Problems with the "plain jane" receiver

[garn9173]

My wife and I have two of the basic, "plain jane" receivers, one in the living room, the other in the bedroom. Ever since we got the new yellow smart cards, we've had a helluva time with the receiver in our bedroom.

I'm always having to reset the receiver and/or disconnecting the cable on the back side and then reconnecting it, which is based on tech support via the 800 number.

For the record, the living room receiver hasn't missed a beat since inserting the new yellow smart card.

Does anyone have any idea's as to what could be wrong? If it comes down to it, we have the home service plan.

Thanks in advance!

 

[chaddux]

My wife and I have two of the basic, "plain jane" receivers, one in the living room, the other in the bedroom. Ever since we got the new yellow smart cards, we've had a helluva time with the receiver in our bedroom.

I'm always having to reset the receiver and/or disconnecting the cable on the back side and then reconnecting it, which is based on tech support via the 800 number.

For the record, the living room receiver hasn't missed a beat since inserting the new yellow smart card.

Does anyone have any idea's as to what could be wrong? If it comes down to it, we have the home service plan.

Thanks in advance!

None of my receivers have separate cards but a friend had a similar-sounding problem. The receiver would randomly do any of the following: (a) not come on, (b) briefly come on and then go to black or (c) put up a Smart Card error. I pulled out the card and the card, more importantly the data area, had dust on it. My guess is that the receiver was having trouble reading the card. I blew off the card (be careful of the data area), used a compressed air can to blow out the slot, and re-inserted the card. No further problems. You can give that a try and see if that works. Could always be a damaged or otherwise defective card.

 

[JamesJ]

I also read a pencil eraser too! but I guess compressed air will do the same my parents had the same thing happen I cleaned off their card and it worked, hope what chaddux said works for you let us know so if people read this in the future they know what to try!

 

[SimpleSimon]

Air and eraser are BOTH appropriate. Eraser cleans the card contacts. Air blows off the dust.

I wonder what MODEL NUMBER a "plain jane" receiver is. Such an easy thing to know.

 

[garn9173]

thanks for the responses. I took a can of air and blew off the card and on the top of the receiver as well and it's still acting up us.

Suppose it's time for another call to tech support.

 

[mudder1310]

I'd be willing to bet that you receiver is toast. The problems started with the smart card change but I think that's just coincidence. See if you can get E* to send you a replacement.

 

[Tech27]

You'll have to be persistant about them sending you a replacement rec. They will try to weasil their way around it but persistance should pay off.

 

[garn9173]

Well, right now, i'm fustrated, pi$$ed and ready to tell E* to take a flying leap and go back to cable. The morning of Monday, June 13, I called tech support to report I was still having problems with my receiver. I noted to them that I called in prior to this date and did what I was told to do, which was unhook the receiver, wait a few seconds and reconnect it....I was still having problems.

The tech support person said that if I felt comfortable enough doing it, swap receivers, take the receiver downstairs and bring the receiver downstairs upstairs. I told them that it's such a tangled mess that it would take me an hour to do what a techie could have down in 10 minutes, so, since I have the dish home protection plan, a date and time was set for 6/15 between noon and 5 for someone to come.

Wednesday, June 15, the techies show up and upon inspection, they determine my system wasn't properly grounded and there was no place to ground at all. Going by the book, and IMO, only trying to cover their a$$, the techies stated they couldn't touch any of the equipment and was notified to contact a retailer like Radio Shack or Sears and they would have the equimpment grounded.

After these techies leave, I go to a retailer with statement in hand, which was left by the techies, and explained what was going on. The retailer said, "I don't know why they sent you here as there's nothing we can do for you"....UGH!!!!!

I get back home, call tech support back and explain the situation. Tech support told me that they would be sending a "field support rep" or someone like that to my place today, June 18th and they would be able to get me grounded. I explained that I lived in a townhome with no basement. I was reassured that they could get me grounded and get the receiver going.

Well, someone showed up, about 11:45. 15 minutes before the 4 hour window given to me was to expire and it wasn't a field support rep and he told me once again that since the system wasn't grounded, he couldn't touch it....UGH!!!

The techie who arrived at my home, told me to take it up with the outfit who installed the system to begin with! So, back onto the phone with E* customer service and they were able to give me the name and phone number of the outfit who installed the system in October 2002. The guy whom I talked to, had no record of doing a install, which was part of the dish move program, in October 2002. Since it being Saturday, this guy was opearting on a skelton crew. He was going to investigate further and get back to me no later than the end of business on Monday, June 20.

At this stage, i'm getting pi$$ed, I call tech support back at E* and explain what's going on. After setting on hold for 10 plus minutes while my 3 year old is screaming for attention, i'm notified by E* that they have no record what so ever of a dish move being performed, all they have is the credit card auto pay being established in October 2002, which I informed the guy, it was set up as a part of the dish move!

We ended up going around and around. I stated that the techies sent to me this week was sent by E* and that they should've taken the time to ground the system and get my second receiver running, irregardless that the installation in October 2002 was performed by another party, who just so happen was performed by an installer sent by E*!

I guess my point is that, when the dish move was performed in October 2002 and my most recent service call was to Dish Network, not to the installer. I have no idea whom E* has subcontracted their work out to and when I call for a service call, I expect the job to be done! Oh get this, E* said that I could contact a third party to do the grounding, but couldn't guarntee that the job would be covered under the Dish Home Protection Plan, which I pay for

Sorry for rambling, but i'm pi$$ed and wanted to vent, at this stage, E* has issued so many credits that my August bill more than likely will be free, that is, i'm still a customer come August . Does anyone have suggestions as to what to do?

 

[JamesJ]

you should just be able to ground it to a cold water pipe, or stick a grounding stick in the ground where the lines come into the ground, I dont know why it would be so hard to find a grounding spot, no matter what type of house you have. My thing would be to remember dish is not responsible, well at least for the grounding, lost paperwork on the otehr hand is clearly their fault. I would be frustrated with the install companies

 

[garn9173]

To me, if it was to be grounded in the first place, either E* or their subcontracter's who did the orginial install should be and in my book, are responsible for the grounding.

you should just be able to ground it to a cold water pipe, or stick a grounding stick in the ground where the lines come into the ground, I dont know why it would be so hard to find a grounding spot, no matter what type of house you have. My thing would be to remember dish is not responsible, well at least for the grounding, lost paperwork on the otehr hand is clearly their fault. I would be frustrated with the install companies

 

[JamesJ]

its my understanding E* does not do installs, its subcontracted out. SO I would assume that the original install company should be called to come out and complete the job!

 

[boba]

its my understanding E* does not do installs, its subcontracted out. SO I would assume that the original install company should be called to come out and complete the job!

DNSC (Dish Network Service Corporation) is a division of Echostar Corporation and does do installs for DISH they also contract out to other companies to do work to their specifications. DISH Notwerk is responsible. Remember and remind DISH Directv is available nation wide.

 

[JamesJ]

DNSC (Dish Network Service Corporation) is a division of Echostar Corporation and does do installs for DISH they also contract out to other companies to do work to their specifications. DISH Notwerk is responsible. Remember and remind DISH Directv is available nation wide.

I read through your thing three times, and I have to say thank you for supporting me DNSC does installs FOR (main word here) Dish network, now if it was Dish network I believe the proper wording would be, DISH NETWORK DOES INSTALLS, not DNSC does installs for Dish, also just because they are a divison of a larger company dosent mean anything, trust me on that, they are two total beasts, and as far as Directv being avaliable nationwide you are correct, wrong forum but correct, also you would have the same problems, as DIRECTV sub contracts out, in my area even to some of the same install companies, Enjoy!

 

[HCI]

It the system is not installed correctly than dnsc is suppose to fix the promblem then the money is taken away from the original company that installed your system. Them telling you that they can not touch it is bull $hit. They were suppose to call e* and tell them the problem before the leave your premises. Sound like the techs didnt want to mess with it and wanted to get home early. I am a retailer and I know alot of guys who work for dnsc and they are bums. sorry to say but they need to do alot better job at selecting there techs "they hire anyone" aleast Satellites Unlimited out of Al does.

 

[HCI]

Not saying all dnsc techs are bad there are some good ones. Sorry.

 

[tjbeckett]

Bottom line is that if you have a problem with a tech sent out by dish no matter whether its subcontracted or what, call them and let them know with in the 90day warranty period to avoid further charge. If it's just a retailer you go to......you'll have to talk to them

 

[garn9173]

Guys, thanks for all the information. My wife is a pack rack and she discovered that we saved our receipt from the Dish Move installation in October 2002 and guess what? The same subcontractor who did the Dish Move was the same subcontractor who's been to our place twice this past week!

So, I got on the phone last night with this subcontractor and explained this to them. I told them that the installer signed off on the installation saying that the installation was done to E *'s standards and further explained that on the back of the sheet it stated that the installer was to have done a site inspection and did the necessary grounding, etc. etc. and that if he couldn't find a place to do the grounding, then the installation shouldn't have gone ahead in the first place!

I don't give a rats a$$ about all this grounding crap. All I want is my receiver fixed! If this subcontractor will refuse to do anything, then they can come take the dish down and make all necessary reapirs to our siding, etc. and my wife and I will be more than happy to give our money to Mediacom!

 

[goaliebob99]

email your story to CEO@echostar.com That should get you in touch with the right people. Guys correct my email adds if its wrong. Also that subcontractor is CLEARLY responcable for not grounding your system. There is allways a place to ground.

 

[JamesJ]

yeah, I just hope you get it fixed, there is always a grounding spot, and you need to be sure to get the people to do it, and realize its their fault! and let dish network know, after a while they will not stand for spotty work! that I am sure of

 

[garn9173]

Today, I talked further with the subcontractor who did the orginial install as well as "serviced" me on 6/15 & 6/18. I was informed that in 2002, grounding wasn't required and since my install, that policy has changed. I asked about a "grandfather clause" because clearly my install was done under old rules and I was notified that only installs done in the last 12 months or so would be covered under the "grandfather clause".

At this stage of the game, i'm done. I told the retailer that I would be more than happy to give my money to Mediacom and that since they (the subcontractor) won't service me, blah, blah, blah, that they can come and remove the dish and make any necessary repairs at their expense in accordance with the instructions of my townhome assocation.

Suprisingly, I was told that was no problem, all I need to do was to call E* themself and get the work ticket set up.

In the last 10 minutes or so, I just thought of something else. Since the dish move was done in October of 2002, my wife and I have been paying an additional $10.00 a month for the Dish Home Protection Plan, which turns out to be useless. I do believe i'm entitled to a refund of that $10.00 a month dating back to November 2002!