Yesterday my satellite television quit working. Just like that. No acts of God, like rain,wind or hurricanes. No one moved the dish or unhooked any cables, it just quit. What ? No television ? After trying all the suggested actions they provide on their " help " screen, such as, make sure it is turned on, the result is the same. A complete signal loss. Oh bother. So I went online to talk with a technician. Wow, I was number one in the chat queue. Terrence came online and asked what the problem was. I explained I had a technical issue, as this was the, ask a technician chat. The problem ? No television signal. He asked me to do all the things that that help screen suggested.. I had patiently explained that I had done all of those things prior to chatting with him. He insisted and I complied. What choice do I have ? Well the result was the same. No signal to the receiver. He then explains, " I can't fix it. " Oh, you can't do anything other than ask me if I did some technical stuff myself, is that it ? I'm beginning to lose my patience. He says he will have to schedule a technician visit. I'm asking, " when are you going to be here ? " You are a technician right ? Terrence isn't coming, he just asks questions. He says he can send a technician Saturday afternoon if that is convenient. It's not, I have a soccer tournament all weekend and will not miss that.. He replies, I can schedule someone on Monday. Oh, and it will cost you ten dollars because you have the insurance plan, it would normally be 95 dollars. I'm supposed to feel good about that, they just took my monthly payment from my bank account two days ago, but now want more ! In the end I agree to pay the ten dollars so Terrence can schedule a technician, at their convenience, and they give me a five hour window when they may arrive. No guarantees here, we will be there ,maybe between noon and five o'clock,possibly. We'll send you mail. And then he asks. " Is there anything else I can do for you ? " My question is, " what have you done so far ? " I am beginning to get grouchy. I remember my manners and excuse myself. He assures me my bill will be prorated for the lost time in service. I will not say this person is not truthful but I'm not counting on that happening.
In the meantime I have no television. As I said the soccer tournament is this weekend so I will be out most of the time anyway. I will say it is quiet around here without that television going in the background. I adapt to changes quickly and so it will not be a real issue with me. I still have the computer, Facebook and Google ! I even have books, yes, actual books that I enjoy reading. There is plenty to do to keep myself occupied. With this failure in electronics I am left helpless. Couldn't hook up a set of rabbit ears if I wanted to. This television set is not analog capable. I put a whole box of tin foil on top of it and it did no good ! Sometimes I miss the old ways. We may have had only two channels back then, but they worked ! At least there was something you could try if things didn't work. Coat hangers and tin foil worked wonders. If the television itself didn't turn on look in the back. If a tube wasn't glowing, replace it. That might fix it and did on more than one occasion. Now all you can do is call a technician. He or she will ask you a bunch of common sense questions like, is the cable attached and the receiver turned on. Then tell you they can't fix anything, just take your payment. Gotta love it. We sure have made progress.
No matter. The soccer tournament will go on and so will life. Television isn't that important. In reality I could just as well go without. I would miss the history channel and the news but little else. The occasional special is nice and some of the holiday movies. Television is a distraction, little more. Funny how we do become dependent upon these things isn't it ?
In the meantime I have no television. As I said the soccer tournament is this weekend so I will be out most of the time anyway. I will say it is quiet around here without that television going in the background. I adapt to changes quickly and so it will not be a real issue with me. I still have the computer, Facebook and Google ! I even have books, yes, actual books that I enjoy reading. There is plenty to do to keep myself occupied. With this failure in electronics I am left helpless. Couldn't hook up a set of rabbit ears if I wanted to. This television set is not analog capable. I put a whole box of tin foil on top of it and it did no good ! Sometimes I miss the old ways. We may have had only two channels back then, but they worked ! At least there was something you could try if things didn't work. Coat hangers and tin foil worked wonders. If the television itself didn't turn on look in the back. If a tube wasn't glowing, replace it. That might fix it and did on more than one occasion. Now all you can do is call a technician. He or she will ask you a bunch of common sense questions like, is the cable attached and the receiver turned on. Then tell you they can't fix anything, just take your payment. Gotta love it. We sure have made progress.
No matter. The soccer tournament will go on and so will life. Television isn't that important. In reality I could just as well go without. I would miss the history channel and the news but little else. The occasional special is nice and some of the holiday movies. Television is a distraction, little more. Funny how we do become dependent upon these things isn't it ?
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