Bought S1 on eBay, how can I see if it has lifetime?

[Colbertianity]

Hi!
I bought a TiVo S1 on eBay, expecting to not have the service and just use it as a dumb VCR. Well it looks like the guy from whom I bought it has a lifetime subscription, or is unknowingly paying for the service. Is there any way to find out what plan I'm on without contacting this guy (for fear of him canceling the service)? Thanks!

[tivoupgrade]

Hi!
I bought a TiVo S1 on eBay, expecting to not have the service and just use it as a dumb VCR. Well it looks like the guy from whom I bought it has a lifetime subscription, or is unknowingly paying for the service. Is there any way to find out what plan I'm on without contacting this guy (for fear of him canceling the service)? Thanks!

Go to TiVo's Manage My Account (https://www3.tivo.com/tivo-mma/login/show.do?cams_security_domain=tivocom&cams_login_config=http&cams_original_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww3.tivo.com%3A443%2Ftivo-mma%2Foverview.do) area of their site, create an account and try to add its service ID to your account.

You may very well have to request that he release the service ID to be attached to your account if its still in his name, though...

[greg_burns]

Not sure about an S1. But on an S2/S3 you can go to Settings->Account & System Info->System Information.

Look under Tivo Account Status. What does it say?

[jjberger2134]

You can go into the System Information screen from Messages & Settings on TiVo Central. From the System Information screen you will look for a line entry which explains the service status.

You can (and should) contact TiVo customer service, and explain to them that you are the new owner and want the box ownership transferred into your name.

Even if it says lifetime, do not be too excited. There are ways the box can state lifetime, but it actually only have a year of service (i.e. from the service transfer offer which was offered sometime recently, then the previous owner could have unplugged the box and the box would not know the service level has changed).

[magnus]

Plug it in and make the call in. If it still shows lifetime after a successful call then... it's lifetime.

Hi!
I bought a TiVo S1 on eBay, expecting to not have the service and just use it as a dumb VCR. Well it looks like the guy from whom I bought it has a lifetime subscription, or is unknowingly paying for the service. Is there any way to find out what plan I'm on without contacting this guy (for fear of him canceling the service)? Thanks!

[magnus]

That will only tell you that the box has service... not that it has lifetime or not.


Go to TiVo's Manage My Account (https://www3.tivo.com/tivo-mma/login/show.do?cams_security_domain=tivocom&cams_login_config=http&cams_original_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww3.tivo.com%3A443%2Ftivo-mma%2Foverview.do) area of their site, create an account and try to add its service ID to your account.

You may very well have to request that he release the service ID to be attached to your account if its still in his name, though...

[RonDawg]

That will only tell you that the box has service... not that it has lifetime or not.

No, Manage My Account does tell you the type of service a box has, whether Lifetime or monthly, and if monthly the length of the contract if any. EDIT: It also shows the date of activation on a different page of MMA, though that's not necessarily the date Lifetime was added.

In my case it's still showing two Lifetime'd TiVo's on my account even though I sold them off on eBay.

[scandia101]

No, Manage My Account does tell you the type of service a box has, whether Lifetime or monthly,

Uhm, not when the Tivo isn't on your account.

[RonDawg]

Uhm, not when the Tivo isn't on your account.

I know that. TiVoUpgrade said for the OP to try to add it to his own account.

My post was specifically to refute magnus' assertion that the TiVo's listed on one's MMA page won't show the type of service.

[jtlytle]

When I bought TiVo with lifetime subscribtion from Craig's list, I called TiVo Customer service and told them that I bought it and want that to be in my name. I told them the former owner's name who sold it to me. Not a problem.

[scandia101]

I know that. TiVoUpgrade said for the OP to try to add it to his own account.

My post was specifically to refute magnus' assertion that the TiVo's listed on one's MMA page won't show the type of service.

If the Tivo has a lifetime sub or any active sub, the OP would have to call Tivo to have it added to his account. Checking MMA at Tivo.com at that point wouldn't be necessary.

The subject here is about checking the status of a tivo that isn't (yet) on the OP's account, so magnus' statement was nothing but accurate. He wasn't making a blanket statement on what's available at MMA on tivo.com, he was making a specific statement concerning the OP's situation.

[tivoupgrade]

The subject here is about checking the status of a tivo that isn't (yet) on the OP's account, so magnus' statement was nothing but accurate. He wasn't making a blanket statement on what's available at MMA on tivo.com, he was making a specific statement concerning the OP's situation.

That was not how I interpreted it; I thought the original poster was just trying to avoid contacting the seller of the unit. FWIW, I logged into my own account and the lifetime status is displayed under the account information (even for my old Series1), so Magnus was mistaken there; no harm no foul.

[scandia101]

That was not how I interpreted it; I thought the original poster was just trying to avoid contacting the seller of the unit.

You're saying that your first response on how to get it subscribed was based on the OP not wanting to contact the seller even though the OP never asked about how to subscribe it, he was only asking how to tell if it had lifetime or not.
Ok, your bad interpretation explains the rest of the thread.

Your suggestion to sub it online was taken as a method to see if it had a lifetime sub or not - because that is what the OP asked for (how could anyone know you were answering a non existent question?). This method would tell you if it already had a sub by not being able to sub it online. You can know it has a sub, but you can't know what kind of sub. That's what magnus was referring to when he said That will only tell you that the box has service... not that it has lifetime or not.

in the meantime burns and berger had already given the answer that the OP asked for and needed - check the sys info page and magnus added to that.

and then RonDawg was in his own little world of not understanding what was said before his arrival.

FWIW, I logged into my own account and the lifetime status is displayed under the account information (even for my old Series1), so Magnus was mistaken there; no harm no foul.
That's not worth much because it's not even in dispute.

[RonDawg]

The subject here is about checking the status of a tivo that isn't (yet) on the OP's account, so magnus' statement was nothing but accurate. He wasn't making a blanket statement on what's available at MMA on tivo.com, he was making a specific statement concerning the OP's situation.

Actually, yes he was making a blanket statement. And apparently I'm not the only one who viewed it that way.

Looking from my point of view, it's incorrect for the reasons I've already posted.

Looking from your point of view, he is still incorrect as you're not supposed to be able to access MMA for other persons, unless you stole or were given the username and password info. magnus said it would only tell you if the box has service, and you wouldn't (or aren't supposed to) even get that far on someone else's MMA screen.

[RonDawg]

and then RonDawg was in his own little world of not understanding what was said before his arrival.

My world may be little, but I'm certainly the bigger man for being willing to stand up to a bully. A lot of people here are afraid to reply to you, even if you are incorrect, because of the abuse they know will follow.

[magnus]

Ok, for the record. I was referring to the OP logging in to their own Tivo account, which is what I thought TivoUpgrade was referring to as well.

You can put in the TSN of a box that does not belong to you on MMA and determine that it has a sub... not that it has lifetime. I was only trying to help clarify things for the OP because the way TivoUpgrade worded things the OP might think they could see if the lifetime was there or not (but they can't).


Also, I never said that one's own account would not show the type of sub (you're putting words in my mouth). Come on, really??? I think I posted enough on here that you would know better than that.


Actually, yes he was making a blanket statement. And apparently I'm not the only one who viewed it that way.

Looking from my point of view, it's incorrect for the reasons I've already posted.

Looking from your point of view, he is still incorrect as you're not supposed to be able to access MMA for other persons, unless you stole or were given the username and password info. magnus said it would only tell you if the box has service, and you wouldn't (or aren't supposed to) even get that far on someone else's MMA screen.

[ah30k]

I assumed he had a working TiVo but not yet activated on his account (like someone gave it to you, you plugged it in and whoa, it works).

[RonDawg]

Also, I never said that one's own account would not show the type of sub (you're putting words in my mouth). Come on, really??? I think I posted enough on here that you would know better than that.

I'm not trying to put words in yours or anybody else's mouth. I simply replied to what I (and TiVoUpgrade) perceived as what you said.

I think this thread suffered from miscommunication all around...

[magnus]

The best thing for the OP to do would be to just call Tivo and find out.

I assumed he had a working TiVo but not yet activated on his account (like someone gave it to you, you plugged it in and whoa, it works).

[tivoupgrade]

Ok, your bad interpretation explains the rest of the thread.


And it seems that your attitude may redefine it, yet again.

You may want to read the original post again, and check your insults at the door.

[tivoupgrade]

Ok, for the record. I was referring to the OP logging in to their own Tivo account, which is what I thought TivoUpgrade was referring to as well.

You can put in the TSN of a box that does not belong to you on MMA and determine that it has a sub... not that it has lifetime. I was only trying to help clarify things for the OP because the way TivoUpgrade worded things the OP might think they could see if the lifetime was there or not (but they can't).


Also, I never said that one's own account would not show the type of sub (you're putting words in my mouth). Come on, really??? I think I posted enough on here that you would know better than that.

I see what you meant... sorry for the confusion there.

Yes, I meant with one's own account and that would presume that the service ID could be added (or transferred to the account). That is why I qualified what I said with the notion that he may still need to contact the seller of the unit. I've never actually purchased a unit that ALREADY had a lifetime on it and then attempted to add it into my own account. I've done it the other way, though but I don't remember what I had to do to 'release' the service ID.

[magnus]

No problem, I guess there was just a bunch of misunderstanding in this thread. I have a feeling that if the OP has the Tivo call in... that the lifetime will not be there anyway. They might get lucky.... you never know.


I see what you meant... sorry for the confusion there.

Yes, I meant with one's own account and that would presume that the service ID could be added (or transferred to the account). That is why I qualified what I said with the notion that he may still need to contact the seller of the unit. I've never actually purchased a unit that ALREADY had a lifetime on it and then attempted to add it into my own account. I've done it the other way, though but I don't remember what I had to do to 'release' the service ID.

[scandia101]

And it seems that your attitude may redefine it, yet again.

You may want to read the original post again, and check your insults at the door.

Care to show me what I'm missing?

Hi!
He opens

I bought a TiVo S1 on eBay, expecting to not have the service and just use it as a dumb VCR.
Explanation of what he has and what he expected - a tivo w/o service to use for manual time/channel recordings

Well it looks like the guy from whom I bought it has a lifetime subscription, or is unknowingly paying for the service.
The Tivo appears to have paid service

Is there any way to find out what plan I'm on
He's asking how to find out what kind of sub the Tivo has

without contacting this guy (for fear of him canceling the service)?

he doesn't want to contact the seller because if the Tivo has a monthly sub, the seller would obviously stop paying for it and he'd lose his "free" service.

Thanks!
and he closes


Now, I'd love to see you point out my mis-interpretation or at the very least show me where he's asking how to go about subscribing it as you understand it.

[scandia101]

Actually, yes he was making a blanket statement. And apparently I'm not the only one who viewed it that way.

Looking from my point of view, it's incorrect for the reasons I've already posted.

Looking from your point of view, he is still incorrect as you're not supposed to be able to access MMA for other persons, unless you stole or were given the username and password info. magnus said it would only tell you if the box has service, and you wouldn't (or aren't supposed to) even get that far on someone else's MMA screen.

Wow! Just f*ing Wow!

Nobody said anything about checking someone else's tivo.com account. Where did you get that from?

[tivoupgrade]

Care to show me what I'm missing?


How about I just point out commandment #3 (http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/rules.html) and leave it at that?

I realize you are relatively new here, but you should know that attacking other members that are trying to help out is not what this place is about.

Have a nice day.

[scandia101]

That's what I thought (knew). You can't point out what I missed.

Attack? I've done nothing but question or correct wrong information and explain it.
and I'm sorry that you feel attacked when someone points out that you are wrong.

[rambler]

......I realize you are relatively new here......Not really. He used to be Mick66.

[greg_burns]

Not really. He used to be Mick66.

Can't be, Mick66 was an ass.