Goddammit DirectTV!

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

Before signing up for DirectTV we made sure by asking and checking to make sure they carried the channels my wife likes to watch, we were assured on all counts.

Ok first night with DirectTV and…my wife has already disconnected it and reconnected the cable.:rolleyes:

They carry VH1, but it is VH1 classic which is apparently not the main VH1 channel which has the guilty pleasure reality shows.

and nearly half the channels they do carry are dubbed in spanish, if you turn on subtitles the subtitles are in spanish! It appears to be the south american feed, rather than the east coast US feed we get with cable. TBS for example is dubbed in spanish. :rolleyes: It would have been nice for someone to mention this slight downside yes?!

Fucking hell now I can look forward to playing phone tag in the morning and all we have are prepaid cells.:smack: I’m certainly not going to pay for this for even one more month.

#2

Not to mention the bizarre method I had to use to sign up and pay, which was sending money via western union for the first month to a random name. I was all weirded out but it was apparently legit, they operate through agents.

#3

Dude, you got hooked up with some weird source of DirecTV. I assure you that DirecTV does carry regular VH1 and English language versions of all the major channels.

If I were you, I’d call DirecTV proper (**1-888-777-2454) **and ask about your experience with whatever weird reseller you went through.

#4

I forgot to say I am in Trinidad, not the USA. It appears to be how they operate here on the signing up and payment side.

The shittiest thing is the whole reason we got Direct TV was to replace the overpriced cable, and the only reason we had the cable was my wife likes to watch reality shows and make fun of them with her friends. We were assured over the phone they carried VH1 proper as well as the other channels we wanted.
The spanish thing is a joke, half the damn channels completely in spanish in a english speaking country.:smack:

#5

If you had an accomplice in the US who’s address you could use, I would presume he could order a regular US-centric English package for you. If you’ve already got the dish and receiver, I believe all you’d need is for him to mail you the access card which is used to associate your receiver with your account. I’m sure Directv wouldn’t want you to do this, but the satellites just transmit and have no way of knowing where you’re physically located.

#6

(removed US-based response that did not in fact apply to OP’s situation. If a moderator feels so inclined, I have no problem with this being deleted altogether)

#7

I empathize with grude.

I once moved into a new apartment that was already hooked up to pirated DirectTV satellite. Dish and receiver in place. I didn’t want to go through the hassle of getting things reset every time DirectTV spiked the pirate access cards so I called them up to start a legitimate account.

A whole series of customer service reps told me flat out that they do not provide service to my island and I would have to go with pirating their signal. :confused:

Within a couple weeks they spiked the access cards again. I haven’t had TV since, about 6 years now. Haven’t missed much from what I understand.

#8

It gets better!

The rep I called and spoke to says I will be on the hook for a year if I cancel, I am like can you spell F R A U D?

The paper I was given outlining the channels I get says VH1, not VH1 Classic which is a completely different channel. Every rep I spoke to said VH1 and MTV, not MTV Latino and VH1 Classic, their site says VH1 and MTV, the installer confirmed it.

I’m really fucking angry here.
To add to the fun we couldn’t figure out how to do something with the remote, the manual is completely 100% in spanish.:smack:

#9

Check out Direct’s Caribbean site: www.directvcaribbean.com

If you get service through Direct, you can pay by credit card or even by mailing them a check.

As for having a Stateside “accomplice” to set up service and mail you the receiver and/or card, I doubt Trinidad is covered by the same satellites that serve the continental US as it’s well east of Maine, and far south. At best, the satellites that serve Florida might “leak” a bit to part of Cuba.

#10

Ah, right you are. I was thinking that since the satellites are in geostationary orbit (around the equator) it shouldn’t be a problem, but doing more research it looks like the signal is directional and can only be received as far southeast as the Dominican Republic. http://www.kvh.com/Pages/Satellite-Coverage-Maps/Satellite-Coverage-Maps/TracVision-Maps/North-America/DIRECTV-US-Marine.aspx

#11

They say those options are for paying your monthly bill, the initial payment for sign up and installation and service your first month must however be done through WU.