Breaking DirecTV News:

[Scott Greczkowski]

SatelliteGuys.US has just learned that DirecTV has reduced the price on it's new HR20 MPEG4 High Definition DVR from $399 to $299!

In addition I am hearing that ValueElectronics will be receiving the first 200 HR20's in the country when they are released nationwide. They are expecting the first shipments on or around September 18th.

If you have not got on the waiting list then go to http://www.valueelectronics.com NOW and sign up!

Plus I am hearing a very strong rumor that through select dealers that if you purchase a HR20 and a brand new HDTV at the same time you will be eligible for a $400 mail in rebate from DirecTV.

More as we know it.

 

[Brewer4]

Good thing I signed up yesterday. 300 bucks and no haggling. Nice.

 

[David_Levin]

Perhaps a silly question since I don't regularly follow the D* groups...

Is this to own or lease?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

David, good question! That one I don't know the answer to but I will find out. I have a feeling its to OWN but could be wrong.

 

[ardbell]

What I would like to know is when our we going to get to trade in our HR10-250's for the HR20 MPEG4 High Definition DVR, what our cost will be, and whether it will be leased or owned?

 

[ebonovic]

David, good question! That one I don't know the answer to but I will find out. I have a feeling its to OWN but could be wrong.

From everything I have been told... 99.9% of the time, all HR20's are part of the lease program. Especially if you are obtaining it at any of these lower $ values.

 

[Brewer4]

I sent email to Robert yesterday but no answer.

 

[mikew]

I called. It's a lease. I'm sorry D* and E*, but I don't understand why the hell you charge $299 to lease a product with no money back when the equipment is returned. I will NEVER pay this kind of money to "lease" any receiver.

 

[johnner1999]

I called. It's a lease. I'm sorry D* and E*, but I don't understand why the hell you charge $299 to lease a product with no money back when the equipment is returned. I will NEVER pay this kind of money to "lease" any receiver.

not defending it -- but I assume D* or E* pays more then the $399 price -- I think SA charges cable compaines close to $600 per 8300 box and that is crap...

plus if the drive fails in the D* box and its "leased" don't they replace it?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

From everything I have been told... 99.9% of the time, all HR20's are part of the lease program. Especially if you are obtaining it at any of these lower $ values.

But if this is a MSRP which is it (and it's also the MAP Price) that seems to indicate to me that its for sale and not leased.

I am waiting for an answer on this, and hopefully Robert can chime in here as well if he knows.

 

[joed32]

Customer Retention doesn't know about the price change yet, I just called them. Hopefully in the next few days. Mine is being delivered today and I paid $399 with some nice credits so with the price drop I will ask for more Thanks a lot for the info.

 

[mikew]

not defending it -- but I assume D* or E* pays more then the $399 price -- I think SA charges cable compaines close to $600 per 8300 box and that is crap...

plus if the drive fails in the D* box and its "leased" don't they replace it?

Well...In my quest to show how ridiculous the lease fee is...the math now makes sense. I suppose I will wait until my Tivo dies before doing anything. It's just hard to accept that I purchased a HDTivo for $199 (after rebates) and lease a box for $299.

Here's how my cable company stacks up against D*....

Lease Fee=$299
Commitment = 2 Years
Monthly "Lease"/Mirror Fee=$5.00
DVR Fee=$5.00

2 Years - I pay $539 to use the box

Cox - Tucson
Monthly HD DVR fee=$20.00

2 Years - I pay $480 to use the box

Stay with Tivo

2 Years - I pay $240 to use the box

 

[bonscott87]

It's probably lease. I thought I saw in another thread (perhaps on another board) that it was $399 (now $299) to lease, $749 to buy.

 

[johnml]

I thought Directv did away with owned units ? Arent all new receivers leased ?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Still waiting for an answer to that question, but I did found out that this new $299 price point was decided this morning at a meeting at DirecTV HQ.

DirecTV CSR's dont even know about it yet.

If its least for $299 then they need to consider coming down more. Hell dish is $199 to lease plus they have 30 HD channels. I know more HD is coming to DirecTV but they need to stay competitive on the hardware side of things too.

 

[hdtvtechno]

This lease thing is like someone coming to your house and robbing you

Your paying 300 bucks for and then when you cancel service u have to return it and you still dont get the 300 bucks back.

What a ripoff

 

[Bob Nielsen]

The way I see it is that if you could own it, the price would probably be $800+. If I kept it for the two year commitment and then unsubscribed, would the box be worth $500 to me? No way!

 

[FlyingJ]

This lease thing is like someone coming to your house and robbing you

Your paying 300 bucks for and then when you cancel service u have to return it and you still dont get the 300 bucks back.

What a ripoff

Well thought out. Not. Sorry but, really there is no difference. So what if they leased it to you for $20 a month. $480 for two years then you give it back. Do you really expect to lease the thing for 5.00 a month?

Car lease for me, $3000 up front, $450 per month. Then I (you guessed it) give it back. I guess they could have charged me $600 a month with nothing up front but doesn't the latter make more business sense for them. Sorry, don't mean to flame anyone but everyone that keeps complaining about these leases needs to either get into the real world or make a decision to not do it and sub elsewhere.

 

[lovswr]

Well thought out. Not. Sorry but, really there is no difference. So what if they leased it to you for $20 a month. $480 for two years then you give it back. Do you really expect to lease the thing for 5.00 a month?

Car lease for me, $3000 up front, $450 per month. Then I (you guessed it) give it back. I guess they could have charged me $600 a month with nothing up front but doesn't the latter make more business sense for them. Sorry, don't mean to flame anyone but everyone that keeps complaining about these leases needs to either get into the real world or make a decision to not do it and sub elsewhere.

That car analogy does not work. If you (for example like my elderly Aunt Helen) hardly ever drive, then the car dealer owes you money at the end of the lease term. With D* that upfront fee (that is what it is) is gone forever.

 

[DAVEGTESTR]

Option to buy? Ever?

Yes, but do you have an option to buy at the end term of your lease for a fair market value (per your lease contract)? Or do you -lease- it forever at $5 a month. My Comcast HD-DVR is nothing up front, $10 per month, nothing extra for HD, which makes up for the overpriced digital cable.

I'm just waiting to see if Directv has more HD baseball next season, as well as all of the HD locals, including the new My Network, The CW, NatGeo HD, MTV-HD plus PBS.
Plus the compression issues......