Problem creatively resolved but with bizarre twist

I sent a nice email to Directv's CEO, Chase Carey, explaining this mess and they called me the next day.

"This is so and so with the office of the president..." they said.

I was a bit confused before why they said they'd take back the dvr after all but in same breath were telling me I couldn't get a refund. Well I found out why. It turns out that the $300 I spent on their new piece-of-crap dvr (that won't let you transfer your old programs and isn't Tivo or tivo-like) wasn't to buy, but to lease!

What the heck? Why would I lease a dvr for $300? Isn't a lease like where you pay a small amount each month; basically renting it?

I had absolutely no clue this is what I had gotten myself into and caution anyone else not to make the same mistake. This is where it nearly got worse.

I told the guy this was making the situation even worse than before, that I'd never lease something like a dvr, especially for $300.

They graciously agreed to credit my account the $300, but at some point I'm told I'll have to convert when their existing channels get turned off and moved to their new system.

Yeah, but I'll take the free one from their automated phone call that said I could upgrade at no additional cost.

Yeah right. That's probably going to be a non-hd dvr too. If I want the hd dvr I can pay the $300 lease fee I bet!

Then I'll be back where I started.

Lie #2

So I called the other day to ask where my return kit is they said they were going to send me?

They said that I wasn't going to get one after all; that all sales are final, etc...

If I was led to believe I couldn't return the piece of crap dvr, then why would I just let it sit in my living room in a box collecting dust? I mean, wouldn't I at least try selling it on ebay or something?

Yeah, if I thought they weren't going to take it back, which they said they would.

But they seem to be able to get away with taking peoples' money and lying to them.

Caller ID?

Who said I wanted Caller ID on my new HD DVR (that I returned because it sucks and isn't Tivo)?

I had no idea my dvr would show who's calling me and I was very surprised to see this.

So when I have guests over to the house, do I want them seeing who's calling me?

The guys are over watching the game and suddenly they see my old lady calling on-screen and I have to deal with a cacophony of "shick-awww!" whip sounds as I get up to get the phone.

Tell you what, let the customer turn that feature on themselves, m'kay?

Substitute DirecTV (sucks) for "Cellphone Companies"

This is pretty much the type of business model DirecTV (sucks) operates:

10 Reasons To Hate Cellphone Companies

De-activated (yes, again!)

Yep, again.

I turned the tv on Sunday morning and sure enough, no picture. I called them and was on hold for 25 minutes until I finally got someone on the line.

I said "what gives?" And they said they said my old Tivo dvr wasn't activated. Then why had it worked fine since Friday?

And why would they turn my new dvr off before I'd even received the return kit, therefore depriving me of service I'm already paying for? Because DirecTV sucks.

The CSR this time was at least friendly and professional. I'd say that happens about 25% of the time by the way. His name is Wade.

So Wade asks me why I want to go back to the old Tivo dvr and reduced set of HD channels?

Well Wade, let me break it down for you:

• I already "upgraded" TWO YEARS AGO in order to get the HD channels.
• I bit the bullet AGAIN in order to get the new new HD channels and was given an inferior dvr AND was expected to continue paying a $6 "service" charge.
• I was also LIED to when they said I could transfer the programs from my old dvr to the new dvr. I never asked if I could keep my old programs, I asked specifically if I could transfer them to the new dvr. The woman on the line said "oh sure, the technician installing the new dvr can do that for you." Lie.

I said I'd just find another deal with Dish Network or Cox Cable. That's when he said, "well sir, your contract is until October of 2009."

"Why would I sign a four and a half year contract?" I said. The last contract I signed was in August of 2005.

He said "well you did sign a new two year contract when they installed the new dvr" he said.

"Dude, the deal is off; I'm returning the dvr. You're even sending me out a return kit."

He said I could have an address I could write to to dispute this. Screw the address, I'm not in any contract because they already violated it. They lied to me about what the new dvr would do and I'm returning the dvr.

See what I mean about a "hostage" mentality?

I said if they wanted to keep me as a customer they can waive the dvr service fee of $6 a month. Why would I continue to pay for something that is inferior to what I had before? This was supposed to be a step UP, not DOWN.

The car I drive has XM satellite and a navigation system. If I go by the new model, guess what? I'm getting even more options INCLUDED like an iPod interface, lighted turn indicators on the side mirrors, fog lights, back up sensors, etc... I sure as hell am not going to buy the same car for a higher price that now doesn't have XM satellite and navigation.

Reminds me of the former East Germany that literally held their citizenry prisoners and the only car you could get (unless you were mafia or had party connections) was the POS Trabant.

That's why there's absolutely no incentive for DirecTV(sucks) to provide their customers with a positive experience; they don't have to.

De-activated

So I called DirecTV(sucks) Friday and said, you know what?...this just isn't working out so well. Your new dvr sucks and won't transfer my old programs like you said it would. I told them they could have it back and that I'd just use my old dvr until I could figure out a better solution.

So they said they'd send me a return kit (shipping labels) and that I'd get that in the mail in about four days.

So I get home Friday night and guess what? No signal. Yep, they deactivated it knowing I wouldn't even be able to send it back for at least four days.

Why not wait until I got the return kit and then deactivate it? I pay for service every day, so why should they cut me off for four days? Because they suck.

So I unhooked the new dvr and hooked up the older but perfect Tivo dvr and I was back in a state of heavenly bliss...

Point of Correction

The $5.99 DVR "service" fee isn't new; I was paying it all along.

In hindsight though, it's well worth it if I can keep my old Tivo dvr.

And that's what I'm doing. DirecTV is sending me a kit to send the new dvr back and I'll be back to where I was before with my nine or so HD channels and my superior Tivo.

Once the contract is finished, I'm signing up for whatever service has Tivo and HD channels and isn't called "DirecTV."

Rebate Thieves

I almost forgot that I'm still waiting (over two years now) for my $100 rebate on the last hd dvr I bought from DirecTV. I got the $50 rebate for upgrading to the HD package with no problem, but never got the $100 one for the purchase of the HD DVR.

I called them about six months later and they said they never got it and to send it in again. I got a new rebate form they sent me and because I still had the original receipt and copy of the rebate form from Best Buy, sent it in again. (crickets)

Thanks DirecTV!

I'm sure any of you who have found yourselves in the same position can let the FTC know about this fraud:

FTC Consumer Complaint Form: https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01

So why no Tivo DVR anymore?

What's up with that? Why can't I get a Tivo DVR anymore from DirecTV?

Because they're cheap.

Why should DirecTV pay Tivo a single cent to deliver a vastly superior product the customer is totally happy with when they can charge their own "service" fee for a perfectly useless piece of crap they call their dvr?

I had the new hd dvr for a week or so and I thought, "hey, I haven't seen what the system may have recorded for me yet, maybe I should take a look..."

And guess what I found? That's right, Jack Squat. See, this is when I realized for the first time that I no longer had a Tivo DVR.

That's something they must have forgot to mention, right?

I'm left wanting them to come pick up their new hd dvr and I'll just use my old one and screw all the new hd channels. I already got about nine of them and can get the rest from Dish Network or Cox cable once my contract runs out.

Lame.

Lame.

Lame.

Welcome to the New Media DirecTV!

Basically DirecTV is is trading people "up" to an inferior non-Tivo dvr AND charging them a new $5.99 monthly fee for the "service."

But wait, don't I already pay $52.99 per month for my regular channels and something like $11 per month for my HD channels? Isn't that the service I'm paying for? And what about the $300 or so I already paid to BUY the lame non-Tivo dvr? I paid for the hardware and I pay for the content, but now (not before with my perfectly superior Tivo dvr) I have to pay for the dvr "service?"

I'm paying close to $85 a month and I don't even have any pay channels like HBO, Showtime, etc...

Let's look at the technology here why don't we? I pay for their programming content and I paid for the hardware that allows me to record it. End of story. There is no "dvr service" they are delivering to me. All they can do is flip a switch remotely that allows them to disable your dvr. That's not "service." That's called extortion.

Based on my love affair with Tivo I'd GLADLY pay $5.99 a month to get that thing back, but I'm NEVER going to pay extra to get an inferior product!

To get the new new HD channels, you have to shell out about another $300 for another HD DVR/Receiver combo! But wait, I thought, I already have and can record HD channels with my Tivo DVR. So why do I have to buy another one?

I was told the new new HD channels are on a new satellite and my dvr/receiver won't pick them up. Okay, I'll buy the new dvr/receiver combo but can the technician transfer my programs on my old dvr to the new one? "Sure, no problem" they said. This was a big fat lie of course. You have to burn them onto a dvd or tape them onto VHS or just unplug your new unit and plug the old one back in to "save" your old programs. We're talking about a lot of programming here, like pay-per-view movies and everything.

I turn the thing on and guess what? No picture. The deactivated my other receiver upstairs! I had to call to get it fixed and they wanted to CHARGE ME to turn it back on! What? I have to pay you to fix a mistake you made? If I want my receiver turned back on I do. See? Hostage mentality.

And now they're billing me for three receivers when I only have two. They never took the old receiver off the account.

And they charged me for the HD package twice thinking I had it on my other tv when I don't and never asked for it.

Yes, they blew me off the first time for installation and when I called them to get them to come back they had the audacity to ask me "oh did you miss your appointment?" No, YOU MISSED THE APPPOINTMENT!" And no apology either. I would have been more understanding with them if they'd just said "we're sorry we couldn't get a technician out there at the time we had promsed...." Hostage mentality.

I even asked them not to send the same contractor (no, DirecTV isn't installed by DirecTV people) because they blew me off and never apologized. They said that's the only contractor they have. What? So what kind of incentive is there for that contractor to provide quality service? They have no competition and no accountability. Are they going to throw me some kind of discount for the inconvenience? Nope. So why would DirecTV contract out their branded experience to someone who has no stake in their customers' satisfaction? Seems very short-sighted to me, but not when you have a "hostage" mentality. Because you see, the customer has already signed on the dotted line, so there's no reason for DirecTV to act in the customers' interests at that point.