Found Series 2 at swap meet

dshinnick · 04-11-2008, 11:27 PM

I found an older series 2 at a swap meet. Took it home, got it to call the mother ship, and found out that its status is "Account in Good Standing". So that means that either it's on someone's credit card, or someone has pre-paid for a certain length of service, right?. Are there any other conclusions I can reach, or do anything with it other than just use it and wait for it to shut down because the previous owner realized what happened or its pre-paid period finally expires? Customer service won't tell me anything about it because it's not registered to me. Anyone want to make me an offer on it?

thanks

lessd · 04-12-2008, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dshinnick

I found an older series 2 at a swap meet. Took it home, got it to call the mother ship, and found out that its status is "Account in Good Standing". So that means that either it's on someone's credit card, or someone has pre-paid for a certain length of service, right?. Are there any other conclusions I can reach, or do anything with it other than just use it and wait for it to shut down because the previous owner realized what happened or its pre-paid period finally expires? Customer service won't tell me anything about it because it's not registered to me. Anyone want to make me an offer on it?

thanks

This happens all the time so just enjoy the TiVo as a TV recorder as you can't use MRV or Amazon etc. Some people don't look at their credit cards and the TiVo may stay active for years or weeks. Enjoy

begold · 04-12-2008, 01:13 AM

Many of the old series 2 had a lifetime service contracts and your tivo will work for as long as the unit runs. Nice deal........

NSX · 04-12-2008, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by begold

Many of the old series 2 had a lifetime service contracts and your tivo will work for as long as the unit runs. Nice deal........

If the box dshinnick purchased had lifetime service, it would actually say "Product Lifetime Service." His says "Account in Good Standing."

RonDawg · 04-12-2008, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lessd

This happens all the time so just enjoy the TiVo as a TV recorder as you can't use MRV or Amazon etc. Some people don't look at their credit cards and the TiVo may stay active for years or weeks. Enjoy

The OP could also be using up the remainder of a pre-paid account.

Andy D · 04-12-2008, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dshinnick

I found an older series 2 at a swap meet. Took it home, got it to call the mother ship, and found out that its status is "Account in Good Standing". So that means that either it's on someone's credit card, or someone has pre-paid for a certain length of service, right?. Are there any other conclusions I can reach, or do anything with it other than just use it and wait for it to shut down because the previous owner realized what happened or its pre-paid period finally expires? Customer service won't tell me anything about it because it's not registered to me. Anyone want to make me an offer on it?

thanks

I really think you should find out what the status is. If it is a Lifetime or remainder of a pre-paid... Your good fortune. If it is billing someone's credit card on a monthly basis... Well... maybe not a good idea. In any case I believe the best thing to do is to check further.

Just my dissenting opinon.

Andy

RonDawg · 04-12-2008, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy D

I really think you should find out what the status is. If it is a Lifetime or remainder of a pre-paid... Your good fortune. If it is billing someone's credit card on a monthly basis... Well... maybe not a good idea. In any case I believe the best thing to do is to check further.

I think the OP already tried to find out if the box was on a monthy or pre-paid sub, but was not able to get any info from TiVo Customer Service as he is not the owner on record.

The next step would be to check with the seller, but coming from a swap meet this would only be possible if the seller was a frequent vendor, or if the OP was lucky. And that's assuming the seller was the owner on record with TiVo, or knows who was and has their contact info.

About the only thing the OP could do is possibly bring the box to his/her local police department to see if it had been reported stolen. Of course the police would only know this if the owner knew the serial number, or retained the original box.

dshinnick · 04-12-2008, 04:45 PM

Yes, I tried to get Tivo customer support to give me information about the box but they just refused. I feel kinda bad if it's going against someone's credit card, but whether I keep it or not, even if I throw it in the trash, it'll still keep getting charged, so I might as well use it. Be kinda fun to see how long it lasts. When it expires I'll put it in my name and start paying on it.

lessd · 04-13-2008, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dshinnick

Yes, I tried to get Tivo customer support to give me information about the box but they just refused. I feel kinda bad if it's going against someone's credit card, but whether I keep it or not, even if I throw it in the trash, it'll still keep getting charged, so I might as well use it. Be kinda fun to see how long it lasts. When it expires I'll put it in my name and start paying on it.

TiVo is very uncooperative on this (because of customer privacy) so you can use the TiVo for as long as you can without any guilty conscience, if the TiVo were stolen the owner would know it and at least stop paying or if it was a prepay the owner would purchase another and xfer the service..just enjoy your TiVo while you can.

zoma4 · 04-14-2008, 09:34 AM

Does TiVo hold an official position on these types of situations? It would be helpful if we could get Stephen to tell us (or something similar) so that we wouldn't have to speculate on the matter.

lessd · 04-14-2008, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoma4

Does TiVo hold an official position on these types of situations? It would be helpful if we could get Stephen to tell us (or something similar) so that we wouldn't have to speculate on the matter.

I have a TiVo with DVD that is in the same situation and i use it in the cellar with a VCR to xfer old tapes to DVD, at the time i got it I did talk to a level 2 CSR and he told me that i could use it as long as the owner payed for the service (this CSR told me it was being paid each month, but would not tell me the owners name), how much more official does one need. My situation is the same as the OP as far as how I got my Humax, nothing was illegal in what we did, TiVo is getting their money for the service, and there are some what-me-care people out there. If TiVo does not want to notify the owner that the owner does not have his TiVo anymore and would he like to stop paying each month, then the person in possession of the TiVo is off any hook and can use the TiVo. (I did ask a lawyer friend of mind and he said my moral obligation is only to notify TiVo, after that it is not my problem anymore and use the TiVo without any qualms)

ciper · 04-15-2008, 12:16 AM

"I have a TiVo with DVD"
Dont those automatically have Lifetime Basic?

wscannell · 04-15-2008, 12:17 AM

Not the Humax - only the Pioneer and Toshiba.

scandia101 · 04-15-2008, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciper

"I have a TiVo with DVD"
Dont those automatically have Lifetime Basic?

The Pioneer and Toshiba DVD/TiVo units have what's called TiVo Basic Service.

TiVoEvan74 · 04-18-2008, 09:49 AM

In cases such as these, TiVo should contact the original owner and let them know what is up. In fact, as the recipient of the device, I'd ask TiVo to do that for you.

It's unfair to the original owner... TiVo doesn't have to tell you who it is, but they should alert the person paying that they are paying for someone else's use now! Of course, if it's pre-paid, and the swap meet seller was legit and knew what he or she was selling, then use it and enjoy!