# Watching Recorded Shows After Cancelling Service



## smoelheim (Dec 22, 2007)

Hi All...
I signed up for DirecTV Now last week, and now that I've got my TiVo & HD antenna set up to record OTA shows... I'm ready to cut the cord with DirecTV.

The only downside is all of the TV we have recorded so far.

If I cancel my service, will I still be able to watch the recorded shows that we have right now? Or will it disable the box completely? If it matters.. I'm set up with a Genie Whole Home setup right now.

Any information that I've googled so far is years old, so I'd like more info before I actually cancel.

If I have to downgrade service, and/or suspend my account while we wipe out the shows on the DVR, I'm willing to do it... I just want to know what my options are.

Much appreciated!


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

All you have to do is disconnect the coax cable before you deactivate any HR. Then you should get enough time to view your content. 

Rich


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## smoelheim (Dec 22, 2007)

Rich said:


> All you have to do is disconnect the coax cable before you deactivate any HR. Then you should get enough time to view your content.
> 
> Rich


Thanks Rich... but what is "enough time"?
I'm guessing we'll need a month, maybe 2, to completely wipe it out.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

smoelheim said:


> Thanks Rich... but what is "enough time"?
> I'm guessing we'll need a month, maybe 2, to completely wipe it out.


Binge watch what you have because you won't have a month or two.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

DIRECTV gives you 21 days to return the receivers before you get hit with a non return fee. Of course this is assuming that you have receivers that DIRECTV wants to recover. 


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## smoelheim (Dec 22, 2007)

MysteryMan said:


> Binge watch what you have because you won't have a month or two.


Fair enough.

Does anyone know if I will have access to watch already-recorded shows if I suspend the service, and then cancel?


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## longrider (Apr 21, 2007)

Same thing, disconnect the coax before you call in to suspend. While you can suspend for up to 6 months, how long you have to watch varies. Some units will play forever, some will play until a reboot, and some will shutdown after a few weeks with no authorization


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## thyname (May 10, 2015)

Did you sign up for Directv or DirecTV Now?


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

thyname said:


> Did you sign up for Directv or DirecTV Now?
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


I think the first paragraph in the first post contains your answer.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

smoelheim said:


> Thanks Rich... but what is "enough time"?
> I'm guessing we'll need a month, maybe 2, to completely wipe it out.


I can just make comments based on my experience. I haven't had to watch content on a disconnected HR for a long time. I back up everything we might want to watch several times. Since I do that, I don't have the need to watch content on disconnected HRs. I did some experimenting with disconnected HRs years ago (so this might not be relevant now) and was surprised by how long I could access and view content. At the time, it was at least a month.

Rich


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## drpjr (Nov 23, 2007)

I have an original Tivo (HR-10 250?) that I can still access. What about an older HR20. I've got one still in service I'm thinking of retiring. It's filled with Tom Petty/Heartbreakers stuff and that would be nice to play on occasion. I would prefer not to lose something while testing.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

drpjr said:


> I have an original Tivo (HR-10 250?) that I can still access. What about an older HR20. I've got one still in service I'm thinking of retiring. It's filled with Tom Petty/Heartbreakers stuff and that would be nice to play on occasion. I would prefer not to lose something while testing.


I think it varies. Only way to know is to try it.

Rich


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## kkl (Feb 11, 2007)

peds48 said:


> DIRECTV gives you 21 days to return the receivers before you get hit with a non return fee. Of course this is assuming that you have receivers that DIRECTV wants to recover.


That's not my experience from two weeks ago. The DirecTV directions say, "Return your non-working receiver and access card *within 7 days to avoid non-return fees.*" Emphasis NOT added. I was also required to return an HR-24 which I thought they'd stopped retrieving years ago.


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

kkl said:


> That's not my experience from two weeks ago. The DirecTV directions say, "Return your non-working receiver and access card *within 7 days to avoid non-return fees.*" Emphasis NOT added. I was also required to return an HR-24 which I thought they'd stopped retrieving years ago.


Yet another poster recently started a thread here stating he is sitting on a Genie (HR44 IIRC) and a mini or two from a year ago. They never collected it when he canceled and they never billed him. A mistake on their part, but you never know which way DIRECTV is going. If the TS wants to ensure he has time with his DVRs, then he should suspend his account (but disconnect your DVRs prior to suspending). That way he'll have six months to watch his shows.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

kkl said:


> That's not my experience from two weeks ago. The DirecTV directions say, "Return your non-working receiver and access card *within 7 days to avoid non-return fees.*" Emphasis NOT added. I was also required to return an HR-24 which I thought they'd stopped retrieving years ago.


21 days is the "secrete" number. This includes shipping back to them.

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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

trh said:


> Yet another poster recently started a thread here stating he is sitting on a Genie (HR44 IIRC) and a mini or two from a year ago. They never collected it when he canceled and they never billed him. A mistake on their part, but you never know which way DIRECTV is going. If the TS wants to ensure he has time with his DVRs, then he should suspend his account (but disconnect your DVRs prior to suspending). That way he'll have six months to watch his shows.


Not sure they will have up to 6 months to watch their shows. The receiver does not care if the account is in suspension or terminated. If the receiver does not get refreshed my the mothership, eventually it will shut down. At least that is how is supposed to work in theory.

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## dcandmc (Sep 24, 2008)

This thread may be informative:

Suspended service - recordings available?

I suspended service, then cancelled, more than a year-and-a-half ago, and I can still view recordings on my DirecTV DVRs. They have been rebooted numerous times.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

dcandmc said:


> This thread may be informative:
> 
> Suspended service - recordings available?
> 
> I suspended service, then cancelled, more than a year-and-a-half ago, and I can still view recordings on my DirecTV DVRs. They have been rebooted numerous times.


As I posted on that thread, software may have a lot to do as far as how long you have before the receiver shuts down completely.

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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

dcandmc said:


> This thread may be informative:
> 
> Suspended service - recordings available?
> 
> I suspended service, then cancelled, more than a year-and-a-half ago, and I can still view recordings on my DirecTV DVRs. They have been rebooted numerous times.


I'm not surprised. Must be some kind of "super software"? Naw, that makes no sense.

Rich


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## dcandmc (Sep 24, 2008)

peds48 said:


> As I posted on that thread, software may have a lot to do as far as how long you have before the receiver shuts down completely.


Yes, I understand that I'm only one data point. Software "may" be a determining factor in how long a DVR will play recordings after service cancellation. The two receivers that I still have hooked up, an HR20-700 and an HR22-100, were/are both running 0x912. What receiver/software combinations will limit the length of time that recordings can be viewed after service cancellation, and what is that limit?


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

dcandmc said:


> Yes, I understand that I'm only one data point. Software "may" be a determining factor in how long a DVR will play recordings after service cancellation. The two receivers that I still have hooked up, an HR20-700 and an HR22-100, were/are both running 0x912. What receiver/software combinations will limit the length of time that recordings can be viewed after service cancellation, and what is that limit?


DIRECTV could of have changed the time frame that receivers have before it shuts down completely when not connected to the satellite in a more recent software version.

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## dcandmc (Sep 24, 2008)

peds48 said:


> DIRECTV could of have changed the time frame that receivers have before it shuts down completely when not connected to the satellite in a more recent software version.


Sure, they could have. Did they?


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

dcandmc said:


> Sure, they could have. Did they?


Well, only they would know, wouldn't they?

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## dcandmc (Sep 24, 2008)

peds48 said:


> Well, only they would know, wouldn't they?


No. Someone with a different receiver/software combination who cancelled and wanted to watch DVR recordings would know as well. Where's the data on that? What do you have besides speculation and guessing?


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

dcandmc said:


> No. Someone with a different receiver/software combination who cancelled and wanted to watch DVR recordings would know as well. Where's the data on that? What do you have besides speculation and guessing?


Well, in order to test your theory someone must cancel today and report back in a few weeks then months since I am not willing to cancel my service for your amusement.

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## dcandmc (Sep 24, 2008)

peds48 said:


> Well, in order to test your theory someone must cancel today and report back in a few weeks then months since I am not willing to cancel my service for your amusement.


Gotcha. You're speculating and guessing. My experience with an HR20-700 and an HR22-100 running 0x912 is that recordings are available for at least 20 months after cancelling service, as long as the boxes are disconnected from the dish before the cancel order is given. However, you say that "If the receiver does not get refreshed my [sic] the mothership, eventually it will shut down." You say that being able to watch for six months after cancellation is problematic. On what do you base these words of wisdom, which contradict my experience?


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

dcandmc said:


> Gotcha. You're speculating and guessing. My experience with an HR20-700 and an HR22-100 running 0x912 is that recordings are available for at least 20 months after cancelling service, as long as the boxes are disconnected from the dish before the cancel order is given. However, you say that "If the receiver does not get refreshed my [sic] the mothership, eventually it will shut down." You say that being able to watch for six months after cancellation is problematic. On what do you base these words of wisdom, which contradict my experience?


Of course is speculation as no one (besides) DIRECTV has access to the release notes of each software update. Also, it is a fact that for some folks the time has been a lot shorter than yours, it is on this facts that my speculation is based on.

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## dcandmc (Sep 24, 2008)

peds48 said:


> Of course is speculation as no one (besides) DIRECTV has access to the release notes of each software update. Also, it is a fact that for some folks the time has been a lot shorter than yours, it is on this facts that my speculation is based on.


Excellent! Facts are great. What receiver/software combination were these folks running, and how much shorter was their time?


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

There was a point in time where it would last no more than one day. They evidently had a lot of bad feedback from people in an area hit by a hurricane and while everything else was back up people needed their dishes realigned and it was taking a long time so people where not happy about such a short window. Sometime not to long after that it changed. Since then we have seen it reported from several weeks to apparently never on canceled accounts. No one has ever been able to pinpoint any specific time frame on any one combination of boxes and software. It appears randomly long...


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

dcandmc said:


> Excellent! Facts are great. What receiver/software combination were these folks running, and how much shorter was their time?


For that you would need to read the thread archives here.

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## Jodean (Jul 17, 2010)

The genie on our golf cart goes without signal for months at a time, can always access the dvr recordings for a show or demo.


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## dcandmc (Sep 24, 2008)

peds48 said:


> For that you would need to read the thread archives here.


I've done the search; other than my own situation I can't find any mention of specific receiver/software combinations and the amount of time that recorded programs are available after service cancellation. As someone who has suggested that recording availability after cancellation may be software dependent, I thought that you might have some examples to back that up. My bad.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

dcandmc said:


> I've done the search; other than my own situation I can't find any mention of specific receiver/software combinations and the amount of time that recorded programs are available after service cancellation. As someone who has suggested that recording availability after cancellation may be software dependent, I thought that you might have some examples to back that up. My bad.


There is no _*set *_time for any DVR. Searching for something that doesn't exist...

Rich


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

dcandmc said:


> I've done the search; other than my own situation I can't find any mention of specific receiver/software combinations and the amount of time that recorded programs are available after service cancellation. As someone who has suggested that recording availability after cancellation may be software dependent, I thought that you might have some examples to back that up. My bad.


Frankly with the change over on the forum who knows how well search does far back. I do recall a lot of complaints about the one or two days it gave you about 7 years ago or so. It was a while back. It is definitely software controlled. Ever since the change after that it was mostly random. Good luck searching though because frankly search has always been only ok at best here for me for things this difficult. Not even sure what terms would work. Probably storm and DVR and Huston and time. Something in that realm. (I recall someone saying they where in Huston during one of these issues)


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## dcandmc (Sep 24, 2008)

Rich said:


> There is no _*set *_time for any DVR. Searching for something that doesn't exist...


Ok, so what determines how long a program is available to view after service cancellation?


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

dcandmc said:


> Ok, so what determines how long a program is available to view after service cancellation?


Clearly is software. Or are you going to dispute this fact as well?

What is being questioned is whether the software allows a receiver to display the playlist indefinitely upon loosing the connection and authorizations from DIRECTV servers or if DIRECTV has placed some sort of time restrictions when this happens.

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## dcandmc (Sep 24, 2008)

peds48 said:


> Clearly is software. Or are you going to dispute this fact as well?


Excuse me? I'm not saying that software is not the determinant here. I was responding to the post by Rich, saying that there is no "set time for any DVR."

As far as disputing facts: you have none, so it's hard for me to dispute them.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

dcandmc said:


> Ok, so what determines how long a program is available to view after service cancellation?


I dunno and I doubt anyone really knows. This is one of those "YMMV" things. If it was software I'd expect everyone to report the same time frame. How's that for "simple"?

Rich


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Once a receiver is disconnected from the satellite it will stop from getting updates. That means that if DIRECTV allow a month a year ago with software version 1, that could have changed to only slowing a week with software version 3. 


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Rich said:


> I dunno and I doubt anyone really knows. This is one of those "YMMV" things. If it was software I'd expect everyone to report the same time frame. How's that for "simple"?
> 
> Rich


I'm guessing they programmed a random timer of some sort for disconnection that has a minimum time frame of a couple months. That's my guess. May also be partly related to ppv. If it knows there is unreported ppv it may shut down sooner. Who knows. Lots of variables. It may also be that if it's simply left unplugged from power to long it'll be unhappy...


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

inkahauts said:


> I'm guessing they programmed a random timer of some sort for disconnection that has a minimum time frame of a couple months. That's my guess. May also be partly related to ppv. If it knows there is unreported ppv it may shut down sooner. Who knows. Lots of variables. It may also be that if it's simply left unplugged from power to long it'll be unhappy...


Seems really random. I've seen different time frames on same model HRs over the years.

Rich


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