# Returning access cards



## cableguy902 (Jan 10, 2011)

Cancelled Directv, was told by CSR that all my receivers are owned. For some reason he also told me to send back my access cards.......... long pause......

Does it mean I don't own useless access cards? What's the point of returning useless items? I physically own 6 receivers (including 2 tivos), plus numerous basic receivers that have been long time buried and rotten at the bottom of the local dump. Anyways I physically have 6 access cards but was told to return 3, I guess because those were active on the account last. Last but not least I received a prepaid enveloped with spots for 2 access cards. Can somebody help me solve this directv puzzle? Which access cards should I return? Should it matter? Should I call them back? :lol::nono2:


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## matt (Jan 12, 2010)

Send them back the ones they ask for. They check them for PPV that hasn't called home yet so they make sure to bill you for everything. I have shut off several receivers and never sent a card back. ACDT told me to throw them away.


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## cableguy902 (Jan 10, 2011)

ok I guess I will just send them all 3 in this envelope them


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## cableguy902 (Jan 10, 2011)

ops just noticed it says insert up to 6 access cards


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## klambert (Feb 8, 2008)

I had 2 DirecTIVOs and 1 HD DVR. The CSR told us we'd have to return all three, but instead I got one box with a label for the HD DVR and an envelope to return the extra access cards. Though unlike the HD DVR, it was just a generic mailing without any specifics. Just "put any access cards you have in here."


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## Elephanthead (Feb 3, 2007)

So what is the fee for not returning an access card?


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

Elephanthead said:


> So what is the fee for not returning an access card?





DIRECTV Service Agreement said:


> (2) _Up to $300 Access Card Replacement Fee,_ if you lose or fail to return your Access Card (a partial credit may be posted to your account if the Access Card is later returned). If you request overnight delivery of a replacement Access Card, a shipping and handling fee of up to $16.50 applies.


Now it clearly says up to so that seems to imply that they charge different amounts based on situations.


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## tuff bob (Mar 5, 2007)

It seems to be a new policy - i replaced a Tivo receiver with an HR22 and was looking through the instructions for the remote programming codes and an envelope fell out asking for the return of the previous access card - long past the 7 day limit that was implied.

Nothing seemed to come of it though, in terms of fees.

The CSRs need to be trained on it, when I activated the HR22 there was no mention of the fact that the card had to be returned!


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

tuff bob said:


> It seems to be a new policy - i replaced a Tivo receiver with an HR22 and was looking through the instructions for the remote programming codes and an envelope fell out asking for the return of the previous access card - long past the 7 day limit that was implied.
> 
> Nothing seemed to come of it though, in terms of fees.
> 
> The CSRs need to be trained on it, when I activated the HR22 there was no mention of the fact that the card had to be returned!


Not a new policy but I believe it's being newly enforced. That line has been in the service agreement for atleast 11 years.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

I have all kinds of access cards in legacy owned equipment-some of which I reactivated on my account with the same card that had been offline for a few years.

Perhaps they only want the cards back when you CANCEL DirecTV which sucks because if you ever re-subscribe and decide to add your owned receivers back it will cost you $20 per receiver for new cards...


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## cableguy902 (Jan 10, 2011)

ThomasM said:


> I have all kinds of access cards in legacy owned equipment-some of which I reactivated on my account with the same card that had been offline for a few years.
> 
> Perhaps they only want the cards back when you CANCEL DirecTV which sucks because if you ever re-subscribe and decide to add your owned receivers back it will cost you $20 per receiver for new cards...


This is just another way to make money. Nothing else. They call it "intellectual property".


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## johns70 (May 2, 2010)

It kills me that DIRECTV claims to own the access cards but charges me $20 "shipping"  for a new one to use in an old owned deactivated receiver I got from my parents.


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## quizzer (Aug 29, 2006)

cableguy902 said:


> Cancelled Directv, was told by CSR that all my receivers are owned. For some reason he also told me to send back my access cards.......... long pause......
> 
> Does it mean I don't own useless access cards? What's the point of returning useless items? I physically own 6 receivers (including 2 tivos), plus numerous basic receivers that have been long time buried and rotten at the bottom of the local dump. Anyways I physically have 6 access cards but was told to return 3, I guess because those were active on the account last. Last but not least I received a prepaid enveloped with spots for 2 access cards. Can somebody help me solve this directv puzzle? Which access cards should I return? Should it matter? Should I call them back? :lol::nono2:


How long did it take for you to get the pre paid envelop after cancellation?


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

cableguy902 said:


> This is just another way to make money. Nothing else. They call it "intellectual property".


The access card is a key component to their security. I can understand them being a bit paranoid about them, plus making sure there are no charges pending on the card.

Besides, they ship them FedEx right? I believe FedEx doesn't do things in ounces, minimum charge is for a pound.


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## Joe C (Mar 3, 2005)

dpeters11 said:


> plus making sure there are no charges pending on the card.


I would put mine in the microwave for 10 seconds before sending them back..


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## Wisegoat (Aug 17, 2006)

I remember back in the HU card days when you could get a couple hundred bucks apiece for them. People used to sell trashed, non-working recievers on ebay, just cause people wanted the cards. Those days are long since over and they are now pretty much worthless. I know that DirecTV doesn't reuse access cards, so I wonder why they really want them back? I have 8 post HU era cards sitting in my drawer, but can't do anything with them. I tried using them for a smart card project a while ago, but cannot write anything to them. Whatever DirecTV has done with them, no card reader I have found can do anything except read the number off of them (and even that was a PITA). 

No, I wasn't trying to hack the system, just trying to use them for secure access to my domain, replacing the secure sign-on process in Windows (replacing entering a password at the CTRL-ALT-DEL screen). Can't get them to do anything.


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## matt (Jan 12, 2010)

Wisegoat said:


> I know that DirecTV doesn't reuse access cards, so I wonder why they really want them back?


Sorry, but that's not correct. Even the kitted cards that come from El Segundo or with a new IRD are sometimes re-used.

I got a replacement receiver the other day and it had an obviously used, old graphic, _sealed_ access card in the box.

AND

I spent a long time on the phone with the access card distribution team tonight about using the cards that come with receivers for different receivers than what they came with. They told me that sometimes the cards get re-used, and that even though they are sealed, they can have a history on them. He had to check all the cards I had, even though they were sealed.


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## drpjr (Nov 23, 2007)

matt said:


> Sorry, but that's not correct. Even the kitted cards that come from El Segundo or with a new IRD are sometimes re-used.
> 
> I got a replacement receiver the other day and it had an obviously used, old graphic, _sealed_ access card in the box......


IIRC isn't there a color code in the wrapper color for new and used cards? Something like yellow for new cards and green for used. Maybe white is in the mix.:shrug:


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## matt (Jan 12, 2010)

Hey, you're right. The new card I just used today was white, as were some other new ones I had, and the receiver that came with a used card I had left it's wrapper on the entertainment center... it's green!


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

Joe C said:


> I would put mine in the microwave for 10 seconds before sending them back..


Might want to look at the up to charge before you intentionally destroy something you don't own.


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