DirecTV subscribers are often frustrated by the lack of benefits to current customers, while the service continues to advertise great deals, like free NFL Sunday Ticket, to new subscribers. Well, right now the satellite company is throwing a bone to current users by offering their brand new Genie HD DVR for free.
The Genie is the latest upgrade to the receiver / DVR and it offers a long list of benefits that make it a much better device than the current HR 23 and HR 24 hardware. Those older receivers featured two tuners, meaning you could either record two shows at a time or record one while watching another. They also featured a fairly sizable 500 GB hard drive, which provided plenty of storage for most people.
If, however, you find yourself, as my family has, receiving messages that you need to cancel a recording because you have more than two things set, or because you are watching something while two other shows are scheduled, or running out of space during an big event like the summer Olympics, then you may want the Genie. The new DVR offers an incredible 5 tuners and 1 TB of storage. In addition, all of the previous version’s features are also included.
So why not upgrade? Well, there is one stumbling block that may turn off some customers. You will need to agree to a brand new two year contract just like the one you got way back when you first signed up for the service.
If you don’t mind the extra two year agreement, or simply can’t live anymore without more tuners or more space, then this is a no-brainer. If you aren’t worried about these things, or planning to cut the cord, then you should probably skip this deal.
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$299 is what they’re telling me, on top of the new 2-year agreement and the fact that it’s still a lease so I’d be paying monthly for it. Feels like a big rip-off. Threatened to leave and was offered $10/month off my bill for 6 months. Guess it’s time to look into the Hopper…
Art says: I checked and hap an offer pop up, but it was for an HD-DVR free upgrade. Not the Genie. Reggie Watkins Sr says:I just got off the phone with them. They upgraded me to a genie receiver for $49. At first they kept saying $299. I explained how long I’d been with directv (15 years) and the fact that I’ve never gotten an equipment upgrade and of course I had to ask for a supervisor. The supervisor got it done. I had to extend an extra 2 years though.
larryw14 says:I have just the entertainment package (had ordered internet phone bundle but either at and t or DTV botched that! I logged into site initially before emailing support, but no offer – maybe it is based on the longterm customer deal, which I am not. Alan, 49 not bad, but agree, sure we could hook up!
Alan Buckingham says: I actually get the low-end channel package with no premium channels. markharr says:@ Alan, Doug, KB, Shawn, Larry :
Which Package and/or Premiums do you have? I wonder if they offer the free upgrade depending on your package/premiums. They quoted me $399 to upgrade (Genie + 2 remote client), and I have the Choice Ultimate with no premiums).
I got the offer when I logged into my account online. It popped up a message for “loyal customers”. They did force me to pay $49 for installation, but the device was free. As if I couldn’t have hooked it up myself…
larryw14 says:New customer since 8/12…so emailed DTV support requesting free upgrade (have hr24 now) – initial response was the usual 299 plus install. I wrote back screaming (but nicely) as dissatisfied…2nd response from DTV researching what can do – and will respond back..no high hopes, but really, feel like got outdate equip when joined.
Shawn says: I just got off the phone with Directv and was told the same thing as KB Alan Buckingham says: Starting to think I got lucky. KB says:Just got off the phone with DTV and I was told that this isn’t true. They did try to sell me the Genie for $299 plus $49 installation charge. We’ve been with them since 2004 and that’s the best they can do.
Paul says:The Hopper only has 3 TUNERS in it and can only record 6 shows at once as long as 4 of them are on the primetime networks (ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS). They have the ability to record those networks at the same time on one tuner, but ONLY those networks. On the other hand, the Directv Genie has 5 separate tuners and can record 5 different shows on any channel you choose. So as far as recording shows, the genie is much better than the hopper.
Alan Buckingham says:No doubt the Hopper is a great device, but the Genie is a very solid competitor for folks on DTV. The Genie, along with the older HD DVR models, have always allowed users to plug in external hard drives to add storage. USB and eSATA ports are both provided on all of these devices.
erik says:Yeah, my friends with DTV told me they actually AREN’T offering this free to new customers. I also question the hype surrounding the Genie, considering it STILL isn’t the most advanced DVR on the market, regardless of being the newest. When you put it on paper, my Hopper outperforms the Genie in almost every category. I was picked by DISH to do an employee beta-test of Hopper, and while the Genie has 1 TB of storage space (1,000 hrs.), my Hopper has 2 TB, with an option to double that with a 2 TB external hard drive! I can also record up to 6 live HD shows at once, while the Genie only lets you do 5. If you’re a DTV customer this is probably a pretty cool upgrade, but DISH still has the best DVR on the market.
