The Phone Line (Dum dum duuuuummm)

[DROPmeNthaMIDDLE]

What's deal with the all important phone line, you guys? I had DirecTV reinstalled last week, and there's 3 recievers in my house. None of the rooms had phone lines in them, so the installer just said screw it. He said that I could order PPV through the computer, and that's basically all the phone line was for. I was listening to him say that, and I was like, "Yeah, uh-huh." I'm an old-school on-again off-again loyal DirecTV fanboy up in this house, people. Remember the days of Tanya Memme and that other guy (Not the douche from Animal Planet. The other guy) on the defunct Customer News channel? When nothing else was on, I would watch Customer News and Inside DirecTV (with that crazy woman who scared the sh*t out of poor Ananda Lewis), and I specifically remember Memme tellin' me that if I did not keep that phone line in the wall, my DirecTV world as I know it would come crashing down. And I'm also completely paranoid about getting updates - don't know if that's gonna happen without the line. And I've got Vonage, and I want Caller ID on the TV - and I know that's not gonna happen. Thoughts?

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[Teronzhul]

Updates are downloaded from the satellite and not through the phone line like it says on the directv info channels. The only things the phone line is used for is on screen caller id and ordering ppv from your remote control. You will see no other negative benefits.

 

[DROPmeNthaMIDDLE]

Sweet. Thanks!

 

[Jimbo]

Sweet. Thanks!

Basically the phone line is used so the modem in the receiver can call in when you have purchased a ppv.
When purchasing a ppv the info goes on to the access card and that is how that info get passed on to D*, they cannot read the access card from the sat's yet.
Awhile back the older DVR's use to get updates from the phone line, while other updates came from the sat as well.
The newer receivers no longer are required to have the phone line plugged in, but D* wants to still be able to read the AC for you PPV's

Jimbo

 

[DROPmeNthaMIDDLE]

All the receivers I have are the new D11s. And I think paying for porn is a total waste of money nowadays. So I'm good. I've got a whole closet full of receivers, actually - because I've moved so many times, and they keep giving me new ones with the contract. Even a uber-ghetto Hughes brand one.

 

[tech007]

Well main purpose is keeping track of you remember big brother never sleeps.....But sh-h-hhhhh I didnt tell you that....

 

[chadzx11]

Well main purpose is keeping track of you remember big brother never sleeps.....But sh-h-hhhhh I didnt tell you that....

I know that you are being facetious, but I actually had to disconnect an old lady's primestar because she was convinced that they were keeping tabs on her with that phone line.

 

[DROPmeNthaMIDDLE]

Well main purpose is keeping track of you remember big brother never sleeps.....But sh-h-hhhhh I didnt tell you that....

I find that "What's On" thing that says what everybody's watching, on the News Mix, rather addictive. All everybody ever watches is ESPN, Fox News, and Spongebob. Sheesh. Would it kill you people to watch "Cash in the Attic" on BBC America for 2 seconds? It's something different. And more people watch the Weather Channel than MSNBC. That's kinda funny. Kinda.

 

[paulman182]

My installer installed phone jacks in four rooms for my receivers.

And my first DTV system was purchased from a dealer who thought Tanya Memme owned the company! Really!

She's hosting a show on A&E or HGTV now, by the way. Some kind of house-fix-up-and-sell show.

 

[DROPmeNthaMIDDLE]

And my first DTV system was purchased from a dealer who thought Tanya Memme owned the company! Really!

That would be so awesome. I remember her excitement.

She's hosting a show on A&E or HGTV now, by the way. Some kind of house-fix-up-and-sell show.

Sell This House. A&E. I know. lol.

 

[tech007]

Its hard being a tech trying to explain importance of phone lines. Here is a typical conversation:

Tech: I need to connect all receivers to the phone lines.
Customer: What if we dont do that?
Tech: Then your receivers will go bad because they wont be able to update software.
Customer: Then we have to cancel because I am only using cell phone.
Tech: Oh well no well you see look its fine we can do without phone lines......
Customer: But you said my receivers will go bad......???

 

[tech007]

Cusomer (thinking): You lying sack of sh*t!
Tech (thinking): Now customer thinks I am a lying sack of sh*t!

The truth is DirecTV makes us lie about importance of phone lines. So they can spy of you people. SAY NO TO PHONE LINES!!!!! FREEDOM FROM PHONE LINE!!!!!

 

[Jimbo]

Cusomer (thinking): You lying sack of sh*t!
Tech (thinking): Now customer thinks I am a lying sack of sh*t!

The truth is DirecTV makes us lie about importance of phone lines. So they can spy of you people. SAY NO TO PHONE LINES!!!!! FREEDOM FROM PHONE LINE!!!!!

Can't they get the same info from the sat's ?
Only thing the phone line allows D* to do is to look at the access card via the modem, which use to be the wat they could get purchasing information (PPV's) sent to thier billing office so they can charge you appropriatly.
You don't need the phone line for Guide info ....
What other things is D* doing with the phone line ?
You mentioned spying, is this how they would do the Nelson ratings info ? Seems like a old way of doing things ?
You CAN go into D*s website and turn OFF the ability for D* to collect that type of info....

Jimbo

 

[tech007]

Ok I have a question if anybody knows. Does receiver call in with the card information or does DIrectv call customers number to get info on all receivers on that particular account? Who calls who?

 

[chadzx11]

The truth is DirecTV makes us lie about importance of phone lines.

No they don't. It's the company you work for who is trying to hit a quota to get some performance bonus. To get you to comply, they nail you with a $5 chargeback for not hooking it up. Anybody can google mastec and florida to find out what that's all about.

I think it is BS, but as long as you agree to work with those conditions in your contract, you deserve it.

Why would D* even think about delivering software via the phone lines? Its much more cost effective to deliver it via the satellite. If nothing else, it saves them toll charges on 10 million + phone calls.....


DTV sends out sort of a beacon (sort of like a ping, except it is mad quantities of cam ids), then the recievers that are summoned call in. The ones that don't are called non responders. Those cost you $5 each, if you work for an alphabet soup company (HSP, MSP,RSP) or one of their fulfillment contractors.

 

[chadzx11]

The modem in the receiver does the calling in, generally over night, no perticular pattern though.
D* is able to get all the info it needs from the card in this manner.

Jimbo

AFAIK, the reciever will not call in unless prompted to by seeing its cam id in the data stream. On some models (like my Tivo which has been phone line free for most of this year---over 200 days now), you can force a dial out manually.

 

[Jimbo]

Ok I have a question if anybody knows. Does receiver call in with the card information or does DIrectv call customers number to get info on all receivers on that particular account? Who calls who?

The modem in the receiver does the calling in, generally over night, no perticular pattern though.
D* is able to get all the info it needs from the card in this manner.

Jimbo

 

[Jimbo]

AFAIK, the reciever will not call in unless prompted to by seeing its cam id in the data stream. On some models (like my Tivo which has been phone line free for most of this year---over 200 days now), you can force a dial out manually.

I am not sure about the current receivers, but the old ones use to call in, at least thats what I have been informed of, I went a long time without having one plugged in .... Now that they add the Caller Id feature, I like it so I plug mine in now.

Jimbo

 

[DROPmeNthaMIDDLE]

I heard that's how OJ got caught. He plugged his phone line in.
Or was it the bloody glove? Hmm...

 

[Jimbo]

I heard that's how OJ got caught. He plugged his phone line in.
Or was it the bloody glove? Hmm...

I'm NOT goin there !!!