I got that Solid Signal email too. Maybe TiVo sees the OTA-only market as growing. I certainly hope that's true. With the advent of ATSC digital broadcasting, this should be a golden age for Over-The-Air television, if we can just keep Congress from taking away any more blocks of broadcast TV frequencies to give them to special interest groups or sell them for alternative uses.
Solid Signal $99 Premiere $9.99 monthly service (No cable cards)
I got an email from Solid Signal this morning. They have a special for a new Tivo Premiere for $99, and monthly service at 50% off for $9.99 month. Not valid with Cable Cards.
http://www.solidsignal.com/p/?p=3823&utm_campaign=email_tivobanner&utm_medium=email&utm_source=banner&location=01
Terms:
To qualify for the $9.99 a month TiVo Service you just need to purchase a TiVo Premiere, and sign up for a 1-year TiVo Service 11-15-11, using the activation code: Antenna
|
**Service Bundle Offer for Antenna Owners: Save 50% off TiVo service (regular price $19.99) when you purchase a TiVo Premiere box for $99.99 and sign up for a new 1-year monthly service subscription commitment to the service at $9.99 per month, plus tax (renews monthly after 1 year at the same rate). Discount on TiVo Service pricing available for antenna customers only. Use of a CableCARD decoder will result in your monthly service fee being raised to the standard rate of $19.99/mo plus tax. Early termination fee and terms and conditions apply. See sales associate and tivo.com for complete details. Offer valid for TiVo Service activations on TiVo Premiere boxes through 11/15/11. TiVo reserves the right to terminate this promotion at any time without notice.
http://www.solidsignal.com/p/?p=3823&utm_campaign=email_tivobanner&utm_medium=email&utm_source=banner&location=01
Terms:
To qualify for the $9.99 a month TiVo Service you just need to purchase a TiVo Premiere, and sign up for a 1-year TiVo Service 11-15-11, using the activation code: Antenna
|
**Service Bundle Offer for Antenna Owners: Save 50% off TiVo service (regular price $19.99) when you purchase a TiVo Premiere box for $99.99 and sign up for a new 1-year monthly service subscription commitment to the service at $9.99 per month, plus tax (renews monthly after 1 year at the same rate). Discount on TiVo Service pricing available for antenna customers only. Use of a CableCARD decoder will result in your monthly service fee being raised to the standard rate of $19.99/mo plus tax. Early termination fee and terms and conditions apply. See sales associate and tivo.com for complete details. Offer valid for TiVo Service activations on TiVo Premiere boxes through 11/15/11. TiVo reserves the right to terminate this promotion at any time without notice.
1 - 20 of 61 Posts
It sounds like this is a Solid Signal promotion - but I wonder how they would know if you had a Cable Card installed?
I am not saying that the TiVo systems cannot identify if a Cable Card is or is not installed if queried, but I am highly dubious that their billing system is integrated with the configuration system in any way.
Interesting
I am not saying that the TiVo systems cannot identify if a Cable Card is or is not installed if queried, but I am highly dubious that their billing system is integrated with the configuration system in any way.
Interesting
The channel lineup changes; would not be the hard to see what lineup you are using.It sounds like this is a Solid Signal promotion - but I wonder how they would know if you had a Cable Card installed?
I am not saying that the TiVo systems cannot identify if a Cable Card is or is not installed if queried, but I am highly dubious that their billing system is integrated with the configuration system in any way.
Interesting
Tim S.
I agree that TiVo can identify if you are using a Cable Card - frankly they probably have a lot easier meathod than the channel line up. Assume everything you can see on your system page they can see as well.
My doubt is that they have that information linked to the billing system. It may seem like a simple leap - but it isn't.
More likely this would have to be a manual check / process in order to validate your order status.
If I were a betting man... After 90 days it isn't going to matter if you have a cable card installed or not. Just sayin
My doubt is that they have that information linked to the billing system. It may seem like a simple leap - but it isn't.
More likely this would have to be a manual check / process in order to validate your order status.
If I were a betting man... After 90 days it isn't going to matter if you have a cable card installed or not. Just sayin
That's a hot looking deal. I wish there was a way to do it with a TivoHD. I'd like to get that $9.99 rate on a THD rather than a Premiere.
Why in the world would TiVo care one way or the other if you're using a cable card or not as long as you buy the hardware and pay them every month for the service?
Are they saving a fortune on cable card CSR calls on the Premiere owners who are strictly OTA?
Is this some backdoor way for TiVo to try to, in a very, very small way, screw the cable companies?
Do they have warehouses and warehouses full of unsold Premieres they need to move without doing it in a way that makes it public knowledge that they have warehouses and warehouses full of unsold Premieres that they need to move, or doing it in a way (deep discounts) that will enrage people who've already bought and subscription committed?
Is it not so much a matter of a hardware backlog/overstock as it is a need to get more subscribers at half price as opposed to not having them at all and therefore getting no money from them?
Is TiVo in even worse shape financially than previously thought?
What if you want to get this and use it on analog cable?
Are they saving a fortune on cable card CSR calls on the Premiere owners who are strictly OTA?
Is this some backdoor way for TiVo to try to, in a very, very small way, screw the cable companies?
Do they have warehouses and warehouses full of unsold Premieres they need to move without doing it in a way that makes it public knowledge that they have warehouses and warehouses full of unsold Premieres that they need to move, or doing it in a way (deep discounts) that will enrage people who've already bought and subscription committed?
Is it not so much a matter of a hardware backlog/overstock as it is a need to get more subscribers at half price as opposed to not having them at all and therefore getting no money from them?
Is TiVo in even worse shape financially than previously thought?
What if you want to get this and use it on analog cable?
I'm sure it is just a promotion to raise awareness of the OTA abilities of the box. It isn't unusual for TiVo to try different plans/promotions to attract users. I highly doubt the costs involved for OTA users is much different (albeit, they probably do use less support resources) nor is this plan a way to upset cable companies.Why in the world would TiVo care one way or the other if you're using a cable card or not as long as you buy the hardware and pay them every month for the service?
Are they saving a fortune on cable card CSR calls on the Premiere owners who are strictly OTA?
Is this some backdoor way for TiVo to try to, in a very, very small way, screw the cable companies?
Since cable companies are losing subscribers I would guess OTA users are growing. (combined with internet streaming)I got that Solid Signal email too. Maybe TiVo sees the OTA-only market as growing.
Could be trying to see if there is a good market for only OTA TiVos before doing much pre-production work.Why in the world would TiVo care one way or the other if you're using a cable card or not as long as you buy the hardware and pay them every month for the service?
Tim S.
I am pretty sure that Tivo boxes are sold at a loss, with capital re-couped on the subscriptions.Why in the world would TiVo care one way or the other if you're using a cable card or not as long as you buy the hardware and pay them every month for the service?
Do they have warehouses and warehouses full of unsold Premieres they need to move without doing it in a way that makes it public knowledge that they have warehouses and warehouses full of unsold Premieres that they need to move, or doing it in a way (deep discounts) that will enrage people who've already bought and subscription committed?
Is it not so much a matter of a hardware backlog/overstock as it is a need to get more subscribers at half price as opposed to not having them at all and therefore getting no money from them?
Is TiVo in even worse shape financially than previously thought?
What if you want to get this and use it on analog cable?
That being written, the market isn't sweet for selling a Tivo box and charging $20 per month for OTA listings. So, they do this half price deal for OTA users.
Can they check? Sure. How? No idea. If it's tied to guide data, then there is your Achilles's heel.
Cheers!
-Doug
Interesting.
I have a premier being used as a dumb terminal at the moment (not subscribed but has a cable card in it).
For $9.99/month I'd add it to my account. The $14.99 they want for the MSD? Priced too high for me.
Oh, its on slickdeals now
http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?sduid=46157&t=3235831
I have a premier being used as a dumb terminal at the moment (not subscribed but has a cable card in it).
For $9.99/month I'd add it to my account. The $14.99 they want for the MSD? Priced too high for me.
Oh, its on slickdeals now
http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?sduid=46157&t=3235831
Yesterday I online chatted with TiVo regarding a few issues and asked if I could take advantage of the antenna promotion and his instant response was we could honor that promotion as I see you are using OTA (only).Can they check? Sure. How? No idea. If it's tied to guide data, then there is your Achilles's heel.
My take is it's a what the market will bear promotion. Most people with OTA only aren't going to pop for $20 a month for service. $10 might be another story. Why isn't cable included? Well, typically a cable DVR is closer to $20 so that's what the market will bear. Why not $10 for everyone? That's simple. It wouldn't be $10 if everyone was being charged the same... they are looking to increase revenues not drop them.
If you want to look into various prices for the same service try looking at Amazon. Based on the day of week, time of day, where you are located, what type of customer you are there will often be different pricing (for the same item). In the long run they want (or need) x number of dollars and how they are obtained is largely influenced by the market itself.
Yes, everybody knows that cable subscribers are used to getting slammed on pricing (although they do get a lot more channels). OTA viewers tend to be more price-sensitive.My take is it's a what the market will bear promotion. Most people with OTA only aren't going to pop for $20 a month for service. $10 might be another story. Why isn't cable included? Well, typically a cable DVR is closer to $20 so that's what the market will bear. Why not $10 for everyone? That's simple. It wouldn't be $10 if everyone was being charged the same... they are looking to increase revenues not drop them.
I'd assume there's a fixed cost per channel to assemble and verify the guide data so an OTA customer who recieves a small number of channels could represent a saving over a cable customer who recieves 100'sWhy in the world would TiVo care one way or the other if you're using a cable card or not as long as you buy the hardware and pay them every month for the service?
Are they saving a fortune on cable card CSR calls on the Premiere owners who are strictly OTA?
No Idea. But since all OTA is digital you would need to select a cable lineup which Tivo do have on their central servers since tivo.com can show you your current guide data.What if you want to get this and use it on analog cable?
I believe TiVo's biggest cost with Guide data is the license fee it pays to Tribune. This is most likely done on a per user basis, so the size of the lineup is probably not a factor in that cost. However, I do figure they factor in support costs and OTA users are bound to use much less of TiVo's support resources than a cablecard user.I'd assume there's a fixed cost per channel to assemble and verify the guide data so an OTA customer who recieves a small number of channels could represent a saving over a cable customer who recieves 100's
In the end, I doubt TiVo is factoring any type of savings directly to OTA users, but are more likely using this promotion to gain new users.
Remember, the boxes are sold at a loss, and Tivo needs the subscriptions to make that money back. The licensing cost of delivering the guide data is less than a tenth of their monthly *service* charge.In the end, I doubt TiVo is factoring any type of savings directly to OTA users, but are more likely using this promotion to gain new users.
OTA users are not likely to spend $20 per month for OTA listing. There is a reason they are using OTA in the first place.
So, by reducing the cost of the *service* to $10 / month, they make the purchase more appealing to the frugal OTA user. The only problem is, they now need that subscriber to subscribe for a longer period of time in order to recoup their front-end losses on the box itself. So, instead of a 1-2 year wait for ROI with a cable user, they need to wait 2-4 years with an OTA user. Their goal is to make money.
I am certain that they wouldn't offer the deal if they couldn't make money on it in the long run. The licensing fee anyone can pay for guide data from Schedules Direct is $20 per year. You can bet that Tivo pays WAY less that that per user for the data...
Remember, OTA only users can pick up a DTV Pal (CM something or other now) DVR now for $300 all in. If these same users had to buy a Tivo plus one year of service, they are already paying MORE for the Tivo (and would still have to pay going forward) than the DTV Pal. Why would an OTA user buy a Tivo? Right, they wouldn't, expect for the great interface. The General Population doesn't care as much as we about that.....
Cheers!
-Doug
When I had a CableCard installed the guided set-up was repeated and it asked weather I had analog or digital cable and I put analog with digital and it then asked if I had a cable card so I guess thats where they find out if you have a cable card. Also under the system information screen there is a entry 'CableCARD: Slot 1:MCard active' so they may get that information too.It sounds like this is a Solid Signal promotion - but I wonder how they would know if you had a Cable Card installed?
I am not saying that the TiVo systems cannot identify if a Cable Card is or is not installed if queried, but I am highly dubious that their billing system is integrated with the configuration system in any way.
Interesting
Well Solid Signal also sells 2 other OTA only DVRs and has a strong OTA focus. The deal only shows up on the Solid Signal site, I couldn't even find it on TiVo.com.
So while someone maybe able to buy a TiVo someplace else and get this deal it appears to be designed for Solid Signal to use it to target their user base (I am a Solid Signal customer and also got the email). Which seems to indicate that TiVo believes Solid Signal's customer base gets to people that other forms of marketing being used by TiVo does not.
Solid Signal's site also clearly states that the rate will continue at $9.99 after the year commitment period is over on a monthly bases. This may actually be a better deal than lifetime - certainly is if someone who doesn't qualify for MSD.
Thanks,
So while someone maybe able to buy a TiVo someplace else and get this deal it appears to be designed for Solid Signal to use it to target their user base (I am a Solid Signal customer and also got the email). Which seems to indicate that TiVo believes Solid Signal's customer base gets to people that other forms of marketing being used by TiVo does not.
Solid Signal's site also clearly states that the rate will continue at $9.99 after the year commitment period is over on a monthly bases. This may actually be a better deal than lifetime - certainly is if someone who doesn't qualify for MSD.
Thanks,
I just switched from ota to cable. Have 2 premieres already looking to add another. This might be a cheaper way to get MRV. Buying a new premiere putting it as antenna only would save cablecard rental and 5.00 off regular msd rate. Most of my cable channels are not copy protected.
Do you guys thinks that would work?
Do you guys thinks that would work?
1 - 20 of 61 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
TiVo Community Forum
A forum community dedicated to TiVo digital video recorder owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about programming, streaming, content, schedules, home theaters, displays, models, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Top Contributors this Month
View All
Steveknj
368 Replies
cheesesteak
335 Replies
Rob Helmerichs
315 Replies
Recommended Communities
