New customer: I want to buy dish & install it myself? Best deal?

[bertbarndoor]

Hi, I've seen a few deals on the net, but most of them require that a professional satellite guy come by and install it. What I want is to just order the equipment, by mail to my house and install it myself. OR, I will go to a B&M store and buy the equipment (or ebay) if necessary.

What is the best deal for programming> I want the works including the movie channels and HD package.

For equipment, I'm looking for 1 HD PVR, 1 Regular PVR, and 1 Regular receiver.

Anybody out there know what I should do? I don't know if this is important to mention, but I am going to hook this up in my cottage where there is no phone service unfortunately. Thanks,

Rob

 

[iafirebuff]

I am anxious to see where you can do this. That is how I prefer to handle things too! Between our works schedules, and 2 crazy dogs, I hate when someone has to come to our house for someting. It is a big fiasco

 

[Van]

Your best bet to do your own install is to contact one of our supporting businesses such as dishstore.net or one of the others. Dish is very much against anyone of its customers doing a self install because of reasons such as NEC codes and warranties and such. Make sure to ask all the questions that you can think of here on the boards and be sure to set aside some time to do this such as a weekend or even a vacation week.

 

[bhelms]

I am not an installer or dealer, so I certainly don't have any inside track on this, but back in the "good old days" when many of us did self-installs I did my own, plus the OTA system and a later upgrade. There were no forums then, but I got by and the system worked flawlessly for 7+ years. I have since done an HD upgrade (leased) and for the first time an E*-contracted installer got involved. That went OK, but after I learned a LOT more in this forum I would have been inclined to try what you're attempting to do. Then most recently when I upgraded to my purchased 622 I self-installed that and E* activated it without any questions.

Like Van says, get all the help you can from your available resources, and you might end-up buying the equipment from one of our supporters like DishStore. See if you can get a local E* installer involved who would be willing to "sign-off" on your work to avoid the code and warranty issues that Van mentioned. Obviously that would have to be arranged in advance. If you know someone in the business who trusts your skills, that would certainly be easier. You and the installer can decide how much of the work each of you needs to do and he can "mentor" you and check your work, then assist with the activation. Maybe they'd be OK with you doing most of the grunt work like running the cables and mounting the dish(es), then they'd come back to do the final connections. Their part won't be free since they won't be getting much if anything back from E* on that deal, so the more you do the less the installation will cost you.

I'm really not sure if you will be able to find an installer who would even consider this kind of arrangement, and/or if E* would approve it, but it can't hurt to ask. The worst scenario would be that you purchase and install everything then E* refuses to activate it, so I'd get everything worked out in advance.

Another possibility might be to purchase everything through a local dealer who will also install it and then you can "assist" with the installation to whatever level you and the installer agree to, and the dealer might reduce the price to you somewhat accordingly. E* wouldn't need to be involved in that arrangement up to the point when they activate it, and since the dealer is involved that should satisfy E* as far as the code and warranty go.

Let us know how you make out with this! Many of us are curious...!

PS - Your "works" package would be the HD Platinum at about $100/mo. ($5 more for locals). The 622 will be the "HD PVR" you want and it has the outputs for another SD TV, so maybe you won't need a 3rd receiver. Be prepared to add another $5/mo. "additional receiver fee" if the 622 can't be connected to a phone line. There are also other fees, like the DVR fees (which won't apply at the Platinum level) and I think that second PVR will also add another add'l receiver fee...

 

[rdinkel]

Have always done my own installs and upgrades. Bought my own equipment, including dishes and switches, etc. With Vip211 lease (first lease ever), I "managed" to have one sent to me. When I called in to activate it, I just went to HD tech support and told them that I had replaced an owned 6000 with a leased VIP211. No problems once they understood that I knew what I was doing.

 

[DVR625]

The cheapest place place is ebay. Just look for Members of SquareTrade and don't forget to check the numbers with dish so you don't buy boat Anchors.
Good luck, you need it.
I say that cause a few years back when I did installs I loved the calls from people who install it themself. The best part was $150 for remounting and aiming the dish.

 

[jcrandall]

Claude from Dishstore may be able to get you equipment at the new customer prices? It would be worth the call to them. A local retailer may also do this. I'm pretty sure that E* would not do this directly, you would have to use a retailer unless you want to pay going rate for all your equipment/dish.