Finally upgrading to genie soon

[Blackloz]

Well we are finally ready to upgrade to the genie within the next little while and out of curiosity I called DirecTV to find out what they would charge me. I told the rep (A very nice lady) that I wanted a HR-44 and a SWM upgrade. She said I'd qualify for that for free, but she also wanted to swap out my HR-24 & H24 for two clients. Which of course I said no to. Then she suggested I at least swap one of my H24's for a client. I still said no as I explained that I don't want to take anything away but simply add a HR-44 to it. In the end I thanked her & politely declined their offer of free....call me crazy but as usual they couldn't guarantee me a 44 over a 34 and they would not just ship me the unit & SWM set-up, so I told her I'd go thru a dealer & call back when I need to get the HR44 authorized. I called a local dealer and I'm getting the HR44 for $250 & SWM LNB, switch, power inserter for $150. Leased of course but at least it get what I want.

 

[dfergie]

I like my HR24 along with my still very alive HR20-700, added a HR34 to the mix doing it all myself via Amazon to get exactly what I wanted... (didn't want to spring the extra bucks for the 44, happy with the 34) and like you don't want clients.

 

[joed32]

If they install it, it's free but you paid $400 because you wanted to install it yourself?

 

[mdram]

you coulda went through directv and gotten what you wanted for free
just tell them you wanted the 44, remind the tech when he called before coming
verify when tech shows up, and if he only had a 34, decline install

 

[Blackloz]

That's the way I've always done it. Go thru a dealer & self install.

 

[NYRANGERS]

If you go through DirecTV don't you need to commit to a new 2 year contract? If you buy and self install do you avoid the new contract?

 

[Jimbo]

If you go through DirecTV don't you need to commit to a new 2 year contract? If you buy and self install do you avoid the new contract?

Nope, contract extension either way.

 

[ejb1980]

That's the way I've always done it. Go thru a dealer & self install.

Why? You can babysit the installer and make them do it right. And it's free that way. I think you have to extend the contract either way.

Edit: Jimbo beat me to it and confirmed my hunch.

 

[Blackloz]

I finally went and picked up my equipment today. It will be a few weeks yet before I have time to install, but at least I have it all now. I never actually realized that the SWM LNB is only a single where as my SL5 LNB is not but hey things change for the better I guess. I already don't like the tiny remote just by looking at it. I think after the unit is up & running I'm going to look into how hard it would be to use the long white remote instead as I have 2 extras.

 

[Jimbo]

I finally went and picked up my equipment today. It will be a few weeks yet before I have time to install, but at least I have it all now. I never actually realized that the SWM LNB is only a single where as my SL5 LNB is not but hey things change for the better I guess. I already don't like the tiny remote just by looking at it. I think after the unit is up & running I'm going to look into how hard it would be to use the long white remote instead as I have 2 extras.

You can use your White D* emote, but only in IR mode.

Question, how much did it cost you to buy all your equipment ?

It would have been FREE thru D*.
Be happy your not over 8 tuners, where you would require a SWM16 ...

 

[raoul5788]

If you use the older white remotes, you can't control the HR44 in rf. Also, you have to activate the equipment within a month of getting it or you may get charged. http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/legal/equipment_lease_addendum

 

[Blackloz]

I paid.

HR44 - $250
SWM LNB - $100
Power Inserter $24
SWM 8 - $15

For a grand total of $389.

Also it looks like the actual invoice is billed from the retailer (who happens to be my wife's cousin) to my wife, and our Direct account is in my name not hers, so I'm not sure how it would be charged to my acct.

 

[Jimbo]

So .... you ended up paying $389 for what D* would have done for free, with the except to the recvr price.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Glad you got a HR44, enjoy.

 

[Blackloz]

So .... you ended up paying $389 for what D* woukd have done for free, with the except to the recvr price.

Yes that is true Jimbo, but that's the way I've always done it. I look at it this way, we are in it for the long term and don't plan to cancel anytime soon. If we were going to be switching back & fourth from Direct to Dish every two years like a lot of ppl do then I wouldn't have bothered. Plus it's the only real way of getting the exact equipment that I want. The last time I did this was when I got our HR24 back in June/11.

 

[Alondite]

I finally went and picked up my equipment today. It will be a few weeks yet before I have time to install, but at least I have it all now. I never actually realized that the SWM LNB is only a single where as my SL5 LNB is not but hey things change for the better I guess. I already don't like the tiny remote just by looking at it. I think after the unit is up & running I'm going to look into how hard it would be to use the long white remote instead as I have 2 extras.

Won't have any trouble using the RC65/x with the Genie, if you prefer it to the RC71. The only "downside" is that the receiver functions and tv functions will both be transmitted over IR, instead of Receiver over RF and TV over IR.

 

[Jimbo]

Yes that is true Jimbo, but that's the way I've always done it. I look at it this way, we are in it for the long term and don't plan to cancel anytime soon. If we were going to be switching back & fourth from Direct to Dish every two years like a lot of ppl do then I wouldn't have bothered. Plus it's the only real way of getting the exact equipment that I want. The last time I did this was when I got our HR24 back in June/11.

I use to do the same as you, but in the last 5-6 year, I allow them to do the install, I'm obviously there and know all thats going on ...

I could have done my HR44 my self, but decided that seeing I needed a SWM 16 and that was over $100, I decided to let them supply the equipment.

Had I been able to get away with a SWM 8, I would have done it myself. (cost was the issue)

 

[Blackloz]

Won't have any trouble using the RC65/x with the Genie, if you prefer it to the RC71. The only "downside" is that the receiver functions and tv functions will both be transmitted over IR, instead of Receiver over RF and TV over IR.

Good to know. I'm going to give the little remote a try & then if I really don't like it I'll switch.

 

[joed32]

Good to know. I'm going to give the little remote a try & then if I really don't like it I'll switch.

Take a look here for how to do most of the things that the old remote does but with different buttons.

https://www.weaknees.com/DIRECTV-RC71-RF-Remote-Manual.pdf

 

[chewy]

Just upgraded to HR44 and 2 clients, at no charge from directv.... yes, I signed a 2 yr contract... but well worth it. Been with them 10 years, lookin forward to the next 10!!!