Question about opening new account with D*

[diitto]

I've read some conflicting information about opening a new account with D* and hopefully you can help me get this resolved... I am doing my own self-install and I am installing all the hardware (dish, grounds, rg6 cable, etc.) before I go buy new receivers, likely from Best Buy. I am waiting to buy receivers because I want to make sure everything else is in and checked out to the extent possible before starting the clock ticking (30 days from receiver purchase to activating service). If I have a big problem (hopefully won't) I would rather know that before I start that clock ticking... I intend to buy boxed D* receivers, likely one standard and one HD. When I buy those I will then finish the dish alignment (I already have it pointing in the generally correct direction using a satellite finder) and afterward calling D* to activate service... I am, as is likely obvious, a new customer. Will D* allow me to start service this way??? thanks much... diitto...

 

[Plywodstatebum]

Your just doing all there work since they will install free to a new customer, but I guess if you want everything perfect you can do the labor, They will have to install the HD box.
When I got my HD box in May they told me they would have to come and install it even though I got it from Circuit Chitty, But they didn't give me a time limit on the HD box or sign a agreement. but they did make me sign a 1 year deal before they would sell me the SD box. I guess because you can install a SD box yourself.

 

[diitto]

Why do you think they would need to come out to put in the HD receiver and not the SD receiver??? I don't get that part??? diitto...

 

[Incaico]

Why do you think they would need to come out to put in the HD receiver and not the SD receiver??? I don't get that part??? diitto...

Correct. No need. If you can do an SD, you can do an HD. Same drop. The bigger issue is can you align and peak a triple LNB? Also, being that an HD box is considered an advanced product, you get a 2-year agreement.

 

[diitto]

Correct. No need. If you can do an SD, you can do an HD. Same drop. The bigger issue is can you align and peak a triple LNB? Also, being that an HD box is considered an advanced product, you get a 2-year agreement.

Good point, about aligning the triple LNB that is... Since by plan I don't yet have any receivers I bought a cheap satellite finder and rigged up some batteries to make a power supply for it... I then attached it to one of the outputs of the triple LNB just to see if the satellite dish was working at all... It was brand new out of the box but who knows what that means??? Anyway, I set the azimuth, elevation and tilt to approximately what I believe to be the coordinates for my area code (94583) and the finder began signing. I spent some time peaking that signal but did note that I am just seeing power, not necessarily power from the satellites of interest. I also noticed that I could turn the dish a few degrees and still had signal but would then suddenly hit a wall where the signal would just fall off a ledge... Not sure what that means but yes, you're right... My little experiment was educational and did show me that the dish appears to have some function but can I extend that to aligning the dish to the real (101, 110 and 119) D* satellites??? That's part of the reason why I want to check out everything as best I can before I buy receivers and start the 30 day clock ticking, because I want time to seek help if I am unable to figure out how to align the dish precisely... We will see... thanks for the help... diitto...

 

[damaged]

This is the official triple lnb installation manual:
http://www.directv.com/learn/pdf/12429_00_AntennaManual_1D.pdf