Why the lack of packaging... or maybe I should have got a steel dish

[Nelbert]

The idea of getting my system up this weekend is fading fast.

After some hunting around I decided on the Penta 85 Ali in red. It should happily pick up some russian channels for SWMBO and it'll fade into the tiles on the top half of the house, so not upset the neighbours. Being me I thought aha... ali should be easier to lug around during the install and won't suffer at the hands of the rain. Hadn't thought about the hands of the courier... or that the branded dished would be use air in the box for protection

The first ali dish came through with some nicely crimped corners and the 2nd arrived today. While having a perfect rim has a couple of dents in the middle

Having seen the el-cheapo system in B&Q packed in polystyrene why do the more expensive dished use cardboard and air for packaging ???

All dues to Lawrence at HD he sent the 2nd having seen the crimping put into the first dish.

[Channel Hopper]

Having imported a batch of 200 ali reflectors and tried distributing them round the UK, I feel your pain brother.

I ended up asking people to have their own courier collect and took a photo of each one before it left.

Next time, buy five, as the reflectors can be flatpacked, you should end up with a (more or less) immaculate one in the middle.

[rolfw]

I've had four or five of the ali Pentas delivered in boxes and all arrived intact, although the single box is not really strong enough for rough handling.

[Tivù]

Going for Steel instead may not have saved you - I've seen pictures of Triax TD110s that have suffered in transit.

Not pretty.

[BombedOne]

LOL you haven't seen local dish warehouse - They receive huge amount of dishes, generally 2000-3000pcs, but during unloading, part of them usually gets dropped, stepped over, etc.. So they have 2 skilled metal workers, which use rubber hammers and other tools to give dishes desired shape and flatness

[Robbo]

Going for Steel instead may not have saved you - I've seen pictures of Triax TD110s that have suffered in transit.

Not pretty.

Yep, me too, though it was in the flesh, a dent on the rim had completely distorted the whole dish. Sent through the courier in just bubblewrap I was told.

[Nelbert]

If I was closer to London I'd have picked it up... it's a long trip from Newcastle though.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow morning.

I'd have asked for it to be marked fragile, but that is a red rag to a bull based on past experience with items marked fragile...

[Tivù]

A pity SatelliteSuperstore don't appear to sell them - then you could have picked it up. Probably.

[Telia]

I received a dish where they had put a fork truck right into the package, big dent in the dish.

They don't seem to get it as it's about delivering undamaged package, not damaged.

The automated logistic systems they use grab packages with claws and sometimes they squezze the package too hard.

[Nelbert]

A pity SatelliteSuperstore don't appear to sell them - then you could have picked it up. Probably.

It would be an easy pickup from there. Pop over one lunchtime from work, but they didn't have them listed. Neither did SimplyDigital/LRN or TVS.

On the bright side, the guys at High Definition send another one on overnight delivery (instead of 48 hr) and it has turned up in perfect condition (3rd time lucky) Can't say enough good things about them and how helpful and patient they've been.

Just need some good weather this weekend to get out with the drill

Although I'm starting to wonder about the cable and the compression connectors now. I have a bad feeling the cable is only 6.5mm but the compressions might want 7 mm

What was supposed to be a nice easy stick a cheap dish kit up and see how it goes with picking up Russian channels... ended up with a motorised dish and hd receiver... I've already been thinking about a 2nd fixed dish pointing at Astra for freeview recording and I haven't even for the first one up...

[Nelbert]

SatelliteSuperstore would have been convenient, trip out at lunchtime... but not listed. The other places round here don't list the Penta either. Lots of Sky and Triax though.

Not sure where my other reply went (needed approval from reply with quote?)

In short not have a perfect dish from High Definition. Very helpful and patient guys working there.

Just need some good weather this weekend