Goodbye DirecTV

4933 Views 20 Replies 14 Participants Last post by newsposter, Oct 27, 2011

ZardozTX

Discussion Starter · Oct 9, 2011

So - I have had DirecTV since they were Beta Testing the very first RCA units - had one satellite and about 25 TV channels. I drove from Dallas to Tulsa to buy the unit on the first day it was available. I have stayed with DirecTV since then - with different Sony, RCA, ??? and TiVo units. I also bought the first TiVo unit - that interfaced very well with my Sony DirecTV box. I have the DirecTV/TiVo HD Unit - that was made braindead by the change in HD formats - so I only get Local TV in HD.

I also have FIOS for my Internet (20/5) and it works great. (I had the first FIOS in the area - Verizon uses my city as a Beta Test area.) I support AT&T employes and when I talk to one of their Techs - they tell me FIOS beats U-Verse - hands down!

I have waited for over 2 years - really more like 4-5 years - for something to replace the HR10-250 I have. I have waited and waited and waited and ... Like many of you I am sure.

I HAVE STOPPED WAITING!!!

Yesterday I ordered FIOS TV. I am going to get HD - more channels - upgrade my Internet to 35/35 and it is going to cost $40 less than what I pay today for DirecTV and FIOS Internet. (I have OOMA for my Phone!)

Today I ordered the new TiVo Premiere Elite - which is designed to work with FIOS TV. Even adding the $20/month for the Box - I am getting more for less - even after the 12/24 month Promos - I am getting more for less!

I did not want to leave DirecTV - I wanted a new DirecTV/TiVo/HD box. It might come next week - but I am voting with my $$$$$ - so DirecTV loses another customer!!!

I look forward to seeing what this New Combo will do and will not miss not having TV when it rains!!! (Which it did last night during the ALCS!)

Good Luck to all that are waiting!!! I will miss DirecTV - but I will still have TiVo!!!

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

The Spud

· #2 · Oct 9, 2011

Rather than cancel your Directv account outright, I would recommend suspending it. I'm not sure but I believe you can suspend your account for up to 6 months. That way if you find that you like FIOS even less, then the path is easy for you to come back. Who knows, maybe by then the new D-Tivo will be available.

Here's my 2 cents: I loved my D-Tivos, but I've been Tivo-less for about 1 1/2 years. I don't miss them very much. The current DVRs have evolved into a very good product. Plus, the HR-2x feature set is much better than what the new D-Tivo will be.

Finally, Directv is on the verge of releasing a software update that will, among other things, introduce an HD interface and significantly speed up the performance.

fasTLane

· #3 · Oct 10, 2011

ZardozTX said:
Yesterday I ordered FIOS TV. I am going to get HD - more channels - upgrade my Internet to 35/35 and it is going to cost $40 less than what I pay today for DirecTV and FIOS Internet.

FIOS and Tivo sounds like a great combo.

Phe0nix

· #4 · Oct 11, 2011

My DTV DVR died today and called to find out when my billing cycle starts over to coincide with a dish network install. I was eventually transferred to the retention dept and they gave me 2 HD DVR's for free,NFL ticket, and $25 off my monthly bill not to switch, so i stayed.

While i was on the phone with them i asked about the new Tivo and she had
just been given an update on the unit and has already been trained on the unit.
She said it is in it's final testing phase and will be complete in November 2011 but will probably be 3 months later in February 2012 before it's available to everyone. It will be $200 on a lease and $700 to own.

JJK1954

· #5 · Oct 11, 2011

I just switched as well from DTV. I too have them since the RCA days. But I have had enough. I swiched to Time Warner, and so far so good. There a handfull on channels that are HD that I never had with DTV. And the best part? I own my Tivo! I am not leasing it.

ZardozTX

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 13, 2011

DirecTV has done what they wanted. I looked at FIOS TV 2 years ago - but decided to stay with them - to get the New DirecTV TiVo box.

Feb-2012 - If you are lucky!!!

They got 2 years of my money - but not any more - and why kept my old account - when after 1 year (???) I am a new user and might get better offers?

I got my TiVo from Weaknees and it should arrive today!

DreadPirateRob

· #7 · Oct 18, 2011

I had a DirecTivo since 2002 until last year, when I upgraded to an HR24.

I can honestly say that I don't miss my Tivo at all.

sean67854

· #8 · Oct 18, 2011

ZardozTX said:
...

They got 2 years of my money - but not any more - and why kept my old account - when after 1 year (???) I am a new user and might get better offers?

...

I don't think that's how it works. I'm pretty sure you can't have an account under the same name at the same address and get new customer discounts.

However, even though I am not a new customer, I almost always am able to get the new customer offers just by asking. The only one I can remember that I didn't get was the current free sunday ticket one.

newsposter

· #9 · Oct 21, 2011

The Spud said:
Rather than cancel your Directv account outright, I would recommend suspending it. I'm not sure but I believe you can suspend your account for up to 6 months.

If you will not be using your DIRECTV service and would like to temporarily suspend your account, please call us at 1-800-531-5000 between 8:00 AM and 10:00 PM.

Reasons you might put your service on hold include:

Going away on vacation
You have a second home and only need service for part of the year
You are moving or relocating to a new location and it will be a while before you can have DIRECTV service at your new home
Requirements for putting your service on hold

Zero balance on your bill
Customers with only 1 account are allowed a maximum of 2 suspend requests every 12 months
Customers with 2 or more accounts are allowed a maximum of 4 suspend requests per account every 12 months
Total time with service suspended per 12 month period can not exceed 6 months
The minimum time for an account suspend is 30 days
Additional reminders about putting your service on suspension:

Service agreements are extended for the amount of time the account is in suspension. For example: Your service agreement expires in June, but then you suspended the account for 4 months.The updated service agreement now ends in October
Recurring or promotional credits don't get extended. For example: You currently have 6 months left of a $10 for 12 months credits offer, but suspend your account for 2 months. You will forfeit the credits during the time in suspend. Your account will receive the remaining 4 months of credits when it is reinstated from suspension
If there is an active sports subscription installment payment on the account any remaining multi-pay charges are billed to your account when it's reinstated from suspension even if the season has ended

Click to expand...

scottjf8

· #10 · Oct 21, 2011

Wow, Newsposter is back!!

CatScratchFever

· #11 · Oct 21, 2011

DreadPirateRob said:
I had a DirecTivo since 2002 until last year, when I upgraded to an HR24.

I can honestly say that I don't miss my Tivo at all.

This post is so on the mark, To be honest if they came out with a DirecTV Tivo tomorrow I would have no Interest. None, zip, Nada.

I have one HR24 and 4 HR20's but what I really would like is a 5 turner HR34 with a 1TB drive that is slowly being introduced.

I also have an Tivo 10-250 that is hardly ever used - it's been regulated to the basement. The interface is so yesterday.

scottjf8

· #12 · Oct 21, 2011

CatScratchFever said:
This post is so on the mark, To be honest if they came out with a DirecTV Tivo tomorrow I would have no Interest. None, zip, Nada.

I have one HR24 and 4 HR20's but what I really would like is a 5 turner HR34 with a 1TB drive that is slowly being introduced.

I also have an Tivo 10-250 that is hardly ever used - it's been regulated to the basement. The interface is so yesterday.

This.. I have very little interest in a TiVo (especially if it's like the old ones were.) I haven't seen one in a few years, but if the things that always bugged me are still there (no PIG, takes forever to rearrange season passes, etc) than no thanks.

Plus the Whole Home thing is the greatest thing ever.

fasTLane

· #13 · Oct 21, 2011

When the new Tivo is out, I will get three of them.

CatScratchFever

· #14 · Oct 21, 2011

fasTLane said:
When the new Tivo is out, I will get three of them.

Why??

nrc

· #15 · Oct 22, 2011

DreadPirateRob said:
I had a DirecTivo since 2002 until last year, when I upgraded to an HR24.

I can honestly say that I don't miss my Tivo at all.

I switched from DirecTV to WOW cable with a TiVo S3 four years ago and I can honestly say that I don't miss DirecTV at all.

newsposter

· #16 · Oct 25, 2011

wow you dont even have to talk to anyone to suspend, just tell the computer what day you wanna restart...ez as pie

Raketemensch

· #17 · Oct 27, 2011

I'm only a year into my DirecTV contract, but I can't wait for it to end.

As a new customer (after a 4-year break), they gave me a DVR that was 3 models old. I believe it's the HR-22, when you click a button you could go out to the kitchen and get a cup of coffee before it responds. I don't understand why they would *ever* ship a product this slow, nevermind continue giving it to customers when 2 newer models have been released. Pretty much every time I use it I end up growling at it out of frustration.

Now they're released a streaming iPad application, but it won't stream DVR content, only live TV. Why? Is it a technical limitation? No, it's so they can sell you their $150 Nomad box.

I'm done. Thanks DirecTV, for reminding me how you treat your customers. Our user experience doesn't matter, as long as we're forking over the cash.

stevel

· #18 · Oct 27, 2011

Pretty soon you will get an update for the HR22 that will make it much faster.

As for the streaming, it is probably a licensing issue.

Raketemensch

· #19 · Oct 27, 2011

The licensing already exists, since the Nomad can do it already -- it's just a separate piece of hardware from the same company pushing the same content to the same devices.

ncted

· #20 · Oct 27, 2011

I am 1 year into my D* contract. I find it just ok, but better than TWC with Navigator or Tivo/SDV/TA nightmare.

My biggest gripe is the price. For my 2 DVR setup with whole home and Choice, I am paying $90 before rebates which will all expire rather soon.

I ordered a leaf antenna to gauge reception at my house for OTA. If it works out well, I can get a couple of Tivos and AppleTVs for the price of a few months of D* service. I can get all OTA content for free (plus the Tivo service fees if I do not get lifetime) and buy the cable shows on iTunes or Amazon (which I can watch via my BD players) and still save over $500 a year. I just don't see the point of paying such a high price when other options exist.

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

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