Rumor - Free Hd Equipment From Direct?

[Scott Greczkowski]

Please consider this a rumor until verified, but SatelliteGuys has learned from two seperate sources that DirecTV is planning on giving away it's HD equipment INCLUDING their new upcoming MPEG4 HD DVR's for FREE with a two year commitment.

I am being told this new program is expected to start on August 1st.

More as we know it.

Let's hope this one comes true. Remember you read it here first at SatelliteGuys.US.

Update 11:15 AM

I have received a document from DirecTV which is being sent to dealers which seems to hint to this. I also note from the letter the new 2 year commitment also applies to standard def DVR's as well.

The letter is attached in PDF format.

Enjoy!

 

[CPanther95]

That's great (possible) news. I'd be curious to hear any additional rumors regarding any quantity limitations.

 

[vurbano]

Sounds great. What are they going to do for the HDtivo owners that spent 1000 to 700 bucks on something thats obsolete. Do they get a refund?

 

[Tonedeaf]

Wonder if they will require to hand in current equipment with a 2 year commitment. Seems like with 2 years I should be able to keep my own equipment.

 

[vurbano]

IF they dont offer some kind of compensation for existing HDtivo owners then they can go Fk themselves. Sell it for 700 bucks one day then give something better away for free the next?

 

[Neutron]

Does anyone know if this will be MPEG-4? If this were true, I'd hate to do a switchout of equipment in August just to have to switch it out again for MPEG-4.

 

[Tonedeaf]

Does anyone know if this will be MPEG-4? If this were true, I'd hate to do a switchout of equipment in August just to have to switch it out again for MPEG-4.

Read Scott's post again. It says

INCLUDING their new upcoming MPEG4 HD DVR's for FREE

Sure hope this is true.

 

[Neutron]

Duh, it's still early. I read right over that. Thank you.

 

[Tonedeaf]

Duh, it's still early. I read right over that. Thank you.

No prob neighbor.

 

[CPanther95]

Sounds great. What are they going to do for the HDtivo owners that spent 1000 to 700 bucks on something thats obsolete. Do they get a refund?

I seriously doubt it. One beef I have is that they reduced the price of the HD-Tivo by roughly a third just a matter of months before the transition. They've made it clear that they do not want to get real aggressive with MPEG2 HD deals because they realize the more that sign up now, the more they have to convert down the road. So why the decrease?

By cutting the price $300, they've offered a benefit to the small handful who were on the fence at $999 but will be willing to spend $699 (a group that is even smaller than usual because of the knowledge of most in this group that it will be replaced shortly).

On the other hand, they've devalued the much larger base of existing HD-Tivo's - and as a result, they've reduced the amount that we can expect D* to value them on any trade-in deal. After the HDTAX, I'm cynical enough to suspect that they'll reduce the price again to $450 prior to the time that most of us will be upgrading - just so they can say "You have a product that is $450 new, and we're crediting you $500 towards the $999 HMC - that's a great deal!"

 

[vurbano]

I seriously doubt it. One beef I have is that they reduced the price of the HD-Tivo by roughly a third just a matter of months before the transition. They've made it clear that they do not want to get real aggressive with MPEG2 HD deals because they realize the more that sign up now, the more they have to convert down the road. So why the decrease?

By cutting the price $300, they've offered a benefit to the small handful who were on the fence at $999 but will be willing to spend $699 (a group that is even smaller than usual because of the knowledge of most in this group that it will be replaced shortly).

On the other hand, they've devalued the much larger base of existing HD-Tivo's - and as a result, they've reduced the amount that we can expect D* to value them on any trade-in deal. After the HDTAX, I'm cynical enough to suspect that they'll reduce the price again to $450 prior to the time that most of us will be upgrading - just so they can say "You have a product that is $450 new, and we're crediting you $500 towards the $999 HMC - that's a great deal!"

I think id rather have the 500 in credits and the free DVR.

 

[vurbano]

So all existing HDTivo owners should immediately ebay their gear before they get screwed?

 

[CPanther95]

I'm cynical enough to "suspect" - but naive enough to hold out hope that they'll take care of us. I'll be hanging on to my HD-Tivo.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I got some documentation in hand now which hints to this.

I am cleaning up the fax and will post it once I am done.

 

[Fgsilva]

I got some documentation in hand now which hints to this.

I am cleaning up the fax and will post it once I am done.

August comes: BYE BYE Dish, hello direct!!!

 

[Neutron]

I got some documentation in hand now which hints to this.

I am cleaning up the fax and will post it once I am done.

Can't wait to see it!!

 

[vurbano]

I'm cynical enough to "suspect" - but naive enough to hold out hope that they'll take care of us. I'll be hanging on to my HD-Tivo.

Im sorry. Im getting pissed off cause I feel Im about to get pissed on.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The first post of this thread has been updated and contains a letter from DirecTV being sent to dealers.

 

[slacker9876]

Damn I am good! Called that one from the dark! This helps to explain my cunning instinct that I would flop quad nines and crack the neighbors pocket kings.

Well at least I received a full season of HD recording from OTA with my HD TiVo. If they make me surrender it for my new equipment I'll need to install a 10GB drive the night before they show up so I can add the 250GB drive to my PC. I think they realize that the only way to make this move is to give away the hardware.

 

[CWS_kahuna]

Does the fax refer to any pricing if you don't take the 2 year commitment, just curious?

Does not sound like a bad deal though. I have thought about getting the HD-Tivo so many times but I held off everytime when I remembered there was only a couple channels I could not record with my SD-Tivo.

I wonder what happens if you jump on the free HD DVR deal and then want to switch out for the HMC in 2006?