TiVo Commitment Questions

958 Views 8 Replies 5 Participants Last post by classicsat, Oct 10, 2007

thiscloud

Discussion Starter · Oct 8, 2007

Hello. Quick background: Former DirecTiVo user, current TWC Moxi / Motorola DCH3416 user looking to get back to TiVo. DirecTV's not a viable option, so looking at the standalones. Got a couple probably simple questions, tried searching for answers but not getting good results. Any help would be appreciated!

1. Since I'm used to recording in digital quality (not necessarily HD since I don't have an HDTV) on both tuners on each of my Moxi/DCH3416, I'd like to be able to do the same on a TiVo. I know the TiVo HD can do it, but it costs more than a S2 DT, and I've heard that CableCARD can be a pain to get set up properly.

If I initially get S2 DTs, either on a monthly or prepaid plan, can I upgrade my TiVo during the commitment period? For example, if I prepay $299 for a 3 year plan, and a year into it I find a HD TiVo for sale at a retailer and buy it, can I "replace" the S2 DT with the HD TiVo instead of adding the HD TiVo onto my account?

2. Question on MSD: The TiVo Service Payment Plans Terms and Conditions states: Prepaid and monthly TiVo Package Payment Plans, including any Promotional Pricing, are not eligible for the Multi-Service Discount.

But if I go to https://www3.tivo.com/store/boxes.do, add a S2 DT box to my cart, add any of the monthly plans to my cart, and then change the quantity of the box/plan to 2, it breaks it down to one item with the expected full pricing, and then one item that's $6.95 less and says "(Eligible for MSD)".

Which is it, TiVo!?

(If I add a box/prepaid and a box/monthly to the cart, the monthly does not show a MSD, but I assume if I ordered separately, ordering the box/prepaid first and then at a later date signed into my account to order the box/monthly, the monthly'd be eligible for MSD, since the prepaid should qualify my account for MSD on subsequent TiVos?)

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mick66

· #2 · Oct 8, 2007

1. Yes. Unless there happens to be a rebate offer on the Tivo HD at the time and you want the rebate. You need a new subscription to get the rebate.

2. If the website says you get the MSD rate on one, you will.

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thiscloud

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 8, 2007

mick66 said:
1. Yes. Unless there happens to be a rebate offer on the Tivo HD at the time and you want the rebate. You need a new subscription to get the rebate.

2. If the website says you get the MSD rate on one, you will.

Thanks, Mick!

What happens to the S2 DT in my scenario if replaced on the plan with the TiVo HD during the commitment period? Do I own it? If so, why aren't people getting cheap/free S2 DTs through affiliates/special promotions, and then replacing it with another box and keeping the S2 as a spare or selling it as nearly-new?

Another question I forgot to ask regarding the commitment period, can one switch from monthly to prepaid during the contract? I'm imagining something similar to cell phone plans where when you change plans the contract resets the clock. So say I'm on a 3-year $12.95/month plan for a few months and I decide I'd rather pay $8.31/month a few months in. I'd then pay $299 and the 3 year period starts again at at time. Is that option available?

(I'm hoping that Monthly-to-Prepaid is available, but I'm assuming right off the bat that Prepaid-to-Monthly is not available during the contract since it'd involve having to prorate the prepaid amount.)

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ZeoTiVo

· #4 · Oct 8, 2007

since you are used to digital you should just get the Tivo HD and prepaid or monthly if you can get MSD pricing. Why spend the extra money for a DVR you really do not want to use anyhow?

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thiscloud

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 9, 2007

ZeoTiVo said:
since you are used to digital you should just get the Tivo HD and prepaid or monthly if you can get MSD pricing. Why spend the extra money for a DVR you really do not want to use anyhow?

Well, right now there are offers for S2 DTs, so that saves me $299 (or even $249) compared to buying the TiVo HD, and since I'd like two boxes, that saves me nearly $500-$600 in upfront costs. I do like digital quality and I'll trade in my two TWC DVRs for two digital receivers at reduced costs and be able to record digital on one tuner for each of S2 DT.

Since I don't have HD, the SD digital recording capabilities of the S2 DT on one tuner will be good enough for now. The reason I asked the replacement during contract question was so that if I later decide that I want the TiVo HD or S3, maybe after CableCARD can support PPV and On Demand and is self-installable, I wanted to make sure I could do that and not have to stick with the S2 until the end of the term.

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ADent

· #6 · Oct 9, 2007

thiscloud said:
Thanks, Mick!
If so, why aren't people getting cheap/free S2 DTs through affiliates/special promotions, and then replacing it with another box and keeping the S2 as a spare or selling it as nearly-new?

Activating the spare requires 1yr committment at $11/month (IIRC) or 3 years at $7/month. Selling the S2 to someone new would require the same committment as buying a new box ($12.95/3 years or $18/month for 1 year (IIRC).

So why not just buy a new S2 box for cheap, instead of some dodgy used box? With the $100 rebate TiVo typically runs, the low end boxes are free. So why pay for a used box with the same commitments that a new, free box gets?

If you transfer before your committment is up, no rebate for you. Again TiVo has had a $100 rebate for most of the time for that last few years. Looks like TiVo HD will be rebate free for awhile, so things change.

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mick66

· #7 · Oct 9, 2007

I don't believe that you can switch from monthly to prepaid until the commitment period is up.

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ZeoTiVo

· #8 · Oct 9, 2007

mick66 said:
I don't believe that you can switch from monthly to prepaid until the commitment period is up.

that is correct for buyndles but I am not sure about service only commitments.

The big question is can you transfer a prepaid to a new account. I saw the answer to that before but not sure where. I think the answer is that you can not.

so if it was me and I was looking for two boxes I think I would do one TiVo HD at 3 year prepaid and then get the DT for free and go with a month to month at 3 years with MSD.

Warning - I think you now also have to have the first box activated before you can buy the second plan at MSD rate.

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classicsat

· #9 · Oct 10, 2007

thiscloud said:
Thanks, Mick!

What happens to the S2 DT in my scenario if replaced on the plan with the TiVo HD during the commitment period? Do I own it?

Yes, that TiVo is wholly yours to do what you please (within reason).

If so, why aren't people getting cheap/free S2 DTs through affiliates/special promotions, and then replacing it with another box and keeping the S2 as a spare or selling it as nearly-new?

They can keep it as a spare, as that is about the only thing to do, as they have a low resale value

Another question I forgot to ask regarding the commitment period, can one switch from monthly to prepaid during the contract? I'm imagining something similar to cell phone plans where when you change plans the contract resets the clock. So say I'm on a 3-year $12.95/month plan for a few months and I decide I'd rather pay $8.31/month a few months in. I'd then pay $299 and the 3 year period starts again at at time. Is that option available?

I don't think so.

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