[nknighthb]

The technology has gone through an iteration or two, with the latest coming in the last year. Your judgement may have been valid in the past (though you're providing a far worse perspective than I've heard from anyone else), but if you haven't been a customer for a while, your past experience is not a predictor of current performance.

As for the incompetent installers, they're probably the exact same local contractors working for Dish Network or DirecTV. Results will vary by area.