# directv genie upgrade



## f2block (Mar 19, 2016)

Recently had issues with HR21-700 receiver and decided to upgrade to Genie. Tech arrived and saw where dish was installed by Tech years ago when local stations were offered and stated that he would have to install new LNB on dish for Genie compatibility. then stated he would have to mount a new dish because , by policy, he could not get up on a roof to switch out LNB on old dish. I told him dish is mounted where it is because I couldn't get a signal clear anywhere else. After walking around and checking signal strength he said he could not help me because he could not get a clear view anywhere. Is this really policy that they can no longer get on a slight grade roof and do a ten minute switch out of equipment a Directv tech originally installed? I am asking this because I called Directv and they told me that the Tech was mistaken and rescheduled an install next week. Just don't want to waste more of my time.


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

It is, and has been since before the 1960's, an OSHA Regulation that work being performed more than 6' off the ground (and not on a ladder), requires fall protection. DIRECTV wasn't complying with that regulation for years, so that is why your previous install doesn't meet the guidelines. 

No way they can reach your current dish with a ladder? You might also get a local installer to do the work.

Maybe the next installer will be as ignorant as the person you talked too and will do the work or have equipment to do the install.


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## bpratt (Nov 24, 2005)

Another option which I use is to keep the existing dish and LNB and install a SWM8 or 16 Multiswitch. You can find them at solidsignal.com by searching for SWM.

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=SWM-8-NOPOWER&d=DIRECTV-Single-Wire-Multi-Switch-8-Channel-(SWM-8)&sku=7440900235&q=swm


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

trh said:


> It is, and has been since before the 1960's, an OSHA Regulation that work being performed more than 6' off the ground (and not on a ladder), requires fall protection. DIRECTV wasn't complying with that regulation for years, so that is why your previous install doesn't meet the guidelines.
> 
> No way they can reach your current dish with a ladder? You might also get a local installer to do the work.
> 
> Maybe the next installer will be as ignorant as the person you talked too and will do the work or have equipment to do the install.


There are ways to do installs on any roof. D* contractors just don't have the equipment and training to do it according to OSHA guidelines. It does get expensive and complicated. I dealt with this for years and we owned all kinds of high lifts and still had to rent some to do special jobs. What I see in our area are a lot more poles in the lawns and wall mounted dishes. What I don't see is roofers paying any attention to the high work rules. I guess someone will have to have a catastrophic accident while working for a roofer. Then the cost of a new roof will really skyrocket.

Rich


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## rbpeirce (Feb 24, 2006)

I must have gotten lucky a couple of years ago when I bought a house that had older DTV equipment in it. The installer went up on the roof and replaced the LNB with no question.

One thing I discovered last year was the original installer did not put a drip loop in the line and water leaked in during a heavy storm. I had the hole resealed and have my fingers crossed. This is in VA. In western PA drip loops seem to be standard.


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## f2block (Mar 19, 2016)

For an update- Had another Tech scheduled to arrive 3/20. Came, saw old hookup, put ladder up to reach old dish. Installed new dish, new swm 4K client and HR54-500. No problems. Now gonna call Directv to find out why $99 fee for 4K client when all is updated install.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

rbpeirce said:


> _*I must have gotten lucky a couple of years ago when I bought a house that had older DTV equipment in it. The installer went up on the roof and replaced the LNB with no question.*_
> 
> One thing I discovered last year was the original installer did not put a drip loop in the line and water leaked in during a heavy storm. I had the hole resealed and have my fingers crossed. This is in VA. In western PA drip loops seem to be standard.


An installer _can _go up on the roof and do anything they want. What OSHA says is that they _shall _comply with regulations. That wording is there for a reason. And it's proper. You just got lucky. Right now, the installers seem to think there are OSHA agents patrolling the areas where they work. Unless something's drastically changed, no OSHA agents patrol anywhere. Once an OSHA Recordable Injury is reported, an agent usually appears on the jobsite and any other violations that he sees are fair game for him. Or if an employee files a report of management doing something against the regulations an agent will go to the jobsite and investigate. Once they're in the door anything they see can be investigated.

Rich


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Rich said:


> An installer _can _go up on the roof and do anything they want. What OSHA says is that they _shall _comply with regulations. That wording is there for a reason. And it's proper. You just got lucky. Right now, the installers seem to think there are OSHA agents patrolling the areas where they work. Unless something's drastically changed, no OSHA agents patrol anywhere. Once an OSHA Recordable Injury is reported, an agent usually appears on the jobsite and any other violations that he sees are fair game for him. Or if an employee files a report of management doing something against the regulations an agent will go to the jobsite and investigate. Once they're in the door anything they see can be investigated.
> 
> Rich


OSHA inspectors do patrol. But their numbers are extremely limited. So they go to companies that work in industries with high injury rates and areas with lots of construction projects. And as you said, sites that have reported injuries or complaints filed (usually by disgruntled employees).

But last year, there were only 2,200 OSHA Inspectors in the US. To put that into perspective, in 2008 (latest number I could find), there were over 1.1 million law enforcement officers in the US. Yet 'where is a cop when you need one?'

So the chances of getting caught are certainly slim. But I think Peds said a couple of years ago, his company cracked down on fall protection and they were told if they left the ladder and went on the roof, they would be fired.

I remember the Undercover Boss episode with the CEO of DIRECTV. He went on one job and climbed up on the roof with the tech to check the dish/LNB for a problem. The next job he went on (with a different tech), told him they weren't allowed to go on the roof (and also made him get down off the ladder -- he had climbed up the ladder behind the tech).

And OSHA isn't doing this for fun or to raise money via fines. They're are doing it to protect the worker. Highest rate of injuries in the construction industry is falls from more than 6'.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

trh said:


> _*OSHA inspectors do patrol.*_ But their numbers are extremely limited. So they go to companies that work in industries with high injury rates and areas with lots of construction projects. And as you said, sites that have reported injuries or complaints filed (usually by disgruntled employees).
> 
> But last year, there were only 2,200 OSHA Inspectors in the US. To put that into perspective, in 2008 (latest number I could find), there were over 1.1 million law enforcement officers in the US. Yet 'where is a cop when you need one?'
> 
> ...


I haven't bothered with OSHA since I quit working in '94. Around that time I did ask an OSHA inspector if they patrolled and he told me they didn't and didn't have a mandate to do that or the manpower. Perhaps things have changed since then. Have you found anything in the regs to support that?

Okay, I finally got curious and called the nearest OSHA office and asked them if they actually put out patrols. They don't. Here's their address and phone number: * Avenel Area Office*
1030 St. Georges Avenue
Plaza 35, Suite 205
Avenel, New Jersey 07001
(732) 750-3270
(732) 750-4737 FAX

If they're driving around and see an obvious safety concern, they can address it, but that's not something that happens often. In no way do they have regular patrols. I also found out they don't authorize or certify any equipment.

Rich


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## Hcdavis3 (Mar 22, 2016)

f2block said:


> For an update- Had another Tech scheduled to arrive 3/20. Came, saw old hookup, put ladder up to reach old dish. Installed new dish, new swm 4K client and HR54-500. No problems. Now gonna call Directv to find out why $99 fee for 4K client when all is updated install.


Hi Rich.
Do you know the HDMI specs for HR 54 and C61? Is it 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 for both? I can't get get any info from Directv themselves.
They tell me 1.4, and I don't think that will work with the new dedicated 4K channels. Thanks a million for your help.
Carter


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Hcdavis3 said:


> Hi Rich.
> Do you know the HDMI specs for HR 54 and C61? Is it 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 for both? I can't get get any info from Directv themselves.
> They tell me 1.4, and I don't think that will work with the new dedicated 4K channels. Thanks a million for your help.
> Carter


Don't know, let's see, someone will now pop up out of cyberspace and your question will be answered...might take a few minutes, but...

Rich


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Rich said:


> I haven't bothered with OSHA since I quit working in '94. Around that time I did ask an OSHA inspector if they patrolled and he told me they didn't and didn't have a mandate to do that or the manpower. Perhaps things have changed since then. Have you found anything in the regs to support that?
> 
> Okay, I finally got curious and called the nearest OSHA office and asked them if they actually put out patrols. They don't. Here's their address and phone number: * Avenel Area Office*
> 1030 St. Georges Avenue
> ...


I think we're saying the same thing.

Does OSHA send inspectors out in the morning to see what they can randomly find? No.
Do they send them to targeted sites and if they drive by another site that looks suspect, can they stop? Yes.

I've been on two jobs this year where OSHA showed up. During our discussions, they told us they were assigned to come to the neighborhood and check out the various jobs (about 40 houses were being built at the time by about 6-8 different builders) and on the second site, they had specifically come to this job site as assigned by their supervisor (it is a 3-story 125,000 sq ft assisted living building currently on construction).

And I know of a third inspection where it was reportedly random and the three companies involved got hit by a $147,000 fine (it was in another subdivision where multiple houses were under construction at the same time).

OSHA offices are provided a list by the national offices as to where to inspect. Plus the local office receives complaints and accident reports that may put a site on their list.

And from the Dallas OSHA office a few years ago after they had a rise in injuries at construction sites:


> OSHA officials are rededicating resources and increasing the number of inspectors to actively patrol construction sites for obvious unsafe conditions. A recent example includes a total of $35,950 in citations issued to a general contractor and two subcontractors working at a restaurant construction site in Grapevine.


But yes, the number of inspectors they have means that it really is an employer's responsibility to self-enforce safety regulations. Or not and hope they don't have a serious accident.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

trh said:


> _*OSHA inspectors do patrol. *_


Once again, no agents are assigned to patrol. Yes they do go to construction sites, they always have. But no organized patrols. The agent I spoke to yesterday asked me who told me that. I told him it was an ongoing argument on this site and by D* installers that I have spoken to. Don't remember his exact words but they were something like _where do these people get these ideas from_?

Rich


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## mutelight (Oct 6, 2008)

Hcdavis3 said:


> Hi Rich.
> Do you know the HDMI specs for HR 54 and C61? Is it 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 for both? I can't get get any info from Directv themselves.
> They tell me 1.4, and I don't think that will work with the new dedicated 4K channels. Thanks a million for your help.
> Carter


The C61 is definitely HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 but I believe the HR54 is HDMI 1.4 since it's limited to 1080p.


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Rich said:


> *Once again,* no agents are assigned to patrol. Yes they do go to construction sites, they always have. But no organized patrols. The agent I spoke to yesterday asked me who told me that. I told him it was an ongoing argument on this site and by D* installers that I have spoken to. Don't remember his exact words but they were something like _where do these people get these ideas from_?
> 
> Rich


"Once again"??? You took one of my posts and quoted it twice. Cute.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

trh said:


> "Once again"??? You took one of my posts and quoted it twice. Cute.


You didn't seem to get it the first time.


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