Upgrade 2008 equipment

DTV doesn't need internet to work as the WVB sets up a separate WiFi network to connect to the wireless clients and you can have wired clients with the HS17 Genie2 if you want. The HS17 is hard caped at 7 TVs and will not allow anything but clients on the account.

You could have taken the Genie with 3 minis and the two HD receivers.

You were given some bad, at best incomplete, information. Hopefully you didn't have it installed and can reevaluate the options.

DirecTV does not require internet at all. It is service by satellite. Being internet connected is for optional features. Has nothing to do with if any of your boxes are wireless or not.

The Genie is a 5 tuner HDDVR. Mini Genies are not receivers, but Clients. They each take a tuner from the main Genie. Since the Genie reserves 2 to itself, for the Picture in Picture (PiP) feature, that is why only up to 3 Clients at most can be in use at one time. Having 4 or more Clients is something to avoid.

Genie works with HDDVRs (HR20 thru HR24) and HD non-DVR receivers (H21, thru H25), and special R22 (HDDVR in hiding if you will). At the very least never replace an HDDVR (or R22) with a Mini Genie.

The Genie can use a wireless video bridge (WVB) to connect to any wireless Clients (C41W and C61W). This has nothing to do with your internet's WiFi. This is a proprietary network for DirecTV boxes only for TV viewing. The receiving dish outside does not give you a wireless signal. The dish is wired to the system.

Genie-2 (HS17) is a server tower that does not go on a TV itself. It has all the tuners (7) and recording space (2TB) for the system. It is the only model with the WVB built-in, but can still use wired Clients. Since it does not have PiP, this means it can use up to 7 Clients at the same time. However, it FORBIDS other receivers, so it hard caps the system. A Genie and 2 HDDVRs is already more capability than the Genie-2 allows.

What are the models of every box you have? That will help clear up how the upgrade or MPEG swap should go.

Ty for responding, Greek to me :) Model #s = H23-600 (the one wired to HD), R16-300, D12-100, D12-300, D12-500, D12-700. Two of the D12 are junk.  My R16 has been resetting itself.  No, nothing installed. Tech said it wouldn't work for us. He left before  I could ask more after researching

A H23, R16, and four D12s. You say two of the D12s are junk. Did you deactivate them, or are you still paying the $7 additional TVs still? If still active, do you intend to keep six TVs total?

Per the amount of boxes, most of which are outdated, this is not as straightforward an order.

Genie and 5 Clients was too much. That was saying there were replacing the H23 which did not need to be done. The H23 you can keep. Though it does not have DVR itself, it can watch what is recorded on any HDDVR you have.

A Genie and 4 Clients to replace all your MPEG-2/SD-only boxes would be what DirecTV would at most cover for free. But that would take you from a 2 tuner DVR and 1 from each of your SD non-DVR boxes (total 6) to a 5 tuner HDDVR shared between them.

Instead of a Mini Genie Client, you could see about HD non-DVR or HDDVR boxes instead. As they would be an option beyond your free offer, they would be at their one-time lease cost (each) as $99 or $199 respectively.

So at bare minimum, do not replace the H23 as works with the newer setups. Depends on your flexibility needs of the other boxes if you stick with a Genie and 4 Clients, or choose to pay the lease cost for any full receivers instead.

And personally I would stick with wired Clients for reliability. Plus the wireless video bridge (WVB) is an owned accessory ($99).

And in addition to your $10 HD and $10 DVR services, you would also add in $3 for Whole Home DVR.

Ty so much for responding. This is getting so overwhelming for me. 13 yrs ago this was easy!! Yes still paying for the 2 junks. New access card would not work few months ago. I def need a DVR, tv junkie. Yes we need six. This is 3 family home (me & hubby, his son and a tenant). Hub has the H23 I have the R16 and one of the D12 which we didn't use so went to son when he having issue w/ his D12. Son has two D12, tenant has one D12.  Worried about keeping the H23 since it's so old. Only issue with it is the HD signal once in a while (lots of trees here so wondering if that will happen to all when they rewire so we all have HD) Hubby's idea (after tech left) was Genie & 3 minis and 2 new HD receivers, Ya that will cost ya! Genie for me, 3 minis on each floor and HD receiver for him & son. No way in H*ll we going back to Comcast.  I texted the Tech (he called for time arrival so had his #). He said latest HD box is H25. Researched where to buy but still have to activate w/ dtv and pay access so no clue what dtv will charge. Re: whole home dvr does that refer to the Genie? years before the Genie something else was avail for that? "The H23 you can keep. Though it does not have DVR itself, it can watch what is recorded on any HDDVR you have" but that would only happen if I get a Genie? oy vey so confusing. And the Genie & 5 minis were at no charge

The H23 is a fine model. If it has issues then you do a warranty replacement which would net a H24 or H25 (depending on stock).

The MPEG-4/SD and HD capable feed does require a tighter signal. So if the trees are causing issues currently for the H23, then that would cause issues with the other TVs once the update is done.

You cannot purchase to own boxes anymore. They are lease only. Doesn't change the monthly bill as it is $7 for each additional TV regardless of model. The only change in bill cost will be Whole Home DVR $3, as you would already have HD and DVR services.

Since no difference in lease cost, and there have been issues activating boxes from authorized retailers, best to order through DirecTV itself the HD non-DVRs.

Whole Home DVR is what allows HDDVRs and HD non-DVRs to watch what is recorded on any HDDVR you have. The Genie (HR34, HR44, HR54) is DirecTV's Advanced Whole Home HDDVR so requires the service as that is what it is built for.

The 5 Clients may have been free, but you couldn't use all TVs at the same time. So replacing every box would have been a downgrade as you loose tuners and everybody is reliant on one box to work.

The H23 do not replace. With Genie get no more than 3 Clients so you can potentially use all TVs at the same time. The last one get an HD non-DVR ($99) or HDDVR ($199).

Sorry it is not the simplest and cheapest way to go. Personally I suggest when you have a mix of equipment like yours (HD non-DVR, SDDVR, SD non-DVR) to use free upgrades over the years to make sure all TVs get the benefit of what you are paying for. If it has been a minimum of 2 years since last install/upgrade, no more than 5 years, that is when I would review your setup to avoid such an issue in the future.

Ty again. "The H23 do not replace. With Genie get no more than 3 Clients so you can potentially use all TVs at the same time. The last one get an HD non-DVR ($99) or HDDVR ($199)." Prob do this with new HD receiver for son. Then I can use protect plan for H23 if that goes, good so far! We had free upgrades always avail to see online in my acct, just never did. When att took over, it was hard to find upgrades on my online acct so didn't bother.  If it ain't broke.... The access card was sent to us out of the blue for  D12 not sure why but it worked for a while. All original equip from dtv directly. HD signal loss usually only during storms either here or there!  I just need to know exactly what to say when I get on the phone with them tmw.

The protection plan covers the $19.95 delivery fee if you have to warranty replace the H23. Though you do pay $8.99 a month ($107.88 a year) whether you use it or not.

With AT&T integrating DirecTV's access into their website, not all features were available. And now that DirecTV is being spun off with another company (AT&T retains majority share still), I would expect it will still be quite a while until that can all be done online. Though highly suggested to check the forums before calling to get guidance.

The access card was a stop-gap. DirecTV has been shutting down their outdated SD-only feeds. Started on time (April 2019) Because of internal challenges and the pandemic, it did not complete as soon as it was supposed to. But as SD-only TVs haven't been made in over a decade, the writing has been on the wall that SD was on the way out.

As the dish has been there so long, perhaps with the update it just needs an alignment.

Call and request an upgrade to the Genie and 3 Clients (should be wired). That part should be free. Then for your 5th box request a HD non-DVR, which should be $99. This order will come with a 24 month agreement and add $3 Whole Home DVR service to the bill. Just verify they are NOT replacing your H23.

As a note, the recordings on your R16 do not transfer. So best to be comfortably caught up first.

TY so much!! 24 mo ok, we not changing back to local cable. Yes, new dish I would assume too. (we owned a business yrs ago and changed equip and gave new dish that wasn't as old as ours).  I wish I could print this. Also dealing with no internet, using tenants wonky wifi but printer won't connect. I will log in on hubby comp so he can read this.  Ya, I recorded my porn to DVDs.. OMG JK. I did record some shows from DVR. Took pics of my priority list! TY again!

Since you have HD already it is doubtful a new dish would be installed, though not impossible. With your service issues I would make sure to let the tech no so they double check the connections and alignment.

You are using your tenants internet? If it is a regular home internet, and your home wiring is in good condition, I would consider a powerline adapter. Uses your electrical wiring to make a wired connection which is usually a much better experience than WiFi. Just would need a starter set as that is two boxes, one at your computer and the other by the router.

after brief convo w/ hubby, I'm making him read all this later, he said tech just needs to change the "eye" on dish. Re: internet. Not sure what tenant uses, I know she has a roku and have no clue what that does. we connect but it gets wonky. Son uses comcast but can only connect to it on hubs desktop, cant on my laptop. Ours is verizon DSL, since '05, No fiber in town. Long story short.. Few wks ago didn't have landline for a while, should have known with no robocalls! Got lines fixed AOK. DSL was fine until a lot of rain (it's happened) but no static on line this time. New modem sent, still no internet. Another tech call for that this wk. Guess researching power adapter in order if I know what to search for. Router is at computer where phone line is.

Depends on the LNB (the "eye") if it needs to be swapped or not. As long as a 3LNB or 5LNB it should be fine. Only if it were SD-only would it absolutely need to be replaced.

A Roku is a streaming device. Allows you to stream programs off the internet via apps. Netflix and Hulu are common streaming TV providers, but some individual channels have their own apps as well (such as HBO).

If internet is wonky, or concerning that it is data capped/metered, make sure not to connect the Genie to it. Otherwise the On Demand content will eat through their data allowance.

However if you are using your tenants WiFi temporarily because of your own internet outage, then I wouldn't worry about a powerline adapter. Unless you have a computer or other device that is not convenient to run Ethernet directly from the router.

My State was told long ago it had no need for fiber. Well the last couple years have shown differently so there are improvements in the works for the big cities. Rural we still deal with DSL, but a bit improved since main area updates means better delivery to the older systems.