Old box with new install?

[slimdog]

Hi guys, nice forum you have here. :up

I'm switching from comcast to dtv, the installer is coming in a few hours. Here is my question...

I have 3 old directv boxes, a few hughes boxes from a dtv contract I had a few years back, and a directv+ dvr that I scooped up from my dead uncles house.

I want to put tv in 3 rooms (maybe 4) but I didn't want to pay the extra $5/mo for each box lease so I asked the sales person if I could use the boxes I already had. she said they thought that would be ok unless the boxes were outdated and couldn't be 'upgraded' whatever that means.

They all have cards, etc, but they are a few years old.

I guess I'll find out soon enough when the guy gets here.. but has anyone had experience with this? Will he/she reprogram the boxes for me? The cable line is already ran, he'll just have to cross the individual rooms over the dish out in the garage wiring.

I'm also buying the 1 hd-dvr box for my main tv.. I'm pretty excited I hope it turns out to be a good experience..

Cheers!

slim-

 

[NutFlush920]

Welcome!

Bottom line is each TV you want to watch a different channel on will require a receiver. With each reciever the is a $5 charge, either a lease charge or additoinal reciever charge. There is no way arround that. Most of the recievers have dual output, meaning you can run an output to two different tv's but, will have to watch the same channel on both tv's connected to that receiver.

Your old recievers should work as long as they can pick up all the satellites. If not you may not get all the channels on that receiver. With the great deals they offer now, I would just get new recivers all arround from DirecTV as you are going to have to pay the $5 fee for each receiver and have a commitment with the HD DVR anyway.

 

[boba]

All 3 boxes will be useless today but you should be able to buy three new cards at $20 each. You are going to be charged $5 for each receiver beyond the first on on your account it will be either an additional receiver fee or a lease fee it is the same cost just a different name. I would suggest that you cancel your install and start again by ordering the new leased receivers rather than connecting old equipment that may not even work. As a new customer you are eligible for FREE receivers and your monthly charges will be the same.
ONCE YOU ACTIVATE YOUR ACCOUNT YOU ARE NO LONGER A NEW CUSTOMER AND MUST PAY FOR ALL UPGRADES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[slimdog]

Thanks for the help guys.

Ya, the guy is here now and he told me the older style hughes boxes are probably not good to go with.

I called right away and got in touch with someone on the sales support team. She told me I could modify the order and have this guy run the lines and put in used boxes, but then I would have to buy cards ($20)..

So I asked if I could have new ones.. she said yes. She is going to call me back in a few hours after my install is complete and do an upgrade for the other 3 boxes. She said the boxes and cards would be free, installation would be free, the only charges would be the $5/mo and possibly a custom install for a tough attic drop to get a line in my kitchen where I want it. I'm totally cool with paying both of those.

I should have just ordered them all from jump, but the sales person told me I could use the old boxes, and also told me the $5 fee was for lease, I didn't know there was an additional receiver charge like you guys are saying.

Oh well, live and learn. As long as this sales support lady comes through on what she is promising, things should be ok.. I just have to wait a few more days for the other ones to get installed.

slim-

 

[slimdog]

I just wanted to post an update of what happened...


Well, the sales support rep never called me back, so I called back in to customer service and explained that I was promised a free upgrade on my other boxes. The rep stated that she couldn't do it, but suggested I escalate the call to their resolution team.

The resolution rep helped me out, I'm getting 3 free upgrade boxes put in on Thursday. This could have all been avoided had I known that the $5 lease fee turns into a $5 additional receiver fee even if you own the box.

But! Everything worked out I think, I'll have to wait for the bill to ensure all the credits are there but I suspect everything will be OK.

Overall I've had a very pleasant install experience so far and I hope it continues. My one HD-DVR I got installed today is working great and I love having ALL the channels

I hate reading threads where people have problems and then never post back to say what happened, so I just wanted to post back.

I look forward to continuing to peruse and participate in these forums. I'm off to watch the All-Star game in 1080i

Cheers!

slim-

 

[NutFlush920]

Glad you got everything worked out. Enjoy your new service.

 

[Jimbo]

I just wanted to post an update of what happened...


Well, the sales support rep never called me back, so I called back in to customer service and explained that I was promised a free upgrade on my other boxes. The rep stated that she couldn't do it, but suggested I escalate the call to their resolution team.

The resolution rep helped me out, I'm getting 3 free upgrade boxes put in on Thursday. This could have all been avoided had I known that the $5 lease fee turns into a $5 additional receiver fee even if you own the box.

But! Everything worked out I think, I'll have to wait for the bill to ensure all the credits are there but I suspect everything will be OK.

Overall I've had a very pleasant install experience so far and I hope it continues. My one HD-DVR I got installed today is working great and I love having ALL the channels

I hate reading threads where people have problems and then never post back to say what happened, so I just wanted to post back.

I look forward to continuing to peruse and participate in these forums. I'm off to watch the All-Star game in 1080i

Cheers!

slim-

Slimdog,
Welcome to the site !!!

Glad you got everything worked out and that you posted back,
YES lots come to complain when things don't work out and never come back.
It's normal to hear about more bad installs or repairs because many don't come and post the GOOD ones as they have nothing wrong ...
Some do, it's getting better.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the MLB ASG is on FOX in stunning 720P.
Fox has always been 720 as is ABC and ESPN.
CBS and NBC are 1080i ...

Just the same, the larger number does not nessasaraly mean a better picture.

Jimbo

 

[slimdog]

Aww, hehe

I was looking for a note in the info or something as to what reso the shows/channels are being broadcast in. Do you just know off the top of your head that fox is 720p, or is there somewhere in the onscreen guide that it can be checked?