Buying HD Receiver Off eBay - Lease Free?

[DMK]

If I buy an HD receiver and access card from ebay from a private seller (not a company who states there is a lease), can DirecTV still claim I do not own the receiver if I want to turn around and sell it myself somewhere down the line?

I hate the idea of paying $100 to add an HD receiver to my account, but would happily pay it knowing eventually I could sell that box if I wanted to and recoup some of my money.

Any idea?

 

[texasbrit]

If I buy an HD receiver and access card from ebay from a private seller (not a company who states there is a lease), can DirecTV still claim I do not own the receiver if I want to turn around and sell it myself somewhere down the line?

I hate the idea of paying $100 to add an HD receiver to my account, but would happily pay it knowing eventually I could sell that box if I wanted to and recoup some of my money.

Any idea?

If the receiver is owned by the person selling it then it is owned by you. But a lot of HD equipment on ebay is NOT owned, it is leased and the seller does not have rights to sell it. This does not apply to DirecTV official resellers but then you are getting a leased box anyway.
Some H20 HD receivers are owned but that is because they were bought before the leasing program started. There are very few "owned" DVRs.

 

[cocoon]

If I buy an HD receiver and access card from ebay from a private seller (not a company who states there is a lease), can DirecTV still claim I do not own the receiver if I want to turn around and sell it myself somewhere down the line?

I hate the idea of paying $100 to add an HD receiver to my account, but would happily pay it knowing eventually I could sell that box if I wanted to and recoup some of my money.

Any idea?

Most receivers and DVRs from dish network and directv are leased equipment these days. I would avoid ebay for these kind of items because you never know if they are legitimate or not. Better to stay with legit local dealers, online dealers like those that sponsor this forum and of course national chains like bestbuy.

 

[DMK]

That's a bummer. So unless the person selling says they are 100% sure that the unit is bought and paid for and their feedback is good, proceed with caution huh. Even if it looks like a private seller and not a company/dealer, DTV might still say it's a leased box. Then again, what's to keep you or I from doing that with the boxes WE already have? Wouldn't that be a major problem for DTV if we started ebaying our leased receivers? We can't do that right?

 

[JAG72]

It would not be a problem for Directv but the person that bought it and sold it. Directv will not activate the leased receiver if you purchased it from somebody that already was using it. After the sale was complete the buyer would be out whatever they paid and the seller would be out even more. If I remember correctly they charge you $400+ for any advance product that is not returned to them after it has been deactivated.

Your best bet would be just to call Directv to see if they can work out a deal for a new receiver. Many have gotten them for free are at a very reduced price.

 

[iceturkee]

That's a bummer. So unless the person selling says they are 100% sure that the unit is bought and paid for and their feedback is good, proceed with caution huh. Even if it looks like a private seller and not a company/dealer, DTV might still say it's a leased box. Then again, what's to keep you or I from doing that with the boxes WE already have? Wouldn't that be a major problem for DTV if we started ebaying our leased receivers? We can't do that right?

even if they say its owned and they have 100 percent feedback, i would still want some proff from the buyer that the box is owned.

 

[JAG72]

even if they say its owned and they have 100 percent feedback, i would still want some proff from the buyer that the box is owned.

:up

 

[JNEUBY]

Get the seller to post the receiver Id and card number, then call D* and see if it is a least receiver. They will probably still come back and tell you it's leased. But it may be worth a try.

 

[Rey]

Get the seller to post the receiver Id and card number, then call D* and see if it is a least receiver. They will probably still come back and tell you it's leased. But it may be worth a try.

This is exactly what i was going to say. i've never had problems doing this off of ebay either. i bought three on ebay and sold one. they are leases. they were new from an authorized dealer on ebay. all were HR21-100

 

[jcrandall]

If it is HD, it is leased.

Unless - it is a VERY EARLY H20, manufactured and activated originally before Feb 2006 (IIRC).

The H20 came out not long (few months) before DirecTV went to the lease model.

The other exception is the Hr21-Pro, which many are owned - but there are some of those in the lease program too, where receivers were replaced because that is all DirecTV had in stock.

Unless the individual paid $470 (directly to DirecTV) plus the original lease upgrade fee it is NOT owned.

 

[Rey]

And you really don't save anything monthly by owning your equipment so to me it's not worth it.

 

[lern4483]

Its never owned. I bought, brand new, an HR20 at Circuit 299.

When I activated it Direc immediatly told me its there reciever now. Plus they lock you into a 2 year commitment.

They say it heavily discounted and no matter you where you bought it, its a leased reciever.

 

[texasbrit]

Get the seller to post the receiver Id and card number, then call D* and see if it is a least receiver. They will probably still come back and tell you it's leased. But it may be worth a try.

This is the only way to be certain what the status is on the receiver. Whatever the "seller" tells you, unless DirecTV confirms the box is "owned", you have to assume it's leased.

 

[DMK]

I don't suppose anyone would know a way I could as a new customer this week have them swap that Standard receiver out for another HD one for free? Any suggestions? I don't really feel like paying the $99 for a receiver I barely watch but when I DO watch it, it would sure be nice to not be watching a small HDTV on a composite connection.

 

[goober22]

But even if you own it, D* will then charge you a $4.99 mirror fee. It will be $4.99 one way or the other for the 2nd and up units.

lease = $4.99 lease fee
owned = $4.99 mirror fee

While you may be able to sell an owned unit later down the road, the technology changes so much, how much would it be worth?

 

[Rey]

But even if you own it, D* will then charge you a $4.99 mirror fee. It will be $4.99 one way or the other for the 2nd and up units.

lease = $4.99 lease fee
owned = $4.99 mirror fee

While you may be able to sell an owned unit later down the road, the technology changes so much, how much would it be worth?

besides like you said you ain't saving $$$ monthly. plus even if you don't have the protection plan like me since the receiver or dvr is leased they replace it for free in case it fails on you. you would only have to pay for the shipping. i don't see any benefit to owning except paying more upfront.

 

[jcrandall]

I don't suppose anyone would know a way I could as a new customer this week have them swap that Standard receiver out for another HD one for free? Any suggestions? I don't really feel like paying the $99 for a receiver I barely watch but when I DO watch it, it would sure be nice to not be watching a small HDTV on a composite connection.

You can call and ask, but generally once activated they won't switch anything for free. you'd have to pay the upgrade fee.

 

[DMK]

All valid points I guess -- So all these people selling these receivers on ebay, they are going to get screwed when DTV calls and asks them, where's our receiver that you were leasing? That seems crazy to me that people would be that dumb to sell a leased receiver that is tied to them but I guess that's what is going on here.

 

[j0nnyhb]

"besides like you said you ain't saving $$$ monthly. plus even if you don't have the protection plan like me since the receiver or dvr is leased they replace it for free in case it fails on you. you would only have to pay for the shipping. i don't see any benefit to owning except paying more upfront."


The only benefit I could see is you can modify DVR to have a bigger hard drive for more recording time without worrying about "breaking the seal" and being in trouble.

I have a related question. Do you have to have the DVR (lets say an HR21) hooked up to Directv to actually use it to view the content on it? I know you would obviously never be able to record new shows, but if you had a bunch of games or movies in HD on the hard drive you wanted to watch long after you moved on to newer technology (i.e. you bought one just to watch your recorded stuff, never intending to hook it up to the satellite).

Until there is a good affordable way to burn true HD DVDs (blue-ray) I can see this as my only option to watch my "old" HD stuff ... Am I completely cracked or is this viable?

 

[Rey]

"besides like you said you ain't saving $$$ monthly. plus even if you don't have the protection plan like me since the receiver or dvr is leased they replace it for free in case it fails on you. you would only have to pay for the shipping. i don't see any benefit to owning except paying more upfront."


The only benefit I could see is you can modify DVR to have a bigger hard drive for more recording time without worrying about "breaking the seal" and being in trouble.

I have a related question. Do you have to have the DVR (lets say an HR21) hooked up to Directv to actually use it to view the content on it? I know you would obviously never be able to record new shows, but if you had a bunch of games or movies in HD on the hard drive you wanted to watch long after you moved on to newer technology (i.e. you bought one just to watch your recorded stuff, never intending to hook it up to the satellite).

Until there is a good affordable way to burn true HD DVDs (blue-ray) I can see this as my only option to watch my "old" HD stuff ... Am I completely cracked or is this viable?

a few have claimed being able to do this. last i heard if you disconnect the D service you loose the dvr functions. if i'm wrong someone else will correct me.