Direct TV .... Gotta love 'em

[Ray Davis]

NOT! :eek:


So, I call Direct TV to try to get the receiver in my new bus authorized. I've got to order a new card for the receiver. OK, no problem, I order the card. Then after the order is placed, they drop the bomb, you have 9 days to install the card, and call Direct TV and get it turned on, or it will self destruct, and you have to order another card (at $20 more).

Problem, well the card is not going to arrive for approximately 5 business days, which puts me at middle of next week, and the card expires on Friday. Wouldn't be a problem if my bus were local, but it's 45 miles away.

Would have been nice if it could have expired on a weekend, when I could get out there, but no, since I ordered today, it expires on next Friday!

Could I have cancelled the order for today. Well, not actually, but I could have $20 credit on my account, which couldn't be used for ordering a card tomorrow!

They make it SO easy, don't they!

Ray

[jello_jeep]

What kind of receiver ya get? Is anyone making an in motion dish setup for the new HD setup?

When I grow up, I wanna put a tivo in my bus. That would be sweeeeet!

[Ray Davis]

Actually, the receiver is nothing special, but it was already installed, wiring intact, and a good picture, so I opted to use that receiver, rather than uninstall and try to put my walmart special in the bus.

One thing I wasn't sure about, is whether or not there were Direct TV receivers which were special for the in-motion dishes? My previous setup had an external control panel for the dish, which could be started, and lock on the satellite, even without a receiver there.

This unit in my new bus is different in that I don't see (haven't yet at least) any controls for the in-motion dish. There is a single power button in the electronics area in the bedroom.

Since this was all "just working", I opted for perhaps the easy way out, to not mess things up by installing my other receiver. Now I've got to send it back to Direct TV, as you don't buy them anymore, you lease them. Even if you go to Walmart and pay $50 for the receiver. It's a lease!

Ray

[Jerry Winchester]

Ray,

I had a similar experience trying to change the DirecTV over from Jack's account to mine. I thought they could just change the whole thing over to my account (it was working fine when I picked the coach up), but they said, "No, we have to send you a new card." Then they turned off the service I was getting (I would have been smart to wait to call them), so I told them they sucked because I would have to travel for a week with no TV.

Not the most customer friendly folks around.

[rff105]

http://www.kvh.com/products/Product.asp?id=155

KVH has an in motion HD receiver but I think it only gets the original 3 satellites worth of HD channels not the additional channels they are advertising now on the 5 satellite dishes.

[Ray Davis]

When I originally got the red bus, there were two DTV receivers in it. I didn't turn them on immediately, as I didn't need them, and actually waited until we got to POG2 at Santa Fe.

Then while Kathy was out on the girls art explore day, I decided to surprise her by getting TV turned on (she wanted to watch Grey's anatomy). Big mistake, after talking for 30 minutes with customer service, I'm informed that the previous owner hasn't released those receivers, and I'd have to contact him and ask him to do that. Then, after all that time, I would have to call in, and request new ID cards (another week and $40), and then I could turn on the receivers.

Instead, I went down to Walmart, and picked up a unit for $50 and had it turned on later that day. Maybe I should have done the same here?

[phorner]

We put the DirectTV receiver with Tivo DVR in our bus and and we love it!

Now, we don't know how we got along without it....

It was no problem at all with the installation or activation. For once, we were lucky!!!

[truk4u]

Ray,

I went through the same 9 day thing with the CC in August and I asked for a few additional days and they did it with no problem.

Ya, Ya, they still suck!

[wrongagain]

Dont even get me started on my rant on direct tv.
Never before have I had the feeling of living in an abbott and costello routine.
I call dtv, they say call kvh, kvh transfers me to dtv, dtv says you need kvh, round and round and round.

Who's on first,... third base.

Someone comes to install the dish on my house, I say, wrong again, he says where do I want it, I say back in your truck, he says he has to install their equipment, I say, first of all, its for the bus, second, my equipment is installed all you have to do is activate it.
This inspires more phone calls.
After a while he, they, whoever decides I am right and he gets it going.
As he is giving me the run down, he stops to tell me the remotes are not rf, but for a price I can have rf, but they dont work with the box he just installed and maybe in a few months a newer more improved box will be out, but for now rf remotes are only on the boxes with the dvr.
Dont want or need dvr in the bus.
So now I have a setup that doesnt work unless you get up to aim the remote at the box.
Got the first bill days later at $20.00 a month more than quoted and cant cancel it to get what I wanted because it was a special introductory rip off and cancellation brings penalties, sanctions, dismay and a general besmirching of my good name.
Every time I have called I get a completely different set of rules and guide lines like I am talking to ten different companies.
Still havent driven it anywhere to see if it does work " in motion ".
Even now I dont think they know its on a bus, its a service they offer and no one there has ever heard of it.
Right on there web site there is a whole thing about rv usage, but try and find someone that knows about it.
Well,... after this long tirade I think its time to up the dosage before I snap.

[jello_jeep]

Paul, does the new Tivo not have to be plugged into a telephone line? The last series, even if you paid lifetime had to make a call every couple weeks to make sure you were still authorized...

[Ray Davis]

I went through the same 9 day thing with the CC in August and I asked for a few additional days and they did it with no problem

I specifically asked that, and was flatly told "No, can't be done".

[garyde]

Hi Ray. A universal maxim when dealing with large conglomerates is to simply say thanks, hang up and call again, and simply re-phrase the question to another person. Repeat until satisfied. Its not what you ask but who you ask . With my card issues, I asked them to Fed ex blue label. Also, regarding the previous owners cards, they sent me an empty envelope to send the old cards back.

[Danss]

After a period of time your receiver will not work (I assume because of no phone line). All you have to do is call them and give the serial number on the card and they will reset it and it will work immediately if no other problems.

[phorner]

Yes, my DirecTV receiver with Tivo needs to be plugged in when you "activate" the receiver during initial setup. Since we live in the bus full-time, we have had the receiver plugged into a phone line on occasion, but we have spent several months without connection and not had a problem.

You do get messages stating that it's been xx days since a successful call was made, but so far, all I do is erase them.

We've had this receiver for a couple of years now, and so far, very happy.

BUT, I fear the day when a change will be necessary because it seems like a roll of the dice to see if all the equipment and DirecTv programming work together once you have to involve "the company" in any changes.

I also found that it was very easy to up-grade the programming to my KVH antenna with a simple program down-loaded from their website. Sometimes this resolves "failure to acquire" issues.

[truk4u]

Paul,

I have a new RF remote in the box from those idiots and it's yours if you want it. We installed 3 more receivers at home and they were suppose to work anywhere with the RF remotes, but duh, no good. They then informed me that the RF only works with the HD receivers now.

[jello_jeep]

Well then, a Tivo might be in my future then.

I would have to get a new dish though, because mine has to "talk" to the receiver (advanced receiver) with a serial connection.

I think it might be wise to wait until the dish is being made to pick up all the new stations though, I am in no real hurry.

[mike kerley]

There is more involved than just the dish. The new dish looks at 5 different satellites, two of which use a different format for transmission and can only be decoded or received by the new HD receivers. Our old (two years) Hughes HD unit looks for three satellites and will pick up about 10 or 12 HD channels and has a true TIVO interface. The newer direct TV HD DVR units will pick up (by year end) almost 100 channels of HD programming but will no longer have a TIVO interface. That may change someday, but for now, new units do not have the TIVO logo or operating system. Kinda like going from windows XPto 3.1 (not Vista) and even though it works, its just not as user friendly.

The KVH roof top, in motion unit can be programmed for the three (101-110-119) satellites and my guess is they will come out with an upgrade to allow it to see the others, but extra external equipment will be required along with the new receiver to get all of the HD channels.

Very confusing. It gets even worse when you have two or three receivers all looking for something on different satellites (with some units you can record two shows and watch a third that is already recorded) and can only see one satellite at a time. So with three HD DVR's, you could be recording 6 different channels at the same time off of 5 different satellites. Easy at home, tough on a bus. Who wins? (the wife, of course) Lifetime network forever!

I'm going back to reading as long as the eyes hold out.

[Ray Davis]

I would have to get a new dish though, because mine has to "talk" to the receiver (advanced receiver) with a serial connection.

That was a concern of mine, and the reason I decided to try to get the existing receivers authorized on my account.

But the question is "how would I know that this is an advanced receiver, and requires a serial line, etc"?

My previous bus didn't require a special reciever, and perhaps I was just lucky in purchasing the cheap receiver from Walmart. Is it a specific model of dish which requires the advanced receiver?

Thanks,
Ray

[jello_jeep]

Ray, this is a 96 era dish. It is automated, but has no "brains" on its own, the receiver has to tell it when there is a signal, and fine tunes it.

I think most of the newer "dome" dishes recognize the sats on their own, I would imagine the advanced receiver is not required any longer.

I don't have the newer dish, so I could be wrong, but it would seem to make sense that way!


That was a concern of mine, and the reason I decided to try to get the existing receivers authorized on my account.

But the question is "how would I know that this is an advanced receiver, and requires a serial line, etc"?

My previous bus didn't require a special reciever, and perhaps I was just lucky in purchasing the cheap receiver from Walmart. Is it a specific model of dish which requires the advanced receiver?

Thanks,
Ray

[Coloradobus]

Ray,m

For our Motosat Executive Dish on the 2000 Marathon "H", after the Marathon installed receiver went to the great beyond, we went to Camping World and bought a new Direct TV receiver. Then we discovered the the Exec Dish couldn't find squat on its own. The Marathon receiver knew where to look. I called Motosat Mat and he said we needed to get a Nomad II for our dish. So, for around $208.00 direct from Motosat we had us a new satellite locator. I am going to call them to see if we can get a Nomad of sorts for our old Direcway dish for the Direct TV "bird on the wire". The internet part is de-commissioned. We use the Verizon card in the 'puter, or rely on a Wi-Fi system whereever.
The new Nomad II knows where to look and points the dish and the new receiver, receives. So, there was no need for us to buy a whole new dish, just a new "finder". So far HD is not in our future until we absolutely need to shell out "Lew $$$Bucks for a new system.

[lewpopp]

Well it sounds like the predicament that I went thru when I forgot to lower the dish and needed a new one. I purchased a new Moto-Sat and it put me back on the line. But... a few months later the brain box gave up and I called Moto-Sat and they sent me a Nomad brainbox. I think my wife looked it up today and it was $495 last March. Well it bit the dust about 6 weeks ago and called and they sent me the Nomad II. I had to pay the freight because it was over 90 days since I purchased the original. Next day air from Utah was 40 some Lew bucks. It was here the nsxt morn. I can't live without TV.

Now I want to get HD and I find I have to replace my dish and reciever. I paid $895 a year ago for the replacement dish and I'm not happy. I guess I have temporairily (sp) given up on that idea and so I will get it only over the batwings. Just to let you know, I am short of Lewbucks also.

I purchase my Executive dish from Satellites in Motion in Willis Tx. They have a website but they don't like to return calls.

Lew

[mike kerley]

Lew,

BUT, are you still short of breath??? Thats more important than lewbucks.

Mike

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Now I want to get HD and I find I have to replace my dish and reciever. Lew

Lew, don't know if this will make you feel better or worse about your decision on NOT going with HD, but I thought I would throw it out there anyway.

To have HD TV, you not only have to have:

1) HD Reciever
2) HD Satelitte Dish, or HD Cable Box at your Home site,
but you also have to have at a Minimum Component Video Cable, (Red,Blue,Green) run from the HD Dish to your HD TV (or the newest HDMI audio/video cable), just to get the HD picture.

It is fantastic TV viewing but as you have found out, very expensive especially in the bus. Think about the long run of special cable from your satelite to your TV? How would you run the cable, and this cable is very expensive.

For a much better detailed outline from Nick Hesler, go to http://www.prevost-stuff.com./audiovideo_basics-partI.htm I forgot about Nicks info before I typed everything above.

Good luck though, if you decide to upgrade to HD? :)


Gary S

[lewpopp]

Gary, thanks for the reply. I have since said to myself "SCREW IT". My batwings need an improvement and I will stick to fixin' that and HD can be received over that syatem at no charge. Of course not all those local stations carry HD.

[Ray Davis]

9 days ago, I ordered the new card for the Direct TV receiver. It didn't arrive, and this is day 9 so the card expires today.

Direct TV says, USPS tracking shows that USPS received the package. But, nothing beyond that is shown, i.e. not delivered, not in transit, nothing.

DTV says, I have to call USPS. I tell them there is no chance I can get this installed by today, can they extend the expiration. No, I'm told. I ask for a supervisor. He tells me same thing. Cannot be extended, and it's my responsibility to track it down. And yes, a new card is another $20.00.

Call USPS, they don't have a clue where it is, but it's not guarenteed to be delivered in ANY timeframe (US Priority Mail). I could file a complaint, but their computer is down.


So, now I'm left with basically, it's my fault, and I have to now pay another $20 to MAYBE get a card.

This SUCKS! :mad:

[merle&louise]

Ya know,

If you stop and think about it; we pay $50/month for satellite TV so that we can hear screaming matches on the talk shows, screaming matches on the news (where 3 people are shown disagreeing with each other and the commentator), the same weather over and over, and 10 minutes of news stretched out into a 24 hour a day format. And then we are subjected to ridiculous commericals that are loud and intrusive, selling us products that don't work and are not really representative of the claims made. With about a hundred channels to choose from you would think that there would be something entertaining or humorous to watch; wrongo!

If you are really lucky you can find old re-runs of your favorite sit-coms from yester-year (Andy Griffin, Lucy, Leave it to Beaver,); but DIRECT TV will dump on that channel also. How? They show the same episodes back to back !:confused::confused: I saw the same episode of Leave it to Beaver three days in a row.

$50/month x 12 months = $600/year. We could buy a 200 gallon tank of diesel with those Lewbucks. It kind of makes you think doesn't it:D

It's our choice!

[Ray Davis]

Amen to that, brother!

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

I saw the same episode of Leave it to Beaver three days in a row.

WHY ??? !!!! :(


Gary S

[jello_jeep]

Last time I got into a pissin match w/ DTV on a card, I told them I wanted it sent via fedex. They said no. I demanded to speak to the supv, an explained that they would either overnight it, or I was cancelling all the receivers and going to dish (would never do it LOL).

Card came via fedex next morning.

Just dig in and give em hell!

[Jon Wehrenberg]

When I was really having trouble making Mercedes understand that even though they kept replacing my instrument cluster everytime it went black, I didn't care how nice they were, or how they washed the car every time. I wanted a car that worked so well that I actually never had to deal with them.

They did not seem to understand the concept until I asked them what part of Lexus did they not get?

Perhaps the folks at Direct TV need to get an understanding of the word Dish.

[rfoster]

Ray:

With your big dish, or thru your air card, I would suggest taking a look at Slingbox Software for your computer. There are two more similar software programs available now (forgotten the name of them) available thru Circuit City (not my favorite store by any means). But if you have internet and your local cable tv-- you got tv in your coach. At least the same as you have on your home cable system.

We seldon watch TV anymore for the reasons Tuga pointed out and of course having the time to watch, but do enjoy getting the local newscast via the puter and net via the sling box software when away from home in the bus.

Then you could tell Direct were to put their card.

[win42]

Our only re-course is to send letters to our congressmen / ladies. If you think Direc TV is screwing you try that approach. I will try and survive with what I have until Japan or some other advanced nation offers us a permanent solution.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Last winter for our Florida trip (6 weeks) we, I, loaded up about 100 videos and we didn't watch a single one of them, not one.

One of the many things Deb does not like while at home is my attachment to Cable TV.

It is not surprising how easily I can do without when something of greater interest catches my attention, camping and the bus.

I think the speed of the advancement of that technology and the inability to keep up without upgrading every other year is a real turn off for us.

We upgraded to a LCD and rely on campground cable. I guess we are dinosaurs, but happy ones:)

[jello_jeep]

Joe, I tried doing cable on the bus, but I ran out of line about the end of the driveway, and lost the picture ;):D



One of the many things Deb does not like while at home is my attachment to Cable TV.

[hobobimmer]

I'm more confused than I was when I started reading this thread to try to find an answer to my question, so I'll have to ask. We've had our Prevost less than a month, and I'm trying to get a new card to put into the existing receiver and Direct TV tells me they can't give me a card, but they can give me a new receiver for free with a new card in it. I don't want a new receiver, because I know the one I have works with the in motion system and everything. (Unless it doesn't matter, and if it is simple to just put new receiver in). Thankfully, the very kind previous owner has not cancelled Direct TV service yet, so it is giving me a little time to figure this out. I did not tell Direct TV that receiver was in RV. I told them I had another receiver that was not hooked up, but wanted to use it. What are the magic words I must say to Direct TV to have them agree to mail me a new card for the existing receiver? Do I have to tell them it is in RV? I read on their site that if it is for RV they will no longer let you have receiver for 5/month, but would have to buy complete separate package for RV. Any advice? Thanks. Deb

[Ray Davis]

Deb,

From my recent experience, there are two types of receives according to DirecTV. Those that are OWNED, and those that are LEASED.

OWNED receivers can be resold, and a new card created and used in that receiver by the new owner.

LEASED receivers however cannot be transferred, and must be returned to DirecTV when the subscriber cancels their service.

How to know which type of receive you have is the key, and only DirecTV can tell you. For example, in my coach which I just sold, I had gone into Walmart and "purchased" a DirecTV receiver for $50. (Out at POG2!!)

Even though I thought I'd purchased that, it turns out that this was considered a LEASED receiver. When I sold my bus, I had to remove that unit, and send it back to DirecTV.

On the other hand, my new bus had a receiver in it which was OWNED. In this case, very similar to yours, I wanted to simply put a new card in this receiver, rather than take it out, and wire in a new one (this one worked!)


I talked to DirecTV, and they indicated that receiver was OWNED. Before I could take possession however, the current subscriber had to cancel their service on that receiver, and notify DirecTV that they were selling the receiver. It may have been required in writing (I'm not sure on that).

Once the receiver was released, I was able to ask them to send me a new card ($20). Please note, when you order the new card, there are 9 days to get it installed, and activated, or the card self-destructs. The first card I ordered never arrived, and I had to pay a second $20 to get a card 2nd day Fedexed to me. That was installed, and works fine.

I hope this helps.

Ray

[Loc]

Deb,

Rumor has it that your receiver was owned and not leased.

Loc

[rmboies]

a new card for the existing receiver? Do I have to tell them it is in RV? I read on their site that if it is for RV they will no longer let you have receiver for 5/month, but would have to buy complete separate package for RV. Any advice? Thanks. Deb

Deb, Do you have Direct-TV in your home as well? This may be where they are questioning you. We have Direct-TV in our home and all our coaches have had Direct-TV as well. Each time all I had to do was speak with someone in the access card department, tell them this was for our RV, give them the serial number off the receiver and the brand name (sony, etc.) and they sent me two access cards--a corresponding one for each receiver since our coaches have all had two. I just spoke with them the other day because we are changing coaches yet again and I was told to call with the serial numbers, make/model, and they would issue me new cards. I believe the cards are $20.00 each. Another heads up-- the new access cards have to be activated within 7 days of being issued. So you must activate them as soon as you receive them. Otherwise they self destruct and you have to order more new ones. The previous OWNER MUST call Direct-TV and discontinue his service before they are able to change things over to your name. Most people own the receivers in the coaches they are not leased.

If you are not traveling extensively and your coach will be sitting unused, you can call Direct-TV and they will put that card/reciever on hold for up to 9 months with no charges. The two we have are the additional $5 a month added to our regular bill for the receivers in the house. Hope this info helps you figure out the problem..

Debi

[Ray Davis]

Thankfully, the very kind previous owner has not cancelled Direct TV service yet, so it is giving me a little time to figure this out.

Until the previous owner releases your receiver, you will not be able to get a card. Once it's released, if owned, (see above), then you can simply request a new card.

Generally most receivers which were originally installed by a converter are owned, so you can transfer. But, if you were like me, and purchased a unit from Walmart (or similar), those are generally leased. Sony or non-DirecTV brands are always owned, and may be transferred.


Ray

[garyde]

I have seen this thread before. In my last two Coaches the previous owner had not released their accounts. One coach I had the card, the other coach I did not.
Instead of getting into a huge arguement regarding not knowing the previous owner and having no way to get the missing cards, I simply hung up and called again and got a more helpful person who sent me the cards. Also, you can request one day or two day delivery.

[Loc]

Gary is right. Call three times and you will likely get three different answers.

[Ray Davis]

I tried that, AND asked for a supervisor when trying to get my new bus straightened out. Maybe you guys are luckier than I. Best I could do was 2nd day air, on sending the card. And they were all hard-fast about the 9 day activation rule, saying it was coded into the card.

Ray

[Loc]

Ray,

I just got new cards for the new bus. I installed the cards and followed the instructions that came with the cards. The satellite would not receive anything. I got on the phone with the techs at DTV. They could not get the picture to work, but did activate the cards. I had a tech check the satellite and the KVH is not working. Based on this experience the activation doesnt require interaction with the satellite. I have put a new satellite on the bus and according to the technician the cards work. You may be able to activate the cards without installing them in the receiver.

Loc

[Ray Davis]

Based on this experience the activation doesnt require interaction with the satellite. I have put a new satellite on the bus and according to the technician the cards work. You may be able to activate the cards without installing them in the receiver

Loc,

Interesting point. I hadn't thought that they cannot actually tell if your receiver is working or not! I had to scramble (when I was going throug this process) to get out to my bus within the 9 day limit, when I probably could have just called them and said "ok they cards are in, activate them :D !

Luckily, I'm all through with this process, I got everything up and running awhile back.

Ray

[Kevin Erion]

LOC is correct, I had the same problem. The receiver in the new bus had a bad card reader, the tech activate the card and said that when I get the receiver fixed that it will work, he was right.

[Just Plain Jeff]

Just tried to re-activate a receiver and get the programming going after suspending it for six months.

Their robot lady on the telephone makes recoding a DDEC seem like child's play. It must cost a lot less than talking with a human being, but they haven't yet figured out that we old geezers will turn the $%^&*(ing thing off if it gets that much more complicated.

I'll borrow some of Jon's Lawrence Welk tapes if it gets much worse.

Sheesh.

[Ray Davis]

I usually find that by answering their question with "operator" after a few tries it gives up and sends you to a human ...

[Jon Wehrenberg]

And does that human speak English as a second language?

[Just Plain Jeff]

It seems to speak Female Digital, which is a new language to me. It is always pleasant and kind no matter what you say to iteven if you swear at it. There is potential in that, but it never seems to listen to what you tell it.

Some things don't change.

Now, how about some advice on getting this analogue phone working in the coach I am sitting in right now? Got the dial tone and it seems like it wants to work. Hmmmmm.

[Orren Zook]

Roger, here's an update on your slingbox....


PHILADELPHIA - Former satellite TV provider EchoStar Corp. on Sunday will demonstrate its first product for cable companies at the industry's trade show: a unit that can tune in television and act as a cable modem.

The SlingModem, made by Sling Media Inc., which is owned by EchoStar, will combine modem functions with its popular Slingbox, which lets users watch broadcast, cable or satellite TV shows on any Internet-connected device such as laptops or cell phones, even when they're away from home.

For instance, it lets someone who subscribes to cable catch an HBO special on his laptop while he's on a business trip in Japan.

The unit, to be sold through cable companies, at least initially, was first announced in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

EchoStar, which recently spun off satellite TV provider Dish Network Corp. to focus on its equipment sales business, plans to unveil more cable products later in the year.

It will be EchoStar's first time to exhibit at the 2008 Cable Show in New Orleans, hosted by the National Cable and Telecommunications Association.

[rfoster]

Orren:

Appreciate the update on the slingbox. I will have to read up on this to understand what they are up to.