reliability, and the necessity of out-of-warranty repair

[jeffw_00]

Ok - I've been out of this for years (still have my SERIES -1, thinking of buying a HD-Tivo).

From the forums I'm getting the sense that, disk-drives aside, these things are getting pretty darn reliable (had to exchange my original one from 9/2000 twice). And that's a good thing.

Question though - am I correct that TiVo still
- WILL transfer your lifetime to a different unit if a repair facility decided that replacement was appropriate
- Won't transfer your lifetime if your unit dies in 6 months and you decide to buy a new one rather than repair.

If so, - where does one get them repaired? I think BB/CC require you to buy from them (and buy the expensive extended warranty). I read that TiVo won't touch it if you upgraded. I asked 9thTee about out-of-warranty repair and they said they don't really do it (no demand).

So, if I buy one, wait a few months, buy lifetime, and a few months later the unit dies, am I out-of-luck?

If I buy from a mail-order place (like amazon), should I buy one of those garbage extended warranties just so i have SOME recourse?

I know it's unlikely, but I like to understand my options.

Thanks VERY much
/j

[ZeoTiVo]

upgrade of hard drive seems to be slowly evolving to one of hurting warranty, though in most cases replacing the hard drive again fixes the unit without even talking to TiVo ;)

in general if you are in warranty situation then either you take it to store you bought from, if they honor warranty or you deal with TiVo directly in order to get transfer of lifetime done as part of repair.

extended warranties simply mark a longer time period the fix will be done for you and have no bearing on the above save for the timeline being extended

[jeffw_00]

Thank You ZeoTiVo - but apparently I phrased my question poorly.

If I buy mail-order, and don't buy an extended warranty, and am out of warranty period, and need to do a repair (even if it amounts to a replacement, so I can keep my Lifetime service),

Where do I send it? or am I out of luck?
/j

[unclemoosh]

Where do I send it? or am I out of luck?
/j

CCS Corporation (http://www.ccscorporation.net/)

[techieunite]

Below is all of the instances in which I believe Tivo would transfer lifetime service.

There are other "RARE" exceptions, but the below list pretty much covers anything that might occur.
1) If you have a tivo under warranty and Tivo send you a new box, they transfer the lifetime service.
2) If you bought a tivo from a retailer and have the store extended warranty, when you get the replacement, you contact Tivo and they transfer the lifetime service. You may need to provide written receipts showing this although I didn't when I had to transfer service
3) If your unit fails outside of warranty terms and you PAY Tivo to replace it. I've heard of prices typically around $149, plus they put a hold on your credit card. I've heard of lower replacement costs, but $149 is not a terrible price and is less than the retail replacement costs of any Tivo that is currently sold today.
4) If you purchased a Tivo from a upgrade company, like weeknees, you can typically get them to repair or replace it under their warranty terms. Tivo will then transfer service.
5) Tivo offers a promo, where as you can transfer lifetime service for a fee that you pay them. They have done this in the past. $199 to transfer service, then they put a free year on your old box. After a year, you pay monthly or yearly for the box that used to have lifetime if you don't cancel it.

Tivo doesn't want you to know that you can transfer lifetime service at all. I've read on this forum many a time, that people call in, and Tivo tells them to buy a new tivo at retail and then buy lifetime again. Often this ends up being $549 for a Series 2 DT or $648 for a Tivo HD assuming $399 for lifetime and $149 for a Tivo Series 2 DT or $249 for a Tivo HD.

I guess it depends, but I think that $149 for a replacement and a "free" transfer of lifetime service is pretty good.

Did I miss any specific situation in which they transfer lifetime service?

[ah30k]

the grandfather transfer:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=3821827#post3821827

[ZeoTiVo]

Techie Unite ahs the details and the general answer is you talk to TiVo for out of warranty repair that needs a lifetime transfer.

PS CCS is strictly in the business of satellite receiver/DVR repair - they do not do stand alone TiVo repairs.

some gray market companies will do the lifetime swap as well by moving chips around but I have no direct info on any of them.

[lew]

The most common problem is a bad hard drive. Upgraders handle that repair. The next most common problem is a bad power supply. Those are available on ebay and aren't hard to install.


There are places that repair tivos. Otherwise tivo might transfer LS to a replacement unit.

[ah30k]

the grandfather transfer:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=3821827#post3821827BTW, a little off-topic, but, I still have an old Philips S1 under the grandfather clause. That thing just refuses to die! Actually, replaced the hard-drive once but other than that, power supply and modem are still chugging along just fine. The DST update last year caused a little bit of worry, but all worked out well.

[unclemoosh]

PS CCS is strictly in the business of satellite receiver/DVR repair - they do not do stand alone TiVo repairs.

See this link http://www.ccscorporation.net/terms.htm

Scroll down to here:

"PVR Repair: (*Test Only fee $35)

TiVo - Now just $100"

[lew]

PS CCS is strictly in the business of satellite receiver/DVR repair - they do not do stand alone TiVo repairs.



Lou (DVRupgrade) http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=6952074#post6952074 suggested CCS to a poster who was in need of a repair on a TivoHD. I assumed that Lou uses them for the occasional unit that needs a "real" repair. CCS's website says they repair tivo and PVRs. I don't doubt your information. I'm not sure if Lou's information isn't current or if they don't do tivo repairs for the general public.

edited to add
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=6990605#post6990605

Sounds like CCS will fix a stand alone tivos. A good solution for upgraded units that tivo won't fix. Also an option for upraded tivos that want to get their own unit fixed so their existing recordings will play. You'll have to do a clear and delete if you install your current (upgraded) drive in a replacement unit. A few exceptions for units that are hacked.

[jeffw_00]

3) If your unit fails outside of warranty terms and you PAY Tivo to replace it. I've heard of prices typically around $149, plus they put a hold on your credit card. I've heard of lower replacement costs, but $149 is not a terrible price and is less than the retail replacement costs of any Tivo that is currently sold today.

Thanks - but I thought TiVo didn't touch upgraded units.

I'm ok replacing HD or Power supply myself. it's the fear of a bad mainboard that keeps me up.

I wonder - if i bought a refurbished TiVo and swapped the board, whether TiVo would treat it as a 'repair' 8-}


STILL - The CCS option gives me peace of mind - $100 to repair anything, and TiVo should honor the transfer, yes?
/j

[ZeoTiVo]

Sounds like CCS will fix a stand alone tivos.

OK - the page linked from the post you point to says
"CCS has fulfilled over 132, 000 Repairs Orders on Direct TV products. We repair Satellite Receivers, all types and models. " and never,ever mentions stand alones but hey If I had a broken Standalone I would call them and certainly ask. :)

[jeffw_00]

IS CCS the only non-tivo game in town?

[ZeoTiVo]

STILL - The CCS option gives me peace of mind - $100 to repair anything, and TiVo should honor the transfer, yes?
/j



PSST - what these guys are good at is pulling the chip that holds the TSN off one board and putting it on another of the same model. Thus the lifetime goes with the repair. No theft involved since it is still just one lifetime

[scandia101]

IS CCS the only non-tivo game in town?

http://digitalrecorder.com/

[lew]

OK - the page linked from the post you point to says
"CCS has fulfilled over 132, 000 Repairs Orders on Direct TV products. We repair Satellite Receivers, all types and models. " and never,ever mentions stand alones but hey If I had a broken Standalone I would call them and certainly ask. :)

That was another poster. I linked to the posts from Lou (DVRUpgrade who said CCS repairs TivoHDs and that he'd worked with them for years.

I agree their website looks like it hasn't been upgraded in years.
IS CCS the only non-tivo game in town?

There probably isn't a big market to repair out of warranty tivos. There may be another vendor but Lou suggests CCS so I suspect they do a good job.

[jeffw_00]

gracias - So when Tivo says "aha, you upgraded, we won't fix it", seems like there are at least 2 ( maybe more?) options to let me say "ok, I'll take my repair $ elsewhere".

hooray for capitalism 8-}

[classicsat]

I wonder - if i bought a refurbished TiVo and swapped the board, whether TiVo would treat it as a 'repair' 8-}

Without moving the crypto chip over, no, since the unit's identity lives in the crypto chip. TiVo would consider the TiVo the refurb you bought. Oe it has to be serviced by an authorized repair facility.

[ZeoTiVo]

There probably isn't a big market to repair out of warranty tivos. There may be another vendor but Lou suggests CCS so I suspect they do a good job.
yes, Lou did indeed suggest CCS so that would speak highly to me as that poster has been in TiVo hardware repair/work for a long time.
Moving the chip takes some mad solder skillz so you want someone with a track record.

[jeffw_00]

So CCS tells me they -do- repair standalone TiVos.

And in another post, I'm told that if your TiVo dies, and you replace it with the exact same model, you can transfer your Lifetime yourself on their Website???
/j

[fallingwater]

CCS is definitely worth looking into!
http://www.ccscorporation.net/aboutccs.htm

---

There is a direct link on TiVo's website to a Philips TiVo out-of-warranty repair site:
http://www.tivo.com/abouttivo/contactus/phonesupport.html
http://www.servicedvr.com

I contacted S2G regarding a grandfather transfer eligible S1 and found them unusual in a way that doesn't inspire confidence. As an example they use a TiVo - Out Of Warranty Service Request webpage from NetSuite Services (http://www.netsuite.com/portal/home.shtml) which has a dropdown menu requesting a pre-authorized repair amount ranging from $50 to $3000 for Diagnostic and Shipping Only. (A person requesting service must Register and Log-In before accessing the page: http://system.s2gstore.com/site/TiVo/oowtivorepair.htm;jsessionid=0a0104451f43cc570fb7d3fd4523859 3d6a3ffef8f2c.e3eSbNmQaheLe3aMb40)

I'm surprised that TiVo provides a direct link to this site. Could it be they did so without fully checking the company out?

[lafos]

So CCS tells me they -do- repair standalone TiVos.

And in another post, I'm told that if your TiVo dies, and you replace it with the exact same model, you can transfer your Lifetime yourself on their Website???
/j

No. You can transfer a monthly or a 1/3 year service on the web site, but NOT lifetime. If you replace the TiVo through TiVo, they will transfer the lifetime (at least they did for me a couple years back).

[fallingwater]

There is a direct link on TiVo's website to a Philips TiVo out-of-warranty repair site:
http://www.tivo.com/abouttivo/contactus/phonesupport.html
http://www.servicedvr.com

I contacted S2G regarding a grandfather transfer eligible S1 and found them unusual in a way that doesn't inspire confidence. As an example they use a TiVo - Out Of Warranty Service Request webpage from NetSuite Services (http://www.netsuite.com/portal/home.shtml) which has a dropdown menu requesting a pre-authorized repair amount ranging from $50 to $3000 for Diagnostic and Shipping Only. (A person requesting service must Register and Log-In before accessing the page: http://system.s2gstore.com/site/TiVo/oowtivorepair.htm;jsessionid=0a0104451f43cc570fb7d3fd4523859 3d6a3ffef8f2c.e3eSbNmQaheLe3aMb40)

I'm surprised that TiVo provides a direct link to this site. Could it be they did so without fully checking the company out?

Before authorizing anything on a credit card I called S2G to verify their pricing and whether they received the message I had included with the service request giving complete details, asking if they would return the HDD's and bracket. Their rep stated that my message hadn't been read until I asked about it and because it was Friday afternoon I probably wouldn't receive a followup call until Monday (yesterday).

I haven't heard from S2G yet, and don't really expect to. I'll post if I do hear from them.