Professional Installation: Questions about what to expect and related matters

[Eclipsed]

Just to make it clear on how the installer ran the lines.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../elevation.jpg

[mohawkjo]

I am looking at upgrading to the 9242. I currently have 2 x 3100 on a 18" bell dish with one dual lnb.

when the Bell guy comes what is he going to install? what do I get? do they use the SW21 or an SW42 to keep the number of cables down?
I assume they supply a new dual LNB. Do they supply a new dish as well?

Help?

[bb147]

http://www.bell.ca/web/tv/en/all_reg...on_outline.pdf

[Pinza]

As you have an 18" Dish, this in not compatible with 91 & 82 degree receptiuon, so you will get a new 20" Dish, it will have 2 x LNBF's and an SW44 mounted at the Dish. Then the Tech will run an extra line to the 9242 location, assuming you are replacing a 3100 with it. You are then entitled to another line, from the rear of the 9242 to a second TV, if you want it. If you ask the Tech to run another line so the 3100 can be re-located, you may or may not be charged $50 for that line, it just depends on how it is written on the work order.

[PlaceHolder]

I think, in most cases, the 9242 is sold as a "kit' that includes all the necessary parts to install it. (At least the two of them I have ever bought have come packaged with the dish and mounting hardware, the switch and its power insertion adaptors and everything except for a run of RG-6 cable.

Professional installation is useful because it makes sure you get a good strong signal, but in a case like yours, if you have to pay (because Bell loves to screw their existing loyal customers with fees they don't charge to new customers) then you're likely getting royally ripped off. They won't be doing any mounting (you already have a working dish), so they'll have to change the LNB, install the switch and run a new cable or two. If it takes more than 15 minutes then the guy is not a pro... $75+ for 15 minutes work is damn good money in my books!

If you're happy enough with Bell to sign a new term (2 or 3 years) you should get this upgrade free... try negotiating it out with them.

As an example of my case... A few years back I bought a 9242 for my mom at full retail ($600+ then) when at that point new customers were getting $300 off as a Christmas promo. I called them and suggested it was quite unfair to rip off their existing customers, and was given a bunch of freebies... that in the end were mostly equivalent to the $300 discount. One of the freebies was a free professional upgrade. (I helped the guy when he was on site, it took mere minutes to complete and test everything, and we had 4 tuners to deal with.)

[mohawkjo]

Thanks, but not sure I fully understand. My 18" dish has the "y" adaptor for 82 and 91 sats, so why would it not work?

For the 9242 to work with 2 tv's do you need to have dual LNB's or single? If single the I can run another cable to another receiver? Once I get this installed I will have 2 other receivers to move to other places.

Thanks again for the info. FYI, I got a letter from bell indicating they want me to upgrade and are giving 25% a new pvr

[Pinza]

Bell has NEVER had an 18" Dish with a "Y" adapter. Yours is either a 20" Dish or a generic Dish.

The 9242 requires 2 feeds because it is a Dual Tuner receiver.

[PlaceHolder]

It sounds like you're planning to ultimately connect the 9242 at the same time as two other receivers. This will, in effect, account for 4 tuners. (The 9242 has dual tuners.)

In order for this kind of setup to work, and for each receiver to receive from the full range of possible channels, you'll need to have a way for each receiver to choose a signal from one of four different possible signals. The Y arm is designed so the dual LNBs on one side are focused on one satellite and the dual LNBs on the other side are focused on the other satellite. Each satellite sends two signals, one is a horizontally polarized signal and the other is a vertically polarized signal. So two satellites, two signals from each, that's four different signals that cover the range of possible channels.

The way this problem is most commonly solved, is to use a switch. The switch will have 4 lines running from each of the four LNB's, and will lock each LNB onto a different signal. Then, the receivers will communicate with the switch, telling it which signal it wants, and the switch will cross-connect the receiver to the correct LNB.

Each tuner needs a separate line run from the switch to the tuner. So you will run two RG-6 cables from the switch to the 9242. You will then run one cable to each of the other two receivers.

If you want to use the TV2 feature of the 9242, then you will also need to run a cable line (or (I think) a long set of RCA cables) from the back of the 9242 to where ever the TV labelled TV2 is going to be located.

[golfwunder]

Hi,
New to forum. I am switching to Bell from cable, and got the 9242 PVR plus on Christmas promo, with programming credit. I am a bit frustrated with their call centre in India (they put you on hold, and don't really know what is going on... I had to go back the Bell TV store and get them to talk with them about what the store gave me in terms of the PVR and no satellite dish, etc. And now a false start on the installation, which is supposed to come free with the two year contract.

Had installation set up this past Thursday. Bell TV guy came one and half hours late, and took one look and said I needed to get Bell to authorize prewire for 4 lines, and a dishpro LNB. He said would cost addtional $500, and I should get Bell to authorize it. He said some customers were successful. He would come back once I did that.

I know Bell subcontracts installations and pays them a fixed amount. But I had thought that professional installation covered a little more than the most basic pop on the dish and stick in through the wall.

I had cleared the attic entrance and crawl space , thinking they would mount the dish on the outside wall of house and run the wires either in the attic or crawl space.

Does anyone know what they do normally?

Here's what I told Bell TV before I made the final decision to switch from cable.

I have two HD TVs that I wanted to get wired up.

House front is south facing, and the dish would go on the east side outside wall. (west side is obstructed by the house)

1. first HD TV is in family room, and would be ground level on outside wall (west side)
2. second standard definiton TV would be on south side of house inside wall. (main level of house also)

I wanted a second HD wire to HDTV upstairs in master bedroom. I know I needed a second HD receiver (maybe with PVR) which I would purchase. Again, the installer would have to figure how to get the wire into the house.

The installer said he would have trouble running wires across my roof, since it is not what they normally do, especially on a cedar shake roof that will be replaced soon. I am not sure what he meant by that.

Any information and help would be appreciated? Must say I think if it gets too complicated, I may not go ahead.

I called the retention department at the suggestion of another Bell customer. They said they will send another technician out in early Feb, but I don't know if he will say the same thing. In the meantime my cable is canceling at end of January!!!

[peano]

You need a clear line of sight to the southwest. No way any good installer will run lines across your roof. You don't seriously want that do you? The installer will run two lines from the SW44 into the house by drilling through the foundation or just above. He'll run those to the 9242. All this at no extra charge.

So, you let him do all that. Purchase ahead of time from ebay a DPP Twin and a separator. Take the installed LNBs off the dish and replace them with the DPP Twin. Completely remove the SW44 switch and power inserter out of the setup. Run the two feeds that go into your house directly to the DPP Twin. Sell the installed LNBs and SW44 on ebay and you should come out even.

Once you've done all that, each line coming into the house can feed a 9242 with the separator or any other HD or SD receiver.

[i hate tv]

The free installation does not involve any attic work, or fishing. Entering the attic opens them up for all kinds of safety issues, although it may make for the cleanest install, Bell will not pay for the time required to do that.
Can the cable be tied to the eaves troughs and run around the house that way?
If it is on the roof, it will most likely get damaged when the roof is removed, and then you will be on the hook to fix each line, for $50 each...
I would go the DPP route suggested, but keep in mind free installation is only for the 1st receiver, and you have to pay for each subsequent line to be installed, unless things have changed...

[Ex Agent EV]

I would also suggest that you install the dish where it could be accessible so you can remove the snow from the dish in the winter (near a window, on a balcony)

If you install the dish on the roof an have you roof done in the summer you will probably have to call BellTV again to have them re-installl your dish once you are done. Installation is 75$ for the first tuner + 50$ per additional tuner

[golfwunder]

Thank you for the replies and answers.

Sounds like there is some variation in the installation, and depending on the location in the country. I live in Victoria, so the dish has to face southeast.

The agreement on the 9242 install says 300 ft of cable and they are supposed to hook up the HDTV and also the standard definition TV. (both on the main floor of the house). I asked if he would just run a line from the 9242 back out and hook up to the existing cablevision splitter. He said that is not what he will do because you cannot split the signal for the standard definition.

If they don't go to the attic, I don't know how they will wire up the HDTV in the bedroom.

We have a storey and half (1800 square feet main, and 1000 square feet with four bedrooms up). House is on 4 foot accessible crawspace.

I am afraid the installer will tell me the same as the first guy, when he comes earlky Feb. I will try calling the 1 888 number for national installations and see what they will or will not cover and how they will propose to wire up in my situation.

I totally understand they are trying to cover the basic installation.

Any other advice is appreciated.

[dosborne]

If you don't want the free/included basic install, then if you run good quality RG6 in the places you want it (from the dish location to the receiver/switch location) the installer I'm sure will be happy to use it, if it is properly installed.

[Pinza]

And it MUST comply with the Bell APL (Approved parts List).