[mavs-fan]

Later this month when our TV's arrive we plan on signing up for DirecTV. We're planning on getting the HR34 for $99 and an additional HD DVR for $99 for the bedroom. We'll be getting the Choice Xtra package (before it changes to Choice Xtra Classic on 2/9).

1. We are in a new home built in 2009 and have never had TV installed. (We do have cable Internet in an office though). Each room has one existing unused coax already in the walls. We'll likely get the whole home DVR service. (I plan on having an Ethernet line run from the office router to both the living room and our bedroom before the DirecTV install. So there will be a wired ethernet that will be available for hook-up to the HR34 and HRxx DVR. Will this one unused in-wall coax suffice for an HR34/HRxx setup? Will the installer need to add any additional cabling inside of the house?

2. I've seen here that many folks recommend against signing up for the Wal-Mart, Costco, Best Buy in-store offers for additional perks. However I saw on-line on Best Buy's site that you can get a $150 gift card with a $399 purchase and DirecTV sign-up at...

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/TV-Video/Cable-Satellite-TV/abcat0105000.c?id=abcat0105000

If you click on the DirecTV link on the above page, it appears that the 24 month prices are the same on the Best Buy branded DirecTV page verses the standard DirecTV page. Do you guys concur that the prices are identical? Is there any reason not to do this if I'll be spending $400 at Best Buy anyway?

Thanks in advance for your help and assistance.

 

[The Merg]

As long as those coax runs to the rooms are homeruns you will be fine. A homerun cable is all the cables start at one point in the house and are not split as they go out to each room. Most likely considering how new your house is, you are probably fine.

With the Whole Home install, the DirecTV installer will not need an Ethernet connection near the receivers. Another small box will be installed that will connect back to your router. This box (Wireless Cinema Connection Kit) can be hooked to a coax that is near your router and then connected via Ethernet to the router. If you don't have a coax near the router that is not a problem. The WCCK can be connected in-line with the coax to any of your receivers and then connect back to the router wirelessly. The receivers themselves connect to each other via the coax for Whole Home.

- Merg

 

[bixler]

Later this month when our TV's arrive we plan on signing up for DirecTV. We're planning on getting the HR34 for $99 and an additional HD DVR for $99 for the bedroom. We'll be getting the Choice Xtra package (before it changes to Choice Xtra Classic on 2/9).

1. We are in a new home built in 2009 and have never had TV installed. (We do have cable Internet in an office though). Each room has one existing unused coax already in the walls. We'll likely get the whole home DVR service. (I plan on having an Ethernet line run from the office router to both the living room and our bedroom before the DirecTV install. So there will be a wired ethernet that will be available for hook-up to the HR34 and HRxx DVR. Will this one unused in-wall coax suffice for an HR34/HRxx setup? Will the installer need to add any additional cabling inside of the house?

2. I've seen here that many folks recommend against signing up for the Wal-Mart, Costco, Best Buy in-store offers for additional perks. However I saw on-line on Best Buy's site that you can get a $150 gift card with a $399 purchase and DirecTV sign-up at...

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/TV-Video/Cable-Satellite-TV/abcat0105000.c?id=abcat0105000

If you click on the DirecTV link on the above page, it appears that the 24 month prices are the same on the Best Buy branded DirecTV page verses the standard DirecTV page. Do you guys concur that the prices are identical? Is there any reason not to do this if I'll be spending $400 at Best Buy anyway?

Thanks in advance for your help and assistance.

Yes, the prices are the same with the Best Buy offer. If you are going to purchase a TV from them for at least $400 there is no reason not to take advantage of their signup offer.

 

[mavs-fan]

As long as those coax runs to the rooms are homeruns you will be fine. A homerun cable is all the cables start at one point in the house and are not split as they go out to each room. Most likely considering how new your house is, you are probably fine.

Good. I'll assume we're good to go then. Hopefully there are no surprises here come install day.

Another small box will be installed that will connect back to your router. This box (Wireless Cinema Connection Kit) can be hooked to a coax that is near your router and then connected via Ethernet to the router. If you don't have a coax near the router that is not a problem. The WCCK can be connected in-line with the coax to any of your receivers and then connect back to the router wirelessly.

If the WCCK is connected in-line and then connected back to the router wirelessly programming wise what exactly will take a performance hit verses having the WCCK connected directly to the router. I prefer to go wireless in this part of the set up, but I'm curious what will be affected in the process.

 

[mavs-fan]

Yes, the prices are the same with the Best Buy offer. If you are going to purchase a TV from them for at least $400 there is no reason not to take advantage of their signup offer.

I won't be getting a TV there. But I think I can spend $399+ on any purchase and qualify for the $150 gift card if I'm understanding everything right.

 

[trh]

If you're only going to have two TVs hooked up, you might want to only get the HR34 and an HD receiver vice another DVR and save yourself $99.

 

[The Merg]

Good. I'll assume we're good to go then. Hopefully there are no surprises here come install day.

If the WCCK is connected in-line and then connected back to the router wirelessly programming wise what exactly will take a performance hit verses having the WCCK connected directly to the router. I prefer to go wireless in this part of the set up, but I'm curious what will be affected in the process.

If you have a Wireless-N setup, you shouldn't see any kind of performance hit. You should also be fine with a Wireless-G connection as you are not streaming content from one receiver to another. The WCCK is used to get IP addresses from the router for your receivers, used to allow downloading of VOD content, and allow the ability to order PPV via the Internet from your remote.

- Merg

 

[Greg.E]

Did you know if you have AAA then you can sign up thru them and get $200 discount?

Can't post a URL since I am a newby but it's eastcentral.aaa.com/discounts/retail/partner/directv/index.jsp

 

[mavs-fan]

We're getting ready to pull the trigger and order DirecTV...

The Best Buy gift card offer is still available. Has anyone had experience positive or negative with getting a Best Buy gift card after signing up for DirecTV? What happened? I may order from... www.bestbuy.directv.com.

I was also considering going with MyPoints, eBates or something similar (any ideas) just to maximize the cash back/gift card opportunity. (It appears MyPoints doesn't have an offer right now though for DirecTV.)

Also... After I sign-up for the install, what is the proper procedure to ensure we receive all of the discounted "rebates" or credits promised on DirecTV.com for months 1-12 and 13-24? We're just trying to have all of our bases covered before we make the jump.

 

[ndole]

Who does the installation in your area when you sign up through BestBuy's sales company? Do they have their own installation people? Do they use a local (or not so local) retailer?

 

[mavs-fan]

Who does the installation in your area when you sign up through BestBuy's sales company? Do they have their own installation people? Do they use a local (or not so local) retailer?

It appears to go through DirecTV installers since it's just on a "branded" portion of the DirecTV site. I don't think it's like when you sign up for a local dealer to do the install.

 

[mavs-fan]

Here is one other offer to consider. If you are a AAA member, you can get an additional $10/mo discount for 20 months or $200 savings. See info below or use this [link] to the AAA website to view it.

Thanks for the suggestion but we have little need for AAA at this time (other than the DirecTV discount of course).

Maybe some other folks will have some ideas.

 

[RACJ2]

Thanks for the suggestion but we have little need for AAA at this time (other than the DirecTV discount of course).

Maybe some other folks will have some ideas.

I deleted my post, since I just noticed it was already posted. If you already had AAA, its a good deal. Another offer is a Costco card of $120, if you sign up for DIRECTV through them. Of course that is only good, if you are a member.

 

[drpjr]

Are the gift cards available when using the "friends" sign-up discount?

 

[mavs-fan]

Are the gift cards available when using the "friends" sign-up discount?

I believe so. You can probably call after you go through the sign-up process and request the referral discount as well.

 

[RACJ2]

I believe so. You can probably call after you go through the sign-up process and request the referral discount as well.

Actually, if you don't ask for the referral on the initial call, you have to cancel your whole order and reorder with the referral. I was able to do both the AAA promo and a referral a couple years back, but don't know if they still allow it.

REFERRAL OFFER
Limit 10 referrals per 12 consecutive month period. Offer ends 2/8/12. You must provide your friend's DIRECTV account number when you call to activate new service. Referred customers must sign up for service & hardware using the phone number provided (1-866-443-8869) and mention your friend's DIRECTV account number at the time of order. You must order your leased system by 2/8/12 & activate the CHOICE package ($60.99/mo.) or above; OPTIMO MÁS ($44.99/mo.) or above; Jadeworld® or any qualifying international service bundle, which shall include the PREFERRED CHOICE programming package ($39.99/mo.), within 30 days with required programming commitment at time of activation. You & your referring customer will each receive 10 nonrefundable/non-transferable credits of $10 each over 10 DIRECTV billing cycles, totaling $100

 

[The Merg]

Also, with the referral, you need to call a specific number to place your order and have the referral processed correctly. DirecTV appears to have done this to keep people from stacking offers together. It probably also has to do with as to where the money comes from with regard to the offers from retailers and the referral offer.

- Merg

 

[mavs-fan]

Here's an update...

I ordered DirecTV on Wednesday. I'll receive $40 cashback from eBates, a $150 gift card from Best Buy, and after the account was ordered on-line. I called the refer number and had a $100 credit added to our account as well. If anyone would like more details on how I did this (or needs a referral number to get a $100 discount) feel free to send me a PM and I'll try to help.

Several interesting things that happened during the install...

(1) When I received the DirecTV e-mail confirmation on Wednesday. The very bottom of the e-mail said that my locals were only available in SD. I was stunned because I was nearly positive that they were added in HD the past year or so. The DirecTV website said they were in HD (and so did a press release) so I assumed the e-mail was incorrect. Turns out yes indeed it was.

(2) We are not in a Tivo test market, but after having DirecTivo's years ago and loving them. I had to ask the installers if they had seen them. They said they had a ton of them in the warehouse but they hadn't installed one yet. I wasn't surprised since they aren't yet offered in Texas through DirecTV.

(3) We have an HR34 and HR24 installed. I've noticed that when using MRV, that when watching something from the HR34 on the HR24 occasionally there will be a brief pause for a few seconds during the video. Is this normal? All the coax lines are new runs in a new home built in 2009.

(4) We don't yet have the wired Cinema Connection Kit installed (we're getting Gigabit lines run in-house later this month). I'm assuming this is done through the Internet, but if I want to schedule something on-line to record, is this info transferred via satellite or will this not work until the HR34/HR24 is hooked up to the Internet and also has the Cinema Connection Kit installed?

(5) One more... since my install was done before 2/9, should my prices be locked in with the advertised rates until February 2014 or will may prices increase after 2/9 as well as a new customer?

Thank you, you guys have been great.

 

[SleekComputer]

(4) We don't yet have the wired Cinema Connection Kit installed (we're getting Gigabit lines run in-house later this month). I'm assuming this is done through the Internet, but if I want to schedule something on-line to record, is this info transferred via satellite or will this not work until the HR34/HR24 is hooked up to the Internet and also has the Cinema Connection Kit installed?

While I don't have DirecTV (still comparing Dish and DirecTV), it's my understanding that with the Cinema kit, you download and save movies/shows via your Internet connection.

(5) One more... since my install was done before 2/9, should my prices be locked in with the advertised rates until February 2014 or will may prices increase after 2/9 as well as a new customer?

Thank you, you guys have been great.

I wondered the same thing. On DirecTV's site, for the Xtra package, it does say $34.99 for 12 months. I'm understanding it to mean that as long as you ordered before 2/9, the price is locked in for the first year at $34.99. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, if you don't mind me asking, how do the SD channels look? I'd be coming from Comcast but have read that DirecTV's SD channels are not the greatest PQ.

 

[mavs-fan]

Also, if you don't mind me asking, how do the SD channels look? I'd be coming from Comcast but have read that DirecTV's SD channels are not the greatest PQ.

This is my opinion, but since the SD signals technically are 480x480, how they look will largely depend on how well your TV handles lower-res content. I've seen SD 480x480 on a Sony XBR CRT that looked very good but on some HD TV's that don't handle SD well, it can look much poorer. No matter what TV you use, the difference between HD and SD is very significant.

Please let me know if I can do anything else to help. It's a great time (before 2/9) to jump on the DirecTV bandwagon.