HD-DVR died, anywhere I can buy a new HR-20, HR-24 etc?

[Jimbo]

My old HR20 unit literally won't even turn on anymore. No lights no nothing, you can kind of hear the fan clicking to prove it's plugged in and that's it.

It was doomsday for months. After a normal reboot it'd die and go to a DOS-like looking screen of (I think) orange font. It would say it was at 1% and usually suddenly work again like 25 mins later. Some days I would have to do multiple resets. This started like 1 year ago, I should have tried harder than to find a replacement but I didn't want to admit defeat since I had many classic NFL and CFB games on there I wanted to keep. No those are all gone anyway.

Normally, in a case that they actually had the HR24/HR20s, when you told them it had Died ... they would send you another one out.
Seeing they are supposedly no longer available ... not sure What they want to do ...

I already checked with 1 person at D* and inquired to see if they would give me a 2nd HR54 (or 44) , but due to thier rule about only 1 per account, they shot that down ...

Why I don't know ... told them I could use that one for camping and it wouldn't be on the same system (if anyone there knows anything about the real reason they won' allow it) ... he then went about wanting to set up a separate account for my camper, I stopped him at that point, he transferred me to someone else, had to start over ... then they dropped the call.

I quit trying to resolve my 2 issues with the 2 going bad HR24s till another day.

Your recordings may as well be gone, unfortunately D* never had a Transfer option ....

This portion isn't directed at you, but I have always told people to NOT use these HUGE External Hard drives For that exact reason and NEVER keep anything that is REALLY IMPORTANT to you on them, just because hard drives DO have issues (usually heat) and the fact that these HD's have to run constantly.

Many peole have lost a ton of video over the years.

 

[Jimbo]

I don't know a lot about DirecTv, but I saw this pop up today.

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This is a RED Flag ... Unless it happens to be a OWNED one.

Then you have the issue of WILL D* activate an old recvr like this ?

Any leased recvrs have to go back to D* ...
Chances are D* told him they don't need it back and took the numbers off the list available for activation, now hes trying to sell it and make money ...
What D* wants you to do in situations like non return recvr is to throw them out .... or dispose of them somehow, mainly so they don't have to, some they refurbish, real old ones not.

If he didn't want to take care of it he should have walked into Fed Ex or UPS and they would have sent it back free of charge.

 

[CLASSICDIRECTV]

I'm not familiar with this but could try this on one of my still working, but becoming a bit squirrely HR24's.

Does CLEARMYBOX act as a factory reset to the unit?

No it just clears out stuff in the random access memory or (RAM) like channle logos and show art(the little thing in the Guide that shows the show if it where in a dvd case)

 

[TheTechGuru]

Neither record all that much.

So get a H24 if a HR24 is not available...

 

[TheTechGuru]

I already checked with 1 person at D* and inquired to see if they would give me a 2nd HR54 (or 44) , but due to thier rule about only 1 per account, they shot that down ...

Why I don't know ... told them I could use that one for camping and it wouldn't be on the same system (if anyone there knows anything about the real reason they won' allow it) ... he then went about wanting to set up a separate account for my camper, I stopped him at that point, he transferred me to someone else, had to start over ... then they dropped the call.

So what do they do for these huge mansions that want 20+ TV's hooked up?

This portion isn't directed at you, but I have always told people to NOT use these HUGE External Hard drives For that exact reason and NEVER keep anything that is REALLY IMPORTANT to you on them, just because hard drives DO have issues (usually heat) and the fact that these HD's have to run constantly.

I've actually been considering downgrading my HR24 back to the factory 500GB hard drive from the 1TB I installed since I'm not DVRing nearly as much as I used to before I got my ROKU. I would need to manually capture a few rare recordings from it first though. I basically only record stuff that is not available online anywhere.

 

[ltapilot]

Which number or area did you finally get a rep to cave?

Was it Customer Loyalty and I simply haven't yet scored one that can get me a new HR24 to replace my HR20?

Let me rephrase that. I was the one who agreed to a truck roll. The CSR’s are tried to a script and can not deviate. The tech has more room to help with customer satisfaction. Especially after he saw the hr-54 and the hr-24 & hr-22.

 

[Jimbo]

So get a H24 if a HR24 is not available...

I said they don't record Much, but they do record.
I might be able to get by with one H24 and 1 HR24 though.

 

[Jimbo]

Let me rephrase that. I was the one who agreed to a truck roll. The CSR’s are tried to a script and can not deviate. The tech has more room to help with customer satisfaction. Especially after he saw the hr-54 and the hr-24 & hr-22.

IF, they have any on thier truck.

 

[CLASSICDIRECTV]

So what do they do for these huge mansions that want 20+ TV's hooked up?

They usually just setup multiple of the same systems on different accounts. Also the reason the policy is in place is because most times the minis will try to connect to the other genie than the one it’s paired to and if it dose connect to the correct one it will complain a lot and take forever to connect as server names are ip addresses instead of models

 

[Jimbo]

They usually just setup multiple of the same systems on different accounts. Also the reason the policy is in place is because most times the minis will try to connect to the other genie than the one it’s paired to and if it dose connect to the correct one it will complain a lot and take forever to connect as server names are ip addresses instead of models

And IF they ever Listened to what I was telling them, they would find that the 2nd Genie would rarely be on the same system .... but they fail to listen OR Understand.

Or, maybe I put it at my Cottage, that would not be on the same network, they have already ok'd recvrs at the cottage previously.

They don't want to listen to what your telling them.
They ONLY want you on the HS17 Server, which we all know is useless outside of your initial network.
They won't replace my OLD equipment (with anything but clients) ...
Been with them for 18+ years now.
Once my ST runs out next year, provided D* and Att have nothing to do with it any longer, which looks likely, I may have to look elsewhere ....

Wondering how long it will take the Parents to learn how to find thier channels they normally watch, having to sub to 6-10 different companies.

 

[jhetfield99]

Do you absolutely "need" a DVR?

Ever since I got my ROKU last Christmas I've been finding myself barely using the DVR because 99% of what I would record with it is available on demand with my DirecTV log in though my ROKU.

If not maybe try to get a H24.

I'm a big sports guy, so I would say yes, though I have space on my other DVRs.

 

[jhetfield99]

Let me rephrase that. I was the one who agreed to a truck roll. The CSR’s are tried to a script and can not deviate. The tech has more room to help with customer satisfaction. Especially after he saw the hr-54 and the hr-24 & hr-22.

OK so I should call for tech help a couple times and explain my situation, and if not I guess I then have the option to buy from Solid Signal, which was shared earlier in the thread.

 

[jhetfield99]

I suggest you call Solid Signal and discus your account options with them --They can work within your D*TV Account to activate receivers and make changes --Just asking won't cost you anything.

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Thanks for suggestion, I will try them after Direct tells me no again.

In your experience do they always charge the activation cost?

Also, since I would be purchasing outright, does this mean they would set it up in the account so I don't pay the monthly leasing charge for at least the new box?
And with that, can they shut off my recurring charge for the box that is now dead?

 

[vazhog]

Thanks for suggestion, I will try them after Direct tells me no again.

In your experience do they always charge the activation cost?

Also, since I would be purchasing outright, does this mean they would set it up in the account so I don't pay the monthly leasing charge for at least the new box?
And with that, can they shut off my recurring charge for the box that is now dead?

If you get the receiver from SS there is no activation fee -they will add it your account --The receiver is LEASED (no Matter) the $199 which means you will still be charged $7 a month --They will remove your OD receiver --Give them the RID number.

They have worked within my account -I leased a C61K-700 from them and they activated it and 4 K service at the same time .

 

[Jimbo]

If you get the receiver from SS there is no activation fee -they will add it your account --The receiver is LEASED (no Matter) the $199 which means you will still be charged $7 a month --They will remove your OD receiver --Give them the RID number.

They have worked within my account -I leased a C61K-700 from them and they activated it and 4 K service at the same time .

The guy I talked with via Email, definitely said there was a $150 activation charge if you use them ... he didn't seem like he was willing to waive anything.

 

[vazhog]

I was not charged any activation fee the one time I have used them. I guess that may a policy change I was unaware of.

 

[TheTechGuru]

When I ordered a H24 from SolidSignal around 2012 it arrived unactivated and I called DirecTV to add it to the account and activate it.

 

[CLASSICDIRECTV]

The guy I talked with via Email, definitely said there was a $150 activation charge if you use them ... he didn't seem like he was willing to waive anything.

This is to purchase the receiver, not activate it

 

[Jimbo]

This is to purchase the receiver, not activate it

They told me $299 to lease (never thought about buying) plus $150 to activate.

 

[CLASSICDIRECTV]

They told me $299 to lease (never thought about buying) plus $150 to activate.

Wow either they did not know what they where talking about or you where getting scammed, because activation is free and always has been, it’s only if it’s not new and it needs a new card is when you get charged and it’s only 20$