DVR HD Does it require a Phone Line?

[Tom Forness]

Just ordered direct tv again and switched from DISH--was advised by two people there that you have to have a land line hooked up to the DVR in order to use it. So I ordered the the HD receiver instead due this requirement. I use a Cell phone for my home phone so I do not have a land line.

Can anyone tell me whether this is true or is the phone line only used for ordering PPV? And if it is true why do you need a land line for the DVR.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[boston area dtv]

I have had both DVRs the HD DVR and the regular one. You need to have a phone line hooked up to activate the DVR.

I ran a phone line from another room to activate the receiver. Then I unplugged the phone line once the DVR was working. I currently do not have a phone line hooked up and the DVR works fine. I do hook it up once a week to receive updates though.

 

[newsposter]

You do need a phone line to activate the HDtivo but not once it's up and running. you can do this at a friends house as you just need to tune to a test channel to get the signal in right. Then you never need one again if you dont mind the nag screens or not ordering PPV on remote.

You will be able to order PPV via remote for a short while without the thing plugged in. Then you will be forced to either make a call or just order PPV through the internet. Info is stored on the card and the only way to get it off the card is a phone call. Also the PPV phone call can't be forced like the tivo call can. They are 2 separate calls. I usually plug in the phone every few weeks and let it sit overnight.

the one thing (and i'm not calling you a liar) that i can't believe is that they said you dont need to have a cord attached to the H20. I dont know much about it so i could be wrong but if they are using the same method to authorize, in other words an access card, I think you will have the same problems with PPV and the card filling up. How else would they get the data off? I think you need to search some H20 threads for better answers. Something doesn't sound right here.

 

[Tom Forness]

Thanks for your answers---so I guess what they told me is correct and since I don't have a land line--I will not be able to get the DVR up and running with my system-- So HD receiver it is///

Thanks,

Tom

 

[dishrich]

since I don't have a land line--I will not be able to get the DVR up and running with my system--

You ONLY need it to make 2 initial phone calls during setup, & you don't even need the DVR connected to a dish while you do this. Are you telling us you have NO other place you could take this to hook up for a few minutes to a phone line???
Once you do this, it will work just fine - I do this all the time with new Tivo customers that DON'T have a phone line, either. I just go through the setup routine at my place, then take the receiver to their places, activate & they are good to go.

 

[dishrich]

I do hook it up once a week to receive updates though.

What kind of "updates" do you think you are getting? The ONLY updates that come on the phone line are software, & D* hasn't done that since they sent out 6.2. Other than that & PPV, EVERYTHING else comes through the dish...

 

[scotsmanron]

You do need a phone line to activate the HDtivo but not once it's up and running. you can do this at a friends house as you just need to tune to a test channel to get the signal in right. Then you never need one again if you dont mind the nag screens or not ordering PPV on remote.

You will be able to order PPV via remote for a short while without the thing plugged in. Then you will be forced to either make a call or just order PPV through the internet. Info is stored on the card and the only way to get it off the card is a phone call. Also the PPV phone call can't be forced like the tivo call can. They are 2 separate calls. I usually plug in the phone every few weeks and let it sit overnight.

the one thing (and i'm not calling you a liar) that i can't believe is that they said you dont need to have a cord attached to the H20. I dont know much about it so i could be wrong but if they are using the same method to authorize, in other words an access card, I think you will have the same problems with PPV and the card filling up. How else would they get the data off? I think you need to search some H20 threads for better answers. Something doesn't sound right here.

He's telling it correctly. I've not had a phone line in my home for over a year. I called last week and told them I want to go HD but I didn't have a phone and had no intention of getting one. The CSR said: Fine with us, just tell installer that you don't have one and that we've noted the account.

I do what the above posters did, I take it out, connect it to someone else's POTS and bring it home.

 

[puck71]

Why do the HD DVR's require a phone line and some of the other receivers don't? Apparently with Dish you don't need a phone line at all, even for activation, so if I ever switched from cable I would probably lean to Dish just for that reason. I don't see why I should be forced to install and pay for a landline just so I can get TV?

 

[dishrich]

Apparently with Dish you don't need a phone line at all, even for activation

Uh, you ARE aware that if you do not have a CONTINOUS phone line connection on ALL the current DISH dual-tuner DVR's, you get charged ANOTHER $4.99 "added outlet" charge on the 2nd tuner in those boxes. IOW, this is on top of the $5.98 DVR charge, PER DVR I might add. So, if you had 2 dual-tuner DVR's from DISH & NO phone line, you would be paying $15.95 MORE for DISH, than if you had 2 D-Tivo's or R15's.

And, if you opt for an R15, you NEVER need the phone line, period.

But, if you really think that's better than ONLY needing it the phone line one time, suit yourself...
You also do NOT actually need the phone line actually connected during activation - as we keep saying, you just take the DVR to someone's house, hook it up to a TV & phone line (don't need a dish) & go through the phone line portion of the setup. Once this is done, you just take it back to your house, hook back up to the dish, call & activate as usual - it isn't rocket science....

 

[newsposter]

so tell me how do they get PPV off the H20 you order via remotes and it sits there on the card if you dont have a phone line? pretty cool

And I thought that you needed a phone line for the football package but maybe that was an old requirement.

And as far as the HDtivo, as mentioned above, once you get the first software upgrade, (i'm assuming you have a new box and will need it) there wont be any other software upgrades for this dinosaur

 

[boston area dtv]

As for updates...I dont know...but if there is one..then plugging the thing in once a week or month isnt a big deal is it?

As for ordering pay perview...I go online to do it, or you can do it by phone.

Why is everyone so testy

 

[newsposter]

OP said he has no phone line. Others said it's not necessary with h20. I have no clue if that's true. So they must have either another way of getting PPV off the access card or not allow PPV on the access card at all if it's true that the h2o doesn't need a phone line.

 

[User0101]

Heads up guys... The D* R15 does not require a phone line for activation or continual use. Didn't see anyone mention it so I thought I'd bring it up for continuity.

 

[newsposter]

ok do tell me, how do you order PPV with a remote and not get a full card?

 

[JerryVolunteer]

You would eventuall yget a full card. It would never be erased off the card (and you would never be charged) unless you plugged it in or called D and asked for them to clear your card.

 

[charper1]

Try buying your PPV via the website, if anything that opens the purchase to all your receivers

 

[boston area dtv]

I can not order PPV via remote. I must go online to order PPV since NONE of tuners...not the 10-250, the H20, or the standard dvr, are hooked up to a phone line.