You Guys are WRONG - no signal no DVR recordings!!

[RVRambler]

Summary:
It is DTV's corporate policy to not allow you to reach the menu to view your recordings unless you get a signal from the 101 satellite! It is in their contract! This is true for leased or owned rcvrs! Non-Tivo rcvrs!


Sad Story:
Just had a Very frustrating talk w/ Tech support (floor supervisor) , and they say there is absolutely no way for you to get to your recorded programs unless you have 101 sat signal input (at least)!!!!!!! (this assumes a power down or reset of rcvr)

This is true for all non-Tivo DVRs (she said)!!

This TS person said there is no way for customer suggestions to get conveyed to engineering!??? (total BS of course)

I asked who, if anyone, tells engineering what features customers desire, a big blank pause!! She then said Senior management, I responded with " how do they know what customers want?", she could not say!! I suggested marketing, she did not know, I asked to be transferred to marketing, she 'could not'.

She then said there is no way for you to get to any menu (for the 15th time), I said, change the software and you could!

She said it was impossible for your rcvr (hr-700) to get to the menu.

I told here she did not understand software, she said she did, I asked "what language is the software written in", she said 'huh'!! I suggested she did not really know 'software' then.

I suggested a 'breach in contract', for not providing the service I paid for and she said that contract states no guarantee of DVR or signal , blah, blah.....

I suggested this was a very "unethical and immoral" manner to run a business, not providing what a customer paid for ....

She repeated the same nonsense some more and I then said, "so DTV does not care or want to know what customers want" of course she said they did, I then asked again "how would you find that out, what mechanism do you ask customers?" and convey this to engineering?

I finally said, this is very likely why I will not be renewing with DTV and that I would try to tell others about this issue and also state that DISH DVRs can view their recordings with or w/o a sat signal!!

There are lots of things to like about DTV, but the prices are high (compared to Dish), and this discussed issue is 1 of several (not great pkg choices/options, no ala-carte options, etc) that are signs that DTV is NOT responsive to customers!!

Well, this frustrated DTV customer (future 'ex' I think) thinks DTV has a shameful business ethos of 'not listening to customers'.

So all you out there, beware, no signal no DVR recordings (unless you are very lucky) as it is corporate policy for you to NOT get to view those recordings!!

Not the biggest of issues but F__king stupid IMOH!!

[german72]

Originally Posted by RVRambler

Summary:
It is DTV's corporate policy to not allow you to reach the menu to view your recordings unless you get a signal from the 101 satellite! It is in their contract! This is true for leased or owned rcvrs! Non-Tivo rcvrs!


Sad Story:
Just had a Very frustrating talk w/ Tech support (floor supervisor) , and they say there is absolutely no way for you to get to your recorded programs unless you have 101 sat signal input (at least)!!!!!!! (this assumes a power down or reset of rcvr)

This is true for all non-Tivo DVRs (she said)!!

This TS person said there is no way for customer suggestions to get conveyed to engineering!??? (total BS of course)

I asked who, if anyone, tells engineering what features customers desire, a big blank pause!! She then said Senior management, I responded with " how do they know what customers want?", she could not say!! I suggested marketing, she did not know, I asked to be transferred to marketing, she 'could not'.

She then said there is no way for you to get to any menu (for the 15th time), I said, change the software and you could!

She said it was impossible for your rcvr (hr-700) to get to the menu.

I told here she did not understand software, she said she did, I asked "what language is the software written in", she said 'huh'!! I suggested she did not really know 'software' then.

I suggested a 'breach in contract', for not providing the service I paid for and she said that contract states no guarantee of DVR or signal , blah, blah.....

I suggested this was a very "unethical and immoral" manner to run a business, not providing what a customer paid for ....

She repeated the same nonsense some more and I then said, "so DTV does not care or want to know what customers want" of course she said they did, I then asked again "how would you find that out, what mechanism do you ask customers?" and convey this to engineering?

I finally said, this is very likely why I will not be renewing with DTV and that I would try to tell others about this issue and also state that DISH DVRs can view their recordings with or w/o a sat signal!!

There are lots of things to like about DTV, but the prices are high (compared to Dish), and this discussed issue is 1 of several (not great pkg choices/options, no ala-carte options, etc) that are signs that DTV is NOT responsive to customers!!

Well, this frustrated DTV customer (future 'ex' I think) thinks DTV has a shameful business ethos of 'not listening to customers'.

So all you out there, beware, no signal no DVR recordings (unless you are very lucky) as it is corporate policy for you to NOT get to view those recordings!!

Not the biggest of issues but F__king stupid IMOH!!

If you disconnect the dvr from active service, you Can watch all your recordings.
I have done this several times.
If you have service disconnected and try it later, you won't be able to do so.
Mike

[glennb1]

It's pretty funny that the OP bitched at the phone support person about changing the software. As if she could do something about it.

[RVRambler]

Originally Posted by glennb1

It's pretty funny that the OP bitched at the phone support person about changing the software. As if she could do something about it.

Its funny but the OP (me) was trying to find out how to pass my complaint/suggestion to someone who knew or could do anything to 'change' the software.

Of course we know these phone ppl know very little, she made the claim of knowing the software, I only wanted her to forward the suggestion.

So you go enjoy the corporate policy that will keep you from watching your recorded shows on a non Tivo! Funny, huh??

Enjoy!

[RVRambler]

Originally Posted by german72

If you disconnect the dvr from active service, you Can watch all your recordings.
I have done this several times.
If you have service disconnected and try it later, you won't be able to do so.
Mike

How do you disconnect a dvr from active service? Do you mean have dvr recording capability canceled ($5 month) on a given rcvr (I have an hr-700)?

[glennb1]

Originally Posted by RVRambler

So you go enjoy the corporate policy that will keep you from watching your recorded shows on a non Tivo! Funny, huh??

Enjoy!

It doesn't bother me any!

Yep, it's funny that you are so worked up over it!

I will enjoy!

[german72]

Originally Posted by RVRambler

How do you disconnect a dvr from active service? Do you mean have dvr recording capability canceled ($5 month) on a given rcvr (I have an hr-700)?

Yes, if you want to watch anything recorded and are going to stop using the dvr for any reason,

Disconnect the sat cables, etc. before cancelling service.

Mike

[goober22]

It sounds like you travel and want to take your DVR, with stored up content, with you and be able to just plug it in and watch WITHOUT setting up a dish.

If you don't power cycle for some reason, but loose signal, you can still use the DVR just fine. As you are relocating it to your RV, you are power cycling.

QUESTION: How does the unit know it is still authorized to be active WITHOUT communicating with the sat? The unit could have been stolen. The unit could have been pulled from service and is being setup on another account. Etc.

I know this may surprise you, but these units do get stolen all the time. They get sold to some poor smuck on ebay. They are failed to be returned to D* when service is cancelled. They BELONG to D*. I see no issue with a re-auth on powerup - or it stays in a crippled mode.

Hence the reason for the re-auth on powerup. Maybe you are stealing DVRs and trying to view content! We really don't know do we? Neither does D* or the DVR until it can re-auth.

It is what it is. Either make a quit setup with a plain dish to get a signal - or drop it and move on. It seems that you are not willing to make a workaround for you but rather want D* to cripple their entire protection system so you don't have to put a dish in your RV! It seems it really bothers you so I suggest you go to E* since you seem to enjoy their equipment better.

[RVRambler]

Originally Posted by goober22

It sounds like you travel and want to take your DVR, with stored up content, with you and be able to just plug it in and watch WITHOUT setting up a dish.

Why not? Seems like a reasonable request?

If you don't power cycle for some reason, but loose signal, you can still use the DVR just fine. As you are relocating it to your RV, you are power cycling.

QUESTION: How does the unit know it is still authorized to be active WITHOUT communicating with the sat? The unit could have been stolen. The unit could have been pulled from service and is being setup on another account. Etc.


Wow, you are so brilliant, never thought of that! But honestly I do not care about their security, that's their worry.

And besides, if I was stealing, it would be something already paid for not a 'current' thing stolen from DTV such as a live signal!!

There could be a time based mechanism that after 24 or 48 hrs you could no longer view recordings unless sat is seen, many things are possible via software and capable h/w, yes?

And besides doesn't Dish want to prevent thief too, but they allow for any length of time?

I believe the main theif concerns of DTV are the smart card hacking, all the other thief stuff would be caught eventually, this thief argument really is a tangent!




I know this may surprise you, but these units do get stolen all the time. They get sold to some poor smuck on ebay. They are failed to be returned to D* when service is cancelled. They BELONG to D*. I see no issue with a re-auth on powerup - or it stays in a crippled mode.


You are more forgiving than me! And you can certainly buy these receivers (HR-700), D* does not own it, now what do you do when you leave DTV, a new anchor?


Hence the reason for the re-auth on powerup. Maybe you are stealing DVRs and trying to view content! We really don't know do we? Neither does D* or the DVR until it can re-auth.

It is what it is. Either make a quit setup with a plain dish to get a signal - or drop it and move on. It seems that you are not willing to make a workaround for you but rather want D* to cripple their entire protection system so you don't have to put a dish in your RV! It seems it really bothers you so I suggest you go to E* since you seem to enjoy their equipment better.

I suppose you never have been to Oregon, or call it treeville, sometimes you just can't get that satellite when camping from an assigned spot, so those recorded (pricey) bits recorded would come in handy, and besides it is the principle (ever heard of the concept) that a paid for thing is not usable if one brand (DTV) but is if another brand (Dish).

Oh, and thanks for giving me permission to switch to Dish, I was worried about getting permission to do that, many thanks I just might!

It seems a lot of ppl here are very convinced that DTV does no wrong and seemingly can not be criticized or improved, its odd, there are so many to come to DTVs defense, I have not been or ever shall be that type when an obvious thing could and should be better, but I suppose each his own or is it just futility?? Seems my argument is very much that!

Happy conforming!

[glennb1]

Originally Posted by goober22

They get sold to some poor smuck on ebay.

@goober22

"smuck" means a$$hole.

You were also very rude to forum member RVRambler.

I don't want to have to warn you about stuff like this again.

Since this is a board that can be viewed by families. I find the language very inappropriate and childish.

http://www.highdefforum.com/rules.html

-No excessive or continual use of profanity or vulgarities. (Excessive-very, serves NO purpose)
-Please post carefully and with due consideration to the content of your post.