# Why I probably will be leaving Tivo



## DCrowe (Jan 12, 2019)

I have been having a problem with my Tivo Bolt ota. It stopped picking up a couple of channels. Talked to support and they had me run through a bunch of tests. Nothing helped. She told me to try a new coaxial cable and if that didn't help to call back, that my unit was still under warranty. The new cable didn't help. Today I called back. I was told that even though it was still under warranty I would need to pay a $199 exchange fee. This is crazy. $199 for something under warranty. I told her I could buy a brand-new edge online for $199 without even having to talk to anyone. I have several months left on my yearly contract so I can research other options or just spend my money on a few streaming services and not need a dvr.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

DCrowe said:


> I have several months left on my yearly contract


I’d never cared, having only Lifetime units, but I wasn’t aware that the Continual Care replacement fees hinge on the age of the box:



> *TiVo Continual Care for qualifying TiVo DVRs*
> The fees to exchange a qualifying device for Monthly, Annual, or All-In-Plan subscribers with an active subscription plan are:
> 
> Limited Warranty Coverage
> ...


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## phecksel (Oct 10, 2003)

With Plex gone, I'm having fewer reasons to stay with Tivo


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## tommage1 (Nov 6, 2008)

DCrowe said:


> I have been having a problem with my Tivo Bolt ota. It stopped picking up a couple of channels. Talked to support and they had me run through a bunch of tests. Nothing helped. She told me to try a new coaxial cable and if that didn't help to call back, that my unit was still under warranty. The new cable didn't help. Today I called back. I was told that even though it was still under warranty I would need to pay a $199 exchange fee. This is crazy. $199 for something under warranty. I told her I could buy a brand-new edge online for $199 without even having to talk to anyone. I have several months left on my yearly contract so I can research other options or just spend my money on a few streaming services and not need a dvr.


Yeah, the continual care thing for non lifetime units is a joke. $199 for 3-4 years old? A non lifetime Bolt or Bolt OTA worth maybe $20-50 max. You CAN buy a used Bolt or preferably Roamio WITH LIFETIME service for under $200, maybe as little as $150-170. For sure the $199 would be a ripoff, if does not include lifetime service. Tivo is not what it used to be.............

Maybe check local Craigs or the facebook marketplace, if you are ok with monthly can possibly find used for the $20-50 I mention. Some around me for $15. OTA only model a bit more difficult and you would want OTA as monthly only like $6-7 a month as compared to $15? But think about the lifetime, look at completed ebay auctions, many under $200 and you can buy OTA only OR the cable/OTA version and just use the OTA.


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## SprintDrive (11 mo ago)

DCrowe said:


> I have been having a problem with my Tivo Bolt ota. It stopped picking up a couple of channels. Talked to support and they had me run through a bunch of tests. Nothing helped. She told me to try a new coaxial cable and if that didn't help to call back, that my unit was still under warranty. The new cable didn't help. Today I called back. I was told that even though it was still under warranty I would need to pay a $199 exchange fee. This is crazy. $199 for something under warranty. I told her I could buy a brand-new edge online for $199 without even having to talk to anyone. I have several months left on my yearly contract so I can research other options or just spend my money on a few streaming services and not need a dvr.


Have you rescanned the channels verified that you can receive the channels on your TV? They could be moving channels around. I wouldn't switch to streaming because you'll be forced to watch ads and the trick play is inferior. You could just buy a cheap used bolt online and switch once you verify that another device can receive the problem channels.


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## DCrowe (Jan 12, 2019)

I have rescanned a half a dozen times with no improvement. My year is paid up until February, so I have time to consider all of my options. I might would consider a new edge if it had more than two tuners for the ota model.


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## worachj (Oct 14, 2006)

Check your channel list. You may have multiple entries of the same channel. It happens when the guide data gets screwed up and your channels get mapped to the wrong frequency. If there’s multiple entries for a channel check and use the one with the correct frequency.


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## DCrowe (Jan 12, 2019)

I did another rescan and checked channel list. There is only one listing for that channel and it still not coming in.


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## Pokemon_Dad (Jan 19, 2008)

DCrowe said:


> I did another rescan and checked channel list. There is only one listing for that channel and it still not coming in.


Which channels on what cable service? They may have been moved to IPTV which can be received by your provider's own boxes and streaming apps, not a CableCARD device like TiVo. That change may have been announced in very tiny print at the bottom of a monthly billing statement sometime in the last year. See for example Comcast Moving Channels to IPTV

Edited to add: in the above-referenced thread, I mentioned a TiVo alternative that is often able to receive such channels: Channels DVR, with your provider's TVE streaming as the source.


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## KevTech (Apr 15, 2014)

Pokemon_Dad said:


> Which channels on what cable service? They may have been moved to IPTV which can be received by your provider's own boxes and streaming apps, not a CableCARD device like TiVo. That change may have been announced in very tiny print at the bottom of a monthly billing statement sometime in the last year. See for example Comcast Moving Channels to IPTV


Does not apply to DCrowe.



DCrowe said:


> I have been having a problem with my Tivo Bolt *ota*.


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## Pokemon_Dad (Jan 19, 2008)

KevTech said:


> Does not apply to DCrowe.


Oops, sorry, "never mind".  

It would be interesting to know if the missing OTA channels can be received on a different device at the same location.


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## SprintDrive (11 mo ago)

DCrowe said:


> I did another rescan and checked channel list. There is only one listing for that channel and it still not coming in.


Did you try hooking up coax directly to the TV using the TV tuner directly to see if the TV can receive the channel?


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## DCrowe (Jan 12, 2019)

The channel is ABC 25-1 Evansville, IN. I connected the antenna directly to two different TVs and that channel comes in perfect on both.


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## Pokemon_Dad (Jan 19, 2008)

DCrowe said:


> The channel is ABC 25-1 Evansville, IN. I connected the antenna directly to two different TVs and that channel comes in perfect on both.


I see there have been some changes to that station's antenna and frequency beginning in late May. It may be harder to receive in your location now. Many of us found our Bolts' OTA receivers to be relatively lame compared to previous and later models, and unfortunately yours may be yet another example.








ABC 25 Changing Frequencies


We are happy to report ABC 25 is again operating at full power! Check out the behind-the-scenes look at what’s been taking place. We appreciate the patience of viewers who were not able to pi…




www.tristatehomepage.com


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