# Premier Lifetime for $99 or Roamio OTA?



## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

Been on UVerse for a couple of years and Tivo just sent me a letter offering to get lifetime on my old Premier for $99. I actually have 2 premier's (one I've never used) in the attic, wondering if they'll give me the same deal on the second one too.

I've been thinking about going back to OTA for a while now anyway so here's my question to you all: should stick with the Premier(s) or is the $50 Roamio OTA that much of a better machine (even with it's $15/mo fee) that I should just go that way?


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

Roamio ota has a lot better tuners


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## pfiagra (Oct 13, 2014)

I would activate the lifetime on the Premiere and try it out first. It is a $99 experiment, and if you change your mind to stick with U-verse or decide to go with a Roamio, you will easily be able to recoup your cost by selling the lifetimed Premiere.


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

tootal2 said:


> Roamio ota has a lot better tuners


Really? Interesting. I'm having trouble pulling in a couple of locals right now with the Premier. I wonder if it would do better?


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

pfiagra said:


> I would activate the lifetime on the Premiere and try it out first. It is a $99 experiment, and if you change your mind to stick with U-verse or decide to go with a Roamio, you will easily be able to recoup your cost by selling the lifetimed Premiere.


Yeah, I think that's what I'm going to do.


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

I got the one $99 deal, but they wouldn't give it to me on the other. 

I'm now curious: can my premier do multi-room-viewing of the content on a Romio OTA box?


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

eric_n_dfw said:


> I got the one $99 deal, but they wouldn't give it to me on the other.  I'm now curious: can my premier do multi-room-viewing of the content on a Romio OTA box?


Why yes, it can!


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## abovethesink (Aug 26, 2013)

You made the right decision. You can always sell the box for at least $200 now, probably more. Even if you didn't want to keep it paying the $99 would have been the better decision.


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

abovethesink said:


> You made the right decision. You can always sell the box for at least $200 now, probably more. Even if you didn't want to keep it paying the $99 would have been the better decision.


Thanks. I did the same several years ago with an upgraded TivoHD and ended up selling it for a tidy profit a couple of months later.

I think I may try ordering a Roamio OTA and returning it w/in the 1st 30 days if I don't find it to be worth the monthly fee. Otherwise I'll use it as my primary machine and this Premier as my secondary one.

I was watching Netflix on the Premier last night and I like the newer interface (hadn't seen Netflix on Tivo since that series 3 box) but it's a lot slower than my 3 year old Apple TV's UI. I trust the Roamio is a lot snappier from the reviews I've read.


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## abovethesink (Aug 26, 2013)

Yes, night and day. Netflix on my Premiere is so painful that I will switch inputs and use the Roku unless I am simply hitting play from the list to play something from a OnePass directly. Navigating is a frustrating experience as the lag is considerable when compared to my Smart TV in the living room, Roamio in the same room, or Roku in the bedroom. The Roamio is great with Netflix, only slightly worse than the Roku (which should be the case -- the Roku's ONLY purpose is to run streaming apps) and noticeable better than my Samsung Smart TV app. Though I will use the Smart TV app instead when something is available in 4k, but that is a limitation currently of every single Netflix app except ones native to smart tvs currently to my knowledge.


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

Very cool, and I'm encouraged by the discussions here about the tuner quality in the Roamio too. The last time I was OTA-only was when I lived smack-dab in the center of the DFW area and got every digital channel with a $20 radio-shack special antenna laying in the insulation of my attic pointed generally towards Cedar Hill (where all of the broadcast antennas here are located).

Now I'm about 30 miles farther from Cedar Hill and have had to be much more particular about aim. Have a $100 antenna with a $40 power-injector amp and still get breakup on one channel (8-1) and no reception of another (13-1). Part of my problem is probably radiant barrier foil on the roof decking in the new house, something I didn't have to deal with before. I found a way aim my antenna out of an attic dormer window with good access to tweak the aim though.

If the Roamio can pull in those 2 channels w/out having to mount a new, outdoor antenna, it pays for itself in installer fees alone (I don't do 2nd story roof antenna installations).


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

Why do the OTA? I would get the normal box and just use it for the OTA function. Selling the premiere will help cover the costs, and you can get lifetime.


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

jrtroo said:


> Why do the OTA? I would get the normal box and just use it for the OTA function. Selling the premiere will help cover the costs, and you can get lifetime.


I thought of that but here's my reasoning,

*If I sold my two Premiers for $250 total* (one with lifetime, one without):

 Roamio: $150
 Lifetime Service: $400
 Mini for 2nd room: $150
 SubTotal: $700 (w/o tax)
 Total after Premier sales: $450
 SWAG resale of Roamio after 24 months: $300
 Total "cost to own" after 24 months: $150

*Keeping the Premier with lifetime as my 2nd box, selling the other one for $50 and buying an OTA:*

 Roamio OTA: $50
 24 months service at $15: $360
 SubTotal: $410
 Total after Premier sale: $360
 SWAG Premier + Lifetime resale in 24 more months: $150 (based on current Tivo HD resale on eBay)
 Total "cost to own" after 24 months (assuming OTA worthless): $210

So, if those SWAG's are anywhere near valid, I lose about $60 going with the OTA if I upgrade after two years. (obviously, sticking with it longer tilts the scale quickly the other way) $60 is not that much to worry about IMO.

FWIW, I'm in a Uverse monopoly neighborhood so will never will need CableCard here unless some other cable company decides to lay wire/fibre.


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

Just looked on eBay, and I think the $50 I estimated in value for my non-LTS Premier is inflated. It's in both sides of the equation though, so it doesn't change the result.


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

I'm kind-of curious... if I were to activate my other premier, then cancel within 30 days; I wonder if they would offer me the $99 lifetime at some point in the future? Since the box has never been on my account, they're never going to solicit me for the deal.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

eric_n_dfw said:


> I'm kind-of curious... if I were to activate my other premier, then cancel within 30 days; I wonder if they would offer me the $99 lifetime at some point in the future? Since the box has never been on my account, they're never going to solicit me for the deal.


FWIW, I tried that with a TiVo HD that I bought off of Craigslist and they only offered me the $199 Lifetime deal, not the $99.


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

Just to add another data point....

*Tuners:* I've been using both Roamio and Premiere TiVos for quite awhile now, and I can't honestly say that I find the tuners to be any different. (I'm on Comcast cable, FWIW.) I get all the same channels, the same PQ, and the recordings seem to be identical.

*Netflix: * There _is _a little more start-up lag and slower menu navigation on the Premiere vs the Roamio, but I definitely would not call it a night-and-day, deal-breaker kind of difference.

I typically use other devices for Netflix in both rooms, but over the weekend, I had occasion to test & compare Netflix and Amazon performance between the two units (in response to some other posters' questions here). I was pleasantly surprised to find the performance on both machines to be pretty darn good! I remember when they first became available, they were just too tediously slow to be viable options. (Hence the reason I routinely used other devices in my setup.) But Netflix and Amazon started up and worked well on both machines in this recent testing. All differences were in start-up and navigation....actual video playback was flawless on both.

*Transfer speeds:* I transfer shows to my PC for editing and storage. Each generation of TiVo has sported improved transfer speeds, and the Roamio is much faster than all previous models. If you don't transfer shows, this doesn't matter. It doesn't have any impact on streaming performance _between _TiVos.

*Bottom line: * The Roamio is faster navigating streaming services, though not "deal-breaker" faster....still, if that's a priority, it's a difference worth considering. And it offers faster TiVo-to-PC transfer rates. Beyond that, I haven't noticed any other feature or performance advantage the Roamio offers over what you get with a Premiere. (And personally, I happen to think the Premieres _look _better than the Roamios, which are very plasticky. But maybe that's just me. )


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

Thanks to all for the opinions and experience; I've been out of the Tivo world for a couple of years and haven't been a "power user" since my Series 2 DirecTivo hacking days a decade back. I've gone ahead and ordered a Roamio OTA so I can compare it apples-to-apples with my Premier and will return it if I don't think it's *that* much better.


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

Just got the Roamio --- amazing that I ordered around 12:45p yesterday and got it around 5:30p today on free shipping! (I shipped from down the street in Fort Worth)

Install is pulling latest system update as we speak.


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## andrews777 (Aug 23, 2007)

eric_n_dfw said:


> Now I'm about 30 miles farther from Cedar Hill and have had to be much more particular about aim. Have a $100 antenna with a $40 power-injector amp and still get breakup on one channel (8-1) and no reception of another (13-1). Part of my problem is probably radiant barrier foil on the roof decking in the new house, something I didn't have to deal with before. I found a way aim my antenna out of an attic dormer window with good access to tweak the aim though.
> 
> If the Roamio can pull in those 2 channels w/out having to mount a new, outdoor antenna, it pays for itself in installer fees alone (I don't do 2nd story roof antenna installations).


I just got a base Roamio and a Amazon Basics antenna (their top one ~$100). I have the antenna setup temporarily right next to the Roamio and it gets almost 50 channels from far West Fort Worth. Worth the $100 for antenna even as is.

Consider that as well.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

I would go for the activate/deactivate on the old box. I have shopped CSRs and been successful on the 199 and 99 at different times. If the box was active for over two years, I bet you could get it.


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

My first impressions from some brief use of the Roamio OTA:

*Menu speed is great:* I'm sure others have said this, but the Roamio hardware finally seems to have caught up with the HD menu software.
*Not able to tune in any more/less channels:* Still unable to pull in 13-1 and 8-1 still shows some periodic breakup. Probably going to play with alternate antennas and aim a bit this weekend
*Netflix app MUCH speedier:* Not sure it's as speedy as my Apple TV but it's close enough.
*RF remote is nice*
*Still mixed resolutions on menus:* I'm surprised that they still haven't converted 100% of the system menus to the new look/feel. Dropping into Series 2-looking menus seems odd in 2015!


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

eric_n_dfw said:


> *Still mixed resolutions on menus:* I'm surprised that they still haven't converted 100% of the system menus to the new look/feel. Dropping into Series 2-looking menus seems odd in 2015!


I also was surprised by this--I would think that it would be a relatively simple matter to conform it all to current standards (but, I'm not an engineer) and that TiVo would want to get it done sooner rather than later. A professional, finished appearance is a good thing.


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## Welshdog (Jan 4, 2005)

I have a Tivo HD that we use for OTA along side our Roamio Pro. The HD is having issues probably related to power supply or hard drive or both. My options are replace the power supply for $100 and maybe the HD for an additional $150 (both from Weaknees). And no, I'm not going to get involved in formatting a drive myself even though it is cheaper.

Or I can get a base Roamio (not the OTA - I only do lifetime) for $642 total with tax and lifetime. Which is a LOT more.

With the Roamio I have a new machine (warranty) with faster features and more capacity. With the HD I spend less money, but have the same old horse with maybe a slightly bigger drive. Plus. if it lives for another 4-5 years, I'll be doing the same thing over again since a new power supply is going to fail just like the old one.

Am I missing anything here? I guess I'm leaning towards the HD now that I have written everything down and looked at it. I will say that the Roamio Pro is a really nice machine and we like it a lot.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Be sure to check out the set + lifetime pricing under the infamous spherular deal, bringing the Roamio standard + lifetime price down to $449.99 plus eBay auction amount.

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=516044


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

Mikeguy said:


> Be sure to check out the set + lifetime pricing under the infamous spherular deal, bringing the Roamio standard + lifetime price down to $449.99 plus eBay auction amount.
> 
> http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=516044


Thanks, is very interesting. Would drop my earlier pricing example by about $100, making the 24 month estimated cost to own of the OTA box $160 more than the lifetime Roamio. Given that info, I may very well return the OTA box and get the Roamio + LTS.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

One thing to keep in mind, in case you are warranty-sensitive:

The OTA comes with TiVo's Continual Care warranty while you are paying the monthly or annual subscription; the Roamio standard gets TiVo's 3-month parts and labor/1 year parts warranty. Of course, you could buy TiVo's extended warranty for the Roamio standard and still come out ahead $-wise, although I don't know if TiVo allows a warranty extension after the 2 or 3-year period.

As I calculate it, the break-even between the OTA and a Roamio standard with lifetime and extended warranty is a little bit under 3 years.


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

Mikeguy said:


> The OTA comes with TiVo's Continual Care warranty while you are paying the monthly or annual subscription; the Roamio standard gets TiVo's 3-month parts and labor/1 year parts warranty.


I was under the impression that _any _Roamio on monthly or annual service gets the Continual Care warranty. Are you saying it's only the OTA?


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## LoveGardenia (Apr 24, 2015)

b-ball-fanatic said:


> I was under the impression that _any _Roamio on monthly or annual service gets the Continual Care warranty. Are you saying it's only the OTA?


you are correct, any Roamio on monthly or annual services. Not Offered for Roamio on Lifetime.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

b-ball-fanatic said:


> I was under the impression that _any _Roamio on monthly or annual service gets the Continual Care warranty. Are you saying it's only the OTA?


Yes, you are correct, it's any Roamio, as noted above. I just referred to the OTA because that is what you currently have and are comparing to a Roamio standard with lifetime.


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## eric_n_dfw (Jul 15, 2003)

FYI: Just scored the OTA + LTS $299 deal using the instructions here: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=10501285#post10501285

Will be returning my current OTA when it arrives.


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