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. My installation story with D*
I was supposed to get my D* installed (new customer) last Monday. The installer arrived and there was a light rain but he said he saw lightning and didn't want to walk around with an antenna and pole while it was lightning. I couldn't disagree with him but he stayed about 1/2 hour looking at the job - where the antenna would go on a pole, where he would ground it, and looked at the wiring in the attic. He said it was an easy job and he hoped he could do it on the reschedule date the following Saturday; he said he thought it would be reassigned to him. He discussed the job with me and even cut off about 3 inches off a pole he had because I wanted a longer pole and he didn't have any longer. He left and I tried but couldn't find another pole.

On Saturday, another installer arrived about 9:15 AM. I showed him what I wanted, a pole
mount, and where the BHN cable company cables were located. He advised me that a pole
installation was an additional $75.00 (and included burying the cables); When I ordered D* I had told the CSR I wanted a pole and asked if it was part of the free installation and was told yes. The first installer also didn't say there would be an extra charge. I told the 2nd installer to go ahead with the pole mount. He did work hard burying the cables with a very heavy tool which cut a straight line about 12 inches long each time he dropped it on the ground.Then he proceded to dig the pole hole about 30 inches deep in the sand we have as soil here in Florida. I asked him how he was going to prevent the pole from twisting and whether he used concrete in the hole. He advised he would put a "roof foot" on the bottom of the pole and that would keep it from twisting; concrete wasn't necessary. He did it and started aligning the antenna. As he was doing so the pole/antenna twisted. He was shocked it would do so (in the sand). I told him it needed concrete. He said he didn't have any so he would have to reschedule the job for over a week so he could get some. I asked if we could go to a local Home Depot and get some while he worked on the wires. He said OK so we went and got a bag for him. He dug the pole out and I saw that he had attached to "foot" to the pole with wire ties, not screws. I told him to screw the foot to the pole first. He finally installed the pole with our cement.

I asked him if he was going to replace the old cable company wires with RG6 wiring. He got a Zinwell switch and told me that would "turn all the old wires into RG6 wires." I said I was surprised. He installed the switch in the attic and came back down into the family room where our HD TV is located. I had two cable outlets in the room because I recently had the cable company install a new RG6 cable outlet to make sure I had the necessary HD wireing. The installer then advised me he was using all the cable company wiring but in order to allow both tuners in the HR 20 to record at the same time he would use both outlets. I told him I wanted all wiring to come out of the same hole in the wall at the newest location. He tried very hard to convince me his way was best but I simply told him I wanted it done my way. There was already one wire there and he could simply run another wire down the same drop or even better simply tape the new 2 wire D* cable to the wire coming from the attic and pull the new wire back up to the attic switch using the old RG6 wire. He then told me it would cost another $52.00 for him to go into the attic and pull the wire. I asked about the "free installation" once again but he said going into the attic and dropping the wire was extra. I told him to do it and I would talk to D* later. He kept talking about how hot it would be in the attic. He finally did it using my flashlight - he didn't have one- and it took him about 5-10 minutes. He didn't have to drill any holes and simply dropped it down along the one that was already there.

Everything was finally installed and I had a picture. It took him about 6 hours start to
finish and he worked the entire time. I had to write a check to him personnaly, not to D*,
for the extra work but he reduced the total cost from $127 to $100. He also gave me his personal phone number in case there were problems; he said he could help me quicker than if I called D*

Now to learn how to set the HR20 up because he didn't really know how to do it for my fairly simple 5.1 surround sound system. I'll post more about PQ as I get time to watch it but it seems OK now. And I'll advise what D*'s response is. To be continued.

Last edited by Impala1ss : Today at 08:16 PM. Reason: FURTHER PROBLEMS

Well, the system has gone down 4 times since the installer left. The first time it restarted after a cold boot. Went out about 20 minutes later and wouldn't come back on. Called D* and the service girl walked me through a number of steps which included unplugging D* bos, the TV and disconnecting cables into the D* box. Then restarted everything with cables unplugged, waited for the new screen saying looking for satellites, and then reinstalling cables. It came back on - for 1/2 hour and went black again. Then rebooted again and went to grey screen where it stays now. Can't get installer on phone, Mastec is closed for weekend and I got a Wed. service call. 4 days without TV, what a crock.