Upgrading to HD/DVR costing a fortune!

[jowi]

I just spent 399.99 after rebate at Best Buy for the DTV HD/DVR and called to schedule installation ($99). Then I decided to buy another HD receiver ($199) for another room and I called hoping to get that added and they said ANOTHER $99 for installing that. So all in all, I'm spending over $800 to get upgraded. For $250 I can get the same set-up with Dish Network. I guess my only concern with switching is I was told by Dish that your OTA HD channels aren't really integrated in the DVR and you can't record them (I read differently over at the Dish Network forum).

I was thinking if I called customer retention and threatened to switch maybe they would do something for me? I just think having to pay over $800 AND sign a 2-year contract is BS.

Any advice appreciated!!

 

[bigmarkhd]

Pricey

Why did you go to best buy when you could have gotten everything from direct tv or this websites sponsors.I just got hook up last week with a 2 year contract and i got 2 standard recievers,one R-15 dvr and one HR10-250 hd dvr all for 400 after rebate with free install and 6 months free Hd 3 months free premium channels and a free dvd player that i hear sucks anyway.The bottom line is you have to search for good deals first before you run out and buy them.

 

[jowi]

Well, I'm new to the website so I apologize that I didn't use their sponsors. I can still return my equipment to Best Buy, though, since I just got it yesterday and today. Also, I am a current D TV customer, and a lot of the offers I see are for 'new' customers. And D TV's website's prices looked to be the same as Best Buy.

Anyway, I did call customer retention and didn't get much in the form of a deal. I read on another thread about a lot of people getting great deals. I guess my negotiating skills suck because all I was able to get was 2 free months premium channels and a $5 discount on my total choice and a $50 discount on my install - plus he was a little rude to me, "Well Ma'am, I don't know what YOU WANT."

OK - what I want is to know why I should spend $500 more to go with Dtv over Dish. I asked him and he didn't have much in the form of an answer - just, "Well, we have more programming."

Anyway, I guess now I feel a little cheated that other customers got awesome deals and I got some free programming (which I told him I wouldn't even watch, which is when he said the "I don't know what YOU want!" thing.

Maybe I should have waited til morning. I wonder who they have working there late at night?

Anyway, thanks for the advice.

 

[dervari]

How long have you been with DirecTV? Sometimes that is directly proportional to how much of a deal you'd get.

I called to get an old receiver re-activated and they said rather than send me a new card, they'll just give me a new receiver with card for $14.95 with free install. For my HD upgrade, I got the H20 and new AT-9 dish totally free, not even a shipping charge.

 

[LonghornXP]

Well, I'm new to the website so I apologize that I didn't use their sponsors. I can still return my equipment to Best Buy, though, since I just got it yesterday and today. Also, I am a current D TV customer, and a lot of the offers I see are for 'new' customers. And D TV's website's prices looked to be the same as Best Buy.
Anyway, I did call customer retention and didn't get much in the form of a deal. I read on another thread about a lot of people getting great deals. I guess my negotiating skills suck because all I was able to get was 2 free months premium channels and a $5 discount on my total choice and a $50 discount on my install - plus he was a little rude to me, "Well Ma'am, I don't know what YOU WANT."
OK - what I want is to know why I should spend $500 more to go with Dtv over Dish. I asked him and he didn't have much in the form of an answer - just, "Well, we have more programming."
Anyway, I guess now I feel a little cheated that other customers got awesome deals and I got some free programming (which I told him I wouldn't even watch, which is when he said the "I don't know what YOU want!" thing.
Maybe I should have waited til morning. I wonder who they have working there late at night?
Anyway, thanks for the advice.

This will be 100% upto you but I'm going to tell you what your options are even if that may hurt some of the sponsers for us.

First you can go through DirecTV and the customer retention department but as you know this is hit or miss. Just because one rep says you can't get more doesn't mean that another rep can't or won't give you more. Just keep calling even if it takes 3-6 different reps at customer retention to get what you want. Also keep in mind that if you want way more than you know you can get things won't work well. You must be reasonable or they just won't respond. I think so far what they have offered isn't much and I would try and get more.

You have another option of the retail stores as you have just done. You can also check out some of our sponsers such as Value Electronics as they give extra discounts and special satelliteguys members only offers. Robert from Value Electronics is a very good guy and he is on this site all the time and he is the main guy for value electronics so when you hear it from him nobody else is any higher on the food chain within value electronics than him. At least if someone is higher than him you won't be speaking to him directly that is for sure. Also check out some of our other sponsers as well. As with anything when your talking about lots of money its best to check your options out first and just ask. Its always better to go without the service for an extra month to check these things out than to regret the move for the next two years because you can't wait that extra month.

Also keep in mind that the new HD DVR (MPEG4 one) that will for sure be out before summertime and I'm hearing more like the first quarter if not this month will be offered as a rental directly from DirecTV with no upfront cost. I'm hearing it will be rent to own but as new products come out you can rent a newer box as long as you let the DirecTV installer take the old box. If you own a rented box on a rent to own down the line you can just rent the new box without returning the old box back because you would own it. You can also rent new boxes even if your currently renting an older box as long as you keep renting both.

Many things will be changing at DirecTV on the hardware front so I suggest you really look at both the short term and what you expect in the long term as well.

I've given you about all the overview information I can give you so from this point on it must be your choice and if you have any extra specific questions about any company or a specific companies options, offerings and/or future plans please ask any staff member via PM. Just understand that we will try and answer any and all questions but some questions we may know and can't answer while many others we just don't know even if we wanted to know. We will try our best to help you make the right choice for you. That is what is truely great about the web is that so many people can get the specific help they need for their specific requirements because everyones requirements and wants are just so different.