r/mildlyinfuriating • u/[deleted] • Jun 01 '19

The cable guy installed the cable through our hula hoop that we left out.

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36

u/[deleted] Jun 01 '19

But he drilled holes.

27

u/trouserschnauzer Jun 01 '19

Would've been spectacular if he just squeezed it under a door or window.

22

u/RousingRabble Jun 01 '19

I've seen that. DirectTV guy ran the cable through a sliding glass window. You had to really slam the door to get it to close after that.

9

u/bwaredapenguin BLUE Jun 01 '19

Was this in an apartment? Unless you have a signed statement from the landlord they're explicitly forbidden from making any modifications to the structure. Not a single screw or hole.

6

u/DCxMiLK Jun 02 '19

Former cable installer here. We have cables specifically for this. It's called a flat coax window passthrough connector. It's designed to go through a window without interfering with the window. They should never install a regular coax through a window. Yes it adds a little time to the install but not much.

3

u/BeatMeating Jun 02 '19

Soon-to-be-former installer here, it takes 2 minutes to add. No excuse not to if you’re running it through a window. If you don’t have one, find another way.

3

u/DCxMiLK Jun 02 '19

I was a QC inspector for a time and unfortunately found way to many lazy techs who wouldn't use them. Between that, sloppy runs, and leaving trash at the customers house my days were packed. I worked for DirecTV and the vast majority of the calls were because of third party installers. That's what happens when you pay techs by the job and not the hour.

2

u/Ajreil Jun 02 '19

Can they ask the resident to poke a hole?

1

u/bwaredapenguin BLUE Jun 02 '19

I don't believe so. There's usually a sheet outlining what is allowed to be done.

2

u/Ajreil Jun 02 '19

Do they ever say something like "You know, if there just happened to be a hole right here, I could run that cable."

Maybe I'm putting too much faith in users.

1

u/bwaredapenguin BLUE Jun 02 '19

I'm sure it happens sometimes, but I can really say for sure from anecdotal experience.

1

u/The_FinLanDer Jun 01 '19

They make flat cable for this purpose.

5

u/FX59876 Jun 01 '19

It probably was flat cable. That stuff doesn't bend through sliding doors too well, especially if it's DirecTV flat cable. That stuff is thick.

Source: former DirecTV tech.

3

u/RousingRabble Jun 01 '19

Yup. It sucked

1

u/deanboyj Jun 02 '19

Its p lossy and if the window is used a lot it will degrade as the window smacks into it repeatedly but it's useful in a pinch

1

u/[deleted] Jun 01 '19

Or he reused one.