Unactivated Receiver - How Do I Check if it Works?

[songkrai]

Is there a way to check if a receiver works properly without activating it? I obtained receiver from a friend who never activated it. And he states he purchased it from a big box store but never activated it. Receiver has been in a box for two years and all receipts have been misplaced.

Direct TV tells me that this is a new receiver that has never been activated. Not stolen. No back payments as this is a new receiver.

Is there any way to check if receiver works properly without getting an access card and then activating the receiver?

Yes, I realize that Direct TV will send me a new one if this one does not work. That is not my present question.

Is there a way to check the receiver as it sits right now to see if it indeed works properly without an access card? It does power up with blue lights on. I have connected it to a television and all I get is just a blue screen with nothing else. I have access cards from other model receivers, would that make any difference?

 

[boba]

If that is a new receiver where is the access card? Without an access card you have gone as far as you can.

 

[Jimbo]

Is there a way to check if a receiver works properly without activating it? I obtained receiver from a friend who never activated it. And he states he purchased it from a big box store but never activated it. Receiver has been in a box for two years and all receipts have been misplaced.

Direct TV tells me that this is a new receiver that has never been activated. Not stolen. No back payments as this is a new receiver.

Is there any way to check if receiver works properly without getting an access card and then activating the receiver?

Yes, I realize that Direct TV will send me a new one if this one does not work. That is not my present question.

Is there a way to check the receiver as it sits right now to see if it indeed works properly without an access card? It does power up with blue lights on. I have connected it to a television and all I get is just a blue screen with nothing else. I have access cards from other model receivers, would that make any difference?

Other AC 's would just give you a "Wrong AC inserted " error.

You should be able to get channels 1 and 100, 200 and probably 500 as well as they are Preview type channels.

What model recvr is it and whaen was the Purchased date, the built date will be on the back.

I cannot believe that it is not a "Leased" recvr as anything bought at a Store after '06 is a Lease unit and has to be returned or a fine ($ 400) or there abouts is normally billed to the person that has the recvr .... there is normally a 30-60 day period to activate the recvr without penalty.

 

[songkrai]

Other AC 's would just give you a "Wrong AC inserted " error.

You should be able to get channels 1 and 100, 200 and probably 500 as well as they are Preview type channels.

What model recvr is it and whaen was the Purchased date, the built date will be on the back.

I cannot believe that it is not a "Leased" recvr as anything bought at a Store after '06 is a Lease unit and has to be returned or a fine ($ 400) or there abouts is normally billed to the person that has the recvr .... there is normally a 30-60 day period to activate the recvr without penalty.

It's an h21-100 receiver. Direct TV customer service did not tell me to return it. All they stated was that it was never activated.

Thanks for the tip. I will try channel 1 100 200 and 500.

 

[texasbrit]

If it was never activated then it's probably a "to be leased" receiver that has never actually been leased It probably came from an installer who left the installation company and never returned the receiver). If you get a new access card from DirecTV and then activate it it will become truly "leased" and will start a new two-year commitment.

 

[Jimbo]

If it was never activated then it's probably a "to be leased" receiver that has never actually been leased It probably came from an installer who left the installation company and never returned the receiver). If you get a new access card from DirecTV and then activate it it will become truly "leased" and will start a new two-year commitment.

I thought about that too, but, wouldn't they consider it Stolen instead ?
Anything activated is accounted for.

 

[boba]

Op claims it came from a big box store, so not stolen property. Will 100,200 & 500 display without a card in the receiver? Seeing the access card is missing out of the box maybe it was activated in another receiver..

 

[Jimbo]

Op claims it came from a big box store, so not stolen property. Will 100,200 & 500 display without a card in the receiver? Seeing the access card is missing out of the box maybe it was activated in another receiver..

No, no AC no picture, I thought he said he had the card.
Your right, he did say it came from a store.
Thus, not being activated within like 60 day should have put a FEE on the box.

 

[cave1376]

What happened to the ac that originally came with the receiver? And how about the box the receiver was in, was it a Directv box or some other use box?

 

[charper1]

What happened to the ac that originally came with the receiver? And how about the box the receiver was in, was it a Directv box or some other use box?

Exactly my thought too; why did the guy buy a receiver from a retail store, not activate THAT unit and the access card is missing? I smell fish...

 

[Jimbo]

Exactly my thought too; why did the guy buy a receiver from a retail store, not activate THAT unit and the access card is missing? I smell fish...

However, that stuff hasn't gone on for a long time now ...

 

[cave1376]

OP, call Directv and tell them you received a receiver from a friend. Tell them the receiver did not have a ac and would like it of they send you a new ac. The card cost $20 and the charge can be added to the next bill.

When the card comes and find out the receiver is bad, call Directv and tell them. They will send you out another receiver and it will come with a new access card. After you get the replacement receiver and card, just send back the receiver you got from your friend along with the access card that Directv sent you.

 

[charper1]

However, that stuff hasn't gone on for a long time now ...

Wasn't meaning the hacker fish LOL

 

[Claude Greiner]

OP, call Directv and tell them you received a receiver from a friend. Tell them the receiver did not have a ac and would like it of they send you a new ac. The card cost $20 and the charge can be added to the next bill.

When the card comes and find out the receiver is bad, call Directv and tell them. They will send you out another receiver and it will come with a new access card. After you get the replacement receiver and card, just send back the receiver you got from your friend along with the access card that Directv sent you.

My Thoughts exactly!

Just keep in mind this receiver will be considered leased when you activate it.

 

[texasbrit]

No, no AC no picture, I thought he said he had the card.
Your right, he did say it came from a store.
Thus, not being activated within like 60 day should have put a FEE on the box.

Yes, but the clock on the 60 day rule does not start until the box is actually leased. Any penalty fee apparently isn't placed on the specific box. It's a penalty on the retailer, and if the retailer has gone out of business it's probably marked as "uncollectable". . The box stays in the DirecTv system as "leasable"

 

[w6pea]

Maybe I have not had enough coffee yet but I am confused , I have a box that I had when I was a customer before. As a matter of fact I have all of the boxes I had except for my Tivo Box that I gave away.

How do I see if these boxes will work now...so I can put one in my RV and leave it there, so I don't have to keep disconnecting and reconnecting one of the boxes from my house. I do not have a Digital or HD-TV in my RV and these boxes are sd. If I activate one of these boxes will it add to my lease agreement? Or would I be better off just getting a new box from a store or Direct TV ?
I have asked this before but I am still confused what am I missing here?

P.s. when we had our system installed the installer said to just call them and say that the card went bad in one of my boxes and they would send me a new card for $20.00 and to just put it in the box and it would work and I would not get charged for the box. I think he was blowing smoke. Because if I am paying for 4 boxes with cards aren't going to know that I have added a 5th ac ?

 

[boba]

Maybe I have not had enough coffee yet but I am confused , I have a box that I had when I was a customer before. As a matter of fact I have all of the boxes I had except for my Tivo Box that I gave away.

How do I see if these boxes will work now...so I can put one in my RV and leave it there, so I don't have to keep disconnecting and reconnecting one of the boxes from my house. I do not have a Digital or HD-TV in my RV and these boxes are sd. If I activate one of these boxes will it add to my lease agreement? Or would I be better off just getting a new box from a store or Direct TV ?
I have asked this before but I am still confused what am I missing here?

P.s. when we had our system installed the installer said to just call them and say that the card went bad in one of my boxes and they would send me a new card for $20.00 and to just put it in the box and it would work and I would not get charged for the box. I think he was blowing smoke. Because if I am paying for 4 boxes with cards aren't going to know that I have added a 5th ac ?

Your old boxes must have a RID# to be activated today. RID# is receiver identification number. Depending on the age of your receivers you may need new cards, Directv does charge $20 for new cards. Directv also knows when you add a card/receiver because until they activate the card/receiver it dosen't work.

 

[w6pea]

Your old boxes must have a RID# to be activated today. RID# is receiver identification number. Depending on the age of your receivers you may need new cards, Directv does charge $20 for new cards. Directv also knows when you add a card/receiver because until they activate the card/receiver it dosen't work.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Jimbo]

Yes, but the clock on the 60 day rule does not start until the box is actually leased. Any penalty fee apparently isn't placed on the specific box. It's a penalty on the retailer, and if the retailer has gone out of business it's probably marked as "uncollectable". . The box stays in the DirecTv system as "leasable"

I thought it started with the "Purchased" date ?

 

[Jimbo]

Maybe I have not had enough coffee yet but I am confused , I have a box that I had when I was a customer before. As a matter of fact I have all of the boxes I had except for my Tivo Box that I gave away.

How do I see if these boxes will work now...so I can put one in my RV and leave it there, so I don't have to keep disconnecting and reconnecting one of the boxes from my house. I do not have a Digital or HD-TV in my RV and these boxes are sd. If I activate one of these boxes will it add to my lease agreement? Or would I be better off just getting a new box from a store or Direct TV ?
I have asked this before but I am still confused what am I missing here?

P.s. when we had our system installed the installer said to just call them and say that the card went bad in one of my boxes and they would send me a new card for $20.00 and to just put it in the box and it would work and I would not get charged for the box. I think he was blowing smoke. Because if I am paying for 4 boxes with cards aren't going to know that I have added a 5th ac ?

Your situation is different from the OP's, you have been a sub previously, I would just call them, tell them you have an older box you'd like to add to your account and they will send a new AC out if necessary.

Tell them it's going in another part of the house.
Hook it up at home before you call, this way you'll know for sure if it's working before you go out to the RV.