This Just In From DirecTV
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Go on - tell me that after you hung up you didn't just try plugging it directly into the wall? Actually, if the wall socket is higher than the surge protector, doesn't the electricity move faster as it's going down hill?
___________________________________________ .\\axxx (That's an 'M')
You have to remember that it is alternating current. Sometimes it is moving downhill and sometimes uphill. :doh:
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes -
So, I came home from work to find that we'd lost power. After restting all of the clocks, I went to turn on the TV. Imagine my surprise when I got nothing but a blank (blue) screen. After trying the various things they do to verify that your box is indeed dead (press the rest button, if that doesn't work, unplug it andplug it back in, and if that doesn't work, unplug it, plug it back in and press the power button and the rest button at the same time to bring it out of standby mode), I called them. Twice, I was accidentally hung up on while beginning the diagnostic step. By the 3rd call, I had built up quite a head of steam. In the process of making me do all that diagnostic stuff again, the next part went something like this: DTV: Is your box plugged into a power strip or surge suppressor? ME: Yes. DTV, unplug it and plug it directly into the wall. Me: Exactly what is that going to prove? DTV: The power coming from the wall outlet is different from the power coming from the surge suppressor. Me: You're kidding, right? DTV: No sir, it's different. Me: What retard got you to believe that? DTV: The power is different. Me: I want you to bring a f*cking voltmeter down here and show me how 120v volts comin outa the f*ckin wall is DIFFERENT than the 120 volts comin' outa the power strip. No really, I need you to show me. DTV: The power really is different. Me: Is this the part of your brainless script titled "Now Piss The Customer Off By Making a COMPLETELY Absurd Demand"? DTV: I'm sorry sir, if you're inconvenienced. Me: Tell you what, let's just skip the rest of this bullsh*t so that you have an opportunity to tell me how you're going to fix my problem. DTV: I have to make sure we've tried everything. Me: How about if I try reaching through the goddamn phone so I can ring your neck? DTV: There's no need to talk like that. Me: Yeah, there's a need. You can't tell that I didn't want to spend 30 minutes on the phone with some minimum wage idiot going over absurd diagnostic steps? I want my satellite box replaced because it's BROKEN. The rest of the phone call was spent arranging the replacement. I won't get the replacement until next Tuesday. I wish New Egg sold satellite service. At least I'd get decent service.
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won
John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
DTV: Is your box plugged into a power strip or surge suppressor? ME: Yes. DTV, unplug it and plug it directly into the wall.
ME: (not to be confused with the you ME) Hold on I go do that. Gets up to get a drink because it is going to be a trying phone call. Ok it still doesn't work. Send a new box.
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes -
So, I came home from work to find that we'd lost power. After restting all of the clocks, I went to turn on the TV. Imagine my surprise when I got nothing but a blank (blue) screen. After trying the various things they do to verify that your box is indeed dead (press the rest button, if that doesn't work, unplug it andplug it back in, and if that doesn't work, unplug it, plug it back in and press the power button and the rest button at the same time to bring it out of standby mode), I called them. Twice, I was accidentally hung up on while beginning the diagnostic step. By the 3rd call, I had built up quite a head of steam. In the process of making me do all that diagnostic stuff again, the next part went something like this: DTV: Is your box plugged into a power strip or surge suppressor? ME: Yes. DTV, unplug it and plug it directly into the wall. Me: Exactly what is that going to prove? DTV: The power coming from the wall outlet is different from the power coming from the surge suppressor. Me: You're kidding, right? DTV: No sir, it's different. Me: What retard got you to believe that? DTV: The power is different. Me: I want you to bring a f*cking voltmeter down here and show me how 120v volts comin outa the f*ckin wall is DIFFERENT than the 120 volts comin' outa the power strip. No really, I need you to show me. DTV: The power really is different. Me: Is this the part of your brainless script titled "Now Piss The Customer Off By Making a COMPLETELY Absurd Demand"? DTV: I'm sorry sir, if you're inconvenienced. Me: Tell you what, let's just skip the rest of this bullsh*t so that you have an opportunity to tell me how you're going to fix my problem. DTV: I have to make sure we've tried everything. Me: How about if I try reaching through the goddamn phone so I can ring your neck? DTV: There's no need to talk like that. Me: Yeah, there's a need. You can't tell that I didn't want to spend 30 minutes on the phone with some minimum wage idiot going over absurd diagnostic steps? I want my satellite box replaced because it's BROKEN. The rest of the phone call was spent arranging the replacement. I won't get the replacement until next Tuesday. I wish New Egg sold satellite service. At least I'd get decent service.
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won
I know the feeling, on average I have to make 2-3 such calls every month. Our digital tv provider sucks (and the router even more), usually I do the same as several people already said. I just sit down in my couch (about 3meters away from the damn box) and tell them 'yes try'd it, still doesn't work'. After their script they then connect you to the 'specialist' who does some stuff at his end (don't know or care what) and all off the sudden my tv works again (I think the company has a problem with cutting people off bye mistake, and yes I pay my bills on time :) ).
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In the nicest possible way, port-a-loon maybe :-)
Rhys "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it" They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance." Terry Pratchett
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So, I came home from work to find that we'd lost power. After restting all of the clocks, I went to turn on the TV. Imagine my surprise when I got nothing but a blank (blue) screen. After trying the various things they do to verify that your box is indeed dead (press the rest button, if that doesn't work, unplug it andplug it back in, and if that doesn't work, unplug it, plug it back in and press the power button and the rest button at the same time to bring it out of standby mode), I called them. Twice, I was accidentally hung up on while beginning the diagnostic step. By the 3rd call, I had built up quite a head of steam. In the process of making me do all that diagnostic stuff again, the next part went something like this: DTV: Is your box plugged into a power strip or surge suppressor? ME: Yes. DTV, unplug it and plug it directly into the wall. Me: Exactly what is that going to prove? DTV: The power coming from the wall outlet is different from the power coming from the surge suppressor. Me: You're kidding, right? DTV: No sir, it's different. Me: What retard got you to believe that? DTV: The power is different. Me: I want you to bring a f*cking voltmeter down here and show me how 120v volts comin outa the f*ckin wall is DIFFERENT than the 120 volts comin' outa the power strip. No really, I need you to show me. DTV: The power really is different. Me: Is this the part of your brainless script titled "Now Piss The Customer Off By Making a COMPLETELY Absurd Demand"? DTV: I'm sorry sir, if you're inconvenienced. Me: Tell you what, let's just skip the rest of this bullsh*t so that you have an opportunity to tell me how you're going to fix my problem. DTV: I have to make sure we've tried everything. Me: How about if I try reaching through the goddamn phone so I can ring your neck? DTV: There's no need to talk like that. Me: Yeah, there's a need. You can't tell that I didn't want to spend 30 minutes on the phone with some minimum wage idiot going over absurd diagnostic steps? I want my satellite box replaced because it's BROKEN. The rest of the phone call was spent arranging the replacement. I won't get the replacement until next Tuesday. I wish New Egg sold satellite service. At least I'd get decent service.
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won
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I'm a on-time bill-paying dick, though. I gave the chick fair warning that I'd been hung up on twice before (and had to navigate their insanely annoying voice navigation crap to get back to an agent), and that I simply wanted her to arrange to have the box replaced. When she insisted on going through her script, I had every right to become an assh*le. I was actually doing good until the "power is different" thing... Of course, she couldn't possibly have known that I'd been fighting with WPF all day to begin with...
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001 -
So, I came home from work to find that we'd lost power. After restting all of the clocks, I went to turn on the TV. Imagine my surprise when I got nothing but a blank (blue) screen. After trying the various things they do to verify that your box is indeed dead (press the rest button, if that doesn't work, unplug it andplug it back in, and if that doesn't work, unplug it, plug it back in and press the power button and the rest button at the same time to bring it out of standby mode), I called them. Twice, I was accidentally hung up on while beginning the diagnostic step. By the 3rd call, I had built up quite a head of steam. In the process of making me do all that diagnostic stuff again, the next part went something like this: DTV: Is your box plugged into a power strip or surge suppressor? ME: Yes. DTV, unplug it and plug it directly into the wall. Me: Exactly what is that going to prove? DTV: The power coming from the wall outlet is different from the power coming from the surge suppressor. Me: You're kidding, right? DTV: No sir, it's different. Me: What retard got you to believe that? DTV: The power is different. Me: I want you to bring a f*cking voltmeter down here and show me how 120v volts comin outa the f*ckin wall is DIFFERENT than the 120 volts comin' outa the power strip. No really, I need you to show me. DTV: The power really is different. Me: Is this the part of your brainless script titled "Now Piss The Customer Off By Making a COMPLETELY Absurd Demand"? DTV: I'm sorry sir, if you're inconvenienced. Me: Tell you what, let's just skip the rest of this bullsh*t so that you have an opportunity to tell me how you're going to fix my problem. DTV: I have to make sure we've tried everything. Me: How about if I try reaching through the goddamn phone so I can ring your neck? DTV: There's no need to talk like that. Me: Yeah, there's a need. You can't tell that I didn't want to spend 30 minutes on the phone with some minimum wage idiot going over absurd diagnostic steps? I want my satellite box replaced because it's BROKEN. The rest of the phone call was spent arranging the replacement. I won't get the replacement until next Tuesday. I wish New Egg sold satellite service. At least I'd get decent service.
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won
That's funny, whenever our StarChoice sat receiver goes catywampus and we have to call they always ask that "is it plugged directly in the wall" question. We have it plugged into a very good quality UPS, I always lie and say yes to get to the actual diagnostics part of the call. I think they ask this because a lot of cheap power strips may not provide a proper ground or something.
"Creating your own blog is about as easy as creating your own urine, and you're about as likely to find someone else interested in it." -- Lore Sjöberg
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That's funny, whenever our StarChoice sat receiver goes catywampus and we have to call they always ask that "is it plugged directly in the wall" question. We have it plugged into a very good quality UPS, I always lie and say yes to get to the actual diagnostics part of the call. I think they ask this because a lot of cheap power strips may not provide a proper ground or something.
"Creating your own blog is about as easy as creating your own urine, and you're about as likely to find someone else interested in it." -- Lore Sjöberg
IT could also be that your strip might've smoked itself doing it's duty against a major surge. I've also seen claims that newer active power factor correction PSU's don't get along that well with the chunky AC from consumer grade UPSes. No cites though.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains. -- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
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I'm a on-time bill-paying dick, though. I gave the chick fair warning that I'd been hung up on twice before (and had to navigate their insanely annoying voice navigation crap to get back to an agent), and that I simply wanted her to arrange to have the box replaced. When she insisted on going through her script, I had every right to become an assh*le. I was actually doing good until the "power is different" thing... Of course, she couldn't possibly have known that I'd been fighting with WPF all day to begin with...
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
I was actually doing good until the "power is different" thing...
Would you have reacted differently if she said she was sending Rajiv right over to take a look? :~ I know that you are aware that Lakshme was sitting in Mumbai when she was talking with you, in the middle of the night I might add. Not to make excuses for them but they are the results of the contract going to the lowest bidder, who happened to lie about having well trained staff on hand to take your call. If it is any consolation the money she is getting paid is most likely going to her family and not for some fake nails or fake other things on some glam girl in Dallas. It is the US service provider that is to blame, not the poor soul trying to earn a living to support their family.
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes -
Douglas Troy wrote:
Then the guy got hung up on how I managed to plug my cable modem in when I was standing outside ...
I had to read your post at least 3 times, because I sorta got the impression you wired one of the 240 poles into the cable input of the modem so you could be darned sure it was really dead. :) Marc
hahahaha ... sorry, I wrote that while I was still laughing from John's post ... but you you know, if there's ever the need to kill of an electronics device, that certainly would do it.
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John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
I was actually doing good until the "power is different" thing...
Would you have reacted differently if she said she was sending Rajiv right over to take a look? :~ I know that you are aware that Lakshme was sitting in Mumbai when she was talking with you, in the middle of the night I might add. Not to make excuses for them but they are the results of the contract going to the lowest bidder, who happened to lie about having well trained staff on hand to take your call. If it is any consolation the money she is getting paid is most likely going to her family and not for some fake nails or fake other things on some glam girl in Dallas. It is the US service provider that is to blame, not the poor soul trying to earn a living to support their family.
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopesThe girls I talked to were *definitely* Americans. The only accents I detected was (girl #1) southern white, (girl #2) southern black, (girl #3) not-so-southern black.There wasn't even the slightest hint of a foreign accent, and now that you mention it, I'm kind of shocked. Come to think of it, NONE of the people I've dealt with at DirecTV were of the near-east-Asian persuasion.
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001 -
The girls I talked to were *definitely* Americans. The only accents I detected was (girl #1) southern white, (girl #2) southern black, (girl #3) not-so-southern black.There wasn't even the slightest hint of a foreign accent, and now that you mention it, I'm kind of shocked. Come to think of it, NONE of the people I've dealt with at DirecTV were of the near-east-Asian persuasion.
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
The girls I talked to were *definitely* Americans... and now that you mention it, I'm kind of shocked. Come to think of it, NONE of the people I've dealt with at DirecTV were of the near-east-Asian persuasion.
There I go stereotyping again. :doh: I am shocked also. I just presumed that you got the Mumbai shuffle off to some exoctic place where people are working for 1/1000 of the wage the young glam girls you were speaking with get to give crappy service. Actually, this situation you describe paints an even worse picture. I pictured a heroic Lakshme who moved from the countryside to Mumbai to share accommodations with 6 or 8 other girls so they can survive to work and send money home to their family. I have seen multiple people living in stalls that had less room than a storage container, and furnished as sparsely (belongings rolled up in the corner so there would be room to eat on a mat in the center of the floor). I see this situation in Thailand all the time. The village I live in is a poor farming community and the children must go off to Bangkok or some other place where they live in appalling living conditions just so they can work and send money home to their family. For the poor growing up is a life without joy. Now the picture I am getting is some glam girls bored out of their heads telling you whatever they have written in the script they are reading, rolling their eyes when you question anything they are saying. Yes, that scraping noise you were hearing in the background was the sound of nail filing. :-D
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes
