[marennorge]

What constitutes Direct TV's standard installation? I don't want a dish on the roof or lanai railings but I do like the setup on a pole with a concrete base. I realize the install depends on unobstructed view for the dish. Before I talk to them, I wanted an idea of what folks get for free and what Direct TV charges extra for. Thanks.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

DirecTV's standard installation is a roof mount for the antenna. If you want it on a pole set into concrete in the ground, then you get to haggle/negotiate with the independent installer (not a DirecTV employee) on the cost that will be charged...........when he shows up to do it. I tried to get a quote up-front ("Have the installer call me in advance....") - didn't happen. I've run into this with two antenna installations with DirecTV (one in OH, the other there in TV). Some folks manage to get the installer to do it for free. Others (like me).....no such luck.

The guy up here in OH did an excellent job with the antenna install: He dug a fairly deep hole, flared it out a bit at the bottom (to help keep the concrete from lifting with the seasonal freeze/thaw cycles), filled it with quick-set concrete, screwed some long bolts into the pole that would be within the concrete to give the concrete something to grab onto - couldn't have asked for anything better. My cost: $75, paid directly to him. I was fine with it. Different story in FL: Pole just pounded into the ground - thank you very much. Not happy with the job of running coax to entry point on the house (I wanted it tucked up under the siding which he agreed to, came back to see how things were going after a bit and he was just screwing cable clamps into the foundation blocks - the lawn guys have to be really careful now), plus other issues as well. I wasn't really happy about it overall, mostly concerned about the wind potentially shifting the antenna and the coax exposure - so far, so good. My cost: $25, again paid directly to him.

You're pretty much on your own with whoever the installer is when they show up. Hopefully, you'll get a good one!

Bill

[aljetmet]

Is it a problem in TV to put a dish on the house?
Ours is near the roofline on the corner of the house and the cable goes into our attic.

That type of install would be preferable to me.


One thing for sure it must be grounded properly.
The origianl installation of our dish was not grounded properly.
A couple of years later we had issues and an installer came out.
He advised that our dish was not properly grounded. He had to to go across the attic to the other side ot the house where our main ground is.

No cost to me but it took him a couple of hours and lots of cable.

BTW, I needed a new box! Nothing to do with the dish...

[marennorge]

....guess I will just go with Comcast. Sounds like more hassle than it is worth. Thanks for the input.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Originally Posted by marennorge

....guess I will just go with Comcast. Sounds like more hassle than it is worth. Thanks for the input.

I'd encourage you to take lots of factors........and feedback from a variety of sources........into your decision making process. Lots of people like Dish Network, lots like DirecTV, lots like Comcast, etc. On the other hand, NONE of them are without issues. They all involve technology and people - you're bound to have some level of problems from time to time!

Make the choice that you feel suits you best.

Enjoy!

Bill

[logdog]

Standard free install is roof mount. When they came to my house, they wanted to do the pole mount and charge me $75. I told them I wanted the free install. They called their office and I got the free pole mount. I've heard of them also charging some customers another $75 for cable runs. I had everything done for free with no hassles.

[dgammon6]

We installed Direct TV 3 years ago. First we went to the Architectural Review Committee for permission to use the pole. We were granted permission as long as it was located where they dictated. I showed the paperwork to the person installing the dish. He put it where they wanted it, set the pole in concrete, and ran all new cables in the house. He was here 8 hours and there was no charge.

[ladydoc]

Originally Posted by marennorge

What constitutes Direct TV's standard installation? I don't want a dish on the roof or lanai railings but I do like the setup on a pole with a concrete base. I realize the install depends on unobstructed view for the dish. Before I talk to them, I wanted an idea of what folks get for free and what Direct TV charges extra for. Thanks.

thanks to reading about the folks who got the pole mount for free...I called them and got a $50 refund the pole installation. got to love totv!

[logdog]

Originally Posted by ladydoc

thanks to reading about the folks who got the pole mount for free...I called them and got a $50 refund the pole installation. got to love totv!

Are you offering a reward??? Or maybe a pole dance...