Is my lifetime subscription useless if I leave DirecTv

[bmasiak]

For many reasons that I will not get into I am leaving DirecTv and switching over to cable. I have a Phillips Series 1 DirecTv with Tivo box. I bought my lifetime subscription for $199 many moons ago and it's paid for itself multiple times.

I wanted to see if there was away to transfer that subscription to a standalone Tivo Series 2 or 3 box ($799 price tag still scares me !). So I called Tivo and got the standard "Nothing we can do for you" answer. At the very end the CSR said something about talking to a manager and they might be able to do something.

I wanted to run it by this forum to see if anyone had success transferring their lifetime subscription before I waste countless hours talking to Tivo.

So please let me know if I have any options at all?

Thanks

[JFriday]

The lifetime is tied to the account not the box so if you cancel your account it's worthless.

[goony]

Your "lifetime" is with DirecTV and gets you no DVR fees as long as you have an account with them.

I doubt you will have any luck trying to convice Tivo Corp. to extend your DirecTV lifetime into a Tivo lifetime.

From what I understand, this DirecTV "lifetime" was offered for a narrow window and then they went to the flat rate of $4.99/mo. (now $5.99/mo.) for a DVR fee per account, not per box as Tivo Corp. does.

[gastrof]

TiVo is no longer offering LIFETIME.

You might still be able to find a LIFETIME stand-alone TiVo on eBay.

It'll cost'ya.

[vector1701]

Sell your lifetime on Ebay...

[rmassey]

Sell your lifetime on Ebay...

That would not work since the lifetime is tied to a D* account, not a SA Tivo.

[ebonovic]

Actually you can transfer LIFETIME (At least you used to be able to).
But you have to do it:

1) Before you cancel your DirecTV account
2) Has to be in conjunction with the transfer of equipment on your account
3) You are patient enough to find a CSR that knows how to do it.

As for TiVo, Inc... .they are offering a transfer of SA Lifetimes to the TiVo Series 3..
Other then that... lifetime isn't offered anymore..

You have just next to ZERO chance of getting your now DirecTV Lifetime, transfere to a Series 3... .unless TiVo really screwed up in the fine details of the offer (Aka the small print, not specifically excluding DTivo Lifetimes, or not listing specific lifetime offers/hardware)

[scottt]

How long could one "suspend" their account, in case they come back to DTV months or years down the road?

[ebonovic]

6 months at least.

You would have to call them to find out for certain.

[dswallow]

Even if you cancel your account your lifetime DVR status will be restored if you ever come back to DirecTV.

You can suspend your account for up to 9 consecutive months. I'd suggest the OP first suspend their account while starting out getting cable; that way if something happens and you go back to DirecTV you don't have to deal with a big hassle. If after a few months things look good that you'll be staying with cable, then you can formally cancel.

[tjperez]

Tivo has nothing to do with Directivo boxes anymore. It is all controlled by D*. They are now two different services entirely.

[bmasiak]

Thanks for all the info guys !!! This is one of the best forums on the web.

As a side note I hate my Comcast DVR and I am getting grief from the wife as well. She taped season premier of Gray's Anatomy last night, but when trying to watch it the Comcast Mototrola DVR was muted :down: . I found a fix on the web, but it was a big kludge and I would never figure it out myself.

If it wasn't for the Tivo Series 3 being available (hopefully it will come down in cost) and Comcast potentially offering Tivo on their boxes I would have already gone back to Directv. I'll hang out for a while and see what happens.

Thanks !

[John T Smith]

>Comcast Mototrola DVR was muted

While in a rental during construction (we will be SO happy when house is done in November) I am using Comcast DVR, and recently had a problem where a 2 hour recording totally lost sound at the 1 hour mark

We are both looking forward to getting back to DirecTv and Tivo!

[pkincy]

I, too, just called Tivo and was told no transfer.

I was ready to transfer to cable (in fact Cox is operating one SD and one HD LCD XBR in the house now) when I heard Tivo had a HD box coming out for cable, but but but:

2 HD boxes with a 3 year plan= $2200.
2 SD boxes with a 3 year plan= a bit less say $500.
Next 3 years a lot of money again.

Totals $2700 for 3 years........I think not. I love Tivo but not that much. Heck the Tivo fees would dwarf the cable cost. I won't afford that.

Perry

[bad_religion1979]

Here is the information we have at D* concerning the transfer of lifetime service. I work in the dept. that handles the transfers.

Applies to the lifetime of the customer - not the receiver.
Exception: Lifetime customer disconnects account and passes DVR (TiVo) to a different customer.
Lifetime coverage transfers to the current customer with the DVR.
You must verify previous lifetime subscriber disconnected account.
DVR/TiVo Specialty Group transfers Lifetime Service and DVRs to new account.
If previous Lifetime customer reactivates account, they cannot reactivate Lifetime Service that was passed on with their DVR if it is active on a different account.

The main thing that has to be done is your account has to be completely disconnected in order for us to transfer the lifetime service from one customer to another. people think as long as the receiver is disconnected then it is just fine, but we won't do it unless the entire account is disc. And remember once it is transfered you don't get it back, EVER. So make sure you want to do it.

[dishrich]

Applies to the lifetime of the customer - not the receiver.
Exception: Lifetime customer disconnects account and passes DVR (TiVo) to a different customer.


OK, but something DOESN'T make sense here...
You just said the lifetime applies to the customer, NOT receiver - but then you talk about the customer passing the DVR to a different customer. This sounds pretty conflicting to me.
AND, what if the customer has multiple D-Tivo's on their account &/or (particulary) the original DVR that was on the account has since been removed/replaced on the account? How do you know WHICH DVR gets the lifetime service, since (again) YOU guys keep the lifetime on the ACCOUNT, NOT a particular DVR? :confused: :confused:

[JimSpence]

In order to pass on Lifetime for a DirecTV DVR the account has to be closed or ALL DVRs are removed from the account. As long as you have a DVR on your account the account has lifetime.

[bad_religion1979]

OK, but something DOESN'T make sense here...
You just said the lifetime applies to the customer, NOT receiver - but then you talk about the customer passing the DVR to a different customer. This sounds pretty conflicting to me.
AND, what if the customer has multiple D-Tivo's on their account &/or (particulary) the original DVR that was on the account has since been removed/replaced on the account? How do you know WHICH DVR gets the lifetime service, since (again) YOU guys keep the lifetime on the ACCOUNT, NOT a particular DVR? :confused: :confused:


That's why it says EXCEPTION! It's not conflicting. It just means that we are willing to transfer it to another customer if you completely close out your account and agree that if you ever reinstate the account that you will no longer retain the lifetime service. If you are not sure if you will or won't come back to D* then I suggest that you keep all of your D* TiVo's so that you will still have lifetime when/if you reactivate. It's just giving you options.

[dishrich]

That's why it says EXCEPTION! It's not conflicting. It just means that we are willing to transfer it to another customer if you completely close out your account and agree that if you ever reinstate the account that you will no longer retain the lifetime service. If you are not sure if you will or won't come back to D* then I suggest that you keep all of your D* TiVo's so that you will still have lifetime when/if you reactivate. It's just giving you options.

You still didn't answer my question about multiple Tivo's on an account, or the original unit that had the lifetime service NOT being on the account anymore. How you guys handle THIS - do ya' just pick one of the DVR's on an account that the NEW customer must use, or what??? Or, do you just move the lifetime from the old, closed account to the new account & the DVR in question makes no difference? :confused:

If you know so much about this, you should know this would NOT be out of the question - there's several folks on this board alone that have lifetime w/multiple DVR's on an account...

[or270]

You still didn't answer my question about multiple Tivo's on an account, or the original unit that had the lifetime service NOT being on the account anymore. How you guys handle THIS - do ya' just pick one of the DVR's on an account that the NEW customer must use, or what??? Or, do you just move the lifetime from the old, closed account to the new account & the DVR in question makes no difference? :confused:

If you know so much about this, you should know this would NOT be out of the question - there's several folks on this board alone that have lifetime w/multiple DVR's on an account...


Lifetime service is account based not DVR based. Would not have to transfer any DVR's.

[dishrich]

Lifetime service is account based not DVR based. Would not have to transfer any DVR's.

Oh geeze louise.... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

GO back & read what this poster says about x-ferring a DVR (the actual BOX) to another person:

Here is the information we have at D* concerning the transfer of lifetime service. I work in the dept. that handles the transfers.

Applies to the lifetime of the customer - not the receiver.
Exception: Lifetime customer disconnects account and passes DVR (TiVo) to a different customer.
Lifetime coverage transfers to the current customer with the DVR.

I guess it makes about as much sense as most of the other stuff coming out of a D* CSR these days... :eek: :rolleyes:

[Cygnet Boy]

I had my service suspended for over 2 years at one point. You can do it, but make sure that you have a CREDIT balance with DirecTV (pay them $1.00 more on your bill before you suspend the account so that they owe YOU money). When I moved to ATL, I lived in a condo for two years which wouldn't allow the DISH to be attached to the buildings or to the grounds. I called DirecTV and told them that I was looking for a place here in ATL, explained it all to them, and they were most happy to suspend my service. Never had a bad time with DTV, they've been great all around. I just got a letter from the CEO. Have had DTV since it's inception, and asked them to include CSPAN3 in the lineup. They said that they're looking for more people to ask for it, so call them and ask for it, or better yet, write to the corporate office. For the address, IM me. Always better to talk to the head honcho, then s*** rolls downhill.

[pagoatboy]

My buddy tried to transfer his D* lifetime to a new S3 and was denied too. These two companies don't give 2 craps about eachother anymore. This is what you need to do:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=318194

[jfpuse]

For those who have tried to transfer you DirectTv Tivo Lifetime sub to a non-DirectTV Tivo sub, are you calling them and providing a Tivo Account number?

I remember when I first setup my DirectTivo with a lifetime sub, I had to setup the account with Tivo separately and pay them directly. I think that changed as the lifetime sub evolved and subsequentally was killed.

So I was just wondering if the people trying to do this have this info, or are just making the request based on their DirecTV account information.

Does anyone remember how the details of the lifetime sub evolved and to where it is now - dead?

Thanks,

Mike