Cancellation issues, what ifs, and keeping my recorded content

[Mark609]

I bought my 722 and am thinking real hard about canceling. In fact, though not activated yet I just set up an account with DirectTV. I'm tired of paying for services not rendered (FOX debacle).

Is there any way to drop service and be able to watch my recorded content? It's my understanding that they will blast my smartcard so I can't access the internal HD upon accepting my cancellation notice. What if I pull the SAT cable, unplug it, make the cancellation call and tell them I'm already with another service and got rid of the 722? Think that will work or will they try to strong arm me? I mean, if I don't have my box, what can they do?

 

[dishrich]

What if I pull the SAT cable, unplug it, make the cancellation call and tell them I'm already with another service and got rid of the 722?

You should be able to watch stuff ALREADY on the internal HDD; you will NOT be able to use any external HDD's with that receiver...

 

[Mark609]

I don't have an external HD.

This response from another forum has me wondering. Guy seems to know what he's talking about, but, it doesn't make sense to me.

"Once the account is turned off you won't be able to access the internal hard drive or the external hard drive, when you cancel the authorization card in the receiver will be deactivated. Also, you can't unplug the EHD and plug it into your computer and watch your movies, they are in a proprietary linux format, now there are some groups around that claim they have a hack for watching the movies on the EHD, I have never been able to get it to work. But again, once the receiver is no longer authorized, you will loose access to both the internal and external HD's

On the left hand side of the 722 there is a flip down door if you open that door you will see there is a card inserted in the receiver, if that card is removed or if it is deactivated by Dish, the system no longer works, until it is re-authorized by Dish, we used to be able to burn our own access cards, but they rotate the information on that card frequently these days to prevent the signals from being watched with out authorization."

 

[Bobby]

Even if the service is turned off, you can still watch all of the recordings. If you don't send the receiver back you can keep the recordings, but you will be billed by Dish for the unreturned receiver. The recordings that are VOD will expire as normal.

What part of "I bought my 722", the first four words of the original post don't you understand....

 

[harshness]

Even if the service is turned off, you can still watch all of your recordings.

I don't think this is true of the ViP722. Once deactivated (either by DISH or by activation timeout), all DVR capabilities are GONE.

 

[thomasjk]

What part of "I bought my 722", the first four words of the original post don't you understand....

Buying the 722 makes no difference. Once deactivated you may not be able to watch your recordings. Since you own it and don't have to return it you will be able to see if you can.

 

[Mark609]

That's the kicker - just because you own it doesn't mean you're in control of it.

Think wifey.

 

[Mark609]

Is this Mitch Florida member a DISH tech? I really don't know who to believe.

 

[ChadT41]

MitchFlorida is a former Dish customer, who thought the sky was falling every ten seconds.

 

[Hall]

Your only hope is to pull the satellite connection before you call to shut off service. You should be able to access the recordings but apparently only for a short time (no one is likely to know what "short time" is though). After it doesn't check-in for some period of time, I think it deactivates itself. Don't know if that's 1 day, 5 days, 30 days, etc.

 

[mike123abc]

If you have stuff that is that important you could try to transfer it to a PC before cutting service. You would need something like http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html and record the component outputs.

A cheaper alternative would be to see if iTunes, Google Play, Xbox live, etc. the content you really want to save, it may be cheaper to just buy a few series than to buy an encoding box...

 

[ChadT41]

Your only hope is to pull the satellite connection before you call to shut off service. You should be able to access the recordings but apparently only for a short time (no one is likely to know what "short time" is though). After it doesn't check-in for some period of time, I think it deactivates itself. Don't know if that's 1 day, 5 days, 30 days, etc.

It is supposed to be 30 days from the last successful call out, but the call outs do not take place every day. So back when there was an RV support department, we would specifically tell the customers if the receivers have been unhooked for anywhere between 7-30 days, it would be affected. I beleive after so many days, you can perform the call out, and it will be fine after 18 days from the previous callout... but it might be 21 to do it manually. Not 100% on that aspect, but most of us that have our receivers constantly connected.....if we go to perform one, will say "No Call Out Pending"

 

[Mark609]

Thanks for the info.

Just got through with customer service. Here's how that went down line by line, this after jacking around trying to prove I have an account with them. I finally asked her to just answer the simple question. She wouldn't until I gave my Mom's maiden name.

>>
Hazel (ID: DN*): Upon checking once the account is already cancelled, there is no option for you to watch recorded shows on your receiver.

Hazel (ID: DN*): I apologize for the inconvenience.

Hazel (ID: DN*): I hope you understand.

Mark: No I don't understand.

Hazel (ID: DN*): I am a customer too and I fully understand where you are coming from.

Hazel (ID: DN*): I really love to help you on that as much as I can.

However it will only works once the account is still active.

Mark: It's another way your firm takes its customers hostage. It's trickery. What if I just unplug my sat cable and wall and then cancel? You can't touch my "dead" receiver then.

Hazel (ID: DN): I am sorry you feel that way.

Hazel (ID: DN): As much as I want you to access all your recordings even the account is cancelled, we do not have option for that.

You have disconnected.
>>

 

[Mark609]

It is supposed to be 30 days from the last successful call out, but the call outs do not take place every day. So back when there was an RV support department, we would specifically tell the customers if the receivers have been unhooked for anywhere between 7-30 days, it would be affected. I beleive after so many days, you can perform the call out, and it will be fine after 18 days from the previous callout... but it might be 21 to do it manually. Not 100% on that aspect, but most of us that have our receivers constantly connected.....if we go to perform one, will say "No Call Out Pending"

What's a "call out" and do I make it or Dish?

 

[thomasjk]

It's performed by the receiver automatically.

 

[Mark609]

Thanks

 

[mitchflorida]

I cancelled recently and I had no trouble watching recorded videos on my DVR. After two weeks I returned the receiver so I don't know if they could magically turn it off in a month or two. I am dubious of that.

 

[mitchflorida]

MitchFlorida is a former Dish customer, who thought the sky was falling every ten seconds.

Not at all. Now I am happy as a clam. In fact not only do I have Fox News and Fox Business back, I now have BBC World News, which is great, and One America News Channel, which is not bad.

 

[king3pj]

Thanks for the info.

Just got through with customer service. Here's how that went down line by line, this after jacking around trying to prove I have an account with them. I finally asked her to just answer the simple question. She wouldn't until I gave my Mom's maiden name.

>>
Hazel (ID: DN*): Upon checking once the account is already cancelled, there is no option for you to watch recorded shows on your receiver.

Hazel (ID: DN*): I apologize for the inconvenience.

Hazel (ID: DN*): I hope you understand.

Mark: No I don't understand.

Hazel (ID: DN*): I am a customer too and I fully understand where you are coming from.

Hazel (ID: DN*): I really love to help you on that as much as I can.

However it will only works once the account is still active.

Mark: It's another way your firm takes its customers hostage. It's trickery. What if I just unplug my sat cable and wall and then cancel? You can't touch my "dead" receiver then.

Hazel (ID: DN): I am sorry you feel that way.

Hazel (ID: DN): As much as I want you to access all your recordings even the account is cancelled, we do not have option for that.

You have disconnected.
>>

I don't see the point of trying to give the CSR a hard time like that. She doesn't have any more control over Dish policies than you do. She's not the one taking your recordings from you and she doesn't want to "touch your dead receiver." I'm no longer a Dish customer. In general, I find that I get what I want more often when I'm friendly with customer service reps even if I don't like something their employers do though.

 

[ChadT41]

I don't see the point of trying to give the CSR a hard time like that. She doesn't have any more control over Dish policies than you do. She's not the one taking your recordings from you and she doesn't want to "touch your dead receiver." I'm no longer a Dish customer. In general, I find that I get what I want more often when I'm friendly with customer service reps even if I don't like something their employers do though.

That is how I just got my brother some free movie channels, free connection kit, and money off on his DTV bill for awhile. He just wont leave that damned ST and come to Dish.