HELP! New Account - Bought HR10-250 from 6ave.com - Can't get 3LNB dish???

[Sorcerer]

I've been dealing with DirecTV for the past week trying to get DirecTV service installed for my folks. They're switching to DirecTV from Charter cable.

I would appreciate if anyone can give me some pointers on how to make this work!! Here's the deal:

- Bought an HR10-250 for my folks from 6ave.com last week (before the lease period started).

- Called DirecTV to schedule an install (was originally scheduled for Thursday (yesterday)), told them I had my own HR10-250 and wanted to get an additional SD DVR and a regular receiver. My folks will end up with three receivers in three rooms, but only two purchased from DirecTV.

- Told DirecTV my folks needed the 3LNB dish along with an OTA antenna for HD locals (my market, St. Louis, won't have over satellite HD locals until May and even then, the HR10-250 won't receive those) and a multiswitch since the 3 receivers will require 5 inputs (two per DVR plus the one for the standard receiver)

Anyway, the installer called me yesterday for the appointment, and when I tried to verify what he was installing, his work order only listed a basic dish, no OTA antenna and no multiswitch. Installer suggested I call DirecTV and cancel the current order, and place a new order with the correct equipment listed.


Now I've tried that two more times being very specific with what I need and the folks on the phone seem to understand and assure me the right equipment has been ordered.. But each time I've placed a new order, I call back "Installation Services" to verify the order, and each order just includes "basic dish" and no 3LNB dish, OTA antenna or multiswitch.

I'm caught in an endless loop here without much hope.. I've placed and cancelled three orders so far.

It seems the problem is, since I'm not ordering anything HD from DirecTV, their systems won't let the CSR include the 3LNB dish or OTA antenna and since I'm not buying enough receivers from them, their order doesn't realize I need a multiswitch!! ARGH.


Does anyone have any advice on what I should or could do to achieve what I need? I've been using the "refer a friend" program as well, but at this point I'm just wanting to get them hooked up, so I'll call anyone!

I was thinking, worst case scenario, I can re-order from DirecTV and not mention the HR10-250, have an installer come out here and install a brand new basic dish with the SD DVR and standard receiver. Then call them back after it's done and tell them I bought an HR10-250 that I need to be upgraded to a 3LNB dish, OTA antenna and 8 way multiswitch..

But to have two different installers come out on two different days for two installs when I really only need one just doesn't make any sense.

I guess the other alternative would be to order new service and ask for an regular HD receiver (non Tivo) along with an SD-DVR. I'm assuming they would then have to install the 3LNB dish and OTA antenna since St. Louis doesn't get HD locals over the satellite yet? That would end up costing extra money ($99?) that my folks don't need to spend, 'cause they only have one HD capable TV in the house..

Best case scenario, I'd love to get the new 5LNB dish along with an OTA antenna, but I don't know if they have a combo unit or even allow that?

Since my folks are not current DirecTV customers, I guess I can't really call customer retention either... It's puzzling how much trouble this is.

I had originally placed the order before March 1 so they would own the SD-DVR and regular receiver along with the HR10-250, but DirecTV has fubared that part of my plan..

HELP!!!

[hiker]

I would ask D* for 1 HD receiver (H20), and 1 SD DVR and tell them you already have a HR10 DVR. That way they should install the 5 LNB AT9 dish and you will have a HD receiver instead of the SD but should not cost much more.

Otherwise you might be better off paying for the dish install or installing it yourself. Installing the 3 LNB dish is not difficult at all, don't know about the AT9 yet.

[DCBnG]

Call the installer in your area directly...that or take the chance on just having them come out.... When they get out there, you can probably just pay the guys doing the install a few more bucks and they'll put whatever you want in.

Someone needs to confirm this, but I don't think they'll give you a 3LNB dish by the way. I think that's all they install now.

[Sorcerer]

Thanks for the responses, well, I ended up calling Customer Retention (even though my folks aren't yet customers!) .. and told the guy I talked with that I was so fed up with everything I had been through that I was tempted to cancel my own account and switch myself and my folks to Dish Network or HD Cable...

It didn't take very much grovelling on my part, but this guy was able to place a new order, override the work order to add the 3LNB dish, OTA antenna, additional HD-DVR install and 4x8 multiswitch. He understood the problem and exactly what I needed.

I did have to forfeit the $50 credit for myself through "Spread the Word" program, which also meant my folks are going to be charged $19.95 for shipping and handling ..

The rep I talked to credited my folks account $19.95 to cover that .. They also got the standard HBO, Showtime, Starz and Cinemax free for the first three months, he also threw in the HD package free for the first three months.

He also gave me $10 off my HBO package for 6 months plus 6 months of Showtime for free .. he said he did that to make up for the $50 credit I wouldn't be receiving, plus all of the phone calls and placed and cancelled orders I had been through.

All in all, right now, I'm very satisfied!

We'll see what happens on Tuesday when the installer comes out.

I'm tempted to call Installation Services to double check the order, but I'm afraid they'll either screw it up or cancel it, so I'm thinking we'll just wait until Tuesday and see if the installer has all the necessary gear.

I need to get them hooked up and activated as a customer anyway, all of this back and forth over the phone is killing me!

Viva Retention!

[Sorcerer]

Forgot to add this .. by the way, the guy at rentention said that since some folks could still receive everything they needed with the basic old 2 LNB dish in St. Louis, that a lot of those orders were being sent through with that old dish to get rid of that old equipment. This is what was happening with my original orders.

The 3LNB dish is still available and necessary for folks with the HR10-250.

I did ask if I could get the new AT9 (5LNB) dish along with an OTA antenna, but he could not do that. (still not sure if the OTA antenna that hooks on top or on back of the 3LNB dish would be able to work with the new AT9 dish) ..


I'm thinking since both my folks and I plan on using the HR10-250 for quite awhile, we'll be happy with the 3LNB dish plus OTA antenna ..

Unless and until I'm shown that DirecTV's new HD-DVR that receives the MPEG-4 locals have better quality and the DVR has better performance than the HR10-250, I don't plan to upgrade to the new 5LNB dish or new HD-DVR

[hiker]

I believe that D* is not installing 3 LNB dishes anymore, only AT9 dishes, so maybe it will work out as you hope.
See this:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=284764

[Rpbertxyz]

Had a HR10-250 Install last week and they refused to give me the AT9, even though I'm in the Chicago area.

[DTV TiVo Dealer]

Had a HR10-250 Install last week and they refused to give me the AT9, even though I'm in the Chicago area.

This is true as of 3/2/06. But make absolutely no sense to me in any way. In the great wisdom of DIRECTV if you have HD and don't have a MPEG-2/4 receiver you don't need the AT9 dish. But in February DIRECTV mandated for all dealers, HMO's, MSO's and themselves directly to only install AT9 dishes with ALL HD new activations, including systems that only had HR10-250s on the order.

Sounds to me like different executives are making very different decisions. The thinking last month was why put up the triple LNB dish when someone will have to send a tech out agin to upgrade the dish, wasting the cost of the triple LNB dish and a second service call.

Here's the only way around the problem, go to your favorite DIRECTV dealer and order the H20 for $99 and then call DIRECTV for the AT9 dish upgrade. I believe they have lowered the price of the AT9 dish upgrade to $49.99

-Robert

[phox_mulder]

I got my HR10-250 from 6ave as well, last week.

Called D* to see about getting the 3lnb dish installed, since I have just the round one, and they said it isn't available anymore, I'd have to get the new 5lnb dish, it wouldn't even work with the HR10-250, but install would be around $250 bucks after it was all said and done, I told her I found one at BestBuy.com and she said I was mistaken, as they don't sell them anymore.
I said thank you, but no.

Ordered it from BestBuy,
then found it numerous other places online, from a couple different manufacturers even.

I'll have to install it myself, but no biggy, I installed my previous DishNetwork dish, sisters D* and helped Dad install his D*.

Just waiting on the 5x8 multiswitch (should be here tomorrow or Monday), and I'll be good to go.


phox

[Philly Bill]

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[onin24eagle]

I got my HR10-250 from 6ave as well, last week.

Called D* to see about getting the 3lnb dish installed, since I have just the round one, and they said it isn't available anymore, I'd have to get the new 5lnb dish, it wouldn't even work with the HR10-250, but install would be around $250 bucks after it was all said and done, I told her I found one at BestBuy.com and she said I was mistaken, as they don't sell them anymore.
I said thank you, but no.

Ordered it from BestBuy,
then found it numerous other places online, from a couple different manufacturers even.

I'll have to install it myself, but no biggy, I installed my previous DishNetwork dish, sisters D* and helped Dad install his D*.

Just waiting on the 5x8 multiswitch (should be here tomorrow or Monday), and I'll be good to go.


phox

Should have let them install the 5 lnb dish because it will work with any receiver.

[phox_mulder]

Should have let them install the 5 lnb dish because it will work with any receiver.

$250 bucks, no thanks.

If they offered discounts, rebates, credits, free programming, or anything, I would have gone with it, but they didn't, said they couldn't.
I didn't feel like playing CSR roullette and trying again.


phox

[newsposter]

I'm still amazed, though I shouldnt be, that DTV doesn't know their stuff is backwards compatible. Just the frustrations in these few postings really shows nothing has changed even with the new rules.

[feldon23]

Sorcerer,

I would stick with Charter and the HD Moxi box before I'd jump ship into uncharted territory with obsolete/unsupported hardware. DirecTV picture quality is in the crapper lately, especially with HD and their HD support is incomplete (no Fox, WB/UPN, etc.).

[Sorcerer]

In St. Louis, I receive all our local channels just fine with the OTA antenna that piggy backs on the 3LNB dish, then I also receive DirecTV's HD channels ..

That's what I'm trying to set up for my folks now. I've been pretty happy with the HD on my TV at my house, but I have never had cable HD set up at my house or my folks house to compare it to, that's true enough..


Well, the installer just called and I asked to verify what equipment he would be bringing out to install..

Guess what? They have a basic dish to install for me.. no 3LNB dish, no OTA antenna, no multiswitch.


Unbelievable.

[phox_mulder]

Guess what? They have a basic dish to install for me.. no 3LNB dish, no OTA antenna, no multiswitch.


Unbelievable.

Sad, yes, unbelievable, no.

Totally believable.


phox