D* DVR's, land line?, multi-sat receivers?, upgrade questions

[tcr]

I want to change my service to include ParaTodos and TiVo, 3 or 4 room system, with optical digital audio output in at least one receiver. I have two older (3yrs) RCA boxes and one has the optocal digital audio... I susbscribe to NFL ticket.
I do not think the D10 has digital audio.. but the DVR (TiVo) does, yes?
I do not have a land line...

What equipment do I need? (a list of all accessories too)
Can I activate the service without a land line?
Can I get, TiVo, NFL ticket without a land line?
Do I have to activate all boxes or can I keep one for later expansion? If I have to activate, I can simply cancel the service on the extra box later?

Does it make sense to go with an HDTV box for the future? Pros and Cons?

Will D* work with me so I can get new equipment free etc? or will I need to put the account in my wife's name and cancel my old account so I can actually get more as a new customer than one of 5 plus years?

Thanks
T

 

[CANDYGIRL]

Free Equip

Will D* work with me so I can get new equipment free etc? or will I need to put the account in my wife's name and cancel my old account so I can actually get more as a new customer than one of 5 plus years?

Thanks
T[/QUOTE]


WELL IF YOU'VE PAID YOUR BILL ON TIME AND YOU DO NOT CALL IN ALL THE TIME AND ASK FOR SOMETHING FOR FREE THEM I'M SURE WE'LL WORK WITH YOU.

EVEN IF YOU PUT THE ACCOUNT IN YOUR WIFE'S NAME, SHE WILL NOT GET A DVR OR HIGH DEF FOR FREE.....NEW CUSTOMERS PAY $49.00 FOR DVR AND $299 FOR HIGH DEFINTION.

IF YOUR ACCOUNT IS IN GOOD STANDING THEN YOUR BETTER OFF ASKING IF DTV CAN GET YOU "ANY KIND" OF SPECIAL THAT THEY HAVE EXISTING CUSTOMERS

POINT OF ADVICE DO NOT BE RUDE AND DEMANDING, IF YOUR ACCOUNT HAS NEVER BEEN LATE, OR SERVICES INTERRUPTED THEN THE REP WILL SEE THAT AND HELP YOU OUT AS MUCH AS THEY CAN..........

 

[crunkrock]

I do not think the D10 has digital audio.. but the DVR (TiVo) does, yes?
I do not have a land line...


Well im not sure about the digital audio. i know my stand alone doesn't. as far as the land line goes. you will need one for activation, and as i've read. If the tivo doesn't make a call back within 30 days it will no longer function until it makes a connection.


Can I get, TiVo, NFL ticket without a land line?

yes, they will make the exception. They say that you have to have one, but if you dont have one and cant get one. they will make hte exception.



Do I have to activate all boxes or can I keep one for later expansion? If I have to activate, I can simply cancel the service on the extra box later?

Yes, if you get new equipment, make sure you activate it within 30 days, other wise you will get a nice notice saying you've been charge 150 for non activation. But yeah, the CSR should let you activate it then deactivate it immediatly. If he says no, just say ok, hang up and call back and ask the next one to deactivate it because your not using it right now.



Does it make sense to go with an HDTV box for the future? Pros and Cons?

To be honest, i dont know the specifics about things like that..... umm i would suppose it would be your choice as to how improtant. They are 350 bucks tho. And from what i understand that the new HD channels being launched are going to be in a different format that tthe current recievers are not compatable with.. Im not sure tho.

Will D* work with me so I can get new equipment free etc? or will I need to put the account in my wife's name and cancel my old account so I can actually get more as a new customer than one of 5 plus years?

The standard offer is 4 regular recievers for free. They might possbily hook you up with a free tivo, but generally no. Especiially if you've been a customer. It really all depends. One word of advice, if your going to just make a new account. Dont tell them that you already have one, if you do, the CSR has the right to deny you any new equipment for free at all, and will make oyu purchase everything you need. Disconnected and current customer are technically not elligable for new equipment. DirectSales does make exceptions sometimes, but, not often from what i understand.



Good luck, let us know how it goes

crunkrock

 

[crunkrock]

oh oh oh.. and most importantly, if you do decide just to call and ask them fro a discount on new equipment, such as a HD reciever. Ask nicley instead of being a dick and saying stuff like "well, ill go with dish then".. I know whenever I get a call like that, im just like "ok, let me know how it goes". But when a customer calls and says somethign along the the lines of "ive been a customer for so long and so fourth, can you give me a deal on a new reciever", im usually cool with it.

Mainbank CSR cant really offer squat, so if you demand a better deal, just tell them that. you will be transfered to a different department that can.

Oh and most importantly , directv cannot order specific models and such. So if you definalty want one with any special features like digital out, let them know that. and they may offer you a credit back for the specific one that you purchase at retail.

and of course, your milage may vary. But good luck

crunkrock

 

[Loric]

No the D10 does not have an optical digital audio output. It is a basic box.

Does it make sense to go with an HDTV box for the future? Pros and Cons?

HDTV is going to go through some changes in the future. Mainly, the current ATSC (MPEG2 based) will be replaced by the A3 standard (MPEG4 based). This means that when this happens, the current receivers will be obsolete.

As far as I know, the A3 products are not expected to be lauched before a couple of years.

 

[tcr]

So... the land line question again...

Can I have the dealer activate my equipment prior to shipping out?

Will TiVo quit working if it does not call back within 30 days?

Thanks for you help..

 

[crunkrock]

So... the land line question again...

Can I have the dealer activate my equipment prior to shipping out?

Will TiVo quit working if it does not call back within 30 days?

Thanks for you help..

No, i dont believe so. And from my understanding, yes, it wont work anymore.

 

[dishrich]

So... the land line question again...

Can I have the dealer activate my equipment prior to shipping out?

If he will do it for you, then sure. As long as it gets to make it's initial setup call, it will be fine.

Will TiVo quit working if it does not call back within 30 days?

No, you'll just get a nag screen, which you can click right by & it will still work fine.

 

[Angerphile]

Erm, CANDY... That wasn't nice. T_T

Any CSR can get him a DVR for the $14.95 H&D fee instead of the full $99+14.95H&D charge.

Also, if he talked to CRG... He could get one at no cost...

CANDYGIRL... Which queue do you answer? You've stated before that you don't give a crap about customers that want DVRs/etc for free and just will cancel their accounts for them. However, companies like Cox offers DVRs at no cost (Fine, rental fee.) and that's what those customers are following on. You really should learn about how valuable a customer can be. Fine, they're wanting free stuff. However, when you've been a customer for 3-4 years you start to feel like the ancient equipment that you got when you signed up is crap. And that if you ordered now that you'd get 4 rooms installed for less than the cost that you originally signed up for.

~

 

[crunkrock]

. Fine, they're wanting free stuff. However, when you've been a customer for 3-4 years you start to feel like the ancient equipment that you got when you signed up is crap. And that if you ordered now that you'd get 4 rooms installed for less than the cost that you originally signed up for.

~

i agree, i had a customer call up today and wanted just what dish was offering, a free DVR. I told himt he best I, MYSELF could do was give him the standard $50 rebate. he said that wasn't good enough and was like "ok, then ill just cancel my service"... i could of said "alright bye".. but instead I was like "well thats all i can offer, but our CIS deparment would be more than happy to work things out with you, let me get you transferd over to them" ... in the end they gave him the free dvr, 5 dollars off his bill a month and a free standard IRD aswell.. I figure hes worth it, hes been a customer since 99. good for him for getting free stuff, and demanding it when hes been a good customer. I was happy to see that it all worked out for him.

 

[DTV-T2-Tech]

Let me clear up some things, First as a existing cust depending on who you talk to and your account history you may get a discount on a new dvr, the dvr needs a phone connection to set it up and get software upgrades

Is the phone line required after the the setup process? Well yes and no, It will work without a phone connection but you will get a nagging message about daily calls and will not get software updates and fixes.

And don't try the disconnect account and new account trick , there is a new setup process, depending on credit history you may have to pay $150 to $200 up front.

And on hd , the the new mpeg 4 ird will be out later this year when the hd locals go into effect after the sats lauch, so it may be better to wait and see how that plays out.

 

[panchopantera]

Along the same topic....
If I want to activate my system and I do not have a land-based phone line... will they reject it? Is the phone line absolutely necessary for activation?
After activation I can take my reciever and setup the Tivo in someone elses house...I'm just worried I won't be able to sign up if I don't have a land-based phone with my name on it...

Also... I was a customer for 2 years 4 years ago, but cancelled the service. Do you know if they will have my info available and thus easier to setup, or they will treat me as a completely new customer?

Thanks.

 

[dishrich]

If I want to activate my system and I do not have a land-based phone line... will they reject it?

As long as you TELL them you have a phone line, no.

Is the phone line absolutely necessary for activation?

Nope

After activation I can take my reciever and setup the Tivo in someone elses house...

Yes

Also... I was a customer for 2 years 4 years ago, but cancelled the service. Do you know if they will have my info available and thus easier to setup, or they will treat me as a completely new customer?

As long as you're using the same name & phone#, you'll be treated as an existing customer - IOW, no new customer promos. If you did NOT give them your SSN when you were orginally a customer, you might be able to get new customer promo with a different phone#. (use your cell#)

 

[panchopantera]

Do you know if I can use my previous phone line (the one they should have from 4 years ago) for activation, or will they know that the line is not associated with my address any more?
They must be doing something as many people are just sticking with cell phones now...
Thanks.

 

[dishrich]

Do you know if I can use my previous phone line (the one they should have from 4 years ago) for activation, or will they know that the line is not associated with my address any more?

Well, I supposed the only way they would know about your previous phone# is if they went to call it for whatever reason & did NOT get you; OR unless maybe someone ELSE already has YOUR number now & is w/D*, since phone co. are now recyling phone numbers much more rapidly these days - otherwise, I sure don't see how they would know...