Directv install quality?

[milwaukee]

Has anyone recently had Directv installed? I'm going to be renting the downstairs of a 100+ yr old house with cream city brick in Milwaukee and I don't want some moron who wants to drill holes into that old brick (I want to run some flat cable through a window in the basement) and do a shotty install job. I've read that the company who was doing installs for Directv is no longer doing them and was doing a bad job at that. I can't seem to find any decent info on any of the sat forums about the quality of installs now.

I would rather just buy the stuff myself and install but the AAA Directv deal is much better than if I went to Costco and bought recievers myself and ebay'd the rest.

[steve053]

Like most anything, you pay for what you get.  In this case you are getting a 'basic' install for free.  My last install was about 2 years ago and the guy was great, the prior install 8 years ago was pretty shoddy.

You can purchase and pre-run all of the cableing prior to the DTv installer arriving.  Without a doubt he'll be thrilled not to have to do it himself.

[vegasvic]

I've had their installers a few times over the years and they were fine.  One time I hired my own guy because I had some special stuff to do.  He was expensive but good.  There's always a chance you'll get an idiot but for the most part they do fine.

[Talos4]

I've been a sub since 1997.

Of all of the installs, dish upgrades etc. I've never had a bad experience.

The worst that happened was one of the installers had a tire on his truck go flat on him in my driveway.

[gb4fan92]

I've been a sub since 1997.

Of all of the installs, dish upgrades etc. I've never had a bad experience.

The worst that happened was one of the installers had a tire on his truck go flat on him in my driveway.

I hope you a least gave him a drink (lite) while he was changing the tire!

[basshive]

As with anything it is going to be hit or miss. My first installer at our current place was pretty much useless and tried to get me to pay him for a pole install when I had no line of site on the roof, although he cheerfully offered to let me dig..... Second guy did a wonderful job, got it all in and done without issue. Two different companies, two very different experiences

You may be on your own for flat cables. I am pretty sure they are no longer supported for HD/Mpeg4 service. Not to say it will not work just not sure its supported or that your installer will do it.  Where there is a will there is a way and the more prep work you do the better your experience is going to be.

[Talos4]

I hope you a least gave him a drink (lite) while he was changing the tire!

Actually his spare was flat.  Fired up the compressor and filled it for him and sent him on his way with diet Coke! He still had more work that day!

[mr_lore]

Just grab an SL3S on ebay for ~ $70 and do it right your self, then call DirecTV and tell them you just need a box and a card.  Pointing DirecTV dishes is brain dead simple with the new fine tune adjustments, I setup mine in about 45minutes and I have only previously installed one DISH network setup.