DTV is offer another $ 5.00 off each month on the web

First, you usually can't combine offers like that. So, just pick one.

Second, buying the HR34 (which I don't think is even possible) won't save any monthly fees.

I think, perhaps, you're brother needs someone else to help him get set up.

HR34 still costs that $20/month whether you own or lease....that $20 is on any new acct with an HDDVR, I believe it includes HD access, DVR fee, and whole home. Rick, this is not the 1st thread you have posted this erroneous info, and its been pointed out. Please stop spreading misinformation about this subject.

Rickt1962 said:

... I also told him dont lease it to pay off the HR34 he will save another 20.00 a month

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That's not how it works with the $20 fee. Whether you own the receiver or not, you still pay the lease fee.

sigma1914 said:

That's not how it works with the $20 fee. Whether you own the receiver or not, you still pay the lease fee.

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Except Whole Home is not required right? I dont have it but I do have a HR34 with DECA's to all receivers that need them as well as a cinema kit. I dont feel I need whole home when all of my receivers (all 5 of them) are HD DVR's (exception R22 which does HD).

I have confirm with others on here. They own the equipment and dont pay the lease fee. The DVR fee on my pkg i dont pay because it was included if you have the Premier pkg. And the referal rebate is unlimited you can get credit for as many people you can get.

Rickt1962 said:

I have confirm with others on here. They own the equipment and dont pay the lease fee....

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They're wrong. You don't pay the lease on any 2nd receiver...but the 1st, 3rd, 4th etc each cost.

Rickt1962 said:

I have confirm with others on here. They own the equipment and dont pay the lease fee. The DVR fee on my pkg i dont pay because it was included if you have the Premier pkg. And the referal rebate is unlimited you can get credit for as many people you can get.

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Okay to own a HR34 would be alot more then $399 and there is still a mirrioring fee that is the same price as the lease fee. The Free HD in Premier is not something I think everyone gets. I remember reading about this on this site a year ago or so where some where had the package a long time were able to keep it. Just because you have something does not mean someone else can get the same thing. I have Plus HD DVR but that package is grandfathered so I can not just tell someone else to sign up and they can get with I have. I also have DNS feeds but they are grandfathered i as well as I had them before my market launched their locals. You can not even apply for them now.

Rickt1962 said:

I have confirm with others on here. They own the equipment and dont pay the lease fee. The DVR fee on my pkg i dont pay because it was included if you have the Premier pkg. And the referal rebate is unlimited you can get credit for as many people you can get.

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Every receiver beyond the 1st has a fee, owned or not...only the 1st receiver is included in your programming package. Whether they call it a lease or additional receiver fee, the dollar amount charged per stb is the same. Premiere is an old package that noone can get anymore, but some still have it as grandfathered, so the dvr fee info, which may be true for you and others that have had premiere, is not available to anyone else.

Just got off the phone with Dave. The 5 dollar is good and when he calls in to schedule he can then get the Referal discount at that time ! Yes the DVR fee was free with the premier pkg long time ago. Not anymore even if you own it ! But they will waive the Fee up to a year if you use Auto Bill pay ! Now here is my thinking Buy your equipment anyway. Because then your not trapped with the 2 year contract for the lease. So after the year you can walk or the negotiating can begin and I bet they will extend it again not to lose a customer.

Rickt1962 said:

Just got off the phone with Dave. The 5 dollar is good and when he calls in to schedule he can then get the Referal discount at that time ! Yes the DVR fee was free with the premier pkg long time ago. Not anymore even if you own it ! But they will waive the Fee up to a year if you use Auto Bill pay ! Now here is my thinking Buy your equipment anyway. Because then your not trapped with the 2 year contract for the lease. So after the year you can walk or the negotiating can begin and I bet they will extend it again not to lose a customer.

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I have mostly owned equipment as well but I didnt start out with owned equipment. Im not sure you can just call them and get a free install with owned equipment unless you buy it directly from DirecTV at the time of your install order. It would be expensive for the equipment and there would be no gurantee you wouldnt get refurb HR21's. Others may chime in on this one with more experience in this but all I will say is good luck with it.

Rickt1962 said:

Just got off the phone with Dave. The 5 dollar is good and when he calls in to schedule he can then get the Referal discount at that time ! Yes the DVR fee was free with the premier pkg long time ago. Not anymore even if you own it ! But they will waive the Fee up to a year if you use Auto Bill pay ! Now here is my thinking Buy your equipment anyway. Because then your not trapped with the 2 year contract for the lease. So after the year you can walk or the negotiating can begin and I bet they will extend it again not to lose a customer.

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If the referral was not added at the time of the sale then your brother could be upset in the future.

The credit is a $10 a month credit for the advanced receiver fee which includes HD, DVR, and WHDVR service. If you do not get HD then you will not qualify for that discount so it's not tied to the DVR service.

Buying your equipment is only an option for specific equipment configurations and the cost would negate any potential savings. DIRECTV lost customers last quarter and specifically mentioned it was due to restrictions on retention discounts so maybe that's not a good philosophy to have and your brother should just get what will make him the happiest now.

Shades228 said:

If the referral was not added at the time of the sale then your brother could be upset in the future.

The credit is a $10 a month credit for the advanced receiver fee which includes HD, DVR, and WHDVR service. If you do not get HD then you will not qualify for that discount so it's not tied to the DVR service.

Buying your equipment is only an option for specific equipment configurations and the cost would negate any potential savings. DIRECTV lost customers last quarter and specifically mentioned it was due to restrictions on retention discounts so maybe that's not a good philosophy to have and your brother should just get what will make him the happiest now.

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I agree. Im not sure the install is free if you own the equipment. Then DirecTV would be out alot of money with no commitment.

joshjr said:

I agree. Im not sure the install is free if you own the equipment. Then DirecTV would be out alot of money with no commitment.

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It's not free and can exceed $400 easily. Making your total savings, if you disconnected after the first month $60. Since you would only get a couple of receivers you might be lucky to recoup $250 of that in equipment sales.

Rickt1962 said:

Just got off the phone with Dave. The 5 dollar is good and when he calls in to schedule he can then get the Referal discount at that time ! Yes the DVR fee was free with the premier pkg long time ago. Not anymore even if you own it ! But they will waive the Fee up to a year if you use Auto Bill pay ! Now here is my thinking Buy your equipment anyway. Because then your not trapped with the 2 year contract for the lease. So after the year you can walk or the negotiating can begin and I bet they will extend it again not to lose a customer.

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Part of this is still incorrect....you cannot start new service as a new customer with all owned equipment...new customers are 2 year contracts no matter what.....

Shades228 said:

If the referral was not added at the time of the sale then your brother could be upset in the future.

The credit is a $10 a month credit for the advanced receiver fee which includes HD, DVR, and WHDVR service. If you do not get HD then you will not qualify for that discount so it's not tied to the DVR service.

Buying your equipment is only an option for specific equipment configurations and the cost would negate any potential savings. DIRECTV lost customers last quarter and specifically mentioned it was due to restrictions on retention discounts so maybe that's not a good philosophy to have and your brother should just get what will make him the happiest now.

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Well that is what the DTV CSR said. And when he calls in and they dont honor it he will just cancel it. As for the equipment already have extra owned equipment and Dish. And i have installed many. No biggy. He has plenty of options at his home with Comcast and Verizon. So its not like his cornerd out in the country when others are limited to choice and have to pay silly fee's

Why would you want to "own" the equipment anyway??

usnret said:

Why would you want to "own" the equipment anyway??

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Because you can ! in my case tore mine apart and installed a 2 gig hard drive, Leased you can not do that.

Years ago the price difference was huge with hard drives sizes not anymore. Hard to believe when they brought out the HR34 with 1 tera ! When the 2 tera is virtually the same price !

CCarncross said:

Part of this is still incorrect....you cannot start new service as a new customer with all owned equipment...new customers are 2 year contracts no matter what.....

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Thats the part I was wondering about. I thought you had to pay for the install if you had owned equipment and it was outragous. Either way its not that simple. Might as well just get a great deal to install with a 2 year agreement and then purchase your way to owned equipment. Thats what I have done. Eventually I will own a HR34 as well.

The cost to own the equipment is just too high these day..you need a pretty good reason to own it, and being able to slap a big hdd in it ain't it for me. I have been running 2TB hdds on mine since they became even remotely affordable, and I have never owned one at $100's of dollars more just to be able to install the drive inside, you never recoup your money.