How long will TiVo be offering Lifetime service?

[aaronwt]

I see you can now order Lifetime service online, with time remaining on your current contract, and it will take effect at the end of the contract.
Does anyone know how long TiVo will be offering the Lifetime service?

[MapleLeaf]

If you took advantage of this, but then if you later transferred your current contract to a different machine, would the lifetime service transfer with it?

I still have 2 years left on an S3, but I'd be willing to get lifetime service on it if it is transferable should I transfer the current contract to a different machine. I see it as buying lifetime service on an S4 in advance. :)

[socrplyr]

If you took advantage of this, but then if you later transferred your current contract to a different machine, would the lifetime service transfer with it?

I still have 2 years left on an S3, but I'd be willing to get lifetime service on it if it is transferable should I transfer the current contract to a different machine. I see it as buying lifetime service on an S4 in advance. :)

Lifetimes bought today are non-transferable unless Tivo decides to run some kind of special deal, but I wouldn't hold my breath on it.

[pdonoghu]

You can not transfer lifetime to another machine. Lifetime is for the life of that Tivo, and goes with the TSN. In the past, Tivo has run promotions to transfer lifetime, for a fee, to a new model. The cost was typically $199, and this was when you could not buy lifetime. Probably does not make sense with the current pricing.

[antalo]

If you took advantage of this, but then if you later transferred your current contract to a different machine, would the lifetime service transfer with it?

I still have 2 years left on an S3, but I'd be willing to get lifetime service on it if it is transferable should I transfer the current contract to a different machine. I see it as buying lifetime service on an S4 in advance. :)

I don't think you can buy service on a Tivo you haven't purchased yet. S4 ?
Is one in the pipeline ?

However I think, if you talk to the right person they may let you convert your 2 years to lifetime. That's just my opinion. If one says NO keep calling until somebody says yes. You know how it is, The weel squeeks the most gets greased first.
Good Luck.
antalo

[David_NC]

Does anyone know how long TiVo will be offering the Lifetime service?

Short answer - NO

Noone really knows what the future holds when it comes to Tivo selling lifetime service - probably depends on which way they can make more of a profit, selling monthly/yearly contracts, or lifetime service.

As for buying lifetime with time still left on your current contract - you could always pick up a used Tivo cheap and transfer the prepaid over to it, then you have two Tivo's to play with. Are they giving you the $299 price on the lifetime, or $399? If they want the $399, can you transfer the remaining prepaid to another unit, then get the $299 price on the original Tivo?

[MapleLeaf]

You can not transfer lifetime to another machine. Lifetime is for the life of that Tivo, and goes with the TSN. In the past, Tivo has run promotions to transfer lifetime, for a fee, to a new model. The cost was typically $199, and this was when you could not buy lifetime. Probably does not make sense with the current pricing.

I understand that you cannot currently transfer lifetime service to another machine. However, there might be a new wrinkle here given the OP's observations. He indicated that he learned that you are now able to purchase lifetime service on a machine that is currently already under contract, and the lifetime service would kick in after the contract expires. My question was basically asking if the lifetime service is immediately tied to the unit at the time of purchase (even though it doesn't kick in until after the current contract expires), or does the lifetime service get tied to the unit at the time the current contract expires. If the latter, then what you could do is purchase lifetime service on an S3 or THD now even though it is still under contract. Then, when the inevitable S4 comes out, transfer your current contract to the S4. My hope is that since the lifetime service doesn't kick in until the current contract expires, the lifetime service will end up being tied to the S4 and not the S3/THD. The advantage of doing this is that you get to lock in lifetime on an S4 at today's price (currently $299 with MSD).

[DrewTivo]

As for buying lifetime with time still left on your current contract - you could always pick up a used Tivo cheap and transfer the prepaid over to it, then you have two Tivo's to play with. Are they giving you the $299 price on the lifetime, or $399? If they want the $399, can you transfer the remaining prepaid to another unit, then get the $299 price on the original Tivo?

That's what I would do. Buying lifetime on a unit under contract is just throwing away whatever is left of the contract (assuming prepaid--postpaid is a different matter).

[scandia101]

I understand that you cannot currently transfer lifetime service to another machine. However, there might be a new wrinkle here given the OP's observations. He indicated that he learned that you are now able to purchase lifetime service on a machine that is currently already under contract, and the lifetime service would kick in after the contract expires. My question was basically asking if the lifetime service is immediately tied to the unit at the time of purchase (even though it doesn't kick in until after the current contract expires), or does the lifetime service get tied to the unit at the time the current contract expires. If the latter, then what you could do is purchase lifetime service on an S3 or THD now even though it is still under contract. Then, when the inevitable S4 comes out, transfer your current contract to the S4. My hope is that since the lifetime service doesn't kick in until the current contract expires, the lifetime service will end up being tied to the S4 and not the S3/THD. The advantage of doing this is that you get to lock in lifetime on an S4 at today's price (currently $299 with MSD).

I can already hear the complaints from the people who's lifetime kicked in just days before the S4 is released.

Considering the cost of on going service while waiting for the S4 can not be recovered and will likely cost nearly as much as lifetime, I think it's better to buy lifetime now and then again for the S4. A significant portion of the first lifetime cost can be recovered by selling the tivo which would likely reduce the total cost to less than your plan. But it depends on when that new Tivo hits shelves. Either way, it's a gamble.

[aaronwt]

Short answer - NO

Noone really knows what the future holds when it comes to Tivo selling lifetime service - probably depends on which way they can make more of a profit, selling monthly/yearly contracts, or lifetime service.

As for buying lifetime with time still left on your current contract - you could always pick up a used Tivo cheap and transfer the prepaid over to it, then you have two Tivo's to play with. Are they giving you the $299 price on the lifetime, or $399? If they want the $399, can you transfer the remaining prepaid to another unit, then get the $299 price on the original Tivo?

The price is $299 for the Lifetime. I have one S3 unit that I prepaid $299 and several units that pay monthly with a 3 year contract. All those units can purchase the Lifetime for $299, but the Lifetime service doesn't take effect until the end of the contract. If they have an S4 and some kind of transfer program, say for $200 like before. That would be $500 paid for getting the lifetime and transferring it to an S4. Even if it is $10 a month(I currently pay $6.95 for my monthly units) it would take over 4 years to equal that $500. If lifetime would have been available for the S3 in 2006 i would have been all over it. But now with 1.5 years left on my S3 contracts I'm not so sure I should get the Lifetime service. Especially if an S4 unit comes out in late 2009.
I guess I might hedge my bets and add lifetime to one unit, which would give me 3 units on Lifetime and 4 units on monthly or pre-paid.

[scandia101]

Any future lifetime transfer offer for new models is likely to resemble that last offer where the lifetime had to be purchased at least four years prior.

[mattack]

I don't think you can buy service on a Tivo you haven't purchased yet. S4 ?

Well, there are still Tivo Lifetime Gift cards on eBay. I don't remember the details, but those supposedly are good only until some certain date.. (Though I bet that that would not apply in California, since we have strict laws about things like gift cards expiring or having fees.. only in some circumstances, like when it's a multi-store card, can that happen.)

I'm sure glad I wasn't one of those who paid $600 back when they were going for a lot on eBay when lifetime first disappeared.. (Though I did end up paying a lot for my S3 with lifetime for the "one time only" lifetime transfer..)

[scandia101]

Tivo gift cards do not expire even if they have an expiration date. They changed their own rules on the matter quite a while ago.

[Emacee]

What a rip-off. When I received my SR3 a year and a half ago, no lifetime service was offered. I got the three year plan (which I am half-way through). Now Tivo offers a "lifetime" plan at the end of my three year plan - for $100 bucks more than they charge new customers. The lifetime of a three year old machine should be less than the lifetime of a new machine but the greedy SOBs at Tivo have a loyal-customers-be-damned attitude. When the three years is up I will be looking hard at the DVRs Verizon offers, and my Tivo will be on e-bay.

[rlcarr]

That's what I would do. Buying lifetime on a unit under contract is just throwing away whatever is left of the contract (assuming prepaid--postpaid is a different matter).

Yes, but.

You're correct that buying lifetime is throwing away whatever is left of the pre-paid contract. However, if you wait until the pre-paid contract expires, lifetime might not be an option at that time (or might be significantly more expensive).

[rlcarr]

Also, they don't charge you until the actual plan kicks in. So if you have (say) 15 months left on a 3-year prepay and "buy" lifetime now, you don't actually get charged the $299/$399 until 15 months from now. So in that sense you're not throwing away anything, since when the prepay expires you have to have some sort of service to keep the TiVo active.

Of course, there's always the question of whether or not you should lifetime something that's already three years old...

[scandia101]

Now Tivo offers a "lifetime" plan at the end of my three year plan - for $100 bucks more than they charge new customers.

$499 for lifetime? I don't think so.

Existing customer MSD rate $299
New customer rate $399

[scottr29]

$499 for lifetime? I don't think so.

Existing customer MSD rate $299
New customer rate $399

i've been paying the monthly $12.95 rate (like a sucker) for a while now. when i go to upgrade to lifetime it gives me the $399 rate. should i be seeing the $299 rate as i am an existing customer?

[classicsat]

If you are adding a box, or upgrading other than your primary box, yes.

If you are upgrading your first or only box, no.

[gastrof]

...When the three years is up I will be looking hard at the DVRs Verizon offers, and my Tivo will be on e-bay.

And I'm sure that, compared to a TiVo, the Verizon DVRs of the time will be as "appealing" as present ones are now compared to a present TiVo.

Don't let the TiVo Guy's antennas hit'cha on your way out the door! :D

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/4679/twavexx3.gif

[sethjvm]

What a rip-off. When I received my SR3 a year and a half ago, no lifetime service was offered. I got the three year plan (which I am half-way through). Now Tivo offers a "lifetime" plan at the end of my three year plan - for $100 bucks more than they charge new customers. The lifetime of a three year old machine should be less than the lifetime of a new machine but the greedy SOBs at Tivo have a loyal-customers-be-damned attitude. When the three years is up I will be looking hard at the DVRs Verizon offers, and my Tivo will be on e-bay.

I did the same thing and I am not happy with the Tivo is handling this. When my three year prepaid is up I will be going with a HTPC. I realize that there will be challenges with a HTPC but I am willing to take that risk.

[mattack]

Note they are now advertizing that lifetime is available -- e.g. in the weekly Best Buy circulars.

[Unix_Beard]

My TivoHD is $6.95 a month as it's my 3rd Tivo. They didn't offer lifetime at the time. I will be buying a new TivoHD with lifetime but I'll ride out this $6.95 a month.

[Unix_Beard]

And I'm sure that, compared to a TiVo, the Verizon DVRs of the time will be as "appealing" as present ones are now compared to a present TiVo.

Don't let the TiVo Guy's antennas hit'cha on your way out the door! :D


Tivo's pricing changes are annoying but really, there is no comparison to other DVRs.

[antalo]

Tivo's pricing changes are annoying but really, there is no comparison to other DVRs.

Tivo is offering a 649080 Tivo for $ 50.- and lifetime for $ 300.- if you are a current customer. When I was trying to buy one onlne, the order would no process so I called Tio. The rep told me I can not get the lifetime for 300.-, I have to pay $400.- because I already got $100.- off forthe box. The gu would not believe me, so I said goodbye to him. Eventualy I got thru and ordered the refurbished Tivo. I already have it here. No shipping charges, except sales tax (Texas) The refurb wireless adaptor wa or is around $35.-
The whole thing cost with tax around $400.-

If you are current customer you can get lifetime for $300.- Service transfers are a little confusing, but I can't do it. You have to read it.

I have a little problem with the box. I can't get the wireless to work.
antalo