Questions on activating a used receiver

[Mr Tony]

Was at a local goodwill (well upscale goodwill) and found a R15 with card for 6 bucks. With 25% off on Tuesdays picked it up for about 4.50
This is the best D* box I've seen. Usually its them old RCA ones or the D10/D11 (saw 2 D10's there)

Brought it home and hooked it up. Card expired (get msg 722 card expired on all channels but 200, 201, 600)...The DVR worked on it. Did a reboot on the receiver and it went through all the screens and its back up but now the DVR says "DVR service not active. Call 800-531-5000 to activate)

so couple questions
-I know I'll call D* to check numbers on it but if they say its OK I should be able to add it. Once they add it the DVR will start working again right? (I have a DVR already...this would be an add receiver)
-How does the access card thing work? I've heard everything from you dont need a new card to you pay $20 to you pay $20 then ship the old card back...so which one is it?
-If they say its leased I pretty much bought a doorstop then? Or am I forced to send it back?

 

[raoul5788]

Was at a local goodwill (well upscale goodwill) and found a R15 with card for 6 bucks. With 25% off on Tuesdays picked it up for about 4.50
This is the best D* box I've seen. Usually its them old RCA ones or the D10/D11 (saw 2 D10's there)

Brought it home and hooked it up. Card expired (get msg 722 card expired on all channels but 200, 201, 600)...The DVR worked on it. Did a reboot on the receiver and it went through all the screens and its back up but now the DVR says "DVR service not active. Call 800-531-5000 to activate)

so couple questions
-I know I'll call D* to check numbers on it but if they say its OK I should be able to add it. Once they add it the DVR will start working again right? (I have a DVR already...this would be an add receiver)
-How does the access card thing work? I've heard everything from you dont need a new card to you pay $20 to you pay $20 then ship the old card back...so which one is it?
-If they say its leased I pretty much bought a doorstop then? Or am I forced to send it back?

You may be able to use the same card, but not very likely. More likely you will have to pay the $20 for a new one, but not have to send the old card back. If it is leased, you are probably sol, but hey, you would only be out $4.50!

 

[Davedirectv]

-I know I'll call D* to check numbers on it but if they say its OK I should be able to add it. Once they add it the DVR will start working again right? (I have a DVR already...this would be an add receiver)

Yes

-How does the access card thing work? I've heard everything from you dont need a new card to you pay $20 to you pay $20 then ship the old card back...so which one is it?

All the owned receivers I've bought, I had to get a new access cards for at $20 a pop.

-If they say its leased I pretty much bought a doorstop then? Or am I forced to send it back?

Well, if you can't use it, I don't think they make you send it back, I mean how could they charge you for something you never signed an agreement for?

I would just resell it to recoup the cash. But that's just me.

 

[tvropro]

There could be a balance on the receiver I have 4 direct receivers here I got for free they all had a balance on them of $400.00+. Direct said I can activate them if I pay the balance, Ya right...

 

[Mr Tony]

well I called D* and gave them the info.....I got answers but I'm hesitant to believe the rep

I was told it was clean and could be activated and no extra charge for a card. The card is good and no new card is needed.

I'll try tomorrow again
(I have to run wires from the dish anyways)

 

[stonecold]

Will need a new card. Cards are married to the receiver and the account . they do cost 20 bux.

 

[tvropro]

I heard Direct can unmarry the card if you push hard enough.

 

[peano]

I was told it was clean and could be activated and no extra charge for a card. The card is good and no new card is needed.

Should have activated it on the spot then sent a refresh tomorrow when the lines are in.

 

[Mr Tony]

its not hooked up or anything...I set up a ghetto rig to see if the thing even would power up

All I know is whoever owned it must have had Kids...lots of Disney stuff on the HDD

 

[Mr Tony]

per another post "I bought 2 HR20s and an R22 and they are confirmed owned by the access card dept. " so when I call to activate I should ask for the access card dept instead of regular CS?

 

[freckldgrl]

Access card dept does handle lease vs owned disagreements. Per D* policy you will need new access cards for all used equipment. Some of the more seasoned agents know ways around to activate without new cards, but it's against the rules.

 

[stonecold]

No Any rep is train to see if a receiver is clear for activation and Access card dept prefers regular agents do it as they are a small department.

 

[freckldgrl]

Yes that is the way it is set up to work but it doesn't change the fact that acdt is a last resort for lease disagreements. Most sups won't go to that level but I have known several that said screw it and advised to xfer there. That's neither here nor there though because the original discussion was about activating used equipment which would go through acdt anyway.

 

[stonecold]

If there a lease disagreement it goes to acdt but to checking status of used equipment is what i meant by not bothering them with.

 

[Bill_KY]

We obtained a clean used deactivated RCA Direct TV receiver from a relative ( for free) a bit over three years ago. We were going to activate it but Direct TV wanted $20 for a new card, we asked them to waive it as being a long time customer in good standing. They said there was no way around the requirement and could not waive the fee. If they would have simply waved the fee at the time...they would have made an extra $160 off of us by now...so be it...it is their loss.

$5 monthly fee x 12 months = $60
$60 a year x 3 years = $180

If they would have waived the $20 fee = an extra $160 could have been in Direct TV's account by now.


.

 

[Mr Tony]

If I have to pay $20 for a new card thats fine...$25 for a DVR and no extension of contract versus 100 bucks from D* directly

 

[Bob Nielsen]

We obtained a clean used deactivated RCA Direct TV receiver from a relative ( for free) a bit over three years ago. We were going to activate it but Direct TV wanted $20 for a new card, we asked them to waive it as being a long time customer in good standing. They said there was no way around the requirement and could not waive the fee. If they would have simply waved the fee at the time...they would have made an extra $160 off of us by now...so be it...it is their loss.

$5 monthly fee x 12 months = $60
$60 a year x 3 years = $180

If they would have waived the $20 fee = an extra $160 could have been in Direct TV's account by now.


.

Back in early 2006, my RCA receiver died. My daughter had just switched to Dish and gave me her old receivers (this was before leasing). When I called to activate one the CSR couldn't budge on the $20 card fee, but said I should instead go to Best Buy and pick up a R15 for $99 and get a $100 rebate. I already had DVR service, so that was a no-brainer.

 

[Mr Tony]

stonecold verified the receiver is clean

now to run some wiring to the dish

 

[bbixler]

stonecold verified the receiver is clean

now to run some wiring to the dish

:up

 

[boba]

Iceberg you are one lucky feller for most of us at that price it would have been leased.