# Message #81 Please activate your DVR Service



## FranX39J (Jan 14, 2005)

Hello,

I just noticed on one of my DirecTivo (Hughes HDVR2, upgraded to 200 GB) the following message:

Please activate your DVR service. 

Your service is not currently active. To activate, please call DXXXXXX TV customer support at 1-800-XXXXXXX.

MSG #81 

After trying several reboots, still no response. Guide data and info was up to date, but live TV screen was blank. No problem in seeing recorded programs.

So I called DirecTV, technician went thru the standard stuff, reboot, trying to get account restarted on their end. Finally he told me to pull the plug from the receiver and wait 30 seconds. When I plugged it back in, the fan worked, but no light at all. Went thru various outlets, inserting and reinserting - still no luck.

DirecTV then offered to replace with free 100 hour DirecTV DVR. Reading all the bad things about this on the forum, I told him to hold off until I could decide what to do. I already had replaced a power supply on another Directivo at the start of this year, so I figured that might be the problem. Swapped it out w/the one in the broken Tivo and it did start up (lights went on, I didn't bother to see if the Message #81 would go away).

So my question is: should I take their offer of the replacement DVR, or just spend the money and get a new power supply to replace the old one. I have many programs that I want to retrieve from the old one, and it is network accessible, or take the replacement and just hang on to it.


----------



## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

Here's a couple other's experiences.
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=339909
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=269628


----------



## jpsauro (Aug 24, 2007)

I spent 4 hours with 6 agents over a week trying to get my Hd10-250 to start recoding again. It kept giving me the message 81--Call to Activate your dvr service. 

I read a post here that said to get a new card. All agents told me that would not help. Finally they ordered a new activation card for $20. Got it today, inserted and activated and the message went away. It didn't even need a reboot...back recording.

The csr's only know what are on the note-sheets. Try the activation card, it saved me a big hassle.


----------



## armyturtle (May 24, 2002)

I had this same problem. I found this particular thread via Google (searching for Message #81). I feared I was going to have to convince a DTV agent to send me a replacement card (they don't like to deviate from that damn flow chart they follow). 

All the lady had to do was reauthorize that particular card (I have a few DTivos) for DVR service. Took less than 10 seconds once I told her what the problem was.


----------



## cmarrero (Sep 2, 2004)

It is funny I am finding an issue with this. Mine started right before Christmas. But it is only on 1 of my tivos, I have another one that is working fine. It is weird. Hopefully leaving the dtivo unplugged will help. But I feel I will be calling DTV for help 

Hopefully when I call DTV I get the same CSR armyturtle got. 

Cmarrero


----------



## ebetzler (Dec 5, 2005)

Just had the same "Message #81" issue on my HR10-250.
Called DTV, they were (of course) no real help.
I simply pulled the plug and rebooted, and my problem went away (for now).
I wonder if it has something to do with the fact the access card I am using was originally activated on a different receiver, and DTV supposedly has a "policy" of not allowing access cards to be swapped amongst different receivers, even if they are all owned and originally activated on your account.
Anyways, a hard reboot has fixed my problem for now.


----------



## tyarmas (Jul 13, 2004)

I've had success going to the Directv website and "refreshing my service" to fix these kinds of issues.

This option is under Support->Sound & Picture and under some of the troubleshooting items.

I think this is the correct URL - http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/mydirectv/mysystem/mySystemResendAuthorization.jsp

But taht will assume you are already logged in to the Directv web site.


----------



## newswatcher (Apr 9, 2004)

tyarmas said:


> I've had success going to the Directv website and "refreshing my service" to fix these kinds of issues.
> 
> This option is under Support->Sound & Picture and under some of the troubleshooting items.
> 
> ...


Wow, I didn't know this. Learn something new everyday... Might come in handy someday (I have two DirecTiVo's, one in bedroom and one in living room). Thanks for the input and link...:up:


----------



## rock_doctor (Oct 22, 2000)

You can do the same thing by calling but not selecting anything. Once they get to the end of all of the possible areas they can send you they ask if you have an extension number on the screen. At that point i type 721 (some use 722 but is seems to do the same thing) and it says it is refreshing all of the access cards on the account.


----------

