Keep Old Box + Get New Box? Possible? (DTV says No)

[Shaun Gupta]

Hi all!

So I've got a question so I know my options before talking to DirecTV again!

I'm looking to upgrade my service for two reasons. First, my HR24-700 (only a one TV household) is starting to have issues. (I suspect a hard drive issue as I'm having pausing/hiccups/etc. during playback). Secondly, I just upgraded to a 4K TV, so I was looking for a newer box anyways to take advantage of the limited 4K content now available through DirecTV (and I'm under the impression newer boxes also have some new capabilities and more storage too).

Here's the dilemma. Before the upgrade, I called DirecTV and told them I was thinking about going 4K. They did confirm a box was available for me, so I explained that I had a LOT of old shows on my old DVR and wanted to hook up the new one, but keep the old one accessible (but disconnected from the satellites) in order to finish the shows on it. Note I do NOT require it can access the satellites or bring in anything new; I just want to watch my old shows (and then I can send it back afterwards). I'm completely willing to pay for the extra access card and essentially have it listed as a second receiver even if it's not live.

She seemed to think this was completely impossible and suggested I finish my shows over a weekend before their service call. (LOL that would be quite the weekend...I'd need a time machine.) No matter how I phrased it, she insisted I could only have the new box and under no circumstances could keep the old one accessible (even if I paid for a second receiver.).

Can this possibly be correct? Will the HR24 not allow me to access my shows without an active satellite feed?

Thanks!

 

[Claude Greiner]

Depends if your box is owned or leased.

If it's leased they want it returned, in which case you have 30 days.

If it's owned, deactivate it and watch the shows.

Alternatively just keep the box active and pay the $7 per month until you either decide to keep it or disconnect it.

The other issue with the 4K is that the 4K is only available on the client box, so you will need 2 boxes if you upgrade. You will be paying for 3 boxes if you keep the HR24 active.

 

[Shaun Gupta]

Depends if your box is owned or leased.

If it's leased they want it returned, in which case you have 30 days.

If it's owned, deactivate it and watch the shows.

Alternatively just keep the box active and pay the $7 per month until you either decide to keep it or disconnect it.

The other issue with the 4K is that the 4K is only available on the client box, so you will need 2 boxes if you upgrade. You will be paying for 3 boxes if you keep the HR24 active.

Thanks much for the response! Yes, I'd be glad to pay the extra to keep the HR24 for a while. (I'd then send it back once finished with my shows.) One thing I'm not sure of tho' - if I keep it with my current TV setup, it would stand to reason the new box would need the dual cables to it. So the old one would not have a satellite connection. Will it still work to let me watch my shows?

As for the 4K info, thanks. I wasn't aware of the server+client requirement for 4K, so I appreciate the heads up!

 

[Jimbo]

Thanks much for the response! Yes, I'd be glad to pay the extra to keep the HR24 for a while. (I'd then send it back once finished with my shows.) One thing I'm not sure of tho' - if I keep it with my current TV setup, it would stand to reason the new box would need the dual cables to it. So the old one would not have a satellite connection. Will it still work to let me watch my shows?

As for the 4K info, thanks. I wasn't aware of the server+client requirement for 4K, so I appreciate the heads up!

Just tell them you want to upgrade to 4k, have them come out and add it.
Keep the HR24 working till your done watching your shows, then turn it off, they may or may not want it back.... probably not.

There's no way they can tell you that you HAVE to get rid of anything before adding to it.
They may on their side of things have to add other equipment to make it all work but that's on them. Fwiw, in your situation seeing you only have the one recvr, no big changes are needed other than the 4k stuff. It's not like you'll go over the tuner limit or anything like that.

Just call back, order the new stuff you want ... if you want to ke e p both tuners on the same TV you can do that too, just put them on different HDMI inputs and toggle between them.

 

[dishrich]

it would stand to reason the new box would need the dual cables to it. So the old one would not have a satellite connection. Will it still work to let me watch my shows?

They WILL have to upgrade your old LNB to SWM (single wire multi-switch) technology, as the Genie require it...which your HR24 IS also compatible with...so no, it will NOT need a dual cable run & will work just fine with the new Genie & whole-house DVR & can still be used like normal. The CSR you got obviously did have a clue that people do this all the time...

 

[Drucifer]

DirecTV currently does NOT have a one box setup for live 4K broadcast. The HR54 needs to be paired with a C61K.

 

[Shaun Gupta]

Awesome - thanks for all the great info. =) I will give this another try and order the equipment. Appreciate the feedback/help!

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys Shaun!

 

[Zashel]

alternatively, just set up the swap through directv, when the tech shows up, just tell him you want to hold on to the box. its not hard for the tech to change something like this, i did it all the time. in fact, the tech may even get paid better for it since he's now technicly installing TWO boxes, one installing one and swapping one.