SD to HD Swap

Another possibility if you do not want DVR service is to upgrade to Genie Lite HR44 with a Genie client. The Genie Lite is not a DVR but works with the same clients as a regular Genie.

DTV probably no longer has any to install.

Very happy to report that we finally got the swap done!  They had to put the dish smack dab in the middle of the yard and run a cable to the house in order to get all 3 satellites, but that's fine.  Was a 4.5 hour process and the technician stayed until all was completed (at 9pm).  He was great!  A few minor hiccups, but new dish is installed and we now have the Genie receiver.  After this, my husband was pretty disappointed saying "we did all this work just to be able to have local channels?  No HD?"  I told him no, HD service wasn't part of the free MPEG swap.  We basically just got a new receiver and a new dish.  I hope that's right!  If so, then if we wanted to go ahead and get the HD service but not DVR service (not interested in recording shows right at this moment), is that possible?  If so, any idea what the cost would be?  I don't care about having a 24 month agreement.  We've been with DirecTV forever and where we live they are our only option, so plan to stick with them.  

The whole point of the swap was to get the MPEG4 HD channels.  You are stuck with the Genie but you don't have to record anything if you don't want to.

@Bakerkk 

The Genie requires HD to be on the account. But with an MPEG swap the $10 for HD service (if you didn't already have it) is credited "until your next upgrade". When you view the guide, many of your channels should show HD now.

Once you had the install done the order is closed and cannot go back. It would cost $99 (each) to replace every box with HD non-DVRs if they still have them. That would be an upgrade so the $10 credit would discontinue, but the $10 DVR and $3 Whole Home DVR would go away once you don't have a single DVR. But DirecTV was pushed away from non-Genie options starting a few years ago. So Genie, or the Genie-2 (HS17, Headless Server tower) may be all we get going forward.

@Juniper 

Yes, we did see all the HD channels on the guide, but couldn't access them.  It just showed the info screen with the 721 error code.  We called the 1-800 number because the technician that was here said he didn't know what was going on and thought DirecTV changed our channel package since we "lost" all but local channels.  The lady on the phone had us reset the receiver several times, sent signals to the receiver (with no luck), and after a lot of back and forth realized we didn't have HD service before, so had us go into settings and unhide the SD channels.  Then everything was good and all of our channels came back (in SD vice HD).  I assumed that's the way it was supposed to be since we didn't have HD on our account before.  If we are in fact supposed to see the HD channels, then I guess we will have to call them back and find out why we aren't. 

I don't want to revert back to non-DVRs.  Having the Genie is fine.  I'm sure we will use it eventually.

Thanks for all the info and sorry for all the back and forth.  This has been quite the process for us. 

Hope DirecTV help sends you a DM/PM as you should have HD service with a credit

You can email DirecTV help using one of DTV social media websites.

@Bakerkk 

Getting a Genie is supposed to add HD $10, DVR $10, Whole Home DVR $3.

With it being a MPEG swap, not a regular upgrade, a $10 credit is applied to cover HD until your next upgrade.

Since HD is not on the account to begin with, then the install was activated wrong. If you don't get a Direct/Private Message (DM/PM) in the forum from the official help team I would call DirecTV back. Say "cancel" as you may need a more experienced agent in their retention department (or their supervisor) to fix this.

Upgrades, and even the MPEG swap back when MPEG-4 was transitioned in certain areas years ago, used to go so much easier. Hope the next contact with DirecTV gets this fixed for you.

@shannon02 and @Juniper 

I called today and after an hour on the phone, they were able to fix the issue.  I don't know what they did, but I now have all the HD channels.  Thank you both very much for all the advice and help!  I truly appreciate it!

They finally authorized the HD channels, as that is what the 721 code said was the problem, no idea why it wasn't done in the beginning.   Just make sure the bill has the $10 HD fee credited back.