Bought Used DVR can't activate. HELP!!!

[sirwindmill]

Hi I bought a used RCA dvr80 off ebay a month or two ago and got around to replacing my non dvr with this new unit. I put my access card from my non-dvr unit in the new one and got to the part where I needed to activate the card. It was saying wrong access card. Called directv and they told me I wouldn't be able to activate that receiver until whoever owned it previously deactivates it first?? Is there any way around this. I don't know how I could track down the original owner and convince them to deactivate it so I can activate it under my account. Can I give directv a wrong serial number or anything? Someone help..This was a mothers day gift...

[ebonovic]

1) If the previous user didn't deacticate the card that was tied to the user.... nothing you can do...

2) You can't give them a wrong Series Number or Reciever ID, as they are part of the encoding for the authorization packet.

3) Check with them again, to verify it is the "reciever" that is not deactivate, or is the OLD CARD that is not Deactivated...

If it is the reciever.... you are pretty much stuck... .Either you have to track down the seller. Or you have to find the right person at DirecTV that will be willing to go against their normal procedures.

[sirwindmill]

HUmm well what I think I will try is to call directv and since I had an account with them before that I canceled within the last year....is call under that account saying I gave that unit to my mother and she tryed to activate the unit and was told that it needed deactivated first and that I was calling to deactivate the unit. I'm sure they will look it up and see it wasn't associated witht hat old account but at that point I would think they would either do it or tell me there is money still owed associated with that unit or something? At that point I think I will either demand they deactivate that unit or see what kind of deal they can offer me on a unit since we have been directv customers since the primestar switch over days?

The old card was mine in a non-dvr unit that was working fine...so I know that is not the problem.

Hopefully something will work and that I'm not stuck with a useless RCA DVR80. Say there is nothing they can do. Is this unit good for anything at that point? Should I throw it away or try to resell it on ebay?

[ebonovic]

I wouldn't sell it on Ebay... unless you specifically say it can't be activated.

The 80gb hard drive is okay...

You could always sell it for it's parts.

[aus1ander]

Hi I bought a used RCA dvr80 off ebay a month or two ago and got around to replacing my non dvr with this new unit. I put my access card from my non-dvr unit in the new one and got to the part where I needed to activate the card. It was saying wrong access card. Called directv and they told me I wouldn't be able to activate that receiver until whoever owned it previously deactivates it first?? Is there any way around this. I don't know how I could track down the original owner and convince them to deactivate it so I can activate it under my account. Can I give directv a wrong serial number or anything? Someone help..This was a mothers day gift...

This is a situation where you really need to contact the eBay seller and discuss this situation. If they sold you a receiver that could not be activated, they need to know that. If you bought it from a "power seller", they usually have the means of making it right--like asking you to ship the unit back and they will either refund your money or ship you another.

You should be able to find the eBay item number under your "My eBay" account or under your eBay ratings, if the seller left comments.

If everything fails, check what protection you have under Paypal (if you made the payment that way) or your credit card. If the listing didn't specifically say the unit could not be activated, you have a legal case against the seller.

[yunlin12]

1) If the previous user didn't deacticate the card that was tied to the user.... nothing you can do...

2) You can't give them a wrong Series Number or Reciever ID, as they are part of the encoding for the authorization packet.

3) Check with them again, to verify it is the "reciever" that is not deactivate, or is the OLD CARD that is not Deactivated...

If it is the reciever.... you are pretty much stuck... .Either you have to track down the seller. Or you have to find the right person at DirecTV that will be willing to go against their normal procedures.

I have a question, I have (had) a HDVR2 that I disconnected from the dish when I moved over to cable. After the cable was successfully installed, I called DTV to cancel my account, while the HDCR2 was on but disconnected from the dish the whole time. I then clear and deleted everything on the HDVR2, and am giving it to a friend. Can he still activate it if he gets a new card from DTV for $20?

[Mr2sday]

And if the guy who sold it was the original user just e-mail him/her and ask him/her to remove it from his/her account.