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.