DirecTv HD Tivo unit nearly foils my Sunday!

[Iguana Man]

So it's 11pm the night before my highly anticipated Steelers/Colts game and what happens? Darkness. In Jersey, it was in the teens and the wind was blowing in 30-50mph gusts all night. Around 7am and a very cold 8 hrs later I get up wishing I was more hirsute than I am. Brrrrrrrrr...man, it was cold in my house.

Moving along to the 'Hardware' part of this story, I fire up my TV around 12:15. Low and behold, all I see on my screen is: Welcome. Powering up.

I wait...and wait. Unplug the the HD-Tivo, wait 5 minutes, plug it back in and still get that damn welcome crap. I jump on the phone, call DirecTv and after 30 minutes finally get someone. I am steamed and fire up the PJ in my HT room only to find out I got audio but NO PICTURE! I am literally about to snap. Fortunately, all I had to do was switch the output back to RGB/DVI and that problem was solved (stupid mistake on my part), however, I didn't want to watch the game which was now 10 minutes from starting in my HT.

To end this stressful story, I swapped out the HD unit in my HT with the dead HD Tivo unit in the living room seconds before kickoff. How close was that?

Sadly, I have to wait 2-3 business days for my free replacement (thank God I pay extra for DtV's protection plan). On top of that, I lost all my recorded shows with the Season premiers of both the Shield and 24 making me most angry.

The faulty unit is model: HR10-250. ALL my other equipment survived the power outage thankfully.

Bottom line, if you have DirecTv and a HD Tivo, I strongly suggest the monthly $7.99 for their Protection Plan.

[Taxi]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

... Around 7am and a very cold 8 hrs later I get up wishing I was more hirsute than I am.

Dude, would you STOP using that word?!?!?

Sorry about your Tivo loss. I've had mine for a couple of years now and have had no problems. If I'd have paid the 8 bucks/month, that would be about 200 bucks. Almost enough to just buy a whole new tivo.

Anyway, I'm glad you got to see one of the most exciting NFL playoff games ever. I was VERY concerned that the Steeler's were going to have the game stolen from them by yet another case of shoddy officiating. But the Steelers are still in it, and the Seahawks are still in it. All is right with the world.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by Taxi

Dude, would you STOP using that word?!?!?

Blame Morticia.....I just love the sound of that word now.

Sorry about your Tivo loss. I've had mine for a couple of years now and have had no problems. If I'd have paid the 8 bucks/month, that would be about 200 bucks. Almost enough to just buy a whole new tivo.

$200 for a HD Tivo unit? Really? Damn, DirecTv told me if I didn't send the faulty unit back within a week or two I'd have to pay them $400. I've also had mine for less or very close to a year, so it kinda worked out for me. Maybe I'll drop the protection plan after a year or so with the replacement.

[Reaver]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

I didn't want to watch the game which was now 10 minutes from starting in my HT.

Why is that?

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by Reaver

Why is that?

Couple of reasons. Seating is good for 4 tops. I don't permit smoking in that room. I avoid food in that room (popcorn is ok). It's dark. And most importantly, I usually consume large quanities of alcohol and tend to get rather 'emotional'.

I got too much invested in that room and as an emotional gimp, I don't want anything to get broken. As Dirty Harry said: "A man's gotta know his limitations".

[Reaver]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

Couple of reasons. Seating is good for 4 tops. I don't permit smoking in that room. I avoid food in that room (popcorn is ok). It's dark. And most importantly, I usually consume large quanities of alcohol and tend to get rather 'emotional'.

I got too much invested in that room and as an emotional gimp, I don't want anything to get broken. As Dirty Harry said: "A man's gotta know his limitations".

Ah. Understood.

[Taxi]

Well, I did say *almost* enough to buy another one. Not quite. And that 400 is probably for the HD one, which I don't have. Apples and oranges, and all that...

[Iguana Man]

Great news boys and girls! Got my replacement HD Tivo unit this afternoon and after 2 hours, I am back in business. 1.5hrs of that was on the phone with DirecTv

Couple of things for you folks that use DirecTv and their HD-Tivo units. (Taxi, thats HD-Tivo )

1) It takes a while to get your guide menu back. 30+ minutes for the guide to display the shows titles (not channel #, but show name/description).

2) If you do get a replacement, make sure you write down the Card # and Serial # of the unit BEFORE you place it back in your entertainment center. When DTV activates your new unit, they need that info and for my gimpy ass, it was a pain in my gimpy ass.

3) Make sure all your programming package is there.

4) For those that get the Football package, and want HD games, the ONLY way to receive them is to spend ADDITIONAL $$ on their "Super Fan" package. While last year you could get some channels in HD, this year and next will only provide HD games with the purchase of the "Super Fan" package. Yes, that means $250 to $300 bucks.

5) Direct-El-Jam-Ya-TV is their new name, be sure to convey that while on the phone with them.

6) They cannot recover lost shows for you from your dead unit. Ergo, my comment in #5.

7) If you don't send back the faulty unit within a week (they give you a prepaid shipping slip), you will pay a minimum of $400 smackers.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

7) If you don't send back the faulty unit within a week (they give you a prepaid shipping slip), you will pay a minimum of $400 smackers.

And they will send some goons to you house to collect.






Peace...

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

And they will send some goons to you house to collect.



Peace...

It's Ok..the "goons" I know in Jersey would make mincemeat outta their goons. Besides, I was smart for once, I gave your address for billing.

Next up is trying the DVI connection from the HD Tivo into the JVC. I first have to read the manual though and that means getting a pair of glasses.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

Next up is trying the DVI connection from the HD Tivo into the JVC. I first have to read the manual though and that means getting a pair of glasses.

Wha??? You can read?

Peace...

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

Wha??? You can read?

Peace...

Well of course I can read. It is however much easier after I found the $1.99 pair of reading glasses my neighbor Missy was kind enough to get me for Christmas.

On top of that, she even taught me sign language brother!

[tomdkat]

Spoiler (Highlight or Triple Click to Read):

bitch

Peace...

[Taxi]

Screw all that... Where's the pic of Missy?

[Iguana Man]

Tom....

Taxi.... Ironically, I was promised sex if the Steelers lost last week and the week before. I'm torn...torn on sex or a Steelers win gets me everytime.

Thank God for Jergens, and no....I doubt she would even let me sneak a pic of her, but that don't mean I won't try.

[Taxi]

Ummm... TMI dude.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by Taxi

Screw all that... Where's the pic of Missy?

HA! GOOOOOOO STEELERS!!!! WOOT!!!

For you sir...

[George McFly]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

HA! GOOOOOOO STEELERS!!!! WOOT!!!

For you sir...

here's the pic before Iggy doctored it

[Taxi]

I don't know why, but for some reason I find it amusing that somewhere in New Jersey there is a piece of paper with "Hi Taxi" on it.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by Taxi

I don't know why, but for some reason I find it amusing that somewhere in New Jersey there is a piece of paper with "Hi Taxi" on it.

(There's actualy a Taxi fan club out here but they want $50 to join, ergo, all you got from me was a piece of paper)


And George, for crying out loud man, quit stealing Tom's ideas!