http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/ Engadget HD Comments for DirecTV customers will have to re-sign up for HD Extra pack http://www.engadgethd.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadgethd.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 14th 2007 5:22PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/
Crappy move, DirecTV. Really low class.]]>Dec 14th 2007 4:36PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 14th 2007 6:40PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/
Oh Ben, on the "mysteriously missing" HDNet and Mark Cuban complained enough about being pushed up to this Extra tier, and will be put in the regular HD lineup. I could have sworn it was you guys that reported that. I'll search where I read that and post a link.]]>Dec 14th 2007 5:10PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 14th 2007 5:11PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/07/hdnet-and-directv-settle-suit/
only last week. ]]>Dec 14th 2007 5:13PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 14th 2007 5:18PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 14th 2007 5:20PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 14th 2007 5:23PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 14th 2007 5:46PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/
If you have ONLY MPEG-2 based HD equipment (aka not a single piece of MPEG-4 based equipment on your account), you will be grandfathered into the HD Extra Pack.

However, if you have at least 1 piece of MPEG-4 equipment, you will have to optionally signup for the HD Extra Pack.

]]>Dec 14th 2007 6:48PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/
We'll see what customers say when I tell them this from now on.]]>Dec 14th 2007 5:44PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/
The HD Access is $9.99; but what channels you get ties directly to your BASE packages.
So if you only get FAMILY CHOICE, that $9.99 only gets you about 10-15 of the HD channels.

If you have the Premier package, that $9.99 gets you access to all 85ish HD channels (minus the HD Extra Package).

The HD Extra Package for the $4.99 gives you access to the additional channels, regardless of what base package you have.

So to get "everything" that is available in HD... $99 + $14.99 = $113.99

And even that doesn't include all the extended sports packages (like Sunday Ticket, NHL, ect)
]]>Dec 14th 2007 6:48PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 14th 2007 5:48PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 14th 2007 6:25PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/
Of course, I knew better, and fully expected their response of NO, we can't do that.

Then when I asked for a credit for the two extra boxes they've been charging me for 6 months, they politely tell me that they only refund 60 days on anything. It was up to me to check my bill and tell them earlier. Of course, they had stopped sendng paper bills, so I never saw a statement. And further, they had all th paperwork, since they are the oncs who replaced the old HD boxes...

It's worse than dealing with a government agency. ]]>Dec 14th 2007 8:30PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 15th 2007 12:26PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/
Wife wants to replace the two SD DVRs with two HR-20-700's but DirecTV wants $400. They want $300 for the second HR20, and $100 for the new dish, plus shipping and handling. Now, compare this to Dish Networks and Comcast (not advocating them) not trying to charge me anything for a pair of HD DVRs.

I tried the 'cancel service' at the top of the telephone tree and got to a customer retention department, but $400 plus S&H is a no deal, and this just to be able to a) pay them a monthly lease fee and b) to pay them extra for something I was already getting? Hmm.

If I were single I'd cancel their service. I get good digital signals from the locals already via OTA, and have little use for stretch-o-vision (and HDlite). "Tis the season to bend over," says DirecTV.]]>Dec 15th 2007 6:16AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/
After my hard work last winter, I'm happy to say that I've enjoyed all the new HD programming AND all my locals (except NBC - bastards!) via my Direct service. I'm going to add another HD set in my bedroom for Christmas and I'm going to try to upgrade from my old RCA DTV SDTivo to another HR20 in the bedroom for free next. I'll let you know how successful I am later.]]>Dec 15th 2007 7:52AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Trouble is, our location is missing CBSHD and lately, the HR21s are coming for installs instead of HR20s and these do not do OTA for the reception, intergration or recording.
This is really sad because Directv does not yet have the D11 launched and operational for this occur (all the digital/HD locals).
Even giving up the CBSHD for its lousy analogue service (which is really bad on the Milwaukee channel), Directv's charge per their site indicates $597 for 2 HD DVRs, 1 HD box, 1 SD box to replace what I have with cable.
While I save approx. $35/month on the payTV side, I lose at total of $10 in discounts on my phone and internet service, but factoring that out, I pay back my up front lease costs in about 17 months.
The $4.95/month extra for the extra HD channels for Directv does not bother me at all since I pay $6.95/month for TWC services' HD package for a lousy 4 HD channels, one of them is HDNET which is now included with Directv's basic $9.99/month fee for HD service when you get a HD box from them.
What I want to do now is wait for the HR21s to have an adder box or whatever comes to upgrade it to OTA or have the D11 satellite add my CBSHD to my local service.]]>Dec 16th 2007 10:53AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 16th 2007 2:51PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/
Fios is only in part of my town and I HATE Cablevision so what's DISH like?]]>Dec 16th 2007 6:48PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/
I bought a year ago and agreed to a 2-year contract when there were only 7-8 channels. I complained that they were changing the contract and I should be allowed to opt out. Supervisor said fine print said they reserved right to change prices and packages.

They are acting like a car dealer who hides several thousand dollars of charges after the buyer sign the dotted line.

They lost all goodwill and credibility.

I'm in market to switch. If enough of us $80-$100 a month customers opt out over their $4.95 surcharge, maybe they will grow a conscience.

]]>Dec 17th 2007 10:26PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 18th 2007 10:03PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 18th 2007 7:28PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/14/directv-customers-will-have-to-re-sign-up-for-hd-extra-pack/Dec 21st 2007 6:31PM