DirecTV FYIs

[Matt Meiser]

Just an FYI for anyone with DirecTV.

Someone had told me a couple years ago about DirecTV's AM21 off-air tuner module which I'd called about back then but it didn't at that time work with the model of HD DVR that they had given us. Apparently the software has been updated so it now will. Once installed, the off-air channels are integrated right into the guide and behave just like satellite channels.

Also, DirecTV has a new "whole house" DVR capability that will let any additional HD recievers access shows from the main DVR.

I called DirecTV on Friday and asked for "customer retention" and was able to negotiate upgrading to both of the above for almost free (I had to pay a $19.99 service call fee and had to agree to an additional 2 year commitment.) We've been customers since 2003 so they are interested in keeping us around. Monday a service guy came out and installed a new head on my dish, replaced the multiswitch in the basement with a splitter, replaced our ancient SD receiver with an HD receiver in the bedroom, and installed a couple adapter boxes behind the DVR. Later in the day Fedex came with the tuner which was just a matter of connecting power, antenna, and a USB cable to the DVR.

Woodworking related because now I can DVR the various woodworking shows off the Toledo PBS station's Create channel. Even though I live 8 miles from the city limits of Toledo, OH and around 40 from Detroit, they say I live in the Detroit market so I can't get Toledo locals over satellite. And DirecTV doesn't carry any of the .2, .3, etc channels, at least in our market anyway. Detroit PBS carries very little in the way of woodworking and they are usually months delayed over everyone else. And when LOMLjr is watching iCarly (all you parents of tweens know what I'm talking about!) or LOML is watching one of those awful reality shows, I can escape to the bedroom and watch something equally awful in their eyes. :)

[Lewis Ehrhardt]

Thanks Matt for the info. I have Direct, but only standard. I just bought a plasma and am using the "fit to program" mode on the tv. I'm thinking this is due to not having HD?
Just a couple questions if you will and get a moment.
1. Will the HD let me see the full screen without picture distortion? (with standard, most shows the people look a little wider than they should, certainly nothing like the showroom, duh!)
2. Do you have the warranty coverage for your DVR, which is an additonal $5 or $6 a month?
3. Any other recommendations while I'm making the upgrade? Thanks Lewis

[Matt Meiser]

We have ours set to pick the right resolution. Most of the time we are watching HD channels and it properly fills the screen . On SD channels, if the show is in 4:3 format, it shows black bars on the sides, which is preferable to me.

We don't pay for the warranty. We've had them out 2x over the years for problems and both times they waved the fee. I've found in general that as soon as you tell them you'll just cancel and go elsewhere, they come around real quick. It irks me that they own the hardware, but expect you to pay if it breaks, which I guess isn't much different than a leased car, but still.

Threatening to cancel has proven very effective in getting new hardware, reduced pricing, etc from both them and Sprint in my experience.

[Zach England]

If I call and threaten to cancel do you think they will send me a DVR?

[Lee Schierer]

Just an FYI for anyone with DirecTV.

Someone had told me a couple years ago about DirecTV's AM21 off-air tuner module which I'd called about back then but it didn't at that time work with the model of HD DVR that they had given us.

That was probably me...

And DirecTV doesn't carry any of the .2, .3, etc channels, at least in our market anyway. Detroit PBS carries very little in the way of woodworking and they are usually months delayed over everyone else.

Our Off air Direct TV receiver receives the .2 and .3 channels here in Erie, PA. Put in the zip code for your local area and adjacent broadcast areas to see what all you get.

[Matt Meiser]

I think it was!

I guess I wasn't clear with that statement. The satellite local channels don have the .2 and .3 but we now get them with the off the air receiver, which we could do before if we just used the TV's tuner, but now we can DVR them and see them in the program guide.

Zach, I've usually been able to get them to give me whatever I could get free from Dish or cable (I fail to mention that cable a little more than 1mi away) if I switched.

[Bryan Morgan]

If I call and threaten to cancel do you think they will send me a DVR?

How long have you been a customer? I've been a customer since it was available here (since 99, 2000..?) and I don't haggle with stuff. Last year or the year before I called them and had them upgrade all my stuff to HD. Didn't cost me a penny. Didn't have to plead or threaten. Just told them thats what I wanted. Oval dish, splitter, etc... installers did an awesome job with the wiring.

From what I read, they are losing business so they are very eager to work with their existing customers.

[Curt Harms]

We may be leaving them after 10 years but only because Verizon is offering a very compelling FiOS bundle. The service work they've done and customer service on the phone are both top notch. Weather interruptions are not nearly as bad or frequent as some might have you believe. There's only one issue that might be a real problem. A few years ago when we had the dish where we could reach it, the LNBs (horns) iced over. I was able to throw some hot water on them and the dish. Our dish is now on the roof. If that iced up it'd be a problem. Hair dryer duct taped to a l-o-n-g pole? :p.

[Paul McGaha]

We've been with Direct TV for about (10) years now so we can get the NFL Season Ticket.

We're getting our phone service, Internet from Verizon FIOS.

PHM

[Brad Wood]

I've been a Direct customer for about five years. HD customer for three years.

A buddy signed up with them a couple months ago and they literally gave away the whole ball of wax.
Since I was out of contract by a year, I called, said I wanted to add a HD receiver and get the whole home DVR service... took me a few phone calls, but I got for everything but the $20 service call or whatever they called it.

It showed up on my bill as customer retention discounts. A less patient person might have canceled their service all together after a conversation I had one of the reps there. At one point I finally said "listen, I am not talking to you in any demeaning way, so I expect you to keep your attitude in check with me" (sic)
She accused me of lying about the deal my friend had gotten. I offered to bring him in to the phone call so he could verify he account info to her. I put her on hold to conference the call, and she hung up.
called back, talked to supervisor "the account shows you were disconnected"... "yeah, I get it"... "can you help me"... She was the right person to talk to and I got all the discounts.

I did the whole home DVR. Dish's original solution required a cable to run between the two units (and may still), Direct made a good tech choice and essentially you have a second network in the house, which then connects to your data network for internet access.
It rocks.

[Mike Cruz]

I have been with Directv for about 7 years now. They've done upgrades etc the whole time for free or darn near it. I think they, like Grizzly, actually have one of the best CS departments around.

[Bonnie Campbell]

I was going to get DirecTv, but they wouldn't mount the dish on anything beyond a 4' pole in the yard. My guess is the guy is afraid of heights and lazy to boot. I haven't had TV since moving here in July....