The DISH TV technician was to be here between 8 am and noon today. He called the landlady at 12:45 to tell her he'd be here in a half hour. She conveyed the info. He arrived at 1:30 and has only just finished attaching the two dishes to my porch, so I have one at eye level. Charming. I wonder if it will fry my door, or brain...
He is downloading the necessary software to the LL's control box (forgive me I have no idea what the technical term is for such things) and after some complicated witchcraft my TV is on Ch. 60 awaiting a signal. An occasional sputter emanates from the TV speakers, but I have no idea why.
English is the tech's second language, so when you ask to confirm a specific detail that he just disclosed, he says 'no' contradicting himself, clarification takes more time. I am not sure where he is from originally and I can't place the accent. He looks to be Latino, but his accent is not. I work with many Latinos at job #2, and this is clearly something very different. More eastern European, it seems to me.
3:50 pm, the LL's TV is on the network and the downloading of the software to run on my TV is in progress. I know this because suddenly music coming from the TV speakers coordinated to an orange screen informed me that this is, in fact, happening as I type. The picture sucks, btw. (sigh.)
4:10 pm, the music has stopped and the screen is blank. (Are you with me, so far?) It seems that I will not have my own receiver, either. Unlike DirecTV, my TV will be connected to the LL's main receiver.
I am so confused.
4:15 pm, a gold screen has now appeared with "Congratulations! You are looking at the 61.5 Orbital Location" and classical guitar music is playing in the background.
4:30 pm, the technician just left after a whirlwind session of instructions on using the DISH remote and how to switch from the dish to a DVD or VHS.
The picture still sucks, but what can I say, it's free and I can even view local channels whenever I need a good laugh. I've lost the Science Channel, History International, and National Geographic, not sure that's an even trade.
5:20 pm, the LL just informed me that I will need a, HDTV or cough up almost $200. for an antenna and controller. Since I lost the newer flat screen TV sets in the settlement 3 years ago, my TV is more than a decade old, I believe the money is better spent toward a new digital one. So, after work tomorrow it's off to the Sony store where, I am told, they have discounts on 27 and 32" flat screens.
My DVD collection is my only entertainment, so the investment will be appreciated and well deserved.
Oh, and btw, the technician is from Albania. I asked. Most of his instructions and explanations were a mixture of Albanian and English, so we weren't misunderstanding him after all. The words and concepts he had no English for, he substituted his own in its place. Makes perfect sense to me...
My only day off is almost over. After supper there will be a short learning session with the 'quick start' cards that came with the DISH remote. DirecTV was straightforward, this isn't and will take time to comprehend.
And so it goes.
*
Why the switch to DISH? Cheaper? What the landlady (she who must be obeyed) wants? The only problem I had with DirecTV was no local channels. As so aptly put it, the local channels are always good for a quick laugh.
ReplyDeleteI have all the respect for those foreign nationals who are working on their American Dream. Can you imagine going to their country and learning their language while all the while handling the complexity of installing something like DISH TV? Bill and I just purchased a GPS unit from Radio Shack (by the way - IT IS GREAT! WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE?) A young man from Romania waited on us. Other than the fact that his accent bordered on Dracula's, he was wonderful with us. He was very helpful and informative. He was also tall, dark and handsome. We didn’t object. A lot of smiles around.
I'm looking forward to hearing of your experiences with DISH TV. I don't know of one other soul who has it. It has to be cheaper.
Interesting. Perhaps I missed something, but why did the LL swtich from DirecTV to Dish? Until the end I was assuming that you were on antenna or cable prior to this.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part we are happy with our dish (DirecTV), although last night was one of the pits. Just as we were watching the committal at Arlington, a fierce storm blew through and cut off the signal. Bummer.
Why did you switch? DirecTV has more Satellites and better reliability then Dish Network and it works on even our oldest TVs.
ReplyDeleteHope thinks work out for you!
Why did you switch? DirecTV has more Satellites and better reliability then Dish Network and it works on even our oldest TVs.
ReplyDeleteHope thinks work out for you!
IT IS CHEAPER!!!
ReplyDeleteEveryone,
The switch was a financial one plus we now get local and network channels, including PBS which we didn't with DirecTV. She was also pleased that FOX (not the news channel) and a few obscure cooking channels were in the lineup.
When she signed up for DTV her plan cost $40. and since then has been rising steadily until it hit $100. and that's when she called it quits. Between the two of us we probably watch 20 - 25 of the 250 available channels. Half of them only on air half the day, and usually when we are both asleep.
We both work 6 days a week and our viewing time is limited; certainly not worth $100. monthly. Things are tough here. She just had to suck up a 10% pay cut, while I'm grateful to have a job, well, two actually.
DTV advertised wonderful freebies to customers, but only new ones. They were screwing their loyal customers.
This was confirmed when she called to cancel the service. They offered her all kinds of specials (plus a visit with Jesus) to keep her business, but she declined.
Comcast did that to me years ago, so I wonder when they are going to get it, if ever, that customers ARE your business!!!
Thanks for visiting.
Dish Tv provides lots of features at affordable price and get entertain the people at all over the world.
ReplyDeleteNice post.