# R15-100 is EOL'd according to DirecTV



## EMT (Sep 27, 2006)

Hi All,

I had just posted a message regarding some of the issues I am experiencing with my R15-100, such as SL's intermittently not recording.

I just called DirecTV's Advanced Technical Support and the rep. informed me that the R15-100 was the "first/pilot" R15 unit that they released. She said that software releases are NOT happening for the R15-100. They are going to send me either an R15-300 or R15-500 unit to replace it. I have no idea why they sent me an R15-100 about 4 weeks ago if it is an EOL'd unit, but that is what I was told.

The key message here is that if you have an R15-100, call DirecTV, ask for Advanced Technical Support, and have them replace your unit with the newer R15-300 or R15-500.

Just thought I would pass this along!

EMT


----------



## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

WHAT!!!!! 

100% incorrect.

R15-100 is the NEWEST hardware for the R15 series.
Built by RCA

It will be updated the same time as the other boxes, when there is an update that is on the top User Level of the system arcitecture.


----------



## whynot83706 (Jul 27, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> WHAT!!!!!
> 
> 100% incorrect.
> 
> ...


So what is difference between 100, 300 and 500?


----------



## ISWIZ (Nov 18, 2005)

Too easy,

400 (problems?)


----------



## mikewolf13 (Jan 31, 2006)

EMT said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I had just posted a message regarding some of the issues I am experiencing with my R15-100, such as SL's intermittently not recording.
> 
> ...


That's ll teach you next time ask for level 6 *"Super-Senior Advanced Technical Expertise Professionals"* and not those silly Advanced Technical Support people...


----------



## EMT (Sep 27, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> WHAT!!!!!
> 
> 100% incorrect.
> 
> ...


I'm not arguing with you Earl - I trust your info more than the rep. So given that, it sounds like she was giving me incorrect information. I should have called her on it when the manufacture date of the unit is late August of this year. :nono2:

Looks like I need to call back...


----------



## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

EMT said:


> I'm not arguing with you Earl - I trust your info more than the rep. So given that, it sounds like she was giving me incorrect information. I should have called her on it when the manufacture date of the unit is late August of this year. :nono2:
> 
> Looks like I need to call back...




As for the differences...
Functionally... no differences between 100, 300, 500

All the differences are on the hardware level.


----------



## Upstream (Jul 4, 2006)

More frustrating than the problems with the R15 is the CSRs who lie.

If it were just a few CSRs who did this, I would think that it is just a problem with a few brain-dead employees. But the problem is so pervasive, that I have to conclude that it is a DTV problem, not a CSR problem.


----------



## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Upstream said:


> More frustrating than the problems with the R15 is the CSRs who lie.
> 
> If it were just a few CSRs who did this, I would think that it is just a problem with a few brain-dead employees. But the problem is so pervasive, that I have to conclude that it is a DTV problem, not a CSR problem.


So you conclude that DirecTV would risk "a lot" by telling their CSRs to lie?

I don't think it is any mystery to anyone that has been around DirecTV, that the information flow inside of DirecTV is very slow... especialy down to the CSR level.

You've never called Dell, Microsoft, Cable-Co's, Dish Network, Sony, heck even been to a Best Buy... and have talked with one of their "reps", that was dead wrong on something.... are they all told to lie as well? Or is that human that you where talking to, just wrong or didn't have the correct information to give...


----------



## EMT (Sep 27, 2006)

Interesting - I just called back and this time I got a tech support rep. that confirmed that the R15-100 *is* the newest model, just like Earl said.

Unfortunately, he told me that my firmware version of 0x1022 is out of date. So we tried forcing a download (as I have done on my own previously), and it simply re-downloaded 0x1022. We also formatted the hard drive (reset everything option) and still no difference.

Then comes the next potentially bad piece of information - the rep told me that they have mostly all 300s and 500s and that they are not officially supporting the 100 yet. I said, how could that be as you just sent me the 100 a few weeks ago?? The rep indicated that it may have been a mistake with the order. I'm not buying it.

In any case, they are sending me a replacement R15 unit, he said it would either be a 300 or a 500 unit. Folks, this is pretty ridiculous.


----------



## Upstream (Jul 4, 2006)

Earl --

I was considering a less inflammatory word than "lie", but at it's essence, CSRs are lying to customers.

I blame DTV, and not the CSRs, because the problem is too pervasive to be CSRs who have a personality which makes them want to lie.

I don't know what DTV is doing to cause so many CSRs to give false information (both outdated and completely invented) to customers. Here are some possibilities, other than DTV telling CSRs to lie:


DTV is not providing CSRs with accurate information.
DTV has created a call center culture in which CSRs are rewarded for getting the customer off the phone or punished for not getting them off the phone, resulting in CSRs just telling the customer anything rather than taking the time to find the correct answer.
DTV is not training their CSRs
DTV's information systems for CSRs are too confusing to allow CSRs to easily find the correct answer.

Oh, and just because other companies have similar problems, it doesn't make it excusible.


----------



## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Upstream said:


> Oh, and just because other companies have similar problems, it doesn't make it excusible.


No it doesn't.. you are correct.


----------



## qwerty (Feb 19, 2006)

Upstream said:


> Earl --
> 
> I was considering a less inflammatory word than "lie", but at it's essence, CSRs are lying to customers.


Being wrong doesn't necessarily constitute lying.


----------



## Upstream (Jul 4, 2006)

qwerty said:


> Being wrong doesn't necessarily constitute lying.


No, but making a false statement and deliberately presenting it as true does constitute lying.


----------



## naijai (Aug 19, 2006)

The R15-100 is the Newest model just released there are no software updates currently for the R15-100 hence it has the latest software on it


----------



## EMT (Sep 27, 2006)

naijai said:


> The R15-100 is the Newest model just released there are no software updates currently for the R15-100 hence it has the latest software on it


Which begs the question, why doesn't it record the SL's that I have setup? There are no conflicts - it just sproradically records sometimes and not others. I held back bashing it until I had it for a few weeks. But it honestly doesn't work for crap. Now they are sending me another one.

They *REALLY* screwed the pooch with this unit based on my own experience and everything I have read here. If I had to rely on it as my primary DVR I would be screwed.


----------



## Sharkie_Fan (Sep 26, 2006)

Having been going round and round with D* on a seperate issue, I have to agree with Upstream to some extent. I don't for a second think there is a directive by D* to give out false information, but I also don't think that it's a handful of CSRs who are doing the misinforming.

I've got a problem with RSN in HD, where the RSN says that D* agreed to give my zip code the signal, but D* says that they cannot because the RSN is only transmitted in HD as part of the HD locals.

I have a number of phone calls as well as a number of emails and every one gives a different answer. General variations on a theme, in some instances. For the most part though, if there is a problem, it's not D*'s problem. In my instance, it must be the fault of MLB or the RSN itself that I'm not receiving the signal.

It wasn't until I got all the way up to a Senior VP that he gave me the answer that RSNs only transmit in HD along with HD locals, at which point the other CSR on the line with us piped in and pointed out that he has confirmation from a half a dozen people in different departments throughout DirecTV that my zip code should be receiving the HD RSN even though I cannot receive HD locals as they're not yet up in my DMA.

All this to say, that while I don't think there is a directive coming down from the top to lie, cheat, and steal from the customer, the lack of proper information to the people who need it ultimately accomplishes just that. In my instance, I'm not particularly interested in having 9 HD channels, or whatever the HD package currently has. I was perfectly happy with my DTivo SD box, but I bit the bullet and upgraded to the brand new box because of the promise of Sharks hockey in HD. So I'm now out the money to upgrade the receiver, plus the extra charges each month for the equipment.

Granted I would have done the deal eventually, but I jumped on this box in order to get Hd hockey. I knew it had problems, but if it did what they said it would I was willing to live with those problems while they iron them out. Instead, I have a box with problems AND I can't get the programming I want, even though I keep getting emails or calls saying "congratulations, you can get your RSN in HD, but ...."

I think that lying would imply an intentional misinformation, which I don't think is the case, but the results end up the same .... unhappy, maybe cheated, customers with a whole load of wrong information.


----------



## qwerty (Feb 19, 2006)

Upstream said:


> No, but making a false statement and deliberately presenting it as true does constitute lying.


Exactly! There's no evidence that that CSR knowingly made a false statement. They may have made an honest mistake.


----------

