Dish Installation Questions – Help greatly appreciated

[edin555]

Hi,

I am thinking about signing up for Dish service but I am very apprehensive about the installation. My situation is following: I live in a 4 year old house (CAT 5 cables) and I will need Dish in 4 rooms spread over 3 floors. Previous owner told me that an installer couldn’t do it because the dish has to be mounted on the roof and he wasn’t qualified? I am not very tech savvy, so please help me out with some simple answers.

1. How many holes will have to be drilled into my house? Am I right assuming that only 1 hole will be drilled and a wire will be hooked up to my existing home wiring, or will separate holes need to be drilled on each floor? Also, will my home wiring be accessed at the attic (where a phone guy was working once) or will the wire have to be lowered all the way down to the basement (where the Comcast guy enabled my cable service)

2. I am located in Quincy MA (02171) which is near Boston? Will I be needing 1 or 2 dishes (I need just America’s Top 120, no locals or internationals)?

3. Does anybody know a good installer in the Boston area that I can ask Dish to send out. Also, anything else I should request, like a special Dish (500, 1000 or something else???) as well as what receiver for SD (if there are options?)

4. Am I right assuming that my cost will be 40$ for Americas Top 120 + 5$ for extra receiver (- 10$ High Stakes Promotion) = 35$ Total. Am I forgetting anything?

5. Should I order over the phone or website? Since High Stakes Promotion ends on 30th June would it submitting the request via web give me more proof that I am still eligible for it? Any advantages in speaking with the rep?

6. Is there any disadvantage to having a receiver in my room as opposed to my roommate’s? Like if he watches TV late at night, will the receiver noise be bothersome to me?

7. Can the receiver be moved around house after being installed?

Any and all help is welcome, especially with the first question.

 

[C1787GJ]

I'm also wondering about a good local installer in this area, zip 02346 which is south of Quincy. Reason I ask is my father just built a new house and is leary about how the install will go, its a new house with Comcast now.

I do know the answer that you will only need one dish in this area unless you want HD then you will need 2. The Dish you need for just the 120 is the Dish 500, the 1000 will not work here. Also you should think about getting a DVR receiver as it comes in very handy when watching something you can just rewind and see it again. Its a free upgrade when you sign up but its 5.98 a month for the DVR fee, but well worth it to me, keep in mind you would have the DVR on 2 TVs in the house

 

[Van]

1. 2 - 8 depending on the location of the tv's and wether or not you have coax going to each location and if its the right grade. Basement so long as that is where the coax terminates at now.

2. 1

3. Dont know anyone good there, you just need a dish 500, and I would go with 1 625 and 1 322.

4. Varies depending on receiver type and amount and promo, call dish and ask them and then look in the area for a reputable local guy who sells and installs, be sure to check them out with the bbb as far as complaints goes.

5. Phone is better, website ordering can be risky, promos never really end unless its something really good such as the " I like 9 " promo from 01 where you could get the AT 120 for $9 a month for a year.

6. Only if the receiver is hamster powered and the wheel squeaks alot.

7. Not very easily and if its a dual tuner your better off figuring out where you want them to go before you have the install done as its a bitch to move a dual tuner what with having to do alot of rerouting of wires if not rewiring them altogether.

 

[wobbie]

Look in the phone book and call a LOCAL reailr or dealer. As them to come out and do a site survey for you... may cost a few dollars but then you will know exactly what needs to be done for the install. Stay away from 800#'s and the interenet.. go with a local company.

 

[bill93civic]

Stay away from 800#'s and the interenet..

i agree with this as well. this way if you ever need a service call, the local installer would be the same person/company coming out to do repairs. i know that my company warranties our installs, where as we charge to repair others. (ie. 800# or internet installs)

 

[edin555]

I actually don't have the phone book (Lost somewhere). Is there a good web-site that lists them?

Also, generally how safe is it to install dish on the roof, a friend told me this morning that he heard somebody developed leakage problems because of it?

 

[bhelms]

Depends on several factors. Any time you penetrate the roof, leaks can develop. Generally it's not a problem if the installation is done properly, but over time the mount can apply enough stress to cause cracks in the sealant particularly if the dish sees a lot of wind. So due diligence (annual inspection, etc.) is advisable. There are non-penetrating mounts for flat roofs. I'd look for alternatives before penetrating the roof and use that only as a last resort...

 

[danpeters]

I actually don't have the phone book (Lost somewhere). Is there a good web-site that lists them?

Also, generally how safe is it to install dish on the roof, a friend told me this morning that he heard somebody developed leakage problems because of it?

www.anywho.com is powered by AT&T and lets you search the yellow pages of a certain area as well as white pages and do reverse lookups. Very good site that I use all the time.

Personally, all of my dishes are mounted on poles (line of sight issues from the house) but I know plenty of people who have dishes mounted on their houses/roofs and never heard of any problems from them. Like bhelms said, avoid it if possible but if you do have to go that route, inspect it every so often.

-Dan

 

[Van]

I actually don't have the phone book (Lost somewhere). Is there a good web-site that lists them?

Also, generally how safe is it to install dish on the roof, a friend told me this morning that he heard somebody developed leakage problems because of it?

http://www.yellowpages.com/

My personal and professional recommendation goes as this, you have a 50/50 chance of getting a dogshit on the bottom of your shoe installer come out to do an install for you wether its from a dishnetwork inhouse facility or from a local guy because dish doesnt give a rats ass about quality work and the local guys are not policed. When you find a few local guys check with the BBB and with the state atorney general or what ever local officials handle consumer complaints to find out if the local guy(s) have had any complaints and how many. Theres not many good local guys that I know of except for the few that are on this board such as simplesimon, claude, drbob, johnten and webbydude who take pride in their work. Always do your homework when it comes to any sub contractor before you let them in your home to do any work, if not then thats your gamble not mine.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Well, I don't think it's a 50-50 bad factor, but yes, there are bad local guys.

I should probably explain what "good" is when I say get a "good local guy".
Good is:

• In business 3+ years (most Dish dealers die in 18 months).
• Friendly when you talk to them
• Good references

In a small town, it's a lot easier to know the guy is good than in a city.