# Transferring Lifetime Service



## gsr852 (Aug 19, 2012)

Has anyone ever had any luck getting the folks at Tivo to transfer lifetime service to a new unit? Thank you


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

They have run a few limited promotions, but the last one I know of was in 2007 when they offered Series 1 owners the chance to upgrade for $150.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

I was one of those who got the promo, and it was for $199.


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

Same here. Upgraded both of our S1's to S3's and transferred the lifetime for $199 each.

Scott


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## gsr852 (Aug 19, 2012)

I have to say that as much as I love TiVo (been with them since 2001) they don't make it easy for "lifetime" subscribers when you want to upgrade or your TiVo dies. That fine print stating the lifetime subscription is ONLY for the lifetime of the particular box you are placing it on just never seemed right.


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## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

gsr852 said:


> I have to say that as much as I love TiVo (been with them since 2001) they don't make it easy for "lifetime" subscribers when you want to upgrade or your TiVo dies. That fine print stating the lifetime subscription is ONLY for the lifetime of the particular box you are placing it on just never seemed right.


What would expect lifetime service to mean then? It could only have ever meant the lifetime of the box.


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

magnus said:


> What would expect lifetime service to mean then?


Seems he was around when the TOS wording was vague. Many people ass-u-med lifetime pertained to the TiVo service subscription (i.e. You buy a lifetime subscription, and use whatever Tivo you have on it).


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## jjd_87 (Jan 31, 2011)

Mine was destroyed in a fire, they wouldn't transfer the lifetime and I had only had the box for a year.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

gsr852 said:


> I have to say that as much as I love TiVo (been with them since 2001) they don't make it easy for "lifetime" subscribers when you want to upgrade or your TiVo dies. That fine print stating the lifetime subscription is ONLY for the lifetime of the particular box you are placing it on just never seemed right.


You do get a discount on new lifetime service for a new box (even if the box itself is not new). You expect Tivo to only bill you once for service for YOUR entire life? I'm not familiar with anything that does this.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

jrtroo said:


> You do get a discount on new lifetime service for a new box (even if the box itself is not new). You expect Tivo to only bill you once for service for YOUR entire life? I'm not familiar with anything that does this.


Single payment Life insurance does work that way.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I still don't know how anyone could think that lifetime TiVo service was for the life of the user and covered any boxes you ever owned during your life.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

lessd said:


> Single payment Life insurance does work that way.


Yes, but that's just like Tivo lifetime service... however, in this case, YOU are 'the box'.


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## lillevig (Dec 7, 2010)

mattack said:


> Yes, but that's just like Tivo lifetime service... however, in this case, YOU are 'the box'.


Dang, that explains my poor memory and my fumbling for the right words - either my hard drive or power supply need replacing.


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## lillevig (Dec 7, 2010)

aaronwt said:


> I still don't know how anyone could think that lifetime TiVo service was for the life of the user and covered any boxes you ever owned during your life.


Yeah, it's bad enough for Tivo that a high percentage of every lifetime box they ever sold is still being used by someone. I went through a couple of S1's, several S2's, an S2DT, and a pair of S3HD units without ever paying Tivo a nickel. Tried to make up for it this past year by buying a Premiere and the new P4.


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## replaytv (Feb 21, 2011)

lillevig said:


> Dang, that explains my poor memory and my fumbling for the right words - either my hard drive or power supply need replacing.


I think my brain has a 286 processor with 3meg RAM and no math-coprocesor and a 1gig hard drive, so I keep telling people "What can you really expect with that??!" It is kinda what I tell my significant other when I ask her ' You _DO _know I am _just _a guy, RIGHT?!!??" Amazingly that seems to work pretty good.

I also have never paid for TiVo service.... always have used Tivos with lifetime that I bought used.


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

lillevig said:


> Yeah, it's bad enough for Tivo that a high percentage of every lifetime box they ever sold is still being used by someone. I went through a couple of S1's, several S2's, an S2DT, and a pair of S3HD units without ever paying Tivo a nickel. Tried to make up for it this past year by buying a Premiere and the new P4.


I think that I helped a little when I bought 2 of the really expensive S3 OLED's and transferred my lifetime for the extra $199 each. They got more money from me both in hardware and for service since I was concerned they would never offer lifetime service again at the time.

Scott


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## gsr852 (Aug 19, 2012)

I understand that TiVo brings in revenue from subscriptions. That being said, I would suggest that if a current lifetime subscriber is buying a new unit, TiVo offer a substantial discount on a new lifetime subscription.


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

ThAbtO said:


> I was one of those who got the promo, and it was for $199.


Guess my memory needs an upgrade.


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## bmgoodman (Dec 20, 2000)

gsr852 said:


> I understand that TiVo brings in revenue from subscriptions. That being said, I would suggest that if a current lifetime subscriber is buying a new unit, TiVo offer a substantial discount on a new lifetime subscription.


Possibly a good theory, but how about if I immediately take my new lifetimed Tivo and sell it. And repeat? How many discounts boxes should I get to sell?


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## gsr852 (Aug 19, 2012)

bmgoodman said:


> Possibly a good theory, but how about if I immediately take my new lifetimed Tivo and sell it. And repeat? How many discounts boxes should I get to sell?


TiVo could place a limitations on such an offer, as they have records of all subscribers this could be done without folks taking advantage.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

gsr852 said:


> I understand that TiVo brings in revenue from subscriptions. That being said, I would suggest that if a current lifetime subscriber is buying a new unit, TiVo offer a substantial discount on a new lifetime subscription.


They offer a 20% discount($400 instead of $500). It used to be a 25% discount($300 instead of $400).


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

gsr852 said:


> I understand that TiVo brings in revenue from subscriptions. That being said, I would suggest that if a current lifetime subscriber is buying a new unit, TiVo offer a substantial discount on a new lifetime subscription.


$100 is substantial to me.


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## gsr852 (Aug 19, 2012)

jrtroo said:


> $100 is substantial to me.


AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :up:


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## lillevig (Dec 7, 2010)

aaronwt said:


> They offer a 20% discount($400 instead of $500). It used to be a 25% discount($300 instead of $400).


Yeah, got the $100 off the Premeire and the P4 because I already owned a qualifying box that I bought used. The incentive obviously worked on me.


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## lillevig (Dec 7, 2010)

bmgoodman said:


> Possibly a good theory, but how about if I immediately take my new lifetimed Tivo and sell it. And repeat? How many discounts boxes should I get to sell?





gsr852 said:


> TiVo could place a limitations on such an offer, as they have records of all subscribers this could be done without folks taking advantage.


I think they already limit the number of boxes you can apply the MSD to.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

lillevig said:


> I think they already limit the number of boxes you can apply the MSD to.


Supposedly. But I've been several past the limit 


> ....The MULTI-SERVICE DISCOUNT is limited to a maximum of five (5) additional TiVo service subscriptions per TiVo customer account. For example, a registered account holder with one Qualifying Subscription may add up to an additional five (5) new TiVo service subscriptions activations at the reduced MULTI-SERVICE DISCOUNT price to his or her account. The sixth (6th) additional TiVo service subscription would not qualify for the MULTI-SERVICE DISCOUNT and would be charged the standard TiVo service subscription price....


 and was still able to get MSD pricing online. I have no idea if it was a mistake though. But if it was, the mistake ws made several times at different times throughout the year. I just know I was glad I was able to still get MSD pricing for my two Elites. Although those were the first boxes I had to pay $400 for lifetime MSD pricing. All my other boxes were $300 or less with MSD pricing.


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

jjd_87 said:


> Mine was destroyed in a fire, they wouldn't transfer the lifetime and I had only had the box for a year.


Your fire insurance should have paid the cost of replacing the unit and the cost of replacing you lifetime service.


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## lillevig (Dec 7, 2010)

aaronwt said:


> Supposedly. But I've been several past the limit
> and was still able to get MSD pricing online. I have no idea if it was a mistake though. But if it was, the mistake ws made several times at different times throughout the year. I just know I was glad I was able to still get MSD pricing for my two Elites. Although those were the first boxes I had to pay $400 for lifetime MSD pricing. All my other boxes were $300 or less with MSD pricing.


Yeah, the statement almost makes it sound like you can get up to 5 per qualifying box. Then again, my understanding is that boxes bought with MSD are not considered qualifying boxes yet the Tivo CSR I talked to thought that every box on my account was a qualifier. Guess you just need to get the right CSR if you are "over the limit".


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