Newbie Question - HD Dish/Drilling Holes/Tripod

[glkaiser]

I'm going to soon be calling about getting DirectTV service and am looking for some info in advance to that...I've never owned a dish and am pretty ignorant when it comes to cable/dish wiring and setup.

I'll be wanting an HD dish that will have to sit on the roof of our 5 story condo complex (about 50 to 75 feet total length to power source - which I was just told in another thread is fine). No drilling into the roof is allowed, so I will need a tripod I believe. The only existing cable line into our unit is from an internal source down below in the basement. It looks like most people in our building that have a dish have a wire running down to their porch/balcony and entering in somewhere there. There is no AC or anything...just your usual windows/sliding porch door.

Specific questions:

• Do I need to get my own tripod, or will the installer have that?
• Is the tripod weighted, or secured in any way? Wondering how it stays upright (maybe the dish is just that heavy...?)
• I'm not sure what to expect for getting the wire into my condo...will it just be a hole drilled in my wall that runs into the living room? I can't think of any other options...anything I might not be thinking of?
• What extra costs might there be for installation?
• I'll bundling/ordering through Qwest - any problems there since I'm not sure if I'll be speaking directly with a DirectTV rep?
• Any other advice for a newbie?

Happy I found this website...it has been pretty useful in the couple of hours I've spent looking around!

 

[thetech2009]

I'm going to soon be calling about getting DirectTV service and am looking for some info in advance to that...I've never owned a dish and am pretty ignorant when it comes to cable/dish wiring and setup.

I'll be wanting an HD dish that will have to sit on the roof of our 5 story condo complex (about 50 to 75 feet total length to power source - which I was just told in another thread is fine). No drilling into the roof is allowed, so I will need a tripod I believe. The only existing cable line into our unit is from an internal source down below in the basement. It looks like most people in our building that have a dish have a wire running down to their porch/balcony and entering in somewhere there. There is no AC or anything...just your usual windows/sliding porch door.


Specific questions:

• Do I need to get my own tripod, or will the installer have that?
• Is the tripod weighted, or secured in any way? Wondering how it stays upright (maybe the dish is just that heavy...?)
• I'm not sure what to expect for getting the wire into my condo...will it just be a hole drilled in my wall that runs into the living room? I can't think of any other options...anything I might not be thinking of?
• What extra costs might there be for installation?
• I'll bundling/ordering through Qwest - any problems there since I'm not sure if I'll be speaking directly with a DirectTV rep?
• Any other advice for a newbie?

Happy I found this website...it has been pretty useful in the couple of hours I've spent looking around!

If you have a flat roof you may want to ask about a (sled mount) non-penitrating roof mount which is secured by cinder block. A KA/KU (hd dish) is never a good idea on a tripod. you may also want to ask about a (SWM) single wire multi switch install. If you get a decent tech he will probably be able to figure out something for you or even use a niebors dish if possible. be ready to pay for custom or extra charges!

 

[Liquidforce88]

Non pen mount = extra charge
use of flat cables = extra charge
Upgrade to SWM system = extra charge

Just be ready for some extra charges is all I am trying to say

 

[DallasTech]

Most techs will not charge you for any of that stuff, here in dallas we do everything we can to set you up DirecTV( and get paid). They wont charge you for flat cables if you need them. As for the sled mount, make sure you ask the operator for a non-penetrating mount( sled mount), so that you wont have to re-schedule. But most condos or apts allow rail mounts on your balcony, so that is another option. you dont necessarily need a SWM multi-switch. If you get an HD dish it has four lines coming out of it. So you can hook up to 4 HD recievers or up to 2 HD DVR's.

 

[Liquidforce88]

Most techs will not charge you for any of that stuff, here in dallas we do everything we can to set you up DirecTV( and get paid). They wont charge you for flat cables if you need them. As for the sled mount, make sure you ask the operator for a non-penetrating mount( sled mount), so that you wont have to re-schedule. But most condos or apts allow rail mounts on your balcony, so that is another option. you dont necessarily need a SWM multi-switch. If you get an HD dish it has four lines coming out of it. So you can hook up to 4 HD recievers or up to 2 HD DVR's.

I don't know what company you work for, but quit spedding missinformation. A sled mount is not included in a standard installation nor are flat cables. MOST companies will charge for this, and the standard rates for it are listed right on DirecTV's website if you look for it. Approved flat cables cost the customer $16.00 each.

Most apts around here will not allow you to attach anything to the building what so ever. No clamping to the balcony rail if they even have one, as alot of them now have a wodden or plastic one that you can't clamp to anyway.

Maybe you work directly for DirecTV, and they may be a bit more willing to absorb the cost of some of these things. Most companies are not going to do an install and loose money to do it, as a sled mount and 4 flat cables will cost more than what I get paid to do a 4 room install, not to mention the wire, fittings, and other supplies needed to do the install.

 

[Davedirectv]

My company does not charge for those things you are talking about. As per that previous post, we do just about whatever it takes to get the install done.

Apartments around here allow mounting to the balcony and rails, and actually it's quite common.

Not to say the OP will get a company like ours, but they are out there.

One thing would be to find out what type of company you are getting, one that Liquidforce88 is familiar with or one that we are talking about. That way you know if it's going to cost you $150 for a swm and non pen mount(approx.) or just $40 in tips for a good install from a great tech

 

[thetech2009]

I don't know what company you work for, but quit spedding missinformation. A sled mount is not included in a standard installation nor are flat cables. MOST companies will charge for this, and the standard rates for it are listed right on DirecTV's website if you look for it. Approved flat cables cost the customer $16.00 each.

Most apts around here will not allow you to attach anything to the building what so ever. No clamping to the balcony rail if they even have one, as alot of them now have a wodden or plastic one that you can't clamp to anyway.

Maybe you work directly for DirecTV, and they may be a bit more willing to absorb the cost of some of these things. Most companies are not going to do an install and loose money to do it, as a sled mount and 4 flat cables will cost more than what I get paid to do a 4 room install, not to mention the wire, fittings, and other supplies needed to do the install.

hey liquid the company that the dallas tech was refering to is Mas Tec which is who i work for also, and they are really good about absorbing the cost just to get an install in, on the other hand if we can get the money out of the customer then good for us, other than that no big deal

 

[1234567]

At Direct Sat USA (HSP), all non-standard equipment is free to the customer. Also, if a tech declines an install due to a customers refusal to pay custom charges, said tech is labeled lazy and a rookie that knows no better is sent out to bend over.