Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of it

[TitaniumTroy]

I tried to upgrade to Directv's Genie Whole Home HD DVR but found out they charge you $3 more a month. Because you need to add an additional TV for the service, which I don't need. However the customer service rep was upfront about paying for something I wouldn't use. So I decided to keep the model I upgraded to from last year.

I also signed up for a 3 month package of HBO & Cinemax at reduced rate, the customer service rep though had me check. To make sure I was getting I was getting the channels I was supposed too. Turns out HBO's channel 501 was not coming in but all others were fine. Then they had me click on some test channels, some worked some did not. I was getting "searching for 1...(771)" error code message, so they determined some kind rectangular boxes on the input and output were not working properly, sending me some new ones free of charge (as it should be).

Being a Directv customer since 2000, I have always had excellent customer service. When I installed my first HD DVR, the technical support guy must have spent well over a half an hour that night helping me set it up.

In contrast, I see Time Warner's reputation is so bad they started a $50 million dollar campaign asking for forgiveness from former customers. http://consumerist.com/2013/01/22/exper ... r-service/

 

[Botch]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

Troy, thanks for the info. I'm toying with the idea of a change (and have been for awhile) and a buddy of mine has been trying to cancel is Comcast for a week now; keeps getting put on hold and then disconnected after an hour.
He has more patience than I do.

 

[Rope]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

Comcast Service Centers

Botch -
If you have a sevice center close, load up your Komkrap gear drop it at the center and have them close your account.

Rope

 

[TitaniumTroy]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

Your welcome Botch, considering the amount of money you for cable or sat. You would think they would want to keep a customer happy. I know you want to keep your FOX News to be in crystal clear Hi-Def :handgestures-thumbdown:

Say whatever happened to the army of the Green Eggs that were going to visit the forum?

 

[Botch]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

I know you want to keep your FOX News to be in crystal clear Hi-Def :handgestures-thumbdown:

Okay, now I hate you. bscene-birdiedoublered: :teasing-tease:

Say whatever happened to the army of the Green Eggs that were going to visit the forum?

I posted the Invite, and was actually surprised that not one member poked their head in... Kinda reminds me of my "parties" in college...

 

[Doghart]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

DirecTV on site at my house installing the genie right now.

Way more complicated than I ever could have imagined.

My current config:
Living RM. = Dual band HD-DVR
Basement = Dual band HD-DVR
Master BR = SD Set top box

New config:
Living Rm = Genie
Basement = Dual band HD-DVR
Master BR = Dual band HD-DVR

1. replace powered "splitter" in basement
2. replace ends on all co-ax cables feeding each DVR (rated for gigabit on TCP/IP) this means the cables feeding from the basement to each outlet, plus the cables from the outlet to the STBs.
3. replace LNB on dish
4. watch tech wait on phone for config and activation for an hour...

Guy is still here, feel sorry for for him... Snowing I'm home anyway and my daughter is playing on and watching Netflix on the iPad so she's not missing out on anything.

Let ya know if I'm impressed

 

[Batman]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

It sounds/looks exceptionally similar to the Hopper set up from Dish, I do like the updated directv GUI and guide...

 

[The DirtMerchant]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

DirecTV on site at my house installing the genie right now.

Way more complicated than I ever could have imagined.

My current config:
Living RM. = Dual band HD-DVR
Basement = Dual band HD-DVR
Master BR = SD Set top box

New config:
Living Rm = Genie
Basement = Dual band HD-DVR
Master BR = Dual band HD-DVR

1. replace powered "splitter" in basement
2. replace ends on all co-ax cables feeding each DVR (rated for gigabit on TCP/IP) this means the cables feeding from the basement to each outlet, plus the cables from the outlet to the STBs.
3. replace LNB on dish
4. watch tech wait on phone for config and activation for an hour...

Guy is still here, feel sorry for for him... Snowing I'm home anyway and my daughter is playing on and watching Netflix on the iPad so she's not missing out on anything.

Let ya know if I'm impressed

How much for the upgrades?

 

[Doghart]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

1 time $49 charge.

$3 a month more every month.

D

 

[The DirtMerchant]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

1 time $49 charge.

$3 a month more every month.

D

Damn...I called a couple weeks ago and the Genie was $399. Will be calling again soon.

 

[Doghart]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

Completely impressed!!! :banana-dance:

Able to watch any show recorded on any dvr at anytime.

Picture in Picture feature is pretty cool, AND when switching to my 5 favorite channels I can rewind all the way to the beginning of whatever show is on.... SWEET!

I can now record 9 shows simultaneously, which I will most likely never use, but hey it's still bad ass.

D

 

[MatthewB]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

Just got a free Genie upgrade offer in the mail for being a loyal customer. They are coming out on Friday to give me the free Main Genie box and two mini genie's only cost is three dollars more per month. Free boxes and free installation and possibly free slim line sat dish as I currently use the 5 LNB dish. Main box will be in great room as I still use component on my Pioneer elite but my Samsung plasma uses HDMi and my GF system is standard definition so the mini has S-video which is what her old CRT TV uses.

 

[Akula]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

I got the Genie a few months ago... had to threaten them with Charter to get it for a reasonable price. And now it's free.

The upside to those mini Genie client boxes is that you have full DVR pause/rewind capability on live TV when watching the TVs that have those connected. The downside is that they use the tuners on the Genie itself, so if you have a system like mine (three TVs, one DVR) then using mini-genies on the other TVs would leave me with only 3 tuners left on the Genie DVR. So we have normal HD DirecTV receivers on the other TVs... we can access the DVR playlist and watch things off the DVR on the other TVs while leaving all 5 tuners on the Genie free when we watch live TV on the other two. We only lose the ability to pause/rewind live TV on the other TVs.

 

[Yesfan70]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

1 time $49 charge.

$3 a month more every month.

D

Just got a free Genie upgrade offer in the mail for being a loyal customer...........

I got the Genie a few months ago... had to threaten them with Charter to get it for a reasonable price. And now it's free...........

...........Damn...I called a couple weeks ago and the Genie was $399..........

One service, four different replies. Dirt, let us know how it goes with DirecTV. I had a similar experience with Dish. I asked about upgrading to the Hopper and I was told it would coast me $199. Now new to Dish customers get a free iPad.


That's bullshit. :angry-tappingfoot:

 

[MatthewB]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

Well the Directv tech came out yesterday and set me up with whole home DVR and two mini boxes. Guy was amazed that whomever installed the previous dish used the wrong mounting bracket and that it actually stayed up but he installed new dish and bracket.

The Good is I can now watch all my DVR'd shows in any room (can now watch my TMZ in the Great room YEAH!!!!). System works really well. PQ is the same but didn't expect any difference there.

The Bad is the old Directv box would work with my DVDO scaler with no issues. But when turning the system on the new box I get the error message "HDCP error please switch to component to see image" the screen goes black after that. I then use my DVDO remote switch inputs and then switch back to HDMI 1 and the Directv box works great after that. It only takes a second to implement but still a bother to use the DVDO remote for a second just to get the picture to work. The Directv tech even called his boss and was confused too as the regular channels are not HDCP protected (only the movie channels are). but still it's there.

Other bad is they confiscated my old boxes. I told them that I paid for those boxes when I signed up for Directv so they are my property, but the tech says he has to confiscate them to place back into system before job is considered complete. he also said the technology is now out dated on those boxes with the new dish installed so they won't work anyway. I said I should get a refund for my boxes then since I paid for them but tech said years ago that's how Directv did business now everything is leased.

Other nitpick is the mini boxes dont have S-video out for my GF's older CRT TV so had to use composite.

 

[The DirtMerchant]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

Well the Directv tech came out yesterday and set me up with whole home DVR and two mini boxes...
Other bad is they confiscated my old boxes...

Do you have to switch over from existing boxes to new mini to work with the Genie?
I have a two DVR system currently and am thinking about the move to Genie, but if I have to
give up my "old" HD DVRs and deal with losing all the shows I have recorded on there, I might not switch.

 

[Batman]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

Yes. The remote Genie boxes won't work without the main Genie box in the set up.

 

[Akula]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

Well the Directv tech came out yesterday and set me up with whole home DVR and two mini boxes...
Other bad is they confiscated my old boxes...

Do you have to switch over from existing boxes to new mini to work with the Genie?
I have a two DVR system currently and am thinking about the move to Genie, but if I have to
give up my "old" HD DVRs and deal with losing all the shows I have recorded on there, I might not switch.

You can keep your other satellite boxes. We did. If your other boxes are DVRs then there's no downside to keeping those. The only thing the mini-Genie client boxes give you is DVR capability on live TV on the spare TVs (if you don't already have DVRs on them). By using non-client boxes (traditional sat receivers) on the other TVs you keep all 5 tuners in the Genie box available for recordings on that unit.

 

[MatthewB]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

Skulls I was told by the Directv tech that with the new dish he installed my old boxes would not work at all. Granted my boxes are ten years old so that may have been the issue. But he said my old boxes would not work with the new dish.

I made sure all recorded shows were watched before he came in fact I was just finishing the last show when he arrived.

 

[The DirtMerchant]

Re: Tried to upgrade to Genie, but Directv talked me out of

Just ordered the Genie ($99) to replace one of my HD-DVRs. So I'll have the 5 tuner Genie + my 2 tuner HD-DVR to be able to record 7 shows at once (when the hell is that going to happen). Doghart, I have no idea how you got that all for $49, but they just would not go down below $99 for me. There was an additional $49 installation fee, but I got around that by just having it shipped to me and I'll take care of installation. Hopefully there isn't much to change from existing wiring setup...didn't somebody post about self-install of one of these recently? Anyway...it should be here in a few days.