I have a Philips S1 with lifetime that has been in service nearly continually since August 2001. I installed a larger hard drive when I first set it up in 2001 and I think it's either on its second or third replacement drive. It's been in a guest bedroom for the past 2 years, so sometimes it goes unplugged for a few weeks at a time.
I also have a Sony SVR-2000 from early 2001. So far as I know, it still works. But it's been boxed up for about 3 years since Tivo Inc let me transfer the lifetime service to another box. I'm sure I could have gotten someone to sign the box up for service to "test drive" a Tivo, but the new one year minimum turns out to be a deal-breaker time and again. Oh, that and the sour taste that Premiere has left if my mouth! :down:
I do miss the "good ol' days" when I described Tivo as "bulletproof" and sold it unabashedly. Now I'm *much* more reluctant. That said, my Tivo Series 3 and TivoHD are still running fine.