New User - Install tomorrow!! Anything special do make sure I do with the installer?

[Fairorth]

Hello everyone!

first time satellite user, switching from UVerse to a D* and TimeWarner hybrid, using TW for internet. Can't wait! Signed up for the Ultimate package, I have the new advanced receiver plus three more coming.

found this cool place and was wondering when I have the installer out tomorrow (saturday), is there anything special I should make sure he does? Other than the obvious checks that things are working, are there special diagnostic tests I should see that he runs, etc?

wooHoo!!

marc

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys!

The installer will run all of the proper diagnostic checks after the install. He should talk to you before he begins about dish placement, where you might want to run the cables, things like that. Some of that will be determined by the line of sight to the satellites, accessibility to run cables, etc. Good luck, and make sure to come back and tell us how it went!

 

[Mr Tony]

welcome

Chip (raoul) pretty much nailed it all.
The one thing I would add is when he sets up the receiver have him check the signals from the dish. There is a menu option that shows each satellite and what the signals are on each transponder. Rule of thumb is you want 90+ on all transponders. The higher the signal, the less chance of the signal going out in bad weather. But it all depends on where you live too.

 

[whitewolf8214]

to SatelliteGuys fairorth

 

[raoul5788]

There are some areas of the country where a signal strength of 90 isn't achievable. Southern California is one place.

 

[directv newb]

One big thing to get ready for, IS TO BE AMAZED!!! After 20 some years with time warner I am in AWE of my GENIE!!! The hd picture is awesome, the DVR is the greatest ever(and I'm serious), I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY DIRECTV!!!!!
If someone tried to take my genie or my directv from me, it would not be a pretty site
Be nice to the installer, offer him a glass of water, ask questions, stay involved and it should go great, GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!

 

[Joe Diamond]

Go for it marc,

As an installer here are a few things that come up. Place your TVs where they will be used....but clear away the memorabilia. The tech will have to connect a receiver to your TV and perhaps a recorder or stereo. He will need access. If you have an entertainment center...start now getting access. He will need to plug in the receiver........check for an available outlet or get a power strip. Part of the installation is connected to a phone line or internet. Figure how this will be possible.
The dish will be attached to your building and aimed....the tech will take care of this. Near your electric meter he will need to ground the dish and run cable into your building( or connect to existing lines.) He will need access to this area.
Plan to contain any pet. The tech will need a place to park that is near the house...not out on the street ....so plan to move vehicles. You will need to be present for the installation and available to speak with Directv as the equipment is activated.
Those are the biggies. ..................Do ask questions as the work progresses

Joe

 

[harshness]

Make sure all viewers are present when the installer goes over operation of the equipment. Education is an important part of the installation.

 

[raoul5788]

Make sure all viewers are present when the installer goes over operation of the equipment. Education is an important part of the installation.

And how is that accomplished? Dear, you have to stay home from work tomorrow to learn from the installer how to use the dvr. Sure!

 

[Joe Diamond]

And how is that accomplished? Dear, you have to stay home from work tomorrow to learn from the installer how to use the dvr. Sure!

Chip...........you noticed!........this is almost impossible! Yet weeks or months later some customer or their kid will move the TV channel from 3 to some other spot and the Directv will not be there. Even the call to Directv will not figure out what is wrong and someone will roll a truck & back charge the original tech. I even got a conference about refusing to begin an installation because there were no TVs in the building, the customer was not present, the neighbor.....from the old address..not next door was drunk and the line of sight required a pole and some custom work to get the cable into the building.

Then there is the rare but happens situation where the customer speaks Spanish and the tech speaks English (sort of). Someone has to sign off that the tech showed the customer how to operate the system. The book is in Spanish but...there ya go again.....just not going to happen.

Directv zipps over this but someone has to take off work for this.............and Directv does make a big deal about techs who do not show up on time or call.

Busted!

Joe

 

[harshness]

And how is that accomplished? Dear, you have to stay home from work tomorrow to learn from the installer how to use the dvr. Sure!

I made an assumption that any other viewers would not likely be working on a Saturday. It doesn't seem like that much of a stretch.

 

[raoul5788]

I made an assumption that any other viewers would not likely be working on a Saturday. It doesn't seem like that much of a stretch.

Your logic does. Many people work on Saturdays or are so busy they aren't home for long. I was a letter carrier for 29 years. I worked five out of six and often on the sixth.

 

[Hutch1814]

I made an assumption that any other viewers would not likely be working on a Saturday. It doesn't seem like that much of a stretch.

It's the US, we most all work 6 days a week now

 

[hawkyou72]

Hello everyone!

first time satellite user, switching from UVerse to a D* and TimeWarner hybrid, using TW for internet. Can't wait! Signed up for the Ultimate package, I have the new advanced receiver plus three more coming.

found this cool place and was wondering when I have the installer out tomorrow (saturday), is there anything special I should make sure he does? Other than the obvious checks that things are working, are there special diagnostic tests I should see that he runs, etc?

wooHoo!!

marc

I sure hope you have better luck than I've had with the Genie system. No fix yet and I'm a month and a half into it.

 

[jcrandall]

Enough chipping at each other, back to the topic of the thread, this guys install.

 

[papalittle]

A lot of installers like it if the customer stays out of his way after the walk through so he can get the job done without distractions. I am one of em. I do not mind if the customer helps pull cables but that's about it. Installer do like it if you pull entertainment centers about 3 feet from the wall, remove breakables from top of TVs, contain any dogs and keep children occupied away from installer. Nice thing you can do is offer water/soda and most importantly THANK the installer after he is done and on the way out the door.

 

[dmobin]

Man, I should be happy, cause in Southeast Virginia where I am, when the installer hooked me up signal was 98-99 and a few 100s on some of the transponders. When they hooked me up last month it was a crystal clear and cold day. Very dry, no moisture at all. Maybe that was the reason for the great signal.

Also, I love the techs and their ability to climb ladders. I have mine on the roof of my 2 story house, the back yard slopes away from the house, 9ft ceilings too so the corner where the dish is located is 25 feet above the ground when the ladder is the proper distance from the house. I have a 24 ft ladder that doesn't reach. This guy put the ladder right on the corner of the roof (the angle of the ladder looked far too steep as well), the corner was through the rungs!!, he picked up the dish, threw it over his shoulder, had his toolbelt on and another bracket in his other hand. He WALKED up the ladder without HOLDING ON!!! I was very impressed. I had DirecTV from 2003-20010, switched to cable to get a better deal that DTV could give me at the time. DTV wanted me to pay for HD DVR, even after being a customer for 7 years so I called their bluff, got the same price cable for 2 years. When it was installed in 2003 the techs weren't that great. Tried to have me install the dish on a pole in the front yard (at an extra cost, so they said) and really gave me a hard time about putting it on the roof. They didn't tighten the dish well when they aligned it, I know that because 6 weeks after I installed it we had a strong tropical storm blow through and the winds threw the alignment off so I couldn't get local channels, I had the service contract and when I local tech came to realign, he said it was very loose and the install techs didn't do a good job. The guy that installed it last month was great, fast, friendly, walked me through everything, didn't blink an eye when he had to replace the previous dish on the roof. So good I even gave him a tip (even though you really don't have to). Great experience and service I'd say.

 

[dishcomm]

Hello everyone!

first time satellite user, switching from UVerse to a D* and TimeWarner hybrid, using TW for internet. Can't wait! Signed up for the Ultimate package, I have the new advanced receiver plus three more coming.

found this cool place and was wondering when I have the installer out tomorrow (saturday), is there anything special I should make sure he does? Other than the obvious checks that things are working, are there special diagnostic tests I should see that he runs, etc?

wooHoo!!

marc

Former tech here. Yeah. Let him do his job.
Do you follow around the plumber? The electrician?

 

[dishcomm]

Chip...........you noticed!........this is almost impossible! Yet weeks or months later some customer or their kid will move the TV channel from 3 to some other spot and the Directv will not be there. Even the call to Directv will not figure out what is wrong and someone will roll a truck & back charge the original tech. I even got a conference about refusing to begin an installation because there were no TVs in the building, the customer was not present, the neighbor.....from the old address..not next door was drunk and the line of sight required a pole and some custom work to get the cable into the building.

Then there is the rare but happens situation where the customer speaks Spanish and the tech speaks English (sort of). Someone has to sign off that the tech showed the customer how to operate the system. The book is in Spanish but...there ya go again.....just not going to happen.

Directv zipps over this but someone has to take off work for this.............and Directv does make a big deal about techs who do not show up on time or call.

Busted!

Joe

No tv's in the house was an auto reschedule. Yeah, I could have carried around the little tv with me in case the dopey custy didn't realize he needed a freakin tv in the house. But why the hell should I be a provider of the actual television?
Not in the job description. And besides, I had been down that road. Two weeks or whatever later the custy finally hooked up his tv's and cannot figure out how to get the damned thing on the proper channel/input and it's MY FAULT!!!!
No dice.
Custy not able to be home for install? Not going in. Why? I am not taking a charge back because the customer just had to pick a day when they could not be there and then gets pissed off because they are too stupid to figure out how to change the channel or even turn the thing on and it's MY FAULT..No dice.
Custy thinks it's ok to leave 15 year old daughter home alone so I can do install? HA!!!! Forget it.
In all three cases I had customers assure me during pre call they would be present for their appointment.

 

[dishcomm]

Your logic does. Many people work on Saturdays or are so busy they aren't home for long. I was a letter carrier for 29 years. I worked five out of six and often on the sixth.

Well if they are THAT busy they should think twice about setting appointments with service people. Why is it that some customers are exonerated of any responsibility for the things THEY want done in their home?