It's not the end of the world if I'm stuck with this equipment. Their service (programming, not customer service) is decent. I'm sure there are some die hard DirecTv fans here, but comparing it against Comcast or Time Warner which I had in the past, I actually don't see much of an edge except the multi room DVR. The fact that you can hook up unlimited TVs without converter boxes had always left me finding cable more cost effective. Comparing DirecTv against my local municipal cable company, DirecTv is much better. Our on demand content was limited and our HD signal often got pixelated.
Basically, I'm just going to make another call or two and then file complaints with the BBB and FTC for misleading advertising. I wish I had read more on these forums before subscribing. I would have paid careful attention and sent the installer on his way. I saw the posts on here after I signed up and I assumed that only the 24 series would support the whole house DVR. I didn't realize the DECA adapters gave the older boxes that functionality.
I told DirecTv when I called them, whether they promise a certain device or not, if the hard drive capacity isn't what was advertised to me it's a pretty simple case of bait and switch. They may say they only promise HD and HD DVR receivers, but the ads they sent state specific DVR capacity levels. If the capacity isn't the same it seems pretty cut and dry. The part that bugs me the most is that I get less than what I expected and i'd be hit with a ETF if I wanted to cancel. There are some customers that don't care if they get a 21 or 24 series - I'm not one of them. They can keep their old junk lying around for them.
I know people say the cable companies are no different, but I don't feel like that's true, because the cable company only charges you the lease fee and not an equipment fee and a lease fee. And you don't have to be in a contract. Although cable companies sometimes trick people into contracts, it's usually only certain promotions, specifically price locking. I had also found that when better devices were (rarely) released, I had no problem bringing it in and swapping it out for the newer model with no fees, contract extensions, tech visits, etc. I just brough it in and said I want the new one.
Not sure I like the 24 series enough to go pay $200 and then pay to "lease" it from them for 2 years on top of that!