Tivo HD Gift Offer: HD+Lifetime Sub $698- Good Deal or Not?

[Stick 2005]

I recently came across the following offer:

http://www.tivo.com/hdgift/

"Tive HD, Network adapter, and Product Lifetime Service Gift Card"
$698.89


Questions:
1) What do you all think about the deal? Good or fair?
2) What are the thoughts about finding someone else’s TSR for the deal? I currently do not have a Tivo but may want to take advantage of this offer. Is it bad form to try to get someone else’s TSR?

Thanks for your all's input

[bkdtv]

Questions:
1) What do you all think about the deal? Good or fair?It's a fairly good deal, if you want lifetime (no monthly fees).

You may also want to budget for an internal or external hard drive upgrade. If you want to go the external route, be sure to see the eSATA sticky at the top of the forum.

2) What are the thoughts about finding someone else’s TSR for the deal? I currently do not have a Tivo but may want to take advantage of this offer. Is it bad form to try to get someone else’s TSR?If that person is a relative or friend, then I don't see a problem.

[edubbrulez]

The link in your post is busted.

[bkdtv]

The link in your post is busted.http://www.tivo.com/hdgift/

[edubbrulez]

http://www.tivo.com/hdgift/

Nice! Thanks!

[sloan]

the day i was able to get a TivoHD with lifetime, I did it.
Zero regrets.

With the Feb 2009 date coming where antenna tv will be all digital....I felt like the time to act was now.

I am using my TivoHD with OTA (antenna) only right now. But I have a Cable Option for the future.

I'm currently using directv..and I have an HR20....but I would hate not having a Tivo.....so having a HR20 and a TivoHD on antenna (aka ... free HD shows on locals) was my preferred way of doing it.

I've tried to tell some friends about the deal. $700 seems like alot, but I had my S1 for over 5 years. So I'm confident it'll pay for itself.

I did a 500GB internal drive replacement as well.

[collin]

if i buy a tivo hd from someplace else, are there any options to buy lifetime activation and how much?

[brettatk]

I jumped at the deal when it first came out. Then a few weeks later I found out I could transfer the lifetime from an old Series 1 that I bought off ebay 6 years ago to it for only $199. I called Tivo and they credited back me the $399. It's been two weeks and they still havnt charged me the $199 transfer fee. Of course my Series 1 doesnt appear to have service now but I can live with that since obviously I've come out ahead.

Anyway, like someone mentioned earlier it depends on your view of monthly fees. I for one hate them and have lifetime on my Series 2 and now Tivo HD. Eventually you will come out ahead and save money.

[alanpate]

This is a great deal (as long as you need the wireless adapter)! ($725 after tax in my area - Houston, TX)

My current TiVo Series 2 is almost 6 years old, so I can easily see a 6 year service life. An additional HD DVR from Comcast costs a total of $22.22 per month ($7.49 cable box charge + $12.95 HD DVR charge + sales tax). That comes to $1,600 for 6 years per DVR.

With this TiVo deal, you have to get one multistream (2 tuner) CableCard from Comcast per TiVo (first CableCard is free, additional are $2/mo), plus, each CableCard connection is charged a $3.50/mo outlet charge. So, after adding sales tax to Comcast charges, the 6-year cost for TiVoHD is $998.99 for the first unit, $1,156 for additional units.

TiVo, of course, has more features than the Comcast DVR.

This is a no-brainer if you want HD DVR. Even if you only want HD cable box (no DVR), the Comcast 6-year cost is $977.74, so, for one unit, it's a wash.

Note that if you buy 2, you get a free glo-remote.

It's interesting to note how quickly those little monthly charges add up over a 6-year period.

[bkdtv]

if i buy a tivo hd from someplace else, are there any options to buy lifetime activation and how much?Lifetime is $399 sold separately, but only if you already own another TiVo. If you don't yet own a TiVo, the $698 deal above is really your only option.

[alanpate]

Lifetime is $399 sold separately, but only if you already own another TiVo. If you don't yet own a TiVo, the $698 deal above is really your only option.


Note that the $698 deal above can only be purchased by current TiVo subscribers.

[bkdtv]

Note that the $698 deal above can only be purchased by current TiVo subscribers.That's not quite true.

You must have a valid TiVo service number to get to the order screen, but after that, it doesn't matter who you are. You do not need an existing TiVo account to order, and you can place the order under any name with any credit card.

I know many people have loaned their TSN to a friend or family member so they could buy their first TiVo for Christmas.

[Rockett0]

You can also simply google for "Tivo" +TSN.

I needed a TSN number I found two by googling.

[alanpate]

That's not quite true... Cool, and I assume can still get TiVo Rewards for the friend that signs up using my TSN?

[bkdtv]

Cool, and I assume can still get TiVo Rewards for the friend that signs up using my TSN?Yes, although TiVo has said that anyone caught "trading" their TSN for referrals will have their TiVo Rewards account suspended.

[rickmeoff]

I jumped at the deal when it first came out. Then a few weeks later I found out I could transfer the lifetime from an old Series 1 that I bought off ebay 6 years ago to it for only $199. I called Tivo and they credited back me the $399. It's been two weeks and they still havnt charged me the $199 transfer fee. Of course my Series 1 doesnt appear to have service now but I can live with that since obviously I've come out ahead.




pretty sure that when you $199 transfer, the unit that you transferred from (your old s1) gets 12 months free service.

but unless you get charged the $199, you probably dont wanna call about that, lol.

[brettatk]

pretty sure that when you $199 transfer, the unit that you transferred from (your old s1) gets 12 months free service.

but unless you get charged the $199, you probably dont wanna call about that, lol.


Exactly. If that $199 charge appears on my credit card I'll call up Tivo and tell them that I should have service on the S1 for another year. If I never get charged the $199 and want to use the S1 again I can always add a monthly plan to it and come out cheaper for the year.

[Stick 2005]

Thanks to everyone for replying. I ended up using Christmas money and biting the bullet and ordering the full package. I will soon join the legions of Tivo HD users... Can't wait!

[qili]

I am trying to figure out why this is such a hot deal.

the machine itself is $199. so you are buying the life-time subscription for $500. That equates to about 86 months at $6.95/month, or 46 months at $12.95/month.

In other words, if your TiVo remains useful for less than 7 years (86 months) or 4 years (46 months) respectively, you are better off NOT going down this route.

Which of you are still using a TiVo from 7 or 4 years ago?

[brettatk]

I am trying to figure out why this is such a hot deal.

the machine itself is $199. so you are buying the life-time subscription for $500. That equates to about 86 months at $6.95/month, or 46 months at $12.95/month.

In other words, if your TiVo remains useful for less than 7 years (86 months) or 4 years (46 months) respectively, you are better off NOT going down this route.

Which of you are still using a TiVo from 7 or 4 years ago?


Show me where you can get just the Tivo HD unit for $199, it's anywhere from $250 to $299 from what I've seen. Plus they did away with the $6.95 a month for a second unit and it's now $9.95. Redo your math and you will see why it's a good deal.


Edit: I read the thread about having to call Tivo and say you wanted to cancel your account and they MIGHT offer you a deal to get the Tivo HD for $199. I wouldnt say that is a for sure way of getting one for $199.

[qili]

OK, let's say that you got your TiVo for $250 (assuming that you were unfortunately enough to get turned down on your $199 request).

so your life time is $700-250=$450. that's about 45 months at $10/month. or about four years.

how many of you are running a four year old TiVo? how likely is your TiVo going to be functional and desirable four years from now?

[JYoung]

Lots of people are running four year old TiVos.
Lots of people are running Series 1 TiVos that are seven and eight years old without issue.

And I think that you should remove the cost of the box from your figures.
You still have to pay the same for the cost of the box whether you go month to month or lifetime.
Since the current cost of lifetime is $399, if you were to pay $12.95 monthly, your break even point is 31 months.
For $9.95 monthly, the break even is a little over 40 months.

[qili]

Lots of people are running four year old TiVos.
Lots of people are running Series 1 TiVos that are seven and eight years old without issue.

lots more people run their Ford Pintos or own Betamax.

Does that make owning a Pinto or Betamax typical?

Since the current cost of lifetime is $399,

let me try to understand this. You can buy a TiVo for $250 (or $200 if you ask), and then pay $400 for lifetime to get a box + life subscription for $250+400=650.

or you can pay $50 more for the same thing (by taking the combo deal). and you consider it a hot deal?

if you were to pay $12.95 monthly, your break even point is 31 months. For $9.95 monthly, the break even is a little over 40 months.

isn't that the same math we went through twice?

[JYoung]

lots more people run their Ford Pintos or own Betamax.

Does that make owning a Pinto or Betamax typical?



The point is that these people have already gotten their money's worth from the lifetime subscription they purchased 4-7 years ago (at $199 until mid 2002)
I have no reason to believe that the TiVo HD I purchased last month won't be running 4 years from now so lifetime is a reasonable bet.



let me try to understand this. You can buy a TiVo for $250 (or $200 if you ask), and then pay $400 for lifetime to get a box + life subscription for $250+400=650.

or you can pay $50 more for the same thing (by taking the combo deal). and you consider it a hot deal?


I never said that I consider that package a hot deal but since it includes lifetime, it's a nice package deal.

But to break it down:
Cost of TiVo HD from tivo.com = $299.99
Cost of lifetime subscription = $399.99
Cost of TiVo Wireless G USB Network Adapter from tivo.com = $59.99

Total cost if bought separately from tivo.com = $759.97

Quickly checking Amazon.com the TiVo HD is $277.99 and the Wireless adapter is $38.77 or $716.75 total if lifetime is purchased when activating the TiVo.

Not a great savings but still you may have to factor in whether or not you'll have to pay sales tax.


isn't that the same math we went through twice?

Well, you made some erroneous assumptions the first two times....

[gspoto]

My Math plus my story...
This may be a little late in comming...
I have a TiVo series 2 with lifetime subscription which has been running happily for 3+ years.
In September I bought a Tivo HD and via the multiuser discount signed up for a 3 year commitment at $6.95 a month.
When I saw that the Tivo HD had a new lifetime offer for new purchases I called TiVo (on Dec 31st) to see if I could cancel my commitment and get the lifetime. Well... the first two people I talked to said that I couldn't do that without paying the commitment cancellation fee of $199. I explained that I want to pay them more money and be lifetime, and that I shouldn't be punnished for buying a TiVo HD when it first came out before they offered this lifetime deal. The 3rd person I talked to found someone willing to credit me the $199 and sign me up for the lifetime. And I was happy.

My Math:
At my $7~ a month rate for 3 years I was going to pay $252 over the next 3 years. AFTER that the current monthly multi user rate is $10 a month (presuming my existing Lifetime Tivo is still working by then). So at that point 4.25 years is my break even point for the lifetime subscription. And that is without the likely increase in the multiuser discount (if it sitll exitst) 3 years from now. So since my experience is that my TiVo was likely going to be working in 4 years based of my current experience I decided to take the offer. I also hate monthy fees...

[qili]

Cost of TiVo HD from tivo.com = $299.99
Quickly checking Amazon.com the TiVo HD is $277.99

just because you couldn't find a good price on a galon of milk doesn't make paying $200 for a galon of milk a hot deal.

no matter how you want to slice-and-dice it.

[JYoung]

just because you couldn't find a good price on a galon of milk doesn't make paying $200 for a galon of milk a hot deal.

no matter how you want to slice-and-dice it.

Again, I never said it was a "hot" deal.

Please provide a link to a reputable vendor for less than $259.
Because Pricegrabber.com ain't seeing it (http://electronics.pricegrabber.com/digital-video-recorders-dvrs/m/44302846/search=TiVo).