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2 Messages
Required upgrade of equipment
Currently have an old STD receiver and one R22 DVR. Got a letter about required upgrade of equipment or would lose our programming. Supposedly free equipment/installation. We intended to cancel the STD receiver entirely as we never use it any more. Therefore, we will only have the R22 DVR. We never order PPV so the boxes are not connected to the internet. We do not have any premium packages (Starz, HBO, etc.). We actually have a legacy package from when we were with Primestar (yes, we have been with direct TV that long!). When we called to make the switch, they are doing a Genie 2 and a Genie Mini, charging us $49 and a 24 month new agreement. I am not sure the gentleman understood what we were doing. From other posts, I understand the Genie 2 is not a good replacement. Do I have to have a Genie 2 since we will only have the one box now? Do I have to have a Genie mini if we never watch TV on any other TV but the one with the R22 DVR? Would it be better to go ahead and keep the 2nd TV and just replace the STD receiver with a new version and then keep the R22 DVR? Will I need a new dish either way? I am not technologically savvy so need basic terminology. Will be calling direct TV back to cancel our appt or at least to get it corrected and want to know what is the best way to proceed so we do not mess up anything. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
shannon02
ACE - Expert
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21.3K Messages
3 years ago
The MPEG2 swap is free (don't say upgrade) and if you still have an 18" round dish then yes they will have to mount a new SWM slimline dish. You should try to get an HR54 Genie and keep the R22 as it can get HD programming when there is another HD receiver on the account. Don't deactivate the SD box before the MPEG2 swap. There is no 2 yr contract with a swap.
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Juniper
ACE - Expert
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23.4K Messages
3 years ago
What is the model of that old STD receiver?
Correct, that agent wasn't doing the order right. They were placing an optional upgrade instead. Though even then there shouldn't have been the $49.
DirecTV is shutting down their MPEG-2/SD-only feeds so yes an update is requried. When you call request a MPEG swap. Don't call it anything else. As required to continue using the service there is no charge on the order and no new service agreement. Review the order confirmation to be absolutely sure.
If you keep both TVs, do NOT replace the R22. It is MPEG-4 capable as long as you have one H or HR model. You want the Genie, which most likely would be the 3rd generation model (HR54).
The Genie-2 (HS17) can be an ok replacement depending on your setup. This is a server tower that doesn't go on a TV itself. It feeds Mini Genie Clients on each TV you have and doesn't allow other full receivers. That would require replacing your R22. For a one or two TV setup, it is a reasonable option to consider. More TVs than that and it is limited. Personally I avoid it as I like having each TV with a full receiver for independent options and reliability. That and at 3 TVs I make use of all 9 tuners from my Genie and two HDDVRs, where the Genie-2 is hard capped at 7 tuners.
Most likely a new dish will need to be installed. As long as it falls within standard installation then it is covered by the order.
I know that is a mouthful, so I'll try to simplify:
Call DirecTV.
Request MPEG swap.
Get regular Genie (likely HR54) to swap your standard receiver.
Keep R22 on 2nd TV.
New dish most likely installed.
No cost on order and no new service agreement.
HD service should be credited each month (indefinitely, so no known end date).
If you decide to keep only one TV, then R22 is replaced.
Recordings lost, so be comfortably caught up first.
Either Genie on the TV, or Genie-2 with a Mini Genie Client on the TV.
Either option, review order confirmation to make sure all is as expected.
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superrver
New Member
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2 Messages
3 years ago
Thank you for the help. The STD is Model D11-100. The other one is a Basic DVR Receiver Model R22-200. I know our dish was replaced only once in all the years that we have had it. It has been several years ago though. We ran into the issue where they could not get on the roof and moved it to the edge of the roof where they could get to it on a ladder. We had the two because we wanted to have independent programming on both TVs (back before we got the DVR). However, one of the old STD receivers went bad and we replaced with the DVR. We now only ever use it and tape what we want. We have not used the other STD receiver for probably a year or two. Just never got around to cancelling it because talking to DirecTV was always such a hassle. It is my understanding that you can tape more than 2 shows now with the new Genie's. Is that correct? Thanks!
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Juniper
ACE - Expert
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23.4K Messages
3 years ago
D11 can only use the old dish. So a new one would be installed.
R22 can use both old and new setups, and works with all regular Genie models. It is a MPEG-4 box, essentialy an HDDVR in hiding.
Current OSHA regulations forbid techs leaving ladder without specialized equipment and training. DirecTV stays within compliance by not letting techs leave ladder in first place.
If the other TV hasn't been used within a couple years, then reducing to one TV removing that $7 additional TV fee would be wise. Since that would require R22 being replaced watch any recordings you desire as they will be lost.
Regarding how many shows may record (tape as we used to for our VCRs):
Regular HDDVRs and SDDVRS, like your R22, are 2 tuners.
Regular Genie (HR34, HR44, HR54) have 5 tuners.
Genie-2 (HS17) has 7 tuners.
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