Holey Dribble

Ok, in my last post I talked about how horrible the DirecTV DVR software is. In this post I'm going to talk about the online forum madness.

DirecTV highly encourages all users to refer to their customer service forum for answers to all types of questions. It appears that the forum is managed solely by ordinary people that are just there to answer questions.

I decided to find out if anyone else was as frustated as I was over the "Channels I Get" bug. I searched the forum. I searched some more...and more..and more.

Nothing.

How can that be? The only response was a canned reply to the affect of "use a favorites list". In my last post I talk about how that is almost as useless an answer as the one technical support will give you, ("it's your fault").

So I decided to do something about it. I fashioned a canned response of my own:

I doubt they have any plans to fix this. It's been broken since Nov. 2005. This forum gives people the mistaken impression that it's just a bug that will be fixed in due time.
I think the only way they will fix it is if people let them know directly (like I have) how irritating it is that this documented feature does not work.

Let's be clear on how this affects EVERY directv user:

1. Broken: Documented feature (Channels I Get) not working, support staff unaware that it's broken.
2. Broken: Manually setting up a favorites list: they do not provide a numberical list of channels you do get!!!!). Only affect Guide.
3. Broken: Guide showing channels you do not get by default.
4. Broken: Auto-recording channels you do not get, regardless of favorites list.
5. Broken: Search showing channels you do not get, regardless of favorites list.
6. Broken: Channels I Get list is not editable.

VERY ANNOYING!!!!

I think the only way to get them to fix this is to call and let them know how you feel.

I then searched for every discussion list in the forum where this issue was raise and posted this. I hoped that I would stir the nest...get people both informed and angered. I honestly think that most users do not know it's a known bug and that it's been around for a long time. I hoped to educate them on the fact.

What happened you ask? My posts...were deleted. The reason, "Such posts do not meet this forum's terms and conditions". Here are the terms and conditions: http://directv.outstart.com/pe/RepositoryFileDownloadServlet/10100905/DIRECTV%20Forum%20Guidelines.htm

Decide for youself. It appears that someone is listening and they do not want the truth about the DirecTV DVR to be out there.

I'm currently trying to tone it down just a little. I know the truth is on my side so I figure is I stick to just the bare facts then maybe it might stick better.

Here's what I posted a few hours ago. Hopefully the DirecTV police won't delete.

When I first had a this problem. I did what most do, I searched this forum. It didnt' matter how old the post was, if it had useful information then it's worth reading.

Unfortunately simply stating "it will be fixed soon, make a favorites list" is only marginally helpful.
That's what I did, made a favorites list, and then suffered the search and auto-record side-affect. I had to go back, with more research, to find the answers to the questions which I'm trying to provide in a single post.

The point is that "Channels I Get" is busted. There is a partial work-around and people need to know that it IS partial and that there are other problems associated with this problem for which there is no work around.

That is helpful information. Hiding the problems is not helpful.

and this

No doubt you want to know several things:
1. To know if you are using the system correctly.
2. To know how to work around the issue you've raised..
3. To know if the issue will be fixed.
4. Does it work on R15, H20 or anywhere for that matter.

Answers:
1. You are using the system as advertised. You've encountered a bug in the software.
2. A partial work-around it to make and use a favorites list. This will enable you to only see the programs on your favorites list when you bring up the Guide. This will have no affect on Searching, or Auto-recording. For those systems, you will have to live with it.
3. There is no information on when or if it will be fixed.
4. It was broken with the release of R15 in November of 2005. So, the answer is no...it does not work anywhere.

I hope that I can stir up the ant hill enough that they will get off there collective asses and fix the software. I know it's a slim hope...but I hope none the less.