Direct TV, frustrating call

[smlranger]

Today one of the Direct HD receivers in our coach lost audio. I get great video but no sound. I tried OTA signal to make sure the problem was not with the TV and I get sound with OTA signals. Plus, the other Direct HD receiver in the bedroom works fine.

So, I call Direct and they do the usual stuff; have me reset the receiver (I had already done that), unplug the HDMI cable and reconnect, run system test. Still no sound. So, rep says I can send you a replacement receiver to your home address. I say I am not home but will be where I am for another week so send it to me here. She says no I cannot do that and I will let you talk to my 'RV' team. Talk to 'RV' team rep and she gives me same answer. She tells me I need to take the coach to a RV dealer and let them 'fix' it. I ask for her supervisor.

Her supervisor finally comes on the line and tells me the same thing; they can only ship replacement receivers to the home address on the account. I tell him nicely that seems like hooey and won't work for those of us who travel in RV's for extended periods. I ask him why they have that rule and he says, 'it is because you might leave before you get the receiver' .

Since Monday is a holiday, I finally got him to agree (he got snotty about it) to ship it to our next stop at Ocean Lakes RV Park in Myrtle Beach. I even offered to pay for express shipping to get it to me where I am now, but he refused that and said they will only guarantee 3 - 5 business days.

I have never had an issue with Direct since we started with them in 2004. I think they need to get their act together for the expanding number of folks in RV's.

[djbmsu]

Like that will happen !

[Jim2]

That's been their policy for quite a while, Just buy the same new receiver from one of the many outside vendors, they'll ship to wherever you want. Then all you have to do is call in and activate the card. (and ship the old rcvr back to DTV)

[smlranger]

Originally Posted by Jim2

That's been their policy for quite a while, Just buy the same new receiver from one of the many outside vendors, they'll ship to wherever you want. Then all you have to do is call in and activate the card. (and ship the old rcvr back to DTV)

who sells them? I used to see them at Best Buy but they no longer sell them.

[Sammie]

Originally Posted by smlranger

Today one of the Direct HD receivers in our coach lost audio. I get great video but no sound. I tried OTA signal to make sure the problem was not with the TV and I get sound with OTA signals. Plus, the other Direct HD receiver in the bedroom works fine.

So, I call Direct and they do the usual stuff; have me reset the receiver (I had already done that), unplug the HDMI cable and reconnect, run system test. Still no sound. So, rep says I can send you a replacement receiver to your home address. I say I am not home but will be where I am for another week so send it to me here. She says no I cannot do that and I will let you talk to my 'RV' team. Talk to 'RV' team rep and she gives me same answer. She tells me I need to take the coach to a RV dealer and let them 'fix' it. I ask for her supervisor.

Her supervisor finally comes on the line and tells me the same thing; they can only ship replacement receivers to the home address on the account. I tell him nicely that seems like hooey and won't work for those of us who travel in RV's for extended periods. I ask him why they have that rule and he says, 'it is because you might leave before you get the receiver' .

Since Monday is a holiday, I finally got him to agree (he got snotty about it) to ship it to our next stop at Ocean Lakes RV Park in Myrtle Beach. I even offered to pay for express shipping to get it to me where I am now, but he refused that and said they will only guarantee 3 - 5 business days.

I have never had an issue with Direct since we started with them in 2004. I think they need to get their act together for the expanding number of folks in RV's.

Hi Gary, I read your post yesterday and it got me thinking about how I'm going to set up my new Tiffin Bus when I get it. Will I need to have two Direct TV receivers in order to watch different channels on two different TVS at the same time? I plan on installing a Winegard Trav'ler Direct TV Dish, and was hoping that all I would need is one HD receiver with a splitter and an AB switch.

Thanks, Sammie

[Triker56]

Will I need to have two Direct TV receivers in order to watch different channels on two different TVS at the same time? I plan on installing a Winegard Trav'ler Direct TV Dish, and was hoping that all I would need is one HD receiver with a splitter and an AB switch.

You can get a Genie HR44 that can send wireless to any other TV. Just set the Genie to record what ever you want to watch on the other TV's.
No splitter or AB switch needed.

Genie can supply programs up to a additional 4 more TV's at the same time wireless.

[namusmc65]

smlranger, before you go spending a lot of money, switch the hdmi cable from your working set to the one with no audio and see if that works. I suspect your hdmi cable has gone bad which they do often. I always carry a spare. It has taken me about an hour to be able to post because I forgot my password. Could not get an email response back.

[Patrol 65]

Smlranger, I experienced the same problem with Directv a couple of years ago. I had forgotten my receiver at home and I called while on the road to ask if they would ship a new one to my destination and was told that they could only ship one to my home. I was told to check with ebay. I ended up turning around and driving back 100 miles to my home to retrieve the receiver.

[Dave 430]

Gary,
Wait on buying a box from someone else... I had a box that went out and as luck would have it, it was the day before we left on a month trip. The box I had... "THEY" Direct TV did not make it or supply it. It was a "HD" reciever but it was not a DVR type. They said we can get a new one out to you in 3-5 days... I told the person, That I was leaving my home tomorrow for a month. So, I went out and purchased 2 new boxes and installed them. Called and got them activated. Well guess what, because I did not get the boxes from "DIRECT TV" my contract with them got "RENEWED" for another 2 years. Even though I had been with them for over a year. Their reasoning was that it was an "UPGRADE". Even though the box that broke was no longer sold or made. So now I call them every other month and ask when my contract with them is over. When they ask why... I ask if they have seen that commercial where DISH shows where DIRECT screws over their customers. With no answer to my question, I tell them you screwed me over and I will be cancelling my service with them the day my "NEW" contract is over with them. this is just my OPINION about Direct..

[Jim2]

Originally Posted by smlranger

who sells them? I used to see them at Best Buy but they no longer sell them.

I bought mine at SolidSignal.com but I've also seen them on Amazon.com , I'm sure there are several others Google is your friend (all my buying is online)

it use to be that anyone who wanted could sell them retail, now you must be an "authorized" retailer
You do need to be cautious of some of the used eBay units sold online, some have unpaid past bills to DTV that you could get stuck with or not be able to activate it.

Regardless of where you buy them, DTV "owns" the receiver and you still get charged $5 /mon for it, after the 1st free recvr

[Pigman1]

DirecTV is still in the STUPID mode I see. I had a similar thing happen to me about 18 months ago and got the same "can only ship to home" crap. I started up the supervisor chain and finally got to one high enough to make the right decision. Keep raising hell and eventually the supervisors will get tired of answering for a stupid policy and the policy will change. Common sense has nothing to do with it, this is just a squeaky wheel and bigger PITA issue .

[Sammie]

Originally Posted by Pigman1

DirecTV is still in the STUPID mode I see. I had a similar thing happen to me about 18 months ago and got the same "can only ship to home" crap. I started up the supervisor chain and finally got to one high enough to make the right decision. Keep raising hell and eventually the supervisors will get tired of answering for a stupid policy and the policy will change. Common sense has nothing to do with it, this is just a squeaky wheel and bigger PITA issue .

Pigman, Since you have a similar coach to the Bus 37AP that I have on order, maybe you can answer this question for me. I will have the in motion satellite up forward and will be installing the Winegard Trav'ler Dish on the rear of the roof. Will I need to install two Direct TV receivers in order to view different channels on two seperate TV's or can I just install one receiver along with an ABC switch to toggle between satellite dishes?

Thanks, Sammie

[smlranger]

Sammie, I am not familiar with the Genie described in one of the posts above but we do have two HD receivers in the coach so we can watch separate programming.

I thought about the HDMI cable going bad but last evening, after the suspect receiver being shut down for several hours, I turned it on and I had audio. That makes me suspect that some component in the receiver is failing due to heat. My receiver is mounted in a cabinet with little ventilation and it does get hot in there. I plan to install one of the quiet muffin fans to vent that area when I get the new receiver next week.

[FlyingDiver]

Originally Posted by smlranger

who sells them? I used to see them at Best Buy but they no longer sell them.

Weaknees.com
solidsignal.com
amazon.com