Follow-up to our HR-34 Install

[bshef]

Earlier in the year....I had Called DTV several times TRYING to get them to upgrade our piece of crap, ancient, slow HR20.
Finally, last month..... struck a deal for an HR34 and the whole home server for just $240 plus free movies for 6 mo and also half off NFL ST

Local Installer arrived yesterday mid-morning (8-12 schedule).
Polite, cleancut, personable.

We did a walk-thru pre-job oreintation and he quickly spotted and pointed out the old switch we were upgraded to in 2008....was the wrong freeeking switch that doesn't even work with HD.
He came inside to the TV and did a quick signal check in the service menu on my TV and showed me I wasn't getting signal on quite a few channels...!...(ignorance is bliss?..grrrrrrrr).
Not sure if I should address this as an issue with Direct TV customer support....Opinions are more than welcome on this subject!)

So, I immediately Liked this guy.....he showed his worth in salt as a good Tech!
He also identified and showed me on the existing cable coming into my home that I already had RG6 (which made both of us happy).
Then he grabbed his 2 story ladder and he got up on the roof and started installing the swm.

Was a Great day here at the beach...so I put on some tunes, made some coffee and he handed me the new HR34 box to play with while he went up on the roof to get to work.
He stripped out the old obsolete switch....straightened up the mess of wiring with some ties and cable tacks.
Attended to the other HD box in our master Bedroom, and swapped out a standard box in the office and also hooked up the wireless so the On-demand would start it's download process.

He got everything up and running and even texted me later with his phone number checking up and told me to keep his number if I should ever need have any questions.
Great experience! (just a little sore about that old obsolete box he pointed out).

Black HR34 looks awesome and on demand are great......Leaps and bounds better than that old slow silver boxed refurbished crap hr20.
Thanks to all for the suggestions and the direction.

 

[jcrandall]

I wouldn't sweat the old switch, clearly it worked for HD using your HR20, it was probably a WB68 or something like it. He may have meant it won't work with the new HD setups, i.e. SWM.

If you had weak signal on some transponders but didn't notice any missing channels than it probably wasn't affecting you, perhaps he was looking at spotbeam transponders which can sometimes be zero depending on your location.

Guess I'd say don't sweat it, be happy with the upgrade and enjoy the top-of-the-line setup from Directv

 

[bshef]

Yes!
Love the new box.
Lot's of room for recordings, Picture in Picture, Sharing recordings, recording multiple shows and On-demand.
I'm a happy customer!

Thanks

 

[Lanarian]

Now that you've got the internet connected you need (I mean NEED) to check out: DirecTV2pc (Watch your recorded shows from the DVR on your PC), Mediashare (play music, pictures and video from your computer on your receivers), DirecTV Mediashare (steam on demand to your computer or smartphone, you can also use your phone to set recordings on your HR34 if your away from home) and all the On-Demand channels (Theres a LOT more than you think!) open the guide on the HR34, punch in 1000 and then start scrolling... Theres SO MUCH!! Oh, and if you have any fave channels put a 1 in front of the channel number and see if that channel has its own on demand.. for example, I like Food Network, it channel 231. Food Network On-Demand is 1231... then you have the Tv Apps... You have all kinds of new toys to play with!!!

 

[bshef]

Very interesting....Thanks for the heads up.
Looks like I got a lil learning to do!

Now that you've got the internet connected you need (I mean NEED) to check out: DirecTV2pc (Watch your recorded shows from the DVR on your PC), Mediashare (play music, pictures and video from your computer on your receivers), DirecTV Mediashare (steam on demand to your computer or smartphone, you can also use your phone to set recordings on your HR34 if your away from home) and all the On-Demand channels (Theres a LOT more than you think!) open the guide on the HR34, punch in 1000 and then start scrolling... Theres SO MUCH!! Oh, and if you have any fave channels put a 1 in front of the channel number and see if that channel has its own on demand.. for example, I like Food Network, it channel 231. Food Network On-Demand is 1231... then you have the Tv Apps... You have all kinds of new toys to play with!!!