Can't disable screen saver

Hello there. Thank you for providing all the steps that you already tried. We'll refer it to our specialized department to give you the next steps to fix the screensaver settings. I will send you a private note to start on the escalation. 
Jhonny, DIRECTV Community Specialist

For other viewers knowledge, if you pause a program then hit the "..." button, the info screen comes up, goes away after a few seconds, and the program will now stay paused WITHOUT the screensaver coming up 30 seconds later.  It will stay that way for at least 15 minutes, maybe more, who knows.  At least long enough to get drink, go to bathroom, etc. without coming back to a overly bright landscape scene!

Why does DIRECTV send a private note regarding this problem? Why not put the answer in the forum for everyone to know???

The truth of the matter is DIRECTV FORCES the screensaver on you. You cannot disable it, nor change how long you can pause before the landscape pictures show up. Why would they do this?

You see, the reason for this is because if your system was connected to the Internet, instead of landscape pictures, you would be seeing ads. DIRECTV wants to force ads on you. They don't care what you think about it. There's probably a secret to get rid of this problem, but they don't give out this info, like 30SKIP vs. the annoying default of 30SLIP (Google those words.)

Unplug from the internet to get rid of ads, and if the scenery is too annoying for you, get rid of DIRECTV.

There is another way or two to get rid of ads by "filtering out" DIRECTV's ad servers for computer savvy people. Search for "pi-hole"

We've never understood why the official support folks take so many questions into "private message". 

They never sent me a PM anyway.  I just use the '...' method I described.  Fortunately, when using MAX, Netflix, etc. you don't get the screensaver like you do with native DTV content.

We're really sorry that we couldn't send you the PM earlier. But no worries, we're here now to help you remove the screensaver. Here are some easy steps to follow:

It's obvious! Behind the door, they can't show their incompetence.

DIRECTVhelp says, ". . .we're here now to help you remove the screensaver."

This is disinformation. Don't waste your time. There is no such setting.

Pi-hole works great for computer savvy people. Runs on Linux. You don't get any ads nor even get the landscape photos. The only problem is you have to press play twice after pausing for more than 30 seconds. But! you can press it twice quickly, with no waiting between presses, like it was with the ads-in-your-face scenario.

I turned off screensaver and it did not fix it.

I just want to be able to read something on the screen when I pause it.  Why can’t the tech have the screensaver delayed for a minute or two?

I have 2 different remotes. Neither has a ... button. Where is this button???

I've spoken at length to Directv customer service, and they promised me, yet again, that they will escalate this and contact me about this nuisance. Yet, just like several months ago, nothing. I'm now planning to drop Directv in the summer after I clear my dvr recordings. I'm fed up with them and will give Dish a try. I'm a 25 year Directv customer, but enough is enough. But, if someone can provide an easy fix that doesn't involve changing my router, im open to it. Where is this mysterious ..

 button? I'm beyond fed up with having this screensaver get in my way when I pause to read what is on the screen: ie solving a Wheel of Fortune puzzle or reading a long statement or list of names.