Need advice on upgrade/replacement(long)

[Pat]

Hi all,

My R10 Tivo DVR is dead. It completely stopped working, is stuck on the power up screen. I had customer service on the phone for 1 hour trying to fix it. We tried every reset, complete erase, everything, nothing helps. It just keeps cycling to the power up screen. It is my feeling that the hard drive is gone. The CSR wanted to schedule a home visit to dx the problem ($70), she said she had no way of telling if it was the equipment or the wiring or the dish, etc, etc. I'm fairly certain given the way its acting, its the equipment. After a long wait, she was going to transfer me to tech support, but cut me off in the process. Now I admit I was alittle testy by this point, so I didn't call back. I came to this website, where I"ve gotten good advice in the past, for help. Now I don't really keep abreast of all the D* changes and see that quite a bit has happened since my last visits in March of 2005!!!!! This is what I would like to request from D*, do you think I'm asking for too much or should I be able to get this deal. We have been loyal D* customers for over 12 years. We have had our current equipment since February of 2005. I would like D* to replace the R10 Tivo DVR for free and then I would like our present HD receiver upgraded to the HR20 and our present dish replaced with the 5 LNB. We purchase HD programming and want to be ready when the new channels come on line. What is everyone's advice..........you haven't lead me astray yet. When I negoiated our last deal with D*(February, 2005) you all gave me hints on what to say and how to ask for the deal and I got a GREAT deal then......lots of free equipment and programming. Thanks in advance for any help you might give me!!!

 

[Brewer4]

Call Directv, ask for retention and explain your R10 is dead and you want to go with 5 LNB dish and HR20 receiver (ask for 2 if you want). And you dont want to pay. Ask nicely but also mention thinking of going to Dish or cable. See if they throw in some free credits too to offset your frustrations. Retention group are the best trained and good at taking care of good long term directv customers like yourself.

 

[Pat]

Now this might be a dumb question so bear with me, but the TV that is attached to the R10 is not an HDTV. (We have an HDTV but it is our Living room TV and the R10 is on our bedroom TV). Can I use an HR20 on a non-HDTV? I mean, someday we'll replace the non-HDTV with an HD but until we do would the HR20 work with it o should I just ask to replace the R10 with whatever is its current equivalent? Thanks, Pat

 

[mikew]

The HR20 can feed an SD set.

Did you mention you already have an HD receiver? If so, there is a program to add an HR20 and move an HR10-250 to another location for $99.00. You can use the HR10-250 on an SD set as well. You just need to change the resolution to 480i.

 

[Pat]

oh good, so maybe I can do that......I'll try for everything free first though. Also, I kinda wanted to keep the DVR capability on the bedroom TV too..........I only have to pay one DVR fee, even if I have two DVR's right?

 

[mikew]

Yes. DirecTV charges one DVR fee for the entire account. Do you have an HR10-250 Tivo?

 

[Brewer4]

Now that prices for the receivers are falling and providers like Directv are dealing, you can use an HD receiver on any TV and even subscribe to HD content. The receivers downgrade the signal and quite frankly, that looks better then normal SD content. So now has never been a better time to add a better receiver despite not having the extra HD TV. The HR20 is the top line DVR and is much better then Directv's SD DVR's (unless you love Tivo beyond anything).

 

[Pat]

no our HD receiver is just a plain old receiver no DVR. And I can take Tivo or leave it. I really love the DVR though

 

[Brewer4]

I would call Directv up as suggested and see how you do. I cant see why you couldnt get at least 1 HR20 or maybe 2 or at least 1 HR20 and 1 R15 SD DVR. 12 years is a long time and they should be very willing to retain you.

 

[Pat]

Thanks, I'll try when I get home tonight

 

[Pat]

Just wanted to Thank you so much for all your input and let you know what I ended up with for a deal. Took me 3 tries(do you know they record each try in their computer??) anyway the last guy I spoke with said "You are a great long term customer and I would give you the 2 HR20's if I could, the problem is that the system just won't allow me to order two" He said I can set you up with one and one regular DVR and then in 6 months you can upgrade. I said "Well isn't that a silly waste of equipment" and he agreed. I told him that I was aware of people that WERE receiving two. He said he had heard that too, but did not know how it was happening....................so I said nonchalantly, "what if we place two different orders".......he says "well, I never thought of doing that, don't know if it will work" and I said "What would it hurt to try"......he says "Nothing, if you want to try, I'll do it".......So he entered the first order......got it all placed, scheduled the install and then he said "Here goes" and the he said "Oh My God,,,,,,,its letting us do it, this is unbelievable." The guy was honestly floored. So we went ahead and ordered the second one.........Both of us happy, I thanked him for working so hard for me..................YAHOO got exactly what I wanted...........Thanks to all of you for your advice, I never would have known what to do without you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Brewer4]

Good job Pat. Enjoy the HD and DVR. Glad it all worked out.