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Last reply · posted in DIRECTV General Forum
Hey guys. We have a 55in. Samsung LCD; however we have non-HD DirecTV programming. It's a total waste of a great TV.

The issue:
We live in the woods and are surrounded by trees. We can barely clear the trees to get a standard satellite signal. Apparently the HD satellite is slightly lower in the sky or is less accessible from our location (northwest NJ).

We really want to stick with DirecTV. We have it at another location. Our driveway is about 1200ft long. We can get a signal from there. Is that an option?
HTML:
How much of a production/expense would that be? Is it even worth considering putting a dish that far from the house?

Is there anything else you guys know of that I don't. Can we use two dishes to scrape together a viable signal? Divine intervention?

Looking forward to what kind of knowledge you can lay on me.

Thanks.

Drew
27 Replies · 8373 views
J
Cut trees man. No tech is going to go through all that just for upgrade money. Not even an lead tech. Honestly 1200ft of cable is nothing but a bunch of problems and money. I do areas like yours everyday. But I've only never got a signal 2 times in 2 years. There is a spot just got to spend alittle more time an find it. An be creative if you like.
kjlued
Cut trees man. No tech is going to go through all that just for upgrade money.


Hell, no tech is going through all that for install money either. LOL
(except for maybe a retail tech who can charge you tons extra for the custom work)

Anyone that you can get to deliver it for will charge you through the nose unless you can bring the cable run to under 150' (125' for swm) of total length in wire and have it on the ground or on your roof. If that is not a possibility don't even bother calling D* for the upgrade as in house and D* techs are no equipped for those types of installs nor are the allowed to do them.

Also, if you do go the custom route, don't ever expect to get D* to service it because any tech that comes out won't be allowed to touch it.
For systems like that we are strictly prohibited to service them because future problems then becomes ours (some will fix it but cancel the work order which means they don't get paid which is usually what I do when I can).

Good luck in whatever you decide.
Jimbo
Hell, no tech is going through all that for install money either. LOL
(except for maybe a retail tech who can charge you tons extra for the custom work)

Anyone that you can get to deliver it for will charge you through the nose unless you can bring the cable run to under 150' (125' for swm) of total length in wire and have it on the ground or on your roof. If that is not a possibility don't even bother calling D* for the upgrade as in house and D* techs are no equipped for those types of installs nor are the allowed to do them.

Also, if you do go the custom route, don't ever expect to get D* to service it because any tech that comes out won't be allowed to touch it.
For systems like that we are strictly prohibited to service them because future problems then becomes ours (some will fix it but cancel the work order which means they don't get paid which is usually what I do when I can).

Good luck in whatever you decide.

You guys have any idea that the normal sub has no idea that you get paid different for a install vs an upgrade ....
They don't care, all they want is thier service or thier upgrade done...
It's nice for them all to know that seeing the Upgrade doesn't pay as well that they have a better chance of getting blown off or a half correct job because of it. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
kjlued
You guys have any idea that the normal sub has no idea that you get paid different for a install vs an upgrade ....
They don't care, all they want is thier service or thier upgrade done...
It's nice for them all to know that seeing the Upgrade doesn't pay as well that they have a better chance of getting blown off or a half correct job because of it. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Never said it was right, but it is what it is.

I mean would you spend what is very possibly 3-5 hours on a job that you would lose money to complete only to probably get back charged for the job because it is a completely unapproved mounting method?

Blame D*, not the sub as they have pretty much cut out every form of custom labor.

That being said, I would not do the job if it was an install because mounting to a tree is a major no no in my world.
First off, I don't think it will be reliable and I am not going to install something that I think will be an absolute service nightmare for the customer.
Next, if it was QC'ed I would get back charged for the install and possibly lose my tech ID.
Last, if the customer fails to live out his contract due to LOS issues or improper mounting like this, my company could get a rather substantial back charge I forget the exact amount but I is in the thousands.
S
Get online, call all the local retailers in your area.

As a dealer I would come to your location and give you a free site survey.

Where are you located?
Jimbo
Never said it was right, but it is what it is.

I mean would you spend what is very possibly 3-5 hours on a job that you would lose money to complete only to probably get back charged for the job because it is a completely unapproved mounting method?

Blame D*, not the sub as they have pretty much cut out every form of custom labor.

That being said, I would not do the job if it was an install because mounting to a tree is a major no no in my world.
First off, I don't think it will be reliable and I am not going to install something that I think will be an absolute service nightmare for the customer.
Next, if it was QC'ed I would get back charged for the install and possibly lose my tech ID.
Last, if the customer fails to live out his contract due to LOS issues or improper mounting like this, my company could get a rather substantial back charge I forget the exact amount but I is in the thousands.

Grasping for straws here aren't we !

Just admit it, a difficult job you'll walk away from ....

If I were the sub and wanted the service, I definitely would hope you didn't show up.

We already KNOW the sub HAS LOS, he's had service for years.
Changing to HD from SD, is a change of dish/LNB.
As you already know, if he can get SD, seeing the HD is on the 99 and 103, you KNOW he should be able to get HD.

So, outside of the fact the job is "Outside of the Box", because it's hanging on a 100 year old Oak tree thats not gonna MOVE at ALL at the 20 FT point .....

This is why subs are forced to do thier OWN work, which MANY do a very good job, btw.

IF I were the sub, I would tell D* to supply the equipment to him, sign off on it and put the stuff up.
Remember, he's already had service working there for a long time without issue.

I would have also by this time spoke with the subs Boss and discussed the situation .... not EVERY job you do is in a Classroom.
Go out in the REAL world and do the Job.
J
Jimbo,
It seems things are going a little different from what you think. Within the HSP world the techs are paralyzed by what can be stated on a WO and reported to a dispatcher. Everything is on a "schedule." with fixed rates. The wise tech does walk away from difficult work. But first they must come up with some pretext for doing so. In their world not only is initiative and skill building discouraged, failures are penalized and successes are ignored. Why attempt anything that is a little out of the box?

As you noticed....this subscriber has the 101 LOS............the 99 & 103 are on either side and could well be hit without even pruning. It is the tree mount that makes them wet their pants.
The QC man will not be happy.
Joe
kjlued
Grasping for straws here aren't we !

Just admit it, a difficult job you'll walk away from ....

If I were the sub and wanted the service, I definitely would hope you didn't show up.


Lol, straw grasping here, but it obvious you like picking fights with me.

How about one day you go in to work and pay your employer for aloowing you to make him money and then we can continue this conversation.

As far as walking away from difficult jobs, no, in fact I am often the go to guy when others have blown the work off and quite enjoy them.
However, I am just not in to paying somebody else for my services. It is quite obvious that either you have no idea what would be involved in this job, no idea what little pay would be made, or the fact that a tree mount if QC'ed would involve a back charge (for me, the entire amount made if I didn't fix it and in this case there would be no fixing).

We already KNOW the sub HAS LOS, he's had service for years.
Changing to HD from SD, is a change of dish/LNB.
As you already know, if he can get SD, seeing the HD is on the 99 and 103, you KNOW he should be able to get HD.

So, outside of the fact the job is "Outside of the Box", because it's hanging on a 100 year old Oak tree thats not gonna MOVE at ALL at the 20 FT point .....


This further shows me you do not know anything about what the job involves nor have you read much of anything in this post.

First off, the OP already stated that the standard dish is 35 feet up the tree and the installer would have put it higher if it was not for the tree swaying.
Second we already know if it is just clearing the trees it will probably have to go higher as one of the HD satellites comes in at a lower elevation.
Third we know that HD dish is much more sensitive then the standard.
Fourth we know no sub is allowed to do a tree mount.

It isn't a matter of thinking outside the box, it is a matter of giving proper service to a customer and 40+ feet up a tree will not do that.

It is great that you will not ever let me on your property to do work, in fact I am quite appreciative that you will not because if you came on my property trying to mount a dish in a tree, I would run you off.

This is why subs are forced to do thier OWN work, which MANY do a very good job, btw.

IF I were the sub, I would tell D* to supply the equipment to him, sign off on it and put the stuff up.
Remember, he's already had service working there for a long time without issue.

I would have also by this time spoke with the subs Boss and discussed the situation .... not EVERY job you do is in a Classroom.
Go out in the REAL world and do the Job.

Well, he is welcome to buy all the equipment he needs on ebay but D* won't give it to him.

I would also love somebody "discussing" this with my supervisors.
I would give them every number to the top as every single one of them would say "no way"
SuperDish_Fan23
· posted in DISH Network Support Forum
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!
0 Replies · 14 views
Former member 208119
Last reply · posted in SiriusXM Satellite Radio
My year was almost up and we got the new bill for a year of service for $ 360.00 insane sat radio is becoming like cable!!! i logged into my acct and hopped onto chat and told the rep that i wanted to cancel. she understood my concern and went quiet for a few minutes. i figured that she was canceling my service. she comes back and said that she seen that i have been a sub since 07 and then offers me the same package for a year for 120.00 with taxes and fee's!!! i grabbed it. after almost having a stroke :biggrin
237 Replies · 10988 views
B
What i noticed with my last renewal XM is now billing me $4.99 monthly instead of one time yearly payment.
Jimbo
What i noticed with my last renewal XM is now billing me $.99 monthly instead of one time yearly payment.
Did you accidentally get on the wrong plan ?
I still do the once a year plans.
B
Did you accidentally get on the wrong plan ?
I still do the once a year plans.
I have to think maybe more people dont keep track of the monthly XM bill. Every time i renew i put a reminder on my calendar week before its time to renew. My wife told me the other day not to renew her and then i told her you are not going to be able to listen to XM at home. Then she changed her mind...!!
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TRG
TRG
I have to think maybe more people dont keep track of the monthly XM bill. Every time i renew i put a reminder on my calendar week before its time to renew. My wife told me the other day not to renew her and then i told her you are not going to be able to listen to XM at home. Then she changed her mind...!!
I get an e-mail every month reminding me that X amount will be charged to my credit card. If I see it go up I get on chat or pick up the phone. But I also remember that my year is up in December.
B
I get an e-mail every month reminding me that X amount will be charged to my credit card. If I see it go up I get on chat or pick up the phone. But I also remember that my year is up in December.
yea i don't understand WHY, like you I get a notice each month. Mine is also up in December.
Jimbo
yea i don't understand WHY, like you I get a notice each month. Mine is also up in December.
You get an email every month to let you know they are billing you for the next month.
Foxbat
Mrs. Foxbat reminded me it's that time of the year to do the Cancel Tango💃🏽

The A.I. agent appears to be better than in the past. It got to the acceptable price quicker than previous years, no human operator involved. $5/mo and I still have over $50 in SiriusXM credit from my FordPartner benefits.
Scott Greczkowski
Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge
Last reply · posted in The Chit Chat Club
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....
68527 Replies · 2672619 views
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dishstaller
Can't You See - Marshall Tucker Band
sdfntx
See You in September - The Happenings
long_time_Dish
You Look Like You Love Me - Ella Langley
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dishstaller
See Me Feel Me - The Who
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long_time_Dish
Take It Easy On Me - Little River Band
Peter Parker
Supporting Founder Lifetime Supporter
Last reply · posted in DISH Network Support Forum
No idea what improvements might be involved.
19 Replies · 810 views
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bookworm370
Has anyone noticed an FF stutter with 713? I used to be able to hit FF a few times and skip smoothly. After 713 (maybe 712), when I skip forward, there is a definite stutter for as many times as I have pressed FF.

Can anyone check on this and report back? Recorded programs and then press skip forward a few times to see if it's smooth? Normally, it just jumps to the right place after the skips.
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N
I'm getting fabulous picture on Ch. 148 4k, but zero audio with H713. This is with a recorded show (Notre Dame game). Anyone else have this? Audio is fine on every other channel.
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R
Has anyone noticed an FF stutter with 713? I used to be able to hit FF a few times and skip smoothly. After 713 (maybe 712), when I skip forward, there is a definite stutter for as many times as I have pressed FF.

Can anyone check on this and report back? Recorded programs and then press skip forward a few times to see if it's smooth? Normally, it just jumps to the right place after the skips.
My wife mentioned that her remote is acting strange this morning. She hit FF and it went to 15x FF.
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Bobby
I'm getting fabulous picture on Ch. 148 4k, but zero audio with H713. This is with a recorded show (Notre Dame game). Anyone else have this? Audio is fine on every other channel.
This has been an ongoing issue. A fix is coming, probably in the next software version.
Foxbat
Wife bought me a t-shirt that has "have you tried turning it off and on again?"
Here's the one I need:
1792365258110.webp
dishstaller
Here's the one I need:
Just ordered one....that's great.
dfergie
Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU!
Last reply · posted in The Chit Chat Club
Stumbled across this ... http://www.gaspricewatch.com/USGas_ZipSearch.asp
I found no local prices, although it did show stations at my location...
Added these to this post...
USA National Gas Temperature Map
State By State Gasoline Taxes
Gas Buddy

Ethanol Free Stations

5552 Replies · 460623 views
Bobby
Regular$5.999​
Premium$6.399​
Diesel$7.999​
at Costco, Rohnert Park.​
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harshness
I wonder if California is getting into the Winter formula.
dishstaller
Regular$5.999​
Premium$6.399​
Odd that out there, Prem is only 40 cents higher. Here it's a full dollar more.

Last night it was about $4.17 gas, $6,19 diesel.
harshness
Odd that out there, Prem is only 40 cents higher. Here it's a full dollar more.
On the West Coast, a 40-cent differential is common. It used to be 30 cents before the prices rose above $3.

A "full dollar more" sounds like it may be boat gas (non-alcoholic), which is a whole different discussion.
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Foxbat
Here in Indiana, the difference between Regular and Premium is usually a dollar, but some charge even more:
1792374072446.webp
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dishstaller
A "full dollar more" sounds like it may be boat gas (non-alcoholic),
Both non-ethanol and prem run about the same....buck more. When we were up in TN it was a buck more up there as well.
jokeworm
Last reply · posted in What's Cooking?
Ok, I'm bored .... actually - to be more precise - I'm bored of eating the same rotation of 9 or 10 meals that are currently my "go-to" meals. My wife works the long hours - I work from home as and when i feel like it ... which means i generally do most of the cooking ... and so by default - i also make out the shopping list ...

We cook at home 5 or even 6 nights a week - but we always seem to fall back on the same old tried and tested "quick and easy but tastes ok" meals. Week in week out.

Pot Roast - mash and Peas.
Spaghetti
Chicken Pasta in cheese sauce.
Curry & rice
(these are some of mine)

Now it's not that I'm not adventurous in the kitchen ... I'll try anything once or twice ... but we all do it. Unless your name is Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray .. we all eventually fall back on our 8-10 favorite "meals"

So i thought - if we shared some of our own go-to meals with each other ... we might be able to add a few "new" ones to our own arsenal of meals.

So again - I ask you ...

What's for dinner tonight ?

Please give me something new to add to my rotation ... its our weekly shop tomorrow - so i want to pull together a few idea's and try and eat a meal each day next week that I've never had before .. or at least something that is not on my current "go-to" meal plan.

What meal do you always seem to fall back on in your house ? Maybe its something that I've never tried or not had in a while. I need inspiration !! I've got a blank shopping list in front of me - and nothing sounds good .. HELP !
4332 Replies · 331166 views
TRG
TRG
Beef and vegetable stew with buttermilk biscuits. Water.
It seemed appropriate on an unusually cold and wet evening in New Mexico.
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Bobby
Chili Cheesebugers, Tater Tots.
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TRG
TRG
I made shrimp parmesan with spaghetti and a salad.
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S
venison lasagna
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dishstaller
Smoked some salmon on the grill while enjoying some Blue Moon beer. Kinda cool tonight so I fired up the heaters. Here in FL, we fire up heaters once the temps get below 60 :cool As for the salmon, I seared them first, then flipped them off to the side not over the coals and brushed on some lemon pepper marinade followed by some salmon seasoning. Threw some hickory chips on the coals and then closed the vents to about 10% airflow. Yum.
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osu1991
Pub Member / Supporter
Last reply · posted in The Chit Chat Club

The number-one US state for EV growth, according to the June 22 Yardi report?
Oklahoma.


:eek


It has no ZEV mandates and "minimal" incentives, Yardi says, but also has cheap electricity, high multi-car household rates (so, for example, a non-Lightning Ford F-150 pulls their trailers), and a consumer base willing to switch.
112 Replies · 904 views
navychop
Servant's problem.
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meStevo

Never realized that Tesla is losing to BYD at manufacturing too, which IMO is Tesla's biggest accomplishment and area of innovation. Nice writeup about the state of play and how we got here though. I have no faith that we're moving any productive direction though sadly, most changes and efforts feel reactionary rather than rooted in making use of the time being bought by tariffs, with few exceptions.

So: how are the cars so cheap, and what is being cut to get there? The best public accounting comes from the Rhodium Group, which compared BYD, Geely, and Leapmotor against Tesla's Chinese operation, a fair comparison because it removes labor costs and shipping from the equation entirely. Their estimate is that BYD builds a car for about $4,700 less than Tesla builds a Model 3 in Shanghai, roughly 15 percent of the Model 3's price. The breakdown is the interesting part. Direct government grants account for about $292 per vehicle, which is 5 percent of the gap. The biggest single factor is vertical integration: BYD makes about 80 percent of its top-tier components in-house, against 37 percent for Tesla, and that eliminates roughly $2,369 per vehicle in supplier markups. Lower overhead, meaning cheaper engineering talent and administrative cost spread across enormous volume, accounts for another $1,719. And BYD pays its suppliers on 155-day terms, against Tesla's 60, which is worth about $214 per car in float. When people say the Chinese advantage is subsidies, the per-vehicle number says otherwise. When people say it is slave wages, the Tesla Shanghai comparison says otherwise too. The advantage is mostly that BYD decided, twenty years ago, to make its own batteries, its own motors, its own power electronics, and its own semiconductors, and Western automakers decided the opposite.​
harshness
The EV company to watch out for is SAIC. They seem likely to take over Government Motors at some point.

GM originally struck a JV deal with SAIC to gain access to China. Now SAIC has taken China back with the substantial library of technology GM shared and they're looking to export to Mexico, South America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
osu1991
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TWiT Tech Podcast Network
· posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network
0 Replies · 23 views
Ham Radio 2.0
· posted in Ham Radio 2.0
0 Replies · 18 views
Ramy
Supporting Founder
Last reply · posted in The Sports Section
Really excited for this season with Kentucky having a new coach and some really exciting recruits. Probably won't last long, but here's hoping this season is great.
148 Replies · 1746 views
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Foxbat
They ought to have fun with this… :devilish
osu1991
They ought to have fun with this… :devilish
Was thinking same thing. It should be a good week for sec shorts and roll call
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R
A lot of upsets yesterday, but my LSU Tigers won.
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Foxbat
Best fan sign I saw during the ND-BYU game: "Bear ate your Lucky Charms!" (Bear being the Cougars' QB). I was going to suggest, "Have you or your team been involved in a Carr crash?"
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