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2oldman's avatar
2oldman
Explorer II
Apr 17, 2015

DTV blew away my programming, nightmare restoring it

My Directv HR21-100 receiver died a couple days ago. Got the replacement today, an HR24-500.

Fired it up and voila, NO programming. Went online to reauthorize. Rebooted, several times. Nope, still nothing but 201 in SD. It appears DTV terminated ALL my programming. I spent the next hour (yes, an hour) on the phone trying to get it back. Got it back.. or so I thought. Now, I have no DNS, channels 390-399.

Called back. Spent another hour on the phone, call finally was 'Lost' due to poor Verizon reception in one room. Did the representative try to call me back? Of course not.

Took a dinner break. Decided to try on chat. Spent another hour or more there, she couldn't fix it, and is sending out a service tech tomorrow - between noon and 4pm.

This has never happened, ever. Usually getting service back is easy. I'm not hopeful this service call will fix anything, but one needs to remain positive.

It seems utterly ridiculous that they would do anything to my programming package, let alone make me spend hours on the phone trying to get it back. Is replacing a receiver supposed to be this difficult?

I don't see a bright future for Directv if this is any indication of how things are going over there.
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    Apr 18, 2015
    robsouth wrote:
    Why would you have DNS on a home receiver?
    Good point.

    Up until this receiver blew, I got DNS on both DVRs.. home and RV. In my last post I wasn't 100% sure of that, but now I distinctly remember recording Jeopardy at 4pm many times. Heck, I probably had Spokane locals, I never checked. I wasn't paying for them.

    Since I had been getting DNS on both (for years, actually), I just assumed that if the home receiver didn't get it, the RV one wouldn't either. Glad I was wrong. The frustrating part of this whole episode was that the help didn't know or didn't tell me that DNS is not available on the home receiver, just the RV.

    In the early 2000s, I was paying for and receiving both Seattle locals and DNS on a home receiver, which was clearly a violation of something, I'm sure.

    Anyway, all's well that ends well.
  • Ron3rd's avatar
    Ron3rd
    Explorer III
    Apr 18, 2015
    Oldman, what is DNS as it relates to your system? I know what DNS means on a computer network, but is this a different context?
  • Bobbo's avatar
    Bobbo
    Explorer II
    Apr 18, 2015
    Distant
    Network
    Service

    It gives you the New York and/or Los Angeles network feeds so you can get ABC, CBS and NBC wherever you are. Most areas have their networks spot broadcast. New York and Los Angeles are not spot broadcast, but broadcast over the entire area that Directv serves. Directv just has to turn on the channel for you like they do with the premium movie channels.
  • rvten's avatar
    rvten
    Explorer
    Apr 18, 2015
    We have DNS on all 3 rec. in MH and S&B. Trees block out local SAT signal.
  • EsoxLucius's avatar
    EsoxLucius
    Explorer
    Apr 18, 2015
    How about not being able to change local channels through a service address change more often than every three months and not being able to actually get all Sports Pack channels even with the Premier Package due to Major League Baseball rules. I'm just about fed up with DirecTV.
  • Shot-N-Az's avatar
    Shot-N-Az
    Explorer
    Apr 18, 2015
    EsoxLucius wrote:
    How about not being able to change local channels through a service address change more often than every three months and not being able to actually get all Sports Pack channels even with the Premier Package due to Major League Baseball rules. I'm just about fed up with DirecTV.


    Where did you get the information that you can change service address only once every 3 months? If that was true at one time, it isn't anymore.
  • Bobbo's avatar
    Bobbo
    Explorer II
    Apr 18, 2015
    If Major League Baseball rules are what keeps Directv from giving you all the games, it isn't Directv's fault.
  • EsoxLucius's avatar
    EsoxLucius
    Explorer
    Apr 18, 2015
    Yesterday DirecTV refused to change the local channels from San Antonio to New Orleans with my service address change. They claimed they cannot change local channels with a service address change more than once every three months. I have DNS for LA affiliates but have enjoyed local stations from Seattle, WA to California to Phoenix, AZ to San Antonio, TX and now DNS stations are two hours behind my location.

    When I got my PREMIER service the channel placard showed I got the SPORTS PACK and said nothing about restrictions in receiving those channels. As a matter of fact I received all of those channels, including all MLB games on them until yesterday when prompted to update the software in my receiver. When I complained they offered me all MLB games with MLB EXTRA INNINGS for $32 a month. I said they could stick it and while I might be a "valued customer" (their words) I was not satisfied with their offerings and service. They are leaches just like the cable companies.

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