[NYHeel]

I've been a Directv customer for about 5 years and I'm signed up for auto bill pay (I pay my bill on time). I've tried numerous times to get an Hr20 for either $99 or free and I can't get lower than $200. I even called to upgrade my Hr10 and they still won't go lower than $200. (Actually, I want a DVR for a second TV but I figured I would try going the upgrade approach since I was told that I could upgrade to the Mpeg 4 DVR for free a year ago when I got my Hr10).

I really don't want to pay $200 for a DVR that I don't even want but I'm forced to use by Directv. Does anyone have any ideas how I could get this thing for less. I am in the middle of a 2 year commitment (about 11 months left). Does anyone have an Hr10 or Hr20 that they would sell?

I wouldn't even put up with this garbage were it not for my hacked SD Dtivos. Those things can do just about anything but make me coffee. I would just cancel and pay whatever charge they would make me.

 

[Earl Bonovich]

Given the shortage of the units right now.

They are not just "giving" them away.... $299 is the standard price, so anything less then that, you are still going lower.

No one can "sell" you their HR20, as they are all leased.

 

[NYHeel]

Given the shortage of the units right now.

They are not just "giving" them away.... $299 is the standard price, so anything less then that, you are still going lower.

No one can "sell" you their HR20, as they are all leased.

I don't understand why their shortage should affect the level of service they provide. I as well as everybody who bought an Hr10 in the last year or year and a half was told that they would be able to upgrade to the Hr20 when it was available for free. Now they're not honoring it. Granted I don't want to swap my hr10 since I still want to keep it but that doesn't change the fact that they're breaking a promise they made to virtually everbody who bought an Hr10. What do you expect from a company that goes to a leasing model and then still charges upfront costs for their equipment.

 

[bluesfan]

Well..........I got mine for basically free two weeks ago, I've been with Directv for 10 years and I had no contract So..I called and talked to a CSR and he told me how I was a "preferred customer" (I guess basically anyone that pays their bill on time) so I told him I was looking to get HD and a DVR and what deals did they have he at first told me he could give me the $100 off then I told him that I had a friend (which is true) who got a HDDVR for free for switching from Dish network. So he put me on hold and transferred me to someone else (I think Customer Retention) So I told the guy the story again and he told me to go to www.directv.com/HD and add my name to the waiting list and to call him back when I get the call that one is available. So when I got the call, I did and what DirecTV did was gave me a $250 credit off plus Showtime for six months free. He said that was the most he is authorized to give was $250 and he could offset it with the showtime offer. So the HR20 700 is only costing me about $50, plus they are giving me the HD service free for 4 months.

And to be honest, I didn't really have to do all the threats of "I'm going to Dish network crap" both of the CSR's were great.

 

[cariera]

What do you expect from a company that goes to a leasing model and then still charges upfront costs for their equipment.

Uh, like every automobile dealer is this country???

 

[Earl Bonovich]

I don't understand why their shortage should affect the level of service they provide. I as well as everybody who bought an Hr10 in the last year or year and a half was told that they would be able to upgrade to the Hr20 when it was available for free. Now they're not honoring it. Granted I don't want to swap my hr10 since I still want to keep it but that doesn't change the fact that they're breaking a promise they made to virtually everbody who bought an Hr10. What do you expect from a company that goes to a leasing model and then still charges upfront costs for their equipment.

My apologizes, I didn't "read" your post correctly.... (the part where you were told when you purchased an HR10, you where "offered" one for free.)

Umm... I bought an HR10 they week they where released, before an HR20 was even "talked" about, so there are a lot of people that obtained the HR10, not through DirecTV.

And they chose an HORRIBLE word to call it a lease, as people constantly compare it to automobile leases.. It is not like a "rent" to own, or anything like that. And that is an entirely different situation.

And as for the shortage applying....
Unless they stated you can get the HR20, immediately upon it's release... then they can wait as long as they need to, to offere the unit at the "free" cost. Just like they stated they will upgrade every non-mpeg-2 HD receiver, to an MPEG-4... they said they "will", not when.

 

[Stuart Sweet]

Saw the HR20 in Circuit City for $199 after rebate in San Bernardino, CA. Don't know if they had them in stock.

 

[NYHeel]

Uh, like every automobile dealer is this country???

I never pay an upfront cost on a car lease. It's foolish to do so because you lose that money if your car gets totaled or stolen. I only lease with no money down (with the exception on plates and registration costs).

 

[Earl Bonovich]

And to add to my last comment..

You would not be the first person, that had a phone representative... say one thing on the phone... and not "note" it on your account. And that is a "plague" of all service companies.

 

[NYHeel]

My apologizes, I didn't "read" your post correctly.... (the part where you were told when you purchased an HR10, you where "offered" one for free.)

Umm... I bought an HR10 they week they where released, before an HR20 was even "talked" about, so there are a lot of people that obtained the HR10, not through DirecTV.

And they chose an HORRIBLE word to call it a lease, as people constantly compare it to automobile leases.. It is not like a "rent" to own, or anything like that. And that is an entirely different situation.

And as for the shortage applying....
Unless they stated you can get the HR20, immediately upon it's release... then they can wait as long as they need to, to offere the unit at the "free" cost. Just like they stated they will upgrade every non-mpeg-2 HD receiver, to an MPEG-4... they said they "will", not when.

I guess that's true about the will vs. the when.

It is like a lease. I get a box to use that I must return when I'm finished using it. It's just like the cable tv model with one big exception, upfront costs. Last year you could buy your box and keep it forever or sell it. Now you still pay the same price or more at times except you don't own it. You have to return it later and can't sell it when you're finished using it. So how can cable succeed by not charging upfront costs and yet Directv has to?

While I'm at it. Anyone have an hr10 they are looking to sell or get rid of?

 

[Tom Robertson]

I guess that's true about the will vs. the when.

It is like a lease. I get a box to use that I must return when I'm finished using it. It's just like the cable tv model with one big exception, upfront costs. Last year you could buy your box and keep it forever or sell it. Now you still pay the same price or more at times except you don't own it. You have to return it later and can't sell it when you're finished using it. So how can cable succeed by not charging upfront costs and yet Directv has to?

While I'm at it. Anyone have an hr10 they are looking to sell or get rid of?

Sent you a PM.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Herdfan]

No one can "sell" you their HR20, as they are all leased.

Robert from VE would probably disagree with that statement. I know he has said on more than one occasion that "his" HR20's are can be activated as owned.

Edit: Found Robert saying it: http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=647750&postcount=24

 

[NYHeel]

And to add to my last comment..

You would not be the first person, that had a phone representative... say one thing on the phone... and not "note" it on your account. And that is a "plague" of all service companies.

What really gets me about this company is the inconsistency about the deals offered. If they offered $299 or $199 to every customer then I wouldn't feel so bad about paying that much. But when I come on here and read about customers getting much better deals I get very mad. I pay my bill on time and have been a customer for around 5 years. I'm not asking for a better deal than anybody else, just what's being offered to others. Acting the way they due is unfair and it creates resentment and ill will in their customers.

 

[NYHeel]

What really gets me about this company is the inconsistency about the deals offered. If they offered $299 or $199 to every customer then I wouldn't feel so bad about paying that much. But when I come on here and read about customers getting much better deals I get very mad. I pay my bill on time and have been a customer for around 5 years. I'm not asking for a better deal than anybody else, just what's being offered to others. Acting the way they due is unfair and it creates resentment and ill will in their customers.

Well I finally got it for $100 plus $19.99 handling fee. It's not a great price but I just took it. I couldn't set up an installation date yet though. That's a little weird because my mother who lives in Queens (I live in North Jersey about 30 minutes away) was able to get an installation appointment for December 18. I guess I'll just wait. I assume that includes the new dish and everything. I currently have a powered 4x8 multiswitch but it's not the Zinwell. Do I need the Zinwell?

 

[adawg]

It took some work, but I finally got mine free. Initially, they offered it to me for $399. I laughed at the CSR and read her a mailer I had in hand from Charter Cable. She came back with $318, with a $150 instant credit to my account, and discounts worth another $150 spread throughout a 12 month span. I took that. The more I thought about paying $318 upfront, then having to sit on a waiting list, the more it angered me. I called back and told them that I did not want to pay that much $$ upfront and have to wait a year to get it back. After some back and forth, I eventually got their "friends and family" deal that has me paying $199 spread over a 3 month span, with an immediate $200 credit on my bill (will cover 3 billing cycles). So essentially, I am just paying my bill as normal and getting a HR20 out of it.

On a side note, I have been on the waiting list almost 2 months now. How about everyone else? I am reading they are getting a lot of these receivers out, I am wondering if it is worth it to call again...

 

[cybermonkey]

I got a pretty good deal on my HR20. I started out with the H10 then did a free upgrade to a H20. The H20 started acting up and since I have the protection plan they offered me a new one. At that time I asked how much a HD-DVR HR10 was and they told me $399. I asked if instead of replacing the H20 I could upgrade to the HR10 and they did and only charged me 99 dollars since my box went out. They told me that this one did not get the locals in HD and to call back when the HR20 comes out. I too had to put my name on the waiting list, but got called within a week. When I called they asked if I was ready for my "free HR20" and I said "YOU BET". The way the CSR did it was credit me the amount of the HR20 upfront. They had an installer come out and put in the HR20 and I still got to keep the HR10 for another tv. So I got the HR10 and the HR20 for a total of 99 dollars.....

 

[DFDureiko]

Ok, we just brought home an Olevia 37in HDTV and called to get the HR20.
they INSIST it's 299.00 plus install. We argued that we were good customers for over 5 years and argued that we might go to TiVo with Charter Cable(Adelphia). We also said we were upset that we were on a "waiting list" and would not have it for Christmas so due to this major inconvienence we should get a break, and that others we know are getting the system for free with free install. We asked for a supervisor and were told NONE was available, that she would have one call back in 24hrs.
I could swear I read somewhere on this list the waiting list was over in November?
according to my local Circuit City, they have them on the shelf.
Any helpful hints?
We've been a good customer, have an R10 and standard reiciever in the house and an HR10 in our RV.
should I have point blank asked for customer retention?
Dan

 

[german72]

Ok, we just brought home an Olevia 37in HDTV and called to get the HR20.
they INSIST it's 299.00 plus install. We argued that we were good customers for over 5 years and argued that we might go to TiVo with Charter Cable(Adelphia). We also said we were upset that we were on a "waiting list" and would not have it for Christmas so due to this major inconvienence we should get a break, and that others we know are getting the system for free with free install. We asked for a supervisor and were told NONE was available, that she would have one call back in 24hrs.
I could swear I read somewhere on this list the waiting list was over in November?
according to my local Circuit City, they have them on the shelf.
Any helpful hints?
We've been a good customer, have an R10 and standard reiciever in the house and an HR10 in our RV.
should I have point blank asked for customer retention?
Dan

Many here will tell you that "it is the luck of the draw" and that is very True.

Just hang in there and keep on calling.

Both of my hr20s where free and I am getting another deal.

Mike

 

[daver]

Many here will tell you that "it is the luck of the draw" and that is very True.

Just hang in there and keep on calling.

Both of my hr20s where free and I am getting another deal.

Mike

how did you get yours for free? I am a A list customer with a regular tivo, and want to replace it with a HR20

 

[german72]

how did you get yours for free? I am a A list customer with a regular tivo, and want to replace it with a HR20

This has been mentioned many times before in previous messages.

Having said that, keep on calling and be very nice. If you have a good record with them, you will be rewarded with what you want.

I have been with them since 1987.

Wish that I could advise you more.

Just be patient and keep on asking nicely.

Mike