[deadsenator]

Argh! I have been a longtime DTV subscriber and just bought a used HR10-250 that has a lifetime subscription. Even after Tivo confirmed the subscription, DTV is refusing to honor the it. I have been on hold for almost an hour waiting for a supervisor to pick up the phone, but everyone along the line is stating that the sub is NOT transferable. I have tried the explanation that it was not a DTV Lifetime DVR subscription, but rather a Tivo lifetime which should carry through with the hardware and not terminate with the account.

It looks like DTV has changed the agreement with regards to Lifetime subscriptions:

[I cannot post the link yet. Argh.]

"If you paid a "lifetime service fee," you will not be charged a fee for your DIRECTV DVR Service as long as you maintain television programming service from DIRECTV on the same account. If you disconnect your DIRECTV television programming service and later reconnect on the same account, your DIRECTV DVR service will be reconnected and you will not be charged a fee for DIRECTV DVR Service."

--

Nicely done behind the backs of DTV/Tivo owners. Not even referencing Tivo is a sneaky tactic.

Just thought I would let everyone know that thinks they are buying a lifetime subbed unit (from a friend or on fleaBay), that you will not be able to transfer the subscription. You will have to pay the $6 DVR monthly fee.

I am still on hold, but it gets to be a matter of principle here since I know they are counting on me hanging up. This is horrible and deplorable customer service.

 

[JimSpence]

You should get together with Marc and talk this over.
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=360089

 

[deadsenator]

You should get together with Marc and talk this over.

Thanks. His issue looks slightly different though. I am having trouble keeping the desire to stick with it. The original CSR gave me a monthly discount for a year for my trouble. I may just call back after the discount is over and try for another one. Perhaps this is my only real option since DTV is steadily trying to kill off the Tivo Lifetime systems.

BTW: I am *still* on hold!!!

 

[deadsenator]

I am going to hang up the phone right now. Longest...hold...ever. I am seriously disgusted with DTV about this.

Instead of doing the right thing, they act cheap and childish. Honor the sub and keep another customer happy. What is so hard about that? Rather than holding value in the customer, they have now given another customer a reason to unsubscribe. With tactics like this, it is difficult to imagine how they can stay in business.

 

[deadsenator]

Oooo...I think I can finally post the link to the DTV ever morphing policy:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=P400042

"If you paid a "lifetime service fee," you will not be charged a fee for your DIRECTV DVR Service as long as you maintain television programming service from DIRECTV on the same account. If you disconnect your DIRECTV television programming service and later reconnect on the same account, your DIRECTV DVR service will be reconnected and you will not be charged a fee for DIRECTV DVR Service."

 

[stevel]

The handling of lifetime service changed November 2004. The new arrangement is actually a big benefit to DirecTV TiVo users who bought lifetime service on their DTiVos as now they are not tied to that one box, they can swap equipment in and out and keep lifetime.

Your gripe is with the seller who misrepresented your purchase, not DirecTV.

 

[rminsk]

The HR10-250 never had a lifetime service offered. If the person who sold it to you had lifetime on there account they must completely cancel their DirecTV service and while they are doing it transfer the lifetime to you.

 

[parzec]

Isn't there some provision where the old DirecTV lifetimes can be converted back to a Tivo Lifetime (if it was a lifetime applied to a specific unit when it was purchased and you still have the unit) and applied it to a Tivo SA unit?

I would call Tivo and see if they can help so that you do not lose the value of the lifetime you paid for on ebay. They might just bend a little to free you from the cluches of DirecTV.

BTW: What did you pay for the "lifetimed" unit?

 

[deadsenator]

The handling of lifetime service changed November 2004. The new arrangement is actually a big benefit to DirecTV TiVo users who bought lifetime service on their DTiVos as now they are not tied to that one box, they can swap equipment in and out and keep lifetime.

Your gripe is with the seller who misrepresented your purchase, not DirecTV.

He strongly believes that he paid for Lifetime on this unit. I am pretty sure he had the box before then, but not positive. It sounds as if there is a chance that he did not understand the policy change.

Thanks.

 

[deadsenator]

The HR10-250 never had a lifetime service offered.

Really??? The box is from 2004. Is there a way to validate this? When I called Tivo, they confirmed that the box had Lifetime.

 

[deadsenator]

Isn't there some provision where the old DirecTV lifetimes can be converted back to a Tivo Lifetime (if it was a lifetime applied to a specific unit when it was purchased and you still have the unit) and applied it to a Tivo SA unit?

I would call Tivo and see if they can help so that you do not lose the value of the lifetime you paid for on ebay. They might just bend a little to free you from the cluches of DirecTV.

BTW: What did you pay for the "lifetimed" unit?

$310. He is offering me a $50 refund since the Lifetime does not seem to be working out. I don't think it's enough, but I don't think he'll go any higher.

I did call Tivo and they validated the Lifetime, but they really aren't able to help with DTV.

You guys are a great help, but I think I am SOL.

 

[rminsk]

Really??? The box is from 2004. Is there a way to validate this? When I called Tivo, they confirmed that the box had Lifetime.

Lifetime service offered for any DirecTiVo was stopped years before the HR10-250 came out. TiVo does not administer lifetime on DirecTiVo boxes since management of the DirecTiVo boxes was changed to DirecTV. When DirecTV took over the DirecTiVo line lifetime was transferred from the box to the account. The account the HR10-250 is on may have lifetime but not the box.

 

[deadsenator]

Lifetime service offered for any DirecTiVo was stopped years before the HR10-250 came out. TiVo does not administer lifetime on DirecTiVo boxes since management of the DirecTiVo boxes was changed to DirecTV. When DirecTV took over the DirecTiVo line lifetime was transferred from the box to the account. The account the HR10-250 is on may have lifetime but not the box.

I understand the part about DTV taking over the DVR services. I am still fuzzy about the Lifetime services. So, it is not at all possible that this unit had a lifetime sub (a transfer or something)?

I suppose I will get $50 back from the seller. Too little, but something. A lesson bought and paid for.

 

[deadsenator]

The HR10-250 never had a lifetime service offered. If the person who sold it to you had lifetime on there account they must completely cancel their DirecTV service and while they are doing it transfer the lifetime to you.

You know, come to think of it, the seller DID cancel their DTV service. They are on FiOS now. Does this help me?

 

[rminsk]

You know, come to think of it, the seller DID cancel their DTV service. They are on FiOS now. Does this help me?

It may be too late but you can try. They can transfer lifetime as they are closing their account. They still maybe able to contact DirecTV and transfer it.

 

[nellee]

You know, come to think of it, the seller DID cancel their DTV service. They are on FiOS now. Does this help me?

Probably not.

As already mentioned, Lifetime was no longer in effect when the HR10-250 came out. The lifetime service was transferred and attached to the Directv account, and no longer attached to the box.

The seller may have had another "Tivo" receiver that had lifetime before and it was included on all other receivers. Seller is confused.

Take a look at what the HR10s are going for nowadays (approx $200 maybe) and it may make you feel better about what you paid.

Also, you said Directv gave you some credits, does that help in terms of comparing to what other ebay auctions are selling the box for?

 

[rodneyb]

Just so I have this straight: I have an HR10-250 with lifetime that I'm about to get rid of.

Since the lifetime appears to be tied to the DTV account, does that when I cancel my directv service, I can or can't transfer the lifetime to someone else's directv account?

 

[stevel]

That is correct.

 

[poppagene]

Argh! I have been a longtime DTV subscriber and just bought a used HR10-250 that has a lifetime subscription. Even after Tivo confirmed the subscription, DTV is refusing to honor the it. I have been on hold for almost an hour waiting for a supervisor to pick up the phone, but everyone along the line is stating that the sub is NOT transferable. I have tried the explanation that it was not a DTV Lifetime DVR subscription, but rather a Tivo lifetime which should carry through with the hardware and not terminate with the account.

It looks like DTV has changed the agreement with regards to Lifetime subscriptions:

[I cannot post the link yet. Argh.]

"If you paid a "lifetime service fee," you will not be charged a fee for your DIRECTV DVR Service as long as you maintain television programming service from DIRECTV on the same account. If you disconnect your DIRECTV television programming service and later reconnect on the same account, your DIRECTV DVR service will be reconnected and you will not be charged a fee for DIRECTV DVR Service."

--

Nicely done behind the backs of DTV/Tivo owners. Not even referencing Tivo is a sneaky tactic.

Just thought I would let everyone know that thinks they are buying a lifetime subbed unit (from a friend or on fleaBay), that you will not be able to transfer the subscription. You will have to pay the $6 DVR monthly fee.

I am still on hold, but it gets to be a matter of principle here since I know they are counting on me hanging up. This is horrible and deplorable customer service.

I believe this has always been their policy. With a directv lifetime the subscription stays with the account not with the machine.

 

[stevel]

No, it changed as of Nov. 2004 when account handling was transferred to DirecTV (and the fee dropped.) At that point, you could no longer buy Lifetime for a DTiVo.