Dish won't ship 622 unless installer ...

[ChuckM]

Dish will not ship me a 622 receiver unless I take a day off from work to allow a technician to install the "special sensitive high definition receiver".

Dish customers for approximately 6 yrs
Owned 6000/8VSB/8PSK.
AT120 w/locals, HDpak (Voom Original, DiscoveryHD), HBOHD/SHOHD.

The 8PSK died a slow death last week .. first losing odd polarity, then regaining, then all fading until finally, no reception whatsoever. I do not know if it's the 3440 (tuner IC) or perhaps the Sharp VR (on/off-pinned 3.3v reg).

Anyway, I removed the 8PSK to allow us to view the remaining non-HD channels via the 6000 direct Sat In. Ok. Boring as all get-out with no HD.

I contacted Dish this afternoon, spoke with a knowledgeable "Rose". I inquired about the 622, stating I simply wanted to upgrade to new HD equipment. I could do that for $199.99, not have to pay a lease fee (if I disable the existing 6000), and I would have to pay only a monthly $6.00 HD-enabling fee. Reasonable.

Now, for the Dishkicker:

(read the following paragraph in your best-imagined Lewis Black imitation)

A highly trained, expert-in-the-field, no fumble-fingers, truck-drivin', chaw-chewin', monkey-specialist technician *MUST* install this fancy, "special sensitive high definition receiver". Farck!

Dish will *not* ship the receiver to me. They have to ensure the receiver "is received properly without damage". They have to ensure the receiver is "properly configured to receive high definition". Quotes are as approximate/best as I can recall.

It might seem a small issue to some, but why should I have to take off work to allow for a monkey-specialist "technician" to unscrew/screw satellite feeds, and to place a phone call to activate? Huh! I installed my dishes (500 / 300), and their dead-on-b#lls accurate: signals are 100+, in our northern suburb of Pittsburgh. I certainly can unscrew/screw cables. Can't you?

I eventually ended the call by declining the offer, and by thanking "Rose".

To note, if the 8PSK hadn't crapped out, I would not have contacted Dish. Finding a known-functional 8PSK is rare these days. So, I've decided to attempt repair of the 8PSK. It's a straightforward design, direct from Broadcomm layouts If it's the 3440, I'll replace the chip. If it's the on/off 3.3v reg, I'll replace that. If the 13v / 18v source is bad, I'll fix that! BUT ... if it's anything else (who wants to unsolder the 4500's 128 pin PQ package pins ... the 3440 package is bad enough!), I'll toss the 8PSK as far across the Monongohela as possible .. while being quite careful so as not to hit an unsuspecting boater.

I removed the 8VSB months ago ... fan crapped. Oiled it then, lasted 5 - 6 months, crapped again. Not worth further effort, we do not watch network programming, HD or not. Why risk overheating/burning the 6000?

So, here we are. "Rose" suggested I try a retailer, they may have "promotions". All I want is new hardware, and to retain our current programming. Going to a retailer will not fix my situation .. unless I purchase a 622 outright ($478 best deal).

Thinking .. thinking ....

Verizon FiOS is available to us ... the FNH is within 500' of our driveway. BUT ... FiOS TV is not yet available in our area, only internet. I've researched Verizon FiOS TV, as it is available in some areas in Maryland:

180 channles
24 HD channels
HD movie package (2 prems)
Includes walled-internet access (partnered content-providers)

$34.99

I'm torn ... do we wait for FiOS TV .. or do we stick with Dish and I suck it up and purchase a metal package, and take off work to watch "Ned the Technician" spit on our lawn, and unscrew/screw my cabling ...

What's a consumer to do?

 

[JKElect]

Can I offer you some cheese to go with that wine.

Just kidding. I went through the same thing. I have done board level repair for 20 yrs, but no I did not posses the skills to unscrew a few cables and make a phone call either. I just bit the bullet and let the tech swap out the receiver.

 

[dimitriz]

You forgot that on top of that $199 for a new receiver you'll get to pay $50 or $59 install fee.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

They wouldnt even ship me mine. I had to have someone deliver it to my house (although I installed them)

Strange but true!

 

[ChuckM]

You forgot that on top of that $199 for a new receiver you'll get to pay $50 or $59 install fee.

Actually, install is *free* (including dish(es), as necessary) with the Dish current customer promotions. Now, if i went with a retailer package, there may be an install fee.

I'm still wondering about FiOS, though .... when, oh when ...

 

[ChuckM]

They wouldnt even ship me mine. I had to have someone deliver it to my house (although I installed them)

Strange but true!

Sounds like the 'Hack-Check Stormtroopers Squad' ...

 

[Tom Bombadil]

They are coming this Saturday for me. I plan to invite the installer to sit on my couch as I swap in the 622 for my 942 into my equipment rack. Then he can use his remote and phone to activate it.

It is a complete waste of time and money for Dish to send the guy.

But I'm sure this isn't true 90+% of the time. Dish probably has thousands of horror stories from self-installation attempts.

 

[120inna55]

Call/email executive offices. Politely explain your case and the fact that you've been a long-term customer. Offer to waive the "installation warranty" and see if they'll let you install/activate it yourself.

My situation was similar. I was given much latitude at the time and promised to receive the same latitude for future upgrades. It's worth a shot.

 

[ChuckM]

Call/email executive offices. Politely explain your case and the fact that you've been a long-term customer. Offer to waive the "installation warranty" and see if they'll let you install/activate it yourself.

My situation was similar. I was given much latitude at the time and promised to receive the same latitude for future upgrades. It's worth a shot.

That's worth a shot. Email it is. We have cats and dogs, and when 'strangers' come into the house, it's a Major Battle to funnel the dogs into a bedroom, shut the door ... HOWL HOWL HOWL SCRATCH SCRATCH SCRATCH.

Our dogs are quite familiar with family/close friends ... but "Ned the Technician" would have a rough time, regardless of his chaw-chewin/spittin experiences.

It just seems *odd* though, to have to beg to be shipped a receiver for which I would be paying a nice chunk of dough ... here's the money, just ship the durn thang, eh? Oh well ... emailin'.

 

[mcdeeee]

Do it on a Sat or Sun. In my area they do installs 7 days a week.
It's the same deal with any other provider. I just upgraded to the 622 on saturday.
12-5pm window. Guy shows up at 5:45. Nice.
HDMI port is DOA, so Dish shipped me a new 622 yesterday and let me install it myself.
Very odd.

 

[Hall]

How exactly is Dish to know that any of you guys are so-called "experts" or capable of doing this ?? Take your word for it ??

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Yes, that is odd about the 622s that need to be replaced. Everyone is reporting that Dish allows a self-replacement.

I guess they are making sure the install for all of the HD channels is correct, i.e. the dishes, LNBs, cables, and anything about your extra receivers, etc., is working properly.

 

[120inna55]

How exactly is Dish to know that any of you guys are so-called "experts" or capable of doing this ?? Take your word for it ??

I didn't say it was easy, or even advisable for all. Without giving away too much... after having to jump through so many hoops to have yet another receiver installed, I was connected to someone "higher up" who had seen everything that I'd gone through and that I'd been a patient, loyal, customer since '96. I told this person that I was not looking for free service, etc. Instead I told him I gladly pay for their service and "the latest and the greatest" boxes as they're released. In our conversation, I spoke intelligently about which channels were on which birds, etc. I told him that all I was looking for was to be treated as a knowledgable long-time customer. All I really expected from this communication was a one-time permission to install a box on my own. However, this "higher-up" gave me a phone number that I call to get things done (i.e. receivers activated, quick account changes, permission to install with boxes mailed directly to me.) for as long as I remain a customer. I do not abuse this, and considered it a "gift". I also do not elaborate much on the details surrounding the events that resulted in this special treatment. But I can say that they do recognize when a customer has more knowledge than many installers. Add to that the fact that the customer is a very good customer, I would imagine that my circumstances are not unique. I also know what I don't know and therefore would ask for an installer when necessary.

That said, I do understand why they don't want customers installing their own boxes. Can you imagine the onslaught of tech support calls they'd get when customers attempted to use splitters, etc. The over-the-phone troubleshooting would be a nightmare and the service calls would most certainly increase.

 

[dude2]

I had a installer which was contactated by dish to install my 622 and dish 1000 in march and it is still not correct yet.
Now dish is sending a company supervisor to change my installation. This is why they are getting fussy.
The installer did not even know that the 622 comes in the 480i mode and said none of his customers were happy with HD. He thought it was a joke to do all the622 installs.
I called dish and asked why my picture was the same as with my 508 and the first thing they had me do was change my setting to 16x9 and 1080i and yes it was very sharp,(the picture). Now they tell me my signals off of 129 are way too weak and want the supervisor to peak the dish in.
The interesting thing is that dish shows no record that he came on the return calls they authorized so they assumed I was happy. He came and messed around but the signal got worse. He gave me his cell number and said do not contact dish if you have problems just call me.
It turns out he had done massive installs and to save time he did not ground any of his installs and was worried he would get fired. Hum, wonder if he still works for dish.
Installers are out for a fast buck and the more installs they do in a day the more money they make. I was told that without a proper ground the signal will be much weaker than when properly grounded.
Also the meter he was using for signal strength had to be powered by the receiver and when I asked him which transponder he was setting the dish to he said he did not know and that the meter automatically picked the one he needed.
When I had my 508 and dish 500 installed a guy came with a self powered meter and he peaked the dish in on the weakest transponder he could find on his meter.

 

[120inna55]

Yes, that is odd about the 622s that need to be replaced. Everyone is reporting that Dish allows a self-replacement.

I suppose that since it's a simple swap, Dish feels the probability of a screw-up is low.

 

[Jared Twomey]

I was told that without a proper ground the signal will be much weaker than when properly grounded.
Also the meter he was using for signal strength had to be powered by the receiver and when I asked him which transponder he was setting the dish to he said he did not know and that the meter automatically picked the one he needed.
When I had my 508 and dish 500 installed a guy came with a self powered meter and he peaked the dish in on the weakest transponder he could find on his meter.

First off, you got lied to... grounding has not a thing to do with your signal strength... Yes, the system should be grounded, but signal strength it not the reason why. My system at my house has never been grounded and I am getting beautiful signal strength.

Secondly, just because an installer uses a fancy meter doesn't mean anything... I just hired a guy a few months ago that uses a brand new Birddog meter that he had been using with Directv... he takes forever to line up the dish and still doesn't do that great of a job (and for some reason he thinks that the skew is the most important settin on the dish)... soon as I get a replacement, he's gone.
I use a Channel Master meter that doesn't let you pick transponders. I can use a signal toner and line up a dish as good or better and in half the time of a lot of installers i've met

 

[hobojoe]

I'm running into the same problem I'm in a RV! they say when he shows up just let him know your going to install. but what if he says no it has to be installed? and he refuses to do it? do i get charged? I'm going to need the dish and switches. dish says i may need two 44's, there expensive! will he just give them out? i dout it. the best is turn up your TV and use a walkie-talkie. the receivers tuner is what needs to be tuned not some meeter. i saw a guy use a birdog and he couldn't get a very good signal he had my neighbor call out the signal from the TV. yes i know the guy was a idiot! dam dish truck around me is like a ice cream truck! LOL i just had to see all the goodies! LOLLOLLOL!!!:clap

 

[Neutron]

Contact Claude at the Dishstore.net

He sells those modules, so if you just want to do a simple replacement that should do it.

 

[ChuckM]

"Hey Dish ... watch me scr ... "

I sent an email to Dish yesterday regarding this policy. Of course, no reply as of yet ... I'll allow until Wednesday before I follow up. I also opened a Customer Support chat session on the Dish web site, and was routed to "Marie". After posing my predicament to her, Marie typed, "I apologize. I can not access your account information. Please contact our Customer Support ... ". Huh?

I asked why she was unable to access my account information? Marie typed, "All Customer Service Representatives do not have the same access."

Whether or not other Dish CSR Chatters have account access, I do not know ... but my chat experience for this issue was simply a waste of time. I bid a night-night to Marie and ended the session.

Anyways, after reading the replies in this thread, it dawns on me how many of us potentially suffer (to whatever subjective degree) due to the lack of knowledge and / or lack of mechanical skill of others. Simply put: Dish Network does not trust customers to install / configure their equipment most likely based upon overall experiences with nightmare installs by techs and / or customers. "Heck, if our educated techs can't get it right, why should we believe uneducated customers could?"

Of course, aiming dishes is a task, but not difficult. I used my hiking compass, and Point Dish. Rotated through the transponders, found the weakest signals after one or two rounds, re-aimed the Dish500 for best averages, tweaked skew, tweaked again, and boop bahp BEEEEEEEEP. Done. Next, Dish300. Done. "Hello, Dish?. I just installed our dishes, and I need for my receiver to be activated. Ready? Here's the info: ... ".

That was at least 6 years ago, and we've experienced rain fade only 3 times (the 61.5 dish is sighted through a neighbor's huge swath of oaks leaves) ... in sometimes quite stormy soutwestern Pennsylvania. Good equipment .. but also good aiming. Time and patience.

I enjoy designing, building, repairing, etc. etc. etc. Be it house, driveway, car, radio, computer, furniture, or boo-boos. I'm sure many in these forums enjoy similar experiences. It's enjoyable and satisfying ... and Dish wants to deny that pleasure?

I say ... "Hey Dish! ... watch me screw this connector .... ".

 

[Foxbat]

ChuckM, if you have FIOS available, you might want to go with that. It's not available where I'm at (AT&T land) but my in-Laws have hooked up FIOS for phone and Internet and they're very happy with it (just waiting for TV services to replace their cable). Check out the FIOS forum for more details.