I'd keep Direct TV for NFL (if the SUnday Ticket channels still come in), but otherwise go over with the rest to FIOS.
Any thoughts from the community woule be appreicated. Thanks for listening to my venting.
