# Roamio Basic Dead < 3 months!



## Teeps (Aug 16, 2001)

This Roamio went on line 22Dec14.

Pressed the TiVo Central button to wake it up and nothing...
Disconnected the power supply from Roamio. Wait a couple of minutes and reconnect power supply; nothing.
No lights no noise. It does not power up.

Call TiVo support.
The agent says not to use standby it can cause problems.
I question that... but what ever.

TiVo offered to exchange the dead unit for $49 plus local tax.

Not happy...


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## Dixon Butz (Mar 28, 2003)

Could it just be the power brick? You have anyway to test it?


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## Teeps (Aug 16, 2001)

Dixon Butz said:


> Could it just be the power brick?
> You have anyway to test it?


No. That was my first thought too.

Yes, I tested the power supply with volt meter.
And connected the Roamio into 2 other "proper" 12v power supplies.

It's dead...


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## Dixon Butz (Mar 28, 2003)

Ok. Sorry. That blows.


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## b-ball-fanatic (Aug 5, 2003)

Teeps said:


> TiVo offered to exchange the dead unit for $49 plus local tax.
> 
> Not happy...


Isn't it still under a one-year warranty? Seems like the replacement should be free....


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

Where did you buy it? Amazon and Best Buy are usually good with replacing things like this if you call and explain.


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## Teeps (Aug 16, 2001)

b-ball-fanatic said:


> Isn't it still under a one-year warranty? Seems like the replacement should be free....


Yes, operative word is "SHOULD" be free...
90 days is standard warranty on most consumer products.
but I remember the agent mentioning this:
Continual Care Warranty

Roamio Series DVRs that have an active monthly or annual service plan are covered by the Continual Care Warranty, in addition to the 90-day limited warranty. Under the Continual Care plan, an eligible Roamio DVR can be exchanged for a reduced fee of $49 (plus applicable taxes and shipping costs).
IMPORTANT: Only Roamio Series DVRs with a monthly or annual service plan are eligible for the Continual Care Warranty.

After I get the new unit up and running, I will call TiVo support and negotiate on the 90 day warranty, as the failure was day 96.
I might be able to get a further price reduction from the $49.



HarperVision said:


> Where did you buy it? Amazon and Best Buy are usually good with replacing things like this if you call and explain.


Straight from TiVo so I could get my 9.95 monthly transferred.


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## raqball (Feb 23, 2015)

Teeps said:


> Yes, operative word is "SHOULD" be free...
> 90 days is standard warranty on most consumer products.
> but I remember the agent mentioning this:
> Continual Care Warranty
> ...


That's messed up! You were 6-days past the 90 and they still charged you? Wow.. Now that's some awesome customer support right there..


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

raqball said:


> That's messed up! You were 6-days past the 90 and they still charged you? Wow.. Now that's some awesome customer support right there..


sony refused a warranty replacement for me 1 day past, and no amount of talking or writing swayed their decision. i suspected it was based on their knowledge of existing troubles with the model that failed.


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## b-ball-fanatic (Aug 5, 2003)

Wow....here I was thinking that TiVos had a one year warranty. 90 days? That's pathetic.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

b-ball-fanatic said:


> Wow....here I was thinking that TiVos had a one year warranty. 90 days? That's pathetic.


i've found sometimes it depends on the mfg and retailer relationship - it's easier for best buy to upsell an extended warranty if the mfg only offers 90 days.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

b-ball-fanatic said:


> Wow....here I was thinking that TiVos had a one year warranty. 90 days? That's pathetic.


90 days parts and labor (i.e. a free exchange), 1 year "parts only" which means they will charge you some kind of fee for exchanging out the box after 90 days.

A lot of major credit cards will double a manufacturer's warranty if you use the card for the purchase, so you might be able to get the credit card company to refund you the exchange fee from 91 to 180 days.


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## Peter G (Jan 3, 2012)

I had a similar problem. First roamio basic went bad after about 4 or 5 months. I paid the $49 fee and got a new Roamio. Only bone they threw me was to say I qulified for a new unit rather than a refurb since I was well within the one year. 

However they told me to send the unit only, not to include the remote or power supply. New unit came with new remote and new power supply, so I now have spares of these. Probably almost worth the $49. I also did not pay shipping in either direction for the replacement. So actually I feel this was not an unreasonable response; could have been worse.

Peter G


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

tarheelblue32 said:


> 90 days parts and labor (i.e. a free exchange), 1 year "parts only" . . . .


Which means that TiVo is charging $49 for the "labor" of mailing out a replacement box . . . .


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

While it's certainly nice when a company provides warranty support beyond the advertised warranty period, I really don't get when people complain (as in "seriously" complain, I get the hyoperbole-complaint ) about warranty support not being provided when a unit is out of warranty, be it one day or one year past the warranty. At some point it's out of warranty. If you bought a three-year extended service plan, it wouldn't be valid at 3 years+1 day, would it? If you pay for a one year subscription do you get upset when you discover your subscription stopped at one year + 1 day? 

Or maybe look at it this way: Most one-year warranties you see on electronic devices are probably really one-year on parts and 90 days on labor, anyway. A $49 flat fee would typically be a better deal in most all cases.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

That's really unusual. Was it plugged into a UPS or power strip? Could it have taken a power hit of some sort? 99% of the time when a TiVo "dies" it's either the power supply or the HDD. You've seemed to have ruled out the power supply and if it were the HDD you'd still see the initial boot up screen. Usually these type of mobo issues occure much sooner.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

raqball said:


> That's messed up! You were 6-days past the 90 and they still charged you? Wow.. Now that's some awesome customer support right there..


??? Six days is six days over the end of the warranty period. Why have a time limit if it won't be enforced? Why would anyone expect a warranty to be in force after the expiration date?


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## Teeps (Aug 16, 2001)

Dan203 said:


> That's really unusual. Was it plugged into a UPS or power strip? Could it have taken a power hit of some sort?.


Both, surge/power strip connected to wall socket; UPS connected to it and as always, TiVo connected to the surge/battery outlet on the UPS.



aaronwt said:


> ??? Six days is six days over the end of the warranty period. Why have a time limit if it won't be enforced? Why would anyone expect a warranty to be in force after the expiration date?


Agree. I worked corporate auto for 25 years and it always amazed me that no one wanted to admit that at some point in time. They own the car, warts, problems and all...
Still with strategic whining and cajoling auto customer could get things covered, at times, way beyond the warranty period.
I know car vs TiVo not the same; but with my experience, I have nothing to lose by asking.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

Tell the agent that it would cut down on failures if they just told customers not to plug in their Tivos.


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## b-ball-fanatic (Aug 5, 2003)

I have no complaint that warranty coverage ends when the stated time period expires. I just think that 90 days is really pathetic, especially for something like a Roamio with lifetime service. That's a sizable purchase for most people.

And (much to my own recent dismay) TiVo offers _no _other kind of service for hardware issues (repair, referral, etc.) once that year of "limited" coverage is up. They don't fix them, they don't "authorize" anyone else to do so, and they don't offer any assurance that your lifetime service will remain valid after a third party attempts repairs. I feel that's a stunning lack of interest in the customer beyond selling them the box. Very bad customer service.


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## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

b-ball-fanatic said:


> I have no complaint that warranty coverage ends when the stated time period expires. I just think that 90 days is really pathetic, especially for something like a Roamio with lifetime service. That's a sizable purchase for most people.
> 
> And (much to my own recent dismay) TiVo offers _no _other kind of service for hardware issues (repair, referral, etc.) once that year of "limited" coverage is up. They don't fix them, they don't "authorize" anyone else to do so, and they don't offer any assurance that your lifetime service will remain valid after a third party attempts repairs. I feel that's a stunning lack of interest in the customer beyond selling them the box. Very bad customer service.


Not true. After the 1 year warranty Tivo does indeed to out of warranty repairs. They ship a refurb unit for a flat fee on an exchange basis. If your Lifetime subscription is less than 3 years, they transfer it to the replacement. If its past 3 years and replacements of the same model are still available they will often transfer it still. They will not transfer service to a newer model.


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## raqball (Feb 23, 2015)

aaronwt said:


> ??? Six days is six days over the end of the warranty period. Why have a time limit if it won't be enforced? Why would anyone expect a warranty to be in force after the expiration date?


The OP has been a member here since 2001 so I also assume he/she has been a Tivo subscriber for that long as well.

To answer your Q though it called customer service. Sure 6-days is 6-days but is that really the way to treat a long time customer? In my opinion it is not!

You do something, anything that goes a little above and beyond. Maybe since it's barely past by 6 whopping days they could have authorized a one-time, good faith, free replacement. Or maybe half off the $50. Something, anything to show they care about their customers.

In my opinion Tivo did nothing but the bare minimum required and I call that crappy customer service.

To each their own though.


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## Kash76 (Jul 29, 2001)

I agree. There is policy and then the right thing to do. Companies who allow their people to do the right thing win their customers over. Red tape turns people away.


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## drkmstr (Nov 23, 2013)

Kash76 said:


> I agree. There is policy and then the right thing to do. Companies who allow their people to do the right thing win their customers over. Red tape turns people away.


If they extend the warranty beyond 90 days for one person they have to do it for everyone. Then where do you stop 10 days, 30 days etc...? You will always have one person who is close but over the time limit. As a business you have to have an end date and you legally have to hold to it.

There are two issues: Should Tivo extend their base 90 day warranty? which is separate from Should Tivo have a "x" day grace period beyond warranty expiration?

Lots of companies have policies for out of warranty allowances that require the customer to pay something.


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## Kash76 (Jul 29, 2001)

It's all dependent on the customer. For example, I work for an airline and had a neighbor call me the other day because he was so happy with my employer talking care of him and refunding tickets due to a dying family member. My company had no obligation to do so but did it because it was the right thing to do. 

Putting this into perspective nobody is dying but this customer may now think twice about buying or recommending TiVo based on this experience which has little cost to the company to make him a very happy customer.


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## raqball (Feb 23, 2015)

drkmstr said:


> If they extend the warranty beyond 90 days for one person they have to do it for everyone. Then where do you stop 10 days, 30 days etc...? You will always have one person who is close but over the time limit. As a business you have to have an end date and you legally have to hold to it.
> 
> There are two issues: Should Tivo extend their base 90 day warranty? which is separate from Should Tivo have a "x" day grace period beyond warranty expiration?
> 
> Lots of companies have policies for out of warranty allowances that require the customer to pay something.


There is the exact letter of the policy then there is customer satisfaction. This Tivo was not a month past, it was not 3 months past, it was a *whopping* and a *measly* 6-days!

I have a few non Tivo instances where companies have went outside their written policy to assist me.

1. Google: My Nexus 5 had a 12 month warranty. At about month 13 it developed a screen issue. I called Google to see what could be done. I was fully expecting them to charge me a fee to repair it or tell me I was out of luck. Guess what? They replaced it under the factory warranty even though it was a full month past. It didn't cost me a cent and they even paid to ship the new phone and return the faulty one.

2. Magellan: I purchased a cycling computer which was damaged by me on accident. The screen was broken and the housing damaged. I called them to ask about repairs expecting to pay for a new screen and housing. Guess what? They sent me a brand new unit for free as a one time good faith option. I paid for shipping on the new and return shipping on the broken one. Still = stellar customer support!

Tivo can't waive a $50 fee as a one time good faith option for what may be a long time faithful customer? Sorry but I have to call either BS, greed or just plain ole crappy customer support..

My .02


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## b-ball-fanatic (Aug 5, 2003)

jcthorne said:


> Not true. After the 1 year warranty Tivo does indeed to out of warranty repairs. They ship a refurb unit for a flat fee on an exchange basis. If your Lifetime subscription is less than 3 years, they transfer it to the replacement. If its past 3 years and replacements of the same model are still available they will often transfer it still. They will not transfer service to a newer model.


Can I get that in writing please?  From TiVo? 
That is not the information I recently got from them. Here are their current policies as described by a very friendly (and somewhat sheepishly apologetic) CSR just last week:


TiVo doesn't service or repair TiVo hardware at all. They don't "deal with hardware" anymore.
During the warranty period, they'll replace a machine that won't cold boot with a refurbished unit. _Only_. There is no repair option, and no option that preserves your data, regardless of the nature of the hardware failure.
At their discretion, TiVo will replace with a refurbished unit for a fee after the official warranty expiration. He couldn't specify exactly what factors they consider, nor confirm whether it included things like customer history, age of unit, etc.
If you attempt to preserve your data by removing or cloning the hard drive, you will lose all access to their replacement policy. (I got the impression, though he wasn't explicit, that this applies to most measures a user might take to troubleshoot problems, as he cited the example of people who have tested their TiVo's power supply or replaced the fan.....)
3rd party repairs _shouldn't_ impact the lifetime service, but since TiVo isn't involved in or authorizing the work done, they cannot guarantee it. (For this one, he put me on hold to go confirm with a supervisor.)


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## Kash76 (Jul 29, 2001)

I will add that I called them recently - I ordered a Roamio Basic and Mini from them with the Friends and Family deal. Part of that deal allows for the purchase of a slider remote for $35 w/free shipping. I called TiVo to say that I regret not ordering the slider remote as part of my original order and asked if there was anything that they could do. She looked for a moment and offered nothing. 

Now, this is my own fault but I did just drop hundreds of dollars including lifetime service. She didn't offer to waive shipping or anything on the $50 regular price. I was not happy when I got off the phone (knowing fully that it's my fault for not taking advantage when I had the chance) only because there was no effort to accommodate a wish all while I am within my 30 day guarantee. 

I really just want a second remote for watching a TV near my bar that is tied to the Roamio Basic. Sadly, I may just purchase a Roamio OTA which will cost TiVo more money than it would have to ship the slider for free as they will never make money on the OTA and I get the remote that I need.


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## raqball (Feb 23, 2015)

I'll share my recent Tivo customer service fiasco.

I originally purchased the Roamio OTA only version to test out as I've never had a Tivo before. After a few weeks I decided I liked it and ordered a Roamio with lifetime service using a spherular code.

After the lifetime Roamio arrived I called to cancel service on the OTA so I would not be charged the $15 a month. The rep accidentally cancelled the lifetime'd Tivo.

I called back once I noticed the Tivo was not working and I was told the lifetime, that I just received that day, had been cancelled and there was nothing they could do since it was purchased under a special offer.

Tivo said the only thing I could do was return one that they accidentally cancelled and order another. I did end up doing just that which required me to buy another spherular code.

To make a long story short Tivo offered me nothing for this screw up. Nothing, nadda, zilch! They could have offered some sort of refund back to my card or maybe store credit for an accessory. They offered nothing and yes it left a very sour taste in my mouth..


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## Kash76 (Jul 29, 2001)

That's a waste of everyone's time. It's that kind of lack of enabling customer service people to do the right thing that ruins it for customers. 

The loss for TiVo in that example resulted in a refurb. Why would you do that to yourself as a company? That's pure stupidity.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

Kash76 said:


> It's all dependent on the customer. For example, I work for an airline and had a neighbor call me the other day because he was so happy with my employer talking care of him and refunding tickets due to a dying family member. My company had no obligation to do so but did it because it was the right thing to do. Putting this into perspective nobody is dying but this customer may now think twice about buying or recommending TiVo based on this experience which has little cost to the company to make him a very happy customer.





raqball said:


> There is the exact letter of the policy then there is customer satisfaction. This Tivo was not a month past, it was not 3 months past, it was a whopping and a measly 6-days! I have a few non Tivo instances where companies have went outside their written policy to assist me. 1. Google: My Nexus 5 had a 12 month warranty. At about month 13 it developed a screen issue. I called Google to see what could be done. I was fully expecting them to charge me a fee to repair it or tell me I was out of luck. Guess what? They replaced it under the factory warranty even though it was a full month past. It didn't cost me a cent and they even paid to ship the new phone and return the faulty one. 2. Magellan: I purchased a cycling computer which was damaged by me on accident. The screen was broken and the housing damaged. I called them to ask about repairs expecting to pay for a new screen and housing. Guess what? They sent me a brand new unit for free as a one time good faith option. I paid for shipping on the new and return shipping on the broken one. Still = stellar customer support! Tivo can't waive a $50 fee as a one time good faith option for what may be a long time faithful customer? Sorry but I have to call either BS, greed or just plain ole crappy customer support.. My .02





Kash76 said:


> I will add that I called them recently - I ordered a Roamio Basic and Mini from them with the Friends and Family deal. Part of that deal allows for the purchase of a slider remote for $35 w/free shipping. I called TiVo to say that I regret not ordering the slider remote as part of my original order and asked if there was anything that they could do. She looked for a moment and offered nothing. Now, this is my own fault but I did just drop hundreds of dollars including lifetime service. She didn't offer to waive shipping or anything on the $50 regular price. I was not happy when I got off the phone (knowing fully that it's my fault for not taking advantage when I had the chance) only because there was no effort to accommodate a wish all while I am within my 30 day guarantee. I really just want a second remote for watching a TV near my bar that is tied to the Roamio Basic. Sadly, I may just purchase a Roamio OTA which will cost TiVo more money than it would have to ship the slider for free as they will never make money on the OTA and I get the remote that I need.





raqball said:


> I'll share my recent Tivo customer service fiasco. I originally purchased the Roamio OTA only version to test out as I've never had a Tivo before. After a few weeks I decided I liked it and ordered a Roamio with lifetime service using a spherular code. After the lifetime Roamio arrived I called to cancel service on the OTA so I would not be charged the $15 a month. The rep accidentally cancelled the lifetime'd Tivo. I called back once I noticed the Tivo was not working and I was told the lifetime, that I just received that day, had been cancelled and there was nothing they could do since it was purchased under a special offer. Tivo said the only thing I could do was return one that they accidentally cancelled and order another. I did end up doing just that which required me to buy another spherular code. To make a long story short Tivo offered me nothing for this screw up. Nothing, nadda, zilch! They could have offered some sort of refund back to my card or maybe store credit for an accessory. They offered nothing and yes it left a very sour taste in my mouth..





Kash76 said:


> That's a waste of everyone's time. It's that kind of lack of enabling customer service people to do the right thing that ruins it for customers. The loss for TiVo in that example resulted in a refurb. Why would you do that to yourself as a company? That's pure stupidity.


I have shaken my head and rolled my eyes on so many occasions with them it's not even funny, so I'm pickin' up what yer puttin' down bros! 

I have so many "little" CS stories about TiVo that have come up over the years since I bought my original Phillips TiVo 14hr unit back in early 2000. They have all baffled my mind as to why they didn't do those simple, small, inexpensive things to make a customer for life instead of one teetering on the edge that will switch to another solution should one slightly better or if not better, maybe one worth the fewer features if the price is right. I have done this on a few occasions already (read: during the Premiere years!) and gone to DirecTV (although I did still have one TiVo for Comcast because DTV didn't have my Comcast SportsNet channel and I was deployed using a Slingbox). I also have setup Windows Media Center with Xbox 360 extenders and I LOVED it and would still be using it today if the family didn't constantly b*tch and complain about having to use the 360 for some ungodly reason.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Kash76 said:


> I will add that I called them recently - I ordered a Roamio Basic and Mini from them with the Friends and Family deal. Part of that deal allows for the purchase of a slider remote for $35 w/free shipping. I called TiVo to say that I regret not ordering the slider remote as part of my original order and asked if there was anything that they could do. She looked for a moment and offered nothing.
> 
> Now, this is my own fault but I did just drop hundreds of dollars including lifetime service. She didn't offer to waive shipping or anything on the $50 regular price. I was not happy when I got off the phone (knowing fully that it's my fault for not taking advantage when I had the chance) only because there was no effort to accommodate a wish all while I am within my 30 day guarantee.


And, of course, this all seems to be very idiosyncratic to the particular customer service rep. or tech. I was able to purchase a TiVo Roamio under TiVo's loyalty offer, where TiVo showed me quite appreciated enhanced appreciation, both in my original purchase and in subsequent calls after the fact (but still within the return period).


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## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

Mikeguy said:


> And, of course, this all seems to be very idiosyncratic to the particular customer service rep. or tech. I was able to purchase a TiVo Roamio under TiVo's loyalty offer, where TiVo showed me quite appreciated enhanced appreciation, both in my original purchase and in subsequent calls after the fact (but still within the return period).


I think, like in most customer facing service rep situations, it has as much to do with the customer as the company. Much like the hotel front desk, the room you get has everything to do with your attitude at check in.....

I have found Tivo pretty accommodating over the years. Far more so than say.....Comcast or Sprint.


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## Kash76 (Jul 29, 2001)

I agree and was very pleasant and positive when I called and still nothing. I may try again tonight.


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## Kash76 (Jul 29, 2001)

Teeps, please see my PM.

FYI Gang, I tweeted this thread to @TiVo and they (@TiVoSupport) made things right for me.


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## raqball (Feb 23, 2015)

Kash76 said:


> Teeps, please see my PM.
> 
> FYI Gang, I tweeted this thread to @TiVo and they (@TiVoSupport) made things right for me.


Awesome and social media is a good way to get things resolved. Companies don't like their dirty laundry left out for all to see.

Should it have to come to that though? It's kind of like forcing them to do the right thing when it should have just been done from the start..


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## Kash76 (Jul 29, 2001)

Yes, it's unfortunate that the response is not universal. My goal was to make them aware of the frustrations of a community of their biggest supporters for educational purposes.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

raqball said:


> Awesome and social media is a good way to get things resolved. Companies don't like their dirty laundry left out for all to see.
> 
> Should it have to come to that though? It's kind of like forcing them to do the right thing when it should have just been done from the start..


I still don't think they did anything wrong. I don't expect anything extra if the warranty clearly states 90 days and I have an issue at 96 days. Sure it would be nice but not expected. And I'm not going to complain about it to try and get anything. But after hearing that someone else gets covered at 96 days then I expect to be covered too if I have issues outside of the warranty. If they cover one person then they need to cover everyone.


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## raqball (Feb 23, 2015)

aaronwt said:


> I still don't think they did anything wrong. I don't expect anything extra if the warranty clearly states 90 days and I have an issue at 96 days.


A Roamio Pro with lifetime service would be about $1,200 after tax direct from Tivo. If you spent $1,200 and it died at day 91 and Tivo said 'sorry charlie tuna', you be thrilled with that response?

Hard to believe, sorry..


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

raqball said:


> A Roamio Pro with lifetime service would be about $1,200 after tax direct from Tivo. If you spent $1,200 and it died at day 91 and Tivo said 'sorry charlie tuna', you be thrilled with that response?
> 
> Hard to believe, sorry..


Well that's just it, there is no "Sorry Charlie". You pay $50 for a replacement. (You aren't out "$1200"). Which seems like a fair deal after the full 90 day warranty is up. I have no problem with that since it is spelled out in the warranty. You know what the warranty is upfront before purchasing a device. If you don't like it then you don't purchase the device or you also purchase an extended warranty.

Out of all the HDTVs I've owned since 2001, I've only had one without an extended warranty. And that was the one that crapped out a few weeks after the one year warranty was up. I knew what the warranty was before purchasing the TV without the extended warranty. That was close to a $1k TV at the time. I picked up a new TV after it crapped out and eventually threw the old TV away. The warranty was dead so it was not covered. I knew that was a possibility before purchasing it. TiVo is no different than any other electronic device.


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## raqball (Feb 23, 2015)

aaronwt said:


> Well that's just it, there is no "Sorry Charlie". You pay $50 for a replacement. (You aren't out "$1200"). Which seems like a fair deal after the full 90 day warranty is up. I have no problem with that since it is spelled out in the warranty. You know what the warranty is upfront before purchasing a device. If you don't like it then you don't purchase the device or you also purchase an extended warranty.
> 
> Out of all the HDTVs I've owned since 2001, I've only had one without an extended warranty. And that was the one that crapped out a few weeks after the one year warranty was up. I knew what the warranty was before purchasing the TV without the extended warranty. That was close to a $1k TV at the time. I picked up a new TV after it crapped out and eventually threw the old TV away. The warranty was dead so it was not covered. I knew that was a possibility before purchasing it. TiVo is no different than any other electronic device.


I think you missed the point but ok...

And I still don't believe you'd be happy if it happened to you.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

100 years ago or so while I was working as a Service Adviser at a Ford Dealership, a guy came in for warranty work 6 miles over his mileage limit. I think it was 30,006 miles, if I remember correctly.

I logged it into the computer as 30,000 and sent him through the warranty process. As soon as the shop lead saw the exact number show up, he called me in for a sit down...

Long story short, I was told if I ever did it again - I would be fired. I quit a week later anyway.


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## BobCamp1 (May 15, 2002)

bradleys said:


> 100 years ago or so while I was working as a Service Adviser at a Ford Dealership, a guy came in for warranty work 6 miles over his mileage limit. I think it was 30,006 miles, if I remember correctly.
> 
> I logged it into the computer as 30,000 and sent him through the warranty process. As soon as the shop lead saw the exact number show up, he called me in for a sit down...
> 
> Long story short, I was told if I ever did it again - I would be fired. I quit a week later anyway.


And with Subaru, they paid half for my head gasket repair because even though I was outside the age of the extended warranty for it, I was well within its mileage. I called and asked politely and they gave me $700 towards my repair.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

bradleys said:


> 100 years ago or so while I was working as a Service Adviser at a Ford Dealership, a guy came in for warranty work 6 miles over his mileage limit. I think it was 30,006 miles, if I remember correctly. I logged it into the computer as 30,000 and sent him through the warranty process. As soon as the shop lead saw the exact number show up, he called me in for a sit down... Long story short, I was told if I ever did it again - I would be fired. I quit a week later anyway.


I would've told him I just took it for a drive to experience the problem first had.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Smart, very smart.


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## Teeps (Aug 16, 2001)

The replacement Roamio should be here today.


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## aristoBrat (Dec 30, 2002)

jcthorne said:


> Not true. After the 1 year warranty Tivo does indeed to out of warranty repairs.





b-ball-fanatic said:


> Can I get that in writing please?  From TiVo?
> That is not the information I recently got from them.


Below is straight from TiVo's written warranty. The only difference between how jcthorne describes it and how TiVo describes is that TiVo uses the word "service" instead of "repair".



> *To get out-of-warranty service*
> 
> Out-of-warranty service can be obtained at a nominal cost for replacement and handling. To obtain out-of-warranty service contact Customer Support at the number in the Troubleshooting chapter of this guide to obtain the cost of out-of-warranty exchange for your product.


The rest of the list you posted pretty much jives with what's in the written warranty, IMO.


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## Teeps (Aug 16, 2001)

Good news: replacement Roamio arrived.
Bad news: it's not a new unit..... :-(


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

Teeps said:


> Good news: replacement Roamio arrived. Bad news: it's not a new unit..... :-(


Neither is the one you were using that broke.


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## Teeps (Aug 16, 2001)

HarperVision said:


> Neither is the one you were using that broke.


Yes, that is true; 96 days of use.
The moment the box was opened it became a used unit, I suppose.

The replacement booted and went through guided setup and appears to be "pre-activated", as it says my account is in good standing.


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## aristoBrat (Dec 30, 2002)

Teeps said:


> Yes, that is true; 96 days of use.


If it helps any, looks like no matter how many days it's been, TiVo's not likely to replace it with a new one.



> For 90 days from the purchase date, the DVR will be replaced with a repaired, renewed or comparable product (whichever is deemed necessary by TiVo) if it becomes defective or inoperative. This exchange is done without charge to you for parts and labor (except applicable taxes, if any). You will be responsible for the cost of shipping.
> 
> From 90 days to 1 year from the date of purchase, your DVR will be replaced with a repaired, renewed, or comparable product (whichever is deemed necessary by TiVo) if it becomes defective or inoperative. You will be responsible for all labor and shipping costs.


http://www.tivo.com/buytivo/dvrlimitedwarranty.html


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

aristoBrat said:


> If it helps any, looks like no matter how many days it's been, TiVo's likely to replace with a new one. http://www.tivo.com/buytivo/dvrlimitedwarranty.html


I think you mean "refurbished", not new. At least that's how I read what you quoted.


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## aristoBrat (Dec 30, 2002)

HarperVision said:


> I think you mean "refurbished", not new. At least that's how I read what you quoted.


Thanks, I meant to say "not new".


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## b-ball-fanatic (Aug 5, 2003)

aristoBrat said:


> Below is straight from TiVo's written warranty. The only difference between how jcthorne describes it and how TiVo describes is that TiVo uses the word "service" instead of "repair".


Yes....it's a subtle but important difference, in that TiVo doesn't "repair" _any _machines anymore, not even those under warranty. Somewhere along the line, they transitioned* from being a DVR hardware sales & service company to primarily a software & content provider. The hardware they sell now is just the platform and they've apparently determined that the most cost-effective approach is to simply outsource a refurbish & replace service.

_* Though I have never sent a TiVo in for repair, I recall talking to customer service at one point many years ago about a minor issue on one of my old Series 3s. My "transition" description is based on my clear recollection of the rep discussing the repair options and cost if it should come to that, whereas there are no repair options now. (Which is what the rep meant when he said "TiVo doesn't service TiVos.")_



> The rest of the list you posted pretty much jives with what's in the written warranty, IMO.


The list I posted (about their policies) is what the phone rep told me and it does pretty much mirror the written warranty, with one important clarification...that fuzzy "out-of-warranty service" section. From TiVo's perspective, "can be obtained" is not a guarantee or assurance of availability. As described to me, it is solely at their discretion whether they offer the replacement-for-fee option on an out-of-warranty unit. Apparently, they sometimes choose not to.


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