[JorgeGVB]

I just wanted to thank those of you who gave me advice about what to get and where to order DTV from. To recap, I ordered DTV from Blockbuster and my dish was installed within 3 working days.


The installation went very well, I had an excellent installer too. I told him where I wanted the dish and he gave it his best shot, however, he had a problem getting a good signal on the 119 bird. So he took down the dish and moved it to another location and he was able to get a signal strength reading of 96 on 101 and 89 on 119 birds. I had also purchased a Direct TiVo and the installer ran me an extra line for $20 cash on the side.


When I called DTV to set up the service they offered me the NFL Ticket and Total Choice Platinum package for $44 a month for the first 4 months. This was a surprise to me, since I was told at BB that this package expired on Oct 14th.


Overall, I can say my experience went extremely well. Thanks again to all who gave me advice!


Jorge

 

[Kipp Jones]

You really lucked out with the installer. Good deal!

 

[Rick lite]

From what I read I see that the Blockbuster/DirecTV deal works out well more often than it doesn't. But my recent experience leads me to warn anyone who lives in the Atlanta vicinity, where Apex Digital does the installation, to avoid this deal completely.


I paid my $10 on 10/13/01 and scheduled installation for 10/22. I had a few questions, but no one - not at DirecTV or at Apex Digital - could or would even attempt to answer them. I was told I must talk to installer, and the installer is unreachable by telephone.


On the scheduled date, nothing happened. I had arranged for my daughter to stay home and wait for the installation, so this was a major inconvenience. I called Apex and they gave me some kind of runaround about how I had the wrong kind of work order, about which I should call DirecTV. The next day I did that and learned Apex had made a false report of a COMPLETED installation at my home (when, in fact, they never showed up). Later, at DirecTV's prompting, Apex called me and told me once again I had the wrong kind of work order and should call DirecTV. By this time I had run out of patience and was no longer willing to push repeatedly at both ends of this dysfunctional system.


How hard should I be required to work just for the privilege of buying something?


Finally, I called DirecTV and told them I want to have nothing further to do with Apex Digital. The Apex representative I talk to on the phone is clueless, Apex made a false installation report to DirecTV, and I don't want them in my home. In response to that, following 10-15 minutes waiting on hold while the DirecTV representative talked to someone else, she told me I had no alternative but to accept Apex as my installer. I told her that is not acceptable to me.


I then told DirecTV I was willing to pay someone else to install it, if they would just ship me the equipment. Even that proposal was rejected by DirecTV.


That's where we left it.


For $10, I suppose I just relearned that old lesson - you get what you pay for.


Anyway, I just want to pass this experience along so that Atlanta people are forewarned - avoid Apex Digital as your installer. If that's who DirecTV uses, you may never get up and running.


P.S. I just learned Apex Digital TV, Inc. has its principal office in Kentucky, so the problem might extend beyond Atlanta. I have to wonder whether DirecTV hires Apex to do installations in other places.

 

[Rick lite]

I see that lots of people have read this post, so I want to be fair to Apex. I faxed my first post, above, to the Apex CEO in Kentucky. The next day I received a call from Kimberly, Assistant Manager, Atlanta area (actually calling from Staunton, Virginia), Apex Digital, 888-345-2640.


Kimberly apologized and promised installation on the day I requested, which is this Monday, 10/29/01. I'll report the result in this thread.

 

[kusamba]

I don't have the energy to post a full report but my Blockbuster deal got installed on the 5th appointment, 3rd visit - 48 days after my purchase. Very frustrating.

 

[Juan]

I dont think I would have waited that long, I would just have done it my self.

 

[Rick lite]

Quote:

Originally posted by kusamba I don't have the energy to post a full report but my Blockbuster deal got installed on the 5th appointment, 3rd visit - 48 days after my purchase. Very frustrating.

I can see why your energy is exhausted. Can you say whether or not Apex Digital was the installer?

 

[Rick lite]

Quote:

Originally posted by Juan I don't think I would have waited that long, I would just have done it my self.

I tried that. (Actually, I am not sufficiently talented for that; I would have paid someone in whom I have more confidence to install it.) DirecTV refused to ship me the equipment, even though it would have relieved them of the obligation to pay anyone to install it. So self-installation is not an option, not for this (Blockbuster/DirecTV) deal anyway.

 

[HD-plasma123]

I was at Good Guys looking. They said buy the dish and tuner and take it home, then call up DirecTV, and DirecTV will come and install for free. Is it different for other places? (I'm in SF bay area).

 

[kusamba]

No Apex here. My buddies are called Mountain Center, Inc.


As stated by another above, having paid $9.99 to Blockbuster, I had no equipment to self install. The installer brings the equipment with him/her.


Let me tell you though............... I've now seen the Miss Hawaiian Tropic competition and the Dallas Cheerleader tryouts in HD on HDNet so I have almost totally forgotten my problems with the Mountain crew.

 

[Rick lite]

Quote:

Originally posted by Rick lite I see that lots of people have read this post, so I want to be fair to Apex. I faxed my first post, above, to the Apex CEO in Kentucky. The next day I received a call from Kimberly, Assistant Manager, Atlanta area (actually calling from Staunton, Virginia), Apex Digital, 888-345-2640. Kimberly apologized and promised installation on the day I requested, which is this Monday, 10/29/01. I'll report the result in this thread.

Apex did the installation on Monday, 10/29/01, as scheduled. The installer did a good job.


Thank you, Kimberly. Your intervention solved the problem completely.