Come January with Directv - Blu-ray Forum

amason · 10-23-2007, 12:29 AM

I called up over the weekend to get a new dish to receive the new HD channels that they offer. I have the older DVR with the Tivo OS. The guy on the phone told me that come January, that DVR will not accept HD channels and then you need to pay 299 to receive their newer DVR. I have a contract with them until May. I told the guy I did not want to put out 299 for a new DVR when I spent 500 when I first got the DVR less than a year and a half ago. Anyone else knows anything about this. Do you think come January that they can force people to buy their new DVR? I have mix feelings about Directv. When it rains I lose my signal and I have to buy there receives and I don't even keep them when I leave. Now they want me to spend more money on their receivers. But they do offer more HD channels than anyone else. Any thoughts would be great. Thanks

Manco · 10-23-2007, 12:34 AM

You need to speak to Customer Retention.

Asked to be transfered directly to that dept. Don't waste time talking to Customer Service. That usually takes care of it. Tell them your leaving if they don't furnish a new HR20.

Be polite but be firm.

sydney · 10-23-2007, 12:42 AM

ask for a hr21 not a hr 20

Manco · 10-23-2007, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sydney

ask for a hr21 not a hr 20

Depends. HR21 does not offer OTA. If you want OTA capability then just go with HR20. They will not guarantee which unit you receive.

sydney · 10-23-2007, 12:48 AM

as far as i know the only dif is hr20 is gray and hr21 is black, correct me if wrong

phloyd · 10-23-2007, 12:51 AM

I believe that Manco is correct.

helli3yte · 10-23-2007, 02:39 AM

go with comcast they're better

Sonny · 10-23-2007, 02:40 AM

ya

coolmilo · 10-23-2007, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manco

You need to speak to Customer Retention.

Asked to be transfered directly to that dept. Don't waste time talking to Customer Service. That usually takes care of it. Tell them your leaving if they don't furnish a new HR20.

Be polite but be firm.

I know of 4 cases where this worked but you will need to commit to a 2 year contract and you will not own the equipment. It's definitely worth the effort to try and get the free receiver out of them. BTW, at first I really missed TIVO but not I am use to DirecTV DVR and it does a good job.

The only better thing about Comcast is the video on demand. But Comcast picture does not hold a candle to DirecTV. I believe that DTV is working on a version of VOD, hopefully coming soon. Something about programming VOD over the web. I would love to watch Howard On Demond on my DTV system.

UltimateFighter · 10-23-2007, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helli3yte

go with comcast they're better

I think you had a mispelling. "Better" should be "the crappiest company known to man!" I've had comcast for the last year and I've never been so disappointed with a cable service. They're lucky I'm waiting on Fios or I'd have ditched them on day one for satelite.

Redrox · 10-23-2007, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amason

I called up over the weekend to get a new dish to receive the new HD channels that they offer. I have the older DVR with the Tivo OS. The guy on the phone told me that come January, that DVR will not accept HD channels and then you need to pay 299 to receive their newer DVR. I have a contract with them until May. I told the guy I did not want to put out 299 for a new DVR when I spent 500 when I first got the DVR less than a year and a half ago. Anyone else knows anything about this. Do you think come January that they can force people to buy their new DVR? I have mix feelings about Directv. When it rains I lose my signal and I have to buy there receives and I don't even keep them when I leave. Now they want me to spend more money on their receivers. But they do offer more HD channels than anyone else. Any thoughts would be great. Thanks

I don't think that DirecTV offers as many HD channels as DishNetwork. I posted before that I love Dish's programming, receivers/equipment and features. On the down side, their customer service unfortunately sucks and their support team is a bunch of retards. Anyway whenever I have an issue I will talk to a manager right away and I get what I need (or I fix the issue myself if possible).

BigRick · 10-23-2007, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redrox

I don't think that DirecTV offers as many HD channels as DishNetwork. I posted before that I love Dish's programming, receivers/equipment and features. On the down side, their customer service unfortunately sucks and their support team is a bunch of retards. Anyway whenever I have an issue I will talk to a manager right away and I get what I need (or I fix the issue myself if possible).

actually DTV now offers 70 channels in HD

Galley · 10-23-2007, 04:01 AM

I had to swap out my HD TiVo box for an HR20 since our local channels were MPEG-4. They charged me $299, gave me an instant $100 credit on my account, and gave me a free H20 HD receiver with free installation when I moved into my new home this past April. ALL new HD channels are MPEG-4, so you're gonna have to swap the box out sooner or later.

cawgijoe · 10-23-2007, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolmilo

I know of 4 cases where this worked but you will need to commit to a 2 year contract and you will not own the equipment. It's definitely worth the effort to try and get the free receiver out of them. BTW, at first I really missed TIVO but not I am use to DirecTV DVR and it does a good job.

The only better thing about Comcast is the video on demand. But Comcast picture does not hold a candle to DirecTV. I believe that DTV is working on a version of VOD, hopefully coming soon. Something about programming VOD over the web. I would love to watch Howard On Demond on my DTV system.

Nothing wrong with a 2 year commitment if you are happy with Directv.
It's also a very good thing to have a "leased" receiver as I just found out. My HR20 that I had for a little over a year stopped working through the HDMI input. Directv sent me a new HR20 within a couple days and I sent the old one back. All it cost me was $22 for shipping. If I had "owned" the receiver I would have had to pay for repairs or would have had to purchase a new one.

Danno · 10-23-2007, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helli3yte

go with comcast they're better

better meaning 25% of the HD channels DirectTV offers, with no more room to add any, and internet service that they block content without their user's knowledge illegally?

Yeah, much better.

Danno · 10-23-2007, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redrox

I don't think that DirecTV offers as many HD channels as DishNetwork. I posted before that I love Dish's programming, receivers/equipment and features. On the down side, their customer service unfortunately sucks and their support team is a bunch of retards. Anyway whenever I have an issue I will talk to a manager right away and I get what I need (or I fix the issue myself if possible).

Direct TV has 72 HD channels currently, with 30 more to come by January.

Dish Network has 30. No plans to add any in the near future.

Bababooey · 10-23-2007, 03:21 PM

Okay best way to avoid paying for the upgrade is do what I did last month. I had the same dvr you have plus the new one they currently sell. My old HD DVR does not receive all the new HD content that they just released and one of the tuners had failed. I called in and advised them of the issue. They FedEx'ed me a refurbished DVR which is the current model. The only thing I paid for was for shipping which is $20.00. You should try it, would not hurt.

shock_terminal · 10-23-2007, 04:32 PM

When I got my HDTV I called around to all the Sat/Cable companys and all the Sat companys wanted me to buy a HD DVR for $500.
I told them that it was rediculess for me to have to buy a unit that only works with thier service and that Cable would provide me with one.

Long story short, I have cable now.

10-23-2007, 12:29 AM	#1
amason Active Member Member since:Jan 2007 Location:MA 4K collection:40 Blu-ray collection:511 DVD collection:86 Blu-ray reviews:43	Come January with Directv I called up over the weekend to get a new dish to receive the new HD channels that they offer. I have the older DVR with the Tivo OS. The guy on the phone told me that come January, that DVR will not accept HD channels and then you need to pay 299 to receive their newer DVR. I have a contract with them until May. I told the guy I did not want to put out 299 for a new DVR when I spent 500 when I first got the DVR less than a year and a half ago. Anyone else knows anything about this. Do you think come January that they can force people to buy their new DVR? I have mix feelings about Directv. When it rains I lose my signal and I have to buy there receives and I don't even keep them when I leave. Now they want me to spend more money on their receivers. But they do offer more HD channels than anyone else. Any thoughts would be great. Thanks

10-23-2007, 12:34 AM	#2
Manco Special Member Member since:Jun 2007 Location:Tucumcari	You need to speak to Customer Retention. Asked to be transfered directly to that dept. Don't waste time talking to Customer Service. That usually takes care of it. Tell them your leaving if they don't furnish a new HR20. Be polite but be firm. Last edited by Manco; 10-23-2007 at 12:36 AM.

10-23-2007, 12:48 AM	#5
sydney Active Member Member since:Oct 2007	as far as i know the only dif is hr20 is gray and hr21 is black, correct me if wrong Last edited by sydney; 10-23-2007 at 12:51 AM. Reason: sorry

10-23-2007, 12:42 AM	#3
sydney Active Member Member since:Oct 2007	ask for a hr21 not a hr 20

10-23-2007, 12:51 AM	#6
phloyd Blu-ray Guru Member since:Dec 2003 Location:California Trading Score:5	I believe that Manco is correct.

10-23-2007, 02:39 AM	#7
helli3yte Active Member Member since:Nov 2006 Location:Mt.Prospect, IL	go with comcast they're better

10-23-2007, 02:40 AM	#8
Sonny Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Aug 2007 Home Theater Gallery:8 Blu-ray reviews:6 Trading Score:1	ya

10-23-2007, 04:01 AM	#13
Galley Power Member Member since:Apr 2007 Location:Greenville, SC 4K collection:117 Blu-ray collection:634 DVD collection:41 Digital collection:1 Blu-ray reviews:4 Trading Score:7	I had to swap out my HD TiVo box for an HR20 since our local channels were MPEG-4. They charged me $299, gave me an instant $100 credit on my account, and gave me a free H20 HD receiver with free installation when I moved into my new home this past April. ALL new HD channels are MPEG-4, so you're gonna have to swap the box out sooner or later.

10-23-2007, 03:21 PM	#17
Bababooey Junior Member Member since:Oct 2007 Blu-ray collection:22	Okay best way to avoid paying for the upgrade is do what I did last month. I had the same dvr you have plus the new one they currently sell. My old HD DVR does not receive all the new HD content that they just released and one of the tuners had failed. I called in and advised them of the issue. They FedEx'ed me a refurbished DVR which is the current model. The only thing I paid for was for shipping which is $20.00. You should try it, would not hurt.

10-23-2007, 04:32 PM	#18
shock_terminal Active Member Member since:Dec 2006	When I got my HDTV I called around to all the Sat/Cable companys and all the Sat companys wanted me to buy a HD DVR for $500. I told them that it was rediculess for me to have to buy a unit that only works with thier service and that Cable would provide me with one. Long story short, I have cable now.

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