# My DirecTV HR10-250 to Mpeg4 upgrade nightmare - advice needed



## seanmcgpa (Sep 12, 2006)

Advice needed - I have two HR10-250's in a self install I did years ago.

I live in downtown Philadelphia - "Center City" as well call it. When I originally ordered Directv in 2001, I had two installers come out that basically said :
*
"No way, you'll never get a dish on your roof."
"You'll never get a satellite signal in center city Philly."
"You'll never get an installer to go up there." ... etc etc. *

Directv offered to send me the dish and multiswitch to do a self install - so I try it : I get a ladder off my third floor deck onto my 4th floor roof, mount a dish on my fireplace stack facing the southern sky, and viola! I have Directv. Later I upgrade to a HD dish, OTA Antenna, multiswitch - I did it all myself. I have enjoyed high def Directv for years.

Fast forward to July 2008 : multiple calls from Directv. They are switching to Mpeg4, I need to upgrade.

I schedule an installer who comes out, doesn't even COME inside the house, and says basically the SAME THINGS as they did 7 years ago: *"You'll never get Mpeg4 in center city, you'll never get a dish up there, etc".* I explain I already have Directv, I already have a dish, etc. No joy - he doesn't even apologize - just says he needs to "talk to someone", leaves and never comes back. No calls, no follow ups.



Disgruntled, I call Directv, and the apathetic CSR bascially tells me "tough ****" and now I am furious - I call Comcast, make an appt for their crappy high def boxes. I go up, manually disassemble my dish, cables, multiswitches, and just called Directv to cancel service.

Now they tell me "of course I can get Mp4", but want to charge me for each Mpeg 4 DVR receiver. I *own* two HR10-250's, why would I pay for two leased units? Comcast will bring out two leased units and install the high def for FREE. She offers me some lame freebies, but I don't care about any of that : I shouldn't have to buy equipment that's leased when I am being forced to upgrade from owned equipment.

As far as asking them "how do I get an Mpeg4 dish and equipment if the installers won't install it?" The CSR tries to assure me that every installer can upgrade to the new system.  "Not if they won't even come inside the house."

I am at my wits end with DirecTV, and am unsure what to do next. I called Comcast and put a hold on their installation - so now I have only OTA high def atm until I figure out what to do.

What should I do guys? Give it all up and take up reading? Go with crappy Comcast and wait for FIOS (years away).

I really appreciate some feedback, I am at a loss. Cheers.


----------



## Nicholsen (Aug 18, 2007)

The legacy subforum is pretty inactive. I suggest you repost in the DIRECTV Plus High Definition DVR Discussion.

I suspect you will get a response over there, as most of those people have made the migration you are undertaking.


----------



## K4SMX (May 19, 2007)

Do what you did before. Buy online and install your own Slimline dish. Align it using your HR10-250 on the 101/119. When the installer comes out with your new receivers, which are being upgraded for free for people in your circumstances, tell him the dish is already installed and just hook up the receivers and leave you the extra dish, which you can sell or keep for the spare LNB. Re-peak your dish on the 103(c) (and 99(c)) satellites and you're done.


----------



## drill (Jun 28, 2006)

personally, i wouldn't pay for the new equipment. you shouldn't have to pay for it. they are forcing the change, so you should get them for free. lots of people are getting free upgrades. they swapped mine for free. i also have a friend at work that has an HR10-250. he doesn't even have HD service. they called him up and offered to change his out for free. i would really push for free equipment, or credits over time that make it free.

that said, you have to choose whether you want switch to comcast. it sounds like you really want to stay with directv.


----------



## Kansas Zephyr (Jun 30, 2007)

K4SMX said:


> Do what you did before. Buy online and install your own Slimline dish. Align it using your HR10-250 on the 101/119. When the installer comes out with your new receivers, which are being upgraded for free for people in your circumstances, tell him the dish is already installed and just hook up the receivers and leave you the extra dish, which you can sell or keep for the spare LNB. Re-peak your dish on the 103(c) (and 99(c)) satellites and you're done.


+1

...or tell him to keep the dish.

Then call D* and ask for credits to cover the Slimline purchase...explaining your situation again.


----------



## seanmcgpa (Sep 12, 2006)

Thanks guys.

I did get a couple calls from the office of the President of Directv, and had an installer out here 2 days later. Very tough install, and the guy (Kyle, from DirectSat) worked his hiney off getting everything up and running. 

I now have two of the new HR-21s and am getting signals in the high 90s. Mpeg4 really looks dramatically better on my 70" HDTV, I didn't realize the HR-21's couldn't get OTA signals - so I had to call and make a fuss with Directv, but they eventually relented and sent out two AM21s no cost. Wouldn't need them if Directv had my local PBS in HD (any word on that?)


----------



## K4SMX (May 19, 2007)

Great resolution! BTW, I lived at 37th & Chestnut, just across the "Surekill" River from you back in the 70's.


----------

