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martincva

Last reply Oct 17, 2007 · posted in DIRECTV General Forum

Need to vent -- installation bungle

I called a few days ago and got a decent deal on an HD-DVR, HD receiver, new antenna, and installation. Install was scheduled for today. I took the day off work. Then, at 9am I get a call that there are no HD-DVRs in the warehouse, so they won't be able to come.

Great. So I take a day off work for nothing. I suggested that they have the installer go pick one up at the Best Buy. Nope, cannot do this, as they are also out of antennas. Right.

But at least the nice lady apologized. That made everything ok.

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Nightagna

Oct 16, 2007

I think we can all agree that bad work will always get more notice than good work, should it be that way... no, but that is life.

Are all installers bad, I'm sure they are not. But there are a lot of bad ones out there. I have delt with only three. one was fine, but the other two were horrible. One told my father in law that he had no LOS for the sat that transmits his locals. OK I have heard of this before, but his dish is pointed at an empty field, no trees or buildings forever. So I asked him what the tech said was blocking his LOS my father said that the house across the street was the reason given... a full 45% off the LOS for D* sats. The installer thought he needed 2 dishes one for conus and one for locals pointed in 2 different directions. Mind you I live 2 miles away and get all 5 sats just fine. with one dish. I also had to deal with my recent slimline/ hr20 install. The guy installed a r15 and the slimline, I stopped him when I saw what he did and told him wrong reciever he looked and said he misread it, got me my hr20 and was leaving when I asked did he instal the new multiswitch so I could get the HD, he said I had a multiswitch aready so didn't need the zinwell, I had to make him put it in or no mpeg4 HD for me. And i noticed after he left all the extra cables were missing from the box...

Does this mean all contractors suck? no but it doesn't help their image.

If you are a good contractor, my hats off to you, slap the bad ones silly for me will ya?

iwc5893

Oct 16, 2007

Nightagna said:
and was leaving when I asked did he instal the new multiswitch so I could get the HD, he said I had a multiswitch aready so didn't need the zinwell, I had to make him put it in or no mpeg4 HD for me.

Just a quick clarification...you do not need the Zinwell multiswitch to get the MPEG4 HD unless you are using a 2nd dish for reception, or have more than 4 lines coming from the dish to the receivers. The built in multiswitch will handle MPEG4 just fine.

dishcomm

Oct 16, 2007

Nightagna said:
I think we can all agree that bad work will always get more notice than good work, should it be that way... no, but that is life.

Are all installers bad, I'm sure they are not. But there are a lot of bad ones out there. I have delt with only three. one was fine, but the other two were horrible. One told my father in law that he had no LOS for the sat that transmits his locals. OK I have heard of this before, but his dish is pointed at an empty field, no trees or buildings forever. So I asked him what the tech said was blocking his LOS my father said that the house across the street was the reason given... a full 45% off the LOS for D* sats. The installer thought he needed 2 dishes one for conus and one for locals pointed in 2 different directions. Mind you I live 2 miles away and get all 5 sats just fine. with one dish. I also had to deal with my recent slimline/ hr20 install. The guy installed a r15 and the slimline, I stopped him when I saw what he did and told him wrong reciever he looked and said he misread it, got me my hr20 and was leaving when I asked did he instal the new multiswitch so I could get the HD, he said I had a multiswitch aready so didn't need the zinwell, I had to make him put it in or no mpeg4 HD for me. And i noticed after he left all the extra cables were missing from the box...

Does this mean all contractors suck? no but it doesn't help their image.

If you are a good contractor, my hats off to you, slap the bad ones silly for me will ya?

Sorry you had a bad experience.
"I think we can all agree that bad work will always get more notice than good work, should it be that way... no, but that is life.

Are all installers bad, I'm sure they are not. But there are a lot of bad ones out there. I have delt with only three. one was fine, but the other two were horrible. "....Ok that's fine.,You could have stopped right there and made your point adequately.
The installer was poorly trained or just a bad one.
We understand that.
Poor work does make us look bad. And we are glad that there are customers looking for an outlet to explain their issues.
But a pattern has devloped where some customers come here for one reason. To trash an installer or the industry in general. That's fine. But none of you seem to want to come on here and post anything regarding positive experiences. That gives the casual visitor here and quite possibly a prospective customer the impression that satellite is a bad idea because of all the negative feedback about techs. So that person may decide to not get the product at all. In that case you (not personally) have cost us a job. Which means you cost us money. Now how would you(not personally) like it if we installers/techs posted here how much we despise painters or plumbers or whatever it is you do for a living?.
A request to anyone on here who has a recently had an install or other work done. If you had a positive experience please do not hesitate to post your comments.
It seems we techs have been getting beaten up on this board. Time for a little sunshine.
Thanks...

William1

Oct 16, 2007

I had a installer issue. The old 'No LOS".
The local contractor sent a different team. Not only did they do an excellent, concientious job, they even fished a fresh pair of wires from my attic to my crawl space. Would not let me pay extra or do anything for them other than give them some ice water. They worked from 4:30 PM till 11:30 PM. The contractor felt the first installer did not follow through as he should of and apparently told the second team to do what ever I wanted, to make sure I was a very satisfied customer. These guys did a terrific job. Even gave me thier personal cell phione numbers to call if I ever have a problem. Left me feeling all warm and fuzzy.

shmeff

Oct 16, 2007

dishcomm said:
Sorry you had a bad experience.
"I think we can all agree that bad work will always get more notice than good work, should it be that way... no, but that is life.

Are all installers bad, I'm sure they are not. But there are a lot of bad ones out there. I have delt with only three. one was fine, but the other two were horrible. "....Ok that's fine.,You could have stopped right there and made your point adequately.
The installer was poorly trained or just a bad one.
We understand that.
Poor work does make us look bad. And we are glad that there are customers looking for an outlet to explain their issues.
But a pattern has devloped where some customers come here for one reason. To trash an installer or the industry in general. That's fine. But none of you seem to want to come on here and post anything regarding positive experiences. That gives the casual visitor here and quite possibly a prospective customer the impression that satellite is a bad idea because of all the negative feedback about techs. So that person may decide to not get the product at all. In that case you (not personally) have cost us a job. Which means you cost us money. Now how would you(not personally) like it if we installers/techs posted here how much we despise painters or plumbers or whatever it is you do for a living?.
A request to anyone on here who has a recently had an install or other work done. If you had a positive experience please do not hesitate to post your comments.
It seems we techs have been getting beaten up on this board. Time for a little sunshine.
Thanks...

When you hang up the satellite thing you should be a diplomat. I can see it now, Jews hugging Muslims in Israel-estine.

Nightagna

Oct 17, 2007

iwc5893 said:
Just a quick clarification...you do not need the Zinwell multiswitch to get the MPEG4 HD unless you are using a 2nd dish for reception, or have more than 4 lines coming from the dish to the receivers. The built in multiswitch will handle MPEG4 just fine.

I do have 8 lines to the house.

Just to let you know I work in an industry that a few bad apples have given a major black eye to, subprime loans. My company has been decimated because other companies had very unethical business practices. We never gave out loans that we thought were bad, the last thing we want is someones house, we want a timely monthly payment to make lots of money. But there are idiots out there who lent to anyone with the dumbest loans I have ever seen. Now all people in my profession are thought to be crooks and investors are drying up in droves, so 50 people Have been laid off in my company in the last 4 months (1/4 of staff). So I understand how just a few bad apples can hurt your reputation. So to anyone saying that ALL or even most installers are idiots you are wrong. But installers can't say they are all great either, just like I can't say that all subprime lenders are great.

Unfortunately we live in a world where the worst of us define us.

I mentioned my bad experiences to show that there are some really bad installers out there, but notice I said that they are not the majority of installers, even though they are the majority of installers I personally have delt with. I try to keep an open mind and say that 2 bad experiences do not define an industry. But to ignore the bad installers lets them continue to be bad. The county just slapped the crap out of my industry it caused a lot of pain, but the industry will be run better in the future with the bad eggs removed. The same is true with yours.

So if someone complains to D* about a bad install and that installer gets repremanded, hopefully that installer will get better. I would like to say that customers should call to report good experiences, but I am smart enough to know very few will wait on hold and give up their time to do so, and I bet that D* probably has no way to track good work, only bad...

Like I said we are defined by the worst of us...

Neutronite

Oct 17, 2007

Need to vent...

Nightagna:
Great thread posted by you. I am impressed by your fairness and objectivity. About a week ago I called D* for a blogger here who got a lousy job by incompetent and irresponsible installers. When the CSR answered I told her and him(supposedly the supervisor) that I was pleased with their service mid to upper nineties SS's. The supervisor was arrogant, argumentative and clintonian sounding. He never apologized for the poor performance by the installers. Like you stated the installers are another group which has good ones and bad ones.
Thanks

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iJustine

26 minutes ago · posted in iJustine

Left handed Duo?

Time for another AWESOME video from iJustine!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cSIz5ZEDKaY

Direct YouTube Link - Left handed Duo?
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!

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KAB

Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter

Last reply 50 minutes ago · posted in TV Shows

Slow Horses - Apple TV

Just finished S2. Watching Gary Oldman as deshvilved, dejected MI-6 agent, Jackson Lamb, is one of the best things streaming right now. Already 2 more seasons in the works. HIGHLY recommended. And yes, Mick Jagger sings the theme.

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Foxbat

Oct 8, 2026

Mrs. Foxbat and I are enjoying another great season so far. We only had to turn on the captions a few times.

KAB

Oct 9, 2026

Foxbat said:
Mrs. Foxbat and I are enjoying another great season so far. We only had to turn on the captions a few times.

I think this new season is a little too slow of a burn (as of ep #4, probably due to new show runner. However, I can't wait to find out what's up with Taverner!

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KAB

Yesterday at 4:31 PM

Well, the season finale went balls to the wall. Non stop action and several twisted twists. Gary Oldman at his best. Very well written and executed. Tavener owes Jackson big time. Only "if" was Jack Lowden's (River) cliffhanger, especially admin-st the buzz that he is the next James Bond in waiting.

klang

Yesterday at 5:35 PM

Planning to start the new season tonight.

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KAB

50 minutes ago

I missed somewhere that it was renewed for season 8. That's quite something!

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dishstaller

Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Today at 7:44 AM · posted in The Chit Chat Club

Country singer John Anderson died today

He was 71 yrs old. One of my favorite songs is Seminole Wind....the violin is killer.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8sh9P3X33w

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mikew

Yesterday at 11:01 PM

I Wish I Could Have Been There is an amazing song. Rest in peace Mr Anderson.

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Bobby

Yesterday at 11:03 PM

Rest in peace.

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comfortably_numb

Yesterday at 11:04 PM

Hope you're out there Swingin', John.

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dishstaller

Today at 12:02 AM

mikew said:
I Wish I Could Have Been There is an amazing song.

That's one of those songs that hits a little too close to home for me. I like the song but just can't listen to it. It's kinda like that song "Daddy never was the Cadillac kind".....reminds me too much of my Grandfather who died Feb 18, 1995.

dfergie

Today at 7:44 AM

R.I.P. I thought he was older…

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dishstaller

Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Today at 7:44 AM · posted in The Chit Chat Club

You can't even trust the cost per ounce info in grocery stores anymore

I'm surprised Walmart hasn't banned this guy from all of their stores. He has been on their CASE the past few months.

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/f3zr37ekgKM?feature=share

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Juan

Yesterday at 11:17 AM

dishstaller said:
I'm surprised Walmart hasn't banned this guy from all of their stores. He has been on their CASE the past few months.

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/f3zr37ekgKM?feature=share

When walmart set a price...they weigh the container and the product...the product label only shows the weight of the product...I am sure if you brought your own plastic baggies to bring the product home you could get the cheaper price

dishstaller

Yesterday at 11:47 AM

Juan said:
When walmart set a price...they weigh the container and the product...

Then they are stupid. Everyone knows that the price per ounce should be the price per ounce of actual product.

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Juan

Yesterday at 1:38 PM

dishstaller said:
Then they are stupid. Everyone knows that the price per ounce should be the price per ounce of actual product.

You are paying for the whole thing

telstar_1

Yesterday at 2:22 PM

Juan said:
You are paying for the whole thing

Well, the bag can't weigh that much, right? But by law food product packaging must display the actual net weight of the product, i.e., the contents of the container, so by any logic, if not law, a store's stated per-ounce cost should reflect that figure. But since there's not any law regulating shelf statements, a store can say whatever it wants without violating any rules. So I guess the answer is more consumer legislation. Or simply caveat emptor.

Juan

Yesterday at 3:07 PM

telstar_1 said:
Well, the bag can't weigh that much, right? But by law food product packaging must display the actual net weight of the product, i.e., the contents of the container, so by any logic, if not law, a store's stated per-ounce cost should reflect that figure. But since there's not any law regulating shelf statements, a store can say whatever it wants without violating any rules. So I guess the answer is more consumer legislation. Or simply caveat emptor.

But a box can weigh more than an ounce..maybe 2...a can might weigh 5 ounces..a bag...not much

dishstaller

Yesterday at 3:13 PM

Juan said:
.a bag...not much

Well, according to the price per ounce on that first bag of coffee he mentions, that would mean the bag weighed over 6 ounces. That bag does NOT weigh 6 ounces. According to Google, an empty bag weighs half an ounce.

Jimbo

Yesterday at 6:23 PM

Juan said:
You are paying for the whole thing

When you go to a Deli, the weight of the container is removed, so you only pay for the weight of the product .... at least where I shop.

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Jimbo

Yesterday at 6:26 PM

telstar_1 said:
Well, the bag can't weigh that much, right? But by law food product packaging must display the actual net weight of the product, i.e., the contents of the container, so by any logic, if not law, a store's stated per-ounce cost should reflect that figure. But since there's not any law regulating shelf statements, a store can say whatever it wants without violating any rules. So I guess the answer is more consumer legislation. Or simply caveat emptor.

I would think that the Vendor/Maker of the product would have a say in it, showing the Correct weight ...
You would think it would be in the contract.

I do look at the ounces of items, but unless its way off, I don't check the math, may have to start now.

Remember when you use to get a 13.5 oz bag of Chips .... Thats a PARTY Size now.

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TRG

Yesterday at 6:41 PM

Jimbo said:
I would think that the Vendor/Maker of the product would have a say in it, showing the Correct weight ...
You would think it would be in the contract.

I do look at the ounces of items, but unless its way off, I don't check the math, may have to start now.

Remember when you use to get a 13.5 oz bag of Chips .... Thats a PARTY Size now.

I remember when a pound of coffee was 16oz. Now its 12oz, they don't call it a pound anymore and its three times the cost of the 16oz pound.

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dishstaller

Yesterday at 10:09 PM

TRG said:
I remember when a pound of coffee was 16oz. Now its 12oz, they don't call it a pound anymore and its three times the cost of the 16oz pound.

All through high school I worked at the local home-owned grocery store. I never cease to be amazed at how packing has shrunk through the years. I worked 1978-end of school 1982 so I worked right through all the inflation that was taking place then. Taught me life-lessons that still are with me. My primary job on Saturdays was doing all the price changes....back then you used a price gun, so I had a front row seat. Sugar REALLY went through the roof which is why we now have high fructose corn syrup in just about everything we eat nowadays .

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Juan

Today at 7:06 AM

Jimbo said:
When you go to a Deli, the weight of the container is removed, so you only pay for the weight of the product .... at least where I shop.

It's a plastic bag at the deli....at the end of the day..the only thing that will happen is that walmart will increase there cost per ounce price...there is no way..no how they will reduce prices

Juan

Today at 7:09 AM

dishstaller said:
All through high school I worked at the local home-owned grocery store. I never cease to be amazed at how packing has shrunk through the years. I worked 1978-end of school 1982 so I worked right through all the inflation that was taking place then. Taught me life-lessons that still are with me. My primary job on Saturdays was doing all the price changes....back then you used a price gun, so I had a front row seat. Sugar REALLY went through the roof which is why we now have high fructose corn syrup in just about everything we eat nowadays .

Sugar went from 5 pound bags to 4 pound bags

Juan

Today at 7:13 AM

dishstaller said:
Well, according to the price per ounce on that first bag of coffee he mentions, that would mean the bag weighed over 6 ounces. That bag does NOT weigh 6 ounces. According to Google, an empty bag weighs half an ounce.

You need to weigh the actual bag...a deli bag weighs less than that but a thick coffee bag is gonna weigh around an ounce...an empty tin can has some weight

NYDutch

Today at 7:44 AM

Juan said:
You need to weigh the actual bag...a deli bag weighs less than that but a thick coffee bag is gonna weigh around an ounce...an empty tin can has some weight

Products sold by the ounce, pound, etc, should always be priced for the product only. Only the shipping weight should include the packaging.

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MartyDe

Last reply Today at 7:43 AM · posted in Over the Air Television By RabbitEars.Info

ATSC 3 converter boxes

Interesting article about the work being done to develope an ATSC 3 converter box. Yes it does mention affordable.

Pearl TV Issues Progress Report on Low-Cost 3.0 Converters in Advance of NAB Show New York

Group has secured lower pricing from key tech players to make less costly boxes available

www.tvtechnology.com

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navychop

Tuesday at 12:03 PM

DEATH TO NEXGEN!

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TRG

Tuesday at 12:12 PM

17 years ago the US turned off analog OTA signals in favor of digital broadcasting. Now the push is ATSC 3 "Nextgen TV". But nobody seems to be able to agree on DRM implementation protocols. People don't want to hook their TV up to the internet in order to watch over the air TV. At least I don't. With all the data they collect about your viewing habits the box should be given away at no cost.

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navychop

Tuesday at 12:27 PM

Comb your hair.

primestar31

Yesterday at 7:29 PM

navychop said:
DEATH TO NEXGEN!

It's dead, they just don't know it yet. They killed it by forcing DRM on it, and that TOTALLY botched implementing it.

There is absolutely NO compelling reason for anybody to switch to ATSC3.0. They only want it as a total and complete money grab.

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navychop

Yesterday at 10:37 PM

I truly hope you are right.

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Mister B

Today at 7:43 AM

What bothers me is the total waste of broadcasting spectrum in this very crowded market. It has been almost three years now since KFOX converted their broadcast tower to ATSC 3.0 and moved all of their channels to other towers causing noticeable degradation of the picture quality.
I have a Sony TV with 3.0 capabilities but still use the 1.0 version of locals due to the fact that one or all of the 3.0 channels are often missing or unwatchable. In this city of 800K I doubt that more than a few hundred even know about ATSC 3.0.
The only thing that could motivate me to be interested in 3.0 would be if all of the minor networks (diginets) could be in at least 720P rather than blurry ultra-compressed 480i.
Three years is long enough to waste one of the few available RF frequencies in the area for this trial.
It is time to either move on with this experiment or call it quits.

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TFLEV

Today at 7:22 AM · posted in TFLEV

I Drive the MOST POPULAR Chinese Car in the World: You Won't Believe What the Geely E2 Costs!

Time for another AWESOME video from TFL Electric Vehicles!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lIepOAbUWs

Direct YouTube Link - I Drive the MOST POPULAR Chinese Car in the World: You Won't Believe What the Geely E2 Costs!

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Scott Greczkowski

Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge

Last reply Today at 7:00 AM · posted in The Chit Chat Club

Song Name Game Part 3!

Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!

So let the game continue!

The last song was added by Bobby who posted...

One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters

CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!

Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game

Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.

Example:

Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow

Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio

Another example:

Ride the Lightning -- Metallica

Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne

Get it?

An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....

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RaiderPower

Yesterday at 1:24 PM

Little Miss Can't Be Wrong - Spin Doctors

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sdfntx

Yesterday at 3:01 PM

Jump Down, Spin Around - Harry Belafonte

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long_time_Dish

Yesterday at 4:27 PM

Stop Draggin' My Heart Around - Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks

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hwkn

Today at 2:45 AM

This Old HEART Of Mine(Is Weak For You)-The Isley Brothers

ClarkGable

Today at 7:00 AM

Don't Go Breaking My Heart - Elton John & Kiki Dee

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SuperDish_Fan23

Last reply Today at 6:51 AM · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

Its crazy how the ViP922 is so rare for no reason.

Why are ViP922s So rare? like its crazy how ebay has none, i checked everywhere, also, i got a ViP222k now, which is actually activated!

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Strega

Yesterday at 2:34 PM

That's not really unusual. Cable companies like to the provide the box too. The phone company provided the phones in until the government forced them to allow third-party phones.

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Almighty1

Yesterday at 7:02 PM

Strega said:
That's not really unusual. Cable companies like to the provide the box too. The phone company provided the phones in until the government forced them to allow third-party phones.

Yes, the Western Electric phones that says "Bell System Property, NOT FOR SALE, Western Electric".

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Bobby

Yesterday at 8:30 PM

Almighty1 said:
Yes, the Western Electric phones that says "Bell System Property, NOT FOR SALE, Western Electric".

In my very early work life I installed and repaired those phones.

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AZ.

Yesterday at 9:10 PM

Almighty1 said:
Yes, the Western Electric phones that says "Bell System Property, NOT FOR SALE, Western Electric".

someone is showing their age

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Almighty1

Yesterday at 9:38 PM

AZ. said:
someone is showing their age

LOL. It depends if the person saw it during the years when they were actually still available which is 1968 to 1983 meaning the person could be 43-58 years old or they can even be a few years old if they learned to read and write at a young age and actually saw a telephone with that label somewhere recently just like even here in San Francisco, payphone still exist physically in public places but whether they can be used or not is a different issue. It still looks like this even today:

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dishstaller

Yesterday at 10:03 PM

I opened my Radio Shack in Sept 1984 and right about that time they did the whole deregulation thing with the phone companies. I bought TONS of those phones that had been refurbished with a new outer shell. You could throw one of those out of a 3 story high window and it would still work.
That was an interesting time in history. I would have older customers come in and ask about phones.....they were terrified that they were going to get into trouble hooking up a second phone without the phone company knowing about it. One of the funniest episodes of WKRP was the one where Johnny thought the cops were showing up because they had an unregistered phone. I guess younger folks can't conceive of a time when you were limited to the number of phones you could have in your house....and limited to the length of the cord

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navychop

Yesterday at 11:01 PM

AZ. said:
someone is showing their age

You should hear his stories about when rocks were soft and pterodactyls were the new kid on the block!

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dishstaller

Today at 12:04 AM

dishstaller said:
One of the funniest episodes of WKRP was the one where Johnny thought the cops were showing up because they had an unregistered phone.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA0yZ1nrm6M&pp=ygUPd2tycCBwaG9uZSBjb3Bz

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llokey

Today at 6:51 AM

Bobby said:
In my very early work life I installed and repaired those phones.

And I kept them working through the ESS offices.

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reubenray

Last reply Today at 5:34 AM · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

Dish vs Streaming Apps?

Every time my Dish contract comes up I weigh the options of keeping Dish or switch to streaming. Right now I can watch/record the OTA channels vis my HDHomerun. I also can stream CBS and NBC via the Paramount+ and Peacock apps. What I would need to find is how to watch the Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime channels plus a few more with an app or two. My current Dish bill is $118, so I should be able to get a few apps for a lot less.

Any suggestions? I would want the best picture quality and audio quality I could get.

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Bruce

Yesterday at 1:17 PM

reubenray said:
Every time my Dish contract comes up I weigh the options of keeping Dish or switch to streaming. Right now I can watch/record the OTA channels vis my HDHomerun. I also can stream CBS and NBC via the Paramount+ and Peacock apps. What I would need to find is how to watch the Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime channels plus a few more with an app or two. My current Dish bill is $118, so I should be able to get a few apps for a lot less.

Any suggestions? I would want the best picture quality and audio quality I could get.

USA and SyFy content is on Peacock, you can receive the rest of those channels via Philo, only $25 a month.

Philo - Stream Live and On-Demand TV

Why pay more for TV? Start your Philo free trial and enjoy live TV plus on-demand content starting at just $25/month. Stream hit shows, movies, and more.

www.philo.com

Reactions: Bobby, osu1991, reubenray and 1 other person

Almighty1

Yesterday at 6:55 PM

reubenray said:
Every time my Dish contract comes up I weigh the options of keeping Dish or switch to streaming. Right now I can watch/record the OTA channels vis my HDHomerun. I also can stream CBS and NBC via the Paramount+ and Peacock apps. What I would need to find is how to watch the Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime channels plus a few more with an app or two. My current Dish bill is $118, so I should be able to get a few apps for a lot less.

Any suggestions? I would want the best picture quality and audio quality I could get.

This is what Google Search AI says, let's see how good AI can really solve problems.

To perfectly cover your specific channel checklist while saving significantly on your $118 Dish Network bill, you can leverage your existing HDHomerun setup alongside a live TV streaming service or app combination.
Since you require USA and Syfy, budget entertainment-only streaming apps like Philo ($28/mo) or Frndly TV ($7–$11/mo) will not work as standalone solutions because they exclude NBCUniversal networks. [1, 2]
Here are the best ways to get all your channels, optimized for high picture and audio quality:

Option 1: Hulu + Live TV (The All-In-One Match)
Hulu + Live TV ($89.99–$99.99/mo) is the most seamless replacement because its base tier natively carries every single channel on your list: [1, 2, 3]

Channel Checklist: Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, Great American Family, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movies. [1]
Quality & Audio: Hulu + Live TV is widely praised by cord-cutters for its excellent high-bitrate 1080p video quality at 60 frames per second (fps) on compatible streaming hardware. It supports 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound on most live channels and compatible home theater systems.
Bonus Value: The price automatically bundles the entire on-demand libraries of Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+, which gives you a massive amount of additional content. [1, 2]

Option 2: YouTube TV (The Premium Interface Alternative)
YouTube TV ($82.99/mo) is highly regarded for its robust streaming stability, unlimited DVR, and highly polished user interface. [1, 2, 3]

Channel Checklist: It includes Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, and Lifetime.
The Catch: Great American Family is not in the base lineup and requires the Sports Plus or Entertainment Plus add-on package, which increases the monthly cost.
Quality & Audio: It streams in 1080p/60fps with an advanced compression codec that minimizes buffering. It features native 5.1 surround sound audio across major streaming hardware platforms.

Option 3: The Maximum Savings "App Stack" Combination
If you want to maximize your financial savings by skipping a massive live TV guide, you can split your checklist across a few dedicated streaming apps. Because you already pay for Peacock, you can cross USA and Syfy content off your list, as Peacock hosts most of those networks' premium shows next-day or live.
By adding the following, you can build a highly customized tier:

Frndly TV ($6.99–$10.99/mo): This affordable live app brings you all 3 Hallmark channels, Great American Family, and the Lifetime networks with a classic cloud DVR.
Discovery+ ($4.99–$8.99/mo): This gives you the full, deep on-demand libraries and live feeds for Food Network and HGTV. [1]

Total Estimated Stack Cost: Around $12 to $20/mo combined on top of what you already pay.

Quality Note: Frndly TV maxes out at 720p/1080p high-definition with stereo audio, while Discovery+ supports highly optimized crisp 1080p and selective 4K video playback with strong digital audio depth on high-end streaming sticks. [1]

Cord-Cutting Tips for Peak Quality

Streaming Hardware Matters: To get the best possible image processing and audio passthrough, use dedicated streaming hardware like an Apple TV 4K or a high-end Roku Ultra rather than relying on the built-in smart TV operating systems.
Check Your Bandwidth: Ensure your home network has a stable downstream speed of at least 25–50 Mbps dedicated to your main television device to ensure the streaming apps auto-negotiate to their highest available bitrate and frame rates without dropping down to lower resolutions.

Reactions: dishstaller and charlesrshell

reubenray

Yesterday at 7:54 PM

Almighty1 said:
This is what Google Search AI says, let's see how good AI can really solve problems.

To perfectly cover your specific channel checklist while saving significantly on your $118 Dish Network bill, you can leverage your existing HDHomerun setup alongside a live TV streaming service or app combination.
Since you require USA and Syfy, budget entertainment-only streaming apps like Philo ($28/mo) or Frndly TV ($7–$11/mo) will not work as standalone solutions because they exclude NBCUniversal networks. [1, 2]
Here are the best ways to get all your channels, optimized for high picture and audio quality:

Option 1: Hulu + Live TV (The All-In-One Match)
Hulu + Live TV ($89.99–$99.99/mo) is the most seamless replacement because its base tier natively carries every single channel on your list: [1, 2, 3]

Channel Checklist: Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, Great American Family, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movies. [1]

Quality & Audio: Hulu + Live TV is widely praised by cord-cutters for its excellent high-bitrate 1080p video quality at 60 frames per second (fps) on compatible streaming hardware. It supports 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound on most live channels and compatible home theater systems.

Bonus Value: The price automatically bundles the entire on-demand libraries of Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+, which gives you a massive amount of additional content. [1, 2]

Option 2: YouTube TV (The Premium Interface Alternative)
YouTube TV ($82.99/mo) is highly regarded for its robust streaming stability, unlimited DVR, and highly polished user interface. [1, 2, 3]

Channel Checklist: It includes Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, and Lifetime.

The Catch: Great American Family is not in the base lineup and requires the Sports Plus or Entertainment Plus add-on package, which increases the monthly cost.

Quality & Audio: It streams in 1080p/60fps with an advanced compression codec that minimizes buffering. It features native 5.1 surround sound audio across major streaming hardware platforms.

Option 3: The Maximum Savings "App Stack" Combination
If you want to maximize your financial savings by skipping a massive live TV guide, you can split your checklist across a few dedicated streaming apps. Because you already pay for Peacock, you can cross USA and Syfy content off your list, as Peacock hosts most of those networks' premium shows next-day or live.
By adding the following, you can build a highly customized tier:

Frndly TV ($6.99–$10.99/mo): This affordable live app brings you all 3 Hallmark channels, Great American Family, and the Lifetime networks with a classic cloud DVR.

Discovery+ ($4.99–$8.99/mo): This gives you the full, deep on-demand libraries and live feeds for Food Network and HGTV. [1]

Total Estimated Stack Cost: Around $12 to $20/mo combined on top of what you already pay.

Quality Note: Frndly TV maxes out at 720p/1080p high-definition with stereo audio, while Discovery+ supports highly optimized crisp 1080p and selective 4K video playback with strong digital audio depth on high-end streaming sticks. [1]

Cord-Cutting Tips for Peak Quality

Streaming Hardware Matters: To get the best possible image processing and audio passthrough, use dedicated streaming hardware like an Apple TV 4K or a high-end Roku Ultra rather than relying on the built-in smart TV operating systems.

Check Your Bandwidth: Ensure your home network has a stable downstream speed of at least 25–50 Mbps dedicated to your main television device to ensure the streaming apps auto-negotiate to their highest available bitrate and frame rates without dropping down to lower resolutions.

WOW! Thanks for this info. I have Roku Ultra and I have a 300mbps internet plan.

Reactions: Foxbat, Almighty1 and charlesrshell

dishstaller

Yesterday at 10:13 PM

reubenray said:
WOW! Thanks for this info. I have Roku Ultra and I have a 300mbps internet plan.

You'll see the Friendly TV app on your Roku....it's preloaded. If you pay by the year it is under $100 for the entire year. Nice mix of channels.

Reactions: charlesrshell

HipKat

Today at 5:34 AM

Almighty1 said:
This is what Google Search AI says, let's see how good AI can really solve problems.

To perfectly cover your specific channel checklist while saving significantly on your $118 Dish Network bill, you can leverage your existing HDHomerun setup alongside a live TV streaming service or app combination.
Since you require USA and Syfy, budget entertainment-only streaming apps like Philo ($28/mo) or Frndly TV ($7–$11/mo) will not work as standalone solutions because they exclude NBCUniversal networks. [1, 2]
Here are the best ways to get all your channels, optimized for high picture and audio quality:

Option 1: Hulu + Live TV (The All-In-One Match)
Hulu + Live TV ($89.99–$99.99/mo) is the most seamless replacement because its base tier natively carries every single channel on your list: [1, 2, 3]

Channel Checklist: Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, Great American Family, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movies. [1]

Quality & Audio: Hulu + Live TV is widely praised by cord-cutters for its excellent high-bitrate 1080p video quality at 60 frames per second (fps) on compatible streaming hardware. It supports 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound on most live channels and compatible home theater systems.

Bonus Value: The price automatically bundles the entire on-demand libraries of Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+, which gives you a massive amount of additional content. [1, 2]

Option 2: YouTube TV (The Premium Interface Alternative)
YouTube TV ($82.99/mo) is highly regarded for its robust streaming stability, unlimited DVR, and highly polished user interface. [1, 2, 3]

Channel Checklist: It includes Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, and Lifetime.

The Catch: Great American Family is not in the base lineup and requires the Sports Plus or Entertainment Plus add-on package, which increases the monthly cost.

Quality & Audio: It streams in 1080p/60fps with an advanced compression codec that minimizes buffering. It features native 5.1 surround sound audio across major streaming hardware platforms.

Option 3: The Maximum Savings "App Stack" Combination
If you want to maximize your financial savings by skipping a massive live TV guide, you can split your checklist across a few dedicated streaming apps. Because you already pay for Peacock, you can cross USA and Syfy content off your list, as Peacock hosts most of those networks' premium shows next-day or live.
By adding the following, you can build a highly customized tier:

Frndly TV ($6.99–$10.99/mo): This affordable live app brings you all 3 Hallmark channels, Great American Family, and the Lifetime networks with a classic cloud DVR.

Discovery+ ($4.99–$8.99/mo): This gives you the full, deep on-demand libraries and live feeds for Food Network and HGTV. [1]

Total Estimated Stack Cost: Around $12 to $20/mo combined on top of what you already pay.

Quality Note: Frndly TV maxes out at 720p/1080p high-definition with stereo audio, while Discovery+ supports highly optimized crisp 1080p and selective 4K video playback with strong digital audio depth on high-end streaming sticks. [1]

Cord-Cutting Tips for Peak Quality

Streaming Hardware Matters: To get the best possible image processing and audio passthrough, use dedicated streaming hardware like an Apple TV 4K or a high-end Roku Ultra rather than relying on the built-in smart TV operating systems.

Check Your Bandwidth: Ensure your home network has a stable downstream speed of at least 25–50 Mbps dedicated to your main television device to ensure the streaming apps auto-negotiate to their highest available bitrate and frame rates without dropping down to lower resolutions.

I ran it by Chat, out of curiosity

There are actually some pretty good options here, especially since this person already has an HDHomeRun handling OTA channels and DVR recording. That eliminates one of the biggest reasons people pay for expensive live-TV streaming packages.

I'd narrow it down to three options: Philo, Sling Blue + Frndly TV, or DIRECTV MyEntertainment + Frndly TV.

The best options as of October 2026

Service	Monthly price	What's covered
Philo Essential	$25	Food Network, HGTV, all three Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime and LMN. Missing USA and Syfy.
Sling TV Blue	From $45.99	Food Network, HGTV, USA, Syfy and Lifetime. Missing some of the family/movie channels without add-ons.
Frndly TV Classic	$10.99	Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime, LMN and other family-oriented channels. HD and unlimited cloud DVR included.
DIRECTV MyEntertainment	$42.99	Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, Lifetime and many entertainment channels. Includes Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max ad-supported access.

Prices may vary by location and applicable taxes.

Notice that Philo covers almost everything for just $25, but USA and Syfy are the problem. Naturally, two channels manage to complicate an otherwise beautiful budget.

My recommendation

For the absolute lowest cost, Philo Essential at $25/month is hard to beat, provided they can live without live USA and Syfy. It even includes unlimited cloud DVR with recordings retained for one year.

If every channel matters, I'd compare these two combinations:

Sling Blue + Frndly Classic: Approximately $57–$66/month depending on Sling's local pricing, before taxes. Covers the entire requested channel list.
DIRECTV MyEntertainment + Frndly Classic: Approximately $54/month at the $42.99 DIRECTV price. Covers everything except USA, which is not on the currently published MyEntertainment lineup.

Picture and audio quality

This is where I'd offer one caution. Streaming isn't automatically better than DISH.

Sling generally delivers live TV in 720p, often with stereo audio, although some on-demand programming supports Dolby 5.1. Frndly's Classic plan offers HD, but not necessarily 1080p on every channel.

If picture and sound are major priorities, compare the actual services on the same television and streaming device during their trial periods. A dedicated on-demand app may deliver a better encode or surround soundtrack than the corresponding live channel, but availability varies by show and device.

The bottom line: I'd recommend trying Philo first. Their current $25 Essential package covers nearly the entire wish list and saves $93/month, or $1,116/year, compared with the $118 DISH bill. If USA and Syfy are must-haves as live channels, Sling Blue plus Frndly would be my next choice.

And one final distinction worth making on that message board: HDHomeRun recordings won't replace the cloud DVR for subscription channels. Those recordings stay within the streaming services' respective apps.

Reactions: reubenray and charlesrshell

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Today at 3:12 AM · posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network

Project Helix Price Rumor: Could the Next Xbox Cost $1,800? #shorts

Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/x3Zbzo-tk-s

Direct YouTube Link - Project Helix Price Rumor: Could the Next Xbox Cost $1,800? #shorts
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