Install Question Please Help

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hector7869

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Jul 18, 2008
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Ok, I live in an apartment, and I cannot drill holes or anything of that sorts, but we are allowed to mount a dish on a pole.
So I ordered Direct TV from their website, We wanted one HD-DVR and one HD, for two tvs total. The Direct TV installer came, looked at our wiring, and said it was to complex for him to figure out. In each room, we have two coax jacks total, one has one output for cable, and the other jack has two coax outputs for sattelite. Now im am not 100% sure on where these go, but outside their is a Dish Network switch with a bunch of cables not hooked up / hookep up to it. On the jack for the sattelite outputs, there is a number to call to hook up sattelite tv, so the Direct TV installer called and asked if he could get the wiring layout, they told him no, its under thier contract. He then said he would be unable to install it.
We then called the sattelite installation company that could install it. First off the guy on the line is a huge a-hole. He is very rude and sounds like he doesn't know what he is talking about. He tells us due to the wiring in the apartment, the only way he can hook it up is with one HD box, not even HD-DVR, on one TV and the other HD tv can only get a standard box. I asked him to explain why this is, and all he would say is that it is complicated. Then he goes on saying that with Dish Network, he could get it to work, and that Direct TV requires special cabling.

Now I am not an expert in cabling for sattelite tv, but this sounds like a bunch of garbage to me.

Could you please help me out, If he is right, oh well, but I just want to make sure.
Thanks
 
Hector,
You have several different issues going here.
1st, It is POSSIBLE that the complex has an agreement with DISH Network adn that the Sat feeds in your rooms go to a dedicated juntion box where DISH comes out to connect it and could have a dish on the building to supply signal.

I would verify this type of thing with the landlord/ building manager.

IF they do NOT have an agreement with DISH Network and tha landlord says YES you can have D*, normally guy's will have the dish set up on a balcony or a pole mount depending on your situation and run the lines in thru either an existing hole, possible cables run or any other accessible holes (seeing the landlord said no more holes.) another option is to use a flat coax sold at various site sponsors that is used for sliding glass doors and windows, this is not the best way, but often the only way available.

Seeing you say theres a box listed DISH, probably thier Multiswitch, and it's not connected, I would not bother DISH and just have the D* installer tone the sat side and use that for your feed into the building, seeing the wire is already there, you can use it, provided it's only going to your location and it sounds like it is.
When you move out, disconnect it and DISH can use it for the next guy.

Doesn't sound like a big deal if the cables are already there at the DISH MS.
Biggest issue you have is seeing if you have an attiquete line of site for the dish to point. Set that up on your balcony, there are alot of different options out there for this ...

Jimbo
 
Thanks

Thanks for such a quick reply,

The building does not have a contract just with dish network, the contract is supposedly with this company that can install dish network or direct tv. I looked around before, there are currently no dishes on the building,

I guess what I was trying to ask, was if this guy is full of sh**t, Based on the wiring, two coax outputs dedicated to satellite installs in each room, should he be able to install two HD-DVR boxes. Or is there some way that the cabling could be so screwed up that it would not allow it.

He is claiming that the current cabling will only support one HD and one or more standard box. The worst part is, that he won't even come out to actually look at it, he wants me to understand that if he comes out he is going to install it no matter what, even if that means it won't work correctly. Basically this guy is a total a-hole, but if he has a contract on the building I don't have any other choice, except doing it myself.
 
If you can install it on a pole, where can this pole be? outside of your apartment? then you could just use the already explained flat cables (3)

Any competent installer will have 3-5 cable toners and can use them to locate the lines outside. They run for about $7 on ebay. If the "complexity" he is refering to includes splitters then no D* wont work. you will have to go the route of flat cables.
 
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