Weird DirecTV moving situation

[yourbeliefs]

With a baby on the way the uncomfortable truth of there not being enough space in my current apartment, moving time has once again come upon me. However, there are a few wrinkles involved with the move, which ironically all have to do with DirecTV..

As some of you may remember, I basically had to sell my soul to the devil to get DirecTV installed on my campus owned apartment, and it was done with the understanding that when I left, the dish would come with me. I know DirecTV usually likes to leave dishes behind, but that can't happen this time. Will DirecTV do the right thing and remove the dish (not necessarily all the stand stuff) free of charge and put it in at the new apartment? One thing that may help this is that my new apartment is literally across the street from my current one.

Another question is, if I move, does my DirecTV contract get renewed? I do like the service, but I'm not in any hurry to re-up on my contract with them.

On another related question, as some of you may also remember when I was moving into my current apartment, I didn't have grounded (3 prong) outlets available everywhere. Luckily in the new place I'm looking at, there are many grounded outlets. Sadly none of them are in the room that I would be putting my TV, D*, Xbox, PS3, etc in. Rather than raise a stink like I did last time, this time I'm just going to get a powerful extension cord that runs in from the next room over and hook up a surge protector to that. What sort of extension cord should I get? I know I shouldn't get one of those flimsy extension cords, but I know all the higher grade ones have all these different "ratings" and I'm curious as to which is the best.

 

[wildbill129]

With a baby on the way the uncomfortable truth of there not being enough space in my current apartment, moving time has once again come upon me. However, there are a few wrinkles involved with the move, which ironically all have to do with DirecTV..

As some of you may remember, I basically had to sell my soul to the devil to get DirecTV installed on my campus owned apartment, and it was done with the understanding that when I left, the dish would come with me. I know DirecTV usually likes to leave dishes behind, but that can't happen this time.

Will DirecTV do the right thing and remove the dish (not necessarily all the stand stuff) free of charge and put it in at the new apartment? One thing that may help this is that my new apartment is literally across the street from my current one.

The answer is no they will not. D* likes dishes to stay. With the movers program they will provide a new dish. Just take your old one down yourself and put it on ebay, or save the LNB and throw the rest in the trash.

Another question is, if I move, does my DirecTV contract get renewed? I do like the service, but I'm not in any hurry to re-up on my contract with them.

I just moved, it did not extend my contract. If you add more receivers it will.

On another related question, as some of you may also remember when I was moving into my current apartment, I didn't have grounded (3 prong) outlets available everywhere. Luckily in the new place I'm looking at, there are many grounded outlets. Sadly none of them are in the room that I would be putting my TV, D*, Xbox, PS3, etc in. Rather than raise a stink like I did last time, this time I'm just going to get a powerful extension cord that runs in from the next room over and hook up a surge protector to that. What sort of extension cord should I get? I know I shouldn't get one of those flimsy extension cords, but I know all the higher grade ones have all these different "ratings" and I'm curious as to which is the best.

First off, I would check to see if those outlets are in fact grounded or if they were just replaced with a three prong with no connection in the box. You can buy a cheap tester at HD to check, or take one of the outlets off and see if the ground screw is connected to anything.

If they are grounded, use an extension cord with at least #14 wire, #12 would be better. Get an extension cord that is the shortest possible that reaches to where you want it. In other words, you don't want a bunch of extra cord looped up behind the tv.

 

[SamCdbs]

IMHO,

The "Mover's Connection" will put up a new dish for you. They like for you to leave the old one behind so they can hit up the new resident as a potential customer, but just take the thing down yourself and keep it. Obviously, this is the "right thing" since you get a brand new dish out of the deal.

I'm not the least bit handy and puting in a new plug is easy. Its no harder than installing a phone jack. You could buy a new plug at Home Depot or Lowes for less than $10.

 

[wildbill129]

IMHO,

The "Mover's Connection" will put up a new dish for you. They like for you to leave the old one behind so they can hit up the new resident as a potential customer, but just take the thing down yourself and keep it. Obviously, this is the "right thing" since you get a brand new dish out of the deal.

I'm not the least bit handy and puting in a new plug is easy. Its no harder than installing a phone jack. You could buy a new plug at Home Depot or Lowes for less than $10.

You can buy a new plug for 23 cents. But if the wiring is old, and only has two wires, hot and neutral, you are not doing yourself any favors by not connecting the ground. If the house has metal boxes and conduit throughout (rare) then you can attach the ground screw on the outlet to the metal box. Otherwise you have to rewire back to the panel.......way more than 10 bucks...

 

[Jimbo]

IMHO,

The "Mover's Connection" will put up a new dish for you. They like for you to leave the old one behind so they can hit up the new resident as a potential customer, but just take the thing down yourself and keep it. Obviously, this is the "right thing" since you get a brand new dish out of the deal.

I'm not the least bit handy and puting in a new plug is easy. Its no harder than installing a phone jack. You could buy a new plug at Home Depot or Lowes for less than $10.

Turn the power off first.

 

[david_gilbert]

you cannot legally change out the outlets in a rental or multifamily residence. you must get the owners to do it. since some are only 2 prong, i have a feeling that the 3 prong ones are not grounded either. they may be getting ground thru the conduit, or they may not.

 

[yourbeliefs]

Well here's the issue...

First off, I am afraid of heights and am horrible with tools, so odds are I wouldn't be the one going up to remove the dish. How much would it cost to get someone to take it down for me? Also, like I said, I'm moving right across the street... you think if I gave the installer a little.. incentive, that they may bring it down for me instead? Like I said, I don't think the landlord is going to be happy if I leave the dish on there, and I don't want to be responsible for 2 separate dishes..

 

[wildbill129]

You might be able to get him to take it down with a little cash incentive...it will only take him a few minutes....might be worth $50.00 bucks for his time....

 

[stonecold]

Replacing an outlet is ok in most states but in some depending on the laws of the land yes the landlord has to but it is very seldom this is the case or that it is even in pratice.

I put new style outlets thourgh our my place when i renovated it. And I dont even own it. Not against the law in florida under Chapter 83 ( landlord/rental law )

Also there is an old law in the books in GA that say a landlord has to replace light bulbs does not mean anone forces a landlord to do it.

 

[raoul5788]

Laws vary greatly from state to state. IIRC, in Mass, you can't change an outlet even if you are the homeowner. Here in CT, you can do almost any work on your own place as long as it is up to code.

 

[yourbeliefs]

I'm not that worried about the plugs. I have an adapter to test them already (I bought one for before I moved into my current place.) The plugs look pretty modern. I think it's like what was in my last house where they just upgrade a bunch of the plugs and not ALL of them to bypass having to do a complete rewiring of the house. I'm more worried about the stuff with the satellite dish.