Thanks for the input. I do have one other layer of complexity I should've mentioned in the OP: I do not have any home phone lines. I called Dish Network and was told I do not need a phone line to use their dish/DVR, not even during installation. On DirecTV's website, it won't even let you get through the ordering process if you don't have a home phone line.

I've searched and read the threads where some people have phone lines attached and others don't. What's the real scoop?

You need a phone line once: to set it up. And this can be done by taking it a neighbor's house, to work, anywhere with a phone line and a tv set. Once you're past the initial setup, you're good to go.

I don't have a home phone either. You do need one for the initial setup, so go to a friend's house that has DirecTV and activate it there (provided, of course, that they have a home phone line). After that, you're good to go. You'll get a nag screen every day or so telling you the receiver needs to call back, but otherwise, the functionality is the same.

I've been landline-free for over a year now, and all my DTiVo's work just fine.

Damn you Groucho, beat me to it!

So when the installer shows up, he'll just install the dish on the roof and then leave the box with me? I thought they had to position the dish for reception and all that...

They still need the box to determine reception and make sure the picture is coming in. You could always say the phone line has yet to be installed.

I don't think the installer even asked about my phone line.

I just chatted online with a customer service rep from www.rapidsatellite.com:

You are now chatting with 'Beymar'

Beymar: Hello & Welcome! Are you ready to place your DIRECTV RapidSatellite order?

Me: i have a question - i'm looking to sign up for the total choice plus with local channels, along with a tivo on one TV in one room. i do not have a home phone line. i have been told by friends that a phone line is not necessary, but all the information online says that it is.

Beymar: It is necessary with DIRECTV to have a phone line. Tivos that are not just for DIRECTV do not need a phone line.

Me: so there's no way to order directv with tivo receiver without a phone line? if that is true, i will have to sign up with dish network

Beymar: That is correct

Me: ok thanks

----------------

To be honest, I am getting pretty sick of DirecTV already and I'm not even a customer. Every person I've spoken to that's even loosely affiliated with them has given me a different answer. I'm starting to feel like I'm dealing with Comcast.

Don't ask them about it. Just order the service.

That's bs. Just order it from someone and they'll install it. I wouldn't order from rapid though.

Once you get it installed got to someones house that has a phone with the receiver, have it force a call to activate it, then take it home and enjoy.

The installer can aim the dish without the phone line. Mine just did that this week, it was up to me after he left to activate the tivo.

Or you can pop for the $25/mo it costs to have a landline. I never understood people who insist on not having a landline. If it is a matter of not being able to afford it, I understand. But in my opinion, cell phones sound like crap, regardless of your carrier. If I am making a phone call of any extended length, I want to use a real phone, not a cell phone. I don't pay for long distance through my carrier, and instead get $0.025/minute calling cards from www.onesuite.com.

I would rather not have a cell phone than a landline, but with my job, I am pretty much required to be able to be reached 24/7. I figured that I can spend the extra dough and get a landline for phone calls when I am home, and for my TiVo and dial-up Internet. (Yes, dial-up. I work on computers all day at work, so I am barely on at home).

Sorry to get off track...

Morf, we are in similar situations. I work on computers all day and didn't dial up from home. I was paying $20 a month for my phone line, and was making maybe 5 minutes per month in calls - it was all service fees and taxes. Literally, I was paying $20 a month just to get a bunch of telemarketing calls. I decided long ago to keep that $20 in my pocket.

I am not about to reinstall a phone line just to get DirecTV's Tivo instead of Dish's DVR, sorry. I'm sure waporvare, Groucho, et al are right, I just worry about signing up for a year of service and then being told by DTV I'm screwed because I don't have a phone line.

DTV will never tell you this. A contractor MIGHT. Why not just install it yourself if the contractor hesitates? rapidsatellite or any of the other online etailers (personally, valueelectronics comes VERY highly recommended) don't install it either, they just find a local contractor to do it for them.

Call your etailer of choice, ask them for the phone # of their local contractor they use, and call the contractor directly. Explain to the contractor your situation re: no phone line. The contractor wants the install work, so they likely aren't gonna bitch about it.

And I'd go with valueelectronics. They go the extra mile to make sure the customer is happy. RapidSatellite? Not so much. Head over to tivocommunity.com for the (gory) details.

This minor hassle is MORE than worth it. The DishPVR is crap compared to the DTivo. Unless you LIKE missing recordings, frequent reboots and the like.

www.expertsatellite.com

I've used them twice and my brother has used them once.

The installers didn't even hang around for me to call in and activate service. I had everything set up already and they just had to install the dish and check signal strength. After they do that just take the receiver to a friend's house as suggested.

I'm a manager for directv customer service...here's the deal...a tivo does need to be connected to a phone line at activation and we do ask that it be left connected all of the time due to downloads etc...however, as long as you say it is connected at activation, you'll be fine. Just activate at a friends as was suggested and maybe hook it up every few months at a friends to get the most recent download and you'll be fine.

Tivo is like sex. Once you get a taste of it, you'll never give it up.

Hey I'm in Chicago too. I bought the Free after rebate 3 room setup and 2 Philips 704 Tivos at BB. The installer came out installed the system and didn't even bother asking me about a phone line. He installed everything and told me I had to call DirecTV to choose my package.
I called DirecTV and had all 5 receivers setup over the phone. She asked me if I had them connected to my phone, I said no to the three regular receiver and yes to the Tivo units. I didn't even have any of the receivers hooked up to my phone line. She just made sure I was able to receive my programming and that was it.

And after it records a program for you, you're not required to cuddle!

Actually the Tivo is worth the 99.99 but you can also purchase it from www.solidsignal.com for 19.99 if you get the 35 hour Samsung with installation.

I am currently looking at ordering from them and I was wondering if anyone here had any experience with them. I am looking to get a multiroom with multiple Dtivo's and they seem to have the best price.

I tried to give valueelectronics my money but a week after I had spoken to someone and placed my order I hadn't heard anything. I also showed no charge to my credit card and no one at valueelectronics would respond to my emails.

You can apparently also activate over the internet.
Although maybe that's just new receivers.

And there are ways to get your Dtivo to do downloads/connections over ethernet.

After I've activated my Dtivo over the phone line, do I have to keep it hooked up forever more? I'd rather not run the phone cord if possible, but the installation guy said it had to be hooked up (maybe just for the initial setup, I couldn't tell what he was referring to).

Well, you may have that annoying software glitch that says "Acquiring Data...." at the bottom of the screen forever if you don't. I think it took about 3 weeks for me to get the updated software to rid myself of it.

I have that on my screen, it doesn't really bother me because you don't really notice it that much.

I got my DirecTivo for free, just tell the rep that Dish Network offered you one for free (whether they did or not) and DirecTv should match it to get you to sign up with them. It worked for me, but I was already a DirecTv customer for a few months when I called and asked about it.

Well, I went ahead and ordered the DirecTV w/ Tivo from www.rapidsatellite.com (free + $39.99 shipping). Hopefully the installer won't ask me about phone lines and everything will go smoothly.

Am I to understand I can activate my receiver if it's plugged into ANY land-based phone line? Or do I need to activate from a home that already has a Tivo installed?

I really hope this works out for me, I would love to get more channels AND a Tivo for $5 less than I currently pay Comcast

^ for the phone line question, the installer is supposed to come tomorrow. Can I activate the DirecTV service and the Tivo from any phone line, or does it have to be a home that already has DirecTV?

The TiVo calls a specific phone number to get the necessary info. It checks "account status" during that call. I'm pretty sure against the TiVo and not against the phone number being called from. I don't see any reason it can't be any phone number. But, I could be wrong.

I don't know if it has to be connected to a dish or not.

But it's easy to bring it to a friends house, and plug it into the tv, and wait 5-10 mins for it to try to find the satellite.

Then it will fail and you will be able to see the setup stuff and have it call home.