Lifetime Service Status?

3700 Views 15 Replies 13 Participants Last post by classicsat, Sep 30, 2007

Bill Freyfogle

Discussion Starter · Sep 23, 2007

I'm a relatively old-timer, having purchased my Series 1 in March of 2001. The only offer I've seen on transferring my Lifetime Subscription to a High Def TIVO was the one in Dec 2006/Jan 2007 for purchasing a Series 3 unit for $800 PLUS a transfer fee of $199. That seemed a bit high to me at the time.

Since then we have received an offer to get a Series 2 unit and pay a modest transfer fee, but I want HD!

What is the status of transferring the old Lifetime Subscriptions? Any more offers on the table or in the works?

Thanks.....Bill

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

funtoupgrade

· #2 · Sep 23, 2007

No offers on the table and only TiVo knows if anything is in the works.

fred2

· #3 · Sep 23, 2007

I've posted this a few times.

I was able to transfer Lifetime from an S2 to an S3 in May. I had to pay $199.00 to make the transfer. That fee included a one year subscription for the S2. I believe that I've read that others have done it after that May date, too but don't recall.

I don't recall reading about anyone being able to transfer a lifetime to the newer TivoHD unit.

Oh, and calling Tivo in advance of the S3 purchase would not get any answer. It was only after I purchased it and was calling to subscribe that I was able to discuss the transfer with their representative. I purchased the unit from Costco.

Bill Freyfogle

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 24, 2007

I called TIVO and you are correct, no way to transfer the Lifetime Subscription at this time. I had been holding off on getting a HD version of TIVO to see what the Comcast/Tivo machine would be like. Well, it 1) has still not been released and I am out of patience, and 2) from what rumous I have heard it sounds like the machine is still not in the same ballpark as a REAL Tivo.

Then I read the unofficial announcement that Tivo to Go is coming soon to the Series 3 and HD boxes (non-copyrighted material that is), and that pushed me over the fence to get another REAL Tivo box. The current deals are $280 for the TIVO HD box or $400 ($600 minus the $200 rebate) for the Series 3 box. I opted for the Series 3 box because of the "Native Pass-Thru" feature for HD.

My lifetime subscription DOES count as a qualifier for the Multi-Service Discount, I asked the TIVO person. So I will sign up for the $6.95 per month 3-year deal ($12.95 minus the $6.00 MSD discount).

So, the total cost for 3 and five years will be:
Box cost $600 (from Tivo Community Store) minus $200 rebate = $400
No sales tax, no shipping !!!!!!

Installation charge from Comcast to install two cablecards $20 to $30 not sure

Tivo Service 36 months at $6.95 per month = $250

Rental charge for the second Cable Card 36 months at $1.50 per month = $54

Total cost for 36 months is $724 or $734 depending on the instal charge from Comcast.

An additional 24 months would be another 24 x $1.50 on the Cable Card plus 24 months at (hopefully) $6.95 = $203

The $200 rebate plus the the promise of Tivo to Go pushed me into action! Will post updates. Just wanted to add my $.02 worth. I will move the old Tivo to another room. I've had it for 78 months now and have done VERY well for my $199 Lifetime Subscription!!! (Yes, it WAS $199 back in March 2001)

Bill

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jcthorne

· #5 · Sep 24, 2007

The TivoHD also has the native pass through feature.

boogie

· #6 · Sep 25, 2007

I just called TiVo and they informed me that currently there are no specials to transfer Lifetime subscriptions to new boxes and he was not sure there are any planned. He did verify that lifetime does qualify for MSD for the second TIVO box, registered under same account and address.

I am almost ready to just get the TiVoHD unit, since THX and an OLED display are not enough to push me into the S3 and, hopefully, the eSATA port will be usable soon for further storage options.

wolflord11

· #7 · Sep 26, 2007

Lifetime Subs are not really a concern to Tivo anymore. They are trying to phase them all out by the looks of it.....

I will now go and wait in the corner for the Tivo Believers to start throwing rocks at me

steve614

· #8 · Sep 26, 2007

wolflord11 said:
Lifetime Subs are not really a concern to Tivo anymore. They are trying to phase them all out by the looks of it.....

I will now go and wait in the corner for the Tivo Believers to start throwing rocks at me

If I were a betting man, I'd gamble on Tivo doing one last transfer offer just before Christmas or sometime before the analog cutoff.
I for one will jump on it when/if it happens, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Think of how many HDs or S3s they would sell by doing that.

Now having said that, it probably won't happen.

ADent

· #9 · Sep 26, 2007

They only offered the lifetime transfer once for the S2 and that was when the S2 was really expensive and offered no extra features.

When the S3 came out they offered the lifetime transfer when the S3 was really expensive and had fewer features.

So if they repeat the past, then there will be no lifetime transfers to the THD.

But if TiVo is hurting for cash a onetime lifetime offer would bring in a bunch, but hurt revenue.

Also after 4 years the lifetime subs come off the books, so they could offer long time lifetime subs the chance to transfer again (presumably with a substantial fee).

classicsat

· #10 · Sep 27, 2007

ADent said:
They only offered the lifetime transfer once for the S2 and that was when the S2 was really expensive and offered no extra features.

When the S3 came out they offered the lifetime transfer when the S3 was really expensive and had fewer features.

The Lifetime transfer offer wasn't because the new TiVo lacked features, but simply because of a new TiVo. The former likely to get some Series1 users onto the Series 2 platform that actually did have hope of added functionality and long term viability, the latter as a bonus for early adopters that would put down $800 on the thing.

The June/July promotion ($299 for a Series 2HD and Lifetime trasnfer to it) was probably to get Series 1s and older Series 2s out of the field, I suppose to get rid of stock, or to get customers on the new platform for the online features.

So if they repeat the past, then there will be no lifetime transfers to the THD.

Yep. The likely have no intention of a transfer deal or promotion for the TiVoHD. It even took a bit to get them to accept Grandfather transfers on it.

But if TiVo is hurting for cash a onetime lifetime offer would bring in a bunch, but hurt revenue.

Also after 4 years the lifetime subs come off the books, so they could offer long time lifetime subs the chance to transfer again (presumably with a substantial fee).

Right now, I don't think they want to bother about quick cash, but ongoing revenue.

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cmgrove

· #11 · Sep 28, 2007

A Tivopoll:

What's the maximum lifetime service fee you would pay when used on an Tivo HD box, excluding the cost of the box? No transfers. Just straight up Lifetime service fee.

d_anders

· #12 · Sep 28, 2007

steve614 said:
If I were a betting man, I'd gamble on Tivo doing one last transfer offer just before Christmas or sometime before the analog cutoff.
I for one will jump on it when/if it happens, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Think of how many HDs or S3s they would sell by doing that.

Now having said that, it probably won't happen.

This is a big misconception of the Series 1 and 2s, especially the single tuners.
While this will certainly affect OTA attenna connections and direct analog cable connections, they will be able to continue to work after the analog cut. They work fine hooked up to cable boxes using the serial or ir repeater cables...Analog cut off will not affect that as the cable boxes will handle the digital to analog conversion anyway.

The only boxes that I understnad get affected are the S2DTs, unless TiVo has added a SD ATSC tuner to the boxes as well to tune digital sd cable & OTA channels.

10_pearljam

· #13 · Sep 29, 2007

steve614 said:
If I were a betting man, I'd gamble on Tivo doing one last transfer offer just before Christmas or sometime before the analog cutoff.
I for one will jump on it when/if it happens, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Think of how many HDs or S3s they would sell by doing that.

Now having said that, it probably won't happen.

what happens to the s2 when the analog gets cut off?

Narf54321

· #14 · Sep 29, 2007

10_pearljam said:
what happens to the s2 when the analog gets cut off?

You'll need to hook up the digital cable receiver to the video input on the back of the S2, and control it with the IR blaster "eye".

10_pearljam

· #15 · Sep 29, 2007

can that be used with a motorola comcast dvr box as well?

is it a pain in the ass to use two boxes like that?

classicsat

· #16 · Sep 30, 2007

What, the IR blaster?

You can't, or at least shouldn't, use a DVR as a recording source for TiVo.

And the Motorola box cannot work as a standalone Tivo controlling an STB.

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