Pissed at Directv!

[Johnny_Tivo]

My name is John and I am new to this site. I'm here today to learn the facts and discern what options I may (or may not) have. I hope this is the correct forum for me to post in, if not please direct me to the right one. I am asking for help from those who have a substantial amount of knowledge/experience with Directv. Some background on me...
I have been a Directv subscriber for 10= years. I currently own an HR10-250 and a SAT-60 (??where do I post for info on the Sat-60 specifically??) When Directv came out with the Directivo I thought this was a marriage made in heaven. I absolutely love my Tivo and very much DON'T want to give it up!
I've been hearing/reading some disturbing things lately and would like to get the facts. Based on what I have heard; this is what i see is going to happen. A few years ago Directv came out with the HR10-250 (initially about $700 retail). At the time there were very few HD channels with the obvious implication that there would be many more coming soon. I bought the unit believing that I would be enjoying HD content for many years to come before having to upgrade for the next technological advance. Now I find out that Directv is only offering the new HD channels in the MPEG-4 format (with a complete migration of ALL channels to MPEG-4 in a couple of years) Since the HR10-250 is only MPEG-2 compliant I'm SOL! To add insult to injury Directv is offering an "upgrade" for $299 with a mandatory 2 year contract plus $4.95 p/m lease fee with the additional "spit in the face"....IT'S NOT TIVO!! It's their own DVR operating system. As a loyal customer of Directv this feels like a kick in the junk and a spit in the face! What makes me even angrier is, Directv has NO plans to offer a Direct/Tivo HD receiver in MPEG-4. Is it because they want you to lease their equipment? This all just seems so wrong to me! I get that they are in business to make $$$ but service companies like this cannot be allowed to do this to the customers that made them a company to begin with. Does it seem to all of you that more and more service type companies are pulling this crap on it's customers? Why is it they think they can get away with it? I believe it is because the American consumer has become an old toothlees dog...barks a little but has NO bite! It seems that consumers just give up and roll over or "quietly" move on. Well...I don't want to roll over or leave Directv quietly (I'm grandfathered with an east coast feed which, for me is very difficult to give up) If I leave Directv it will be by making as much noise as possible! So. ..realistacally, what can I do?? Question...what makes a receiver receive MPEG-2 and not MPEG-4? Is it hardware like a chip or is it software. Would the cost be significant if it were possible? I have alot of other ???'s that I want to ask but I will start another thread later on.
Sorry for being so long winded. I will thank you in advance for your feedback whether positive or otherwise. I just want to make informed choices.

Thank you,

John

 

[Cincyray]

I can understand your frustrations Johnny but lets get real here.

1)Why would Direct pay tivo to use their equipment when they can use their own equipment to Accomplish the same thing.

2) Thats why you lease instead of buy leasing is cheaper. I hate the mandatory contract as welll but thats they way it is.

3) Direct has spent a lot of money for their mpeg4 transmissions. Why would they not convert all to mpeg 4. I dont think they were trying to piss you off but buisness is buisness.

 

[rad]

John, this is nothing new and has been discussed MANY times so I'd recommend searching some of the threads for what's been said before.

As for the $299 charge, DirecTV has/had been upgrading folks that paid big $'s for a HR10-250 at a reduced charge or even free, so you may have just gotten a bad CSR. I'd recommend that you call them back, at the prompt asking what you want to do say cancel, this will get you to customer retention. Just be clear and say you'd like to upgrade your HR10-250 to a HR2X DVR but feel after paying big $'s you feel you should have to pay $299 to be able to continue to view HD channels. You may get lucky and get it for fee or some reduced charge. But either way this receiver will be a leased receiver and you'll need to pay the $4.99 lease charge (which is the same as the mirroring charge if you had a purchased receiver).

 

[Jimbo]

Isn't the HD DVR (HR20/21's) going for like $ 199 now ?

 

[iceshark]

at Costco the HR-21 is only $169.95

 

[jdspencer]

at Costco the HR-21 is only $169.95

True, but the unit will still be considered as leased since DirecTV is still subsidizing the cost.

 

[atp1313]

Johnny,

We all had to swallow that same bitter pill. I was like you and had been a D*Tivo user since the Tivo was rolled out. I was very hesitant about "upgrading" to the D* branded DVR. How could anything be better than a Tivo!?! But guess what...it's not a bad swap. Sure, you will miss out on some great Tivo features, such as the Dual Live Buffer, but there are work-arounds for that, and the other stuff you lose will be made up for in the things you gain with the new D* DVR.

I made the decision to switch for the interactive features not available on the Tivo (such as the Mega March Madness "mix" channel), as well as the additional HD content. The MPEG4 PQ is better than MPEG2. And of course all of their content from D10 going forward is/will be in MPEG4. So if you want the new HD, you gotta take the plunge.

For me, I traded in my HR10-250 for an HR20-700 for no cost aside from having to re-up for 2 years. I then called in about 1 year later and upgraded my other SD Tivo for a second HR20 for the bedroom and was given a sweet deal for that one as well ($19.95 for shipping) AND I got to keep the SD Tivo for whenever I might get a TV for my kids room or Kitchen or whatever.

If you have a long history with D* that is not marred by continual conflict and bad payment history, I would be surprised if you don't a great deal on the "upgrade". I think you will be pleased once you get past the "But it's not a Tivo" argument.

 

[William1]

I simply called a few times to retention and they replaced all my boxes for $19.95.

A little underhanded but if you have the 'protection plan' they will send you a new style if you tell them the old box is dead in the water. They have yet to request my old boxes, about six stacked in the attic at the moment.

 

[iwc5893]

I simply called a few times to retention and they replaced all my boxes for $19.95.

A little underhanded but if you have the 'protection plan' they will send you a new style if you tell them the old box is dead in the water. They have yet to request my old boxes, about six stacked in the attic at the moment.

This may not be the best idea now with their ability to monitor STB health now.