[PHL]

I've noticed that many recordings on one of my DVR's has skipping issues. It happens whether I watch over Whole House or at that particular TV.

If I call to get it repaired/replaced, does the new DVR trigger a new commitment? I've been out of contract for about 3 months now, and I'm trying to save my bargaining chips until I'm ready to pull the trigger on an HR-34.

 

[veryoldschool]

Replacing a defective receiver doesn't trigger a new commitment.
Adding another leased receiver does.

 

[lparsons21]

Well, that is the policy, but we've all read right here of the many times it has in fact added to the commitment usually due to incompetent CSRs.

 

[studechip]

There have been issues with improperly added commitments, but I haven't heard about any recently. OP, make sure that they mark the replacement dvr as a defective exchange.

 

[smitbret]

I've noticed that many recordings on one of my DVR's has skipping issues. It happens whether I watch over Whole House or at that particular TV.

If I call to get it repaired/replaced, does the new DVR trigger a new commitment? I've been out of contract for about 3 months now, and I'm trying to save my bargaining chips until I'm ready to pull the trigger on an HR-34.

If the CSR processes it correctly, as a warranty then you'll not have the 24 month commitment. In a few, very rare case, the CSR could process it as a replacement upgrade that would lock you in.

"How will I know if it got processed correctly?"

I'm glad you asked that question.

If you get transferred to another department, called Third Party Verification, after placing the order, then it's an upgrade and NOT what you want. The entire warranty replacement process will be taken care of, in its entirety, by tech support without transferring to anyone else at any point.

 

[PHL]

Great answers. Thank you everyone.

 

[RollsRoyce]

Yea........even if an agent incorrectly activates the receiver under upgrade when its actually just a replacement, if you were to cancel the account and they said you had a commitment then you could let them know about the swap and they would look into it, if it was incorrectly placed onto the account they would let you out.

 

[smitbret]

Yea........even if an agent incorrectly activates the receiver under upgrade when its actually just a replacement, if you were to cancel the account and they said you had a commitment then you could let them know about the swap and they would look into it, if it was incorrectly placed onto the account they would let you out.

Maybe. I work at DirecTV and I know better than to ever take that chance.

 

[wahooq]

Maybe. I work at DirecTV and I know better than to ever take that chance.

Wrong..happens every day

 

[deardeva]

you also must activate the receiver on your acct as soon as possible after getting it, delaying by say 30 days will remove the pending receiver from your acct, that is what makes it pop up with a committment, just make sure and ask the person activating it, to notate in the acct, that this is a replacement receiver for the failed rid number and have them list the date of the order for the replacement in the notes...this helps chasing down information later, and you can always dispute agreement end dates, they have special people that verify the validity of agreements

 

[PHL]

OP here. I'm upgrading to an HR34 in a couple of weeks (install scheduled for 11/17). I've heard of installers doing on-the-spot replacements for older and/or malfunctioning receivers. Do you think I could talk the tech into replacing this unit while he's here? I don't want to deal with customer service because I'm afraid I might not get an HR24 as a replacement unit.

 

[trh]

OP here. I'm upgrading to an HR34 in a couple of weeks (install scheduled for 11/17). I've heard of installers doing on-the-spot replacements for older and/or malfunctioning receivers. Do you think I could talk the tech into replacing this unit while he's here? I don't want to deal with customer service because I'm afraid I might not get an HR24 as a replacement unit.

You could try, but you could run into the problem 'not on my work order, can't do it.' Also, will they have an extra 24 on their truck? We've read here many times if a 24 fails and it is being replaced, you'll get another 24. And when my 24 died last spring, I was told by the CSR I would get another 24, and I did.

 

[PHL]

You could try, but you could run into the problem 'not on my work order, can't do it.' Also, will they have an extra 24 on their truck? We've read here many times if a 24 fails and it is being replaced, you'll get another 24. And when my 24 died last spring, I was told by the CSR I would get another 24, and I did.

Thanks for the reply. If the tech does not have one, it's no big deal. I'll just call it in and have a replacement shipped to me. I'm in no rush since the DVR is 99 percent functional. It just hiccups every once in a while. I just thought that I might have better luck getting an installer to handle it rather than a telephone CSR.

 

[trh]

I'm not sure what the skipping issue indicates. I had one that paused all the time. After a couple weeks, the hard drive failed.

So I suggest you watch everything that is on that DVR in the event it does stop working completely.

Oh, and maybe write down all your Series Links so when you get a new unit, you can reprogram it.