Upgrade help

[blackjackmark]

Friends have DTV and I'm trying to encourage them to get HD for their new set. They have been DTV customers for several years. In reading the posts, it sounds like they should be able to get a free HR-20 pretty easily along with some free months of HD programming, aloong with maybe some movie channels.

My questions:

The HR-20...that is a HD-DVR, right? Is that what is referred to on their site as the "DirecTV Plus HD-DVR"? 50 hrs of HD record capacity and dual tuner?

Monthly rental for the DVR...how much? They currently own a DirecTivo and pay $5.99/mth to use the Tivo funtionality.

Programming: What level will they be required to carry? The friends currently have "Select Choice" and pay $32.99, plus $6/mth for locals. They want to keep this...is that possible?

HD locals...they're in St Louis area, and they are available on DirecTv. Any extra changre for that?

Dish: I assume the upgrade would also get them a new Dish and free install?

What line of sight do the new satellites need? (they currently only have a 1-LNBF dish)

Anything I haven't thought of?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Brewer4]

HR20 is the Directv Plus HD-DVR.

No monthly cost for unit unless it is the second or beyond unit on account which is subject to a monthly lease fee of $4.99 which is the same as the traditional monthly mirroring charge they put on any receiver after the first one.

The DVR fee will stay the same and can be used to apply to any number of DVR's on the same account. So $5.99 covers all DVRS.

They can keep the HR10-250 HD Tivo if they want. Just have to pay the extra receiver charge.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/packProg/localChannels.jsp?_requestid=40993

St. Louis HD locals are there no extra charge. Just have to have 5 LNB dish and H20 or HR20 receiver.

They can have any based programming package but get the HD Package. They may already have it.

Free install. They have to see sats 99, 101, 103, 110, and 119. They are for the most part in the similar area on the horizon. As long as no major trees or obstacles around, shouldnt be an issue.

My recommendation, have them call Directv, ask for retention group or say "cancel" and negotiate a free install deal, get at least 1 HR20, keep the HD Tivo if they want (wont get local HD or future HD but still good unit), and see if they can swing some programming credits.

Good luck.

 

[Jimbo]

Friends have DTV and I'm trying to encourage them to get HD for their new set. They have been DTV customers for several years. In reading the posts, it sounds like they should be able to get a free HR-20 pretty easily along with some free months of HD programming, aloong with maybe some movie channels.

My questions:

The HR-20...that is a HD-DVR, right? Is that what is referred to on their site as the "DirecTV Plus HD-DVR"? 50 hrs of HD record capacity and dual tuner?

Monthly rental for the DVR...how much? They currently own a DirecTivo and pay $5.99/mth to use the Tivo funtionality.

Programming: What level will they be required to carry? The friends currently have "Select Choice" and pay $32.99, plus $6/mth for locals. They want to keep this...is that possible?

HD locals...they're in St Louis area, and they are available on DirecTv. Any extra changre for that?

Dish: I assume the upgrade would also get them a new Dish and free install?

What line of sight do the new satellites need? (they currently only have a 1-LNBF dish)

Anything I haven't thought of?

Thanks for your help!

===================================================
Who said they should be able to get them free ?, They should get them for $ 199 or less.

Yes the HR20 are DVR, the R in the number designates Recorder.

50 hours is about right an dit has a dual tuner.
IF they are keeping the TIVO version as well, there will not be an addl. DVR charge,. If they remove the TIVO the DVR fee IS still $ 5.99, It's $ 5.99 regardless of how many DVR's you have on the account, one time monthly.

Receiver fee is $ 4.99 after the first one.
With the new setup, I doubt that it will be possible to keep the current programming package.
They have designed it now so that if you have a DVR you automatically pay for the DVR part, if you add HD to it , it goes up to the next rate, in reallity, if they added up the rec and the DVR fee an dthe HD fee it will come out to about the same as you would if you bought a package and added these features anyways, that says, I have never seen a $ 32. package.

I don't know if they have St. Louis in HD or not, locals are now part of the packages and if he has the HD package thay will be there.

They will get the new dish set up with free install.
They need an open view to the SW normally.

Jimbo

 

[rad]

Check What the Deals are, and what are you being told by CSR? - DBSTalk.Com for what folks have been doing to get discounted or free HR20's.

 

[cariera]

As was stated previously, they can have any programming package but would need to add the HD Access at $9.99 per month.

As the name implies this package gives them access to the HD channels in their regular (Select Choice) package. I would call D* to find out exactly what channels they would be getting for their $10.