Questions about getting Dish ( currently fed up with Comcast )

[eddeeeee]

Hi-

Had some questions that were only answered with: "Don't worry, the installer will take care of everything, you don't need to worry." No offense to any installers, but I don't like opening my home to someone, if I have no clue as to what they may be doing. Someone on the RV forum suggested posting here. I would appreciate any help. The dish would be going on a house in Denver.

1- I don't want the dish on the back of my house, but rather on the gable end on the side. I also want it mounted to the Fascia or siding, not to the metal roof. That area has a greater distance to the trees to the south of my house and is not 8' above my patio. If I request to the installer that the dish be put there, will the installer honor my request? Are there any reasons other than no view of the satellite that would make my desired location not functional?

2- What wires/cables/? will run from the dish to the distribution panel?

3- I currently have a single RG6 quad shielding cable running from my distribution panel to each TV. Will they need anything else run?

4- Will they need power at the distribution panel?

5-If I get a hopper/joey, is there any way to make sure that if I DVR a show that my 6 year old can't view it on the tv in the basement?

6-We have 6 TV's and sometimes they are all being used on different channels. Will I need more than 1 dish?

7-Do satellite boxes still need a phone line at each box?

8-Will they ever come out with a wi-fi type set up so that there are not wires running all over the house?

9-Will the installer cut off the ends of the cables and install their own wires like Direct TV did when they installed a dish at my parents?

10-Will the installer run the wires through the attic ( 7 foot high, flat wood floor ) to a PVC chase to the basement instead of running it on the siding outside down to the rim board?

11-Would a 6-pack of beer or a tip aid in ensuring things run smoothly?

I would appreciate any help with these questions that you can give me. I do not mean to sound distrusting, I just do 90% of the work on my home myself and prefer it that way. I don't mind having people do things I can't or am not allowed to ( warranty repairs ), I just don't want another guy like the dishwasher repair man that was here last month. He didn't have a torx set in his tool box. He also didn't know how to remove the front panel of the dishwasher. Luckily, I had a torx set and knew where all the screws and tabs were so he would not have to come back. Anyway, as I said, I would appreciate any insight you could provide.

Thanks

 

[boba]

Your questions are very hard to answer. Until a tech gets there he can't see where the dish can be mounted or where line of sight exists. Do you know what equipment is being provided for your install there is more than 1 dish that can be used either HD or SD?

If you have six tvs to be installed do you have six receivers coming? Do you have cables with compression ends on them? Do you have wallplates with 3Ghz fittings?

 

[SomeDishGuy]

Hi-

Had some questions that were only answered with: "Don't worry, the installer will take care of everything, you don't need to worry." No offense to any installers, but I don't like opening my home to someone, if I have no clue as to what they may be doing. Someone on the RV forum suggested posting here. I would appreciate any help. The dish would be going on a house in Denver.

1- I don't want the dish on the back of my house, but rather on the gable end on the side. I also want it mounted to the Fascia or siding, not to the metal roof. That area has a greater distance to the trees to the south of my house and is not 8' above my patio. If I request to the installer that the dish be put there, will the installer honor my request? Are there any reasons other than no view of the satellite that would make my desired location not functional?

2- What wires/cables/? will run from the dish to the distribution panel?

3- I currently have a single RG6 quad shielding cable running from my distribution panel to each TV. Will they need anything else run?

4- Will they need power at the distribution panel?

5-If I get a hopper/joey, is there any way to make sure that if I DVR a show that my 6 year old can't view it on the tv in the basement?

6-We have 6 TV's and sometimes they are all being used on different channels. Will I need more than 1 dish?

7-Do satellite boxes still need a phone line at each box?

8-Will they ever come out with a wi-fi type set up so that there are not wires running all over the house?

9-Will the installer cut off the ends of the cables and install their own wires like Direct TV did when they installed a dish at my parents?

10-Will the installer run the wires through the attic ( 7 foot high, flat wood floor ) to a PVC chase to the basement instead of running it on the siding outside down to the rim board?

11-Would a 6-pack of beer or a tip aid in ensuring things run smoothly?

I would appreciate any help with these questions that you can give me. I do not mean to sound distrusting, I just do 90% of the work on my home myself and prefer it that way. I don't mind having people do things I can't or am not allowed to ( warranty repairs ), I just don't want another guy like the dishwasher repair man that was here last month. He didn't have a torx set in his tool box. He also didn't know how to remove the front panel of the dishwasher. Luckily, I had a torx set and knew where all the screws and tabs were so he would not have to come back. Anyway, as I said, I would appreciate any insight you could provide.

Thanks

I'll do the best I can, not an installer, but will answer what I can, though.

1. Visibility is important, to the 110/119/129 satellites. If you want to know if it will work, there are several apps that can be downloaded to a smart phone, where you can go and see if you can see the 110/119/129 sats from your preferred location. Also, an installer is going to try to pick a location with good visibility AND limited work to get the cabling inside the house from there. No reason you cannot discuss the antenna install location with the tech.

2. Depends on how many receivers, and what type you choose. If you choose, say a 2 hopper/4 joey system, that requires 3 cables from the antenna to a duo node, where the cables split off to the Hoppers and Joeys.

3. I'll defer to installers on that. Pretty sure that RG-6 will work,

4. For a duo node (two hopper and 4 joeys, no). If you use a VIP system, and 4 or more receivers, pretty sure you would use a DPP44 switch, and that can get power from a power inserter installed at one of the receivers.

5. For a Hopper, not really, unless you get a two Hopper system, and have the tech use an isolator to make sure the two Hoppers don't interact with one another. You'd have to make sure your son only has access to TVs on the "safe" Hopper.

6. Not more than 1 dish. As mentioned, if you go Hopper/Joey, you'll need a 2 Hopper system. That gives 6 tuners (each Hopper has 3 tuners). Some here may even recommend going with 3 Hoppers. Doing so will increase your cost, though. A Hopper has a $12/mo cost versus the $7/mo for a Joey, plus you will likely have to purchase the third Hopper (if not also purchase a second Hopper, your mileage may vary).

7. No. If you do have a phone line to each Hopper, it allows the unit to "call home" and report status if having issues. Also allows to order PPV from the remote.

8. Yes. The current Hopper/Joey does not support wireless. BUT...Dish announced the Wireless Joey at CES this year. It will be out some time this year, and the Joeys will not require coax cabling from the system, they will use wifi to get their signal from the Hopper.

9. Install their own connectors? Quite likely. Not an installer, so I defer to installers, but they generally want a good clean connection where possible, and may replace old connectors.

10. I defer to the techs/installers. Not sure what is required, I know most installers will not "wall fish", but if it is easy, likely that will be something they'll do. But again, I defer to the techs/installers.

11. Defer to installers, but the tip is a most likely yes. Beer is supposedly a no-no.

 

[warlike36]

I too recently told comcast/xfinity where to stick it....terrible service at a very high cost. DISH has been wonderful since day one ! Ive had issues (none with install), but when I need CS, its there..and quickly. All this at HALF the cost

 

[jarvantgroup]

Hi-

Had some questions that were only answered with: "Don't worry, the installer will take care of everything, you don't need to worry." No offense to any installers, but I don't like opening my home to someone, if I have no clue as to what they may be doing. Someone on the RV forum suggested posting here. I would appreciate any help. The dish would be going on a house in Denver.

1- I don't want the dish on the back of my house, but rather on the gable end on the side. I also want it mounted to the Fascia or siding, not to the metal roof. That area has a greater distance to the trees to the south of my house and is not 8' above my patio. If I request to the installer that the dish be put there, will the installer honor my request? Are there any reasons other than no view of the satellite that would make my desired location not functional?

2- What wires/cables/? will run from the dish to the distribution panel?

3- I currently have a single RG6 quad shielding cable running from my distribution panel to each TV. Will they need anything else run?

4- Will they need power at the distribution panel?

5-If I get a hopper/joey, is there any way to make sure that if I DVR a show that my 6 year old can't view it on the tv in the basement?

6-We have 6 TV's and sometimes they are all being used on different channels. Will I need more than 1 dish?

7-Do satellite boxes still need a phone line at each box?

8-Will they ever come out with a wi-fi type set up so that there are not wires running all over the house?

9-Will the installer cut off the ends of the cables and install their own wires like Direct TV did when they installed a dish at my parents?

10-Will the installer run the wires through the attic ( 7 foot high, flat wood floor ) to a PVC chase to the basement instead of running it on the siding outside down to the rim board?

11-Would a 6-pack of beer or a tip aid in ensuring things run smoothly?

I would appreciate any help with these questions that you can give me. I do not mean to sound distrusting, I just do 90% of the work on my home myself and prefer it that way. I don't mind having people do things I can't or am not allowed to ( warranty repairs ), I just don't want another guy like the dishwasher repair man that was here last month. He didn't have a torx set in his tool box. He also didn't know how to remove the front panel of the dishwasher. Luckily, I had a torx set and knew where all the screws and tabs were so he would not have to come back. Anyway, as I said, I would appreciate any insight you could provide.

Thanks

I'll answer your questions from an installer point-of-view.

1) We are not allowed to mount to a metal roof, because we don't have an adequate way of sealing the penetrations. The fascia could be an option if it is wide enough for us to install anywhere from 4-6 lag bolts through the mounting footplate. The footplate is about 6"L x 4"W. Usually, fascia boards are not that wide. I don't recommend the fascia because there is usually not enough wood behind it to hold the footplate securely enough to withstand the pressures exerted on the dish from the wind. The vinyl siding is not a preferred location. I've done it in the past with explicit signoffs from the customer. Reason being, if the installer doesn't pre-drill the holes in the siding for the lag bolts, the siding tends to split. Trying to replace one sheet of faded siding, could potentially turn into the installer replacing the entire side of the house if the homeowner insists. You usually can't color match a replacement piece of siding with the faded remaining pieces. Keep in mind, a contractor covers all the expense of a damage claim out of his own pocket. Dish Network doesn't cover any of it. A pole-mount would be preferable if line-of-sight can be obtained. Keep in mind that Dish Network needs a clear line-of-sight to the southeastern or southwestern skies.

2) A minimum of 2 rg6 cables with attached grounding messenger is required. At most, 3 rg6 cables depending on how many receivers you will be getting. This will be required from the dish to a grounding location outside of the house. If the distribution panel is inside the house, the number of cables will be equal to how many receivers you are getting. Each Hopper will require it own cable from the dish to Hopper. (No splitters) The Joey's do not require their own cable from the dish. They can be junctioned to the Hoppers from the distribution panel/location.

3) Quad shield rg6 is fine.

4) Dish Network does not normally require power at the panel. Only in a scenario where a switch would be required (DPP44 switch to connect four or more receivers) then you would need power in the panel.

5) At this time, there is no way to block someone from viewing the recordings. Dish uses 'isolators' that restrict a Joey from 'linking' to a Hopper to view live programming and access other features from that Hopper, but that scenario will only work if you are having two Hoppers installed. If you are only getting one Hopper, then an isolator cannot be used.

6) You will only need one dish.

7) A phone line is only required if you have the 'caller id' option enabled in order to view a phone number on the screen from an incoming call. Other features can be accessed wirelessly. The installer can link your rcvrs to your wireless network via a built-in wireless adapter (Hoppers), external wireless adapter, or powerline adapter (slinglink).

8) A wireless Joey rcvr is in the works. But as of today, there is not a wireless option from the dish to the main Hopper rcvr or any other model of Dish Network rcvr. Each rcvr needs the rg6 from the dish. Some techs can make the existing model of Joey rcvr work using a wireless adapter. It is not a Dish Network-approved method of connecting the Joey to the Hopper. Most technicians haven't tried it and don't know how to do it. So if you ask your technician, don't be surprised if they don't know how to do it.

9) That depends on the brand of the connectors that are there. Dish Network and DirecTV have their own 'approved' brand of connectors. They both require their installers to cut the ends of the cable off and replace them if they are not 'approved'. Not cutting off properly installed fittings does not affect the operation of your system. The tech only cuts them off because both companies use Quality Control technicians that follow up several days or weeks after the installation the check the 'quality' of the installation. If they find 'unapproved' parts or other areas of the installation that don't meet their guidelines, then the contract technician will not be paid anything for completing that job. If the technician is an employee, then he could potentially miss out on bonuses or promotions. (One incorrect fitting found will result in not being compensated for the job) Note: if you as the customer do not allow the Quality Control technician permission to access to your property, then he cannot just appear and walk around doing whatever. That would be trespassing. Any tech would be more than happy to leave the existing connectors there (as long as they have been installed properly) if you have their back by looking out for them concerning those follow-up visits. If you are not having issues with your system when they call, them you are allowed to let them know you are happy with the service and that you'll call them if you need someone out to your home.

10) The installer could run the wires in that manner. Keep in mind, that the installer has multiple jobs to complete during the day, so deviating too much from the standard installation method will only prolong his day. Dish and DirecTV DO NOT send installers out with just one job to do each day. So any frustrations exhibited by a tech for such a request is usually not because they don't want to do it, it's generally because their supervisor is giving them grief because they are taking longer than expected. It would help out tremendously if you either have the cable already in place through the chase, or if you could assist the tech by having things in the attic already moved aside, having furniture around TV's moved aside, or unpacking the new rcvrs for the tech at each TV location. If the tech could gain time in those areas, it would offset time lost running wires up to the attic and then down through the chase to the basement. Also keep in mind that you will have wiring coming from the dish to a grounding location down near the ground (usually near your power meter), and then back up the side of your home to the attic. So aesthetically, it might not be a bad idea to keep some of that wiring down low and directly to the basement. That'll be your call.

11) Money talks. Officially, we are not allowed to accept tips. (Or beer) Most techs still do it anyway. (Not beer) Gas and lunch are real expenses, so cash is good. In lieu of giving a tip, technicians receive credit towards their overall performance evaluations when you purchase Smart Home Services (SHS) from Dish Network. Items such as surge protectors-$29/ea, screen cleaner-$15/ea, blue tooth headphones-$99/ea, etc. Those sales by the tech to the customer credit towards their performance evaluations, but the companies receive the cash. Techs are also evaluated by the answers that you give on an automated follow-up survey from Dish Network. Assuring the tech a 'perfect' survey on your behalf goes a long way. So it depends on how you want to do it.

Feel free to ask other questions. I'd rather you know what you're getting into and feel comfortable about it, than be uninformed.

 

[navychop]

Cash yes, beer no.

I generally tip $40 and have already run all the cables beforehand.

5. Workaround: Record the show. Then move it to an EHD. Disconnect the EHD.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[Bobby]

Cash yes, beer no.

I generally tip $40 and have already run all the cables beforehand.

5. Workaround: Record the show. Then move it to an EHD. Disconnect the EHD if you want to be extra sure, but today a Joey can see a Hopper's onboard recordings, but not an EHD connected to the Hopper.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

The Joeys can see the EHD when attached to a Hopper, at least mine can....

 

[thomasjk]

Mine can also.

 

[navychop]

The Joeys can see the EHD when attached to a Hopper, at least mine can....

You are correct. I was thinking of viewing from another Hopper. I should have thought it thru more, or tested to be sure. I have corrected the post.

My apologies.

 

[dwarren2]

What is behind the facia where you would like to mount the dish? If it is attic, you could use carriage bolts instead of lag bolt and put a piece of wood inside and run the bolts thru that. I did that with a roof top antenna to spread the load. I am just a home owner and not an installer.
With a Hopper, depending on how much prime time network shows you watch, you can activate PTAT allowing you to record up to 6 things using the built in tuners. Adding an ota module and antenna would give you and additional tuner and give you access to all the subchannels in your area.
This page may help you with some of your questions
http://www.satellitesolutions.com/dishnetwork/hopper-and-joey-faq.asp

 

[rglore]

For the six year old, enable parental restrictions on that particular box by rating or lock the channels you record from or both. You cannot view a recording from a locked channel without the passcode.

 

[david_jr]

5-If I get a hopper/joey, is there any way to make sure that if I DVR a show that my 6 year old can't view it on the tv in the basement?

If you are only concerned with viewing the recording, the Hopper allows you to set ratings with a password that will not allow a show above a certain rating to be viewed at any location without the password. If you don't want them to see the title at all that would be much more difficult.

 

[acostapimps]

If you don't want them to see the title at all that would be much more difficult.

I thought there would be a Blocked Title or something of that nature on screen, instead of T**** A****


Posted Via The FREE SatelliteGuys Reader App!

 

[satinstallerguy]

First off , I would go with Directv for viewing on 6 TV's. A Genie , 3 clients and 2 H-25 recievers. All will have Whole Home DVR capability. You will have to pay extra for 6 rooms with either Dish or Directv but Directv equipment is superior.
1.Why not have the Dish mounted on a pole? Dish or Directv will never mount to a metal roof...........
2.Directv only needs 1 line run from the Dish to the Distribution panel. Dish needs min of 2
3.You only need 1 single RG-6 cable run to each TV location so that is fine.
4.You don't have to have power at distribution panel but makes it easier if you put a Power Inserter there
5.You can setup parental locks on both Dish and Direct
6.You only need 1 dish but you will need to purchase extra equipment
7.You don't need phone lines anymore
8.Directv has release wireless clients but you still need to connect the main box (Genie) and a Video bridge to connect to the wiring , rooms 5 and 6 still need wired connections
9.They shouldn't need to rewire unless the wire is bad
10.You can ask
11. Oh Yah

You're better off going with Directv's Genie/Client setup over hopper/joey

SIG

 

[osu1991]

First off , I would go with Directv for viewing on 6 TV's. A Genie , 3 clients and 2 H-25 recievers. All will have Whole Home DVR capability. You will have to pay extra for 6 rooms with either Dish or Directv but Directv equipment is superior.
1.Why not have the Dish mounted on a pole? Dish or Directv will never mount to a metal roof...........
2.Directv only needs 1 line run from the Dish to the Distribution panel. Dish needs min of 2
3.You only need 1 single RG-6 cable run to each TV location so that is fine.
4.You don't have to have power at distribution panel but makes it easier if you put a Power Inserter there
5.You can setup parental locks on both Dish and Direct
6.You only need 1 dish but you will need to purchase extra equipment
7.You don't need phone lines anymore
8.Directv has release wireless clients but you still need to connect the main box (Genie) and a Video bridge to connect to the wiring , rooms 5 and 6 still need wired connections
9.They shouldn't need to rewire unless the wire is bad
10.You can ask
11. Oh Yah

You're better off going with Directv's Genie/Client setup over hopper/joey

SIG

Gotta love the opinionated BS.

They both have their pluses and minuses, everyone has an opinion, but Directv's equipment is in know way a superior product.

 

[osu1991]

Perhaps you would provide a bit more detail regarding the cabling required for a Dish installation (new construction, still underway) for 4 TVs.

Based on what I've read, I'll be using 1 Hopper and 3 Joeys. The home builder tells me that there will be one cable connection available on the exterior. This one cable will lead to an interior distribution box. The interior distribution box will provide a grounding point and access to 4 cables. Each cable will be routed to a wall plate in a room.

In your reply to the question "What wires/cables/? will run from the dish to the distribution panel?", you said "A minimum of 2 rg6 cables with attached grounding messenger is required." and "Each Hopper will require it own cable from the dish to Hopper. (No splitters)"

So, I'm confused. How many cables are needed between the dish and the Hopper, two or one?

Assuming its two, then I'll need two cable connections available on the exterior of the house, and these two cables will need to run all the way to the room where the Hopper will be, correct? And then, do cables need to run from the Hopper to each Joey? Or, is the connection between the Hopper and 3 Joeys somehow accomplished at the distribution box?

I'm thinking that perhaps my interior distribution box and interior cabling is set up to work with cable, but not satellite

Thoughts?

Thank you

Minimum 2 wires coming in from outside. 1 hopper can get by with 1 cable inside and the rest of the connections can be made in the distribution.

HOWEVER, if you plan on having cable internet, what cable will that use if you only have 1 cable coming in and the satellite is already on that line. If it's new construction now is the time to add additional cables. Personally I would have at least 3 - 3GHZ RG 6 coax coming in and 2 cat6 ethernet coming in to a central distribution point. I would have at minimum 1 RG6 coax and 1 cat 6 ethernet going from the distribution box to each room.

When I built my house I did all the wiring myself and I have 6 RG6 coax coming into my distribution box from outside and 3 cat6 ethernet. Each room depending on use has at least 2 Rg6 and 2 ethernet and some have more in addition to speaker wiring in 3 rooms. Cable internet, alarm, phone, satellite, antenna, security cameras, they all add up and it is easier to run cables before insulation and sheet-rock go up. You never know when a cable might go back or get nicked so having extra is nice too. These are my distribution boxes

 

[Tampa8]

There are a alot of posts here, of people who used both and will say the Hopper is better, and many who will say the VIP series was faster and overall better than the comparable Direct TV line. Then again, you can find posts the other way. Seems to me what osu1991 posted is more near the truth.

 

[Bobby]

You really want at least 3 lines coming from the Dish installation area to your distribution area. That will give you room for expansion, like maybe 2 hoppers or one hopper and a Super Joey...

 

[Bill Charlton]

Excellent point about the cable internet. As it turns out, that's what I'll doing (Dish Network for TV and cable company for internet). Thank-you for the heads up.

 

[SheilaM]

I have unfortunately wasted a lot of money for Charter Communications, which NEVER worked properly, so after getting fed up, I recently went to Dish Network. I don't need a hopper, or a joey, or a bob, or a jane, but I do need just basic TV for the 120 channels I'm paying for. I have 5 tvs. I can't afford to buy/rent a bunch of boxes to sit all over my house. So the current situation is 2 tvs hooked up with one box. I saw they used a 2 way splitter. Why can't I just buy a 6 way splitter, hook it up BEFORE it goes into the ONE receiver? And what kind of 6 way splitter would I need (brand/type, details, please) to do this? HD is not important, since I have all analog tvs.