Just ordered service--can I provide my own Genie minis?

[Kelly Kauffman]

Brand new Directv subscriber...gets installed next tuesday.

I'm scheduled to have the GenieDVR installed along with two mini's to serve bedroom TVs.

I see the mini's are available for sale on the web for $99 each. Can I change my order with Directv to just install the GenieDVR itself and hookup my own purchased Genie mini's instead? ... or will the box "know" they're not provided by Directv and refuse to work with them?

Also, they're going to be providing me with a 1TB Genie...but I see they can come in 2, 4 and 8TB as well. Is this something I can twist their arm into providing me with a bigger one right off the bat?

Thank you!

 

[maestro7]

Brand new Directv subscriber...gets installed next tuesday.

I'm scheduled to have the GenieDVR installed along with two mini's to serve bedroom TVs.

I see the mini's are available for sale on the web for $99 each. Can I change my order with Directv to just install the GenieDVR itself and hookup my own purchased Genie mini's instead? ... or will the box "know" they're not provided by Directv and refuse to work with them?

Also, they're going to be providing me with a 1TB Genie...but I see they can come in 2, 4 and 8TB as well. Is this something I can twist their arm into providing me with a bigger one right off the bat?

Thank you!

As of May, 2014, when we got our HR44 and 1 wireless Genie mini, DirecTV was only allowing professional installation of the required wireless bridge setup for the mini.

Also, on a recent call for an unrelated matter, I was told that if we wanted to add an additional mini client, that we'd be charged for it and it would restart our 2-year contract.

While there are larger-sized DVRs out there, I'd wager that DirecTV would still charge you monthly for the device just like a leased device. If I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will correct!

 

[cinsu]

Brand new Directv subscriber...gets installed next tuesday.

I'm scheduled to have the GenieDVR installed along with two mini's to serve bedroom TVs.

I see the mini's are available for sale on the web for $99 each. Can I change my order with Directv to just install the GenieDVR itself and hookup my own purchased Genie mini's instead? ... or will the box "know" they're not provided by Directv and refuse to work with them?

Also, they're going to be providing me with a 1TB Genie...but I see they can come in 2, 4 and 8TB as well. Is this something I can twist their arm into providing me with a bigger one right off the bat?

Thank you!

What difference would it make from DTV or elsewhere on the web? If it is from solid signal or another retailer you are still going to be leasing plus you have to pay up front for them. Elsewhere on the Web you run the risk of purchasing one that cannot be activated. The genie won't care where they are from but you would still have to call and give the serial to activate them as an additional receiver and pay the $6 a month. You would be better off getting them free from DTV.

The above poster spoke of a fee for the wireless but I don't see where you said you are getting wireless.

The increased storage capacity genies are not manufactured or supported by DTV, those are modified by the retailers and you would not be able to get one at all from DTV or any installer and you would still be considered leasing the receiver.

 

[Kelly Kauffman]

What difference would it make from DTV or elsewhere on the web? If it is from solid signal or another retailer you are still going to be leasing plus you have to pay up front for them. Elsewhere on the Web you run the risk of purchasing one that cannot be activated. The genie won't care where they are from but you would still have to call and give the serial to activate them as an additional receiver and pay the $6 a month. You would be better off getting them free from DTV.

The above poster spoke of a fee for the wireless but I don't see where you said you are getting wireless.

The increased storage capacity genies are not manufactured or supported by DTV, those are modified by the retailers and you would not be able to get one at all from DTV or any installer and you would still be considered leasing the receiver.

That's what I was wondering...if it makes sense to buy my own. Now that I understand that Directv will charge that $6/mo fee regardless of where the box came from it totally makes sense to just let them supply it and activate it during installation. Directv is a whole new world for me and I was not expecting them to 1) own that genie mini even after I purchase it from Amazon or wherever, and 2) charge me the $6 per month to use "my" genie mini on the system. Kind of a case of cake and eating it too if you ask me.

Thanks for the info on the bigger HD's in the DVR itself. I'll just stick with the standard TB.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[cinsu]

That's what I was wondering...if it makes sense to buy my own. Now that I understand that Directv will charge that $6/mo fee regardless of where the box came from it totally makes sense to just let them supply it and activate it during installation. Directv is a whole new world for me and I was not expecting them to 1) own that genie mini even after I purchase it from Amazon or wherever, and 2) charge me the $6 per month to use "my" genie mini on the system. Kind of a case of cake and eating it too if you ask me.

Thanks for the info on the bigger HD's in the DVR itself. I'll just stick with the standard TB.

Thanks for the info guys.

Essentially you are getting the receiver from a retailer. If you were to add a receiver after the fact DTV may charge the same fee. I can't really explain that. The $6 a month is considered a programming fee to mirror the programming to the additional room rather than a fee for the receiver itself.

There are many resourceful people on here and a few installers like myself if you have any other questions!

 

[Broe67]

If you need more storage space, you can use an eSATA drive or RAID unit with eSATA, to gain more than the standard 2TB of space.

 

[Jimbo]

Welcome to the Site Kelly !

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys Kelly!

 

[Mr Tony]

If you need more storage space, you can use an eSATA drive or RAID unit with eSATA, to gain more than the standard 2TB of space.

but note that will disable the internal hard drive and if the Genie takes a dump you lose EVERYTHING as that hard drive is "married" to THAT RECEIVER ONLY

 

[Claude Greiner]

Just take the leased ones they are sending you. If you want to add more later, then go buy one.

Buying one now is throwing your money away