Unactivated Receiver - How Do I Check if it Works?

[songkrai]

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...

The original post was a simple question.

Whether the friend got it from someone else is not the question. Direct TV states that it is not stolen. It could have been purchased at Best Buy or maybe it is an owned receiver. My two original non-HD receivers were given to me by Direct TV. My original provider was Pegasus and Pegasus went bankrupt. My 3rd non-HD receiver was purchased at a yard sale for $5.00. And it was an owned receiver. Now I have this receiver and all I want to do is to check to see if it works without any activation or card. That's all.

There is no devious motive here. Just a simple question.

 

[charper1]

" 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."

Not the question maybe, BUT as your own words stated this unit was purchased a retail and never activated; so it should still have the access card in that same box in the secure envelope. If you already have a DirecTV setup just take the tester unit out of the box and connect it and see what happens; it won't harm anything to hook it up and see. You may or may not get channel 001 the customer help channel or you may get the no access card on-screen message either way you can see if it powers up and such. If you get either of the two scenarios I mentioned you likely have a unit the works. Its been 3 days since your 1st post, and it will take less then 10mins to give this a try. You should be all set now.

 

[texasbrit]

I thought it started with the "Purchased" date ?

Yes, but there is no "purchased date" in DirecTV's records.
I've seen similar situations before. A store goes out of business and so DirecTV becomes one of the creditors. The contents of some of the stores gets sold by a third party, and when the store finally closes some stuff even gets "given away" because the building has to be emptied. DirecTv like all the creditors gets "pennies on the dollar", there's no specific tracking of items that sell in the clearance and items that don't sell. Someone gets hold of one of the receivers that has never been leased, calls up to activate, the CSR says OK and activates it.

 

[songkrai]

I found the original access card in a sealed wrapper. It was in the box with all the manuals, wires, etc.

If I put this card in will this show me if receiver works or not?

 

[cave1376]

Insert the card. Tune to channel 100 or 200. If you get a picture and sound, then both the card and receiver are good.

 

[Jimbo]

I found the original access card in a sealed wrapper. It was in the box with all the manuals, wires, etc.

If I put this card in will this show me if receiver works or not?

Insert the card. Tune to channel 100 or 200. If you get a picture and sound, then both the card and receiver are good.

Glad to see ya found it, now you'll be able to know for sure.