Well the Locals are now available here in South Dakota (on 72.5), after a long...long wait. I had been calling D trying to get installation set up so that my equipment was ready as soon as the locals launched, but no such luck. Locals went up on a Tuesday and I got my equipment installed the following Monday.
D Customer service told me that one of my receivers needed replacement but not the other...this was very important to me so I specifically asked and double checked when talking to D CSR. The receiver I didn't want replaced was hooked to my HDTV bigscreen with component video (better picture) and also hooked to my Home Theater system via fiber-optic cable enabling Dolby Digital surround. It also had an RF anywhere remote so I actually had two TVs hooked to it, and used the RF remote upstairs on the bedroom TV. I communicated this to the CSR, but she assured me everything would be fine as that receiver would work, but my other (RCA DRD420RE) would need replaced ... no big deal...
When the installer showed up he got started right away, got the dish and switch set up, and proceeded to the house to check/replace and activate receivers. He indicated my RCA DRD485RG would have to be replaced - I was not happy, but what to do - I really wanted locals. I now have a DirecTV D10-300 on my HD set with NO Component Video, NO Dolby Digital, NO RF Remote, and thus have lost the use of the downstairs receiver for controlling the upstairs TV. I am now left with "Cable-Like" service. I have lost all the features that I specifically sought out when choosing a receiver. I paid extra for those features not very long ago.
D has just taken away some of the most important features that seperated them from Cable, and left a very dissapointed customer in the wake. After being a loyal D customer almost since their birth, putting up with the growing pains, waiting for locals for over a year after Dish had them available in our area, I'm now left wondering why exactly I am still a D customer? Is it worth calling D to complain? If so, how do I get to a CSR that can actually help? What receivers are available that have the features I am requesting (i guess RF remote isn't a biggie as I can move the D10-300 upstairs if I get a new receiver). What do you folks recommend?
Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can provide.
Rick
P.S. Some very valuable information in the forum, BRAVO
D Customer service told me that one of my receivers needed replacement but not the other...this was very important to me so I specifically asked and double checked when talking to D CSR. The receiver I didn't want replaced was hooked to my HDTV bigscreen with component video (better picture) and also hooked to my Home Theater system via fiber-optic cable enabling Dolby Digital surround. It also had an RF anywhere remote so I actually had two TVs hooked to it, and used the RF remote upstairs on the bedroom TV. I communicated this to the CSR, but she assured me everything would be fine as that receiver would work, but my other (RCA DRD420RE) would need replaced ... no big deal...
When the installer showed up he got started right away, got the dish and switch set up, and proceeded to the house to check/replace and activate receivers. He indicated my RCA DRD485RG would have to be replaced - I was not happy, but what to do - I really wanted locals. I now have a DirecTV D10-300 on my HD set with NO Component Video, NO Dolby Digital, NO RF Remote, and thus have lost the use of the downstairs receiver for controlling the upstairs TV. I am now left with "Cable-Like" service. I have lost all the features that I specifically sought out when choosing a receiver. I paid extra for those features not very long ago.
D has just taken away some of the most important features that seperated them from Cable, and left a very dissapointed customer in the wake. After being a loyal D customer almost since their birth, putting up with the growing pains, waiting for locals for over a year after Dish had them available in our area, I'm now left wondering why exactly I am still a D customer? Is it worth calling D to complain? If so, how do I get to a CSR that can actually help? What receivers are available that have the features I am requesting (i guess RF remote isn't a biggie as I can move the D10-300 upstairs if I get a new receiver). What do you folks recommend?
Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can provide.
Rick
P.S. Some very valuable information in the forum, BRAVO
