# TiVo Premiere for $67.99



## Joe01880 (Feb 8, 2009)

Ok, skeptical as i may be i bit the bullet, im gonna take one for the team Tiger Direct through Amazon is selling the TiVo Premiere for $97.99 then offering a $30 refund if you sign up for the Amazon Visa card making the cost of the Premiere $67.99 with free shipping..thats a hell of a good price even it it does only half work..the one i played with worked fine so im hoping i get a goodun. Also at that price i will be picking up a 1TB internal HDD and install it right off the bat..i love finding good deals in the middle of the night


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## smbaker (May 24, 2003)

Joe01880 said:


> Ok, skeptical as i may be i bit the bullet, im gonna take one for the team Tiger Direct through Amazon is selling the TiVo Premiere for $97.99 then offering a $30 refund if you sign up for the Amazon Visa card making the cost of the Premiere $67.99 with free shipping..thats a hell of a good price even it it does only half work..the one i played with worked fine so im hoping i get a goodun. Also at that price i will be picking up a 1TB internal HDD and install it right off the bat..i love finding good deals in the middle of the night


I hope you've seen the numerous threads about 19.99/mo service plans going into affect on the lower priced tivos.

Also, the $30 discount doesn't have anything to do with Tivo. You could buy a toaster from amazon.com, sign up for the visa card, and still get that discount. Better take a look into that visa card and make sure there's no yearly fee associated with it (not having an amazon visa, I have no idea whether there is or not).


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## Joe01880 (Feb 8, 2009)

smbaker said:


> I hope you've seen the numerous threads about 19.99/mo service plans going into affect on the lower priced tivos.
> 
> Also, the $30 discount doesn't have anything to do with Tivo. You could buy a toaster from amazon.com, sign up for the visa card, and still get that discount. Better take a look into that visa card and make sure there's no yearly fee associated with it (not having an amazon visa, I have no idea whether there is or not).


so whats your point..im getting the 30 dollar discount either way and the only thing i bought was the tivo so the discount works against the TiVo and the add I JUST saw on TiVo says $99+$19.99 a month, over the 1 year commitment the cost works out to $338.88..no deal whatsoever. Regardless of what the links you are refering to say im not seeing that on the TiVo website and in the service upgrade offers in my account i know what it says and for how much and for how many TiVo's it will apply to. In other words i dont know what they are offering you but i do know what they are offering me.
I already own a TiVo HD and will get a mutli plan discount, 9.95 or perhaps 8.95 a month because i will pay it at least 1year in advance maybe 2 or perhaps go Lifetime and @ 8.95 x 12 months + $67.99 the yearly cost of my new Premiere will be $175.39 and that includes the box..and thats only if i cant work a better deal on service, i might not be able to but i will try like hell! My current service plan is up Feb 1, 2011, to reup plus add another tivo im sure there is some type of deal to be had


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

The $99 price is like getting an iPHone for $200. It's tied to a contract. In this case a $20/month 1 yr contract.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

trip1eX said:


> The $99 price is like getting an iPHone for $200. It's tied to a contract. In this case a $20/month 1 yr contract.


Except you can't leave the store with your $200 iPHone without signing up for the contract, so you know the full commitment. On the TiVo deal an average person at Best Buy would walk out of the store with his $99 TiVo and never have to sign up, then later negotiate with TiVo after the sale, if he can't get what he wants, back to Best Buy to return, not good for anybody and nothing like the cell phone example.


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## SMWinnie (Aug 17, 2002)

Joe01880 said:


> I already own a TiVo HD and will get a mutli plan discount...


Good luck. The TiVo upgrade offers assume you are buying the Premiere from TiVo directly. IIRC, the offers are $270 + $200 for lifetime or $200 + $300 for lifetime.

Recent (i.e., since yesterday) experience with the CSRs indicates that they will not not offer you the upgrade/MSD pricing on the Premiere you have identified. If you get it, congratulations.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

lessd said:


> Except you can't leave the store with your $200 iPHone without signing up for the contract, so you know the full commitment. On the TiVo deal an average person at Best Buy would walk out of the store with his $99 TiVo and never have to sign up, then later negotiate with TiVo after the sale, if he can't get what he wants, back to Best Buy to return, not good for anybody and nothing like the cell phone example.


Who said it was a good model? 

Is it confusing? Well look no further than the OP.

BUt that's why I brought up the cellphone model. IT is an example we're all familiar with. The gist of both a cellphone and Tivo $99 business model are the same even if a few details differ. In both cases, you're buying a product at a cheap price today in exchange for signing a contract.


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## smbaker (May 24, 2003)

trip1eX said:


> BUt that's why I brought up the cellphone model. IT is an example we're all familiar with. The gist of both a cellphone and Tivo $99 business model are the same even if a few details differ. In both cases, you're buying a product at a cheap price today in exchange for signing a contract.


The difference on signing a contract before leaving the store with the cellphone is huge because it guarantees (backed up by 'collection agency' threats) that the subsidized phone will be paid for. I really don't see what is to prevent people from purchasing $99.99 Tivos and cutting them up for spare parts or throwing them in the attic in case their primary unit goes bad years down the road. I'm considering buying a third box and doing just that with it myself. Cheap insurance.

It strikes me that Tivo did not really think this mess through before marching forward and doing it. This cries out as an act of desperation.


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## SugarBowl (Jan 5, 2007)

Joe01880 said:


> TiVo says $99+$19.99 a month, over the 1 year commitment the cost works out to $388.88..no deal whatsoever.


?


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## Joe01880 (Feb 8, 2009)

SugarBowl said:


> ?


ok, my math sucks..338.88..still no deal at all

My point originally being is the Premiere is ending up costing me 67.99, i was hoping to share that with others so they might get the same deal. I had never considered getting the Amazon CC before but the pricing of the Premiere makes the hassle of getting the card then canceling it after i get the refund and pay off the the Premiere worth the effort.

I will either add the Premiere in addition to or as a replacement for my TiVo HD depending on what i get TiVo service for and from the conversation i just had with TiVo on the phone its a MSD of 99.00 per year on the Premiere.

Seems as if some think the price you pay for the box is going to reflect what you pay for the service, my question would be how does TiVo know what you pay for the box if you dont buy it from TiVo..how do they know you paid anything at all for it, it could have been a gift. Wouldnt that be price fixing? What you pay for service "should" be depneding on how long you have had serivce and how many TiVo's you have activated, like anything else there are deals to be had im sure but right now im looking at 67.99 for the box with the CC deal from Amazon and 8.25 a month (prepaid for the year), i can live with that. When and IF the box get's here, im just hoping it works, if it doesnt or it sucks its going to be a bigtime pain in the ass returning it.

What im wondering is since the start service dates of my then two tivos will be staggered a few months apart is after getting the new box and getting it activated at the 99 MSD for the year if on the anniversary of the old box i do not op to renew the service is will the Premiere stay at the prepaid price or will TiVo want to bill me more money and what happens at renew time for the new box..will it stay at 99 for the year on auto renew or will it bump up...oh the TiVo drama


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## smbaker (May 24, 2003)

Joe01880 said:


> Seems as if some think the price you pay for the box is going to reflect what you pay for the service, my question would be how does TiVo know what you pay for the box if you dont buy it from TiVo.


From what's been said in the other forums, the old prices are gone from the website, and you have to call in to get them. When you call in, they simply ask you what you paid and when. Assuming the caller is honest, he tells them the truth. I suspect as we get further and further away from the 14th, the burden of proving ones honesty will increase (one thread already mentions Tivo asking people to fax a copy of the receipt).

Aside from the poorly-worded service plan update that mentions an exact price of $99.99, there's no "price fixing" going on. I purchased my Premiere for $95 from 6ave on the 13th. Clearly the sellers are allowed to adjust the price as they see fit.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

smbaker said:


> The difference on signing a contract before leaving the store with the cellphone is huge because it guarantees (backed up by 'collection agency' threats) that the subsidized phone will be paid for. I really don't see what is to prevent people from purchasing $99.99 Tivos and cutting them up for spare parts or throwing them in the attic in case their primary unit goes bad years down the road. I'm considering buying a third box and doing just that with it myself. Cheap insurance.
> 
> It strikes me that Tivo did not really think this mess through before marching forward and doing it. This cries out as an act of desperation.


It's huge from Tivo's perspective, but for the consumer it is essentially the same thing as buying a cellphone.

You do bring up a good point that this could really backfire on Tivo.

I could buy a box for $99 and just use it as a HD box for $4/month (the cost of the cablecard) compared to the $10/month for an HD box that FIOS charges. IT would pay for itself in a year and I could pause TV and maybe set up a manual recording? Or no? Maybe you would have to activate it first.

Still maybe you could get around that by cloning the hard drive of a working premiere and then taking it offline. Forgot how that all works.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

trip1eX said:


> It's huge from Tivo's perspective, but for the consumer it is essentially the same thing as buying a cellphone.
> 
> You do bring up a good point that this could really backfire on Tivo.
> 
> ...


You can't use a clone drive in another TiVo without doing a clear & delete all, then you have set up you TiVo and you would back to what you had before, a TiVo that will not record (or if new record for only 7 days). No way around this, at least that can be talked about on this forum.


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## Joe01880 (Feb 8, 2009)

smbaker said:


> From what's been said in the other forums, the old prices are gone from the website, and you have to call in to get them. *When you call in, they simply ask you what you paid and when*. Assuming the caller is honest, he tells them the truth. I suspect as we get further and further away from the 14th, the burden of proving ones honesty will increase *(one thread already mentions Tivo asking people to fax a copy of the receipt*).
> 
> Aside from the poorly-worded service plan update that mentions an exact price of $99.99, there's no "price fixing" going on. I purchased my Premiere for $95 from 6ave on the 13th. Clearly the sellers are allowed to adjust the price as they see fit.


When i called in I volunteered the Premiere was a gift (not dishonest, it is a gift..from me to me!) and the rep told me i would get the MSD price of $99 for the year.

One would not necessarily have a receipt from a gift but i agree that things and deals can probably change from CSR to CSR.


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## vurbano (Apr 20, 2004)

SMWinnie said:


> Good luck. The TiVo upgrade offers assume you are buying the Premiere from TiVo directly. IIRC, the offers are $270 + $200 for lifetime or $200 + $300 for lifetime.
> 
> Recent (i.e., since yesterday) experience with the CSRs indicates that they will not not offer you the upgrade/MSD pricing on the Premiere you have identified. If you get it, congratulations.


I bought an additional premiere unit for 99 bucks from Best Buy recently as a promotion with a new TV and had no problem getting a multi service discount on lifetime service online without speaking to anybody.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

vurbano said:


> I bought an additional premiere unit for 99 bucks from Best Buy recently as a promotion with a new TV and had no problem getting a multi service discount on lifetime service online without speaking to anybody.


Can't do that today as lifetime is not offered (on the web) on new sub on 3rd pty TiVos of any model.


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## vurbano (Apr 20, 2004)

lessd said:


> Can't do that today as lifetime is not offered (on the web) on new sub on 3rd pty TiVos of any model.


well you could do it on 10/26/2010


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## mgp (Jan 31, 2002)

trip1eX said:


> It's huge from Tivo's perspective, but for the consumer it is essentially the same thing as buying a cellphone.
> 
> You do bring up a good point that this could really backfire on Tivo.
> 
> ...


According to the TiVO website. The promo boxes are coming preactivated. So your still on the hook for 19.99 mo for 12 mo.


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

I see that at amazon.com they have now added the following warning:


> Product Alert: TiVo Premiere and TiVo Premiere XL devices purchased between 11/14/10 and 12/31/10 will require a $19.99/month subscription fee and a one year subscription commitment.


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## mgp (Jan 31, 2002)

vurbano said:


> well you could do it on 10/26/2010


New Terms of Service were published 10/14/10.

I had been sitting on the fence regarding leaving Directv and gong to FIOS with Premieres. This new Promo has put my plans on hold until this promotion ends. Hopefully, they will return to their previous pricing model.


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

This "promotion" is more accurately described as a demotion...


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

mgp said:


> According to the TiVO website. The promo boxes are coming preactivated. So your still on the hook for 19.99 mo for 12 mo.


Pretty much all TiVos you purchase from TiVo.com comes "preactivated" has you have to buy service at the same time you buy the TiVo.

Thanks,


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## vurbano (Apr 20, 2004)

mgp said:


> New Terms of Service were published 10/14/10.
> 
> I had been sitting on the fence regarding leaving Directv and gong to FIOS with Premieres. This new Promo has put my plans on hold until this promotion ends. Hopefully, they will return to their previous pricing model.


and yet I did it after 10/14/10. Strange


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## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

mgp said:


> According to the TiVO website. The promo boxes are coming preactivated. So your still on the hook for 19.99 mo for 12 mo.


Premier boxes purchased through 3rd parties (Amazon, Best Buy etc) are not preactivated. If one purchased one for 99 and did not want service, there is no obligation to pay the 20 a month.


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## Squeak (May 12, 2000)

mgp said:


> New Terms of Service were published 10/14/10.


11/14/10

not

10/14/10


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## andrews777 (Aug 23, 2007)

jcthorne said:


> Premier boxes purchased through 3rd parties (Amazon, Best Buy etc) are not preactivated. If one purchased one for 99 and did not want service, there is no obligation to pay the 20 a month.


True, but why would you buy one if you didn't want to use it?

Brad


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

Spare parts. Ready to go plug and play drive and backup PSU. As someone who had to replace the PSU on his DirecTiVo, it comes in handy to have extras.


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## smbaker (May 24, 2003)

andrews777 said:


> True, but why would you buy one if you didn't want to use it?


Spare parts? $99 is a good deal on the guts that are contained in the box. I wouldn't mind having a spare laying around. Of course, as soon as you get a spare, nothing will ever break again.

For example from dvrupgrade.com using THD prices as none are listed for Premiere yet, an instantcake image for a THD is $39. A 320 GB drive preloaded with Tivo image is $129. S3 and THD power supplies are listed for $99 or $129 respectively.


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## travisc77 (May 26, 2005)

I still have an HD sitting on the shelf with a toasted PS. Ended up paying for a Premiere as a replacement. This may make sense, spare HDD, Remote, Power Supply, etc.

Nice.


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## mgp (Jan 31, 2002)

Squeak said:


> 11/14/10
> 
> not
> 
> 10/14/10


Absolutely, My bad...


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