[deanandmaria]

Hi there,

Long time lurker, first time poster.

Looking for some help and or people to vent with over a frustrating issue.

Over a month ago, finally took the time to run some ethernet cable to my living room and hooked the DTV receiver online. Went through the Network Set-up smoothly, and everything seemed to be a go.

Waited 24 hours (as stated) for everything to be downloaded - saw all the channels (I am an old Total Choice complete package - there's very few channels I don't get) but a problem occurs. After selecting a program to record, I am overwhelming and instantaneously prompted with a message stating "Would you like to add this channel to your DirecTV package? Visit directv.com or call 1-800-DIRECTV to subscribe." An online re-authorization did nothing. Nor did either a soft or a hard reset.

At first I figure there is a network problem until I notice one very curious thing - two channels indeed work correctly. I am able to record shows from both HGTV and Food Network. They properly accept my input and appear in my List correctly and completely.

I finally called DirecTV after a week, and a rep took me through everything I had already done (why do they make us do this when we tell then we already have?). No answer could be given. I was told that the issue would be forwarded to an engineer and I would be contacted at a future date. It's been a month now and nothing.

Any potential explanation as to why only two channels of the dozens and dozens available don't work? I've checked other channels within the Food and HGTV "tier" and they don't work either. All the Apps seem to work fine, I use the weather channel radar frequently, and I'm currently grooving to Pandora which works flawlessly.

Any help you can provide would be much appreciated.

 

[Stuart Sweet]

First of all, don't take this personally but an engineer will never contact you. That's a common lie that DIRECTV CSRs tell to get you off the phone.

As for fixing your problem, let's start by presuming you don't have a whole-home setup, right? So the ethernet cable shouldn't be a problem. The fact that you can get on-demand content and Pandora tells me that you're connected properly.

However, I'm going to ask you to reset your network to defaults, and do the connect now procedure again. And 12 hours later if the problem persists, unplug your receiver for a few hours, then reset your network to defaults, and do the connect now procedure again. Finally, if none of that works, there is a separate option in the network menu that says "Network Services." It doesn't really provide any functionality; it was something DIRECTV never implemented. But sometimes going into that menu and doing the test procedure wakes something up that's crashed, and it may be all you need.

 

[veryoldschool]

First of all, don't take this personally but an engineer will never contact you. That's a common lie that DIRECTV CSRs tell to get you off the phone.

As for fixing your problem, let's start by presuming you don't have a whole-home setup, right? So the ethernet cable shouldn't be a problem. The fact that you can get on-demand content and Pandora tells me that you're connected properly.

However, I'm going to ask you to reset your network to defaults, and do the connect now procedure again. And 12 hours later if the problem persists, unplug your receiver for a few hours, then reset your network to defaults, and do the connect now procedure again. Finally, if none of that works, there is a separate option in the network menu that says "Network Services." It doesn't really provide any functionality; it was something DIRECTV never implemented. But sometimes going into that menu and doing the test procedure wakes something up that's crashed, and it may be all you need.

I'm not sure any of this will have an affect.
I'm not familiar with the "Total Choice complete package", but I have something similar [a nine year old] Total Choice Plus [which they now call Choice XTRA Classic].
I don't watch HGTV, but did check if I got it and I do, so I tried to watch a On-Demand and was able to.
"I think" the problem comes from the programing package being very old, as I've had problems before, where DirecTV hasn't been able to add things, because of this old "legacy" programing package.
If I compare channels I do get with a current similar programing package, not all of them match.
I would guess to get this resolved it will take an email to [email protected]

Where her group can look into the account and their system to see where the problem is.

 

[Stuart Sweet]

In fairness I'm not sure any of it will help except... hey you may as well try it if you've already been waiting a month. None of it's going to hurt.

VOS may be right about your programming package, but again, in fairness, I have a programming package from 2003 and my ondemand channels work.

 

[veryoldschool]

In fairness I'm not sure any of it will help except... hey you may as well try it if you've already been waiting a month. None of it's going to hurt.

VOS may be right about your programming package, but again, in fairness, I have a programming package from 2003 and my ondemand channels work.

The same channels work here too, but the point I was trying to make if I understand the original question was: On demand works, but a few/couple don't, which might suggest it's how these were added to the account, as it seems the SAT feed is authorized, but these aren't with On demand.

In the early days of VOD, I had some problems and "Pink Fairy" had to go into my account and make some changes.

 

[Shades228]

It sounds like he has Total Choice and some of the channels he's attempting to access are not in his package.

 

[veryoldschool]

It sounds like he has Total Choice and some of the channels he's attempting to access are not in his package.

What is Total Choice complete?
DirecTV has had some pretty bad naming of their program packages.
Total Choice [isn't], so mine was Total Choice Plus, but even this isn't everything.
Total Choice Plus, plus..., plus..., etc.

The whole naming thing reminds me of "Jumbo Shrimp" :lol:

 

[Shades228]

What is Total Choice complete?
DirecTV has had some pretty bad naming of their program packages.
Total Choice [isn't], so mine was Total Choice Plus, but even this isn't everything.
Total Choice Plus, plus..., plus..., etc.

The whole naming thing reminds me of "Jumbo Shrimp" :lol:

Off of the top of my head I cannot remember a Total Choice Complete package, I am getting older, however there have been a few different names after Total Choice over the last 11 years that I can remember. Given how he typed it I would guess it's Total Choice.

 

[veryoldschool]

Off of the top of my head I cannot remember a Total Choice Complete package, I am getting older, however there have been a few different names after Total Choice over the last 11 years that I can remember. Given how he typed it I would guess it's Total Choice.

"Back in '03" Total Choice Plus had the plus mean my locals, as they were $5 extra at the time.

 

[CCarncross]

Might help if the OP listed one of the channels that they cant DL on-demand content from...it could simply be that its not a channel they subscribe to, because they did say that some work fine. We really need a little more info here.

 

[deanandmaria]

Might help if the OP listed one of the channels that they cant DL on-demand content from...it could simply be that its not a channel they subscribe to, because they did say that some work fine. We really need a little more info here.

Ask and you shall receive.

First off . . . I worded my package incorrectly. It was Total Choice Premier when I enrolled. Here is the listing from my statement directly:

01/27 02/26 PREMIER Monthly 114.99

Needless to say, programming isn't an issue. As I stated in the OP, there is very few channels I do not receive.

It's funny that you ask - I had to list each and every channel to the CSR that did not work. I couldn't just say "every one but 1229 and 1231", but that's in fact the case - every channel except 1229 and 1231 produces that error message.

I will try some of the trouble shooting suggestions already listed. Thanks for all your help so far!