My great voom install experience in PHX today 2/21/05

[Shawn95GT]

After reading all of the horror stories I was concerned that I was going to be in for some fun getting voom installed today. It went 90% as planned.

An un-marked white truck pulled up to my house with the receivers, a Voom 18" dish and a Winegard OTA antenna in the back. Larry was the guy's name.

The first thing I asked was if he had the 24" dish that both Voom and installs inc. noted was on the work order. He did not have the 24" dish but he assured me that the 18" dish will suffice. I can see the 24" dish notation under 'Additional Instructions' on the copy of the work order he left with me. So far, so good. I'm seeing 95 for signal strength with the 18" dish.

The installer agreed to use my OTA antenna that I had put up earlier to watch the Superbowl in HD. He put up and tried to use the Winegard Sensar antenna but the signal in the house was the same with or without the supplied OTA antenna connected. We messed around with a couple different power boosters and ended up using my $23.99 radio shack OTA with a booster.

I see 13 OTA channels.

All three receivers have pulled down their updates and I've been asked to just leave 'em alone for about an hour. At least we get to watch HDNews while we wait - lol.

I believe the installer that did my install is an independent installer. He was enthusiastic about Voom in general and told me he's done at least 100 installs and hadn't done an uninstall yet .

So far, so good!

Shawn

 

[TYORK]

glad to hear you had a good install. also let me note i want to personal thank you for your post most people don't take the time to post the good things.

 

[SeattleVoomer1]

Alright, Shawn! Glad to hear the good news.

Hope it doesn't rain to much down there!

Suffering rain withdrawal symptoms but still enjoying HDTV in Seattle, Gill

 

[bobaphx]

Hello Shawn,
I'm also in Phoenix and I'm going to be ordering the VOOM $1.00 install. I keep reading about the 24" dish you mentioned. Was it recommended to you by other Phoenix VOOMERs? Did you just ask for it when you signed up? If so, did the CSR give you any static when you requested it? I don't have a current OTA antenna... maybe I should have one at the ready in case I need it (?).
Thanks

 

[Jamey K]

Sounds great Shawn. My install was scheduled for Wednesday but the installer called tonight and said my equipment was in and did tomorrow look for me? So he's coming over tomorrow after noon at 1PM. I'll be Vooming by this time tomorrow night.

 

[Shawn95GT]

I asked for the 24" dish and the CSR didn't even blink. Voom Approved it, it was on the work order, Installs Inc saw it on the work order, and I saw it on the work order the installer brought with.

Even after all of that, I got an 18" dish. After reading here - I kind of expected this to happen. I've been watching the signal strength pretty close for the last few days and it consistantly stays at 94-96.

Of course the next day it rained and the signal dropped to zero for about 10 mins. I don't think a 24" dish would have helped me much though. I'm planning on rigging up my big 'ol Primestar dish to point at 61.5 so I can compare performance in bad weather. With the 18" dish it doesn't seem to fade for me... if it craps out it just goes completely.

I asked for the 24" dish because I've had D* service in the past and the slightest dark could would rain fade the service. The rain fade is a little different with Voom. It'll rain and 15 minutes after you might get the fade. The lower elevation angle has us shooting almost horizonally for the satelite. Make sure you have good line of sight to east-south east!

As close as you will be to the towers, the supplied OTA should work fine so long as the installer can get it working. I think the problem was related to Voom sending the installers the wrong multiplexers for the powered antennas. If you are really worried about it, that cheap Radio Shack antenna I have would install right on the mount in place of the Voom supplied antenna. If you do end up using your own OTA antenna make sure that the installer leaves you the Voom supplied one as they may want it back at some point .

My Voom supplied antenna is still in place doing nothing more than catching odd looks from my neighbors. The next time I have a long ladder available I'll take it down and stuff it in the attic someplace for safe keeping.

Awesome Jamey. I have yet to have any buyers remorse going with Voom.

Shawn

 

[Vicki]

Missed this when it was first posted, I guess...

...But Shawn95GT and Jamey K...glad to hear that Shawn had a good experience and posted it (TYORK is right, people often fail to talk about their good experiences), and hopefully Jamey is VOOMing right now!! @party

bobaphx, I think the quick approval on a 24" dish depends partly on the CSR you get and partly on your zip code. I am scheduled for a re-install on 3/3. Former VOOMer who had problems with reception. First CSR said "not in the guaranteed zip code". Went ahead and scheduled, and subsequent email with customer service has confirmed that I should get a 24" dish on 3/3. I think they are pretty much convinced now that we "left coasters" need the bigger dish, but if you don't get approval initially, just keep insisting. Vicki

 

[TYORK]

I think the problem was related to Voom sending the installers the wrong multiplexers for the powered antennas

There not sending the wrong multi switch he would have just had to add a diplexer before the multi switch to send power to the antenna .
Not sure why the have been send these for about 2 months now. and today i got something totally different that what they have been sending but i have not tried it yet.

 

[Shawn95GT]

That makes sense. He originally put a power injector between the multi-switch and the diplexer on the STB. Looking back on it, it's no suprise it didn't work. If this where a 'power pass' multiplexer would have helped?

In my case I had 3 exisitng coax runs to my main set. 1 is cable, 1 is diplexed Voom, and the 3rd is passing power that is amping up my OTA.

So it goes

LNB ------------->
OTA --> AMP ---> Multiswitch ---> STBs
LNB ------------->

Shawn

 

[TYORK]

That makes sense. He originally put a power injector between the multi-switch and the diplexer on the STB. Looking back on it, it's no suprise it didn't work. If this where a 'power pass' multiplexer would have helped?

In my case I had 3 exisitng coax runs to my main set. 1 is cable, 1 is diplexed Voom, and the 3rd is passing power that is amping up my OTA.

So it goes

LNB ------------->
OTA --> AMP ---> Multiswitch ---> STBs
LNB ------------->

Shawn

Shawn
i forgot that he also should have put outdoor combiner before the diplexer.

should have went like this

lmb 1 side and ota into a combiner into the diplexer than into the multi-switch
and the 2nd side of the lmb goes striaght into the multi-switch .
then bring out to the recievers

 

[mrhph]

bobaphx, I think the quick approval on a 24" dish depends partly on the CSR you get and partly on your zip code. I am scheduled for a re-install on 3/3. Former VOOMer who had problems with reception. First CSR said "not in the guaranteed zip code". Went ahead and scheduled, and subsequent email with customer service has confirmed that I should get a 24" dish on 3/3. I think they are pretty much convinced now that we "left coasters" need the bigger dish, but if you don't get approval initially, just keep insisting. Vicki

I had the same experience in "left coast". When I called CSR the first time for a 24" dish I was rejected right away. When I called the 2nd time and talked to a different CSR I was approved right away, no questions asked. So call and call again until you get the "right" CSR