Buying a lifetime subscription from someone...

[miker1999]

Hi,
I am a newbie to the world of TiVo, I just had my one year anniversary. So, I am now about to renew. I currently have a Series 2 dual tuner DVR. I am looking for another unit for my daughters play room, so nothing fancy. I just saw an ad on Craig's list for someone selling their Series 2 TiVo with lifetime subscription. If I were to purchase this, would the lifetime subscription work for both of my TiVo's? How does this work, I am a little hazy. The price was $200 for the unit and lifetime subscription. Is that a good price?

Thanks for the advice.
Mike

[ciper]

The subscription for each of the units is separate, they won't effect each other.

Get the service number and call Tivo to verify the account is Lifetime and that you would be able to transfer it to your account. Once you have the unit in hand call back and have them move it to your account.

I ask you to call before buying it because there are some shady people who have transferred the lifetime service to a new unit and left the original one unplugged from the phone so that it will still show lifetime. Then once you clear everything and connect it to Tivo the status changes to having no service.

[dvsweeper]

I just talked to TiVo about the transferring a box with a lifetime subscription. Here is how it works.
The subscription belongs to the box not the owner, it can't be transferred to another box but the box can be transferred to another owner. TiVo does not make this easy. If you call TiVo with the service number to a box that is not in your name they won't tell you anything. to transfer the ownership of a box the procedure they require is the original owner and the new owner must be on the phone at the same time. FYI if your lifetime box has a hard drive go bad you can replace the hard drive without effecting the subscription. I would suggest having the existing owner transfer the ownership of the box to you before you pay them or take possession of the box. Once you have the ownership of the box confirmed through TiVo you can then pick up the box and pay the previous owner. I would also suggest having the existing owner show you the box is in working order. You can also purchase a used lifetime box on EBay. I posted an ad on Craig's List asking for broken TiVo's and I have picked up some free lifetime boxes that were broken. I just replaced the hard drive and the box worked fine. Problem was I did not know the transfer process until now. Now I have a great working box I just can transfer shows to my other boxes.
http://www.tivo.com/setupandsupport/customerservice/activateortransferservice/How_Do_I_Transfer_My_TiVo_Service_to_a_New_DVR_.html

[scandia101]

I just talked to TiVo about the transferring a box with a lifetime subscription...
...original owner and the new owner must be on the phone at the same time. FYI if your lifetime box has a hard drive go bad you can replace the hard drive without effecting the subscription. I would suggest having the existing owner transfer the ownership of the box to you before you pay them or take possession of the box. Once you have the ownership of the box confirmed through TiVo you can then pick up the box and pay the previous owner.

TiVo needs nothing more than the TSN of the unit being transferred.

[matt@thehickmans]

The subscription for each of the units is separate, they won't effect each other.
.

If you have one lifetime subscription, you can get the multi-service discount for the second TiVo.

However, since series 2 TiVos are near that product's end-of-life, I would think twice before investing in a lifetime subscription for one.

[ciper]

There will always be exceptions but the rules at Tivo say that the current registered owner must transfer the unit to your account. You can get around this rule with various forms of social engineering but I won't detail those methods in this thread.

I know this because I have purchased a couple Tivo's from the GoodWill (thrift stores) and had to transfer it without any knowledge of the previous owner.

[scandia101]

I know this because I have purchased a couple Tivo's from the GoodWill (thrift stores) and had to transfer it without any knowledge of the previous owner.

Exactly. They don't need anything other than the TSN.

[ciper]

Exactly. They don't need anything other than the TSN.
They may only need the TSN but they require information only the previous owner can give (or you trick them into telling you).

[barbeedoll]

I have purchased two Series 3 TiVos with Lifetime Subscriptions on eBay. The owner sent me his name, address and phone. I was able to get each transferred over the phone.

I had the unit in my possession for the Serial No., etc.

I paid through PayPal, which meant I was protected on my purchase is something fishy went down -- but had great experiences with both.

Barbeedoll

[dvsweeper]

I must have had a jerk on the line from Tivo, I will call back and try again.

[lew]

I have purchased two Series 3 TiVos with Lifetime Subscriptions on eBay. The owner sent me his name, address and phone. I was able to get each transferred over the phone.

I had the unit in my possession for the Serial No., etc.

I paid through PayPal, which meant I was protected on my purchase is something fishy went down -- but had great experiences with both.

Barbeedoll

PayPal protection only applies to a physical product, it doesn't apply to service.

[Mindflux]

PayPal protection only applies to a physical product, it doesn't apply to service.

True, but if the unit didn't work as described (ie lifetime service attached to it).. I'm sure you could say it 'doesn't work as advertised'. Which isn't a stretch of the truth, IMHO.

[lessd]

They may only need the TSN but they require information only the previous owner can give (or you trick them into telling you).

If you purchase a Lifetime Service TiVo from someone than set up the TiVo using your ZIP code, you than can call TiVo and they will xfer the TiVo to your name without asking the name it was in before, you do have to ask the CSR to look at the new ZIP code the unit is now using and most will not need any more information than that, of course if you purchase from someone IN your ZIP my scenario goes out the window, but i would suspect that does not happen to often between strangers.

As far as getting the TSN before you purchase (and than call TiVo to confirm), a useless exercise because if the seller intends to fool you the seller would just give you the TSN of a TiVo that did have lifetime Service on it and just send you a different TiVo, using E-Bay the feedback and other E-Bay ratings is the best way to find an honest seller, on Craigslist, meet the other person in a parking lot (or anyplace that is convenient) take the TSN off the TiVo and using your cell phone call TiVo before paying.

[stephen007]

Is there any point to transferring the subscription into the new person's name? I just sold my original TiVo to my brother. I never bothered to let TiVo know because I didn't see the point.

[dvsweeper]

One reason you would need to transfer it would be to network it with other Tivo's in the same house so you could transfer shows.

[ciper]

As far as getting the TSN before you purchase (and than call TiVo to confirm), a useless exercise because if the seller intends to fool you the seller would just give you the TSN of a TiVo that did have lifetime Service on it and just send you a different TiVo
Sure they could tell you the wrong TSN but it would be immediately obvious from physical appearance.

Is there any point to transferring the subscription into the new person's name?
The new owner can't schedule recordings from the website unless its under their account

[lessd]

Sure they could tell you the wrong TSN but it would be immediately obvious from physical appearance.


What physical appearance would you be referring to ?? A dishonest seller is not going to give you a TSN from a Series 1 if he is selling a Series 2 unless the seller is real dumb. If the seller was say selling a Series 2 with the night light he would give you a 540 TSN that had lifetime service on it, and send you a 540 that did not have lifetime service on it, they both appear the same in a picture or physical appearance.

[ciper]

they both appear the same in a picture or physical appearance.
The TSN is clearly marked on the back of the unit. A picture or a physical inspection would quickly verify it.

Now before you say it, sure he could have swapped motherboards... :p

[icu_nxtime]

Believe me I know this first hand. They definately will not help you for service on a box if it is not there. I have pages of documentation that went nowhere.

Luckily mine wasn't lifetime just said that service was paid up for the remaining 10 months of a year and it was not !!!

Paypal is the worst company to protect you. Use your credit cards for the best protection from fraud.

[barbeedoll]

My PayPal account IS attached to my credit card. Double protection.

But sorry you had such a bad experience. It's very time consuming to pursue an issue where you know you are in the right and then still come up empty-handed.

Barbeedoll

[gastrof]

...series 2 TiVos are near that product's end-of-life...

That's not true. Series 2 machines will continue to work with cable boxes for years to come, and have been upgraded to work with OTA digital TV tuners as well.

[gastrof]

Is there any point to transferring the subscription into the new person's name? I just sold my original TiVo to my brother. I never bothered to let TiVo know because I didn't see the point.

If the TiVo is in the original owner's name they COULD, under certain conditions, transfer the Lifetime off the box onto a different one they have (a new one they've just bought, maybe).

It's happened. People have bought Lifetime boxes on eBay, and after having them a short time found the Lifetime status had vanished. TiVo said the original owner transferred it. If I remember correctly, in at least one case it even happened AFTER the box was in the new owners name, so obviously LEAVING it in the original owner's name is NOT a good idea.

[dvsweeper]

If the TiVo is in the original owner's name they COULD, under certain conditions, transfer the Lifetime off the box onto a different one they have (a new one they've just bought, maybe).

It's happened. People have bought Lifetime boxes on eBay, and after having them a short time found the Lifetime status had vanished. TiVo said the original owner transferred it. If I remember correctly, in at least one case it even happened AFTER the box was in the new owners name, so obviously LEAVING it in the original owner's name is NOT a good idea.


I belive you are mistaken
According to the Tivo Website
"Only Product Lifetime Service can be transferred to a new owner. If you want to give a TiVo DVR with any other service plan to a new owner, you first must cancel or transfer your service to a different DVR so that the new owner can create their own account.

NOTE: You can transfer Product Lifetime Service because it belongs to the DVR, not the owner. To transfer Product Lifetime Service, contact TiVo Customer Support."

http://www.tivo.com/setupandsupport/customerservice/activateortransferservice/Can_I_Transfer_my_TiVo_Service_to_a_new_owner_Generic.html

[ciper]

I belive you are mistaken
Who are you referring to?

[dvsweeper]

here is an update...I called TiVo a second time and they moved the box with the lifetime subscription to my account without even asking any questions about the previous owner. The first call must have been a fluke

[Mike500]

That's not true. Series 2 machines will continue to work with cable boxes for years to come, and have been upgraded to work with OTA digital TV tuners as well.


Totally agree..........

They work perfectly with standard definition satellite with, now, Digital OTA TV, when used with a DTV conveter box.

SD satellite will not be converted to HD only for many years to come.

There are so many millions of SD satellite receivers in the installed base out there in the field.

[scandia101]

They may only need the TSN but they require information only the previous owner can give (or you trick them into telling you).
:rolleyes:
FYI "Need" and "require" mean the same thing.

They only require the TSN but they need information...
They only need the TSN but they need information...
They only require the TSN but they require information...

here is an update...I called TiVo a second time and they moved the box with the lifetime subscription to my account without even asking any questions about the previous owner. The first call must have been a fluke

Yep, just like I stated several times in this thread:
TiVo needs nothing more than the TSN of the unit being transferred.

[ciper]

:rolleyes:
FYI "Need" and "require" mean the same thing.

Yep, just like I stated several times in this thread:
TiVo needs nothing more than the TSN of the unit being transferred.


Need means it cannot happen without the TSN. Require means they have a rule in place that prevents transfers without information from or about the previous owner. They may be similar but they do have different meanings.

TiVo has a rule in place that information from, or about, the current registered owner and the TSN is necessary for transfers. Any other experience was simply the support person breaking the rules.

[gastrof]

Totally agree..........

They work perfectly with standard definition satellite with, now, Digital OTA TV, when used with a DTV conveter box.

SD satellite will not be converted to HD only for many years to come.

There are so many millions of SD satellite receivers in the installed base out there in the field.

Gotta disagree again.

I don't know of any satellite box that will feed picture and sound only into an HD television. Too many people have older sets.

They can output a SD version of the HD channel, and a stand-alone TiVo can record that. TiVos will continue to record from cable and satellite boxes as long as such boxes are made to work with older TVs.

[scandia101]

Need means it cannot happen without the TSN. Require means they have a rule in place that prevents transfers without information from or about the previous owner. They may be similar but they do have different meanings.

When you say "They only need the TSN...", (and you did) you are saying that nothing more is needed, but then you go on to say that more is needed. "...but they require information only the previous owner can give (or you trick them into telling you)." Makes no sense.


TiVo has a rule in place that information from, or about, the current registered owner and the TSN is necessary for transfers. Any other experience was simply the support person breaking the rules.

So, i.e., They want more but when it comes right down to it, they don't need anything because it can be done with nothing more than the TSN - I believe that's been my point the whole time.

[lessd]

Need means it cannot happen without the TSN. Require means they have a rule in place that prevents transfers without information from or about the previous owner. They may be similar but they do have different meanings.

TiVo has a rule in place that information from, or about, the current registered owner and the TSN is necessary for transfers. Any other experience was simply the support person breaking the rules.

Not so! All the new owner needs to do is set up the TiVo using his ZIP before calling TiVo, and call that fact out to the CSR if the CSR does not know to look at the ZIP the TiVo is calling in on in the first place, the exception being if the other party is in your ZIP and you don't know them, not a big problem I would guess.

[scandia101]

He won't get it until he learns that official policy and standard practice are quite often two very different things.

[lessd]

He won't get it until he learns that official policy and standard practice are quite often two very different things.

Who is the "he" you are referring to ?