[Squeak]

I currently have an HR10-250 in which I do not pay for any of the HD programming through DirecTV -- but I do use it for OTA recording of the Big 4 networks.

For football season on the Big Ten Network in HD, I just pulled the trigger to get my HR10 'swapped' for an HR20, and get to keep the HR10 as well.

I know I will now need to pay the $10/month HD Access fee to get the HD channels (ESPN and BTN), as well as being able to record OTA on the HR20.

However, what happens in 6 months when I decide I no longer want any HD from the sats, and turn off the HD Access, and stop paying the $10/month? I am pretty sure I will not be able to record OTA with the HR20, but will I lose that ability with the HR10 as well?

In essence: with giving up my grandfathered status with the way the HD system use to work, is my HR10 now 'tainted' and will never be able to record HD OTA unless I pay the HD Access fee?

Thanks

 

[RS4]

By default you'll have HD access (because you will always pay the access fee). Because you have an "advanced" box, they charge you whether you use it or not. It doesn't work like the HR10-250 where some of us only watch OTA HD. So, you'll always pay the access fee.

DirecTV wants every last penny from us that they can get. Apparently there were too many people like you and I that did not find any HD worth watching on the satellite, but used it instead for the OTA HD. Now of course, it will be like that only with another 50 channels or so. Actually, I see a couple of channels in HD that I might like to check out, but I think it will be some time before there are many that I am really interested in. I also have the feeling that will happen with a lot of folks. They'll say, 'what did I go to all this trouble for"? But, because they have the HR20, DirecTV will be getting the $9.99 or 10.99 regardless.

 

[1003]

Once you leave
the protected 'grandfathered status' and sign up for the HD access fee you are comitted to whatever that amount happens to be for the remainder of your stay with DirecTV...