Installation issues/questions

[shabot2]

Last week I had Brighthouse install TV and Phone service (I already had high speed internet and was switching from DirecTv). It took 6 hours to install! He had to replace the drop from the street because of bad signal... The cable was RG11 and replaced it with RG6... Is this accepted practice? He also screwed up the phones such that half of the house had no dial tone. I looked at it this weekend and found that he had left a set of blue blue/white wires disconnected. Of course once I connected it it worked like a champ. The other issue is that the HD DVR Box does not show caller ID and I checked that it is turned on. Below is a summary of the wiring starting at the pole:

drop -> 2 way Splitter -> TO 8 Way Amp -> To TV's
..............................-> To Cable Modem/Phone

Based on that wiring could that be preventing the caller ID signal? Ideas? Also the box given to me was an Scientific Atlanta Silver box that seems pretty old and my wife hates the menu, could I trade it for the new samsung? Thanks for the help.

[The Insider]

1. Sorry it took so long. Seems you got a crappy tech. (or it was a really really difficult installation)(However I could rewire dam near any house in FLA with 6-8 lines in 6 hours and still have time for lunch and watch a movie)

2. Replacing an RG11 line with RG6 is fine if the RG11 was not needed in the first place and if the line was bad. From what you said it seems the line was bad so he replaced it. A good RG6 is better then a bad RG11. And if your drop is under 250ft or so RG11 is really not needed in most cases.

3. The configureation you mention is standard and will not cause your caller ID on TV to not work. There is another issue. Perhaps its the box or the way the services were setup on your account.

I recomend calling in for a service call and seeing about getting that box changed out and have them address any other issues you may have.

[Khandurian]

And if your drop is under 250ft or so RG11 is really not needed in most cases.

Actually our specs are anything over 150feet require RG-11.

drop -> 2 way Splitter -> TO 8 Way Amp -> To TV's
..............................-> To Cable Modem/Phone

This is debatable on a couple of levels. This is really dependent on the signal level. If that level was too high, they can and do use a 2way splitter to help bring that signal into specifications. However, since he used an amp, it kinda defeats the purpose.

Based on that wiring could that be preventing the caller ID signal?

The tech should have informed you that it can take up to 24 hours before the caller id works on any/all your cable boxes. It could also be what "The Insider" said as well, your account could not be setup with the correct services.

Scientific Atlanta Silver box that seems pretty old and my wife hates the menu, could I trade it for the new samsung?

Almost all of those hd SA boxes are used. There are few that are new/refurbished. Yes, you can disconnect the box and take it to the Melbourne office and exchange it out for a new samsung.

[The Insider]

Actually our specs are anything over 150feet require RG-11.

wow your system must have very low tap levels to need RG11 at such a short distance. I mean the difference in loss from 150ft in RG11 vs RG6 is small even up at 750mhz. Maybe a couple DB.

This is debatable on a couple of levels. This is really dependent on the signal level. If that level was too high, they can and do use a 2way splitter to help bring that signal into specifications. However, since he used an amp, it kinda defeats the purpose.

Not really sure what you mean? Its pretty standard install to put a 2way or DC before the amp so the Cable modem line is isolated from the amp and "dedicated" The 2way is not to pad the amp down, its to seperate the HSD line.

The tech should have informed you that it can take up to 24 hours before the caller id works on any/all your cable boxes. It could also be what "The Insider" said as well, your account could not be setup with the correct services.

I did forget to mention that it can take a bit for it to "update" so your box gets the information for the caller id.

[Khandurian]

Not really sure what you mean? Its pretty standard install to put a 2way or DC before the amp so the Cable modem line is isolated from the amp and "dedicated" The 2way is not to pad the amp down, its to seperate the HSD line.

If this was any other area, I would agree with you. However, not in our area. It's mandatory nothing but a ground block and dc6 before the amp. If you put a 2 way before the amp, you better have signal readings to back it up. Our area is pretty strict on how things are done.

Even then, its highly frowned upon. They would rather you install a dc12 or higher to bring the level down, and instead of installing an amp, install a non-powered 8way splitter, thus, again, bringing the level down to "the specs they set" .

Oh and the RG11 over 150 feet thing, well, honestly, in a certain sections, its usually well over 150feet anyways. If we get that one or two houses that are only 200 feet away, they would still rather it have the rg11 cable.

One of my guys actually just installed a cable that was 425feet from the closest tap. Last time I heard a tech curse that much was when I was boarding a cruise ship to go gambling
A trencher would have been nice on that job!

[tim tim tim]

were told 200 feet or more to go with the rg11. So I guess that just depends on where your working. Also were told to do a dc or 2way from the ground block with one leg going to the modem or mta, other leg going to the splitter or amp/splitter for the rest of the tv's in the house.

[Khandurian]

Get ready, pretty soon you'll have to pass the NCTI Jones tests to be tech. I got some very long time techs failing these dang tests. They know their stuff. They werent prepared for trick questions.

Again, we used to be that way, however, with all the new stuff going on, signal levels are of course at more of an importance than ever before. Sadly, still in some areas that are still being upgraded, putting a 2 way before an amp will drop the levels too low.

Our techs now also carry 2.5k meters that sweeps the entire house. It logs reverse signals and uploads those signals to the main host for future review incase there is a problem at the house later.

[The Insider]

Those D-Sam meters were the worst purchase we ever did. Because it took the actual troubleshooting and tech knowing what he is doing out of the equation and tried to dumby proof it. Now all the techs do is hook up the meter run the auto-test and pass/fail. They no longer trouble shoot. They no longer take the time to learn the process. I mean heck ive trouble shot a house with nothing more then an OHM meter and a terminator and found problems these guys cant find with a 2.5k$ meter.

[Khandurian]

Ve-Ex are the ones were using. They actually store the numbers so they can be uploaded. Be honest, there are times you can troubleshoot a line just by looking at it!

Especially in those "heavy oak tree lined" neighborhoods! It's quite funny watching a new guy troubleshooting a house that has a snowy picture, but yet his 2.5k meter passes.

During training, i'll be sitting there chuckling as the poor new guy is running around the house trying to figure out whats wrong. I'll hint to him, "hey, check the tap at the pole", they almost every single time, "why its a brand new drop installed 4 months ago".

Ok, I'll just sit here for the next 2 hours until you finally give up. The smarter new guys will get it when I say that, they'll get the ladder out climb the pole and see that a squirrel did some wonderful chewing on the cable right at the pole where you can it see it from the ground.

[The Insider]

The DSams do the same. The techs store all the data from tap to house and upload it at the end of the day.