In general TiVo doesn't allow you to transfer service to a Premiere. Sometimes you can get a TiVo customer service rep to do it but I would not count on it. Since they have already done if for you once, I would think it would be unlikely.
So my Series 3 is dying and I want to buy a new TiVo..
I previously purchased a Premier to replace the old S2 in our bedroom and I was able to transfer the old $6.95 plan with it. Does anyone know if I can do the same with my Series 3 and buy a TiVo Premier and transfer my current 129 a year subscription to it?
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Too bad, I appreciate the reply. I guess I will call and see what can be done. Maybe I will just bite the bullet and get lifetime on a new Premiere. I just saw the thread about some people getting it for $99 and I have been a customer for about 8 years so maybe they will do something for me.In general TiVo doesn't allow you to transfer service to a Premiere. Sometimes you can get a TiVo customer service rep to do it but I would not count on it. Since they have already done if for you once, I would think it would be unlikely.
In the meantime I am trying to copy the hard drive from the Series 3 to see if the problem is just a bad HDD.
When the Premiere was first released, one could indeed buy one and transfer it onto an existing subscription. I don't claim to know all the details story, because I was not following during that time, but later on, Premieres began to be subsidized(by higher rates) and sold for $99 or less, and buyers were forced to pay the higher tier Premiere rates.Too bad, I appreciate the reply. I guess I will call and see what can be done. Maybe I will just bite the bullet and get lifetime on a new Premiere. I just saw the thread about some people getting it for $99 and I have been a customer for about 8 years so maybe they will do something for me.
In the meantime I am trying to copy the hard drive from the Series 3 to see if the problem is just a bad HDD.
For a while, if one was able to buy a "non subsidized" Premiere and paid "full retail price", and certain other units(Woot.com refurbs, etc), one was still able to get the lower, "original tier" rates, including transfers onto existing term subscriptions. But around last April, or so, all new Premiere subscriptions were only offered the higher tier rates, and no transfers.
That $99 deal you are referring to is actually not for the Premiere. It's actually for lifetime on an S3 unit that has been on a monthly or annual plan, when a new Premiere is also purchased and activated/subscribed.
Ok that makes sense. So I called today and it was very odd, everything the agent offered me was over a $100 more over three years than me just buying a new TiVo from their website with lifetime. I just renewed my annual subscription in September so that is forfeit and they are using it as a hook to get me to stay. The problem for them is that I don't think that way, that cost is sunk to me so what matters is the going forward cost over three years and their "deals" are all at least $100 more in that period so why would I bother?When the Premiere was first released, one could indeed buy one and transfer it onto an existing subscription. I don't claim to know all the details story, because I was not following during that time, but later on, Premieres began to be subsidized(by higher rates) and sold for $99 or less, and buyers were forced to pay the higher tier Premiere rates.
For a while, if one was able to buy a "non subsidized" Premiere and paid "full retail price", and certain other units(Woot.com refurbs, etc), one was still able to get the lower, "original tier" rates, including transfers onto existing term subscriptions. But around last April, or so, all new Premiere subscriptions were only offered the higher tier rates, and no transfers.
That $99 deal you are referring to is actually not for the Premiere. It's actually for lifetime on an S3 unit that has been on a monthly or annual plan, when a new Premiere is also purchased and activated/subscribed.
You might just consider trying to find a new Tivo HD on ebay and use it to replace the S3 on your subscription. I haven't been looking in the last couple of months, but given patience, there are "buy it now"(non bidding) opportunities. You may even want to consider a used one.Ok that makes sense. So I called today and it was very odd, everything the agent offered me was over a $100 more over three years than me just buying a new TiVo from their website with lifetime. I just renewed my annual subscription in September so that is forfeit and they are using it as a hook to get me to stay. The problem for them is that I don't think that way, that cost is sunk to me so what matters is the going forward cost over three years and their "deals" are all at least $100 more in that period so why would I bother?
You also may want to consider posting whatever difficulties you are having with the S3 in the Help Center or S3 forums. It very well may "just" be the eventual hard drive nearing end of life, which "can" be simple to remedy.
If you have an external hard drive connected to the S3, that too, could be a problem source.
Good luck.
I emailed the executive support address and someone there called me back with an offer that made more sense. I certainly never expect anything for free, or even for TiVo to lose money but offers that cost more than what I can get off the street for a 9 year customer seemed off. I also may have gotten the TiVo back up and hopefully it will last the weekend (No Phineas and Ferb on Saturday morning mean an unhappy family!). Kickstart 54 shows that the external drive is ok but that the internal is failing.You might just consider trying to find a new Tivo HD on ebay and use it to replace the S3 on your subscription. I haven't been looking in the last couple of months, but given patience, there are "buy it now"(non bidding) opportunities. You may even want to consider a used one.
You also may want to consider posting whatever difficulties you are having with the S3 in the Help Center or S3 forums. It very well may "just" be the eventual hard drive nearing end of life, which "can" be simple to remedy.
If you have an external hard drive connected to the S3, that too, could be a problem source.
Good luck.
You might be able to use dd_rescue to copy the internal drive to a new drive and not lose the recordings that are split between the internal and external drives.I emailed the executive support address and someone there called me back with an offer that made more sense. I certainly never expect anything for free, or even for TiVo to lose money but offers that cost more than what I can get off the street for a 9 year customer seemed off. I also may have gotten the TiVo back up and hopefully it will last the weekend (No Phineas and Ferb on Saturday morning mean an unhappy family!). Kickstart 54 shows that the external drive is ok but that the internal is failing.
If you take the TiVo apart, you should carefully inspect the power supply for bad capacitors.
To learn what to look for, go to
http://www.badcaps.net
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague
I was actually doing that when I posted the message but the large number of bad sector made me concerned that it wasn't going to be successful. It did seem to work but after the copy it rebooted a few times randomly but has since been stable. At the very least it seemed to work through the weekend which is all the really matters now that I ordered a TiVo premiere and will have the new cable card on Monday!You might be able to use dd_rescue to copy the internal drive to a new drive and not lose the recordings that are split between the internal and external drives.
If you take the TiVo apart, you should carefully inspect the power supply for bad capacitors.
To learn what to look for, go to
http://www.badcaps.net
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague
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