I had been a DirecTV (aka Direct TV) customer since 1998 without complaint. Then in Dec. 2006 I moved and I needed to replace my DVR so I asked if I was eligible for a TIVO unit and found out I was with a one year contract.
The unit was delivered and installed but I found it did not perform many of the functions described in the owner's manual. It also was NOT "Tivo" (TM), as I had been promised. I made many calls to Tech support that lasted for hours—requiring me to perform various "reset" functions, none of which resulted in the unit functioning correctly. Once, I was transferred to a "supervisor" who told me the features were "programmed out" of the unit. These features are the ones that allow you to search by date and time and to sort by catagory.
Eventually, the unit was replaced with a new one. This unit functioned somewhat differently (but not at all like the user manual instructed). This unit had more serious defects. After recording a football game, I tried to play it and the recording started with the LAST PLAY OF THE GAME! This was a BOWL GAME! Soon, this DVR would be replaced by another one but it was SO defective, they could not get it to work at all for local programming. I continued to receive and replace DVR's until I received one that was marginally operative, but a pain in the %^ to use. It frequently skipped (FAILED) recordings for no apparent reason. Now football season is back and the lack of function is intolerable, as well as I am finding new problems. I see it recording games but they do not appear on my playlist so I can't watch them.
I called DirecTV to ask for another replacement, and I found out they have been extending my contract everytime they replace a DVR! And it is now two years, not one that I orignally agreed to. If I cancel they will charge me $200 for the same DVR that you can buy at Best Buy for $99.
I am not a NEWBY to DVR's and I know how they are supposed to operate. The one I bought in 1998, Ultimate TV by Microsoft, never gave me ANY problem but it is not compatible to receive local channels where I live (two satellite sources) (according to DIRECTV).
I believe DirecTV has failed to perform to the contract requirements by not providing equipment that is servicable and I believe it is unlawful for them to extend and increase my contract without my approval.
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