Rumor: DirecTV to Block OTA Reception to former customers

[chelsea]

If your unit has no connection to 101W, fw can't be sent for disabling.

With no connection you have no OTA guide info & clock with some units.
I just disconnected my satellite line from my Samsung 360, and I'm still retaining full guide & clock.
But am quite sure it won't update future hours, as this info comes from the satellite.

With the Samsung 360. If I lose power, then rehook up without a 101W connection I get BOOT FAIL. This ird needs the 101W connection to power up, then can be disconnected.

A lawyer could add, I'm not allowed to vacum & clean around my TV with the
sat line disconnected or could I move & re power my free & clear OTA unit.

 

[herdfan]

its very hard to go against a user manual because that kind of thing can't be changed just for the heck of it.

But D* can always alter the service agreement. It may not stand a full-fledged court test, but who is going to fund a class action over a $200 receiver. There aren't going to be enough members of the class to justify it.

Also, disconnecting the receiver might not be enough. For all we know, the code is already implanted in the receiver's firmware just waiting on it to be activated. Once that happens, disconnecting the dish just before you call won't help since the code is already active.

 

[shappyss]

this only really matters for HD boxes because by the time they implement this their will be no analog OTA anyway. Also with the price of HD tunners coming down and the fact that they are being built into tvs more often who really needs a Directv box to watch OTA.

Edit: Im sorry, i didnt realize that the original post said HD boxes

 

[shappyss]

also now they are practically giving away their HD boxes after rebate so they have every right to disable it if u cancel. As i write this i realized that i am currently using my old E86 for only OTA

 

[Beavis]

You know how D* sent that software upgrade to the H10's and it screwed up the oval-3 setting? Hmmmm....maybe that's it.

 

[LonghornXP]

But D* can always alter the service agreement. It may not stand a full-fledged court test, but who is going to fund a class action over a $200 receiver. There aren't going to be enough members of the class to justify it.
Also, disconnecting the receiver might not be enough. For all we know, the code is already implanted in the receiver's firmware just waiting on it to be activated. Once that happens, disconnecting the dish just before you call won't help since the code is already active.

Keep in mind that I spent about 600 bucks on my Zenith SAT520 so I have every right to be pissed if they disable OTA viewing. Also ask yourself if the disabling of the OTA tuners and their plan to rent all HDTV hardware after the first of the year might have something todo with each other.

 

[slacker9876]

WOW! The Motorola DTC-6412 (Comcast HD DVR) sitting in my living room is looking even better now! The game plan for me is to see how the whole MPEG4 migration pans out, then I'll decide. Since I am not under contract I'll just have to see how the other markets respond. I am not very likely to accept a 2 year commitment nor a 1m dish on the house if Comcast makes good on their promise for ALL DIGITAL cable in my area within 5 months.

PQ as usual is the "proof in the pudding!" I am still anxious to know what MPEG4 PQ is like versus the MPEG2 running today.

Sounds like D* may be tripping (pulling an Echostar) at the finish line! Alas it is only a rumor.

 

[charper1]

WOW! The Motorola DTC-6412 (Comcast HD DVR) sitting in my living room is looking even better now!

Don't get too attached to that either:

Cable Wants to Kill the DVR and push more ads your direction.

Many cable outfits are changing methods in order to appease advertisers, who are more than frustrated by the consumer's ability to fast-forward past ads with a DVR. Their idea has been to eliminate the set-top box altogether, and deliver only company controled interactive television services. Users in some scenarios would no longer be able to avoid ads, store shows "forever", and would only be given video storage space on remote servers that they have no control over, to store content.

Business 2.0 explores how Comcast, TWC and Cablevision is working with the broadcast networks to at the very least wean viewers away from "TV your way" with their new Interactive TV service. Their hope is that by making programs more interactive, customers will be more likely to watch programs in real-time, and "click" on advertisements.

MORE

Cablevision, TWC Ditching DVRs?

May offer centralized TV servers instead.

Comcast, Cablevision and Time Warner Cable are moving away from set-top DVRs, instead planning to offer users program storage space on centrally located cable servers (non-user controlled). Newsday and CED Magazine) indicates Time Warner will begin trials in South Carolina this summer.

 

[bgsmallwood]

DirecTV settles lawsuit...

Today DirecTV group agreed to pay 5 million dollars to 21 states and to reimburse certain customers who were charged erroneously or service denied improperly...

"The company will pay restitution to consumers who were charged a fee for not activating DirecTV in a timely way, did not receive all the local channels they expected to receive or were charged for canceling service before a free programming offer period expired, Spitzer's office said."

http://news.com.com/DirecTV+settles...3-5991898.html?part=rss&tag=5991898&subj=news

I thought this might be pertinent to this discussion. I just can't believe that DTV wants any more of this.

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

As far as I know, the ability to disable the ATSC tuner is only on the H20 and HR20-250 models.

Don't let DIRECTV take your existing HD STB when they upgrade your service to MPEG-2/4. Buy a new H20, take the $200 rebate, let DIRECTV just upgrade your antenna dish system only. Keep you existing HD STB.

-Robert

 

[JosephB]

Yeah, I was going to suggest that this is probably only on new boxes. Heck, I bet that several boxes before the H10 wouldn't even have this capability with a software upgrade (the OTA tuner hardware would have to support in HARDWARE to be deactivated). Before everyone gets in an uproar, make sure that its not just NEW models

 

[BrettTRay]

Why would Directv risk pissing so many people off by doing something so stupid? That just shows you what nut jobs actually run these companies.

 

[maogdamian]

WOW! I am soooo Happy to hear that DTV is making a great decision! I don't think cust should be able to take advantage of great technology if they don't want the service! I think its just as bad as people that steal cable! lol okay not that bad, after all its just an off-air signal. Still I completly agree with the decision.

ROCK ON DIRECTV! ROCK ON!

 

[dervari]

If you read "The Fine Print" section of the H20 manual, you will find one sentence in there that seems to be foreboding....
A valid programming subscription is required to operate DirecTV hardware.
The box is marketed as a satellite receiver, not as an OTA STB tuner. While I don't agree with it, I can somewhat understand their reasoning behind the decision if it comes to fruition.

 

[boba]

I can confirm that the H20 can turn off the OTA without a subscription being active. I set up a showroom subscription today and OTA worked until it took an upgrade then both the OTA and subscription channels produced a black screen with a message about lacking a subscription. My E-86, TS360 and HTL-HD are still working for OTA without a subscription but they do need a connection to the satellite dish to stay active.

 

[hdtvtechno]

I can confirm that the H20 can turn off the OTA without a subscription being active. I set up a showroom subscription today and OTA worked until it took an upgrade then both the OTA and subscription channels produced a black screen with a message about lacking a subscription. My E-86, TS360 and HTL-HD are still working for OTA without a subscription but they do need a connection to the satellite dish to stay active.

Try to deselect the directv dish antenna in the menu
and select OTA option only

 

[Doctor Bob]

It might be nice, not to say reponsible, to at least attempt to get some official DirecTV reponse to such a rumor before it gets posted and considered in any way factual.

I would suggest that delaying the original post until tomorrow morning, when at least a DirecTV spokesman would be available, might have been a more prudent course of action.

Why??? They don't or won't give confirmation to anybody anyway!!! They don't give the Industry time to adjust for anything, so why would you give them a dime to call home???

I think Scott was very responsible, by letting us know what is really going on... We all know that this is not a rumor anyway, right??? RONTGLMAO....

Go to www.DirecTVClassAction.com , to see how responsible D* has been!!!

 

[Claude Greiner]

Its not so much being able to use the box, its that they want to screw the customers who don't pay their bill and are shut off for non-payment, yet are able to continue to receive HD Local channels.

If you don't pay your Directv bill you got a problem, but there is less of an incentive there if you can still watch your local channels crystal clear in HDTV.

 

[Barney]

As far as I know, the ability to disable the ATSC tuner is only on the H20 and HR20-250 models.

Don't let DIRECTV take your existing HD STB when they upgrade your service to MPEG-2/4. Buy a new H20, take the $200 rebate, let DIRECTV just upgrade your antenna dish system only. Keep you existing HD STB.

-Robert

Robert, or anyone else....I paid $599 for my Sony HD300 (made by LG) & not from D*. Are ya'll telling me that D* can dis-able the ATSC tuner in my Sony?
I'll be on this lawsuit bandwagon in a heartbeat.....

This is going too far..........they should only be able to dis-able the STB's that they own...........

Barney

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

Robert, or anyone else....I paid $599 for my Sony HD300 (made by LG) & not from D*. Are ya'll telling me that D* can dis-able the ATSC tuner in my Sony?
I'll be on this lawsuit bandwagon in a heartbeat.....
This is going too far..........they should only be able to dis-able the STB's that they own...........
Barney

DIRECTV's ability to disable the ATSC tuner is limited to the H20 and HR20-250 only.

-Robert