Why do I need a new Access card

[kgm32]

I had an old RCA box die in my basement. I have a D10-200 the neighbor gave me when he switched to Uverse. I went to activate it and DTV says it needs a new access card will cost 20 buck and take a week. Why this makes no sense, I have swapped Access card between an old box of mine and a DTV Tivo box I bought on the internet so the "box and card are married" is just not true. This box has its original Access card or I have the one from the RCA box what technical reason is there for a new access card

 

[Floyd]

I don't think that there is a technical reason for requiring a new access card when a receiver is transferred from one customer to another. I do it all the time with commercial properties, though they won't reauthorize older non-mpeg4 receivers.
The reason they may require a new card is because the original viewing agreement for the old card is with the original owner of that card. Sending you a new card eliminates any possibility of disputes over billing issues such as "who ordered the ppv", or "who is responsible for the old past-due balance". In the past, D* may have found that some users would run up a bill on a receiver and then sell or give it away and start up with a new receiver.

 

[Jimbo]

1. the one from the RCA is MANY generations old along with Floyds response.

 

[Stargazer]

If you have an old receiver then they wont activate it anyways if it owes a balance even if you got a new card for it.

 

[Jimbo]

If you have an old receiver then they wont activate it anyways if it owes a balance even if you got a new card for it.

IF there is no balance, they will activate it as long as it's not the only recvr on the account.

The D10 they will activate as it's not as old as the other one mentioned.

 

[kgm32]

1. the one from the RCA is MANY generations old along with Floyds response.

That may be but I have two others that are from newer boxes that had died over the years along with the card that came with the box (all appear to be the same so its not an age issue)....whatever, I purchased a new one but this is the last box I ever add to DTV. If another receiver dies it will be time to move on. One of the biggest gripes I have with DTV is the lack of stand alone NFL Redzone.....don't want the Sunday ticket and its high price, don't want to commit to another year of DTV to get it like I was offered, just want to pay a monthly fee during football season for it. This IMHO is just a money grab a way to make $20 for nothing. There is no magic marriage between box and receiver or they couldn't swap a new one. Being a database Admin I know it should be nothing more than updating the record in the database for the receiver ID and one of the access cards numbers I have. Going to begin my research of what can and cant be done with the combination over the air antenna and internet box such as Ruko, Tivo, etc or internet ready TV. Got to be cheaper then the $110 I am paying now and I will be in more control of the situation.

 

[harshness]

Most of the inexplicable things that come down from DIRECTV aren't so much technical limitations or necessities as business decisions. Access cards seems very likely a business decision and the motivation probably comes very close to what Floyd suggests about deadbeat accounts.

Other examples of unpopular business decisions relate to the foot-dragging on delivery of the Double Play feature, the oddly limited implementation of EHDs, the comings and goings of the SHEF protocol and the odd duck that is the nomad with its quirky "licensing" scheme and 30 day expiry.

 

[raoul5788]

Why does a Dish customer come to the Directv forum to whine about their perceived faults of Directv when Dish has just as many issues? Do any of us go to the Dish forum and complain about what we don't like about Dish?

 

[Mr Tony]

because he thinks if he uses more words people wont think its trolling

 

[Rey]

please let's stay on the topic of this thread. thank you.