need advice on getting my full MSD back ($6.95/month)

[psywzrd]

I have a 1st generation stand-alone Tivo with a lifetime sub (purchased in Feb. 2001). I have since purchased 2 S3 Tivos and signed up for 3 years of service on one at $6.95/month and 1 year on the other at $6.95/month. Because my lifetime sub hasn't called out in 6 months (only 1 working phone jack in the house because I have phone service through my ISP), they are now charging me $12.95/month for one of my S3s (which is now the primary) and $9.95/month for the other. I called to complain and they are flat-out refusing to give me back my $6.95/month pricing. They are saying that since my lifetime sub hasn't called out in 6 months, one of my S3s has to become the primary and that is why I'm being charged $12.95/month for it. My argument is that it's no longer reasonable to expect people to have a phone jack in every room where there's a Tivo. I legitimately have one working phone jack in my house and use cordless phones in my other rooms so they can't really expect me to disconnect my stand-alone Tivo every 6 months and jacka$$ it to another room to have it call out. I don't even understand why they need a lifetime sub to call out anyway - the service is already paid for.

Anyway, they are only willing to "reduce" my charges to $9.95/month for each S3. I find this to be unacceptable even though I'm certainly not going to cancel my service because of it. Have any of you guys had a similar problem? If so, were you able to get it worked out? I don't like the fact that I signed up for 1 yr and 3 yr contracts at $6.95/month and they are increasing my payment because my lifetime sub doesn't call out. I know I can't be the only Tivo owner with phone through an ISP. Tivo really needs to amend their policies to adjust with the times. The days of people having 10 working phone jacks in their house are gone.

[MikeMar]

The reason a lifetime has to call out is because you could claim it's up and working FOREVER and get the MSD FOREVER

Big $$$ loss!

I have a lifetime doing nothing but it's online to keep my MSD going

sorry, no help on you getting it back

But if you do, or even now, plug it in once every 3 months to keep your MSD going

[DancnDude]

Get a wireless phone jack. Plug in the transmitter to an outlet and the working phone line. Plug the receiver into an outlet near the TiVo and the phone jack on TiVo. Instant phone jack!

[psywzrd]

The reason a lifetime has to call out is because you could claim it's up and working FOREVER and get the MSD FOREVER

Big $$$ loss!

I have a lifetime doing nothing but it's online to keep my MSD going

sorry, no help on you getting it back

But if you do, or even now, plug it in once every 3 months to keep your MSD going

Isn't that the idea behind "lifetime" though? What difference does it make to Tivo if my unit calls out? I understand it's their policy but that needs to be changed. As an early adopter, I paid Tivo $199 for a lifetime subscription - that should mean something to them. Now I feel like I'm being penalized for not having a working phone jack in every room in my house. If Tivo wants to provide me with some kind of networking solution for my POS stand-alone Tivo, I'm more than happy to have it call it out every day. If not, they can't reasonably expect me to unhook it and bring it to another room just to have it call out.

[ah30k]

Isn't that the idea behind "lifetime" though? What difference does it make to Tivo if my unit calls out? I understand it's their policy but that needs to be changed. As an early adopter, I paid Tivo $199 for a lifetime subscription - that should mean something to them. Now I feel like I'm being penalized for not having a working phone jack in every room in my house. If Tivo wants to provide me with some kind of networking solution for my POS stand-alone Tivo, I'm more than happy to have it call it out every day. If not, they can't reasonably expect me to unhook it and bring it to another room just to have it call out.How do they know your TiVo is still alive if it doesn't call in? Should they trust you because you say so?

[ah30k]

You keep harping on the phone line thing. Are you even using this unit? How do you get guide data on it without a daily connection?

[LifeIsABeach]

For all TiVo knows you could have sold the lifetime unit.

FYI - There is a way to network our Series 1 if you are really interested. It takes some hacking, but can be done.

http://9thtee.com/tivoupgrades.htm

[MikeMar]

It's lifetime on the unit, not YOUR lifetime

[ZeoTiVo]

they can't reasonably expect me to unhook it and bring it to another room just to have it call out.

You agreed to a TOS that would have it contact TiVo at least every 6 months. They can reasonably expect it to do so and it is not their problem you do not have a phone line hooked up where the unit is. Like someone else asked what do you use it for anyway without guide data?

[MikeMar]

You agreed to a TOS that would have it contact TiVo at least every 6 months. They can reasonably expect it to do so and it is not their problem you do not have a phone line hooked up where the unit is. Like someone else asked what do you use it for anyway without guide data?

I actually have a lifetime box hooked up to my network and NO incoming signal, just use it for a box to send programs down to to watch.

COULD be the same thing depending on the box and whatnot.

Or couldn't he just do manual recordings?

[ah30k]

Not gettin a whole lot of sympathy here huh psywzrd?

[MikeMar]

Not gettin a whole lot of sympathy here huh psywzrd?

I do hope he can get his lifetime connected and go back to all his old pricing (probably won't happen)

But my main point was, that you have to prove your lifetime is still working, otherwise EVERYONE who has a lifetime would have a lifetime FOREVER and get the discount FOREVER, where TiVo would lose a lot of potential money.

Gotta keep those lifetime boxes going :D

[ZeoTiVo]

I actually have a lifetime box hooked up to my network and NO incoming signal, just use it for a box to send programs down to to watch.

COULD be the same thing depending on the box and whatnot.

Or couldn't he just do manual recordings?


yah, probably manual recordings.
I do have a lifetimes S2 that does no real work. I have it hooked up mainly to call in periodically like it needs to.. :)

[psywzrd]

Not gettin a whole lot of sympathy here huh psywzrd?

Not really - that's ok though. I wasn't really looking for sympathy, just a little help.

To answer the questions about how I use it, I really don't use it much. It's hooked up my TV but I only use it to watch previously recorded programs (I have a boatload on there since I increased the capacity way back when). I don't really have a need for it to record anything since I already have 2 S3 units that do all of my recording (never need to record more than 4 things at once:)).

Anyway, Tivo knows I haven't sold it since it's still activated under my account. I understand that they need a way to know that the box is still working but even if I plug it in and have it call out, they're still not going to give me my $6.95 pricing back - I don't think that's fair. Let's say this unit was hooked up to a phone line for the last 6 months and the phone line went bad or the Tivo's modem crapped out? With how little I use this unit, I would never know that it wasn't calling out until I noticed the price increase on my credit card.

My point is that Tivo should realize that things happen and sometimes Tivos don't call out when they should - there's no need to punish a loyal customer. I'm willing to hook the thing up to a phone line every 6 months despite the inconvenience if it means I get to keep my MSD at $6.95/month but Tivo won't let me do that. I understand the policy but it would be nice if they would work with me a little bit.

[Einselen]

Have you talked with a supervisor yet?

[MikeMar]

Have you talked with a supervisor yet?

I would do that, but make sure you have your lifetime unit call in FIRST so they KNOW that it's active

[psywzrd]

Have you talked with a supervisor yet?

I did - it was a supervisor who offered to "reduce" my monthly charge to $9.95. I'd like to take the issue to someone above that level because I really find it hard to believe that they won't accomodate my request.

[RonDawg]

Anyway, Tivo knows I haven't sold it since it's still activated under my account.

Lots of TiVo's, in particular ones with Lifetime subscriptions, are bought and sold without TiVo ever being notified of the ownership transfer.

[psywzrd]

Lots of TiVo's, in particular ones with Lifetime subscriptions, are bought and sold without TiVo ever being notified of the ownership transfer.

But if I had sold it, wouldn't the person who bought it activate it under their name so they could qualify for the MSD?

[MikeMar]

But if I had sold it, wouldn't the person who bought it activate it under their name so they could qualify for the MSD?

They could already have a lifetime and just want one to record manually or just to transfer shows to. So no need to activate that

[Einselen]

They could already have a lifetime and just want one to record manually or just to transfer shows to. So no need to activate that

To transfer shows they need the same MAK. To get the same MAK it would have to be under the same account, unless of course it was hacked.

[MikeMar]

To transfer shows they need the same MAK. To get the same MAK it would have to be under the same account, unless of course it was hacked.

ohhh good point, well played sir, well played :D

-I guess the main reason they want it to dial in/connect is to make sure it's still working and doesn't go on forever

[Lensman]

Since it's an S1 you could transfer its lifetime over to a new S3. That's what I did in order to preserve my ability to have a lifetime unit that qualifies my other units for MSD.

[HDTiVo]

How did TiVo "justify" taking your grandfathered $6.95 unit to $9.95?

It looks like your "reduction" is only to the level you should have been charged anyway; only now BOTH units are charged the WRONG price to get to the "right" number.


How did you have an active 1yr $6.95 TiVo contract?

[scandia101]

But if I had sold it, wouldn't the person who bought it activate it under their name so they could qualify for the MSD?

Not if it's their only Tivo. They could use the same MAK you use to transfer between their own PC using Tivo Desktop and the Tivo.

[Ruth]

I really don't understand your complaint.

Don't your Terms of Service state that you will only remain eligible for the MSD pricing as long as the lifetime unit calls the mother ship at least once every six months? You agreed to this, right? And then you didn't fulfill this condition, and so you lost the MSD pricing.

Then you complained, and TiVo agreed to reduce your monthly rate, which they had no obligation to do, just because you complained about it. And you're still unhappy.

Did I get that right? Honestly, I think you should be happy you talked them down from $12.95.

You don't need a million POTS jacks in every room to maintain MSD. There are lots of ways to connect to the TiVo service. You can hook your qualifying machine to a POTS jack as infrequently as twice a year (hardly super onerous). You don't even need to disconnect the TiVo if you don't want to -- you can get a 200 foot phone cord for about $5 at rat shack. Or get a wireless phone jack and use that.

The point is, you agreed to comply with this rule one way or another so that you could keep your discounted pricing, and you didn't do so. This is not TiVo's fault.

[magnus]

I have to agree. You're asking to receive MSD and so you know that it has to call in. A qualifying unit must call in to keep the MSD price... so it seems that you would have made sure that it called in every so often to keep it.

If that meant that you modem was busted the buy a Tivonet or something like that, use PPP, do what would be needed to keep the service at the level that you wanted.

If you felt that using a phone line was to antiquated then you should have transferred your lifetime to a S3.

The whole point of lifetime is the lifetime of the box and Tivo would have no way to know if your box was still working without the call in.


I really don't understand your complaint.

Don't your Terms of Service state that you will only remain eligible for the MSD pricing as long as the lifetime unit calls the mother ship at least once every six months? You agreed to this, right? And then you didn't fulfill this condition, and so you lost the MSD pricing.

Then you complained, and TiVo agreed to reduce your monthly rate, which they had no obligation to do, just because you complained about it. And you're still unhappy.

Did I get that right? Honestly, I think you should be happy you talked them down from $12.95.

You don't need a million POTS jacks in every room to maintain MSD. There are lots of ways to connect to the TiVo service. You can hook your qualifying machine to a POTS jack as infrequently as twice a year (hardly super onerous). You don't even need to disconnect the TiVo if you don't want to -- you can get a 200 foot phone cord for about $5 at rat shack. Or get a wireless phone jack and use that.

The point is, you agreed to comply with this rule one way or another so that you could keep your discounted pricing, and you didn't do so. This is not TiVo's fault.

[Bsteenson]

Same situation. I had an old Series 1 with lifetime that wasn't even connected to a TV for a couple of years, but I made sure it called in every couple of months to preserve the MSD rate on my other TiVos (have since transferred its lifetime to another unit).

After you find a way to connect your lifetimed unit to prove you still own it and it's still operational, I'd call TiVo back and keep trying to get bumped up the customer service chain until you find someone who can help you. If possible, talk to someone in the customer retention unit. I've found them very willing to help keep loyal customers happy.

BS

[MikeMar]

Try pm'ing tivopony here and see what he can do, worth a shto

[Einselen]

The thing I don't get from all this is why both changed prices. I can understand one tivo going to full price at 12.95/month but the other should stay at 6.95/month as it still qualifies for MSD and the terms for the MSD at the time said pay $6.95/month for the additional Tivo. By Tivo upping the price of the second Tivo that is a breach of contract which doesn't mean much since I don't think the OP is under any commitment anymore, but if so just means they could get out of the contract without a ETF.

[JuryDuty]

I understand going "by the book" here, but I think the customer is always right. Especially when he hasn't done anything wrong other than not call in every 6 months. He shouldn't be penalized. Tivo should put him back to the pricing he had as a one-time courtesy and let him know he must be sure to call in to keep that pricing. Being so legalistic about it to a good customer won't do anything but burn bridges.

[TriBruin]

I understand going "by the book" here, but I think the customer is always right. Especially when he hasn't done anything wrong other than not call in every 6 months. He shouldn't be penalized. Tivo should put him back to the pricing he had as a one-time courtesy and let him know he must be sure to call in to keep that pricing. Being so legalistic about it to a good customer won't do anything but burn bridges.

I disagree. He broke the agreement on his side and is still expecting Tivo to honor their side of the agreement, this can't be a one way street. The rules and potential remedies have been explained to the OP. If he reconnects his Lifetime Tivo and lets it call in periodically, then I would hope Tivo would be gracious and return his MSD to $6.95.

BTW - I consider "the customer is always right" to be code for "I am the customer, I expect to meet my unreasonable demands." After working in sales orientated businesses, you find that there are customer that demands are unreasonable and they are the customer that cost you more than they bring in. If they are willing to be reasonable, then I don't do business with them. Let my competitors lose the money.

[Einselen]

I disagree. He broke the agreement on his side and is still expecting Tivo to honor their side of the agreement, this can't be a one way street.

I didn't think about this on my previous post so I retract my statement of not understanding why both machines had a price increase. Technically he breeched the contract first.

[Adam1115]

I understand going "by the book" here, but I think the customer is always right. Especially when he hasn't done anything wrong other than not call in every 6 months. He shouldn't be penalized. Tivo should put him back to the pricing he had as a one-time courtesy and let him know he must be sure to call in to keep that pricing. Being so legalistic about it to a good customer won't do anything but burn bridges.

Yup. It's an honest mistake, they should put it back and lecture him about keeping it hooked to a phone line.

BTW, MSD is now $9.95... wow. That's like a 50% price increase.

Yea, I don't blame him for being shocked.

[psywzrd]

Wow - tough crowd in here. I understand everything about the contract, etc. but some of you guys are making it sound like I broke the law or something. This was an honest oversight on my part and I'm not trying to rip Tivo off in any way. Even though I "breached" my contract, I legitimately have a working Tivo with a lifetime sub and I'll gladly make it call out if Tivo will give me back my $6.95 pricing. I understand that having only 1 phone jack in my house does not excuse me from living up to my end of the contract, but Tivo should be a little more accomodating and consider things on a case-by-case basis. And again, I think they need to examine their whole "phone-line required" rule - for us 1st gen owners (and early adopters BTW), that means incurring additional costs for wireless phone jacks, hacking our units, etc. I don't have a good solution for this problem either but there must be a better way to handle this.

[HDTiVo]

Wow - tough crowd in here. I understand everything about the contract, etc. but some of you guys are making it sound like I broke the law or something. This was an honest oversight on my part and I'm not trying to rip Tivo off in any way. Even though I "breached" my contract, I legitimately have a working Tivo with a lifetime sub and I'll gladly make it call out if Tivo will give me back my $6.95 pricing. I understand that having only 1 phone jack in my house does not excuse me from living up to my end of the contract, but Tivo should be a little more accomodating and consider things on a case-by-case basis. And again, I think they need to examine their whole "phone-line required" rule - for us 1st gen owners (and early adopters BTW), that means incurring additional costs for wireless phone jacks, hacking our units, etc. I don't have a good solution for this problem either but there must be a better way to handle this.

Wow, you came back, even though the @$$holes here told you to shove it when TiVo ripped you off for at least $3/mo by raising your grandfathered $6.95 unit to $9.95.

I'd still like to know how TiVo "justified" raising your second box to $9.95 after raising the first to full rate to replace the "dead" LT unit. How did TiVo "explain" the "favor" it did you by charging you the WRONG amount on BOTH your "remaining" TiVoes to get to what might be the "right" amount in total?

[Ruth]

Wow, you came back, even though the @$$holes here told you to shove it when TiVo ripped you off for at least $3/mo by raising your grandfathered $6.95 unit to $9.95.

Actually, while we have not all agreed with the OP that he was done wrong, the tone of this thread has been quite civil . . . until your post, that is. There is really no need to call other posters "@$$holes" because you disagree with them, and as a longtime poster I'm sure you know that this type of profane name-calling violates our forum rules. Let's try to keep the discussion on a respectful level, OK?

I'd still like to know how TiVo "justified" raising your second box to $9.95 after raising the first to full rate to replace the "dead" LT unit. How did TiVo "explain" the "favor" it did you by charging you the WRONG amount on BOTH your "remaining" TiVoes to get to what might be the "right" amount in total?

Well, the $6.95 rate isn't offerred anymore. It's only available if you're grandfathered in. So once the OP lost his entitlement to MSD for failure to comply with the terms of service, he lost his entitlement to that lower, grandfathered rate. Now they are charging him at the current pricing levels.

And I'm not saying TiVo couldn't have been nicer and cut this guy a special deal. All I'm saying is they had no obligation to do so, since he breached his TOS and lost his entitlement to the $6.95 rate.

[HDTiVo]

once the OP lost his entitlement to MSD for failure to comply with the terms of service, he lost his entitlement to that lower, grandfathered rate.

No he did not. He has two additional active TiVoes. He lost his then current Qualifying unit, but had another to replace it for $12.95 from $6.95. The remaining one is still entitled to grandfathering at $6.95.

That's if you buy into the unreasonable notion that if the LT unit really is still running he shouldn't be rolled back to his original status.

[ZeoTiVo]

Wow - tough crowd in here. I understand everything about the contract, etc. but some of you guys are making it sound like I broke the law or something. This was an honest oversight on my part and I'm not trying to rip Tivo off in any way. Even though I "breached" my contract, I legitimately have a working Tivo with a lifetime sub and I'll gladly make it call out if Tivo will give me back my $6.95 pricing. I understand that having only 1 phone jack in my house does not excuse me from living up to my end of the contract, but Tivo should be a little more accomodating and consider things on a case-by-case basis. That is reasonable and TiVo should give a customer a second chance in my opinion rather than take the advantage of getting rid of old grandfathered rates. I am sure the CSRs are being asked to be mindful or raising the average sub rate as TiVo struives to be profitable. In susch a financial spot it is hard to be generous but it really does pay off long term to always give the customer a second chance. Make a note in the file so someone can see it 2 years from now and tell him that as long as the S1 does keep calling in he can go back to the rate he had before his honest mistake.

PS - even in the current situation the second monthly TiVo should have stayed at 6.95 - I think it did until the bogus offer of reducing one to 9.95 and the other up to 9.95 which is no reduction at all. The OP should not have agreed to that

And again, I think they need to examine their whole "phone-line required" rule - for us 1st gen owners (and early adopters BTW), that means incurring additional costs for wireless phone jacks, hacking our units, etc. I don't have a good solution for this problem either but there must be a better way to handle this.

TiVo is a business and the only reason they give you a second chance is for the good will that engenders future profits. Being a business they want the account to someday UNgrandfather and I think they have hit on a simple and effective agreement that is very easy to objectively measure. transfer the lifetime to a new TiVo if the old hardware is not something you want to maintain

[magnus]

Yep, I would vote for the OP getting a second chance but that should be it. One way or another it would need to call in.... phone line, PPP, or TivoNet (network adapter). None, of which require you to hack the box.

[psywzrd]

Yep, I would vote for the OP getting a second chance but that should be it. One way or another it would need to call in.... phone line, PPP, or TivoNet (network adapter). None, of which require you to hack the box.

Are you sure about this? I though TivoNet required you to hook up the drive to your computer to load the appropriate drivers. Plus, don't you have to crack the box open to hook up the adapter too?

[scandia101]

The Turbonet (http://www.9thtee.com/turbonet.htm) drivers were included in the last software update that the S1's received. Yes you have to open the box to attach the adapter, but that isn't hacking and any warranty on an S1 ended many years ago so there's no need to worrry about voiding it.

[psywzrd]

The drivers were included in the last software update that the S1's received (I'll be corrected very quickly if I'm wrong). Yes you have to open the box to attach the adapter, but that isn't hacking and any warranty on an S1 ended many years ago so there's no need to worrry about voiding it.

That's great - that might be the perfect solution for me then. I guess I'll need to make sure I have the latest software update though. What's the exact version #?

[dswallow]

First of all connect your lifetime unit to the phone line and have it call out a few times. Just do it. If you can't, then, well, TiVo was right.

Now, once you've done it and it's called in and gotten guide data a few times, call TiVo back and speak to a supervisor. Simply explain that you weren't aware the unit wasn't calling in, that it's working, and that they started billing you wrong and you would like it corrected. Go from there.

But if you can't have it call in, don't expect anybody to do anything for you... well, I take that partially back. I don't understand why they changed the pricing on BOTH your other units. One of them should've increased by the $6 MSD discount it's no longer eligible for, but the other should've stayed where it was. So even if you can't get it to call in then you have at least a valid complaint on the pricing on one of the units.

If your lifetime unit is really broken, you should've had it repaired out of warranty. Though I'm not real sure what TiVo does with Series 1's as they're rather old... maybe they no longer even do that, but they do offer a fixed fee swap on Series 2 units, and allow lifetime to transfer to the replacement. So unless there's a policy that Series 1 units are simply no longer supported in any way, that should've been an option to you. Whether you could do it now or not, I wouldn't hold my breath... you'd essentially be admitting TiVo was right in what they did to your pricing (well, at least to one of the units).

[magnus]

Yep, I have a unit that makes the call in that way and I did not need to hack it. I believe that it has to be version 3.0 or higher.

Are you sure about this? I though TivoNet required you to hook up the drive to your computer to load the appropriate drivers. Plus, don't you have to crack the box open to hook up the adapter too?

[Adam1115]

Well, the $6.95 rate isn't offerred anymore. It's only available if you're grandfathered in. So once the OP lost his entitlement to MSD for failure to comply with the terms of service, he lost his entitlement to that lower, grandfathered rate. Now they are charging him at the current pricing levels.

And I'm not saying TiVo couldn't have been nicer and cut this guy a special deal. All I'm saying is they had no obligation to do so, since he breached his TOS and lost his entitlement to the $6.95 rate.

Say his lifetime series 1 died. He calls TiVo and says 'hey, my lifetime series 1 is toast and therefore won't be dialing in, so I need to make a different TiVo the primary.'

Your claim is that the CSR will laugh and say "HA SUCKER, your MSD is going up to $9.95?" That makes no sense. They would've left his msd alone.

He 'breached his TOS' how? If you have a lifetime tivo die, are you supposed to notify them in writing? I think the fact that it doesn't dial in anymore is the message to tivo that there is a problem with the tivo. Obviously, in this case, it was a "woops! I put it on the shelf for awhile and didn't have it connected to my phone line, my bad." I still don't see how that breaches any contract. It only entitles them to raise ONE of his TiVo's to $12.95/mo.

I've never read anywhere that you are required to notify TiVo if your primary lifetime tivo dies, how does that 'breach' some kind of contract? Do you have a link to this language?

[Adam1115]

Well, the $6.95 rate isn't offerred anymore. It's only available if you're grandfathered in. So once the OP lost his entitlement to MSD for failure to comply with the terms of service, he lost his entitlement to that lower, grandfathered rate. Now they are charging him at the current pricing levels.

And I'm not saying TiVo couldn't have been nicer and cut this guy a special deal. All I'm saying is they had no obligation to do so, since he breached his TOS and lost his entitlement to the $6.95 rate.

Ok, I looked it up for you. According to their MSD TOS:

Product Lifetime Subscription. If you are the registered account holder of a Product Lifetime Subscription, your Product Lifetime Subscription must be fully paid and in good standing. Your TiVo DVR to which the Product Lifetime Subscription is attached must have called into the TiVo service or the TiVo Plus service within the last 180 days to remain eligible for the MULTI-SERVICE DISCOUNT.

If the registered account holder’s Qualifying Subscription is cancelled or otherwise becomes ineligible, the oldest eligible TiVo service or TiVo Plus service subscription on the account shall become the registered account holder’s Qualifying Subscription and will no longer receive the MULTI-SERVICE DISCOUNT. TiVo service subscriptions currently receiving the MULTI-SERVICE DISCOUNT shall continue to receive the MULTI-SERVICE DISCOUNT as long as their remains a Qualifying Subscription in accordance with these terms on the same TiVo customer account. TiVo service subscriptions which have paid the annual fee in advance shall remain at the MULTI-SERVICE DISCOUNT rate until the expiration of their current prepaid period in the event such registered account’s Qualifying Subscription is cancelled.

So by his lifetime not dialing in for 180 days, the eldest tivo on his accout moves to $12.95. The rest stay at 6.95. TiVo breached their OWN TOS, the op did NOTHING WRONG.

The ONLY thing they could do is make the lifetime the primary again, and the 'eldest' would move to $9.95 since it was no longer eligible for $6.95. The THIRD tivo should have never changed.

[psywzrd]

Ok - I just had the lifetime unit call out twice successfully. The software version is at 3.0-01-1-000 which I believe is the same as what it already was before I made the calls. I'm not sure if it's going to make a difference at this point but at least Tivo knows that I'm not trying to cheat the system. Now if I can just get them to put everything back to the way it was I'll be happy (and I'll look into TivoNet or whatever is easiest to have this unit call out on a regular basis).

[psywzrd]

Since I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happened with this;), I have an update for you. Thanks to MikeMar (who recommended I send a PM TivoPony about this), my case ended up getting forwarded to a really nice person at Tivo Executive Relations. This Tivo rep was very understanding and gladly reverted both of my S3 units back to the $6.95/month MSD price without any issue. It's nice to hear that Tivo appreciates my business and even though we're not talking about a whole lot of money here, the principle of this situation is what really bothered me the most. Now that I have my original pricing back, I'm definitely going to look into TurboNet so I don't have to worry about this happening again.

MikeMar: Thank you for recommending I contact TivoPony.
TivoPony: Thank you for forwarding my message to TivoJerry.
TivoJerry: Thank you for forwarding my message to Executive Relations to get this taken care of.

Everyone else: Thank you for your input (both positive and negative). I definitely learned something from this thread.

Happy Holidays to all!


psywzrd

[Lensman]

Happy holidays, psywzrd!

I'm glad you got your S1 to dial in and I'm very glad to see that Tivo reverted you back to your original pricing once you were back in compliance. It just confirms to me that it's worth my bending over backwards to work with a company like Tivo vs. the evil cablecos.

[psywzrd]

I totally agree Lensman. In fact, the person I spoke with from Executive Relations mentioned Tivo's grass roots campaign to try to get DirecTV to get back in business with Tivo. I have no idea if it's going to have any effect but it's certainly worth trying.

[magnus]

I really do not think that is going to happen. I can't see DTV going back to Tivo... even though I think they should.

They're lack of support for Tivo is what ended up driving me away. And now that I'm gone.... I just can't see paying for DTV when OTA Digital works just fine for me (that and UnBox).


I totally agree Lensman. In fact, the person I spoke with from Executive Relations mentioned Tivo's grass roots campaign to try to get DirecTV to get back in business with Tivo. I have no idea if it's going to have any effect but it's certainly worth trying.

[Shawn95GT]

Glad to hear you got it resolved.

[Bsteenson]

Tears well up in eyes ... Yes, Virginia, just as surely as there is a TiVoPony, there is a Santa Claus. :)

BS