Can't do my own installation?

[Hall]

They are a retailer.

If you order directly from Dish, is it this retailer who will always do the work ? There's really no "retailers" in my area -- all work, to my knowledge, is done by "Digital Dish", a 3rd-party contractor. They do nothing else, 100% Dish work. Even their trucks and vans appear to be Dish Network and if there's any mention of "Digital Dish" or "Contractor for Dish Network", it's in really small print.

I realize, in some areas, you call the "local" guy, place your order, and they do all the work. Is that the case with them ? If you call Dish, does a different company do the work ?

 

[bmorgan]

In my experience/location that is always the case. 95% of the time, it's this one outfit I mentioned above. A few times it was another bunch. I always try to specify, but the Dish reps insist they can't do that.

 

[Scherrman]

If you call Dish you'll get a business that strictly does service and installs for Dish. The install will not go to an idependant retailer. They usually do not do sales on their own. I typical local retail is family own and they handle their own sales, installs and service. There are some local retailers that will strictly do sales only and their sales get sent off to a national office.

 

[3HaloODST]

Hopper/Joey are completely different animals (no pun intended) and during installation, especially with multiple receivers, any of them are bound to throw hissy fits at any point. Once they are set up and past installation, very reliable, but before hand, high probability of having to deal with 1303s, 015s, 833s, etc. . When I installed my third Hopper, I did everything EXACTLY right, yet, it still tried to screw me with the 015, until I read on SatGuys about resetting to factory defaults. Then the other Hopper decided it didn't want to detect the right switch, only detected 1 sat, until I did a red button reboot. I was about ready to pull my hair out, but in the end it worked and still works great.

So not only do you have to know all about how to wire things up, but Dish also tells the installers about how to get around all the installation/software-related flukes. Things aren't always as easy as they seem... Personally I think that their policy to come out for leased receivers is fine. After all, you're only paying anywhere between $0-$200 (in most cases) for 1-2 $450 pieces of equipment and 1-6 additional $150 pieces of equipment. The least you can do is let them properly install it. Now, if you buy your own receivers, that's a different matter.

 

[MikeD-C05]

If you're moving from older receivers to Hopper/Joey, it's not just a simple receiver swap out. The wiring is different and there are other components (single/duo node, maybe taps, HIC, etc) to be installed. And it must be done precisely in the right order and the next step not commenced until the previous step has completed.

I simply read this forum for the proper order to install my hopper and used the diagram of the single node off the original hopper announcement to figure out which way the coaxes should go . It worked without a problem. I even tried to diplex my signal before the node and figured out you CAN'T do it without mocca going to zero. It was very easy and I anticipated it would be hard. But I did add the 119 sat to my eastern arc matrix to make sure there would be no problems getting the software update. It was one of the funniest installs I have done . Of course I was moving from all Vip 722k and 211ks to one hopper and two joeys.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

I do not know if this will help, but it may be worth looking at: http://www.mydish.com/support/manuals

 

[Anony55]

I have always installed my own equipment whether it be a C/Ku BUD, or Dish Net system. But then again, I've never done the Joey/Hopper thing either.

Dish told me that I couldn't do my own install on my 211k & 1000.2 for western arc. I just said "OK, thanks" and hung up the phone. I called back after I was finished installing everything and tweaking the dish. I told them I owned the equipment and wanted to get started with a package. It was no problem to get them to take money at that point. LOL

I understand why their policy is what it is. But there's just too many things in my history that have left me wishing that I had just done it myself. Besides, it took me less time to do it than it would have taken to wait for the installer.

I'm not sure I would have taken the same approach if it had been a Hopper/Joey setup though. I would just have to decide that when and if it ever comes up. In any event, if you really wanted to do it yourself and wanted to buy the equipment outright... I'd say go for it. Nothing gets on my nerves more than people telling me I'm too stupid to do something myself. If I'm that stupid, I'm not gonna be smart enough to listen in the first place. So why waste time by telling me that?

Cheers

 

[harshness]

I'm sure that true in most cases, but this is an upgrade (no dish work needed) and I have 40 years of experience in electronics, networking, wiring, etc.

For every person who can actually pull it off, there are three or more that significantly overestimate their ability to comprehend and follow instructions.

 

[Hall]

For every person who can actually pull it off, there are three or more that significantly overestimate their ability to comprehend and follow instructions.

People have to remember also that even if the person has 10-15 years experience installing satellite equipment -- hell, the person could have been a 10-year Dish technician who just quit last week -- is that Dish has no idea who the person is in regards to their skills or experience.

 

[3HaloODST]

Not to mention that working with new equipment is not anything like working with the old stuff. Doesn't matter if you have 15 years experience if you don't even know how the new stuff works.

 

[bmorgan]

If most customers got it right it would save them money, but I'm guessing Dish has been doing this long enough to know that most don't get it right and/or the repercussions from failed attempts outweigh the profit.

Thanks for all the great replies. Installers arrive tomorrow to begin angering me

 

[sparc]

Thanks for all the great replies. Installers arrive tomorrow to begin angering me

I would get familiar with the wiring diagrams. Might even benefit you to get any prep work done beforehand so that the installers can't anger you (if needed)

http://www.satelliteguys.us/hopper-zone/279755-hopper-joey-wiring-diagrams.html

 

[TheKrell]

I would get familiar with the wiring diagrams. Might even benefit you to get any prep work done beforehand so that the installers can't anger you

I tried that, and my installer immediately angered me by cutting off the ends of all my factory-made weatherproof nice grey cables, and crimping on his own. This made them about a foot too short for where I wanted them to go.

I'll bet that bmorgan's review of the installation diagrams will allow him to educate his installer, who will likely know less than he does.

 

[gokartergo]

I tried that, and my installer immediately angered me by cutting off the ends of all my factory-made weatherproof nice grey cables, and crimping on his own. This made them about a foot too short for where I wanted them to go.

I'll bet that bmorgan's review of the installation diagrams will allow him to educate his installer, who will likely know less than he does.

Dish has a list of approved and none approved fittings.. Yours might have been water proof.. But if there not on dishes list.. It is a instant fail for the installer..

 

[Hall]

I tried that, and my installer immediately angered me by cutting off the ends of all my factory-made weatherproof nice grey cables, and crimping on his own.

Replacing connectors seems to be S.O.P. They do fail and Dish no doubt has the experience to know that the likelihood of that being potential problem areas vs the cost (labor + materials) justifies changing them.

 

[TheKrell]

Brand new cables with weatherproof molded connectors? If anything is going to fail, it's the crimp-ons.

Mindless rules suck, especially when the rules assume we are all mindless!

 

[bmorgan]

I would get familiar with the wiring diagrams. Might even benefit you to get any prep work done beforehand so that the installers can't anger you (if needed)

Already did that, thinking I would be the installer. Gonna have to yank my diplexer for the OTA antenna in the attic, but the rest is child's play.

Made sure all the coax labeling was still readable and started working on my self restraint. Note to self: no caffeine tomorrow.

 

[gokartergo]

Brand new cables with weatherproof molded connectors? If anything is going to fail, it's the crimp-ons.

Mindless rules suck, especially when the rules assume we are all mindless!

What I meant by fail is.. Dishes QAS guys will fail the inspection. Not that the fittings will fail..

 

[dare2be]

What I meant by fail is.. Dishes QAS guys will fail the inspection. Not that the fittings will fail..

Thus, we have mindless fail.

 

[mike123abc]

It all comes down to that if something goes wrong with the installation someone will end up paying for it. If it was a retailer they get charged back. Everyone wants to be sure it was done by the book so that they get paid. If you buy it yourself and install it yourself you can then call Dish and have them activate it for you without issue. But, if you want to use their equipment (i.e. lease) they want to be sure they are not to blame for any problems...