TiVo Service Plan Terms - something interesting

[That Don Guy]

I noticed a couple of interesting things in the new ("updated 3/13/2006") TiVo Service Payment Plans page (http://www.tivo.com/5.11.6.asp):

Under "Tivo Package Payment Plans (Includes TiVo DVR and Service), item #9 says that the "parts portion only" of the warranty lasts for the length of the initial commitment period. I assume this is there to ease the minds of those people who were thinking of a 3-year commitment but realized that the hard drive may not last that long.

(Then again, the same page says that you can still get a lifetime "service only" plan for $299, so who knows how much of this will change on the 16th. Presumably, they will replace it with a year-long prepaid fee of some sort, as they mention a "prepaid service-only payment plan" in item #11.)

-- Don

[xnevergiveinx]

considering they use maxtor drives usually...i think they will have they're fair share of repairs after about 2.5 years

[That Don Guy]

There has been a change to the Terms & Conditions page, even though the "last updated" date is still 3/13: the reference to being able to buy a lifetime service-only contract has been replaced with fixed-length service-only contracts of $155.40 for one year ($12.95 per month - in other words, pay for the minimum one year either completely in advance or $12.95 at a time), $299 for two years (about $12.50/month), or $399 for four years ($8.33/month), with the contract continuing on a month-by-month basis (at the monthly rate) once the initial period is up (and there doesn't seem to be any way to renew a service-only contract for a longer period to get a discount).

Speaking of discounts, another disadvantage of paying for a one-year service-only contract in advance: only month-by-month contracts are eligible for the Multi-Service Service Only Discount. (Although to be honest, it's not clear if this refers to the "first" ("full-price") TiVo or the ones getting the discount.)

-- Don

[puckettcg]

I prepaid for a one-year service-only contract in order to get the rebate. But, as it was my second box, TIVO is only deducting the MSD price from my gift subsription. In effect, I prepaid for a longer period of time. I activated last week before the 16th so it could have changed - but I think you still get the MSD.

[mike3775]

or $399 for four years ($8.33/month), with the contract continuing on a month-by-month basis (at the monthly rate) once the initial period is up (and there doesn't seem to be any way to renew a service-only contract for a longer period to get a discount).

And for that reason alone, I will not be buying another Tivo if the one I have now dies. I think Tivo should offer lifetime to people after the third year of service as a one time offer, because I cannot see why people would prepay for 1-3 yrs then really want a monthly payment at the end, after not paying for for the length of the prepaid period.

[dswallow]

(and there doesn't seem to be any way to renew a service-only contract for a longer period to get a discount).
You don't "renew" a service-only contract. Service is $12.95/month or you can prepay for 1, 2 or 3 years. Prepay for 2 years then after 2 years are up, you can prepay for 2 more, or go month to month, or do whatever you want to it.