Online Chat

There are those of us who would suggest avoiding the chat option. Info has been questionable of late, plus those transcripts do not go to your account.

It is suggested calling for official help. Alternativley, you can post your situation in the forum for other experienced users to give guidance.

The online chat reps have no idea what they're doing.  The reps are getting paid to waste customers time, when the end result is to tell the customer to call.  

Right. That always happens to customers. Most online chat people are meant for simple jobs (i.e. refreshing your service, shopping for DIRECTV, upgrading a package). Anything technical like activating/deactivating a receiver, scheduling a service visit, placing an order, or changing account status will require you to call. It is very annoying in the way that those agents pretend to be able to assist but then claim that a call is required to DIRECTV twenty minutes into the chat. 

So either call for official help or seek guidance in the forum for your situation. No point in grumbling over the chat option anymore as is not resulting in a resolution for whatever you need.

After spending, what I thought was an almost an hour (in reality was an hour and 33 minutes) on the online chat, being told... if I called they would have all the information on my account...the rep had no clue what I was talking about.   This just added to the two week frustration of having to explain to the person, where English is their second language, what I was promised by the two guys online if I called.   In the end, he was helpful, hopefully I'm getting a better receiver than the original archaic replacement they sent.

What do you mean "archaic"? There is a good chance you got a recent model. They aren't making new ones each year but refurbishing the existing ones.

"Archaic", as in, I can't change the station when recording or record two shows at the same time. This receiver is from 2009.   I pay for protection.  The replacement receiver should be at least compatible to what I have, not a downgrade.   I was surprised I got this model, since they told me to recycle my old one.  

@jerryb33 

If you are recording a single channel and can neither record a 2nd channel or change the channel, that is not "archaic". All DirecTV DVRs at a minimum can record 2 channels at the same time or browse the channels while recording one already. So not archaic but a technical issue.

The protection plan has nothing to do with what equipment you get. That is not what it is for. The protection plan covers the cost of service calls ($99), delivery of replacement boxes ($19.95), and remotes ($15). That is what you are paying $8.99 a month ($107.88 a year) for.

Without the protection plan the boxes still have their leased warranty as normal. You get same model or newer of the same equipment line. That is how it works regardless of if you have the protection plan or not.

What is the exact model number of your DVR?

What model did it replace?

Are you on the older non-SWM (pre-Genie) system? (sounds like you might be)

Do you have two cables going into the HDDVR?

Is the replacement HDDVR in the same spot as the old HDDVR?

The older multiswitch required a cable per tuner. If you got a replacement HDDVR but put it in a location with only one cable, then you could only watch or record a single channel as you didn't have the 2nd tuner hooked up. This was a common complaint for people who swapped boxes around themselves, including when getting a warranty replacement but decided to put in a different room.

What are the models of each box you have now? That way you get guidance to avoid future problems.

The model number of my receiver is HR2/200.

Most likely the correct model is HR24 as there is no HR2. That is the most recent regular HDDVR. There is no newer model of that line so that is all you can get.

What is the last number as in HR20, HR24.  You have a legacy system and you have a two tuner system that only allows you to record/watch only 2 channels at a time so if you are recording on both channels you can only watch a recorded program or watch either program you are recording.  In order to watch/record more channels you will have to upgrade to a Genie system with 5 or 7 tuners and the tech will have to change you over to a SWM system by changing the LNB on the dish arm.

@shannon02 

I can't change the station when recording or record two shows at the same time. 

That suggests only a single tuner is working. The issue is not more than 2, but they aren't getting 2.

Yes, it is a H24 and it's not on SWM.   

Shannon, I'm only able to watch the channel that is recording.  I have two other receivers and only have issues with the replacement one.

OK. Let's clarify the model number. H24 is an HD Receiver, not a DVR.  So you probably have an HR24 HD DVR, right? You don't have a SWM dish setup. Are both HR24 SAT INPUTS connected to your satellite dish?