# Activating a HDVR2



## vonbismarck (Dec 19, 2005)

Hello all. A long time ago I bought, but never activated, a HDVR2. I just tried a couple of days ago to do so so that I may give it to my papa as a birthday gift. When I called directv to activate the unit, I was asked for the RID number. There is no RID number on the box nor is there one in the system information. Is there any way for me to find this information?

If not, what are the chances of me convincing the CSR to drop the fee to get a new DVR ($99) since we have been customers for so long?

Thank you all for your help.


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## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

The HDVR2 is non-rid. There will be no RID to find. If you already have Directv and another box that you are swaping out. Then just pull the card and put into the HDVR2 and refresh services. The RID boxes have this advantage but the others all require you to get a new card and pay $20 for it.



vonbismarck said:


> Hello all. A long time ago I bought, but never activated, a HDVR2. I just tried a couple of days ago to do so so that I may give it to my papa as a birthday gift. When I called directv to activate the unit, I was asked for the RID number. There is no RID number on the box nor is there one in the system information. Is there any way for me to find this information?
> 
> If not, what are the chances of me convincing the CSR to drop the fee to get a new DVR ($99) since we have been customers for so long?
> 
> Thank you all for your help.


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## bengalfreak (Oct 20, 2002)

If you have an active receiver that does have a RID number, take the card out of it and place it in the HDVR2. Then get on DirecTV.com and login to your account and refresh the services to all of your receiver's. This will "activate" the HDVR2 and de-activate whatever reciever you took the card out of. You can then take the new card, that came with the HDVR2, and call DirecTV and use it to re-activate the receiver that you took the card out of. Clear as mud? Good.

If you have been a customer for a while and paid your bill on time, etc., then you can almost assuredly get a new DVR sent to you for just the cost of shipping. Unless you are already getting a bunch of freebies.


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## Edmund (Nov 8, 2002)

Going forward Directv will no longer activate non-RID receivers, accept those that were previously active on your account using the same access card as before.


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## vonbismarck (Dec 19, 2005)

Hello all. I am very sorry for the late reply. I would thank you all as I was able to get it working thanks to your alls' help. I will have to be careful in the future if I buy another dvr to use.

Again, thank you all.


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## bengalfreak (Oct 20, 2002)

Edmund said:


> Going forward Directv will no longer activate non-RID receivers, accept those that were previously active on your account using the same access card as before.


Pretty sure the pull and swap of the smart cards will still work. You just have to have an extra smart card already on your account.


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## Edmund (Nov 8, 2002)

Not according to my contacts at Directv, what allowed the swap of cards without help of a CSR, was the computer. But now the computer will not allow it, CSR or you via phone call.


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## jco (Dec 31, 2007)

bengalfreak said:


> If you have an active receiver that does have a RID number, take the card out of it and place it in the HDVR2. Then get on DirecTV.com and login to your account and refresh the services to all of your receiver's. This will "activate" the HDVR2 and de-activate whatever reciever you took the card out of. You can then take the new card, that came with the HDVR2, and call DirecTV and use it to re-activate the receiver that you took the card out of. Clear as mud? Good.
> 
> If you have been a customer for a while and paid your bill on time, etc., then you can almost assuredly get a new DVR sent to you for just the cost of shipping. Unless you are already getting a bunch of freebies.


Just tried to swap the card from a D10 to a HDVR2, and I've had no luck. Any other tips?


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

jco said:


> Just tried to swap the card from a D10 to a HDVR2, and I've had no luck. Any other tips?


There's simply no way to do it given DirecTV's new policy.


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## codespy (Jan 7, 2006)

unless you try this link after getting into your account:

https://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/mydirectv/mysystem/mySystemResendAuthorization.jsp?_requestid=683326


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

codespy said:


> unless you try this link after getting into your account:
> 
> https://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/mydirectv/mysystem/mySystemResendAuthorization.jsp?_requestid=683326


I don't think that will do it.


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## codespy (Jan 7, 2006)

litzdog911 said:


> I don't think that will do it.


OK....if you say so.


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## jco (Dec 31, 2007)

litzdog911 said:


> I don't think that will do it.


Well it did, but it only worked with a older DTV card. I tried with newer replacement card that i ordered last week and it didn't work, then i swapped in a card that i had in a Samsung DVR and refreshed the services and boom it worked. Will Dtv give me a hard time ordering a replacement card for the Samsung?


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## lawnmowerdeth (Jan 11, 2003)

Edmund said:


> Going forward Directv will no longer activate non-RID receivers, accept those that were previously active on your account using the same access card as before.


Ooh, that's not encouraging. 
My upstairs is an HDVR2, it's actually on it's 3rd hard drive and 2nd power supply. 
I have a spare HDVR2 in the basement from my parents (they switched to U-verse). So this means I could never actually activate that box if mine finally died for good?


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## jco (Dec 31, 2007)

lawnmowerdeth said:


> Ooh, that's not encouraging.
> My upstairs is an HDVR2, it's actually on it's 3rd hard drive and 2nd power supply.
> I have a spare HDVR2 in the basement from my parents (they switched to U-verse). So this means I could never actually activate that box if mine finally died for good?[/QUOT
> 
> You should be able to swap out cards since they are both non-RID units.


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## Jimmmmbo! (Jun 20, 2004)

Just ran into this problem myself. Since I've been a customer since 1996, they're sending me a leased replacement DVR (hopefully an R16, we'll see when I get it) for no charge at all.

This makes these HDVR2s virtually worthless for resale I'm assuming.


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## bengalfreak (Oct 20, 2002)

Jimmmmbo! said:


> Just ran into this problem myself. Since I've been a customer since 1996, they're sending me a leased replacement DVR (hopefully an R16, we'll see when I get it) for no charge at all.
> 
> This makes these HDVR2s virtually worthless for resale I'm assuming.


You can get a few bucks out of them by pulling the power supply and selling it separately.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

jco said:


> lawnmowerdeth said:
> 
> 
> > You should be able to swap out cards since they are both non-RID units.
> ...


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