Direct TV - Retention Dept

[Bob Moyer]

Anyone ever have any success with them; I have been with Direct TV for over 8 years and still have the original receivers; the last month or so; I continually need to reset one of the receivers (not both); obviously I need to get new receivers, have you had any success in getting new ones without buying them; I realize that I will need to extend my contract.

Thanks

[Jim Becker]

Well, I have no idea if you can get an exchange, but I will tell you that the current receivers (and new dish) brings a lot more to the table. You actually need to upgrade to get the HD content, anyway. My suggestion is to just call them to discuss and not fight a battle until you actually find yourself in one. And honestly, you've gotten your money's worth out of those old receivers at this point!

[Greg Narozniak]

I have been with DirecTv for 10+ years and anytime I have had one of their receivers die, I call CS go though the Serial # and the Access Card # and they sent me out a new one.

I have been happy.

[Kevin Groenke]

I recently read a thread on another forum outlining strategies for receiving equipment and service upgrades from Direct TV, including free DVR's, and HD receivers and up to 12 months free HD service.

PM sent.

-kg

[Angus Hines]

Got link ???

[Lee Schierer]

Recently we had a problem with our Directtv we watched it in the evening and in the morning we couldn't get a signal. It had been clear and calm all night. After trying everything I could think of I called the 800 number, jumped throught he various wickets until I got to a real person. After several tests with them Mostly a repeat of what I had already tried) they suggested a repair call whichwould cost $50 since I didn't have their service plan. I could purchase their service plan right then for $10 per month and miracle of miracles it would also cover this call. I nearly blew a cork and threatened to call their competitor, who just that morning had two separate advertisements in the paper for free installation and free DVR plus a number of other freebies. I reminded them that I had been a customer for over 9 years and still had the original equipment which I had purchased out of my own pocket and installed.

Reluctantly they agreed to give me a free service call, just this once. Which we then scheduled.

Well later in the day I was in the garage and looked at a junction point in the installation. When I touched the cables, one of them came apart. When I reconnected it everything worked. I have no idea how the cable came apart.

Well then I needed to cancel the free service call, so I had to jump through all the wickets again to get to a real person. When I explained the problem, they were grateful that I had called back and saved the service call. I again reminded them how I was a 9 year customer and would it be possible to convert the free service call into a DVR upgrade. After a bit of haggling, again reminding them that they and their competitor routinely advertise free stuff for new subscribers, but do nothing for loyal customers. The person I talked to finally admitted they could upgrade the equipment, but I would need to commit to them for 2 years of service. Within a week, they installed a new HD/SD DVR with two channel capabilty and the only change to my service was the extra fee for the DVR programming guide.

The key was being nice and being persistant and knowing what I wanted from them.

P.S. You can also get a receiver that will pick up your local channels through your old antenna and record them withthe DVR and see the programming on the program guide. We did have to pay $50 for that in a completely separate trans action, which was the same price we would have paid for the digital converter box.

[Bob Moyer]

I called and after I said the magic word "Cancel"

I got a new DVR - HR-22 for $49.00, a $10.00 reduction on my monthly fee, two additional receivers, free HBO, Cinemax etc for 6 mos. and at the End of the year I go back to the price I am paying now, I needed to sign up for 2 years but, I really did not want to leave Direct TV.

They did tell me that the new receiver will give me free On Demand; all I need to do is connect to my DSL. Which will leave me baffled since my DSL is in another room; and I don't have wireless.

[Jim Becker]

They did tell me that the new receiver will give me free On Demand; all I need to do is connect to my DSL. Which will leave me baffled since my DSL is in another room; and I don't have wireless.

'Just a Cat-5 cable away... :D

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

do what Jims says: Ask. The worse that can happen is they say no.

Then if they say no. Cancel and go with Cable taking whatever deal they have for 6 months of cheap service. Take your dishes down.
Than a year later call Dish again and ask to get an account,. Don't volunteer that you have been a customer in the past.

Maybe they'll upgrade you AND give you some months cheaper.

[Matt Meiser]

I'm about to try again. I tried a year ago and got $10/mo. That's expired. Back then I was given the choice of new equipment or $10/mo. That was with no contract extension. This time I'm not settling for anything less than the exact same deal I'd get as a new subscriber or I'm going to Dish. In fact, I think I'm actually going to place the Dish order first since you can cancel at any time up until the install without penalty--just to give some added urgency.

I like the idea of that local channel-to-DVR thingy. According to the FCC we live in Detroit even though we live 8 miles from the city of Toledo, OH. I'd prefer to watch Toledo channels since the local news is more applicable. Toledo PBS is much better than Detroit and we can get WBGU from Bowling Green which is Scott Philips home station. Since we live in "Detroit", our local channels on the satellite are Detroit and they won't let me switch no matter how much I complain.

But I also like Dish's 1 DVR-for-two-TVs concept because we can watch something off DVR on either TV without having to remember to set it up on both.

Either way I want a box that will do SDTV for now, but work for HDTV when we get a new TV.

[Pat Germain]

I had DirecTV for two years and didn't really like it. When I asked for a free upgrade to a HD DVR, they told me to slag off. I switched back to Dish Network, which I had previously and liked better.

When I called DirecTV to cancel, they offered me a free HD DVR upgrade. "Too late. That ship has sailed," I told them. I'm very happy with my Dish HD DVR.

I'm wondering if they have a box which will allow me to record shows from over the air, HD broadcasts. Hmmm...

[Jim Becker]

I'm wondering if they have a box which will allow me to record shows from over the air, HD broadcasts. Hmmm...

The rub in this is that any OTA solution you consider right now must be digital capable. Don't spend any money on anything that is not able to receive digital broadcast signals since that's all that will be available to you in a few months.

We get all the locals in HD off DirectTV now (via the sat)...the exception being the PBS station and its multiple feeds. I'm hoping they will fix that little omission at some point.

[Lee Schierer]

The rub in this is that any OTA solution you consider right now must be digital capable. Don't spend any money on anything that is not able to receive digital broadcast signals since that's all that will be available to you in a few months.

We get all the locals in HD off DirectTV now (via the sat)...the exception being the PBS station and its multiple feeds. I'm hoping they will fix that little omission at some point.

The new box that I got as an add on to the DVR is exactly that. It is a digital converter. It doesn't seem to have analog pass through though. It connected to my original array antenna, then into the DVR. It also works with rabbit ears they say. The channel guide shows all the local channels and you can program them to record just like you can all the sat channels. It fully integrates into the remote for changing channels. It is HD capable so local HD broadcasts shod work the same, but they do have an extra fee for HD reception. Not sure I want HD for extra money. The picture I get now is plenty sharp. I would need a new TV which may be a few years away since the one we have is pretty new.

[Matt Meiser]

We get all the locals in HD off DirectTV now (via the sat)...the exception being the PBS station and its multiple feeds. I'm hoping they will fix that little omission at some point.

I read some chatter about that on another forum--it sounds like DirecTV is hesitant to bring the channels like Create online because they don't want the competition for DIY/HGTV/etc. That may just be speculation but it sounds like big business.

Lee, do you know the official name of that box or do you have a link?

[Chris Padilla]

Just keep track of when your "2-year mandatory stay" is up with the particular company and then the ball is in your court to mandate free upgrades and service calls as you threaten to go to the competition. It works every time.

I'm with Matt, Lee...spill the beans on whatcha got! :)

[Lee Schierer]

Just keep track of when your "2-year mandatory stay" is up with the particular company and then the ball is in your court to mandate free upgrades and service calls as you threaten to go to the competition. It works every time.

I'm with Matt, Lee...spill the beans on whatcha got! :)

Okay here's the deal right from Direct TV

You have to have one of these: "The new DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR (HR21)"

Then you need one of these: "You will need an off-air antenna and a DIRECTV® AM21 Off-Air Tuner, which will seamlessly integrate the off-air channels into your receiver's Advanced Program Guide. DIRECTV® AM21 Off-Air Tuners will be available for purchase from DIRECTV soon."

Actually they are available now as I have one and it has been working for over a month.

Two Links:
HD DVR Plus (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=P4380062)
AM21 Info (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=3460059)

If you sign up for HD DVR, let them know I sent you and I might get a discount on my service :D

[Chris Padilla]

Lee,

HD is the bee's knees.... I can count the blades of grass on the gridiron during MNF! :D It is so vibrant it is almost 3-D!

[Matt Meiser]

Anyone know if the HD DVR Plus will work on an old analog TV for now? Dish explicitly states there's does, but I can't find anything on DirecTV's site.

[Lee Schierer]

Anyone know if the HD DVR Plus will work on an old analog TV for now? Dish explicitly states there's does, but I can't find anything on DirecTV's site.

My TV is not HD capable and it works just fine. The HD DVR Plus is also a SD (Standard Definition signal) and can output to conventional recievers. There are a variety of outputs on the back. I think I'm using the RGB and audiou signals or possibly S video. It also has digital output in several forms. They require installation for the HD plus as it is two channel reception and must be turned on by the installer. You can't do it yourself!

[Roger Turnbough]

Ok, I have a question. I currently have an old contract with DTV, and also have basic cable which supplies me with my internet and local tv channels. If I can convince DTV to upgrade my equipment to a DVR, will I be able to hook my basic cable up to it to record Local stations? And also be able to record the DTV programming?

Is there any extra equipment that I need to get from them to do this?

Thanks much for the info.

Roger

[Jim Becker]

Doubtful you can do that, Richard.

[Rick Gibson]

Being basically cheap meaning I would rather spend my money on wood or tools and I think if I watch 10 hr. tv in a week that would be a lot for me I got one of those little saucer type antennas. Used to get 12 channels until the tv died so I upgraded to a 42" plasma with a hd tuner. I now get 26 channels. All free $30 to $40 extra a month for wood.:D

[Roger Turnbough]

Just an update:

Just got off the phone with DTV, and they are sending me a New HD-DVR, plus a new hd reciever for nothing. I have been a customer for nine years. Also, gave me a credit of $10/month off my bill for a year. All I had to pay was 19.95 for shipping and handling charge. No installation charges or anything.

Also, if you go online to Direct Tv, and create an account, you will get Showtime/Starz for free for 3 months.

All in all, a very good and positive experience.

Roger

[Pat Germain]

Both DTV and Dish Network offer local channels for pretty much every area in the US now. They are slowly rolling out local channels in Hi-Def.

DTV currently has my local channels in Hi-Def, but Dish does not. Therefore, I think DTV is ahead of the game in this area. But that's not enough to make me go back to DTV.

So, no matter which satellite provider you use, you'll be able to record local channels on a DVR. Whether you can record local channels in Hi-Def depends on your area and availability.

[Matt Meiser]

So, no matter which satellite provider you use, you'll be able to record local channels on a DVR. Whether you can record local channels in Hi-Def depends on your area and availability.

Generally true, except that for some of us, the market the FCC says we are in is not accurate. I'm a perfect example. I live 45 miles from the Detroit city limits. I live 8 miles from the Toledo city limits. But because I'm in Michigan, the FCC says I live in Detroit. People who live on the north side of State Line Road would be in Detroit, even though they could literally throw a rock to Toledo from their front yard.

For the most part it doesn't matter for Fox, ABC, CBS, and NBC. The Toledo PBS station carries a lot more I'm interested in than Detroit. And there are times where there are locally produced shows on one of the network stations that I'd like to be able to record. For example, the Ida Light Parade, which draws 25,000 visitors to our township of 5000 is on Fox in Toledo.

[Pat Germain]

That is a whacky situation, Matt. Durango, Colorado is similar. Their TV broadcasts come from Albuquerque because the FCC says so. Folks in Durango can't get their state election results, for example, from television. And the weather reports barely touch on southwest Colorado.

[Eddie Watkins]

I am with Dish and upgraded about a year ago to HD. I had bought my original receivers which were really old. They gave me the new receivers for what they said was no charge but they are chargeing me $5/mo/receiver rental. I asked if I coud buy them because the receivers aren't that expensive and was told no that they only leased the receivers now. THeir rental fee for 1 year is more than the unit would cost. It has been a year and I'm still irritated. Has anybody been able to buy their receivers or is this SOP?

[Jim Becker]

Eddie, with DirectTV, the HD and HD/DVR requires a "purchase" by the consumer, but a monthly lease fee is still collected for all receivers outside of any given a no charge status based on the deal-du-jour. My HD boxes cost me $100 each, in other words, but overall, I was happy to pay it to get away from Comcast!

[Eddie Watkins]

Eddie, with DirectTV, the HD and HD/DVR requires a "purchase" by the consumer, but a monthly lease fee is still collected for all receivers outside of any given a no charge status based on the deal-du-jour. My HD boxes cost me $100 each, in other words, but overall, I was happy to pay it to get away from Comcast!
Thanks Jim, so changing to DTV wouldn't help. I guess I had better get happy.

[Pat Germain]

Thanks Jim, so changing to DTV wouldn't help. I guess I had better get happy.

You could always sign up for a few months of cable. Once you switch back to satellite, you'll be very happy!

[Denny Rice]

I agree with most of the post here. I have had DISH Network for almost 6 years and love it, and I must say my DVR rocks. I will never own a VCR again. As far as their customer service I have never had any problems, I have had two DVR hard drives bite the bullet, I called DISH, they shipped me a new receiver within 72 hrs along with a UPS return label. I took the bad DVR receiver put back in the box my new one came in, slapped the label on it and send it back to them at no cost to me.

[Curt Harms]

we have 2 DVR's. We don't OWN either one, they're leases. If we no longer want them we can not sell them, we have to return them to DirecTV. We paid $199 to "lease" them. If we wanted to own them the price would have been around $700/unit. As I recall DirecTV differentiates between Standard Def & High Def in their hardware policies.

Curt

[Eddie Watkins]

You could always sign up for a few months of cable. Once you switch back to satellite, you'll be very happy!

I checked with teh local cable company a couple of years ago, they wanted $30,000 :eek: to run a line a couple of miles to my house and get some equipment that would upgrade their equipment so the signal would be good enough to work. I decided I didn't really like television that much.:rolleyes:. I really don't have any complaints about the service other than their new policy on fees/ month but I can live with it.

[Pat Germain]

I just noticed you're in Oklahoma, Eddie. My parents and brother are in Stillwater. They each have a satellite dish that quits working when it rains. My satellite service never quits; no matter how hard it rains or snows.

Is there something about Oklahoma rain that messes with satellite dishes?

[Eddie Watkins]

I just noticed you're in Oklahoma, Eddie. My parents and brother are in Stillwater. They each have a satellite dish that quits working when it rains. My satellite service never quits; no matter how hard it rains or snows.

Is there something about Oklahoma rain that messes with satellite dishes?
I don't know about the rain, but my satellite reception goes out when it rains, also. I just change over to the antenna signal so I can watch the weather. THe rain does have to be medium to heavy rain. I figured it was a problem common to satellite reception, I didn't realize we were "unique". Maybe it has something to do with elevation, most of the state is around 1000-1100 feet elevation.
BTW, I go to Stillwater several times a year to the OSU games, it's really a great place.

[Matt Meiser]

Lee, how does your DTV tuner work with the DVR? The guy I talked to last night at DirecTV told me it may or may not work to actually record shows???? Didn't make a lot of sense to me.

I did order a new HD DVR plus they gave us $10 off/month off our existing package and are giving us free HD and free DVR access or 1 year so our bill is actually going down $15 for a year. Apparently we have have to get a new dish to support HD. Since we own all our existing equipment, we get to keep it all meaning we could use the old dish and one of the receivers for our camper if we wanted. And she says we can start using using our Tivo for the 2nd TV and put away the non-DVR reciever we currently using there.

[John Shuk]

'Just a Cat-5 cable away... :D


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