HD

Many assisted living facilities don't have "real" directv.  The directv boxes, often SD only, sit in a common equipment closet and there is one box for each channel (the facility decides which channels are to be distributed), then the SD signals go over regular coax to TVs in each room and are selected using the regular TV tuner. This means the individual rooms are not fed the original directv signals and so you can't put a directv receiver  in a room. If that's the case you can't view HD.

You should be able to confirm this by talking to the tech at the facility responsible for maintaining it, or by talking to the company responsible.

That really stinks if that is the case.  To pay all of that money to live there, and the picture quality is awful.  To get an answer from someone at the facility is ridiculous also.  I have to find a solution for her.  Thank you for you help. 

@TexasBrit that could be the case but I know of many assisted living places where each room actually gets an HR24 because the DVR is for private viewing only. The HR24 receivers are located in each room with a coax from the multiswitch being run to the receiver. I have also seen H25 receivers in each room that are on these handy H25 mounts for TVs where the mounts are hung to the TV and the H25 is seated in the bracket. There are several different receivers/methods that the assisted living place is using to deliver DIRECTV satellite to each room.

@dmboysen you must inquire from the place what their scenario is. I personally think it is unprofressional that this place requires you to bring in your own DIRECTV receiver and cables for simple HD viewing. That should be their responsibility. Anyhow, that's just how commercial accounts work.

While it would be easy to just buy an HD or HD-DVR receiver from online and give it to your mother, commercial accounts are very simple and restricted. That being said, the way the account was made may prevent the activation of any HD receiver. It may only activate SD-only receivers like the D12. However, as DIRECTV is shutting down all SD feeds and these SD-only boxes will become obsolete and useless, the hotel must take action soon. This would be either upgrading all receivers to HD or dumping DIRECTV for a different cable provider.

I only see the cable, no box is present in her room.  I wonder if streaming would work better?  

@dmboysen OK so as @TexasBrit stated earlier, each room has a direct coax to the TV and the receivers are hidden away. In this case, you are completely forbidden from adding a receiver to the room as it will not work. 

Streaming would definitely work better than SD DIRECTV, as long as the internet speed is acceptable. This will require the buying of a streaming device like an Apple TV or FireStick. You should consider DIRECTV STREAM as it has comparable channels to DIRECTV satellite.

Hi @dmboysen we know the importance of taking care of your family, and making sure they are comfortable.

In this case, our friendly recommendation would be to talk with the people in charge of the DIRECTV service on your mother's assisted living establishment, so they can reach us to properly provide them a technical solution if necessary.

They can find us here (DIRECTV Forums), in Social Media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), or over the phone at 800.531.5000. We'll be glad to help.

Eimmy, DIRECTV Community Specialist

Okay, I will try my firestick.  I am guessing I will have to set up a Directv account and pay monthly.  

Right. You'll need to create a DirecTV Stream account.