Upgrade to Genie without Pro Install?

I'd think you'd need to go through a local dealer if you want to avoid a truck roll. That's what I did when we added a HR44.


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Most likely DIRECTV® will require a truck roll. Prob only way is as user blackloz mentions, getting the Genie from a third party dealer like Solid Signal, but this would mean you would pay full lease price.

 

I wa able to have the genie DVR sent to me for a self installation but I already had a SWiM setup. Just give them a call and ask. I said it was easier for me to install myself since I couldn't get off work to be at home for half a day.

 

The problem will be that your customer record does not show SWM installed and the CSRs have no way of changing that on your statement. Therefore the system will not allow a shipment since you dont have a supported environment (according to their system) As previously stated, your only real option is from a third party dealer but even that has become difficult as DirecTV recently set rules that dealers can only sell additional receivers to accounts that they set up.

 

What exactly does that mean? I've never bought anything from any other dealer and I'd guess you're saying that someone such as Weaknees or SS sets the account up for you? How does that work?

Rich

 

What Receiver models do you have now? How old is your current install? They are shipping the genie as a self install only if your service was installed 2 yrs or less as it would be swm already. They will not ship a swm-16 for a self install should you need that. if you have a older install it will require a truck roll to -go over your total System to ensure better service.

You may have the Truck roll fee waived* as well as other stuff depends on your account status -CALL AND ASK!

 

When you first signed up for DirecTV service if you did it through a dealer that dealer can still sell you additional receivers. If you signed up for DirecTV through DirecTV itself then you have to get you receivers from DirecTV and deal with whatever rules about installs and truck rolls that they have. I dont fully understand the rules or the reasoning behind it, this is just how it was explained to me.

 

Thanx, never having gone that route, I really didn't understand. I don't see what the big deal about a truck roll is, I'd rather have that then have a unit sent by mail (or whatever you call it). Of course, it seems like my local contractor has lost all his "Pros" because of the nickel and dime way they pay them. So, I end up showing the guys what I want and we figure out how to do it. If everything goes as it should, they drive away with a little something extra and I get exactly what I want.

Rich

 

I have never had an issue activating a receiver I bought from a dealer (remember it is still leased, not owned). I have activated a commercial receiver I bought after the rule change with no issues, I brought up the commercial part because it is a whole different group of CSRs with different rules so I cant promise residential would be the same but I dont see why not. On eBay be sure it is a reputable dealer, you will find individuals selling their leased receivers that they never returned and DirecTV will not activate those on any account

 

The better deals are often free from DIRECTV. I'd call and see with them before anything else.

 

Commercial accounts work by an entirely different set of rules. For instance, I can buy whatever residential leased receiver off eBay and Directv will activate it on my account no problem. I can even use the old access card if the seller includes that too, or I can use the access card out of one of my other receivers that failed and was recycled.

So don't extrapolate anything you can do on a commercial account to residential. For that matter, I'm sure the rules are different among different commercial account types. Maybe others can't activate leased residential receivers, some can have DVRs on their account which public viewing accounts can't, and so on.

I don't even understand what the rules are. I don't pay anything per receiver, but the commercial agreement says it costs $15/month for each receiver. Am I grandfathered in on some old plan? Did they make a mistake on my account? Or does that $15/month only apply to business/private viewing accounts and not public viewing? Who knows...all I know is I can't call Directv because each CSR gives you a different answer to the same question, and if it turns out it is a billing error I don't want to bring it to their attention!

 

Careful slice...Someone in the dish side said they had talked to Dish about receiving a higher plan than they were paying for, and they got blasted for giving up.

 

Like some others said if you don't have a swim on your account it would force an install. I wouldn't pay 150 off someone on eBay to avoid that.

 

If the person talking to Dish knew for sure they were getting something they shouldn't, that's not the same thing at all. I simply don't know how the billing is supposed to work, and there doesn't seem to be any way to find out for sure.

Even if I called Directv I wouldn't feel like I'm necessarily getting the right answer, since in my experience Directv CSRs seem to use a random answer generator if you ask them a question. Call three times, get three different answers.

If I knew for sure I was getting something I wasn't supposed to be or otherwise being underbilled, I would not be dumb enough to post it on an internet forum.

 

I really should have put a sarcasm tag on my post

 

Yeah. And didn't that guy get jumped on because he was complaining about how he wanted more credits?

 

A link to that sale would be appreciated. I think I posted the number to call if you want to find out if the 44s are owned or leased.

Rich

 

If they're new in box, they'd be leased, but anyone should be able to activate them.

A quick look at eBay finds new in box never activated HR34 buy it now for $99 + $19.95 shipping and new in box never activated HR44 buy it now for $169.95 free shipping.