[WalkGood]

I own my DirecTV boxes. I bought it from Best Buy as an existing acct holder. Paid $99 as add-on/2nd receiver when new customers got them for free. My R15-500 blew out last night.

Where/how can I buy a new DVR w/o now having to pay a lease fee?

Can I buy something off eBay or other resellers, and just replace what I have and not have to pay a monthly lease fee? Will DirecTV allow me to do this?

I don't want to call DirecTV and then they tell me that I *MUST* get a lease only from them, just so the rep can get a "sale" from me. I want to know my true options before I buy from anyone.

If DirecTV gave me the machine for free and then charged me a $6.00/month lease fee I'd be okay with that. But they want $99 for SD DVR box or $199 for HD DVR box.... PLUS a lease fee (and HD $10 fee on top of that for HD).

I have the Premier pkg which is already $114.99 per month.

 

[Alebob911]

If you "bought" it at Best buy then you already "LEASED" it. Best Buy never SOLD they just got the LEASE fees. OWNED or LEASED you will still pay the additional 6.00 for each box over 1.

 

[litzdog911]

It doesn't matter if the box is "owned" or "leased". Monthly fee is the same.

 

[dvrblogger]

It doesn't matter if the box is "owned" or "leased". Monthly fee is the same.

Just ask for a "free" upgrade and them what a great customer you are (>:

 

[hilmar2k]

It doesn't matter if the box is "owned" or "leased". Monthly fee is the same.

Yup, it's a lease fee for a leased box or an additional receiver fee for an owned box. Either way, you pay for every receiver after the first one on the account. No getting around it.

 

[joshjr]

If you "bought" it at Best buy then you already "LEASED" it. Best Buy never SOLD they just got the LEASE fees. OWNED or LEASED you will still pay the additional 6.00 for each box over 1.

In this case probably not owned but wouldn't it be possible if we were talking about a HR20 that it could be owned? I know some people who bought them from Wal-Mart back in the day and they were considered owned.

 

[Alebob911]

In this case probably not owned but wouldn't it be possible if we were talking about a HR20 that it could be owned? I know some people who bought them from Wal-Mart back in the day and they were considered owned.

The whole leased thing started March 1 2006. So if any box was purchased prior to that date, then it would be considered owned and anything after March 1 2006 would be a leased receiver and remain property of DIRECTV.

 

[WalkGood]

If you "bought" it at Best buy then you already "LEASED" it. Best Buy never SOLD they just got the LEASE fees. OWNED or LEASED you will still pay the additional 6.00 for each box over 1.

I don't know if it is semantics but I do not have a LEASE fee on my bill for two receivers.

Start End Description Amount
Previous Balance 0.00
12/23 Payment - Thank You - VISA -120.99
Current Charges for Service Period 12/22/11 - 01/21/12

12/22 01/21 PREMIER Monthly 114.99
10/26 01/25 GSN GAME LOUNGE Loyalty Gift: 3 Months Free 0.00
12/22 01/21 DIRECTV DVR Service $7.00/mo Incl Base Pkg 0.00
Fees

12/23 Additional Receiver 6.00

AMOUNT DUE $0.00

 

[Alebob911]

You see that additional receiver fee that says 6.00? That is the same thing that would be charged to you if you have a leased receiver. There is no additional charges just because its leased. Like others have said, Leased or owned its still 6.00 a month.

 

[Alebob911]

Just to clarify, When you pay the Lease fee upgrade that is a one time fee. The monthly fee you are charged is called a "mirroring fee" although they don't call it that anymore. So whether you have a owned receiver or a leased receiver, if its more than just the 1st receiver then you will have that 6.00 charge. It will show as either "Additional Receiver" for owned and "Leased Receiver" for a Directv owned receiver.

 

[The Merg]

I own my DirecTV boxes. I bought it from Best Buy as an existing acct holder. Paid $99 as add-on/2nd receiver when new customers got them for free. My R15-500 blew out last night.

Where/how can I buy a new DVR w/o now having to pay a lease fee?

Can I buy something off eBay or other resellers, and just replace what I have and not have to pay a monthly lease fee? Will DirecTV allow me to do this?

I don't want to call DirecTV and then they tell me that I *MUST* get a lease only from them, just so the rep can get a "sale" from me. I want to know my true options before I buy from anyone.

If DirecTV gave me the machine for free and then charged me a $6.00/month lease fee I'd be okay with that. But they want $99 for SD DVR box or $199 for HD DVR box.... PLUS a lease fee (and HD $10 fee on top of that for HD).

I have the Premier pkg which is already $114.99 per month.

Even though you own the receiver, you might still be able to get a replacement for free. Call up DirecTV and tell them that your receiver failed. If you don't have the Protection Plan, the new receiver will be a lease and you will have a new 2 year commitment. While the policy now is to have those switching from an owned to a leased receiver to pay the up-front lease fee, you might get lucky.

You will need to call as you want to replace a failed receiver and are not adding on an additional/new receiver.

- Merg

 

[bobnielsen]

If you "bought" it at Best buy then you already "LEASED" it. Best Buy never SOLD they just got the LEASE fees. OWNED or LEASED you will still pay the additional 6.00 for each box over 1.

If you bought it prior to March 1, 2006 it is owned but you will still pay the monthly fee.

If a receiver dies, Directv will replace it with an equivalent leased unit for free (no contract though). You may need to pay for shipping.

 

[The Merg]

If you bought it prior to March 1, 2006 it is owned but you will still pay the monthly fee.

If a receiver dies, Directv will replace it with an equivalent leased unit for free (no contract though). You may need to pay for shipping.

That used to be the policy. It is now that in order to replace a defective owned receiver with a leased one that the customer needs to pay the up-front lease fee. It can be waived or reduced though, but that depends on the CSR you are dealing with.

- Merg

 

[WalkGood]

Just to clarify, When you pay the Lease fee upgrade that is a one time fee. The monthly fee you are charged is called a "mirroring fee" although they don't call it that anymore. So whether you have a owned receiver or a leased receiver, if its more than just the 1st receiver then you will have that 6.00 charge. It will show as either "Additional Receiver" for owned and "Leased Receiver" for a Directv owned receiver.

So if I get two new receivers TODAY from DirecTV, I will pay nothing extra for the first box and *just* $6.00 extra for the 2nd box?

I am hoping that they will still waive the $7.00/month DVR fee since I am hopefully "grandfathered" in.

 

[Blurayfan]

So if I get two new receivers TODAY from DirecTV, I will pay nothing extra for the first box and *just* $6.00 extra for the 2nd box?

I am hoping that they will still waive the $7.00/month DVR fee since I am hopefully "grandfathered" in.

If you receive the DVR service FREE when bundled with Premier and are replacing the primary receiver on your account, activate the replacement first and then make that unit the primary or another receiver before deactivating the primary. If it is not the primary receiver being replaced it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[TBlazer07]

The whole leased thing started March 1 2006 when they also went to the lease model. So if any box was purchased prior to that date, then it would be considered owned and anything after March 1 2006 would be a leased receiver and remain property of DIRECTV.

Not quite correct. MDU account type customers owned their "advanced equipment" up until (IIRC) July 2009. There are lots of owned HR20's and at least HR21's (and H's) as well out there. The best place to have got a lot of them was when people moved out of MDU's and either left them and in many cases tossed them in the trash. Even if the customer "leased" them from Best Buy, Costco or wherever, when added to an MDU account they became owned. That was the only upside to mdu folks (oh, they also only got 1 yr agreements not 2 back then). Lots of downsides.

 

[Alebob911]

Not quite correct. MDU account type customers owned their "advanced equipment" up until (IIRC) July 2009. There are lots of owned HR20's and at least HR21's (and H's) as well out there. The best place to have got a lot of them was when people moved out of MDU's and either left them and in many cases tossed them in the trash. Even if the customer "leased" them from Best Buy, Costco or wherever, when added to an MDU account they became owned. That was the only upside to mdu folks (oh, they also only got 1 yr agreements not 2 back then). Lots of downsides.

Well good thing I wasn't referring to a MDU account now was it! I don't believe the OP ever mentioned anything about being an MDU. WTH????

 

[CCarncross]

In this case probably not owned but wouldn't it be possible if we were talking about a HR20 that it could be owned? I know some people who bought them from Wal-Mart back in the day and they were considered owned.

You might mean the H20, not the HR20. The HR20 didnt come out until after the leasing model started early 2006. HR20 was released on fall of 2006, very few were owned(MDU, D* employees etc.) I had an owned H20 that I bought in Jan or Feb or 2006...the leasing started right after I acquired my H20

 

[carl6]

So if I get two new receivers TODAY from DirecTV, I will pay nothing extra for the first box and *just* $6.00 extra for the 2nd box?

For the monthly recurring fee, that is correct. You may or may not have to pay an up-front cost also ($99 to $199).

I am hoping that they will still waive the $7.00/month DVR fee since I am hopefully "grandfathered" in.

If you are not paying it now, you should not have to pay it after the change. As someone else noted, you have to be very careful in how receivers are activated and deactivated on your account. If the primary receiver is deactivated first, then you will lose any grandfathering. Make sure you have a CSR who knows what they are doing when you make any changes.

 

[wingrider01]

That used to be the policy. It is now that in order to replace a defective owned receiver with a leased one that the customer needs to pay the up-front lease fee. It can be waived or reduced though, but that depends on the CSR you are dealing with.

- Merg

As long as you don't have the Protection Plan, just replaced a owned HR20 under the protection plan a couple of weeks ago, got a HR24 in place of it and it is flagged owned, still have the HR20 in the closet.