You've got to admit that if the average joe wanted to distribute DirecTV programming to several TVs, he might have a problem that this average joe might blame on DirecTV. DirecTV doesn't want to get ANY of those service calls!

You probably do what I do when there's a DirecTV problem: you take their signal as a working given FACT and then you deal with the problems inherent in distribution. We don't load up their phone lines with silliness.

There's another thing at work here, which is the dumbing down of installer training. The classic case was the sat installer I knew a dozen years ago who was taught never to use an F81 because that would cause a 3 dB (or was it 6 dB?) drop in signal level! I put a half dozen F81s with lengths of cable in between and showed him there was a total drop of about a half dB. He was amazed.

But, see, when he was lied to in that way, he was lied to in a way that convinced him NEVER to use F81s, ALWAYS instead to replace entire runs of cable. That's how DirecTV met their goal of a working install that could never have a problem due to an F81 (such as the F81 I found that an installer had put about 15" above the dirt in a garden. It got watered daily and eventually failed.). The fact that they taught him lies instead of giving him the tools to think a problem through? Well, that's just beside the point for them.

Here's the scary thing: I've seen this kind of inability to think through a situation, and instead just blind following of procedure, with health care professionals.

Your mistake was talking about distribution. Always drag a tv to where the box will be so johnny dumb nuts can activate and get the hell out of your way.

You might find it interesting to know that DirecTV headquarters is a Just Add Power user.

HILARIOUS!!!

Sounds like a DTV installer thinking he is more important than he is.... I know a guy like this.

I had him hook up the one box. He ended up leaving three boxes at the clients house. :)

No issues with this second installer. The other guy was a pain.

And doesn't JAP handle HDCP differently than other products?

I am not versed on how other products handle HDCP. I do know that our implementation of HDCP passed the certification testing at the HDMI testing center. I have also been told that our implementation of HDCP and EDID management is much more elegant and accommodating to the needs of the industry then other products.

That’s great!

Wow, after reading all these issuses with DTV, I began to think of my dealings with DTV, DISH, COMCAST , UVERSE etc. over the last year or so. I must say that in order of most compliant techs that are there to get thier job done as well as help you out in order it is COMCAST, DTV then a sagnifigant drop to DISH & UVERSE.

Now that being said, I treat these guys with respect to thier profession and explain to them that I have 24 years of experience of installing -connecting- reconfiguring thier equipment and show them where all the pertinent things are( dish location-demarc(you'ed be suprised), and all tv locations and that all are connectorized with thier connector of choice. 98 % of the time they get thier job done quicker then it would have been if I was not site to steer these guys & gals in the correct direction. I NEVER have to pay for fittings (no matter what brand), splitters, power supplys, LNB's in a pinch, audio/video breakout cables, rf antennas and the list goes on & on.

It just goes to show you if you treat other contractors like you wish to be treated maybe things will work your way, but then again I just did a job where the AV contractor totaly pissed off the Comcast tech because he was a aragant A**hole when he was supposed to the contact guy on installation ( 13 TV locations w/100mbs internet). Between my Comcast guy and myself we salvaged the job.

Lets just say the AV company lost a 15k finnish install and what turned into a $25k theater room that we just finnished. You betcha baby!!!!

Nothing like being cordial and nice to others even when we may not want to and TOTALLY scoring in the end..