Switching from SD to HD receivers

[dare2be]

My parents have DTV, 4 TVs with basic SD receivers (no DVR). They are looking into getting HD receivers for one or more TVs, but they seem to think it would cost them $10 more per month for each receiver that is upgraded. Is this correct? They are already paying $7/mo ($21 total) for each extra SD receiver they have.

What would be the cheapest way to get HD service? They have no interest in a DVR.

 

[satinstallerguy]

No, It's $10 a month for HD service..... Price per location after the first box is the same.... Best best is 3 H-25 receivers if they don't want DVR service otherwise it they would get a Genie and client system... Either system will need an upgrade to the dish outside to swm if it is not already installed... and a new KaKu dish if they have an 18" round dish...

 

[dare2be]

Thanks for that. So if I were able to talk them into getting a DVR, even at just one TV, would there be any option that wouldn't incur the $25 advanced receiver service?

 

[HoTat2]

Thanks for that. So if I were able to talk them into getting a DVR, even at just one TV, would there be any option that wouldn't incur the $25 advanced receiver service?

Actually your parents are in a great situation for upgrading to HD since DIRECTV intends to turn-off the SD feeds received by your parent's boxes sometime in 2019.

And are offering the following special deals for HD upgrade to SD only customers at no additional subscriber cost ...

• SD to HD Upgrade: Genie and up to 3 Genie Minis with no commitment. All Advance Receiver Service charges waived until next upgrade.
  
• SD to HD Upgrade: Genie Lite and up to 3 Genie Minis with no commitment. All Advance Receiver Service charges waived until next upgrade.
  
• SD to HD Upgrade: 4 HD Receivers with no commitment. All Advance Receiver Service charges waived until next upgrade.

Make sure to speak with DIRECTV's "Loyalty Dept." (formally the Retention Dept.) about these offers.

 

[dare2be]

Looking for a local retailer in the Pittsburgh area. DTV wouldn't upgrade the way my parents wanted it.

Using the Find a Retailer on DTV's site, it lists a bunch of different mall locations all with the same phone number, but when I called that number, I was told I had the wrong number. Plus, the area code was a Cleveland area code.

 

[Jimbo]

Looking for a local retailer in the Pittsburgh area. DTV wouldn't upgrade the way my parents wanted it.

Using the Find a Retailer on DTV's site, it lists a bunch of different mall locations all with the same phone number, but when I called that number, I was told I had the wrong number.

Theres not a Lot of Retailers out there anymore.

What did they have to say when you called ?

I would have thought you could call in and tell them you have parents on SD equipment and are looking to up grade and see what they have to offer you vs telling them what you want ... once you hear thier options, then you adjust accordingly to what you are good with.

 

[HoTat2]

Did you ever talk to the Loyalty (Retention) dept. about the special HD equipment offers for SD only customers?

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk

 

[dare2be]

They didn't know what they were asking for or getting. The order was put in for a Genie and 3 clients, when all they wanted was to have 2 of the TVs upgraded to HD receivers (no DVR) and leave the other 2 TVs alone (SD standalone).

The reason for this is they spend their weekends in the summer at a permanent campsite and take one of their SD receivers with them (dish is already installed and pointed for SD service).

They want to keep this arrangement for as long as DTV will allow.

When I called to correct the order for them, I was told they didn't have any standard HD receivers available, but I could buy them for $99 each, or some bs.

If I had accepted the full HD upgrade for all 4 tvs (standalone receivers), then they might have to upgrade the dish they bought for the campsite.

 

[raoul5788]

I thought Directv was exchanging sd for hd equipment, like for like. The sd receivers won't work in about a year or so because Directv is turning off the mpeg2 signals and everything will be mpeg4. The sd boxes only do mpeg2. They might as well exchange them all when they can. I'd call back and ask for retention, see if they can help you.

 

[dare2be]

If they have to make changes to their setup at the campsite to accept HD service, then it isn't worth it to them, as they don't plan on going there after a few years from now. If they can't keep at least one of the SD receivers, then they'd rather not upgrade at all and just stick with what they have for as long as they can.

 

[raoul5788]

If they have to make changes to their setup at the campsite to accept HD service, then it isn't worth it to them, as they don't plan on going there after a few years from now. If they can't keep at least one of the SD receivers, then they'd rather not upgrade at all and just stick with what they have for as long as they can.

That will likely be until the end of 2019.

 

[HoTat2]

You or you could have your parents call back and ask for the Loyalty dept. about the 4 HD receiver special upgrade option.

Then see if the rep. can notate the order so that at least one of the HD receivers is an H24 model which will work with the standard round dish at the campsite.

Then if the rep. cannot guarantee an H24 your parents can always purchase one later from Solid Signal for $99 and deactivate one of the four other receivers and return it to DIRECTV.

DIRECTV HD Satellite Receiver with IR Remote (H24) from Solid Signal

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk

 

[dare2be]

Good plan, which would have been a lot more foolproof if I could have found a retailer.

I'll run it by my parents, see what they say.

 

[slice1900]

You can use an H25 with an old dish using a SWM8. In principle that should even work with a Genie - AFAIK it won't have a setting for that dish type but if you continue through the screen with red X's for 99 & 103 I don't see why it wouldn't work to view/record SD channels (until they shut off MPEG2 SD, of course)

 

[Claude Greiner]

They do not have to remove the SD equipment if they upgrade.

This is a simple upgrade at this point. So it’s not required they get rid of their SD equipment.

If it was an SD/HD migration and Directv was doing the upgrade for free, then it would be necessary to get rid of all SD equipment.

But even if that was true, they would likely swap with H25’s or H24’s

If you can find an installer, I can do the paperwork for the upgrade

 

[Claude Greiner]

You can use an H25 with an old dish using a SWM8. In principle that should even work with a Genie - AFAIK it won't have a setting for that dish type but if you continue through the screen with red X's for 99 & 103 I don't see why it wouldn't work to view/record SD channels (until they shut off MPEG2 SD, of course)

Why not get an H24. A swm8 will work, but that’s too much work and if your doing that might as well upgrade the dish and be done with it.

 

[HoTat2]

Why not get an H24. A swm8 will work, but that’s too much work and if your doing that might as well upgrade the dish and be done with it.

Yeah, that's why I didn't mention slice's course. And was trying to make the transition on the OP's parents as easy as possible and keep what the already have at the campsite.

Yet still get the HD upgrade and be compatible with coming turn-off of the MPEG-2 SD satellite feeds.

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk

 

[dare2be]

Looks like they will wait until after or near the end of the summer camping season. Then they'll have time to get the upgrade in place and work on making sure they can get and test an H24 (whether purchased or leased) at the campsite without risk of affecting their enjoyment during the season.

 

[slice1900]

I brought up the H25 because if they get HD receivers via Directv they can ASK for one of them to be an H24, but Directv considers all H2x equivalent so he might get all H25s anyway. Was just pointing out they can still make that work (yes the SWM8 is one more piece of equipment to worry about but the H25 is smaller than the H24 so would end up using the same amount of storage space in the RV)

 

[texasbrit]

Everybody seems to be ignoring the fact that the RV installation is technically against DirecTV's terms of service. To go from SD to HD, all DirecTV needs to do is upgrade all the receivers to HD as if they were all in one location ( because they are supposed to be). That would not be very good for the customer, but it's perfectly "legal".