What should I do?

[kilfoydj]

I've read thousands of posts on this forum and a few others but I am still undecided.

I purchased a new 52" Sony Bravia LCD two weeks ago as well as a DirecTV HD-DVR. I currently have a 3 LNB dish mounted on my roof and get 90+ signals on all three satellites. The DirecTV installer came out to upgrade my dish but told me he wouldn't be able to get a signal because of some trees. He said that the new satelittes are at a lower elevation and the trees would block my signal. I'm trying to find an alternative for HD. Directv said that if I cancel now after getting this new DVR I will have to pay around $450 to get out of my contract. Even after explaining to the CSR that DirecTV is not providing me the service that is in the contract he said that doesn't matter. If this is truly the case I think my only option is to buy a new slimline dish and install it myself as I have for all the dishes I have had in the past and hope that I will get HD for 8-9 months out of the year when the tree isn't full of leaves. If the CSR is just giving me a line of crap I am considering cancelling and then getting DISH since from what I can tell I wouldn't have the LOS issues since their satellites appear to be close to the satellites that I currently get signals from Directv. Can any of you guys offer any advise or opinions? Thanks!!!

 

[paulman182]

The installer is incorrect.

The 3 sats you are getting are at 101, 110, and 119. The other HD sats are at 99 and 103, with 103 being the new one that has all the new HD. If you can get 101 and 110, you surely can get 103 (between them.) You would only need the 99 if you locals come from there, and even if they do, it is only 2 degrees left from the 101.

My guess is he did not want to do the roof install. Call the installation company and ask for a supervisor.

 

[Jhon69]

I've read thousands of posts on this forum and a few others but I am still undecided.

I purchased a new 52" Sony Bravia LCD two weeks ago as well as a DirecTV HD-DVR. I currently have a 3 LNB dish mounted on my roof and get 90+ signals on all three satellites. The DirecTV installer came out to upgrade my dish but told me he wouldn't be able to get a signal because of some trees. He said that the new satelittes are at a lower elevation and the trees would block my signal. I'm trying to find an alternative for HD. Directv said that if I cancel now after getting this new DVR I will have to pay around $450 to get out of my contract. Even after explaining to the CSR that DirecTV is not providing me the service that is in the contract he said that doesn't matter. If this is truly the case I think my only option is to buy a new slimline dish and install it myself as I have for all the dishes I have had in the past and hope that I will get HD for 8-9 months out of the year when the tree isn't full of leaves. If the CSR is just giving me a line of crap I am considering cancelling and then getting DISH since from what I can tell I wouldn't have the LOS issues since their satellites appear to be close to the satellites that I currently get signals from Directv. Can any of you guys offer any advise or opinions? Thanks!!!

Looks like you will need to trim some trees then get the DirecTV installer back out to put in the slimline,or pay $450. and go with Dish,or if you can go with cable if you have access to cable.

It's always a good idea to have the slimline installed first before you get the HD DVR but I think you have already found that out.Good Luck!.

 

[kilfoydj]

Unfortunately the trees are not not mine or they would already be down.

 

[Jhon69]

Unfortunately the trees are not not mine or they would already be down.

Well what about talking to your neighbor?

 

[ClemSole]

It would have been a beter idea to go through DirecTV to do the upgrade in the first place. It would have cooust you $199.00 + 20.00 shipping with free install and then if they could not get the signal you could have canncled at that time and paid nothing, but buy trying to to it your self your stuck with the 450.00 charge or have the dish install somewhere else in your yard.

 

[kilfoydj]

I wasn't trying it myself. Bestbuy had a $100 off the receiver with a HDTV purchase so the receiver was $99 and the install was free from DirecTV.

 

[Joe Diamond]

The installer is incorrect.

The 3 sats you are getting are at 101, 110, and 119. The other HD sats are at 99 and 103, with 103 being the new one that has all the new HD. If you can get 101 and 110, you surely can get 103 (between them.) You would only need the 99 if you locals come from there, and even if they do, it is only 2 degrees left from the 101.

My guess is he did not want to do the roof install. Call the installation company and ask for a supervisor.

Exactly!

And you can even use the same mast your 3 LNB is on if necessary.(tricky & not recommended)
And you can even extend the pole to get a bit more elevation. For the recorder you will need another line.

As Paulman noted, the tech didn't want to do the job. He would be paid for an upgrade and end up doing about as much work as a new installation. DTV & their HSP folks builds this problem into their system by underpaying & overbooking the techs.

Ask for a 1st AM appointment. That way he has time to work.

Joe

 

[Van]

Can you post a pic taken from behind the dish looking in the direction its facing?

 

[kilfoydj]

I was thinking the same thing about a picture but unfortunatley I don't get home until after dark. I will get one over the weekend and post it.

 

[eandras]

I've read thousands of posts on this forum and a few others but I am still undecided.

I purchased a new 52" Sony Bravia LCD two weeks ago as well as a DirecTV HD-DVR. I currently have a 3 LNB dish mounted on my roof and get 90+ signals on all three satellites. The DirecTV installer came out to upgrade my dish but told me he wouldn't be able to get a signal because of some trees. He said that the new satelittes are at a lower elevation and the trees would block my signal. I'm trying to find an alternative for HD. Directv said that if I cancel now after getting this new DVR I will have to pay around $450 to get out of my contract. Even after explaining to the CSR that DirecTV is not providing me the service that is in the contract he said that doesn't matter. If this is truly the case I think my only option is to buy a new slimline dish and install it myself as I have for all the dishes I have had in the past and hope that I will get HD for 8-9 months out of the year when the tree isn't full of leaves. If the CSR is just giving me a line of crap I am considering cancelling and then getting DISH since from what I can tell I wouldn't have the LOS issues since their satellites appear to be close to the satellites that I currently get signals from Directv. Can any of you guys offer any advise or opinions? Thanks!!!

First thing ot do is to go the website: Satellite Dish Pointer / Alignment Calculator with Google Maps. get to the satellite view and put your complete address in. Also select the Directv 5 LNB Dish. This will give you a general direction for the satellites. Now grab the pointer and move it to the location on the roof or ground that you wish the dish to be mounted. Although the satellite picture is a little old this will give you some bearings to look to see if there are alternatives as to the location of the dish. You may also provide information when a supervisor comes to access your situation that the dish may work.

As far as the neighbors trees just ask if you can have the tree taken down and that you would replace them with a smaller tree that may only get the 10 to 15 full height. It just might work.

If all else fail hire a local install company to come out and do a custom install.

Ed

 

[toober]

If you're getting good signals on all 3 sattelites right now, the new dish will work. If the tripple sat dish was installed right the first time, it's an easy upgrade. Get a new appointment and make the tech show you the angles and elevations he's looking at on his inclinometer, I've never called no line of site without showing the customer exactly what the issues are.