Directv Activation Details

[telamon]

I have a few questions regarding Directv activation, but first a bit of background.

I bought a display model (a few months old) Sony SAT-HD300 from Best Buy the other day. They required me to sign a contract saying I'd activate it in 30 days, or pay a $150 penalty. They took my address and credit card info at the time of purchase. I received a plastic wrapped access card with it. I have NOT activated the unit with Directv, but have used it for the last two days connected to an OTA antenna.

Now, my intent was to use the receiver for it's OTA and QAM capabilities and not activate Directv knowing full well I was going to get hit with the $150 fee. However, my error was that the HD300 does NOT have QAM capability.

Now because I bought it for a very good price and these units are in demand, I believe I can sell it on Ebay and turn a profit (enough to cover the other HD tuner I've been considering that definitely does do QAM). If you think I'm evil for doing so, then please forgive my taking up your time and move along.

So I'm trying to figure out the following:

1) Does Directv determine whether to charge me the $150 penalty based on whether the unit's serial number becomes active or based on whether I actually open an account in my name within 30 days? I guess this would also apply if you bought a Directv receiver as a gift for someone.

2) Since the access card is still in the plastic wrap and was never put into the unit, is it safe to sell the access card with the receiver? Or did Best Buy tie the access card's serial number to my name at the time of purchase?

I wish I could have reviewed the contract that Best Buy made me agree too, but the darn receipt was printed on that yellow carbon paper that Best Buy uses for open box items and the column with the contract details is near illegible.

 

[boba]

Contact BB or call Directv to get your answers.

 

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

Your responsibility is tied to the access card. If the access card activates you are off the hook.

What are you trying to do, activate DIRECTV service or sell the HD300?

-Robert

 

[charper1]

Just asking, but did you not read the feature sets before you bought something of that value (along with a penalty) Did you look at ant STB such as the LG LST-4200A ? I have seen those for $255 brand new in the box.

 

[telamon]

Your responsibility is tied to the access card. If the access card activates you are off the hook.

What are you trying to do, activate DIRECTV service or sell the HD300?

-Robert

Sell the HD300. I was trying to understand whether I should include the access card with it. Or if Directv would make the buyer get a new access card anyway. Looking through some of the threads I knew that including a used access card was worthless and was trying to understand what constitutes a virgin access card.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[telamon]

Just asking, but did you not read the feature sets before you bought something of that value (along with a penalty) Did you look at ant STB such as the LG LST-4200A ? I have seen those for $255 brand new in the box.

I've been looking at the LST-4200A, LSS-3200A, and LST-3510A, and the Hughes HTL-HD in addition to the Sony SAT-HD300. I wanted to have separate RF inputs for ATSC OTA and QAM (since I wanted to feed the signal into my ReplayTV unit without dealing with a switch box). I read that the LSS-3200A, HTL-HD, and HD300 (which I know are clones of each other modulo RF remote capabilities) had separate RF inputs in addtition to excellent picture quality. I just missed the part about the cable RF input not handling QAM.

The LST-4200A and LST-3510A only have one RF input unfortunately.

In addition, I had a decent idea of what I could sell the HD300 for on Ebay before I bought it. Even with the penalty I expect to turn a profit. I was just trying to figure out 1) if I should offer an incentive to the buyer to activate the receiver before my 30 days is up (i.e. offer to refund part of the purchase price since I won't get hit by the penalty) and 2) determine if I should include the access card with the receiver. I wanted to be sure I was giving the proper information to my potential buyers because customer satisfaction is important to me.

In any case, I think I've given up on getting a tuner with dual RF inputs + ATSC and QAM capability. I ordered an LST-3510A (yes, my TV has DVI so I can use the upconverting DVD features).

 

[telamon]

Contact BB or call Directv to get your answers.

FWIW, the BB representatives who sold me the receiver did not know how the contract worked. They were unsure of the penalty amount and details of the contract. I asked them if I could read over the contract. The first rep said the contract was all on the computer and I WOULD NOT get a copy of it even after purchase. The second rep said it only prints when you purchase the receiver. It was quite hilarious watching the AV reps walk around asking each other how the whole Directv thing worked, they mostly had no clue.

One rep suggested I activate the Directv service for a month and then put my account on temporary suspension to avoid the fee. Luckily, I'd read info over at AVS and here and knew roughly what the contract terms were. The BB reps did say I could return the equipment within 30 days to get out of the contract.

I also called Directv and asked them about it. I told them I wanted to know what would happen if I sold the box to my cousin for his use. They told me as long as the receiver's serial number was activated before the 30 days from purchase, I would not be charged the penalty. Seeing as how I'm generally mistrustful of what a phone CSR for any company says, I wanted a second opinion and posted here.

I'm very happy to see that Robert responded. I've seen his posts on AVS and I'm more inclined to believe what he is saying that the BB reps and Directv CSRs

 

[stevesmall]

if the card is not activated within 30 days you will be charges the 150. I am sure of that.
i was charged for a receiver/card purchase even though i had returned 5 days after buying. circuit city didnt cancel the directv portion of the sale i am told. it was easily credited back though. but it was charged to credit card on day 35 to be exact

 

[hdtvtechno]

BTW for a temporary suspension a 5.00 $$ fee applies i think