Configuration:
main DVR Cisco RNG200N connected to Samsung smart tv es6100
Satellite box connected to Phillips (old) flat screen tv
Tech arrived 1.5 hours early. There's a first! Came to the door and asked if I was scheduled for an AnyRoom DVR installation. I confirmed, and he came inside.
First thing he did was connect his meter to the cable to check signal strength. Said that it was too high, and I must have an amp connected. Then he asked where my Comcast access panel was. I told him I didn't have one, and he argued with me for a few minutes, telling me what it looked like and wasn't there a panel like that in my laundry room or garage? After I told him no several times, he asked to go in the attic in the garage. Climbed up there and couldn't find anything. Went to secondary attic access in bedroom closet and he found a tangle of wires with an amp. I KNEW there was no panel in my house! We didn't buy it new though, so everything was already run when we moved in so I didn't know where it was.
When he saw the amp in the attic, he asked if we had Internet service. I told him we did, and he proceeded to rant about how you're not supposed to run Internet on lines with amps. I told him there was nothing in the self install kit stating that fact, and asked how I was supposed to know that? He continued on with his install without answering.
He connected the slave box first. Not sure why, but I didn't say anything. When he didn't get signal, he started installing the main DVR, including calling in to register the boxes to my account. Got everything plugged in, started the download and took the old equipment out to his truck. When he came back to the tv with the main DVR it said there was no signal. We tried changing sources on the tv and he tried different hdmi ports on the tv, but still no signal. So he went back downstairs to call his office for help. While he was downstairs the screen came back on and said it was 30% done and on config step 9, then the tv lost signal again. Evidently while the box is downloading, it must stop sending signal to the tv. When the install was complete, it just popped back up on the screen.
He went through some steps on the screen (resolution, audio, setup stuff) and picked a channel. Watched tv for a few minutes, changing channels and playing with the menu system. I thought he was verifying that it worked correctly, but he was actually PLAYING, because he told me he was just checking it out because HE HAD NEVER SEEN THE SETUP BEFORE AND THIS WAS HIS FIRST INSTALL! No wonder he couldn't figure anything out! Why doesn't Comcast send these people to a training class and TEACH them everything they need to know before they see the first customer?
So then he goes downstairs to work on the slave again. No signal. He fiddles and fiddles and can't get it to work. He asks me to verify that the tv input is set for hdmi 1, which was correct. He goes out to his truck and brings in a new hdmi cable and plugs it in. STILL no signal. So he gets behind the tv again and whoops!!! He's had it plugged in to hdmi 2 the whole time. Sigh...
Now the system is working, so he presses the myDVR button. Nothing happens. He checks the box upstairs to make sure it's still working. Still nothing happens. So he calls his office again and they ask him to look for a tiny house icon on the main DVR LED screen. No icon. The OFFICE NEVER TURNED THE SERVICE ON WHEN HE CALLED IN TO REGISTER THE SERIAL NUMBER! So we had to wait another fifteen minutes for the system to update and that icon to appear. When it did, the slave box was able to access myDVR.
After almost two hours, he's finally done and on his way. I start to play with the slave box, checking out the guide, setting up my Favorites and poking around. When I went upstairs the first thing I tried to do was to set up my favorites there, because it had been so easy on the slave. Enter a name for the list and hit OK. Wait for the channel list to come up and noting happens. The only thing I can do is rename or delete the blank list. If I try to go back one level it tells me that my list is empty and do I want to delete it. I tried five times and couldn't get it to work. Somewhere in the middle of those five times i get the same small box in the upper left corner that someone else reported. As I'm getting frustrated with it, an aftermarket installation company calls to see if I am happy with the service their installer provided! Ho ho! Talk about the wrong time to call!
I told her I was having an issue with setting up the favorites, but my bigger issue was with the installer not knowing what he was doing and not being properly trained. Before I could work up a full head of steam, she cuts me off to ask her supervisor how to fix the favorites. When she comes back she gives me a song and dance and tells me to unplug the box and have it redownload the programming and call her back. At that point I gave up trying to tell her how clueless the installer was.
I unplugged the box (which got rid of the little box), redownloaded and could only set up my favorites by first going to a channel and picking Add to Favorites from the drop down list on the screen. Then once I added the first channel, it came up with the whole list of channels and I could continue adding.
Then I started trying to program my recordings. As I'm searching for the shows, I noticed that I, too, have the guide displayed for the correct time, but the clock in the lower right corner of the screen is four hours later, and all my scheduled recordings are for the wrong time!!!
I called the aftermarket installation company again and told them about this new problem. Girl puts me on hold, then comes back and tells me I need a new box. Tech doesn't have another one on his truck today, and the earliest appointment I can get is Wednesday. So, I guess I'll have to wait and see if any of my shows record in the meantime.
Needless to say, this hasn't been a pleasant experience by any means. Tech was nice enough, but COMPLETELY unprepared for what they sent him out to do. I know everyone has to learn sometime, but shouldn't it be in a classroom or with an experienced tech with them to show them the ropes? All this guy had with him was a bunch of printed out screen shots.
And don't even get me started on replacing faulty equipment with MORE faulty equipment. If I am having the exact same problems that someone else is having, that sounds more like a bug in their programming than anything else!
I do have to admit though, that for the short amount of time I've had it running, I haven't seen any flickering or had any audio loss. However, if that changes I will definitely post again.
When you schedule your AnyRoom DVR installation, tell them you want a supervisor there or a tech with several installs under is belt. Don't be their guinea pig.
