There's been a little bit of recently about DirecTV's latest HD Extra pack. In the early days of HD. DirecTV's HD programming was optional then about a year ago requiring every customer with a HD capable STB to pay a $10/mo HD access fee which included all their HD channels. But now that they've they moved most of the HD only channels (those not simulcasts of SD channels ie. UHD) to a new tier called the HD Extra pack for $5/mo extra. Now according to Earl Bonovich of DBSTalk com starting yesterday customers will have to re-sign up for these channels,. The good news is that the first three months are free and includes access to; HDNet Movies. MGM HD. MHD. Smithsonian HD and Universal HD. Mysteriously missing from this list are. Food HD. HGTV HD and.
Eddie they should be calling you. They are giving a "free" swap for your old HDTiVo. I just got the call today. Funny thing is. I called at the end of August and complained about having to pay for a new HR20 and got it for free as a "replacement" for my current HDTiVo with full intent on still using the old unit for OTA locals. That way I can record 4 shows at the same time (Never needed to but I've needed to do 3 on Monday Night) Now I'm getting a second one for free and still am able to use the TiVo for locals. Oh Ben on the "mysteriously missing" HDNet and Mark Cuban complained enough about being pushed up to this Extra tier and will be put in the regular HD lineup. I could have sworn it was you guys that reported that. I'll search where I read that and post a link.
In the 8 years I've had DirecTV this is the first thing they've done that has irritated me really. When I got my HDTV 2 months ago and they sold me on the HD tier they couldn't have mentioned then that they were going to do this new tier? I was sold a list of channels and a promise of more for $10/mo... 2 months later the list suddenly gets shorter or the price goes up (I know they added a ton of channels but that's not the point here. Those channels were promised at 10/mo) could be worse... I could still be watching a 27" TV.
All depends on how you want to view what is the "package".... The HD Access is $9.99; but what channels you get ties directly to your BASE packages. So if you only get FAMILY CHOICE that $9.99 only gets you about 10-15 of the HD channels. If you have the Premier package that $9.99 gets you access to all 85ish HD channels (minus the HD Extra Package). The HD Extra Package for the $4.99 gives you access to the additional channels regardless of what base package you have. So to get "everything" that is available in HD... $99 + $14.99 = $113.99And even that doesn't include all the extended sports packages (like Sunday Ticket. NHL ect)
Verizon FiOS subscribers do not have to worry about "tiers". All of their HD channels are part of the lineup. The only thing that subscribers need to pay for is the monthly rental for the HD STB. Although FiOS subscribers only have 30+ HD channels (including local HD) they don't have to pay for Food Network HD. Universal HD. HDNET 1 & 2. NFL HD etc. I think DirectTV should start looking to use that model instead. As soon as Verizon FiOS supposedly gets all 150 HD channels on thier network (sometime in 2008 and lots more availability (they really need to ramp up laying fiber) you might see a lot of people look at FiOS as a viable alternative.
I called up DirecTV and asked them to drop all the Standard Def channels because I don't need them or watch them anymore. That way maybe I could save a few bucks. Of course. I knew better and fully expected their response of NO we can't do that. Then when I asked for a credit for the two extra boxes they've been charging me for 6 months they politely tell me that they only refund 60 days on anything. It was up to me to check my bill and tell them earlier. Of course they had stopped sendng paper bills so I never saw a statement. And further they had all th paperwork since they are the oncs who replaced the old HD boxes... It's worse than dealing with a government agency.
I've been paying about $90 per month to DirecTV for the last six years. I have been out of contract for the last three and the last four years I've had the HD Package for which I've paid originally $15 then $10 and then $15 again all without having to call a second time (e g after it initially was subscribed to four years ago). Wife wants to replace the two SD DVRs with two HR-20-700's but DirecTV wants $400. They want $300 for the second HR20 and $100 for the new dish plus shipping and handling. Now compare this to Dish Networks and Comcast (not advocating them) not trying to charge me anything for a pair of HD DVRs. I tried the 'cancel service' at the top of the telephone tree and got to a customer retention department but $400 plus S&H is a no deal and this just to be able to a) pay them a monthly lease fee and b) to pay them extra for something I was already getting? Hmm. If I were single I'd cancel their service. I get good digital signals from the locals already via OTA and have little use for stretch-o-vision (and HDlite). "Tis the season to bend over," says DirecTV.
to GhostDoggy: I would recommend calling back and speaking with someone else. When I moved last February. I called DTV to move my service and upgrade to the new equipment at the same time. I had to call in four different times before I got to speak to anyone helpful at all. They kept moving closer but I finally got everything I wanted once I spoke to someone who knew how to "massage" the system internally. A little patience from you could reap some better benefits if you just keep on trying. I spread my calls out over the course of about a week or ten days and was actually scheduled for a Dish install before I closed the deal with DTV. After my hard work last winter. I'm happy to say that I've enjoyed all the new HD programming AND all my locals (except NBC - bastards!) via my Direct service. I'm going to add another HD set in my bedroom for Christmas and I'm going to try to upgrade from my old RCA DTV SDTivo to another HR20 in the bedroom for free next. I'll let you know how successful I am later.
Directv has some tempting HD channels and I would know. I set up a HT for a relative that included a H20 and Slimline Dish in the mix. Trouble is our location is missing CBSHD and lately the HR21s are coming for installs instead of HR20s and these do not do OTA for the reception intergration or recording. This is really sad because Directv does not yet have the D11 launched and operational for this occur (all the digital/HD locals). Even giving up the CBSHD for its lousy analogue service (which is really bad on the Milwaukee channel). Directv's charge per their site indicates $597 for 2 HD DVRs. 1 HD box. 1 SD box to replace what I have with cable. While I save approx. $35/month on the payTV side. I lose at total of $10 in discounts on my phone and internet service but factoring that out. I pay back my up front lease costs in about 17 months. The $4.95/month extra for the extra HD channels for Directv does not bother me at all since I pay $6.95/month for TWC services' HD package for a lousy 4 HD channels one of them is HDNET which is now included with Directv's basic $9.99/month fee for HD service when you get a HD box from them. What I want to do now is wait for the HR21s to have an adder box or whatever comes to upgrade it to OTA or have the D11 satellite add my CBSHD to my local service.
Directv has joined the ranks of cable outlets with bait and switch and moulti=tier pricing that hides the real cost of subscribing. I bought a year ago and agreed to a 2-year contract when there were only 7-8 channels. I complained that they were changing the contract and I should be allowed to opt out. Supervisor said fine print said they reserved right to change prices and packages. They are acting like a car dealer who hides several thousand dollars of charges after the buyer sign the dotted line. They lost all goodwill and credibility. I'm in market to switch. If enough of us $80-$100 a month customers opt out over their $4.95 surcharge maybe they will grow a conscience.
Had the same experience. I went through 3 levels of customer service people who all tried to tiptoe around the fact that their policy is suspect. I ultimately ended with the main supervisor there who reminded me that according to their contract they can change whatever they want with or without telling me so I could either deal with it or cancel my service. Nice attitude after 13 years of subscribing to their services. Too bad. I'd hoped for at least an apology for not being adequately notified about the change.
It is plain old dirty pool! I have been a loyal customer for several years now and this is just a low blow. I had no idea what was going on and found out that a few of the normal HD channels were not working so I called. They told me the free trial period ended and I now had pay for the channels. I said I was already paying for them and they replied but these are the only channels that are HD 24/7 so they were extra. They were kind enough to extend my "trial" until March (sarcasm.) Shady! I am thinking about making a switch!
DTV has called me 3 times now with their automated dialer informing me that they are offering a free HD Upgrade with new dish and installation. They further advise me that not only will I not be able to receive any new HD offerings but that I will lose my current HD channels (No indication of when) if I don't replace my current equipment. So I called their 800 number and was informed that I was entitled to a new HD receiver. Trouble is that I have the DTV HD TiVo. They promptly told me that I would have to pay $299.00 to replace that. Wait. I just bought that DTV HD TiVo 2years ago and now DTV is FORCING me to pay again to replace the system so that I can continue to receive the HD channels I currently get. HUH? I informed them that I would be purchasing an HD TiVo for $299 and getting FiOs cable cards for it when I lose my HD programming from DTV. I asked when that was going to happen and have not heard anything back from them since.
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Related article:
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/
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