DTV HD-DVR and canceling Service

ccg83 · Jul 10, 2007

Hey guys, I just had a question... I am moving into a town home that does not allow DTV (or sat service at all) so I am forced to go with Comcast.

I am wondering that if I cancel service with DTV will my HDDVR continue to work if I connected it to my TV? Not really to record but to watch pre-recorded programs until I can clear the HDD.

Any info would be awesome.

ebonovic · Jul 10, 2007

HR10-250... yes, you will be able to playback anything that was previously recorded.

ccg83 · Jul 10, 2007

What about the HR-20?

feobrien · Jul 10, 2007

I thought it was illegal to prevent the installation of DTV dishes by home owner associations, etc. See link: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html It is probably up to you how hard you want to push your townhome association.

rminsk · Jul 10, 2007

ccg83 said:
What about the HR-20?

You must have a satellite signal for the HR-20 to let you play anything. I'm not sure if you need an activate account but I think so.

videojanitor · Jul 10, 2007

rminsk said:
I'm not sure if you need an activate account but I think so.

I believe so. Awhile back there was a bug where if you made a programming change via D*'s website (such as adding HBO), it would deactivate the DVR service. When that happened, it was impossible to play previously recorded material -- but it worked again as soon as you got them to turn the DVR service back on. So, it would seem to follow that if you close your account, the HR20 won't be able to access your recordings.

Redux · Jul 10, 2007

videojanitor said:
if you close your account, the HR20 won't be able to access your recordings.

Can't be true. You already paid for time-shifting them.

Ebovanichich, cleanup in aisle six.

rjnerd · Jul 10, 2007

ccg83 said:
What about the HR-20?

Well since it is most likely leased, when you cancel the account, they get it back. (and you may be stuck with an early cancel fee)

videojanitor · Jul 10, 2007

Redux said:
Can't be true. You already paid for time-shifting them.

Hey now! I didn't say it WAS true, I said it would "seem" to be true, based on what happened to me several times when my DVR service was deactivated. It wouldn't let me play anything.

MisterEd · Jul 10, 2007

Not sure about the closed account but unless it was recently fixed if there is no satellite signal It IS true. If the HR20 is not getting satellite signal (and has been reset after the sig is removed) it will not play back what has been previously recorded. Our company wanted to take one to a HD lobby demo for a prospective customer and it embarrassingly wouldn't work.

Redux said:
Can't be true. You already paid for time-shifting them.

Ebovanichich, cleanup in aisle six.

newsposter · Jul 10, 2007

in case anyone else reading has HDtivo and disconnects, make sure you unplug the sat. before you unsub. then you will avoid the nag screen.

JimSpence · Jul 10, 2007

I just want to reiterate this post.

feobrien said:
I thought it was illegal to prevent the installation of DTV dishes by home owner associations, etc. See link: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html It is probably up to you how hard you want to push your townhome association.

Again, it is against the law preventing you from installing a dish, within certain guidelines.

ebonovic · Jul 10, 2007

Redux said:
Can't be true. You already paid for time-shifting them.

Ebovanichich, cleanup in aisle six.

It is true...
The HR20 at this time, will not playback recordings without a sat signal.

As for "you already paid for time-shifting them"...
Yes you did.. but you didn't pay for an eternal storage of those systems with the DVR.

Cleanup in aisle "six"... cute.

poppagene · Jul 10, 2007

JimSpence said:
I just want to reiterate this post.Again, it is against the law preventing you from installing a dish, within certain guidelines.

Exactly.

bonscott87 · Jul 10, 2007

Yep, they can't stop you from putting up a dish unless you have no property that is exclusively yours (patio or balcony for example). It's against the law if they try to stop you.

newsposter · Jul 10, 2007

ebonovic said:
It is true...
The HR20 at this time, will not playback recordings without a sat signal.

wow that bites...during our infreq. rain outages, we dont even notice the disruptions until we get to the affected program, accidentally hit 'live' and love that we do have the ability to watch stuff even during outages.

I pity the folk that have frequent outages with HDDVR as it must just be like cable. And maybe cable's ads are now actually accurate that satellite goes 'out' when it rains

ebonovic · Jul 10, 2007

newsposter said:
wow that bites...during our infreq. rain outages, we dont even notice the disruptions until we get to the affected program, accidentally hit 'live' and love that we do have the ability to watch stuff even during outages.

I pity the folk that have frequent outages with HDDVR as it must just be like cable. And maybe cable's ads are now actually accurate that satellite goes 'out' when it rains

In that scenerio... it will work fine.

It is if you start up the system and it doesn't have a SAT signal...
They are working on resolving the dependencies of the SAT signal being present at start up, to still have access to pre-recorded material.

ccg83 · Jul 10, 2007

Upon furthur inspection... I am not 100% prohibbited from having a Sat dish....but they damn sure do ot make it easy.

For starters, I have to have it out of the line of vision from the street, so that means I have to put it by the patio in the back...which is infested by trees....that I can't touch. ALSO in my Homeowners Association Fees they "include" basic comcast cable at a $50 value which I have to pay regardless of my having the service or not...the HOA refuses to give the credit for not having comcast.

Although the CSR at DTV suggested that I suspend my service but not cancel it for like 3 or 6 months so that my cancel fee would be pro-rated at a lower cost....so I wonder if my service is concidered active but suspended will I be able to use the HDDVR HR20 as a standalone until I can get the recorded content off?

stevel · Jul 10, 2007

Neither the HR10 nor HR20 can record from cable. In fact, both require active satellite service to record at all.

rminsk · Jul 10, 2007

ccg83 said:
ALSO in my Homeowners Association Fees they "include" basic comcast cable at a $50 value which I have to pay regardless of my having the service or not...the HOA refuses to give the credit for not having comcast.

This is not enforceable in most states but I'm not sure about Florida.

DTV HD-DVR and canceling Service

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