Any chance of being offered lifetime subscription w/out MSD???

[jrod9707]

You guys have seen the trends over the years of how Tivo runs promotions. Do ou think there's a chance they would offer lifetime w/out first owning a Tivo product? I wasn't sure because of Tivo being in the black that they may do this to increase sales.

[RonDawg]

Only the TiVo marketing guru's would know this answer. TiVo has gone the following routes over the past few years:

1. Lifetime was available to anybody with a TiVo box, and can be added at any time
2. Lifetime was discontinued after a certain date in early 2006 (I know as I got in just under the wire) to "never be offered again"
3. Lifetime transfer was offered to those who wanted to upgrade from a Series 1 w/lifetime from before a certain date in 2000 to a Series 3, to encourage sales of that box
4. Lifetime transfer was offered to those with lifetime purchased before a certain date in 2003 to a THD, to encourage sales of that box
5. Now, lifetime is once again being offered to current TiVo owners who upgrade to a new box

That's the ones I can remember, others may point out even more. So who knows what the future will hold for Lifetime?

[CosmoGeek]

I was able to transfer my lifetime from my Series 2 to my S3. This was using a promotion they offerred during the first couple of months that the S3 was released. The offer was originally only for people who ordered the S3 directly from TiVo but was then extended to any purchase. I also believe the offer was extended byond the initial cutoff date but am not sure.

I'm hoping that if they come up with a proper solution to SDV, that they give us early adopters a chance to transfer our lifetimes again.

[RonDawg]

I had bought my THD right before the $199 Lifetime Transfer offer was available for that model. While I could have returned it to Costco and bought another that was eligible, it would have also meant that I would have to pay the $200 early termination fee on my 3 year MSD contract.

The SDV issue, and the lack of a solution for it so far, is what's keeping me from investing in Lifetime at $399. Had I caught the $199 special in time I might have done so then, because 3 years @ $6.95 is more expensive.

[classicsat]

Only the TiVo marketing guru's would know this answer.

Bob said they were considering the possibility.


TiVo has gone the following routes over the past few years:

1. Lifetime was available to anybody with a TiVo box, and can be added at any time
2. Lifetime was discontinued after a certain date in early 2006 (I know as I got in just under the wire) to "never be offered again"

I think mid April (was supposed to be early March, but they held back a month), just before the DT was launched.


3. Lifetime transfer was offered to those who wanted to upgrade from a Series 1 w/lifetime from before a certain date in 2000 to a Series 3, to encourage sales of that box

Grandfathered Series 1s activated with Lifetime before Jan21, 2000, can still be transferred to any other TiVo, once.
That is not a promotion, but a perpetual thing, due to the terms of Lifetimes activated before that date.

The promotions, of late anyways, were limited to some degree.

The first VIP program for the Series 3 was pretty broad. All Product Lifetimes (including DirecTV DVR Lifetimes, at a time) were accepted for transfer, for $199.

The summer and fall promos were tightened down to 4 yr old or more Product Lifetimes from Standalones only.

[craigslist]

You guys have seen the trends over the years of how Tivo runs promotions. Do ou think there's a chance they would offer lifetime w/out first owning a Tivo product? I wasn't sure because of Tivo being in the black that they may do this to increase sales.


Check out this link tivo offers lifetim onc again:up::confused::rolleyes:
http://www3.tivo.com/tivo-promo/show.do?pg=/buytivo/hdgift.html

[Lensman]

Wasn't there also a thread about a rumored promotional return of lifetime sometime around the Superbowl?

[RonDawg]

Bob said they were considering the possibility.


My post was not intended to be an encyclopedic summary of the history of the TiVo Lifetime Service; it was meant to demonstrate to the OP that Product Lifetime, like all other TiVo marketing decisions, are subject to change at any time and that only the TiVo Marketing Department can truly answer such questions.

I especially wanted to demonstrate that less than two years after TiVo discontinued Lifetime, warning that it will "never be offered again", TiVo on a handful of occasions has offered it on a limited basis in some way shape or form.