# DTV supervisor: "we don't want your leased HR10s back anymore, so please keep them"



## kathymoore (Mar 3, 2006)

As much as I love my HD Tivos(three HR10-250 units), I finally gave up and
will be getting three new HR20/21 DVRs installed next week. This is also
partly due to the fact that they offered me a decent price to swap. Only
$99 plus $20 shiping to swap out all three old HR10-250s) The whole
phone conversation took less than 3 minutes.

At the end, I heard the saddest thing... 

I asked if a very nice DTV supervisor whether or not they needed to pick
up the three leased HR10-250 DVRs.... Here is his response:

_
*"we don't want your leased HR10s back anymore, so please keep them...
or throw them away.... they are legacy machines and worth as much as
Beta VCRs in my basement...." *
_

He marked all of them from *"leased"* to *"owned"* status...

Sure, I can still continue to use them as SD DVRs or rip out hard drives
for use in my PCs, or even as nice doorstops.... but it is just sad.... 
End of an era, I guess.... 

(by the way, always keep a record or call back to verify that the rep &
supervisor had done everythign correctly.... I called back an hour later
and spoke to another rep just to verify everything, including price and
stuff)


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## Poochie (Jun 8, 2004)

What about owned units? I just called to make the switch from my owned HR10-250 to the HR20-700, and at the end just as I was placing my order, I was told that this was a swap-out, and so I said that I would have to call back. Are they really doing swap-outs? What's the point?


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## Canis Lupus (Oct 16, 2006)

They can't swap out anything they don't own, unless they are upgrading you for free I would think. Did you get a deal on the new box? 

Even so, I'll bet they still won't ask for it back when the installation happens. Just IMO.


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## Poochie (Jun 8, 2004)

This was going to be an upgrade completely free of charge - I called the phone number given in the automated voice messages I received from DirecTV for this purpose.


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## TomMac (Dec 23, 2006)

Poochie said:


> What about owned units? I just called to make the switch from my owned HR10-250 to the HR20-700, and at the end just as I was placing my order, I was told that this was a swap-out, and so I said that I would have to call back. Are they really doing swap-outs? What's the point?


They tried the same crap with me. After a few email exchanges D* said that is an owned box we do not want it, it is yours keep it.

:nono2:


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## Danb (Dec 13, 2007)

I could use another HR10-250, if you're just going to get rid of them...


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## TreyS (Aug 22, 2006)

I could use one as well, they are great ATSC OTA only receivers for the older HDTVs.


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## Poochie (Jun 8, 2004)

I called back and spoke with a supervisor who said that the free upgrade requires either a swap-out or a hook-up of the HR10 to another TV resulting in an additional DVR fee. I asked her what DirecTV would do with the discontinued DirecTiVos, and she said she didn't know, and she said that it's really between the customer and the installer, as DirecTV would not be sending a return mailer box. I went ahead and made an appointment for the installer to come next week; I'll call them directly to state that I need an HR20 and not an HR21, and I'll tell them that I want to keep my HR10 for emergencies.


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## SDizzle (Jan 1, 2007)

Poochie said:


> I called back and spoke with a supervisor who said that the free upgrade requires either a swap-out or a hook-up of the HR10 to another TV resulting in an additional DVR fee. I asked her what DirecTV would do with the discontinued DirecTiVos, and she said she didn't know, and she said that it's really between the customer and the installer, as DirecTV would not be sending a return mailer box. I went ahead and made an appointment for the installer to come next week; I'll call them directly to state that I need an HR20 and not an HR21, and I'll tell them that I want to keep my HR10 for emergencies.


That response seems incorrect, as there will not be another DVR fee, D* only charges that fee once per account, not per DVR.


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## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

Poochie said:


> I called back and spoke with a supervisor who said that the free upgrade requires either a swap-out or a hook-up of the HR10 to another TV resulting in an additional DVR fee. I asked her what DirecTV would do with the discontinued DirecTiVos, and she said she didn't know, and she said that it's really between the customer and the installer, as DirecTV would not be sending a return mailer box. I went ahead and made an appointment for the installer to come next week; I'll call them directly to state that I need an HR20 and not an HR21, and I'll tell them that I want to keep my HR10 for emergencies.


Sorry to say, but I seriously doubt you will get an HR20, unless you luck out and find one at Best Buy, CC or Costco. D* will not guarantee which you will get.


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## Poochie (Jun 8, 2004)

I will make clear to the installers that if they have only an HR21 then they should not come as it will be a wasted trip.


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## SDizzle (Jan 1, 2007)

Poochie said:


> I will make clear to the installers that if they have only an HR21 then they should not come as it will be a wasted trip.


That's your best option. Don't let them install the HR21, as many around here have had a hard time getting D* to replace it with an HR20......many have been unsuccessful, in fact.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

(mod hat on)

Discussions of selling or trading equipment are not allowed in this forum. If you're a DBSTalk Club member, there is a forum for that. 

(mod hat off)

Hey, if they don't see the value in them and don't want them back... you win out!


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## minorthr (Mar 18, 2003)

I had my Hr10-250 "swapped out", three months later I reactivated it to use as an SD DVR for all of my kids shows.


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## kathymoore (Mar 3, 2006)

minorthr said:


> I had my Hr10-250 "swapped out", three months later I reactivated it to use as an SD DVR for all of my kids shows.


That's what I'm planning to do with my old HR10 as well. It can record 650
hours of SD stuff, so it's still very useful.


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## captain_video (Nov 22, 2005)

DirecTV has no use for the HR10-250's, which is why they don't want them back. If you call and report a problem with a leased HDTivo then you'll end up getting an HR20 or HR21 as a replacement since they no longer stock refurbed HR10's. DTV still has to pay royalties to Tivo for any Tivo-based DVRs still active on DTV accounts. They would rather see all Tivos replaced with DTV DVRs so they don't have to share in the DVR fees they collect. That's the whole rationale behind the development of the R15 and the HR20 and the original split with Tivo.


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## Poochie (Jun 8, 2004)

After my calling DirecTV and the installer an insane number of times, and with some luck, the installer brought an HR20-100 yesterday, and did not attempt to take the HR10-250 with them.

I told the installer that I had wanted the HR20 in order to be able to watch the CW network in HD using my antenna. He said that I can get an HD feed of CW through DirecTV. I couldn't believe this, after all of my aggravation about getting an HR20 vs. an HR21. But sure enough when he hooked it up, I saw that I get CW in HD without using my antenna. Is this just an L.A. thing? DirecTV's site only lists ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX as their HD locals, and a CSR had confirmed this as well.


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## mocarob (Jul 27, 2007)

kathymoore said:


> That's what I'm planning to do with my old HR10 as well. It can record 650
> hours of SD stuff, so it's still very useful.


My hr10250 still receives and records HD, Just not all of the new stations...
Is that strange?

Whats wrong with an HR21?


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## fullcourt81 (Sep 8, 2005)

Poochie said:


> After my calling DirecTV and the installer an insane number of times, and with some luck, the installer brought an HR20-100 yesterday, and did not attempt to take the HR10-250 with them.
> 
> I told the installer that I had wanted the HR20 in order to be able to watch the CW network in HD using my antenna. He said that I can get an HD feed of CW through DirecTV. I couldn't believe this, after all of my aggravation about getting an HR20 vs. an HR21. But sure enough when he hooked it up, I saw that I get CW in HD without using my antenna. Is this just an L.A. thing? DirecTV's site only lists ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX as their HD locals, and a CSR had confirmed this as well.


DirecTV has added CH. 5, 9, and 13 to their Los Angeles HD lineup, so you can get by without a HR20 in L.A. There is an advantage to having OTA if DirecTV goes down, but the HR21 is a nice box and runs cooler than the HR20.

Poochie, You should put your location in your profile, it makes it easier to know from whence you are posting.


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

fullcourt81 said:


> DirecTV has added CH. 5, 9, and 13 to their Los Angeles HD lineup, so you can get by without a HR20 in L.A. There is an advantage to having OTA if DirecTV goes down, but the HR21 is a nice box and runs cooler than the HR20.
> 
> Poochie, You should put your location in your profile, it makes it easier to know from whence you are posting.


Are those new LA HD channels up in the 80's (MPEG2) or at their regular channel numbers? If they're not in the 80's channel numbers, then you need a new MPEG4-compatible Receiver/DVR to view them, along with the 5-LNB dish.


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## bikeliot (Jan 14, 2008)

You better be aware that the new HR21 swap out for an HR 10 comes with big drawback as I sadly discovered. The HR21 as you know is a Directv box and not Tivo. Tivo has a proprietary double buffer so that you can watch two shows at once. In other words the toggling feature when you hit the "live tv" button. As I discovered, I lost this functionality on my new HR-21 and it really stinks. Directv gave me no good answers. I just called Tivo and they have no answers. Has anyone been sucessful at receiving the new Directv HD channels with an HR 10?


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## RobertE (Jun 10, 2006)

bikeliot said:


> Has anyone been sucessful at receiving the new Directv HD channels with an HR 10?


It's not going to happen. The hardware needed is not inside the box.


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## fullcourt81 (Sep 8, 2005)

bikeliot said:


> You better be aware that the new HR21 swap out for an HR 10 comes with big drawback as I sadly discovered. The HR21 as you know is a Directv box and not Tivo. Tivo has a proprietary double buffer so that you can watch two shows at once. In other words the toggling feature when you hit the "live tv" button. As I discovered, I lost this functionality on my new HR-21 and it really stinks. Directv gave me no good answers. I just called Tivo and they have no answers. Has anyone been sucessful at receiving the new Directv HD channels with an HR 10?


the current fix for not having DLB is to record both shows you want to watch on the HR21 and then go back and forth between the two.

The new Los Angeles channels are MPEG4 only, where they appear as their channel numbers (5, 9, 13). This is only for the Los Angeles DMA.


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## mocarob (Jul 27, 2007)

My swap out went down on friday. I told him I wanted to keep the HR10 cuz I had too many important programs on it and he said fine, He didn't have to take anything back with him. He setup the HR21, installed a multiswitch and left.
best experience I've had yet.

$0.00


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## skraem (May 29, 2006)

well, got my 2nd HR20-100 on a swap for my old HR10(which i still have and active) for $0, today. Installer only had hr20's no hr21's. it is a new unit- not refurb'd. With any luck maybe I can do this again in a few months.


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## fullcourt81 (Sep 8, 2005)

skraem said:


> well, got my 2nd HR20-100 on a swap for my old HR10(which i still have and active) for $0, today. Installer only had hr20's no hr21's. it is a new unit- not refurb'd. With any luck maybe I can do this again in a few months.


skraem, did you cold call DirecTV, or did they offer to replace your HR10 for the second time?

I called about two weeks after they replaced my HR10 with an HR20, because they left a message on my voice mail. The CSR looked at my account and told me that I had already got my free unit.
I was thinking to call them again, because they seem very motivated to replace all the mpeg2 HD receivers with mpeg4s in Los Angeles.
They really want to get rid of the LA channels in the 80s.


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## skraem (May 29, 2006)

fullcourt81- I had received the email from directv on impending need to upgrade a few weeks before, but ignored it until i saw the scroll notices on the mpeg2 hd channels that they were going away. I then just called them and mentioned the email and they gave me the free replacement offer.


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## fullcourt81 (Sep 8, 2005)

skraem said:


> fullcourt81- I had received the email from directv on impending need to upgrade a few weeks before, but ignored it until i saw the scroll notices on the mpeg2 hd channels that they were going away. I then just called them and mentioned the email and they gave me the free replacement offer.


I don't think that I ever received an email. The phone message had a phone #, which I used, then tossed away. 
Do you still have the phone # that you used? could you post it. thanks.


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## codespy (Mar 30, 2006)

800-763-7722


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## since 2/96 (Feb 7, 2007)

codespy said:


> 800-763-7722


FWIW, the number I was given was 888-763-7772...


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## fullcourt81 (Sep 8, 2005)

since 2/96 said:


> FWIW, the number I was given was 888-763-7772...


gracias!


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## mocarob (Jul 27, 2007)

skraem said:


> well, got my 2nd HR20-100 on a swap for my old HR10(which i still have and active) for $0, today. Installer only had hr20's no hr21's. it is a new unit- not refurb'd. With any luck maybe I can do this again in a few months.


Yeah me too.
Too add details to my previous post - This is my 2nd swap also.
1 hr20-100 and 1-hr21-? and still have my hr10.

My installer only had hr21's. No more hr20's.
I'm in LA and had connect tv do the install.


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## codespy (Mar 30, 2006)

since 2/96 said:


> FWIW, the number I was given was 888-763-7772...


Oops, thanks.

Couldn't read my own scribbling!


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## fullcourt81 (Sep 8, 2005)

skraem said:


> well, got my 2nd HR20-100 on a swap for my old HR10(which i still have and active) for $0, today. Installer only had hr20's no hr21's. it is a new unit- not refurb'd. With any luck maybe I can do this again in a few months.


I tried today to get another HR20 or 21 for my HR10 a second time, but they said $199. Don't really need it right now, but I thought that I would give it a try.


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## mrbarker (Sep 26, 2007)

I just called and got a nice lady who gave it to me for free


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## SockMonkey (Aug 14, 2006)

Just popping in here to say that I had the same thing happen to me. When I upgraded to my HR20-700 back in late 2006, the installer told me DirecTV would be sending me a box to ship the HR10 back... nothing ever arrived. After a year I called and the guy said basically the same thing... keep it. I called a couple months ago again, just to be sure and was told to do what I want with it. 

Bob


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