$99 lifetime offer

[mstenzel]

Originally Posted by nycityuser

You should be able to just go to your account online and change the TSN (TiVo service number) from your old broken box to the newly acquired box. Then you can call in and ask for the $99 PLS. Your account will still show the same duration of service as you currently have so this should work OK.

I have also found that if the first person you talk to doesn't do what you want then you thank them, hang up and call back another time to talk to someone else. Different folks give different answers.

That's my hope, but I worry that the offer is tied to the specific box and not the service history.
Assuming it would work, Do you have any idea if that would also work if a Premiere was my new box?

[steve614]

AFAIK, the Premiere is not available for a TSN swap online. You'll have to stick with a TivoHD if you do it that way.
If you were to buy a Premiere from TiVo @ full price, they might be willing to transfer your $6.95 plan over to it. You just have to call and ask.

Otherwise, you might as well try to get your TivoHD running. If you buy another one, there's no telling how "used" it is, and you might find yourself having to repair that one sooner rather than later.

[mstenzel]

Originally Posted by steve614

AFAIK, the Premiere is not available for a TSN swap online. You'll have to stick with a TivoHD if you do it that way.
If you were to buy a Premiere from TiVo @ full price, they might be willing to transfer your $6.95 plan over to it. You just have to call and ask.

Otherwise, you might as well try to get your TivoHD running. If you buy another one, there's no telling how "used" it is, and you might find yourself having to repair that one sooner rather than later.

You are correct on the Premier. Spoke with CSR today and was told that one cannot move up into a different generation of unit.

Re: the TSN swap and the PLS offer. I must do the swap before I go Lifetime. So I'm stuck with two choices:

1. fix the power supply on my own box, then take the PLS offer, or
2. test out the used TiVo HD that I will buy, deem it fine, transer the TSN, then take the PLS offer.

If either unit fully dies after that, then I'm stuck as there are no transfers post-PLS. Obviously easier for me to not have to cannibalize the power supply from the "new" unit and just use it. But as you said, I can't really know how used something is. I did have a TCF member PM me with an sale offer, so I suppose that lends a bit of credibility to a seller. Decisions, decisions.

[unitron]

Originally Posted by mstenzel

You are correct on the Premier. Spoke with CSR today and was told that one cannot move up into a different generation of unit.

Re: the TSN swap and the PLS offer. I must do the swap before I go Lifetime. So I'm stuck with two choices:

1. fix the power supply on my own box, then take the PLS offer, or
2. test out the used TiVo HD that I will buy, deem it fine, transer the TSN, then take the PLS offer.

If either unit fully dies after that, then I'm stuck as there are no transfers post-PLS. Obviously easier for me to not have to cannibalize the power supply from the "new" unit and just use it. But as you said, I can't really know how used something is. I did have a TCF member PM me with an sale offer, so I suppose that lends a bit of credibility to a seller. Decisions, decisions.

What did they offer to sell, and how much were they asking?

[mstenzel]

Originally Posted by unitron

What did they offer to sell, and how much were they asking?

Unused TiVo HD for $50.

[nycityuser]

Originally Posted by mstenzel

Unused TiVo HD for $50.

Wow, that sounds pretty enticing. $50 for an unused machine and $99 for PLS. That's $149 for unlimited years of TiVo service.

As an aside, I have a TiVo Premiere at a 2nd home but use TiVo HDs at my main place. I don't find any advantage for myself with the Premiere. Perhaps if I had more than one Premiere I would find the streaming of multi-room transfers to be useful, particularly as some networks get copyright protected. Yes, some services are only available with a Premiere. But most of what I use TiVo for (recording shows and some VOD content) can be done with an HD.

[unitron]

Originally Posted by mstenzel

Unused TiVo HD for $50.

That's a fair price, although a local one that you can see works and not have to pay shipping on at that price would be better.

The post office is under orders to push the most expensive shipping options, so you, or whoever's doing the shipping, needs to specifically ask to find out the lowest rates.


You're the guy who accidentally fried his power supply, right?

See if the seller is eligible to get lifetime for $99 on that box before they sell it.

They (TiVo) aren't going to offer it to you once it's changed hands.

If you get it, you can move the power supply and the not yet set up hard drive to your unit and make sure your motherboard works okay, and then look into getting the power supply fixed.

[mstenzel]

Originally Posted by unitron

That's a fair price, although a local one that you can see works and not have to pay shipping on at that price would be better.

The post office is under orders to push the most expensive shipping options, so you, or whoever's doing the shipping, needs to specifically ask to find out the lowest rates.


You're the guy who accidentally fried his power supply, right?

See if the seller is eligible to get lifetime for $99 on that box before they sell it.

They (TiVo) aren't going to offer it to you once it's changed hands.

If you get it, you can move the power supply and the not yet set up hard drive to your unit and make sure your motherboard works okay, and then look into getting the power supply fixed.

I am the power supply frier. The TCFer who offered it to me actually was relatively local and we pulled off the deal today. Nice fella. I pulled his power supply and put it in mine. Everything seems good. So I guess that means that my power issue did not affect my motherboard, right? That's a go/no go issue, I assume.

That being said, I still have a choice. Tivo will let me transfer TSN to the new box, then get the $99 PLS. Or I can just get the $99 on my current box. The owner of the box I just bought told me it was just sitting around as a spare that he kept if he ever needed parts. He didn't need any parts, so it's all original stock. So, perhaps it's been used less than mine and has more life in it, if that makes sense. (I guess I should ask him if he bought it used, in which case, who knows how much it was used.) That being said, is a mobo that has been used more than another more likely to go bad?

That's an interesting idea re: him getting PLS. I doubt he would be eligible for that since he doesn't have a Premiere. Plus, it wasn't under contract -- I'll ask though.

Now that the power supply is fixed, I'm back to my original problem of having MFScopied shows appear in the NPL, but not be able to play. I don't think I'll go the MFSLive route. I did wonder if I could pull those shows to my computer and then push them back, pyTivo-style. Perhaps the damage would affect playback at original location, but would allow transfers. Prolly not, but worth a shot, no?

Thanks again for your help.

[unitron]

Originally Posted by mstenzel

I am the power supply frier. The TCFer who offered it to me actually was relatively local and we pulled off the deal today. Nice fella. I pulled his power supply and put it in mine. Everything seems good. So I guess that means that my power issue did not affect my motherboard, right? That's a go/no go issue, I assume.

That being said, I still have a choice. Tivo will let me transfer TSN to the new box, then get the $99 PLS. Or I can just get the $99 on my current box. The owner of the box I just bought told me it was just sitting around as a spare that he kept if he ever needed parts. He didn't need any parts, so it's all original stock. So, perhaps it's been used less than mine and has more life in it, if that makes sense. (I guess I should ask him if he bought it used, in which case, who knows how much it was used.) That being said, is a mobo that has been used more than another more likely to go bad?

That's an interesting idea re: him getting PLS. I doubt he would be eligible for that since he doesn't have a Premiere. Plus, it wasn't under contract -- I'll ask though.

Now that the power supply is fixed, I'm back to my original problem of having MFScopied shows appear in the NPL, but not be able to play. I don't think I'll go the MFSLive route. I did wonder if I could pull those shows to my computer and then push them back, pyTivo-style. Perhaps the damage would affect playback at original location, but would allow transfers. Prolly not, but worth a shot, no?

Thanks again for your help.

There may be something long and complicated you can try to rescue those recordings.

What you need to do is go to the help forum and start a new thread laying out your story so far, so that it's all in one place, and we can go from there.

[Scottie99]

So I called to cancel my TiVo HD service as I have a Premiere.

I was given the option of $99 lifetime on the HD instead of canceling - as I have only one TV in the house I saw no need but the customer service rep offered to put the HD on hold and keep the $99 until the end of the month.

Would people say its worth grabbing this offer just to be able to sell the HD TiVo? Does service transfer?

[~kyle]

Originally Posted by Scottie99

Would people say its worth grabbing this offer just to be able to sell the HD TiVo? Does service transfer?

Definitely, I would.

and the lifetime service would transfer to the new owner (it stays with the box).

[unitron]

Originally Posted by Scottie99

So I called to cancel my TiVo HD service as I have a Premiere.

I was given the option of $99 lifetime on the HD instead of canceling - as I have only one TV in the house I saw no need but the customer service rep offered to put the HD on hold and keep the $99 until the end of the month.

Would people say its worth grabbing this offer just to be able to sell the HD TiVo? Does service transfer?

The lifetime sub is attached to the machine, not the current owner, so whoever owns it has a lifetimed unit.

The resale value without a sub is about $50.

Someone buying it from you would have to pay another $500 for lifetime if that's their only TiVo.

[NJChris]

So I called to cancel all 3 of my tivos (i only use 1 now) and get an premiere 4.

They offered me the 99 on my Tivo HD and said if i get the XL4 I could keep my 6.95 monthly fee on a second tivo. I'd have to pay full price for xl4 (499). I wasnt sure so they gave me 2 free months on my current tivos to give me time to decide. (the they couldnt guarantee the offer for that long)

My sister would buy my Tivo HD for $150 so that would knock $50 off th xl4 purchase plus the 2 month free on my boxes would save me another 50-60 $... so it would bring it down to 390-400. I'd make up the money in the apparent saving eventually....

Still not sure what to do.

[Scottie99]

Well called in to confirm the sale and off to ebay with a lifetime sub HD Tivo.

Thanks.

[nycityuser]

What should I do? I currently have 4 TiVo machines:

1) Premiere on a $129/year annual plan - the "primary" TiVo
2) HD - $6.95/month
3) HD - $6.95/month
4) Series 2 - Lifetime (paid $99 after "canceling")

I like having the grandfathered $6.95/month because in the past I've been able to swap machines and keep the price. This became verboten when the Premiere came out but it seems like they are getting more lax on that policy.

So I could call to "cancel" one of the HDs and hope for a $99 lifetime offer, even though I already received that on the Series 2 last year. Is there a good reason not to do so? I don't plan on changing my hardware anytime soon.

[steve614]

Originally Posted by Scottie99

Well called in to confirm the sale and off to ebay with a lifetime sub HD Tivo.

Thanks.

We all know this is going on, but there's no reason to publicly state so.
TiVo might yank this offer if this behavior becomes rampant.

</Debbie Downer>

Originally Posted by nycityuser

What should I do? I currently have 4 TiVo machines:

1) Premiere on a $129/year annual plan - the "primary" TiVo
2) HD - $6.95/month
3) HD - $6.95/month
4) Series 2 - Lifetime (paid $99 after "canceling")

I like having the grandfathered $6.95/month because in the past I've been able to swap machines and keep the price. This became verboten when the Premiere came out but it seems like they are getting more lax on that policy.

So I could call to "cancel" one of the HDs and hope for a $99 lifetime offer, even though I already received that on the Series 2 last year. Is there a good reason not to do so? I don't plan on changing my hardware anytime soon.

Can't hurt. Worst they can say is "no".

[overFEDEXed]

[quote=steve614;9276062]We all know this is going on, but there's no reason to publicly state so.
TiVo might yank this offer if this behavior becomes rampant.

</Debbie Downer>


The Tivo rep that I talked to TOLD me to buy some HD's, call Tivo back, add Lifetime, then sell them to help pay for the cost of the Elite plus Lifetime. $700 to $800

I only have one more LT HD left. Heck, I might buy a couple more, add LT and sell them also.

[steve614]

Well, color me surprised.

I would have thought that TiVo might dislike individuals making a profit in this manner.

Maybe they don't mind, as the "new" lifetime sub gets counted in the subscriber stats for another couple of years?

[dukenilnil]

Originally Posted by steve614

Well, color me surprised.

I would have thought that TiVo might dislike individuals making a profit in this manner.

Maybe they don't mind, as the "new" lifetime sub gets counted in the subscriber stats for another couple of years?

They have told me the same thing several times as well. "Don't cancel box X, just add lifetime a $99 and either give to family member or sell for a profif."
I've never taken them up on the offer though (too much headache).

I'm guessing either the Reps are graded on subscriptions added/lost or Tivo wants to keep "subscriber" numbers high for shareholder and advertising purposes

[Laird]

Okay, how about this situation:
- We have 3 units, all with lifetime
- Series 1 w/upgraded HD
- Series 2 stock
- Series 2 w/DVD

Our cable company is going digital next month, so we would need to go through the hassle of using terminal adapters for them all. Yuck! Would really like to get the Premiere 4 XL for the tuners and HD recording, but hate to pay the 350 for the box plus 399 for lifetime on it. Any suggestions on how to do this for less cash?