Monday, February 4, 2008

Dish TV

I'm so frustrated!

We have Dish Network for television viewing.  After we purchased our HD television, I signed up for High Definition with them.

The picture is fantastic!  Almost 3D at times.

When it works.

Lately when we're watching an HD channel, the picture will start breaking up, and then we get the old "searching for signal" message.  Followed by "no signal".

So I reset the dish box, which means it turns off and comes back on, at which time it's supposed to start searching for the signal and finding it.  But it doesn't; instead, it turns itself off.  I turn it back on.  It turns itself off.  After much unplugging and button-pushing, it will finally load up and start again.

We were going to watch Superbowl on HD last night.  Alas, the picture broke up, and for awhile we thought even the other channels weren't going to give us a picture.

I called Dish techs.  After asking various questions about weather conditions (no, it isn't cloudy or storming; no, there's no wind) the woman says, "All I can suggest is that we send a technician to your house."

"OK, do that; I'm tired of paying for a service I can't use."

"Now, a service call will be $49," she says.

"What?  I'm already paying for HD I can't use, and you're going to charge me for someone to come and look at it?"  By this time I'm afraid I was raising my voice just a little.

The really frustrating thing is that I can't get out of this contract for seven months.

Excuse me while I go bang my head against the wall.

(P.S.  Do not subscribe to Dish Network TV.)

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tip...I have cable and it's the basic package at that.  I don't have HD either, but I know the day will come when I'll have to.  My oldest son has dish but hasn't had the problems you've got.  I think there must be something wrong with you connections.  Don't bang that head to hard.  Just think how nice it will be when it works right.  'On Ya' - ma

Anonymous said...

We Dish & have been thinking about getting a HD television.  You've talked me out of it now.  THANKS!!!!!!  Sorry you're having problems though.

Hollie

Anonymous said...

You need to make a commercial and post it on UTUBE.............I know you can do it!!!   Anne

Anonymous said...

I know your frustration!  I had the dish a few years back and this happened to me all the time-snow, rain, wind, if I sneezed-it would break up and the dreaded search for the signal box would pop up-sometimes coming right back up, sometimes taking 30 minutes to an hour.  I finally got tired of it.  I have cable now-it has it quirks but they are few and far between.  

Anonymous said...

We have cable with hd in two rooms and we have had tons of problems, especially on the new flat screen tv.  The signal was weak and we had the techs out several times (at no charge).  I really don't know where they found the problem but one said it was outside and another said it was in the wall.  They worked on ALL of it at different times.  One poor guy spent 4 hours here but I actually think he is the one that fixed it.  He seemed to care!

Anonymous said...

YEA DONNA I HAVE HEARD THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WITH DISH CABLE IS BETTER.  JO

Anonymous said...

I have Dish because the cable people were going to charge me $800 to set me up here. My main problem with Dish is they owe me about $150.  $50.00 from when I first got them. Dish charged me $50.00 on my credit card and then again when it was hooked up. They kept telling me to send in the coupon and I kept telling them they did not give me one.   Then this October, I got a DVR and they charged me $179.00 and said I would get a hundred dollar rebate on the next bill. Never happened!  It is part of the AT & T package and at & T tells me to talk to Diah and they tell me to talk to AT & T!!

Anonymous said...

I have heard other stories about Dish Network.  We just have our local Insight Cable service, which is also our broadband and telephone service as well.  I can honestly say that we have not, so far, had any problems with them.
Lori

Anonymous said...

Yes, we had dish network for two years and it was ALWAYS going out on us..after a while we just quit calling them because it was pointless.  This is one reason we canceled.  And we had the extra package where they come to your house for free...well NOT free...we had to pay 5 bucks a month extra for this service but we found it was worth it as many times as they had to come to our house to move our dish around.  Wait till summer when all the trees are in full bloom!  It's ALWAYS off the air then!  GRRR  Just thinking about that gets me mad! lol  

Anonymous said...

We have DirecTV. The tech came out and put up the dish almost 2 years ago now and plugged it in for us. Unless it is storming outside (and then only when the storm is really bad or first starting up.) we have wonderful reception. Even when it is cloudy! We had heard from friends that Dish TV was cheaper, but the reception wasn't as good. That's why we went with DirecTV and we -love- it.... however, I do have to say we don't have the HD package, so I can't comment on that.

Anonymous said...

I steer clear from those satellites in case the anti christ rises to power.  I don't want to make it easy for him to find me by satellite and I just have a sick feeling that this is what is ultimately coming.  LOL.  I know I am a little blunt about this.... it's the preacher's grandkid in me.  LOL. Hugs,
Lisa

Anonymous said...

Glad I've got cable, no contracts there!  Do you have cable where you live?  Linda

Anonymous said...

My daughter has Dish with no trouble except when she moved. She called them and set it up 3 weeks prior to move. They did not show up and kept putting her on he end of the list to get it on.