# 2 Weeks out of Warranty & .....



## Gary-B (Jun 4, 2009)

Tivo sends a test code to my box that changes the Account status to A:-
Can't record, pause, rew, ff. Now tivo says I have to pay for their mistake.
What a crock of .....

Anyone having problems like this and what to do?


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Never heard of this. How can they send a test code to the box that breaks the hardware? You should move up the chain of CSRs. I don't think the one you talked to knows what they're saying. If it's an account problem then it should be fixable on their end.


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## DougJohnson (Dec 12, 2006)

Gary-B said:


> Tivo sends a test code to my box that changes the Account status to A:-
> Can't record, pause, rew, ff. Now tivo says I have to pay for their mistake.
> What a crock of .....
> 
> Anyone having problems like this and what to do?


How 'bout some more details? Exactly what did TiVo say? 
-- Doug


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## Gary-B (Jun 4, 2009)

Don't know how I got the code. The box is a Elite 4 Tuner and the code they sent is "b-tcdclient-20-5-mr/2014.11.11.1336". No one really knows how my box got it but it did. Since my 3 year warrant expired 12-1-2014, they want a reduced rate of 79.95 for a new Elite and the 2 weeks to send this box in and then wait for the replacement. This is not the way to run a company. Started by a 20 min chat sessions and then spoke with 3 tech supports.
Tivo says the service level got changed and with that code they can't fix it. They tried for force an update but it didn't work.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

By "code" do you mean software? Like your TiVo got updated with some beta version of the software? That I could see happening, maybe.

There is a kickstart code that will force your TiVo to revert the to last version of software that was installed.

http://www.weaknees.com/tivo-kickstart-codes.php

You might want to try 52 and if that doesn't work try 56.


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## Gary-B (Jun 4, 2009)

Yea, it's some kind of beta code, but they shouldn't be sending it out to just anybody. They didn't have me try any kickstarts but I'll try that.
I emal Tivo Margret to see if she could do anything.
Just chaps my a** that they want me to wait and pay for their mistake.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

The distribution of software versions is all controlled by your serial number. They could have easily made a typo entering a number and accidentally put you on a list for code that you shouldn't have. It's happened a few times in the past and they simply absorbed those users into the beta test. Although if your version is so alpha that it doesn't even have a proper version number and kills basic functionality, then they may not be able to do that. Although if you do have to send it back you most certainly shouldn't have to pay for it. That's just ridiculous!


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## AdamNJ (Aug 22, 2013)

Gary-B said:


> Just chaps my a** that they want me to wait and pay for their mistake.


How do they want you the pay for their mistake? Did the dummy you talked to say you need to send in for service/replacement and they want to change you for that? I can't imagine they would be doing a hijack and ransom.


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

If they broke it, they should fix it at their expense.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

waynomo said:


> If they broke it, they should fix it at their expense.


+1

Call back and try going up the CSR chain of command. You shouldn't have to pay for their mistake.


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## Gary-B (Jun 4, 2009)

They claim they'll replace the box for free, but must charge for transferring the lifetime service. Tried Kickstart 52 with no luck. Talked to a supervisor and emailed Tivo Margret about this. Even if they fix it for free, they tried hard to collect something which if it had been my wife, she would have just paid.
Very bad business practices.


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## jth tv (Nov 15, 2014)

Or some software on the hard drive got corrupted and they tried everything including updating the updating software (tcd ?) and it still does not work.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

Gary-B said:


> They claim they'll replace the box for free, but must charge for transferring the lifetime service.


What are they replacing the box with? Another Premiere or are they going to give you a Roamio? If they are willing to give you a Roamio for free to replace the Elite, I could understand them maybe charging you a small fee for the lifetime transfer.


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## Gary-B (Jun 4, 2009)

tarheelblue32 said:


> What are they replacing the box with? Another Premiere or are they going to give you a Roamio? If they are willing to give you a Roamio for free to replace the Elite, I could understand them maybe charging you a small fee for the lifetime transfer.


I could see that, but they are talking about replacing the Elite.
After my email to Tivo Margret, eng contacted me this morning and
are working on trying to get the right software version in the box.


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## Gary-B (Jun 4, 2009)

Well Tivo came thru, advance shipping referb box today. Of course they say the hard drive failed and caused the problem, but I'm happy whatever excuse they use.


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## shwru980r (Jun 22, 2008)

Gary-B said:


> Well Tivo came thru, advance shipping referb box today. Of course they say the hard drive failed and caused the problem, but I'm happy whatever excuse they use.


Hook the hard drive up to a computer and run the manufacturers diagnostic tool on it.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

There is a kickstart code that runs a SMART test on the drive. You should try that and see if it says the drive failed.


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## Gary-B (Jun 4, 2009)

Dan203 said:


> There is a kickstart code that runs a SMART test on the drive. You should try that and see if it says the drive failed.


Couldn't be the drive, if the drive failed, the checksum on the firmware wouldn't match and would not be installed. Plus if it was faulty info, it'd expect gibberish in the version number. Don't care what caused it as long as happy resolution.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

Gary-B said:


> Couldn't be the drive, if the drive failed, the checksum on the firmware wouldn't match and would not be installed. Plus if it was faulty info, it'd expect gibberish in the version number. Don't care what caused it as long as happy resolution.


Nobody could make up that software version, it not even a beta version, your one in a million and TiVo should fix it free.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

Gary-B said:


> Couldn't be the drive, if the drive failed, the checksum on the firmware wouldn't match and would not be installed. Plus if it was faulty info, it'd expect gibberish in the version number. Don't care what caused it as long as happy resolution.


That's the "tcdclient", meaning "TiVo Cloud Development Client" software, meaning it got leaked to your Elite somehow!


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## kokishin (Sep 9, 2014)

Gary-B said:


> Well Tivo came thru, advance shipping referb box today. Of course they say the hard drive failed and caused the problem, but I'm happy whatever excuse they use.


Very good!

Has Tivo determined root cause/corrective action for the erroneous software update that was sent to your Tivo? Otherwise, it could happen again.


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## Gary-B (Jun 4, 2009)

kokishin said:


> Very good!
> 
> Has Tivo determined root cause/corrective action for the erroneous software update that was sent to your Tivo? Otherwise, it could happen again.


Tivo says it was caused by bad information because the drive is bad. They just don't want to admit something like that happen. Few months back My boxes were downgraded after the fall update and updated again, they send me a free remote for that problem.


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## kokishin (Sep 9, 2014)

Gary-B said:


> Tivo says it was caused by bad information because the drive is bad. They just don't want to admit something like that happen.


Sounds bogus to me. This would indicate anyone with a bad drive would be susceptible to having it happen to them.



> Few months back My boxes were downgraded after the fall update and updated again, they send me a free remote for that problem.


Do you have an enemy working at Tivo? [j/k]

If you've been corresponding with Tivo Margaret, I would request that someone check to make sure your Tivo is not on some guinea pig test list.

BTW, I cant believe you got push back initially from Tivo. They pushed something out to your Tivo which should never have happened and then they blame your HDD. Surprised some CSR didn't tell you that you need an attenuator on your cable input.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

Tivo's customer service policy:

customer's 1st call) No

2nd ) No

3rd ) No

4th ) Yes


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## Gary-B (Jun 4, 2009)

trip1eX said:


> Tivo's customer service policy:
> 
> customer's 1st call) No
> 
> ...


hahahah that's exactly what happen until I emailed Tivo Margret.


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