Very strange discussion with my install guy

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SoxFan34

Well-Known SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
Aug 12, 2007
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I was scheduled for an install today, and was very fired up to get Dish HD until I spoke with the install guy.

He said that I would not be happy with Dish HD because every time there is any kind of storm in the area, the HD service is unavailable. Is this accurate information? He told me that he would leave and let me decide if I still wanted Dish... we rescheduled.

Please give me a response on this so that I can cancel the install if what he said is accurate.

He also said that the Dish antennas would not receive OTA HD... and that the antennas were POSs.
 
He is full of it as far as the HD goes. Sounds to me like he just didn't feel lik doing your install. As far as an OTA antenna I'm not sure what they use so I can't comment on that, but you can use any antenna with Dish equipment. Choose whatever one you want from radio shack or wherever.
 
Your installer sounds lazy and you might have problems with your service in a storm if he installs it, but I never had any issues with dish (4 years of service) during rain or snow, only during an ice storm.

Not saying it can't happen, but it's not going to affect just HD service if it does.

Dish OTA antennas might be a POS, I have no idea what they use. Odds are they aren't spectacular. As for it not picking up OTA HD, well odds are it won't pick up anything then. It's not a special antenna for HD/Digital OTA compared to old OTA antennas.
 
in florida storms can take out signal.. mind you it's not very often.. but it does happen.. but from what you explained it sounds like the installer didn't want to install it for you and wanted it rescheduled so someone else would come out to do the work..

Worst installer story I have is they offered me DirecTV when I called and said I was directed to them by Dish Network about an install.
 
My Dish Network reception is rock-solid. The main channels come off of the 110/119 sats and are receive with a well-aimed (aka peaked) Dish 500 dish. My local HD channels (ABC, CBS, Fox, and NCB), along with the DishHD national channels are received in from the 61.5 satellite location in my area - I receive these using a 2nd Dish 500 dish. Offhand, I may have a handful (five at most) of times where I lose signal for a few minutes due to severe thunderstorms. Where are you located? Most people receive the DishHD channels from the 129 satellite location using a single Dish 1000 dish. A number of members have reported having problems with 129 due to low signal level. Quite a few people use a seperate Dish 500 aimed at 129, which seems to solve the low signal problem.

As far as OTA...unless you live fairly close to the towers and have a clear line of sight, I have found those things to be quite useless. In my case, I live 55+ miles from the Washington DC towers and 51+ miles from the Richmond VA towers. I have used two Channel Master 4228 UHF antennas the past five years and they work wonders. Although we would need to know a lot more about your situation, a good rule of thumb is that bigger and higher are usually better.

Offhand, if the installer tries to steer you toward DirecTV then I would send him on his way. Where are you located? I am sure we have member near your area who can advise you of local reception issues with both Dish Network and OTA.
 
I kinda felt like they weren't fired up to work on a Sunday afternoon

I am located in South Georgia (15 miles from Florida line)... 31792 area code.

Will I be charged for a reschedule?

Antenna web shows the following for my locale:

*yellow - uhfWTLH-DT50.1FOXBainbridgeGA
176°8.550 *yellow - uhfWCTV-DT6.1CBSTHOMASVILLEGA
166°9.646 *green - vhfWTWC-DT40.1NBCTALLAHASSEEFL
176°8.52 *green - vhfWABW-DT5PBSPELHAMGA07-08166°9.65
red - vhfWCTV6CBSTHOMASVILLEGA
166°9.66
red - uhfWTXL27ABCTALLAHASSEEFL
175°9.427 *red - uhfWTXL-DT27.1ABCTALLAHASSEEFL
175°9.422
red - uhfWTWC40NBCTALLAHASSEEFL
176°8.540
red - uhfWTLH49FOXBAINBRIDGEGA
176°8.549
blue - uhfW38CM22TBNTHOMASVILLEGA
68°7.122
blue - uhfWABW14PBSPELHAMGA
347°23.914
 
Antenna Web information

That information did not come through very well...

basically I am no more than 10 miles from all of the major towers... my area has a lot of rolling hills, I am pretty high up compared to the area.
 
At 10 miles away you can honestly use bunny ears plugged into the back of your receiver and you should be fine. Any OTA antenna should work just fine.
 
Rifjim.... how do I get one of this forums' installers to handle the job?

Thanks,
SF
 
You could have problems with the 129 satellite location for HDTV. The 61.5 would probably be more reliable for HDTV and should be visible from GA. Your installer was semi right but probably was lazy.
 
SoxFan34 said:
I was scheduled for an install today, and was very fired up to get Dish HD until I spoke with the install guy.

He said that I would not be happy with Dish HD because every time there is any kind of storm in the area, the HD service is unavailable. Is this accurate information? He told me that he would leave and let me decide if I still wanted Dish... we rescheduled.

Please give me a response on this so that I can cancel the install if what he said is accurate.

He also said that the Dish antennas would not receive OTA HD... and that the antennas were POSs.
Click to expand...
ok..I am a tech as well. My response to your post is, You have go to be kidding me!!!!!!!
This sounds to me like the tech was off his rocker. To dissuade a customer from getting the service is like an orator cutting off his tongue....Not only is this tech trying NOT to make money, he is costing his employer( Dish) a customer...To me , that is blasphemy!!!
 
Well.... any N. Florida, S. GA Dish users care to weigh in?

I'm curious to hear how other Dish users in S. GA/N. FL feel about the quality of their HD service.

The tech did say that I did have good line of sight.
 
SoxFan34 said:
I'm curious to hear how other Dish users in S. GA/N. FL feel about the quality of their HD service.

The tech did say that I did have good line of sight.
Click to expand...

I live in Augusta and my reception is excellent on all satellites except for 129. I use the 61.5 satellite for HD since that bird gives good signal strength. Since you have good line of sight then you should have no problems. As for your local HD channels, Lakebum already mentioned that you could use about any antenna to include rabbit ears. You should be thankful that the first guy didn't want to do it because he probably would have installed it sloppy or messed something up. Hopefully when the installer comes the next time it is someone different.
 
Dishpointer... how do you get your HD from 61.5?

My understanding was that 61.5 was for the west... could I get HD service from 61.5?

If so... how would I go about doing so?

Also... someone else mentioned that I could get better signal quality with a dedicated dish pointing at the satellite... how do I get dish network to send me a second dish?

Thanks,
SF
 
Yes get the 61.5 in your area for HD you will be happy and I would request thru Dish a different installer. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
61.5 is not just for the West. It's located east of the US and is a better satellite for the Eastern 1/3 of the US. It has the same HD channels that the 129 satellite has except for certain local HD channels. The Atlanta HD locals are on the 129 satellite but you wouldn't be eligible to get those unless you "moved" so the 61.5 satellite would work great for you. This satellite would require a second dish and depending on what your installer brings, you may or may not get that. Talk to your installer and see if he will setup a second dish. Some will and some won't. I purchased all of my equipment and I had an extra dish. You might want to look in the phonebook and look up a Dish retailer close to where you live. Dishstore.net (on of our sponsors listed above) has a great special going on. Talk to Claude and he may be able to hook you up with what you need.
 
I went from being a long time DirecTV subscriber to Dish a little over a year ago. My Dish system has been much more reliable in stormy weather than my D* ever was. I am using 61.5 and have been happy. I am using a two dish solution with one (D300) dedicated to 61.5.
 
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