New TiVo HD: Buy Lifetime Before or after Cablecard Install?

[Ladd Morse]

The Comcast technician arrives tomorrow morning to do the Cablecard install (I'm crossing my fingers that it goes well).

Any advantage or disadvantage to purchasing Lifetime on the TiVo HD prior to the Cablecard install?


Additional info that may or may not be relevant:

TiVo HD acquired last Sunday, so still getting free one week guide info.

Connected to roof antenna and Comcast digital cable service (no premiums).

Comcast Motorola HD DVR already installed.

[mr.unnatural]

It makes absolutely no difference when you actually purchase the Tivo service. However, you might want to wait until they get the cablecards up and running before you take the plunge. If you're one of those unfortunate souls that can't get their Tivo working with cablecards (it's rare but it does happen, although it's usually a problem with the cableco installers or cablecards and not the Tivo) then you might want to hold off until you're sure it works before getting locked into a commitment you can't back out of.

[rainwater]

You should connect the TiVo to your network/phone line and let it run. Then force several connections to get the software update and reboot. It will be much more responsive this way and it will get the software update that will make it less likely to have reboots/problems during cablecard install.

[Ladd Morse]

Thanks for the advice; I think I'm already there.

I've had the new TiVo HD hooked up since Sunday afternoon and received the upgrade to the latest software on Tuesday. It was 8.x and is now 9.x (I don't recall the exact numbers).

I've run guided setup for "antenna and cable" and in the "channels I receive" screen, there are asterisks next the digital channels so I'm guessing that tells me that I'm supposed to get those channels but won't until they can be decoded properly via cablecard.

My cablecard installation appointment is tomorrow morning; hopefully I'll get a technician who will correctly know what he's doing or at least listen to me saying "read these instructions and follow them, please". :)

[RonDawg]

then you might want to hold off until you're sure it works before getting locked into a commitment you can't back out of.

You can back out within the first 30 days and get a full refund, or change your subscription plan (which includes upgrading to Lifetime).

[Ladd Morse]

You can back out within the first 30 days and get a full refund, or change your subscription plan (which includes upgrading to Lifetime).You can back out of what? A monthly plan?

[RonDawg]

You can back out of what? A monthly plan?

Yes. Within the first 30 days of subscribing, you can change your mind, and either cancel your subscription, or change it to something else such as upgrading to Lifetime.

https://www3.tivo.com/buytivo/popups/windowpopup-30daymoneybackguarantee.html

[Ladd Morse]

The installer left a few minutes ago and the entire installation/configuration process took less than 10 minutes. Everything appears to working properly. What a relief!