Trouble getting 5-LNB Dish installed by installer.

[b2k1121]

I recently ordered the Premier Package and it was to be installed today at my apartment complex. They don't allow the dish on the roof and my deck/balcony area is facing north, but the deck extends past the roof line and provides a clear view of the southern sky. I live in a 2 story complex on the second floor, the lower levels aren't underneath the upper levels, they are actually next to it, so there are about 15 foot gaps between the upper level apartments. That gap is where the deck extends to and the dish would be taller than the lower level roof...if that makes sense.

Plus there are three other apartments behind me with dishes installed pointing that direction.

The installer came today and never even looked to see if that spot was good enough, he just looked out at the deck and said that this dish is big and needs to pick up 5 satellites so it wouldn't work. I asked him about the neighbors having dishes installed behind me and he said it's because they smaller dishes. He said my only option is to find a 2" diameter pole that can be put in my front yard and that they are impossible to find, then left.

To me it seemed like the guy was just lazy and didn't want to install it. Or do the 5-LNB dishes require a massive view of the southern sky?

 

[DJ Matt]

He didn't already have poles with him? It would be a customized installation which would be extra I think, but may be the best way. They do require a somewhat big portion of the southwest sky I believe. We wanted our dish installed on the west side of the house, but the installer said it would be better on the east side of the house for picking up the signal. He said it requires a pretty big view. Now, maybe he was just saying that because it was easier for him, who knows.

So he just left? It does sound like he was lazy. They will want to install it the quickest and easiest way possible.

 

[jdspencer]

The 5LNB dish only needs an extra 2 degrees to the east of the 3LNB version.
That installer was just lazy.

 

[DJ Matt]

The 5LNB dish only needs an extra 2 degrees to the east of the 3LNB version.
That installer was just lazy.

Yeah, thats another thing. The installer was using the "bigger dish vs smaller dish" excuse to try and get out of it.

 

[b2k1121]

He told me they no longer have the poles because they are so hard to find, and then said I wouldn't be able to find them anywhere either.

It was just strange that he never even stepped onto the deck to look at the view, unless the deck was too small to hold the dish, although he never said that was the case.

 

[BoisePaul]

He told me they no longer have the poles because they are so hard to find, and then said I wouldn't be able to find them anywhere either.

While I think you'd probably be fine on the deck, this excuse is a bunch of horse-hockey. This would almost indicate that they're not doing pole mounts at all, which is truly unbelievable. No 2" poles - yeah right!

 

[iwc5893]

Definately sounds like an overbooked, lazy installer.

 

[DJ Matt]

He told me they no longer have the poles because they are so hard to find, and then said I wouldn't be able to find them anywhere either.

It was just strange that he never even stepped onto the deck to look at the view, unless the deck was too small to hold the dish, although he never said that was the case.

He was probably lazy. I would call DirecTV and complain and tell them you are very disappointed. After that, let us know what they say. They will find the quickest and easiest way to get the job done. They usually have 2-3 jobs a day I think. The sooner they can get done with the jobs the sooner they can go home. I think the techs are sub contractors and don't necessarily work for DirecTV either so thats not a good thing.

 

[iwc5893]

They usually have 2-3 jobs a day I think.

They usually have 2-3 jobs in the morning, and 2-3 jobs in the afternoon.

 

[dssturbed]

2 inch O.D. poles are not common. Go to any retail store like Home Depot or a fencing company and they won't have it. You most likely would have to go to a plumbing supply company to get it at the right length. I know from experience. I install the KAKU dishes commercially. The only 2 inch pipe we get is the pipe adapter which is about 1 foot long and slides over the cast iron stink pipe on the roof . These work great, are more stable than the masts the dishes come with and landlords like them because there is no drilling into the roof.

The guy wasn't lazy. He probably had several jobs to do and saw that yours might have been a custom job which he is not allowed to do unless it is specifically scheduled with a prior site inspection so the proper equipment will be used. They pay these guys very little and they just want to get in the volume to make a decent pay check.

The dish does need more clearance and a better line of sight than the previous models.

Try to get someone local to come out to your place and do a proper survey.

 

[DJ Matt]

They usually have 2-3 jobs in the morning, and 2-3 jobs in the afternoon.

They have that many jobs? Usually they have to hook up 2-3 TV's per household at the very least. It took the guy 2 hours to install everything here and we let him use pre-existing cable going to the 2 SDTV's while running new cable to the HDTV's. They must work long hours then. The reason I said 3 jobs a day was because I saw the guys clipboard and he had 2 other orders to do that day and it have the appt. times on it so I just automatically assumed they do around 3 jobs a day.

 

[iwc5893]

They have that many jobs? Usually they have to hook up 2-3 TV's per household at the very least. It took the guy 2 hours to install everything here and we let him use pre-existing cable going to the 2 SDTV's while running new cable to the HDTV's. They must work long hours then. The reason I said 3 jobs a day was because I saw the guys clipboard and he had 2 other orders to do that day and it have the appt. times on it so I just automatically assumed they do around 3 jobs a day.

Around here they're on mandatory 6 day weeks due to the NFL Sunday Ticket promo.

When I was working for D*, I was routinely scheduled to do 12-16 hours of work in two 4 hour appointment windows...not including drive time.

 

[directmommy]

As an installer, and team lead for 15 other installers ,i can tell you , a couple things 1. the way the tech explained it to you was terrible , the 5 lnb slimline dish is over 30 inchs wide , it needs a clear window of at LEAST 25 degrees, 35-40 being ideal of course facing south west
2, he is right , the poles are hard to find , our cost, w/o mark up 9.00 per pole, and thats buying them in 50 piece lots but it CAN be installed on a 6x6 or 6x8 post, buried and concreted in which run about the same, but easier to find....
or it could have been installed on a 1 5/8 in post with a pipe adaptor....

truth is theres lots of mounting options,
as for workload, techs run 6-10 jobs per day , and are only paid per job ,in most cases so yeah he downed your job poorly, there were other options and he should have explained them rather than leave you with this opinion...

just my thoughts

 

[b2k1121]

I am getting a second opinion today. If they say it won't work again I suppose my only option is to downgrade my service to a smaller dish? The 5-LNB is the only way to get HD access right?

What I want is Sunday Ticket, DVR and HD. HD locals aren't a big deal. Is there another option?

 

[jtwex]

I think they make a newer version of the slimline that only needs three primary satellites but short of being surrounded by Georgia pine it sounds like you already have a location. I know times have changed (& many installers have chimed in already) & landowners/installers have some limitations but a little creativity & private monetary contributions should get it installed right where you want it. Mine is installed very high directly into the chimney mortar; as cool as my installer was (On a HR21 swap) he preferred not to touch the dish to peak it on the official visit. He did however leave me 4 different re-enforcing mounts & his cell phone number if I needed any unofficial help.

It took my neighbor 3 separate installers before he settled on a location the previous two wouldn't touch; turned out also to be mounted next to the chimney.

Just keep trying.

 

[b2k1121]

Just an update, on my second opinion I told the installer what the other guy said about the pole mounts and he wouldn't even believe an installer would say they don't do pole mounts. He decided it wouldn't work on my balcony, but said a pole mount would be easy in the front grass. We shall see as they will be out tomorrow afternoon to hopefully install.

 

[b2k1121]

Another update, and this is starting to get ridiculous. Installers came today, but didn't bring a pole. I called yesterday and the day before making sure they knew it was a pole mount and they said yep, it's in the notes. Of course, they get here and think it's going on the roof. I tell them its a pole mount and they say we don't have one with us and leave.

So this is my third rescheduling. I called and the lady said she would personally call them and make sure they knew it's pole mount. Should I call back and see what I can get out of this? Maybe ask them to add SuperFan for free?

 

[jtwex]

Should I call back and see what I can get out of this? Maybe ask them to add SuperFan for free?

Ask for a pole.

 

[boba]

Has your apartment complex given permission to mount a pole in the front lawn? That has to be obtained in writing before the install can happen.

 

[b2k1121]

Has your apartment complex given permission to mount a pole in the front lawn? That has to be obtained in writing before the install can happen.

Yeah, the landlord wrote 'can be installed on the balcony or possibly in the front lawn'.

I'll take 'possibly' as 'yes'.