DIRECTV ****ING SUCKS - LISTEN AND LEARN

[Frazod]

I just got hardcore fucked - I mean totally and utterly hardcore fucked - by DirecTV. With no recourse, I am simply stuck with useless equipment and an "I'm sorry sir."

I bought an HDTV last week. The first thing I learned was that I needed to upgrade my receiver and dish, which I did, to the tune of several hundred dollars). Expecting to receive an HDTV signal, I turned on my local CBS channel. No HDTV. I called customer service. I've been on the phone with them repeatedly over the course of the evening. Basically, this is what I've been told.

I MIGHT be able to gain access to the network feed, but DirecTV has to REQUEST PERMISSION from the networks, which they may or may not give, at any point between two weeks and 45 days, if not longer. Basically, there is no guarantee this will ever happen.

There is, apparently, a dish which has a built-in antenna that will receive the local HD signal. Of course, it's not the one that was just installed on the side of my house this afternoon. And the receiver which I had installed this afternoon wouldn't work with the dish that would receive the local signal. And the receiver which would process the local signal doesn't have a DVR, and DirecTV won't offer one until that does for MONTHS.

I swear to God I'm not making this shit up.

And DirecTV doesn't tell you ANY OF THIS - NOT ONE LITTLE BIT OF IT - until it's too late and you've already bought the equipment.

So basically, I've paid hundreds of dollars for a hi-def dish and a hi-def receiver which won't pick up or record the network programs I want to watch in hi-def. Beyond that, DirecTV offers about 7 hi-def channels, none of which I regularly watch.

Also, as far as hi-def games on Sunday Ticket go, surprise, surprise - you have to pay extra for them. And, of course, if I pay extra, and the game happens to be shown on local TV (like the Chiefs/Cowboys game on Sunday), it'll be blacked out on Sunday Ticket, and I won't be able to watch it in hi-def anyway.

So I figured I'd punt. I told them to come get their equipment and give me my money back. They won't take the equipment back or return my money. I own it. And I'm fucked, and that's the end of it. I have no recourse, except to attempt to sue them, I guess, which I'm probably going to look into. I do have a really nasty lawyer who likes to start class action suits.

I can't believe that when I talked to these ASSCLOWNS on the phone and ordered my new dish and receiver, that they didn't mention anything about the local channels. Granted, I didn't ask, but then again, if I buy a car, I expect it to be able turn corners without specifically asking whether or not it does. What did these morons think I wanted to watch and record?

I have just absolutely been played. All they'll do is install additional equipment at additional cost, and apparently just toss the crap I just paid for TODAY. I was a loyal customer of these fucking scumbags for years. Now, I don't even know if I'll keep them for Sunday Ticket - how can I continue to do business with these thieving weasels?

Anyway, there is a lesson to be learned here. If Skip can offer any suggestions or somehow paint a happy face on this steaming pile, I'd love to hear from him. Beyond that, DirecTV can eat a dick.

[Taco John]

Originally Posted by frazod

Now, I don't even know if I'll keep them for Sunday Ticket - how can I continue to do business with these thieving weasels?

[thumbs in ears]

LALALALALALALALALALALA! I CAN'T HEAR YOU! LALALALALA!


[/thumbs in ears]

[Logical]

Tim what you just described is the bad news, the good news is the local channels should be in HD on your new antenna in the next 6 to 12 months. Detroit, SF and a few others already have them and they are rolling it out as fast as possible. From what I was told all the major metropolitan areas are supposed to be available without needing the extra antenna before 2007. I was a little miffed about this myself. By the way I bought my HD DVR from Best Buy and it is compatible with the local channel dish so I am not sure I would trust the DTV rep that told you it would not work. Here it does not help because we cannot get Line of Sight over the air signals anyway.

[JimNasium]

I'm sick of them as well. I'm making the jump back to Mediacom. I give it 12-14 months before I'm pissed at them too.

[ChiefsLV]

Check the back of your HD reciever. It should have a spot to plug in an HD antenna. Yes, you'll be forking over a few extra $$$ for an HD antenna, but you'll be able to get your local channels in HD. Don't know how it is in KC or wherever you are, but here in Vegas, we get the HD channels pretty good over the airwaves.

[Taco John]

This damned board only lets you have 150 pixel wide avatars, where on the Mane, we are up to 200. So all my fun stuff is 200 and I'm too busy to format them down to fit both this board and that board... So you guys get the second rate shyt.

[Bwana]

Keep on the pricks until they fold. What a load of bullshit.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Taco John

[thumbs in ears]

LALALALALALALALALALALA! I CAN'T HEAR YOU! LALALALALA!


[/thumbs in ears]

I paid $650 for equipment and installation. Granted, I'll get $200 back from a mail-in rebate, but still - $450 for equipment that is basically useless to me. I want to TiVo new HD episodes of Lost and HD Chiefs games, not reruns of Law and Order SVU on fucking Bravo.

Am I really supposed to just sit still for that?

[tk13]

I honestly don't know how the HDTV for local channels works on DTV.... although I do believe it's pretty hard to get that waiver for the national HD network feed.

I figured if anybody would carry HD local programming, it'd be a place like Chicago. Most places though you still need a digital antenna to pick up HD programming on your local station.

[Katipan]

Originally Posted by Taco John

This damned board only lets you have 150 pixel wide avatars, where on the Mane, we are up to 200. So all my fun stuff is 200 and I'm too busy to format them down to fit both this board and that board... So you guys get the second rate shyt.

you should let me find an av for you

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by Taco John

This damned board only lets you have 150 pixel wide avatars, where on the Mane, we are up to 200. So all my fun stuff is 200 and I'm too busy to format them down to fit both this board and that board... So you guys get the second rate shyt.

Your avatar reflects upon you more so than it does up on us. If you're cool with it.....

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by ChiefsLV

Check the back of your HD reciever. It should have a spot to plug in an HD antenna. Yes, you'll be forking over a few extra $$$ for an HD antenna, but you'll be able to get your local channels in HD. Don't know how it is in KC or wherever you are, but here in Vegas, we get the HD channels pretty good over the airwaves.

There isn't a special plug for an HD antenna - just a regular co-ax jack for a normal antenna. I assume that won't do the trick.

[trndobrd]

Originally Posted by frazod

I paid $650 for equipment and installation. Granted, I'll get $200 back from a mail-in rebate, but still - $450 for equipment that is basically useless to me. I want to TiVo new HD episodes of Lost and HD Chiefs games, not reruns of Law and Order SVU on fucking Bravo.

Am I really supposed to just sit still for that?

Stop payment on the check, or tell your credit card company that you were a victim of fraud and they need to stop payment.

[Saulbadguy]

I'm not sure its direcTV's fault, I think it may be your local networks fault. They have not reached an agreement to allow DirecTV to broadcast their channels in HD.

Just a guess.

This is why I have cable, though. No need to buy any equipment.

[memyselfI]

Hopefully you paid with a credit card. Call your credit card company and start disputing the charge. Say they made fraudulent representations and sold you equipment that would not work as promised.

That being said, you won't get fooled again by DTV.