Trying to activate a R10..

[Wakka092]

Hey, it's my first post. Well yesterday I recieved a DirecTV R10. What a gift, especially at the same time the person who gave me the unit switched to Dish from D* just a few weeks earlier. It was a strange coincidence. Well I found that the oval D* label holding the box open was ripped and everything inside unwrapped.. Well that was a even bigger letdown.

Soon I really understood it was used by looking at the Purchase history and the Season Pass manager. Well, that aside, I noticed the access card was still in the unit. Even stranger. Then I finished the Guided Setup, and the programming came on. Then I was even more confused. The person didn't even admit it was used.

So, I notice the local channels are in the Shreveport market. Even more strange.
Well, the person left, so naturally I called D* at 11 PM to try to straighten things out. Apparently the previous owner never deactivated the reciever.. So i was told that I needed a new access card. I hung up because it was then 12 AM and i didn't want to fool with Access Card Distribution.

After an entire day of waithing for a CSR, i finally got through.. at 6 PM. He said that the previous owner was aware of it being activated and that the reciever would be deactivated at midnight and to call tomorrow to transfer it over to my account or get a new access card depending on the situation.

The only reason I'm holding to this R10 is because I heard bad things about the R15, and after a brief trip to the walmart (where I also saw another R10) decided against purchasing.

Any suggestions or comments or advice?

[IOTP]

Can you move an access card from another receiver?

Yes, the R15 and HR20's are a piece of s**t.

[JimSpence]

Call and get a new access card. That's the easiest way to get this unit activated on your account.

[dishrich]

Actually I find it much easier to just move YOUR existing card over to another receiver - PLUS you don't get hit with the 2-year committment BS to boot.
Just take your card out of the old receiver you're not going to use anymore, put it in the Tivo, call D* & tell them your receiver went bad, but you have another one to use & tell them to remarry the card to the new box. If they won't do it, just play CSR roulette & get one that will.

Of course if you are making this an additional receiver on your account, then you WILL need to get a new card to do this. (others here claim that they have gotten D* to reuse a card from someone elses account, but I have personally never tried this before...)

[Wakka092]

Well, an update.
Well I tried again today. Apparently the previous owner DIDN'T close their account.. They even have a balance on it. It would have been easier for him (and even easier on me) if he bought one at Walmart for $99. I hooked up the D10 for now.. Oh, and I'll try the busted reciever trick if all else fails. I am replacing the D10 with the R10 so mabye I won't need a new access card. BTW does directv have North American tech support? Some CSRs have funny accents while others don't..

[stevel]

DirecTV does have US tech support, but you're more likely to get it if you call during weekdays.

[dishrich]

Apparently the previous owner DIDN'T close their account.. They even have a balance on it. It would have been easier for him (and even easier on me) if he bought one at Walmart for $99. I hooked up the D10 for now.. Oh, and I'll try the busted reciever trick if all else fails. I am replacing the D10 with the R10 so mabye I won't need a new access card.

Well, if the account is NOT closed AND has a balance on it, even trying the "busted receiver" trick won't work. Unless you get the owner to pay his balance, you're probably stuck with a paperweight now. D* evidently puts the balance against the RID# of the receiver.
If somehow he DOES pay off the balance, then you should be able to move your card over to it & have it remarried.

[Wakka092]

Ok, after talking to the previous owner, he called d* yesterdayand found out he had no balance and no recievers. I was explained to, after calling d*, that this was true. So I said I would be replacing one reciever, access card xxx, with this reciever, taking the advice from dishrich. I got the access card remarried to the R10 and now everything is done.

Thanks for the help.

[Stanley Rohner]

Can you move an access card from another receiver?

Yes, the R15 and HR20's are a piece of s**t.

The HR20 is not a piece of sh*t.
Mine has been working great.
It's not a TiVo but so what.

[goony]

It's not a TiVo but so what.It all depends on what you want your DVR to be.