# Seller says lifetime but can't be transferred? Rip off?



## dmayspa

I am looking at Series 2 TiVos with lifetime subscriptions on ebay. One particular listing has the note below saying the unit has lifetime but that it can't be transferred because it was a promotional item but that it will still work??? Anyone ever heard of this:

"PLEASE NOTE: THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS TIVO UNIT GOT IT AS PART OF A PROMOTION, SO IT IS LISTED WITH TIVO UNDER THE ACCOUNT OF THE PROMOTIONAL COMPANY. I DID NOT KNOW THIS WHEN I BOUGHT IT, SO I NEVER GOT THE PASSWORD TO BE ABLE TO TRANSFER IT. SO, *** THIS TIVO WORKS PERFECTLY FINE, WITH LIFETIME PLUS SERVICE, BUT TIVO CANNOT PUT THIS TIVO INTO YOUR NAME. "


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## lessd

dmayspa said:


> I am looking at Series 2 TiVos with lifetime subscriptions on ebay. One particular listing has the note below saying the unit has lifetime but that it can't be transferred because it was a promotional item but that it will still work??? Anyone ever heard of this:
> 
> "PLEASE NOTE: THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS TIVO UNIT GOT IT AS PART OF A PROMOTION, SO IT IS LISTED WITH TIVO UNDER THE ACCOUNT OF THE PROMOTIONAL COMPANY. I DID NOT KNOW THIS WHEN I BOUGHT IT, SO I NEVER GOT THE PASSWORD TO BE ABLE TO TRANSFER IT. SO, *** THIS TIVO WORKS PERFECTLY FINE, WITH LIFETIME PLUS SERVICE, BUT TIVO CANNOT PUT THIS TIVO INTO YOUR NAME. "


Don't get involved with this as there are many Series 2 TiVos on E-Bay with Lifetime Service that you can xfer to your own account. TiVo has been canceling these prmo Lifetime service TiVos, you can search the forms for people that had this problem.


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## replaytv

I have two of the Tivos that say "11 Evaluation' for the 'Tivo Account Status'.
They work fine just like a regular lifetime box, but I have read around the internet that these are boxes that were given to journalists to try out Tivo.(They were also given to some current lifetime subscribers when clearing out stocks. I don't know if all this is true.)
When I called Tivo the CSR that I talked to didn't know anything about them. They said that is what it said on their Tivos at home, and seemed very confused about the whole thing. 

If I was going to buy one of these boxes from someone I would probably buy it for a very low price with in mind that U could lose the service at anytime. I wouldn't try to add it to your account on TIVO.com . I used one of these for about 6 months with no problem. 

But I see from the post before that maybe Tivo is closing these boxes? 
I haven't had much luck using the search function on this site so for, so haven't found the thread on this subject. I am learning though and getting better at searching.


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## replaytv

All this hoopla about having to get permission to transfer a Tivo to your account doesn't' seem to be true. If it is related to a account like the one mentioned in this thread, then I can see that might be a problem, but I didn't have any trouble registering a box that I bought at a thrift store with lifetime. They only wanted to see that it was registered with my zip code rather than with the original owner. Then they put it right on my account.


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## replaytv

My next experimentation will be to taking a 'evaluation' lifetime box and see if they will put that on my account. Dare I try it? Maybe they will change it to 'lifetime'?? Am I kidding myself, or am I just a dreamer? It works just like a lifetime box.


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## JimPS

Hey there replaytv. I see you're in Arvada too. I'm assuming you're in Arvada Colorado, not Wyoming!

Anyway, my lifetime TiVo box became pretty much obsolete when Comcast killed most of the analog channels. I was thinking about selling mine, but I thought I'd ask how you are using them. Is there a way to salvage these? Or possibly you're content to record channels 2-20.

Thanks...... Jim


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## replaytv

I'm not familiar with how Comcast is changing their offerings, so don't know if U could use IR cables to control the comcast box to still be able to use your Tivo? Or is it that the Comcast box only puts out digital signals for your TV? 

I myself am living in the dark ages. I have all my Series 2 Tivos connected to digital converter boxes(i.e. I don't pay for TV service, I get it all from antenna). The Tivos control the converter boxes very reliably. The antenna signal is a different story though. Some days I get all channels fine (2-59 about 17 channels without Spanish and religious stations included), some times only half of them. Using digitally controlled antennas, indoor groups of antenna, and outside special digital antennas doesn't seem to consistently bring in the signal. 
My feelings is it would have been cheaper for antenna TV to be completely abandoned, but free basic cable given to the cheap people. They give free cell phones and home phone service to the poor, why not cable TV?

What model of Tivo box is yours? They sell on ebay fairly well, and on craigslist if your price is low enough and/or don't mind waiting for it to sell. I have bought and sold about 10 or 15 Tivos on craiglist in the last two years.

Hope I answered your question.


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## ilovereality

replaytv said:


> I'm not familiar with how Comcast is changing their offerings, so don't know if U could use IR cables to control the comcast box to still be able to use your Tivo? Or is it that the Comcast box only puts out digital signals for your TV?


I'm not in colorado but I have just made the 'migration' and for me it has involved hooking up my old series 2 tivos to the digital adapter and using IR blasters. Works fine for the non-digital channels which is all I care about anyways on those tvs


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## JimPS

I have a series 2 box. I haven't had the energy to tear apart my installation to see about using the infrared remote.


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