Install fee for box change?

[glowrdr]

So I bought a 211k from Iceman earlier this afternoon (he's local to me). I had a 211k upstairs in my bedroom, that really has nothing to do with this. I also have a 922 in my living room, and TV2 was wired for my basement. I'm trying to "unconnect" TV2 from the 922, and run it with it's own receiver so I have HD in my newly assembled poker room.

The history of my house, was that it's wired for cable/antenna. Every room has a cable jack in it that worked with cable (I believe I have 8-9 jacks). Well, during the Dish install - some of the extra wiring got bypassed/disconnected/repurposed. What I believe happened, is that both of my boxes are wired directly to the dish, and he disconnected some of the old original wires to accomodate the 922's use of TV2.

Doesn't sound all that hard right? Just undo all of the diplexor stuff, and connect the downstairs jack back into the Dish "network" and be happy with the new box. I can't figure out for the life of me where in the hell the Dish line even comes into the house. I've disconnected what I believe is all of the coax from the splitters in the basement, and I'm not losing signal to either of the 2 TV's that are currently working.

Probably more of a rant than anything - but now I need to pay $65 to have someone come out to "install" this new box? I guess I just don't understand why the Dish installer could not have connected to my existing wiring, and I would have the freedom to plug in a dish receiver anyplace that had a coax jack in the wall. Am I underthinking this? I'm half tempted to run to the store and get some 9v batteries for my toner and see if I can figure it out myself. It really shouldn't be this hard - I just can't figure out where the Dish comes into my house, and why it's not at the demarc like the rest of the wiring coming into my house.

 

[UTMTech]

So I bought a 211k from Iceman earlier this afternoon (he's local to me). I had a 211k upstairs in my bedroom, that really has nothing to do with this. I also have a 922 in my living room, and TV2 was wired for my basement. I'm trying to "unconnect" TV2 from the 922, and run it with it's own receiver so I have HD in my newly assembled poker room.

The history of my house, was that it's wired for cable/antenna. Every room has a cable jack in it that worked with cable (I believe I have 8-9 jacks). Well, during the Dish install - some of the extra wiring got bypassed/disconnected/repurposed. What I believe happened, is that both of my boxes are wired directly to the dish, and he disconnected some of the old original wires to accomodate the 922's use of TV2.

Doesn't sound all that hard right? Just undo all of the diplexor stuff, and connect the downstairs jack back into the Dish "network" and be happy with the new box. I can't figure out for the life of me where in the hell the Dish line even comes into the house. I've disconnected what I believe is all of the coax from the splitters in the basement, and I'm not losing signal to either of the 2 TV's that are currently working.

Probably more of a rant than anything - but now I need to pay $65 to have someone come out to "install" this new box? I guess I just don't understand why the Dish installer could not have connected to my existing wiring, and I would have the freedom to plug in a dish receiver anyplace that had a coax jack in the wall. Am I underthinking this? I'm half tempted to run to the store and get some 9v batteries for my toner and see if I can figure it out myself. It really shouldn't be this hard - I just can't figure out where the Dish comes into my house, and why it's not at the demarc like the rest of the wiring coming into my house.

You want results? Call in a TC if you're on the service plan and tip the guy directly. If it is as easy as you suggest and a 5 minute fix, I'm sure he'd happily take 15$ tip from you plus 30$ trouble call pay. You'd only be out 15 for the service call to dish and 15 for the tip. Everybody wins.

 

[glowrdr]

Not sure what you mean by call in TC (trouble call?). I'm on the plan, but they told me it would be a $65 call instead of a $99 call. Lucky me.

It SHOULD be an easy fix, but for some reason it's not working my way. Really all I need to do is connect a coax to my dish switch. All the coax is run, so that isn't the issue. I just can't figure out which of the 10 cables that are in my basement is actually Dish, versus what was just down there from when I had cable. If I knew where the coax from Dish was - this would be a non-issue. That's where I'm getting annoyed. It really can't be that tough, but for some stupid reason it's just out of my reach.

I think they've ran seperate cables externally for the 2 TV's I originally had installed. This was not how it should have been done in my opinion. I have the infrastructure existing already - why bypass it all so I can't complete a simple task of connecting a TV?

 

[RaymondG@Dish Network]

The reason the fee for a technician is $65 instead of $15 or $95, is because this type of work is considered custom work. The custom work order fee is $50 plus the $15 for the technician visit with the Protection Plan. The reason the technicians bypass pre-existing wiring that is set up for cable service is because each receiver needs it's own connection to the satellite antenna. With pre-existing wiring there are too many unknown variables with how things could have been set up (splitters, barrel connections, etc). If you have any additional questions please feel free to send me a PM.

 

[Mr Tony]

I forget when we spoke today how its setup
Are there switches in your basement?

Normally with a 922 & 211 there would be 2 lines from the dish to the receivers
1 to the 211
1 to the 922 (with separator)

really all you have to do is unhook the cable for TV2 on the 922 and hook it to the LNB or switch depending on the setup. A cable tone tester would work great in a situation like this

 

[Mr Tony]

The reason the fee for a technician is $65 instead of $15 or $95, is because this type of work is considered custom work.

unhooking a cable from TV2 and hooking it to the dish or switch is considered "custom work?"

 

[RaymondG@Dish Network]

Installing a purchased receiver or relocating a receiver to another room is considered custom work, and are not covered by the Protection Plan.

 

[satnewb]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't an "owned" receiver still subject to a $7/mo receiver fee? If that's the case you would have been better off setting up a DIU work order for 15 bucks.

 

[Bluemonick]

Installing a purchased receiver or relocating a receiver to another room is considered custom work, and are not covered by the Protection Plan.

Little offtopic, but in the last 30 day I swapped a defective purchased reciever for a replacement puchrased receiver of the same model type (SD), and there was no custom work (install fee) as I did the switch myself. Probably has to do with no additional wiring needed.

 

[Mr Tony]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't an "owned" receiver still subject to a $7/mo receiver fee?

yes

If that's the case you would have been better off setting up a DIU work order for 15 bucks.

no contract if you add an owned receiver. DIU requires 2 year agreement

 

[RaymondG@Dish Network]

Little offtopic, but in the last 30 day I swapped a defective purchased reciever for a replacement puchrased receiver of the same model type (SD), and there was no custom work (install fee) as I did the switch myself. Probably has to do with no additional wiring needed.

Swapping a defective receiver with a replacement unit is different. It doesn't require a technician visit or any additional wiring. In the OP's case there is only a TV2 connection running from the ViP922 receiver to the location where he is adding the additional receiver.

 

[papalittle]

Go outside and read the white lettering on the cables coming from the dish and then go into basement and look for the same writing. Then follow that cable to where it enters your house.

 

[glowrdr]

OK, so that is partly what I guess I am confused about. The LNB is on the dish, so I would assume there is 1 cable coming from there? Or are there multiples? Also - where would my switch be? I was able to find 1 of the cables that dish installed, but I think it was just the TV 2 wiring that they used a coupler and spliced it into my existing wiring for TV2 in the basement. I don't think this actually ties to the dish anywhere though.

I think I need to start outside and work my way in as suggested, rather than trying to identify wires "coming in from outside" since I technically don't know where they have come from.

Last question though - is there a way to tie the dish to multiple jacks? i.e. like cable is? Or does each jack need a dedicated line directly from the dish? I guess I'm unfamiliar with Dish, and I think I'm over simplifying things by assuming that everything just needs to be tied together, slap a box on the other end and it works.

Thanks in advance. I'm hoping I can get this figured out yet. lol

 

[RaymondG@Dish Network]

Last question though - is there a way to tie the dish to multiple jacks? i.e. like cable is? Or does each jack need a dedicated line directly from the dish? I guess I'm unfamiliar with Dish, and I think I'm over simplifying things by assuming that everything just needs to be tied together, slap a box on the other end and it works.

Each receiver needs it's own line from the Dish antenna. When there are enough receivers to support the use of a switch each receiver would have it's own line that comes directly from the switch, and the switch would be connected directly to the Dish antenna. Here is a link to a diagram of a 3 TV set up with a switch. Wiring Diagram

 

[Mr Tony]

I dont think there would be a switch since there is just 2 receivers

Normally with a 922 & 211 there would be 2 lines from the dish to the receivers
1 to the 211
1 to the 922 (with separator)

is there a way to tie the dish to multiple jacks

outputs...yes
from the dish to receiver? No...each receiver needs its own line from the dish (or switch) to the receiver. No splitters can be inline (there is a dish separator that goes on the back of dual tuner units like the 922 so they only need one cable from the dish)

 

[glowrdr]

Each receiver needs it's own line from the Dish antenna. When there are enough receivers to support the use of a switch each receiver would have it's own line that comes directly from the switch, and the switch would be connected directly to the Dish antenna. Here is a link to a diagram of a 3 TV set up with a switch. Wiring Diagram

OK - makes sense now that I can see it. Would it be unrealistic for me to hook up a 3rd line myself? Or am I getting into the territory of needing a switch (thus requiring a complete rework of my current system) It's awfully cold outside, and I'd hate to spend the next hour out there to realize there are only 2 lines coming off the LNB (I think I read that there were 3, but that could just be the 3 satellites I'm thinking of)

Edit - when I say 3 lines, i mean 3 coaxial connection, not 3 physical lines coming from my dish currently

 

[RaymondG@Dish Network]

You will need to run a 3rd line from the Dish antenna directly to the 3rd receiver. You are more than welcome to set do this up on your own, but saftey is a top priority and if you do not feel that you can accomplish this safetly then I would recommend having a technician out to run the line for you.

 

[glowrdr]

Now that I think about it for a bit, I think this is one of those times that it's just best to let someone else handle it. It's certianly something I feel that I could handle on my own, but at what cost? I don't have coax, ends, cable tacks and any other random things I might need along the way. Plus, I think it might make it easier in the long run if I "hover" a little bit and get an idea of what is going on the second time around. I may even be able to persuade my installer to bump me up to a switch if that will give me access to my very own mini-demarc like I'm familiar with.

I guess I just needed to vent a little earlier. I'm a hands on kind of guy, and I felt like someone was telling me that I had to take my car to a mechanic to change a tire. This appears not to have been the case, so I think the money will be well worth it (I charge $75 an hour, and I know I will get at least that amount of work out of the installer, not to mention the little extra's that they do like leave cables if needed)

So you all are still invited to my birthday. Just keep watching the mailbox for your invites

 

[Mr Tony]

where is the dish located?
Roof?
pole mount?
just wondering

It's awfully cold outside

understatement there...it has been dang cold latelly

 

[glowrdr]

Dish is on the roof. Pretty easy access (near the edge, off the back of the house). It's actually only on the lower roof line, so it's not the full 2 stories up (Got a 4 level split, so I've got more roof lines than needed)

But last time, I vaguely remember them having to follow my conduit down to the meter, then across my siding. Forgot where it went from there - but either way, if they decide to connect straight to my TV in the basement without using the existing wiring, they've more than lost out on this deal. lol

That's part of the reason I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can talk some sense into the installer "with that 4th box I'm planning soon...." and having him setup a 34 switch, so everything is connected in a centralized location and I can just mark the cables. Right now it's not a pretty site. The cable guy was ill-prepared, so I literally have 2 4-way splitters that feed into 2 more 2-ways in the basement, and one of those feeds goes into the garage, where it gets split 2 more times. I also have 2 amps in-line.

So realistically, I'd like to just disco everything and just hookup 3 dedicated lines for the dish. Eliminate all of the clutter and label what I can (in case I need to connect any of these free-hanging lines back up)