Christmas Letdown

**stanswx** · 12-25-2006 02:40 PM

Well I decided to purchase a refurbished DVR-40 off eBay for my parents as a Christmas gift. I had the seller throw in a new & sealed access card as well at no additional cost. So after surprising my parents with it this morning and running a 2nd 100 foot coax cable out to the multiswitch, I contacted DirecTV to do the equipment swap. All was going well until I gave them the access card # and told them it was purchased used and not as a lease. The lady sent me to another department to get it switched over to a used access card. After giving the 2nd lady the access number, she informed me that I could not use this access card on the receiver. I would have to purchase a $25 card from DirecTV to activate the receiver.

If I'm lucky it will be here Friday, but that's a rough estimate. I've swapped receivers in the past and never had to do this, so I guess it's something new that came along with the lease crap? Anyone else experiencing this letdown as you try to activate a new receiver? Very frustrating, but I want them to be able to use the receiver so not much else I can do. Thanks!

Stan

**texasbrit** · 12-25-2006 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by stanswx

Well I decided to purchase a refurbished DVR-40 off eBay for my parents as a Christmas gift. I had the seller throw in a new & sealed access card as well at no additional cost. So after surprising my parents with it this morning and running a 2nd 100 foot coax cable out to the multiswitch, I contacted DirecTV to do the equipment swap. All was going well until I gave them the access card # and told them it was purchased used and not as a lease. The lady sent me to another department to get it switched over to a used access card. After giving the 2nd lady the access number, she informed me that I could not use this access card on the receiver. I would have to purchase a $25 card from DirecTV to activate the receiver.

If I'm lucky it will be here Friday, but that's a rough estimate. I've swapped receivers in the past and never had to do this, so I guess it's something new that came along with the lease crap? Anyone else experiencing this letdown as you try to activate a new receiver? Very frustrating, but I want them to be able to use the receiver so not much else I can do. Thanks!

Stan

This has been DirecTV policy for quite some time now...

**stanswx** · 12-25-2006 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by texasbrit

This has been DirecTV policy for quite some time now...

Well what good is it if the receiver includes a brand new access card if I have to go buy a new one from DirecTV? When I bought my DVR a few years back I was able to swap it with no problem and use the access card that came with it. Granted that was from Circuit City, so maybe that makes a difference. It would have been nice to know this in advance so I could have ordered the card ahead of time and had it ready for Christmas. Oh well, live and learn.

**Claude Greiner** · 12-25-2006 07:01 PM

Can you use the access card from the receiver you are replacing?

**stanswx** · 12-25-2006 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Claude Greiner

Can you use the access card from the receiver you are replacing?

I asked them that very question and they wouldn't let me. Not sure if it's technically not possible or if they just wanted my $25.

**charper1** · 12-25-2006 07:47 PM

Not only has this been the policy at least 3 years or more; but they also will credit the new card fee back to your account if you activate within the 14 day window and ask. The fee helps assure you are legit, not scamming them for a card, makes sure you are using the most current card version and it will be FedEx'd to you. I have 3 used receivers bought over time since 1999 and they have always done this.

**grydlok** · 12-26-2006 06:02 AM

Originally Posted by stanswx

I asked them that very question and they wouldn't let me. Not sure if it's technically not possible or if they just wanted my $25.

you can if your clever.

**stanswx** · 12-26-2006 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by grydlok

you can if your clever.

I'm not even going to ask about that. I'll await my $25 piece of plastic to show up. Actually it was $20 for the card and $5 for the CSR to order it on the phone.

**dishrich** · 12-27-2006 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by stanswx

I asked them that very question and they wouldn't let me. Not sure if it's technically not possible or if they just wanted my $25.

I have swapped cards for clients MANY times with NO problems. Once in a great while I get a CSR who "doesn't know how to do it", so I just try again & get another one who does. Nothing "clever" about it - D* WILL let you do a legit card swap card from a "defective" receiver to another one. Plus now that you are activating a NEW card, instead of swapping the old one, you now have put your parents on a 2-year committment for activating a new card. Swapping the card would not have incured this.

Oh well, lesson learned - ask "the experts" here FIRST & don't ALWAYS believe a CSR...

**icstephen** · 12-27-2006 01:26 PM

My dad swaped out an old (dead) HD receiver for a new one and they did not send a new card so I tried to swap out the old card (they sent me a sheet to do this on the phone through an automated system). well it turned out that the new receiver had to have a newer card to work, so the genius CSR told me I would have to pay $20 for a new card and I said no...I told him it was my fault that they did'nt send the correct card with the receiver so he sent me one at no charge. Then he disables the old card...only problem is this bonehead disabled all the receivers in the house, something that I only found out after the fact...fortunately this was when you could still call retention and I got it fixed as wall as getting my dad free showtime and several programming credits for his trouble. D* would save themselves allot of headaches & money if they would train people a little bit...its not brain surgery.