Free upgrade from TiVo to DTV's dvr

[the_heller]

I got a message last week from Directv about an HD upgrade offer, so I decided to give them a call (as I have a TiVo HDDVR with the MPEG-2 dish). I had been thinking about this for a while, but wasn't willing (yet) to pay for the upgrade.

So I called and the guy tells me it will be a $99 charge (doable) - no, wait, since I have a DVR, it is $199. Ugh.

Then he tells me to hold on and says since I am a qualified long-term customer (or words to that effect) there will be no charge for the new DVR. And no charge for the install. No charge for anything, and no increase in my monthly rate. I just have to give up my TiVo DVR. I made sure that my other two TiVo DVRs (non-HD) would work with the new dish - and the guy assured me they would (they will, right?).

How could I pass that up? They even could install it the next day, but I want to watch some of the stuff I have saved on my current unit, so put it off just for a little bit.

But either way, I'm scheduled up. Hope this DTV HD DVR is at least halfway decent.  But I am looking forward to the soon-to-be 150 channels in HD ...

Anyway, might be something other look into if you've been a DTV subscriber for a while (I've been with them since '99, I think).

Oh, forgot to add, since I owned my TiVo, there is no two-year commitment or anything like that. I'll own this DVR supposedly. (Not that I plan on getting rid of my DTV)

[Bluto]

I'm no expert on this, but:

- I think you get used to, and will eventually come to appreciate, the new HD DVR.  I really like that I could easily add an external hard drive and really bump up my storage.

- If you own your Tivo, you should be able to keep your HD Tivo after they deliver the new HD DVR.  That way, you could keep both active if you wanted to, and watch the saved programs on your Tivo.

- If they let you 'own' the new HD DVR, I'd be very surprised.  I thought D* doesn't do that anymore, unless one is willing to pay a premium for the DVR ($600-ish).  so, confirm that you really own it, if that is important to you.

- Also, confirm the 'no commitment' promise.  I thought any new HD hardware triggered a new two year agreement.



The free HD DVR upgrade is a sweet offer, even if you have to sign on for another two years, IMHO.  Good luck.

[Tom Snyder]

One of the guys here at work just did the same thing, and the install guy told him he had to take the Tivo away with him, or he'd be charged some outrageous amount.  He told the install guy that there was NO way he was going to give up something he owned, and the install guy gave him the song and dance about it not really being owned, that what he paid for it only covered a option of the cost, blah, blah...  But the install guy wasn't allowed to take it.

Sure enough, a bunch of charges showed up on the first bill. He (and his wife) at least an hour on the phone with D* CSR's, and got it escalated, and eventually got the charges removed, but he wasn't happy with what he had to do for that to happen.

[Bebop]

I still have my old Tivo DVR and it's collecting dust. After the installation, they took away a regular receiver instead of the Tivo.

TiVo is basically useless without being activated. But some people will find uses for it.

[the_heller]

Just an update: This whole thing has been a fiasco. The install company didn't have an HD-DVR. New appointment, same result. New appointment, same result (yes twice). The install guy said the install company was just stalling. Efforts to reach the install company - by me AND Directv - have been fruitless (Skylink).

Then a Directv person scoffs at my notion of the free upgrade. Finally he says it must have been done by an outside phone bank. Also, the person who inputted the info didn't have it down as a DVR (despite my asking like three times if he had it as a DVR). So he says he has to forward it to accounting and someone will call me back.

Over a week later ... no call, of course.

In the meantime, I get a letter in the mail from Sunday Ticket ... for a free HD upgrade. Sigh. Here we go again.

[Tom Snyder]

Time to call D*, and make them send you up to customer retention.  That gets you past the front line worker bees and up to the guys who are empowered to make meaningful decisions. They used to have a direct line, but now you have to be sent up the food chain from basic customer support.

When you get there, if you've been a D* subscriber for awhile, ask them how many "hearts" you are so the retention specialist knows that you know their system. People who have been good customers for a real long time have 5 hearts, and if you're a 4 or 5, you'll be in a better position to negotiate. I believe that the number of calls you've had to make also increases your heart level. The higher the hearts number, the more likely you are to have them give in on your demands (if they are reasonable), and work harder to keep your business.  

Of course, if you're a three or less, you're not in as good of a negotiating position, but at least you'll know where you stand.

[vegasvic]

They used to have something called their "A List".  If you were on it and called from your home phone it would automatically route you to a top level CSR.  If you called from another phone once you gave them your account info they would thank you for being an A List customer and route you to the high level CSR.

I don't know if they do that any more.  I haven't been called an A List customer for awhile.  I did pay a couple of bills late (their error) so maybe I got booted off the list

You used to be able to call retention directly but so many people called them that they no longer allow it.  If you call the retention number you have to put in a code to get through.  So you have to start with a regular CSR and ask to speak with retention.  Retention will then give you a code to use if you need to call them back on the issue. The code is good until the issue is resolved.

[bklass]

They called me on July 2nd for the upgrade.  They said it would be free to replace my 10-250 with a new DVR.  I asked for a HR20 since I get so many rain fade outages.  She said she would put it on the work order, but no promises.  They set me up for between 8 AM & noon on July 4th.  The tech called at 8:30 on the 4th and told me he was sick and I should call D to set up a new time.  We set the new appt. for 8 AM to Noon on the 14th.  The tech showed up at 11:45 AM.  He said that they could not give me a HR20, they only had 21's.  I agreed to proceed, he brought in the new box and it's an HR20.  He also left the old 10-250.

[the_heller]

I just talked to someone in customer retention - I really had to battle to get transfered there - and they told me that they basically bought out Skylink and fired all their employees, putting their own people in there.

I have yet another appointment set up for next week. Fun.

Oh, and the person told me I am part of the "legacy" program, which is why my DVR is free and there is no 2-year commitment.

[the_heller]

To finish up - finally - the guy  came today and installed an HD-21 DVR. Phew.

Any suggestions, tips, etc. for those that have one? I did notice that the program guide has been slow to load up, i.e. after about 12-24 hours, most channels show nothing (which stinks because I'm trying to re-set up my Season Passes, or whatever you call them now).

Oh, and he forgot to take my TiVo HD DVR. Will this do me any good, other than now having an extra remove for my other TiVos?

[Bebop]

Sign up for CE and tryout latest beta.

http://www.dbstalk.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=60&f=118

[950ash]

I am finally going to do the free upgrade in little over a week. A called and immediately asked for the retention dept so I don't waste my time going round and round. I told them either I get to use my off-air ant or we can start cancelling it right now. To make a long story short if I get the HR21 They will send me the AM21 add-on for free.

I'll let you know how it goes.

[Bebop]

The new subscribers are fortunate now that SWM is available. All one needed is one cable into the house.

I think I'll get one to tidy up the wires.

[the_heller]

I am finally going to do the free upgrade in little over a week. A called and immediately asked for the retention dept so I don't waste my time going round and round. I told them either I get to use my off-air ant or we can start cancelling it right now. To make a long story short if I get the HR21 They will send me the AM21 add-on for free.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Just an FYI that the installer who came out and finally got me hooked up told me I had the last HR-21 and they had to cancel the rest of their appointments (I can't imagine my rage if I were the one canceled after all the crap I'd been through . Anyway, appears they are in short supply and high demand (might want to do a 8-noon install just in case ...).

[950ash]

Well they showed up with no dish and an extra HD receiver, what do I want with a regular non DVR receiver! They told me thats what the order said so I told them to take it all with them.

Called Dtv got to the retiontion dept and gave them two choices, send me the equipment or cancel me right now. They wanted to talk to Skylink first to see why they didnt get the order right, four hours later Skylink still wont call them back.

Dtv will not let you install but cant control Skylink so I cancelled. :wave:

Tivo has lifetime subscriptions again so I'm going to just off air for a while.