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Official: HR34 pricing as of 2/9/2012

248K views 1K replies 353 participants last post by  Stuart Sweet 
#1 ·
Since a lot of people have been experiencing confusing from DIRECTV CSRs today, here is the official word on HR34 pricing from someone who really knows.

  • The HR34 box is $399 and is available starting today for existing customers
  • There is a $300 rebate for NEW customers only.
  • Select customers may be eligible for a lower price. This varies depending on your history with DIRECTV.

There is no rebate program for existing customers.
 
#427 ·
I guess my biggest obstacle is that I have more tuners (6), about same storage space (320GB * 3), and potentially 150 series links (50 * 3) by having the 3 DVRs.

Already have MVR and all the DVRs networked, and never have an issue getting something to record on-demand (there is always a tuner or two open somewhere). I love the idea of the HR34, but right now I guess I just dont see a huge advantage coming from a fully networked 3 DVR household.
 
#428 ·
Yeah there is such a thing as overkill... but I like knowing that I will never run out of options or space. For my entire home I now have a total of 3.5TB of storage (that's 5,600 SD 30 minute shows), 11 tuners, and a total 250 series links available. I could record programming 24 hours a day on all 11 tuners and it would still take me close to 2 full weeks before I run out of space!
 
#429 ·
Bartman94 said:
Yeah there is such a thing as overkill... but I like knowing that I will never run out of options or space. For my entire home I now have a total of 3.5TB of storage (that's 5,600 SD 30 minute shows), 11 tuners, and a total 250 series links available. I could record programming 24 hours a day on all 11 tuners and it would still take me close to 2 full weeks before I run out of space!
Holy crap Batman! That's a lot of tv!! haha :lol:
 
#431 ·
alirelan720 said:
Holy crap Batman! That's a lot of tv!! haha :lol:
That's nothing. Once my HR34 gets installed I'll have 15 tuners that can record, 3 more on plain receivers. And each of my DVRs will have 2TB of space equaling 12TB of space. And I'm sure I don't have the most tuners or space, not by a long shot.

Oh, and I'm the only one who lives here. :D
 
#432 ·
Holy cow - the amount of incorrect information in here is staggering. Let me clarify a lot of this for you all (and let me say only that I know all of this because I work with this type of thing every day - infer from that what you will).

WHAT CAN AN HR34 DO? It has 5 built-in tuners to allow simultaneous recording of up to 5 different channels (and download DirecTV On Demand titles at the same time, too). It is fully Whole-Home compatible and SWiM compatible. It has a built-in DECA, which you need in order to support Whole-Home. It can stream recordings to 3 compatible receivers in a Whole-Home configuration. It had picture-in-picture. It can support up to 8 RVU clients, which do not require Set Top Boxes but a Broadband DECA instead. Currently Samsung 6000 series are the only TV's which support this feature.

Also note: while the HR-34 obviously performs DVR functions, DirecTV does not call it an HD-DVR. Rather, they call it the HMC, which is short for Home Media Center.

WHAT WILL AN HR-34 NOT DO? An HR-34 is NOT a wireless device! It has no built-in wireless technologies at all. This is being confused with the RVU clients (Samsung 6000 series TVs which still require a coax connection with Broadband DECA to function).

You do NOT need a CCK (wireless or otherwise) in order for the HR-34 to operate. It works flawlessly on it's own with no broadband support.

Existing customers may well in fact get a discounted upgrade. Understand a few things, though.

1) DirecTV is a business, not a charity. It rewards good, loyal customers with discounted upgrades once per year. This is not unlike your cell-phone carrier, who provides you with a discounted phone, but with most you have to wait every TWO years.
2) I want to emphasize that "once a year" point again. If you upgraded within the past 12 months (any upgrade at all - added another receiver, added HD service, ordered a NOMAD), you used up your discount and will likely have to pay full price for any other upgrades/additions until 12 months have passed from your last upgrade.
3) Having the Protection Plan is to protect you from being charged in the event of equipment malfunction/damage/dish re-alignment. It is NOT a program for discounted upgrades.
4) The HR-34 is a new product, and as with anything new, there is likely going to be a demand that exceeds the supply. Don't get angry at the technician that gives you the bad news about how the warehouse doesn't have any (and guess what: it's not the warehouse's fault either).

I hope this helps!

And one last thing... If I could ask one thing of some posters here, it would be to not post guesses or what you 'think' is going on. Take the time to read through some of these forums since there are a lot of very knowledgeable people on here. Also, take the time to call DirecTV and ask the right questions in a calm, polite manner. You'd be shocked how many times you'll get the exact answer you're looking for if you calm down and take the time to do a little research before jumping to conclusions.
 
#433 ·
Skiman,

In item 1, the HR34 is not like the cell phone. You own the cell phone provided at a "discount" price. You just pay shipping on the HR34. You have no equity in it at all.
 
#434 ·
After reading over this thread for the last couple of days, it suddenly occurred to me that adding the HR-34 might overload my SWM. I currently have two HD-DVR's, two HD receivers and one DVR. I'm set up for Whole Home except for the one older DVR. Can I just replace one of the current HD-DVR's with the HR-34 without having to have the SWM upgraded from an 8 to a 16?

thanks,
David
 
#435 ·
dwneylonsr said:
After reading over this thread for the last couple of days, it suddenly occurred to me that adding the HR-34 might overload my SWM. I currently have two HD-DVR's, two HD receivers and one DVR. I'm set up for Whole Home except for the one older DVR. Can I just replace one of the current HD-DVR's with the HR-34 without having to have the SWM upgraded from an 8 to a 16?

thanks,
David
No. Right now you have 8 tuners. 4 for the HD DVR's, 2 for the SD DVR and 2 for the receivers. If you take out one the the HD DVR's (which I wouldn't do I'd get rid of the SD DVR even if it's connected to a SD set) you gain back 2 tuners but you'll add 5 so you'll actually be in the hole 3. You'd end up with 11.
 
#436 ·
Skiman said:
Holy cow - the amount of incorrect information in here is staggering. Let me clarify a lot of this for you all (and let me say only that I know all of this because I work with this type of thing every day - infer from that what you will).
2) I want to emphasize that "once a year" point again. If you upgraded within the past 12 months (any upgrade at all - added another receiver, added HD service, ordered a NOMAD), you used up your discount and will likely have to pay full price for any other upgrades/additions until 12 months have passed from your last upgrade.
Fortunately for us, this 12 month upgrade policy isn't very well enforced. I got a new HD DVR in Nov 2010. $19.95 for shipping. In July 2011 I upgraded to MRV plus added 1 HDDVR and 1 HD receiver (plus swapped out one SD DVR with an R16), one AN21 and Red Zone Channel. All free. Two weeks after my order I decided I didn't like the R16 (no MRV) and ordered another HD DVR. $19.95 for shipping. So for me, that was 3 "free" upgrades in 9 months. You may be giving us the rules/policies, but this is what is actually happening.
 
#437 ·
alirelan720 said:
Because everyone expects something for nothing now-a-days.
Or it could just be that I was very straight forward with thim. This is what I want, and this is why.

I was very friendly with DTV and told them flat out exactly what I wanted.

Me - "I know you spend day after day listening to subscribers on the phone act like terrorists... GIVE ME THIS OR ELSE!... This isn't one of those calls. We love DTV, have been with you since 2006 and are under contract until June. I've heard that you have HMCs available to long time subscribers for $99 and would like to setup installation of one at that price."

CSR - "Mr Ricendice please hold on for just a minute... Mr Ricendice when would be a good time for installation?"
 
#438 ·
DTV like any business wants to retain it's good and loyal customers. Anything I've asked them for within reason over the last 15 years that I've been a customer has been taken care of; often they even give me more than I ask for or even offer things without me asking about them, without me mentioning them, or without me even knowing of their existence. These are just a few of the reasons why I never intend on leaving or switching providers. DTV consistently stays ahead of their competition in my opinion with technology, services, etc. And even though there may be some frustration at times I have never had an issue go unresolved.
 
#439 ·
ricendice said:
Or it could just be that I was very straight forward with thim. This is what I want, and this is why.

I was very friendly with DTV and told them flat out exactly what I wanted.

Me - "I know you spend day after day listening to subscribers on the phone act like terrorists... GIVE ME THIS OR ELSE!... This isn't one of those calls. We love DTV, have been with you since 2006 and are under contract until June. I've heard that you have HMCs available to long time subscribers for $99 and would like to setup installation of one at that price."

CSR - "Mr Ricendice please hold on for just a minute... Mr Ricendice when would be a good time for installation?"
I like the terrorist reference.

My method was actually even softer. I let them come back to me with a price, which was the $99 price. Things only went wonky when she insisted I had to agree to an additional $6 / month charge on my bill (after we both agreed I'd return a DVR I had, so this was a 1-for-1 swap and there'd be no additional boxes in total).

I still avoided the usual hyperbole, asked for her to get someone else, and when she insisted she couldn't, I explained to her I was terminating the call.
 
#440 ·
ricendice said:
Or it could just be that I was very straight forward with thim. This is what I want, and this is why.

I was very friendly with DTV and told them flat out exactly what I wanted.

Me - "I know you spend day after day listening to subscribers on the phone act like terrorists... GIVE ME THIS OR ELSE!... This isn't one of those calls. We love DTV, have been with you since 2006 and are under contract until June. I've heard that you have HMCs available to long time subscribers for $99 and would like to setup installation of one at that price."

CSR - "Mr Ricendice please hold on for just a minute... Mr Ricendice when would be a good time for installation?"
I have called 3x and only thing they offer'd me is $450 for CCK + HR34 :(
Loyal customer since 2001
Not under contract.
May have to try later.
 
#441 ·
I have made 3 attempts to see what deal I can get on getting an HR34 and an HD DVR to replace my existing equipment (3 SAT-T60's) I have 2 T60's in the Living room and one in the office. I would like to replace the 2 T60's in the living room with 1 HR34 and replace the one T60 in the office with an HD DVR. I would like an HR24 but I know that they can not tell me what model I will get so I just referred to it ad an HD DVR.

The first call on 2/10 I was told $624.67+tax for the equipment and an additional $43 a month. I said no thank you. (I don't know where the guy came up with those numbers, he did say the HR34 was $199, I think his calculator was broken. The Second call was on 2/11 I tried to see what just the HR34 would cost, the HR34 was at $199 again but had some $6 HMC monthly fee plus other fees for install and shipping, I could tell that I was not going to get anywhere with this person and gave up and said no thank you. The third call was 2/14 I got a price of $398+tax ( $199 for the HR34, $100 for the HD DVR and $99 for the CCK) and $10/month for HD, I said I did not want the CCK but was told that the HR34 required the CCK or whole home, I said then I will take the whole home, she said that that would cost more. I thought the whole home was $3 month, she said the installation fee was $199 for whole home. I gave up. I was very nice on all three calls, I asked if they could do anything to get the price down but they would not.

I have been with D* since 1997 and prior to this month I have not called them for anything in several years, I own all of my equipment, I purchased and installed it all myself.

I expect I will try again but it's looking to me like I will stay with the D* equipment that I have. I considered upgrading to HD back when the HR24 came out but after reading that D* would not commit to providing a specific model I decided not to bother. I guess HD is not that important to me. I do have basic cable so I get some HD channels via the QAM tuner in the TV I just can't record them and I have to deal with their strange channel numbers where ABC and Fox are both channel 1-2.
 
#442 ·
"ovityons" said:
. The Second call was on 2/11 I tried to see what just the HR34 would cost, the HR34 was at $199 again but had some $6 HMC monthly fee plus other fees for install and shipping, I could tell that I was not going to get anywhere with this person and gave up and said no thank you. The third call was 2/14 I got a price of $398+tax ( $199 for the HR34, $100 for the HD DVR and $99 for the CCK) and $10/month for HD, I said I did not want the CCK but was told that the HR34 required the CCK or whole home, I said then I will take the whole home, she said that that would cost more. I thought the whole home was $3 month, she said the installation fee was $199 for whole home. I gave up.
The $6 monthly fee is the same for any box that isn't your primary receiver. Its the same for an H21, HR21 or Hr34, etc. HD access can be waived with autopay, whole home is $3 per account.
 
#443 ·
dpeters11 said:
The $6 monthly fee is the same for any box that isn't your primary receiver. Its the same for an H21, HR21 or Hr34, etc. HD access can be waived with autopay, whole home is $3 per account.
I just got a call back from DTV - then they hung up on me :(

I am on autopay and still can't get "HD access waived" - I am missing out on all the deals.
 
#444 ·
dpeters11 said:
The $6 monthly fee is the same for any box that isn't your primary receiver. Its the same for an H21, HR21 or Hr34, etc. HD access can be waived with autopay, whole home is $3 per account.
Thanks I understand the additional receiver fees but the HR34 would be my primary receiver, I would be going from 3 receivers on my account to 2 receivers so I should be saving $6/month not spending an additional $6/month. When I asked for clarification she referred to it as an HMC fee not an additional receiver fee. I was not offered autopay to waive the HD fee on any of the calls.
 
#445 ·
I made my 4th call today trying to upgrade to HD including the HR34 and this time I got the right person, she offered the HMC for $199, the HD DVR, CCK, Install and shipping all free, she even waved the tax. Total cost for HR34 and HD DVR installed was $199 she said that I am eligible for the HD fee waived if I sign up for auto pay, she said that I need to do that after the HD is activated on my account. I thought that to be a very reasonable deal so I agreed. Installation is Friday! :grin:
 
#447 ·
I have confirmed that there is no DECA nor CCK required for the HR34 to connect to the internet or to be Whole-Home compatible. The DECA is already built in and the HR34 does all the bridging internally. My HR34 only has the coax cable going into it directly from the dish, an ethernet cable going directly to my router, an HDMI cable going to my A/V receiver, an eSata cable going to my 2TB external hard drive, and the power cord going to an electrical outlet. All of my On Demand, DirecTV Cinema, DirecTV2PC, Active channel, apps, and Whole-Home connections work flawlessly. I can operate and view all the playlists and programming from my other 3 HR2x's throughout the house on my HR34 and I can see the HR34's playlist and programming on all 3 HR2x's as well... all with only an ethernet cable plugged directly from my HR34 into my router. the HR34 rocks and is by far my favorite DVR of all time!
 
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