Lifetime Upgrade Options

[chadfetter]

Is Tivo offering any Lifetime upgrade options for HD Tivo? I have on of the first Tivo's sitting on a shelf in my basement right now with a lifetime subscription on it, and I also have a life time with my HR10-250 with DirecTV.

My contract is up with DirecTV, and I am really struggling with upgrading to DirecTV's HR21's and renewing my contract. Or, switching to Comcast, and get some HD Tivo's to do the work.

The lifetime upgrade option might sway me one way or the other...

[bkdtv]

How old is your first TiVo with lifetime? TiVo offers free lifetime transfers for units activated prior to January 20, 2000.

TiVo did recently offer a $199 lifetime transfer for lifetime units purchased after that date. I'm not sure whether that offer is still valid.

TiVo also sells new lifetime TivoHD units with an 802.11g wireless adapter for $699 (http://www3.tivo.com/tivo-promo/show.do?pg=/buytivo/hdgift.html).

[chadfetter]

I just talked to Tivo, and they said that they would upgrade one of my existing liftimes on my standalone Tivo unit for no charge.

However, I have three other lifetime units on Tivo combo units with DirecTV(HR10-250's). They said that they can not do anything with any of these. Anybody else know anything different?

[chadfetter]

On that offer that you mention, is that the really good TivoHD, the one with THX? or the other one?

What are the big differences?

[webin]

It's not the "really good" Tivo with THX... those are the Series3.

The Tivo being offered in that deal is the "TivoHD", which is build on the series3 platform, but takes out THX certification to save money. I'm going to be getting this deal in the next couple weeks (it ends April 1).

Here is the TiVo page with their current models: https://www3.tivo.com/store/boxes.do

[worried12345]

Hi,

Where did you find that I can transfer my lifetime suscription (after 11/2003) to Series 3 Tivo box for $199?

Thanks.

[bkdtv]

Hi,

Where did you find that I can transfer my lifetime suscription (after 11/2003) to Series 3 Tivo box for $199?I don't think you can.

It was $0 for transfers from units activated prior to January 21, 2000 and $199 for transfers from units activated between January 22 and October 1, 2003.

Lifetime transfers do not apply to DirecTivos --presumably DirecTV got a big chunk of that fee. TiVo only received ~20% of all DirecTivo DVR fees, with DirecTV pocketing the rest.

[chadfetter]

Just wanted to give everyone an update.

I was able to convince Tivo to transfer my Lifetime on my SO Tivo to a new HD Tivo for free.

I also was able to convince them to transfer a lifetime on a DirecTV Tivo(HR10-250) to a new Series 3 HD Tivo for $199. I have been told that they normally won't do any transfer on DirecTV receivers let alone for $199

[rturrentine]

I can't convince them to give me the $199 transfer and I bought my HD in January and had lifetime for 6 years. I thought I had until this Friday to transfer as long as I purchased by February 3rd (or something like that).

Guess I'll transfer my broken S2 (not lifetime S2) to it for 6.95 month. They did offer me the $399 option of buying a new lifetime.

[Chiparoo]

The original text of the $199 Lifetime Subscription offer said March 8 as the deadline.

[Chiparoo]

3. Transfer of an eligible (as defined below) Product Lifetime Subscription to a a Qualifying DVR is required by March 8, 2008 by calling TiVo Customer Support at (877) 367-8486 between 7AM and 8PM PST.

But they moved up the deadline to March 2. It caught me by surprise too!

[chadfetter]

Right, but my understanding was that was just for standalone Tivo's, not DirecTV Tivos.

Either way, I just wanted to let everyone know that I think I got a good deal, that not many have, so hopefully more people will try to push for it as well.

[Chiparoo]

Yes that offer was for standalone TiVos with Lifetime Subs activated before Oct 1, 2003 NOT DirecTV Tivos.

[chadfetter]

That's the cool thing. They gave me the $199 offer on a DirecTV Tivo unit as well.

[rturrentine]

I called back and got another CSR. They took good care of me.

Funny thing is that I was to take a survey at the end of the call but the survey was questions for the CSR, not the customer! Questions like how easy was it to use the KDB, what the information accurate for the customer, etc.