VOOM Installations

[occammd]

I called after VOOM put in the wrong zip for my install and the installer couldn't drive a few hundred miles to get me (no kidding). They credited me $50 for the trouble.

 

[RC51Jim]

My Voom has been installed...a full rundown (Long)

There have been quite a few threads concerning installations of the Voom system. I have noticed that there have been many problems and bad installations. I had quite the opposite experience and just wanted to share it with you guys. My installer (Craig Electronics) was scheduled to be at my house last Friday 12-4pm. Well I get a call from him (the installer) around 9 am Friday asking if it would be OK to come early (Hell Yes!), he actually beat me home from work! Once I got there he surveyed my house and told me there would be no problems, up to this point I had been a little worried. I live on a hill overlooking the Northeast Bay Area (San Fransisco). I am the third house down the hill and due east from my house is back up the hill. I was worried the hill would block Rainbow 1 (11 degrees elevation where I am). My installer was very knowlegable even though this was only the 3rd Voom install he had done and had all of the work done in 15-20 minutes. To be fair I had an old D* Dish and I told him I was cool with re-using the wire. For OTA I already have a HUGE ancient channelmaster on the roof from the previous owner. The installer told me I would get much better reception with my antenna vs the stealth he brought. So his job was a piece of cake; installed, downloaded and finished in 30 minutes. The new dish looks like it is almost pointed at the ground, however I get a solid 91-94 signal strenght so I am no longer worried. OTA reception is a little strange. I have roughly 40 channels mapped, and I have not checked them all yet but I have noticed I recieve quite a few more during the daytime. At night my OTA is very limited, I know that atmoshperic conditions are different at night and will affect my reception but maybe I need to do some antenna tweaking. All in all I am very satisfied with Voom and I plan to keep it for a very long time (Come on DVR!!). I just wanted to post this to maybe encourage the not-so-fortunate, it is worth the hassle, I don't know of a better deal out there.

 

[vfib71]

No Show!

I finally broke down and ordered VOOM once I got word that TIVO was compatible with VOOM about three weeks ago. Had an appointment for today between 8-12pm. I called Installs last Friday to confirm, which they did, and received an e-mail with all the details of my installation and guess what - NO SHOW! So I called Installs and they told me the appt. was entered incorrectly and the installer had no idea he was supposed to come. Now how can that be when I called and verified and received an e-mailwith the correct information? I have to say that I haven't even got installed yet and am completely fed up with VOOMS lack of customer service. As I had a log in issue for the VOOM website that took about 4 e-mails and 8 calls to resolve. Installs rescheduled for Wednesday and if they don't show I will be cancelling as this will be my second day I'm taking off from work. So I hope the service is worth it after all of this.

 

[fayrich]

Really surprised to hear about the problem with Prostar. My experience with them and seemingly all other posts here have been positive.

 

[golem]

hopefully my install will go smooth, but stories like this is why i would really rather self install...

 

[bfdtpkt]

My install is scheduled for 05/26/04, I called INSTALLS, INC., but they will not tell me who the installer is or his phone number.... sez she'll have him/her(!?!) call me.... still waiting for that call!

I had a doctor appt in the afternoon but cancelled even though the install is set for the a.m......... I'm holding with "baited breath" (I've heard that expression, don't really know what it means, though)!

Pray for me!

 

[Sean Mota]

Good. We need to hear the positives as well.

 

[shaun-ohio]

got ahold of prostar today, they have rescheduled me for this sat now

 

[milkman]

woohoo

new to the forumn and new to Voom. Will be getting installed 5/21. Can't wait. Only thing that sucks is that I will be gone most of the weekend so I won't be able to enjoy the HD for the first couple days.

By the way I am switching from DTV......no more NFL Sunday Ticket

 

[Sean Mota]

Milkman,

Welcome and enjoy it.

 

[babakanoosh]

Well, I signed up fro VOOM on the internet and installation scheduling snafus started immediately.

I scheduled an installation time at the end of my sign up process.

The next day I got an Email from Installs Inc to my email but to a person named Daryl Lee (not me) with the wrong Job Number. I went to the web site but could not see my install scheduled. I did see a message that I could schedule an install now, so I did it again and got a different date.
I called Installs Inc and they told me the email I got was a problem in their system, a lot of people are getting it. You are not supposed to get any email.

They said neither of the installs I scheduled were in the system, that you have to call to set it up, so we did. (How would anyone know this)

So, anyone that scheduled an install via internet, you had better call Installs Inc to set up appointment. This is unbelievable. What a screwed up process. My confidence is very low. Anyone else experience this??

 

[Vreesar]

Service

Well, yesterday I call voom to subscribe to service. A lady (wish I'd gotten her name) takes down all my information then tells me they are very busy and would have someone call me back to setup my account and installation. Needless to say no one ever called me back. So this morning I called Voom back and got a genteman who set me right up.

From reading all the things on this web site I decided to try and work my way through getting a larger dish, installation phone numbers and so on...
I first told voom I needed a larger dish than the 18" because I had obstructions in the path. While I do have many tree's in that direction I don't think they will be a problem once the dish is on my second story roof. However, he said that I would need to speak with Install's to make sure they had the installer bring a bigger dish. He wasn't willing to give me a phone number for the installer but did transfer me (sense I needed to get the bigger dish).

Once I got online with installs they said they'd make sure I got the larger dish and also gave me the installers phone number.

All in all I am satisfied with the service to this point hehe. Thanks to the loads of information on this page. Well, installation is June 3rd so hopefully all will go well!!

 

[KenCave-M3]

My install experience...

Hello all,
I've been lurking this forum for about a month getting great info from everyone, but now that I'm actually VOOMING, here's my story:
Signed up on their website two weeks ago. I was going to be out of town after that so I scheduled for this past weekend. Last week I got a phone call from Voom asking if I had any questions, and my installer called me also to confirm the appt. (Sat. 8am-12pm) Well, the time slot comes and goes and no show so I call the installer (caller id is handy!) and he's having trouble with another install, but he'd be there. Then he calls back later that day and says he can't do it that day (family emergency) but offers to come on Sunday to make up for it. Fine, I was ok with that but I was a bit miffed about being left stuck around the house, but at least it was a Saturday. So he shows up on Sunday, does the install but does practically nothing from the satellite install best practices guide (silicone on asphault shingles, no drip loop, had to coach him on grounding, I knew more about the STB than he did)... I just wanted to get hooked up and get this guy out of my hair (I'm one that would prefer to do this stuff myself). But he did say he's been doing more Voom than DirectTV installs in the past couple weeks (boy I feel sorry for those customers!)

Upshot is... Voom rocks, my sat. signal is strong. OTA is another matter. The stealth got me 2 local stations (CBS, PBS). So yesterday I got a silver sensor and that got me NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, but no PBS or WB yet. So I'm considering my options for the next step there. Also, while plugging in the SS, I pulled the VOOM STB out and both coax cables came out of their crimps!! Geez, this installer was worthless! Good thing I redid all my cable wiring last fall so I have the heavy-duty crimping tool and all that already to redo them...but I think I'll end up stepping through every bit of this install cleaning up after him... Even though it's free, I don't want to bother calling Installs Inc and getting yet another mediocre installer to fix it. But cable installers are just as bad... only the custom install guys seem to have their acts together! I know, I know, you get what you pay for!

 

[Swishallnet]

Well this forum sure can have a person worrying about Voom. I signed up online, set my install date online and never talked to anyone or got a confirmation email. After reading all these horror stories here I was getting pretty nervous that I would'nt have HD when I expected to have it.

Now I'm sitting here crying :river cuz everything went perfect with my install, have every OTA channel and HD looks sooooo good. Wife has yet to see it and has her doubts, (shes a I believe it when I see it,) I can't wait.

Left the house with my 3 year old watching HD cartoons, jealous cuz I did'nt have HD cartoons. Sheesh I did'nt even have 24hr cartoons.

I'm Hi Defing in Chino, California
WOOHOO

 

[elocs]

my installation

I had VOOM installed this afternoon and it went well. It was done by Stortz Satellite out of Canton, MN. It was done by 2 young fellas, probably in their 20's, Nick Stortz and his helper, Chris. They had it all up in about an hour and a half and this was Nick's 4th VOOM install and Chris' first. It was the first install that Nick did where the OTA antenna was attached directly to the dish. The OTA is a Winegard and not a Stealth, so I had high hopes. Unfortunately, the antenna is so directional I can only get 2 of the local stations listed by VOOM as being available to me. ABC, PBS, and Fox are only just 6 miles away, while CBS is 17 and NBC is 58. I probably watch the most on NBC.

Nick said in my area there has been more sucess with the Straight-shooter antenna, but he said it is much more pricey than the Winegard. Is VOOM responsible for getting me the local stations which THEY say I should get? Should they upgrade me to a better antenna?

The satellite dish has good signal strength--in the low 70's.
The local ABC was getting nearly as good, but all else was from 13-20 and fluctuated so much that it could not get a lock on the station. Most of the locals are only 6 miles from me. I had to choose which station or stations I wanted.
I can't blame Nick because he just had the one antenna and he could not change geography.

Overall, I was very satisfied with the install. Storz Satellite called the day before and got here at about 1:15. Most of the time spent was on the box. Oh, and I also told Nick right off the bat that I did not want a diplexer and that was no problem at all with him. I am hoping to at least get the local channels that VOOM says I should get, though.

 

[Vaggeto]

I think low 70s is very bad reception. I think low 90s is normal. Is it a cloudy day?

 

[Mr. Biggles]

Nick said in my area there has been more sucess with the Straight-shooter antenna, but he said it is much more pricey than the Winegard. Is VOOM responsible for getting me the local stations which THEY say I should get? Should they upgrade me to a better antenna?.

I think he meant Square Shooter. Yes, V* will upgrade your antenna.

The satellite dish has good signal strength--in the low 70's.

Is this with the older software? If it is...it's the best I have ever read here. If it's the newer software, you need to get re-peaked.

 

[elocs]

I think he meant Square Shooter. Yes, V* will upgrade your antenna.



Is this with the older software? If it is...it's the best I have ever read here. If it's the newer software, you need to get re-peaked.

He did say Square Shooter--that was my mistake. Working 3rd shift makes install service easy, but it makes for a severe lack of sleep.

The day after my install, my satellite strength is at 97 and the 2 locals I am getting are at about 60. The locals that I am not getting have a signal strength with bounces around in the upper teens. The Winegard is so directional that I can either get the stations to the SW or the station to the NW, but not both at the same time. I thought I read somewhere about 2 ota antennas being used at the same time.

 

[Sean Mota]

He did say Square Shooter--that was my mistake. Working 3rd shift makes install service easy, but it makes for a severe lack of sleep.

The day after my install, my satellite strength is at 97 and the 2 locals I am getting are at about 60. The locals that I am not getting have a signal strength with bounces around in the upper teens. The Winegard is so directional that I can either get the stations to the SW or the station to the NW, but not both at the same time. I thought I read somewhere about 2 ota antennas being used at the same time.

Get a rotor. They are very good. I use it all the time. Channelmaster or RS (they are both the same).

 

[elocs]

Get a rotor. They are very good. I use it all the time. Channelmaster or RS (they are both the same).

I called a VOOM csr and she is going to have Installs come out next Monday to tweak my antenna before they upgrade me. The installer spent over 30 minutes doing that yesterday to no avail. Ultimately, I am going to have to keep basic cable to get my locals, HD or not. AntennaWeb shows my local Fox station as being HD, but I called the station and they said they are not. So that is why the supposed 17.1 station is not mapped on my receiver.

The last time I had an antenna with a rotor it was 1966 on a then large black and white tv. I don't think I want to jump through that many hoops even if it is HD. Hey, I don't want to get up off the couch unless I need to, lol.