R22-100 DVR receiver

This is one of those situations where you will suffer either way. Since your R22 went bad, there is no other way to continue service other than a replacement receiver, which does indeed trigger a contract. 

You could try asking for an HR24 (pretty equivalent to R22 and faster as all) but they may not have it in stock. If memory serves me correct, a switch from R22 to HR24 shouldn't trigger a 2 year contract unless HD service is not a service on the account yet. This can be figured out if the R22 was not the only receiver activated on the account, there was also an HD receiver such as H or HR receiver. 

If they still insist a 2 year contract and you don't want that, threaten to cancel and see where that takes you. The retention department will try their best to get you satisfied as that means you will cancel if the concern isn't fixed.

May I ask, what are the current models of your 5 receivers? That way, I can tel you which ones they will upgrade.

If all the receivers are SD then you need to call DTV for their free MPEG2 swap offer that will upgrade you to MPEG4 receivers and dish and that will not start a new contract as DTV is shutting down the MPEG2 SD channels.

Again, thanks for the input.

As far as receivers there are:

2- old DVRs (neither works ) but they still charge for one. Its the old R22-100                     DVR that will occasionally work  after a few reboots

1-Genie 1 (just replaced last month)  They consider this an upgrade

3- Minis ( I think they are SD)

So I'm paying for 5 and only 4 actually work on a regular basis

I'm happy with the minis since there in ancillary rooms (guest rooms and man cave)

Genie 1 is family room

And the one DVR that sometimes works is in a bedroom

All I wanted was the DVR replaced with a replacement DVR.   But they say that requires a new contract since they did the "free replacement" with no contract a month ago when they replaced a old 15 yr old DVR that died on us with the Genie 1

Yes, I'm also due for a major upgrade and they will replace everything with all the newest , fanciest stuff for free....as long as I sign up for 2 more years.  So, if I decide to stay and sign for another 2 yrs. there is no point in just replacing the 1, I would get them all done

I ran calculations this AM and I can get almost everything I need (still have to get the wife's input on her essentials)  from another supplier, all HD for about $100 less per month.     

Still have to weigh this out.   

all they ever had to do was replace the one bad unit and I wouldn't even be considering a change, but the one nasty CSR helped me start thinking that maybe they really don't care all that much about retaining a 15 + yr. customer       

A warranty replacement does not renew the agreement, but an upgrade does. Unfortunately, the R22 though a special model is well beyond end of life. All D and R models were discontinued years ago.

If you are being charged additional TV fees for DVRs that no longer work, then call and deactivate them off the account or get replaced to make use of what you are paying for. As a note the $10 is DVR service for the account. The only thing per TV is the $7.

Mini Genie Clients are not SD equipment. Anything Genie is at least HD. Models starting with D or R are SD, with the exception of the R22 as was MPEG-4/HD capable in a setup such as yours where you already have dedicated HD boxes. Notice your Mini Genies have HDMI.

HDDVRs are more capable than Mini Genies, and the R22 if it is a new enough model. Problem is that even those regular HDDVRs haven't been made in years. They were going for a Genie-only setup going forward. I hope the new co-owner turns that around, but nothing has been said one way or another.

Don't know what you mean by "nasty" CSR. If they were rude or such, then fair enough. But if they just didn't give you the answer or solution you wanted, then that would be unfair to them. Keep in mind they can only work with the options their system allows. A MPEG swap might be an option since the R22 is listed as an SDDVR, even though it is more capable. But they might only have a Mini Genie Client for that swap, which would be an issue as the Genie only can support 3 Minis at one time because it keeps 2 tuners to itself per the Picture in Picture (PiP) feature.

If you callback, request a MPEG swap of the R22. Do not say "upgrade". That would be a shot because of it being listed as an SDDVR. Many agents, even legacy DirecTV ones, are not very familiar with that model.

Alternatively, you could try a BBB complaint that goes to corporate. As the R22 does have the MPEG-4 capability, already activated in the equipment based on the rest of your setup, perhaps at that level they could do an override as a warranty replacement. An R22 to an HDDVR is not a true like-for-like, because the R22's intention was when some areas adopted MPEG-4 locals even without HD service. So, it could still end up being denied as a warranty situation as the line of equipment would be well past end of life.

If you can get the MPEG swap or a special warranty replacement, then there is no new agreement. If in the end an upgrade is the only option, then you will have to decide if that is worth it for you or not. Though not made any more, people were able to get HDDVRs recently while still in stock but has been getting harder and harder to where some experience being told it is no longer an option. You can get HDDVRs (i.e., HR24) through 3rd party retailers (such as Solid Signal). Those still come with a 24-month agreement, but they can only offer at the discounted lease cost (not free) of $199.

Thanks for all the help, I guess I'll live with this another week while I hash it out. 

Even with a total upgrade and a 24 month contract extension the price if far above the competition for similar service. 

too bad they don't offer a price match !!

Because of the different costs in the infrastructure and technology (Cable, Satellite, Streaming), I believe it is not close enough to "price match" as you would like. And probably not worth it to do so vs Dish (the only other satellite TV provider for the United States).

Haven't given up my R22s. I've used before when an earlier HDDVR conked out and used until the replacement came in. But if I do need to use again in the future and I get the hard no on reactivating, then I will recycle at that time.

I am really hoping the new co-owner goes back to having dedicated boxes on each TV instead of this all-in-one, restricted client setup that was being pushed since the original acquisition by AT&T. But I haven't heard a peep on any intention on equipment from them (yet).