New Member
•
4 Messages
Strange location problem
Brand new customer here. My account seems to be in two different cities--It's as if there are two variables in the system, one for which channel guide I see, and one for whether I'm allowed to watch local content.
Here's the background... My building's HOA in Florida is providing DirecTV service under an MDU "bulk" agreement (which I helped them set up; we went live two days ago). Most of the building residents are snowbirds, like me. Denver is my home most of the time. I set up my account a couple days ago, from Denver.
What's happening is that I see the Denver local stations (ABC/etc.) in the channel guide, but I am unable to watch or record any "truly local" Denver content, like the local news broadcast, the local sports teams (e.g. Colorado Rockies MLB), or anything at all on channel 20 (KTVD, which is a local Denver "independent" station). It says "Looks like you're travelling" (nope), or the content isn't available except for local residents (which I am). This is true on almost any device. It's the behavior on my brand new Gemini box, both our iphones, both our ipads, two Rokus, an Apple TV box, a Firestick, etc. etc.
What's weirdly different is on a PC in any browser (Chrome/Edge/FIrefox) I get the Florida channel guide, and I am able to watch local Florida content, like Marlins MLB games (both live or recorded). Strangely, if I record, say, a Marlins game, I can see it in the library of recorded shows in a PC browser, but I can't even see the existence of the recording on any device that shows me the Denver channel guide. If I try to record Rockies games from a "Denver channel guide" device, or Denver news, it says sure, it will record them -- but just doesn't. When I set up the account, it suggested the Rockies as my local team, so it knew I was in Denver.
My credit card billing zip code is in Denver. My ip# as shown in the location settings on e.g. the Gemini shows my correct Denver comcast/xfinity internet ip#. If I tell the Gemini to set my home to my current location, it says I'm already in my home location. My credit card billing address was initially for a PObox mailing address here in Denver, so in case being a PObox was the issue I changed the credit card to one where the billing address is my residence zip code (also in Denver, just one digit different in the zip code) -- nope. No change.
I tried connecting via a Denver area cell phone ip# (i.e. turned off wifi on my phone), no difference. I've tried a few other off the wall things too, no luck.
I've tried all the usual things like rebooting/resetting things (but, really, they're all brand new installs, so this was just to dot the i's and cross the t's). I'm pretty tech savvy (like, a Ph.D. in CS and done networking and writing OS's for a living), so I feel like there are a couple conflicting settings in the system, but as a customer I can't see or change them. If I could just see their database or the source code for the system! 😊
I called tech support, we did a video chat where she could see what was on my screen, etc. She had no idea what the problem was. I'm not sure she knew what a bulk agreement was, though, so this seemed above her level of expertise. (Reboot things, etc.)
So, I'm in a weird half & half state. From the level of comments here in the forums I get the sense there's a lot more expertise, so I thought I'd post.
Any ideas??? Thx.
DIRECTVhelp
Community Support
•
255.4K Messages
3 days ago
Thanks for providing detailed information @CSProf. We recommend calling DIRECTV Customer Service at 800-531-5000 or chat with us at DIRECTV Customer Service - Phone Support & Chat You may be referred to your dealer, or you may want to call your dealer first, especially if you're experiencing problems with your service. John, DIRECTV Community Team
0
0
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
23.3K Messages
2 days ago
The streaming version uses the billing address for your locals. Depending on what method you use to stream, the channels may be affected by whether your streaming device has locations services or not. Some other Aces may chime in with more specific details and guidance.
This is different from satellite which is hard locked to your physical service address as is not considered constantly able to be mobile like streaming.
0
0
CSProf
New Member
•
4 Messages
2 days ago
@Juniper, re "The streaming version uses the billing address for your locals." -- sounds good, and my credit card billing zip code is an ordinary one in the Denver area. And I do see the channel lineup for Denver. It's just that I can't watch or record local content. For example, anything on channel 20, an independent Denver station. Or trying to watch the Colorado Rockies. I get an error saying it looks like I'm traveling. Yet my ip# is geolocated to Denver also, and my Gemini says I'm already at my home location when I try to update my location. What's also strange is that in any web browser (via same home/Denver ip#), I get the Florida channel lineup and can watch local Florida content. I suspect something about the latter behavior is related to the former, like there's some setting that says "Florida" that isn't credit card zip code or ip#, and that setting is what's consulted when I try to watch Denver channel 20 or watch the Rockies. So even though zip and ip are in Denver and I see the Denver channel lineup, when trying to watch that Denver content it's like it checks this 3rd mystery setting and thinks home is Florida, thus I must be "traveling."
The question is, what could that 3rd mystery setting be, and how can I tell it that "home" = Denver...?
0
0
CSProf
New Member
•
4 Messages
2 days ago
@dcloud9211 I did call tech support... they had no clue. We did a half hour video call and they looked at my screen, checked the obvious, rebooted, all the usual stuff I had already tried. I was hoping someone in the forums here had more expertise than the rep did and/or know who might have access to see the backend settings.
0
0
Ludwick577
ACE - New Member
•
3.6K Messages
2 days ago
How long ago did you sign up? How long ago did you change the address on your billing? Might take up to 24 hours for those changes or a new account to fully take effect.
0
0
CSProf
New Member
•
4 Messages
2 days ago
@Ludwick577 I signed up on Monday (9/8). I entered the Denver billing info at that time. So, it's been more than 72 hours now.
When I noticed the problem with local content, I thought perhaps the issue was that my billing address/zip was a POBox, so I switched to different card that didn't have a pobox address. The zip codes differ by 1 in the last digit, and both are in the Denver area, but, worth a shot. That was still more than 72 hours ago. When I signed up it offered me the Rockies as a local MLB team, so it "knew" I was in the Denver area.
The only thing that's in Florida is the bulk/MDU contract address for the building.
And I've always been seeing the Denver channel guide. Just can't watch the "really" local content, like Rockies, channel 20, etc.
So somehow it's seeing Denver as home/local for most stuff, but Florida for which content I can actually watch/record. Weird.
0
0