What is Digg?182 Comments
- EvilJelloMan, on 10/21/2008, -3/+83I'm sure this article will be full of people trashing directv. I have it, and I'm happier with it than I was with comcast. I get more HD channels, I get the NFL sunday ticket, and I don't have to make an appointment just to add another damn receiver box when I get a new tv.
Comcast's service was absolutely awful, directv's is just mildly pathetic. I'd take the dish over cable any day at this point. - y0smokey, on 10/21/2008, -4/+56I think your vagina's calling....it wants to switch to directTV
- b3astie, on 10/21/2008, -2/+52I have a hard time believing the one about just disconnecting your phone line to get free ppv. Seems like they would have locked you out years ago.
- xbob, on 10/21/2008, -1/+295. Protection Plan
When your DirecTV equipment breaks down, you will have to pay about $80 for a service call, unless you shell out $5.99 per month for the protection plan. Instead you could wait until you have a problem, call to add the protection plan to your account (don't mention you have a current problem), call back the next day to schedule a $5.99 service call.
4. Upgrades
If you have fulfilled your contract with DirecTV, call them every six months and ask for a free upgrade. You can get additional rooms, new equipment, HD receivers, and DVR receivers.
3. Retention
Ahhhh, retention the magical customer service department that can get almost anything done. The retention departments job is to keep you from canceling your account. Retention representatives get bonuses if they can get you to stick with DirecTV, so they are always willing to help.
The key is to pretend you are going to cancel your account. I have had to evoke the magic retention word a few times when dealing with regular customer service, and every time my problem was immediately fixed and a credit added to my bill. Just tell the regular customer service rep. that you have had enough and want to cancel your account. Once they transfer you, tell the retention agent what is going on, and they will do whatever they can to keep you. If they do call your bluff, just say you have to sleep on it and you will call back tomorrow to cancel.
2. Phone Lines
DirecTV receivers can not send pay-per-view billing information back to DirecTV unless the receiver is connected to a phone line. That means if you disconnect your receiver from the phone line, and order pay-per-view with the remote you will not be billed. Some receivers have safeguards to prevent or limit this.
1. Receivers are Untraceable
As long as you disconnect your receivers from a phone line, DirecTV has no idea where that receiver is geographically. That means one receiver could be at your house, one at Grandmas house across town, one at your best friends house, and one in your R.V. You would have to be handy enough to install a few satellite dishes that you bought on Ebay, and run some coax cable - nesagwa, on 10/21/2008, -1/+26Not reading contracts will always bite you in the ass.
- mackie99, on 10/21/2008, -1/+26That's a lie. DirecTV tells you about the cancellation fee. They tell you how long your contract is, etc. You just didn't listen or read.
Your fault. Get over it. - MeatPlow, on 10/21/2008, -2/+24I thought FCC regs. couldn't stop you from doing that?
- spyd3rweb, on 10/21/2008, -1/+23It only works for a short while then remote ordering is disabled. Then the next time you connect the phone line it processes all the queued orders.
- sinurgy, on 10/21/2008, -0/+20I'm not sure how it would work anyway. You can't order PPV with your remote unless you are connected to a phone line in the first place, at least that's how it works for me.
- XStatic, on 10/21/2008, -0/+19The smart card can store 10 purchases. With the phone line disconnected you can make 10 purchases before it won't let you make any more.
If you connect the line at a later date for an upgrade or something it will down;oad all the old purchases.
The thing to do is to be sure to make 10 purchases prior to discarding old equipment.
And be sure to destroy the smart card or the next person that uses it will do you the favor of uploading the purchases for you. - strictnein, on 10/21/2008, -0/+16Although I knew most of it, some people may actually spend their time doing other things than peruse AV forums. Just a thought.
- UNL1M1T3D, on 10/21/2008, -0/+15But it's Comcrapstic!
- PRind, on 10/21/2008, -1/+15The FCC says you are allowed to install a dish anywhere that is your rented space, like a balcony, deck or patio. Or in a window, for that matter. But you have to put the dish on some kind of stand, because you can't drill holes for it.
- schmons, on 10/21/2008, -1/+15and when you cancel and return your equipment, they process all of the pass pay-per-view you have not paid for and bill you for it.
everything is stored in the card that goes in the box
i know because it happened to me. - strictnein, on 10/21/2008, -0/+13Sounds like somebody didn't read their contract.
- guitarman018, on 10/21/2008, -0/+12That works for Sky TV in New Zealand as well, though when I plugged the phone cable back in all the movies went through and I got charged for the last few months of watching pay per view.
Use with caution. - UNL1M1T3D, on 10/21/2008, -1/+13What's a fuker?
- TheBigBad, on 10/21/2008, -0/+12I tried this with Comcast a few times and despite always paying on time and not calling to complain about anything, they basically acted like they didn't give a ***** whether I stayed or not...which is why I have Dish Network now.
- Provo, on 10/21/2008, -3/+14how did this article get dugg? useless and obsolete suggestions...
- edwartica, on 10/21/2008, -0/+11Hmm, I have a box not even attached to a phone line. Might have to try that tonight, lol.
- Kajico, on 10/21/2008, -1/+12Most of this information is incredibly outdated.
If i remember correctly the protection plan has a wait period before they can service your box if you order it after you signed up. So they wouldn't send a service technician right away.
While it is true that if you have an account with directv " it doesn't matter where your box is located it still works" thing is true, cloning the cards (which I don't think they use cards anymore) is no longer available which is one way people used to get free satellite. They'd clone other people's accounts on to their cards. Each box is unique and unless each box has the exact same serial number or card in it, then you can't share DTV.
It USED to be that you could just unplug your receiver and get free PPV movies, you would have a set spending limit on the box between 250 to 500 dollars depending on your credit score with DTV. While some receivers still work that way, most of the new ones will lock you out if they don't communicate with the DTV servers. People used to then clean their cards out and reset their spending limit, because otherwise if you plugged the modem back in it would dial out to the DTV center and submit all your purchases.
Retention thing for the most part is true, I worked for DTV inbound calling center for a while and they do tell us to do as much as we can to keep the person. However they also told us to spot the freeloaders who just wanted a credit on $200 worth of porn they didn't want to pay for, or want their wives finding out they had ordered.
If you want to get out of the $300 contract cancelation fee for early termination, one way is to make several tech related calls to DTV, if you have persistent technical problems with the equipment you can opt out of the contract by saying that DTV didn't provide adequate service. If you take it up with the supervisor they'll more than likely cancel your account and wave the fee. - jimv1983, on 10/21/2008, -2/+12Yeah WAY CHEAPER!!! I have Comcast but would get DirecTV if I could but apartment won't let us mount a dish!!
- Tegurit34, on 10/21/2008, -2/+11I work for Comcast and I have to say that they've got the retention department too.
Unhappy with Comcast? Take the same advice from this article and threaten to leave. They'll do anything to keep you from switching to another service too. They'll give you free boxes, free installation, Fiber Optics, lower your bill, and even free unlimited long distance home phone service in some cases.
Hint: Act really, really pissed off. - PRind, on 10/21/2008, -0/+8It does work, but only for a couple of weeks. When you select a PPV item from DirecTV, the receiver doesn't phone home then, but rather it lets you watch the movie and stores a record of the purchase to send next time the receiver connects. So you can watch a few movies "free", but after a certain point, the receiver will no longer decode PPV and puts up an error message saying to call customer service.
If you eventually connect the phone line, you'll get billed for all your free movies all at once no matter how long it's been. I've had this happen to me. - inactive, on 10/21/2008, -0/+8That's cool, I don't even have Direct TV, and I watch movies and listen to mp3's on my computer every day.
- EvilJelloMan, on 10/21/2008, -7/+14Neighbors can't stop you from mounting a dish on your own property. The apartment is owned by the landlord, and they have every right to say you can't drill bolt holes in their roof.
- NerveBand, on 10/21/2008, -4/+11Dish is so much cheaper. Seriously. Plus, you can get more of the foreign channels that you want.
- shark72, on 10/21/2008, -0/+6And you would be correct. If you leave your receiver connected to your LAN but disconnect the phone line, you can continue to order PPV, but after a while it will figure out that it isn't able to connect to home base over the analog phone line, and will stop allowing you to order. Apparently some DVRs can send commands to play PPV programs over the Internet, but require an analog line to perform the billing.
I discovered this by accident several months ago. The result is that I got to watch a few PPV films for which I wasn't billed, but presumably, the moment I connect my DVR into the analog phone line, I'll finally get charged. - StormTroopr, on 10/21/2008, -0/+6I own all my equipment and so does everyone I know. It was like 30 for a box, why would you rent it for 5 a month?
- Giga, on 10/21/2008, -0/+6Does resetting the power to the decoder flush the queue? I don't have Sky anymore and never got round to testing this.
- ramsinks.com, on 10/21/2008, -0/+62. Phone Lines
DirecTV receivers can not send pay-per-view billing information back to DirecTV unless the receiver is connected to a phone line. That means if you disconnect your receiver from the phone line, and order pay-per-view with the remote you will not be billed. Some receivers have safeguards to prevent or limit this.
Umm.. until you DO plug it in and get slammed with the bill. OR return the equipment and they dump that data..
I used to work there.. know how it goes.
"But we DIDN'T order those!!!"
yaa.... - Wrabbit26, on 10/21/2008, -0/+6Having worked for DirecTV I know that diconnecting the phone line and getting "free" PPV is only partially true. After a while you will stop being able to order PPV. You will call the customer service desk and they will instruct you to reconnect your phone line. At that time all of the movie/sports/porn you have enjoyed for free over the weeks/months will be sent to your next bill. I had lots of people who claimed BS and wanted credits but never got out of the bill. Many were transferred to Retention and some cancelled their service on emotional calls but all had to settle the bill.
- shadeOfGrey, on 10/21/2008, -0/+5Hmmm.. it's almost as if the ethernet is serving as a makeshift phone line.
- helwa1988, on 10/21/2008, -1/+6this article seems to by a anti direct tv person. direct tv is the best out there. way better than the overrated comcast. direct tv's DVR is even fast than Tivo.
- gstep, on 10/21/2008, -0/+5some people still watch live content and dare i say it..sports. until i can watch whatever i want live over the internet i'll continue to pay for cable
- UNL1M1T3D, on 10/21/2008, -2/+7OnDemand blows. When we first got the service it was great, but now all they have is a bunch of 5 min videos and 30 seconds of it is a commercial.
- tremor_tj, on 10/21/2008, -1/+6Yeah, so is cable's.
- diatonic1, on 10/21/2008, -0/+5:: BUFFERING ::
- DocCochran, on 10/21/2008, -1/+6I used to work customer service for DTV.
5. Protection Plan
The protection plan doesn't go into effect for 30 days to prevent people from doing exactly like this article says. You could do it, but you'd have to be willing to deal with your problem for a month.
4. Upgrades
To get free upgrades, you're going to have to do more than "fulfill your contract." You're more likely to get free ***** if you pay your bills on time and you buy a higher level of programming. Those customers are more valued and are rewarded for sticking with the company. They're not going to hand out free receivers to people on the basic level of programming who have had their service shut off in the past for non payment.
3. Retention
The retention department exists at most places like this. Again, the customers who buy more ***** and pay their bills on time will receive more consideration. Sounding pissed off isn't going to do any good, we still have the same rules and depending on how reliable the customer is, can only do so much.
2. Phone Lines
Yes, you can order PPV when the receiver is not connected to the internet, and you won't be charged. The thing is though, after about five orders your DTV receiver card will be filled with order information and unable to order any more. So you'll have to connect it to the internet and pay for all of your previous buys at once if you want to ever order any more.
1. Receivers are Untraceable
They have safeguards to prevent this. Can't go into it, but generally receivers are required to be activated at the customer's house by the installer. That changed when I worked there; before, a guy could buy a receiver and say, "I'll just install it myself later, you don't have to bother."
It's also highly illegal.
I never used DTV myself while I worked there, though. I've used Comcast for years. DSL modems are crap, I wasn't gonna give up my cable modem - DaHuuuuuudge, on 10/21/2008, -1/+6Please stop saying interweb.
- brundlefly76, on 10/21/2008, -2/+7#6 their HDTV offerings use lossy compression and are lower quality than OTA or cable HD.
- willfe, on 10/21/2008, -0/+4Snow and ice rarely cause "rain fade" problems with modern dishes, and it's pretty easy to go dust off the dish after a heavy snow.
#7 is true regardless of the transport you're using -- satellite and cable both require decoder boxes and you'll only get as many individualized signals as that box is willing to transmit. Dish Network's got a couple of dual-tuner DVRs that can drive two televisions at once (having moved recently into an apartment where there's no balcony or patio to install a dish, and being forced into using Comcast's absolutely crappy DVR, I *really* miss that "old" DVR-642).
For any kind of digital cable, just like satellite, you need one box per TV, or else the TVs connected to the one box get just one channel at a time.
Cable is generally inferior to satellite (regardless of provider). Prices are lower for satellite programming than for cable and there are fewer overall outages (your satellite reception is not subject to the whims and activities of the local cable guy and/or random idiots digging around near your house). More channels tend to be available "per dollar" than the competing cable offerings as well, along with the added benefit that (local channels aside) your channel lineup doesn't change even if you move across the country. Finally, cable companies tend to be rated lowest on picture quality, especially when they begin compressing content more to squeeze additional channels into the existing infrastructure. - zakool21, on 10/21/2008, -25/+29"5 ways to steal ***** from DirecTV."
Yeah, I'd consider some of these if I were willing to break a contract and/or the law. - GarrettTheMole, on 10/21/2008, -0/+4Might possibly be the best reply I've ever read.
- EvilJelloMan, on 10/21/2008, -2/+6Everyone burying me - I said nothing incorrect. Your landlord can prevent you from drilling holes, which is exactly what I said. All the other methods mentioned only work if your apartment happens to have a clear view of the correct segment of the sky. A huge percentage of apartments in a typical building do not have such a view, and thus the renters are unable to have dishes, as the landlords have every right to prevent them from mounting on the roof.
- EvilJelloMan, on 10/21/2008, -0/+4Why wasn't someone there watching them do the installation? I do 99% of the work on my house, but in the rare instances some trained monkey has to be called out to do some work, I watch that ***** like a hawk. I've had installers flat-out tell me they hate doing things the right way, as I was standing there making sure they did the thing they hated.
Lazy bastards take no pride in their work. - filovirus, on 10/21/2008, -0/+4I consider canceling Dish Network, DSL, XM every so often. Usually my call to their 800 line is mostly answered by a foreigner and when they find out I am considering this, they transfer me to retentions person in the US. If they make me a good deal, I then decide to retain their services.
- edwartica, on 10/21/2008, -1/+5And most of that is stuff you can find on youtube anyways.
- rnelsonee, on 10/21/2008, -0/+4All, good old DirecTV - there's so much more you could do 5 or 6 years ago. The items about ordering PPV for free and DirecTV not tracking the receivers are true. The PPVs you're allowed to order is limited so don't expect to get any real benefit. And with moving receivers to grandma's, well, she won't get local channels for her area if she lives in a different zip code than you (zip codes are stored on the smart card).
Before the current card came out, the cards were easily hackable. I started downloading images off the internet and cloning thos images on to hacked cards and giving out/selling them. Then I got super nerdy and made my own images. After that, I bought tools/software to fool the answer/response routine in real time (I'm not trying to brag, I didn't figure anything out, it was all explained on the internet, I just followed directions). It was so easy that DirecTV admitted that over 10% of their viewers were not customers.
Being able to rent any movie was great. Every porn? That got old quick. But the real gem was getting locals from every market. 30 Simpsons episodes a day, but spread over 12 time slots, so I could only watch 12 a day. -
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