non-tivo satellite card to tivo unit?

[xunil76]

when i first started my DirecTV service, i bought two units, the DirecTivo unit in my sig and a regular, non-DVR receiver. after a while, my non-DVR receiver died on me, and i decided to just cancel the extra box fee and just live with one unit.

the question is, if i were to acquire a spare DirecTivo unit (after ensuring that it doesn't have an outstanding balance on it), would i be able to use my existing satellite card out of the non-DVR unit in it to avoid having to pay the $20 fee for a new card? i'm the only owner of the non-DVR unit that the card came in.

i know it's hit-or-miss with the CSR's on swapping cards, but i just wasn't sure if it's actually even possible to switch cards between DVR units and non-DVR units, or if the units have to be the same type (DVR ---> DVR unit, or non-DVR ---> non-DVR unit).

[rbtravis]

You would have to buy a non-RID unit that had no outstanding balance. Then you could move the card yourself. Details are elsewhere in this forum(I do not know where because I have never done it but have read about it )

[xunil76]

cool, i think i'm gonna try to fix the broken non-DVR unit first, if it's a bad power supply, and if that doesn't work, i'll look for another Samsung SIR4xxx or Philips DSR704 (or comparable model) and swap it over.

[halfempty]

If you get the old card reactivated and fully mirrored with the old receiver, it should work with a non-RID DTivo by calling D* ext. 722 and avoid having to speak with a CSR again. The models you mention are mostly RID units though. The series 2 non-RID models are the Hughes HDVR2, Philips DSR7000, RCA DVR39, and I *think* the Samsung SIR4040R.

[xunil76]

you mention the Samsung SIR-4040R, i'm going to assume that the 4080R and 4120R would also not be RID models, right? if i'm not mistaken, the only real difference between those models is the size of the hard drive that they came with stock.

[rbtravis]

You are mistaken, all are RID models :eek:

[halfempty]

The 4080 and the 4120 are definitely RID units. The 4040 I'm not positive about so I defer to rbtravis, who probably has many more surviving brain cells than I do.;)

[restart88]

What seems to have gone unaddressed here is the card itself. I forget what the latest card revision is but it has to be (I think) P4. I mention this because we don't know how long ago you had that unit. All the later units would have the correct smart card. But I think the cards are the same whether they are for a DVR or not.

As far as the replacement sat box a newer model helps. As you mentioned it's kinda like CSR roulette. I know some tried but just didn't have the skills. But some older models cannot accept a card swap. At least that's the claim.

For your best shot at someone who can re-marry the card go to customer retention. You usually have to play around with a level 1 CSR a minute or two to get to one. I was told at one time to ask for the access card team but I have only had 50/ 50 results with them. But they usually have some experience and might get it done.


Hope this helps.

[halfempty]

As you mentioned it's kinda like CSR roulette. I know some tried but just didn't have the skills. But some older models cannot accept a card swap. At least that's the claim.
I had my account accidentally trashed by a CSR that didn't really know how to do it, but was trying because I insisted. My bad.:o
I think the newest cards that start with 0017 won't work with non-RID DTivos.