[sjniedz]

Okay, hope someone can help me. I just got the HR20 and I am seeing a $4.99 lease fee on my account. I have see discussions on this site before regarding the lease fee but I thought it was basically the mirroring fee from before. Am I supposed to be paying $4.99 for the "lease" of this box forever?

 

[harsh]

Okay, hope someone can help me. I just got the HR20 and I am seeing a $4.99 lease fee on my account. I have see discussions on this site before regarding the lease fee but I thought it was basically the mirroring fee from before. Am I supposed to be paying $4.99 for the "lease" of this box forever?

As long as you lease the box, you'll pay the fee. The only way out of paying the fee (while keeping the box) is to make the HR20 your only receiver.

 

[bobnielsen]

It's the same as the "mirroring" or "additional receiver" fee, but is renamed for leased units.

 

[bnm81002]

It's the same as the "mirroring" or "additional receiver" fee, but is renamed for leased units.

you forgot about the state tax on the lease fee as well, mine is for $.42 per month

PS-I don't know if it's for all states though, NY is taxed for the lease fee

 

[bobnielsen]

Yeah, we get that in Washington also (nothing else on my directv bill is taxed, however). It varies by county, but I pay $0.43.

 

[sjniedz]

Well, let me ask you this, what if you have an HR-20 and your second receiver is one that you own? That is my case. I bought the R-15 prior to the whole lease thing. Going by that shouldn't I get out of the lease deal?

 

[bonscott87]

Well, let me ask you this, what if you have an HR-20 and your second receiver is one that you own? That is my case. I bought the R-15 prior to the whole lease thing. Going by that shouldn't I get out of the lease deal?

I don't think you're getting it. The HR20 is a leased receiver, period. As are all other receivers activated since March.

If you only have 1 receiver on your account there is no extra monthly charge.

For the 2nd receiver and more there is an "extra receiver" fee of $4.99 a month.
If you lease the receiver it's called a "lease fee".
If you own the receiver (i.e. you bought it before the leasing started) then it's called "additional receiver" fee.
It doesn't matter what it's called, it's 4.99 a month.

In your case your bill will be one of two ways:
1) R15 is the primary receiver, no charge. HR20 is mirrored, 4.99 lease fee.
2) HR20 is primary receiver, no charge. R15 is mirrored, 4.99 additional receiver fee.

In the end the HR20 is still leased, the R15 is still owned and you pay the exact same amount on your bill other then the lease fee is taxable in some states.

 

[sjniedz]

I don't think you're getting it. The HR20 is a leased receiver, period. As are all other receivers activated since March.

If you only have 1 receiver on your account there is no extra monthly charge.

For the 2nd receiver and more there is an "extra receiver" fee of $4.99 a month.
If you lease the receiver it's called a "lease fee".
If you own the receiver (i.e. you bought it before the leasing started) then it's called "additional receiver" fee.
It doesn't matter what it's called, it's 4.99 a month.

In your case your bill will be one of two ways:
1) R15 is the primary receiver, no charge. HR20 is mirrored, 4.99 lease fee.
2) HR20 is primary receiver, no charge. R15 is mirrored, 4.99 additional receiver fee.

In the end the HR20 is still leased, the R15 is still owned and you pay the exact same amount on your bill other then the lease fee is taxable in some states.

Got it. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[DFDureiko]

Question, can one somehow BUY an HR20. I saw several on eBay for 425 dollars or so.
and considering we are paying the same for the recievers as we were before, what are the motives behind this?
If we have the choice (do we?) between buying and leasing what are the pro's and cons of each?

 

[boba]

Question, can one somehow BUY an HR20. I saw several on eBay for 425 dollars or so.
and considering we are paying the same for the recievers as we were before, what are the motives behind this?
If we have the choice (do we?) between buying and leasing what are the pro's and cons of each?

Leasing cost you $299 owning cost you $500 leased is owned by Directv and they take care of problems with the receiver.

 

[Newshawk]

Leasing cost you $299 owning cost you $500 leased is owned by Directv and they take care of problems with the receiver.

Actually, the list price for buying a HR20 outright is $749. Of course, an online-only store that has low overhesd may discount heavily, but I'm pretty sure of the list cost.

 

[carl6]

Also, you would have to jump through hoops with D* to get them to list it as owned on your account. Regular CSR's can't do that, you would need to work with the access card department.

Carl

 

[bonscott87]

If you're getting it on e-Bay, good luck getting DirecTV to actually recognize it as owned. You can only get it listed as owned if you buy thru and authorized dealer of which e-Bay auctions at under price are not.

There is not once single advantage to owning it.

In fact let's do some math (assuming this is a second receiver on the account).
Owned - $749. Pay $4.99 additional receiver fee.
Lease - $299. Pay $4.99 lease fee.

Either way you're paying the extra 4.99 a month (along with the DVR fee of course). And the 90 months of a lease fee is what it would take to equal the owned purchase price. That's 7.5 years. The hard drive will die before you ever make it. If you lease and the hard drive dies they'll replace it. Hard drive dies and you own it you're buying a new hard drive at the least if not a new receiver. Plus in reality your're still paying that 4.99 a month no matter if you lease or own it.

Now let do the math if it's your one and ownly receiver:
Owned - $749
Lease - $299

No extra monthly fees at all (other then the DVR fee).

So it really makes no sense to own it.

 

[Mixer]

The only reason I can think of that would even come close to making sense would be if you wanted to own it to use it as a standalone DVR to play all of the content that you recorded after you cancel D*

Is there any prgramming that is worth $450 though?

 

[bobnielsen]

The only reason I can think of that would even come close to making sense would be if you wanted to own it to use it as a standalone DVR to play all of the content that you recorded after you cancel D*

Is there any prgramming that is worth $450 though?

I don't think the newer DVRs will do that (the Tivo models will).

Any programming worth that much would probably look better on a DVD.

 

[tbackus]

I just bought the HR-20 from best buy. I understand about the leasing aspect.... In my house i have the HR-20 and a R10 D* TiVo.... the Hr-20 is the primary reciever....


So I should only be paying a mirroring fee for the R10 right??? Just one 4.99 fee.

 

[bonscott87]

If those are your only 2 receivers you'll either be paying a 4.99 mirror/additional receiver fee for the R10 or a 4.99 lease fee for the HR20. Whichever DirecTV lists as "primary" will have no fee. Doesn't really matter which one is primary.