# Line of Sight



## shf12 (Jan 9, 2008)

The installer came out today to upgrade my dish and drop off my new 722 reciever... as soon as I got to the door the first words out of his mouth were, "this isn't going to work." 

I said, but the current dish works... 

He said he had no line of sight for the HD sattelite which comes in "lower than the 129." He walked around my front yard for about 3 or 4 minutes and said, "sorry those pine trees are just in the way." 

I asked if the dish could be extended on a pole and he said that it was too heavy.

Then he said he would call to get me a second opinion. I went inside to get a pen & paper, and by the time I got back he was gone (I was gone maybe 90 seconds).

No dish, no 772, no installer guy, no papers to sign, it's like I made him up in my head.

So I called the number that called me earlier in the day to tell me he was going to be late (he got here at 3:30 p.m. for a 8-12 appointment) and asked when my second opinion would be and she knew nothing but promised to call me back...

I guess what bugs me is that he never walked into my back yard to see if it could be mounted on a fence back there... I'm also annoyed that I'm pretty much left sitting on my hands w/o any info...


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Send your story to [email protected]

No guarentees, but this is the type of case they frequently resolve according to posts in other threads.


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## shf12 (Jan 9, 2008)

phrelin said:


> Send your story to [email protected]
> 
> No guarentees, but this is the type of case they frequently resolve according to posts in other threads.


The contractor dispatch called me back and informed me that I needed to call the Dish 1-800 number to schedule to get an internal dish employee to come out to assist with my install.
After waiting on hold for a long amount of time, I was told that a supervisor would be available to come out on Monday -- however, I'm not available until Tuesday.

I've already wasted an entire day on this, I'm willing to give the supervisor a shot, but really wish someone could have come out this weekend (as I requested).

If there is actually no line of sight, I understand, however I feel like there were other options (mounting the dish on a fence in my back yard, extending the satellite) that were dismissed by the tech, even though when I spoke to customer service these were the very alternative that they offered to give me hope that my situation would indeed be resolved.

I sent an email to the address you provided and offered details of my issue (in a much more formal, letter like manner). I will provide updates. It hope it goes without saying, that if I'm out of line or being irrational, please let me know.

I said in my email that my wife and I have been very happy Dish Network subscribers, and look forward to continuing with the company. However, I missed an entire day of work today due to a late and then aborted install, and unless this situation improves quickly, I'm going to have to start looking at other satellite and cable options.

Regards


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## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

Your profile doesn't have your location so that would help.

Depending on where your located 61.5 could be an option instead of 129.

For some reason the younger crowd of clowns (I mean installers) forget about that satellite because it's more work and equipment.


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## shf12 (Jan 9, 2008)

ssmith10pn said:


> Your profile doesn't have your location so that would help.
> 
> Depending on where your located 61.5 could be an option instead of 129.
> 
> For some reason the younger crowd of clowns (I mean installers) forget about that satellite because it's more work and equipment.


Looks like we're in the same neck of the woods... maybe I misunderstood him, but he kept saying the sat he needed was lower than 129... he never mentioned or said anything about 61.5...


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## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

OK your in the Atlanta market.
Atlanta HD locals are on 129 so unless you can settle for SD locals and get the HD OTA you have to have 129.
129 is southwest and very low in the sky. 61.5 is southeast and very high.
Other than HD locals all of your HD content is mirrored on 61.5


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## shf12 (Jan 9, 2008)

ssmith10pn said:


> OK your in the Atlanta market.
> Atlanta HD locals are on 129 so unless you can settle for SD locals and get the HD OTA you have to have 129.
> 129 is southwest and very low in the sky. 61.5 is southeast and very high.
> Other than HD locals all of your HD content is mirrored on 61.5


So when the supervisor/sr. tech comes out next week, if he can't find the 129 but can find 61.5, then all I'm missing is locals? I can live with that, if I can get them now I need to do some research on that...


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## FTA Michael (Jul 21, 2002)

Maybe you can do your own site survey. Go to Dishpointer http://www.dishpointer.com/ and enter your address, then zoom in to see what obstructions are in the way when you try to point to 129.


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## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

ssmith10pn said:


> Your profile doesn't have your location so that would help.
> 
> Depending on where your located 61.5 could be an option instead of 129.
> 
> For some reason the younger crowd of clowns (I mean installers) forget about that satellite because it's more work and equipment.


Could it not be that Dish (or DirecTv) does not want to raise what it pays for installs?


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## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

BNUMM said:


> Could it not be that Dish (or DirecTv) does not want to raise what it pays for installs?


No it's the 4 hours of training and a half day of ride along that does it. :lol:


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## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

I went through the exact same thing. The installer came to my house and said it wouldn't work. We walked around a little bit and he said I'm sorry but it is just not going to work because 129 is just too low. He left but I don't give up that easily.

I came here and learned about the 61.5 mirror satellite. I called the guy back out and told him about what I had found out and I have had HD ever since. This installer had no idea there was a 61.5.


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## BillJ (May 5, 2005)

Sounds like another example of how dumb E*'s decision to go with 129 was. Friend just went through the same thing. He has great signals on 110/119 but they couldn't get anything on 129. For now he has 61.5 for national HD but can't get local HD. I get 129 for now but neighbor has some trees that will block it in 4 or 5 years. Then I'll have to raise the dish but that will only be a temporary solution. I keep hoping E* will wake up and listen to all the customers around the country who have similar problems.


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## shf12 (Jan 9, 2008)

Calvin386 said:


> I went through the exact same thing. The installer came to my house and said it wouldn't work. We walked around a little bit and he said I'm sorry but it is just not going to work because 129 is just too low. He left but I don't give up that easily.
> 
> I came here and learned about the 61.5 mirror satellite. I called the guy back out and told him about what I had found out and I have had HD ever since. This installer had no idea there was a 61.5.


Wow, it's pretty frustrating that within a few hours of him leaving I've found out about another satellite, and this is what the does for a living.

Part of me wonders if this is some sort of way for the contractor companies to scam Dish for income, since they can put on the books that they came out, and get paid for more jobs in a day... I mean, my guy was supposed to get here sometime between 8 and noon, and showed up about 3:45 (so I can guess that he was slammed with multiple jobs). Since he was here less than 10 minutes, if he's able to fit four or five jobs like mine in a day, it increases the numbe rof daily jobs by what -- half, a third?

Dish should nip this in the bud.


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## jkane (Oct 12, 2007)

My installer kept trying to tell me 129 was east of 119 and 110 and there was a tree to the east so it wouldn't work. He moved my previous mount higher on the roof and was uncertain it would work. I told him it would, so do it anyhow. He did and was so surprised when I got upper 80's for signal strength "through the tree". They don't always know what it is they do for a living!


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## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

I called the office of the installer after he told me I couldn't get HD to see if maybe there was someone there that had a little more experience and might have some ideas. The boss over there told me I could try to find a way but assured me I would not be getting HD at my location. Well I love a good challenge especially when it comes to electronics. 

He was a bit miffed when I called to tell him to send his insaller out because I had figured out how to do it. They did a good job over all. 

They don't pay people enough to become experts anymore. That's why in general you don't get good enthusiastic service anymore in any industry. But I digress...that's a whole different subject for a different message board.


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## shf12 (Jan 9, 2008)

I'm about to lose my mind. 

I didn't get the usual "dish is calling to confirm you appointment" auto call that I get when they come out, so I called in to confirm my appointment.

They have NO record of my appointment tomorrow... I'm on hold as they call the hub to get something worked out.

I never got a reply from my previous email to the CEO -- I'm finding this completely unacceptable....


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## shf12 (Jan 9, 2008)

No appointments are available until Wednesday now. However, due to my job (which I have taken off two days now) I am unable to be away on Wed. Thursday I can be free any time EXCEPT for times between 11 and 2, which means that I can't set up anything that time (never mind that my last appointment was between 8-12 and they didn't show up until 3 p.m.).

So now, my appointment is on Friday between 8 and 12. 

Weekends don't work since we are out of town.

I feel like I'm kind of over a barrel because I WANT to stay with DISH, but I feel like they are doing everything to lose my business. If my HD service isn't set up on Friday, I'm going to go be forced to go straight to Comcast or Direct TV.


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## shf12 (Jan 9, 2008)

Someone from Echostar has replied and have placed a one-month credit onto my account, which is nice even though it isn't exactly what I was looking for (I just want a competent tech)... I'm not trying to be a pain in the rear or a constant complainer (I've actually been happy with dish for as long as I've had them).... thanks to everyone for listening to me whine.


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

In most cases, it isn't up to the installation contractor as to whether he can change what satellite you're getting service from. If his work order shows that you must receive 110, 119, and 129, and the equipment is an 1000.2 dish, then that's the equipment he's going to have, and those are the sats he must receive on it.

The reasons for this: 

- The contractor is only reimbursed for the equipment on the order. If he uses more expensive equipment, the customer has to pay for it.

- Far too many customers will okay the job with a wing dish pointed at 61.5, and then call DN and complain that they don't get their HD locals. This generates a trouble call that gets charged back to the installer.

So, DishNetwork (and to a lesser extent, DirecTV) don't want their internal contractors doing non-standard setups without approval.


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## shf12 (Jan 9, 2008)

Final Update: The Dish Network employee was great. He found a signal in the back of my yard behind the tall pine trees that where the problem, and mounted it and ran the line along my already existing fence (it is at such an angle that when the leaves come in I won't be able to see it in the summer). 

I guess it just goes to show that I got a lazy contractor tech the first time... 

Now I just have to figure out how to get my TV set up correctly since the HD looks great but the SD programming looking awful with two vertical black boxes...


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## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

> Now I just have to figure out how to get my TV set up correctly since the HD looks great but the SD programming looking awful with two vertical black boxes...


Have you ever heard the old saying "You can't make chicken salad out of chicken $hyt"?
Those bars are because SD programing is 480 x 480 lines (square) and your display is 1024 x 768 or 1920 x 1080 (both rectangle) The only way to get that SD picture to fill the screen is strEEEtch it. Get the picture?

You can do that, I believe it's the * key and then page up to the format you like.
Me personally, I like to leave the bars so the people on the screen don't look like they have fat heads.


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## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

Speaking of trees. I'm looking for a new home. You know you have it bad when the first thing I check is if there is line of sight for the satellites and if the living room is oriented to install 7.1 audio!


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## bartendress (Oct 8, 2007)

ssmith10pn said:


> Speaking of trees. I'm looking for a new home. You know you have it bad when the first thing I check is if there is line of sight for the satellites and if the living room is oriented to install 7.1 audio!


I refused to commit to my new apartment until I confirmed that it was top floor (no roof on them) and confirmed LOS to all 3 birds via several sources, including Google Earth.


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## shf12 (Jan 9, 2008)

ssmith10pn said:


> You can do that, I believe it's the * key and then page up to the format you like.
> Me personally, I like to leave the bars so the people on the screen don't look like they have fat heads.


Yeah, I've been toying with trying to figure out if the format functions are better on my TV or the DISH options...


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## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

shf give it a little while and you will get used to watching programs in their native format. In the long run you will be better off for it. Stretching them is not the answer. Learning why they are like that is.


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## Friendswood (Jan 17, 2008)

I didn't read all of the replies, so I'm going to add my two-cents here.
I've had both Directv and Dish....the differences in the service were like night and day!
I've had Dish installers (internal both times) out to my house two times....both times they were prompt, courteous and completely professional.
Directv was another story. It took 5 days to do a job that should have taken a few hours! The first time the installer came out, he was a contractor in an old beat up station wagon, forget the fact he was a day late! He did not have all the necessary tools and used a couple of mine, including a pick to help dig the hole.
Eventually, he got the dish up and the wires to my house were exposed and laying on top of the ground. When I asked him about this, he said it was my responsibility to bury them if that's the way I wanted them. He never could get the dish adjusted correctly and said he'd have to come back the following day and "play" with it some more.
You guessed it, he never showed!
To make a long story short, I eventually got it installed....I've since switched to Dish and glad I did!


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## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

It is not a matter of Dish installers being better than Direct installers. It is a matter of how much the installer gets paid. I install both but I do not deal with people that do not want to pay what I charge. I figure the companies that do not want to pay what is reasonable are not concerned with the quality of the install.


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