# Any deals on Lifetime for TivoHD?



## booboy97 (Sep 20, 2000)

Have a couple of TivoHD's that my parents use and pay the MSD of $6.95. Are there any deals for Lifetime Tivo has recently offered or is it even worth it?

Thanks!


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

You can perhaps get the $99 lifetime on it but you have to call Tivo CS and say you want to cancel, budget cuts.


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## replaytv (Feb 21, 2011)

I'd say you have a very good chance of getting the $99 lifetime and feel that it would worth paying that price.
I would tell TiVo that you will pay $99 for lifetime, rather than ask.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

booboy97 said:


> Have a couple of TivoHD's that my parents use and pay the MSD of $6.95. Are there any deals for Lifetime Tivo has recently offered or is it even worth it?
> 
> Thanks!


Are they getting the MSD on both, and if so, what's the "anchor" TiVo (the full price subscription that qualifies the others for MSD)?

With an MSD lower than $9.95, I'm guessing they've had these in service for a while, which helps with the $99 lifetime.

Another thing that helps is if you're replacing them with new TiVos.

You might be able to get a deal to transfer that $6.95 rate to new TiVos *and* put $99 lifetime on the HDs.

At any rate, so many have gotten the $99 lifetime on all three Series 3 models, and some early Premieres as well, I'd just call up and tell them you want the deal on the HDs.

If they say no, call back later and get a different CSR.

At one time the way to get the $99 rate was to call up and "almost" cancel the monthly sub on those older units they'd already gotten plenty of monthly money out of.

In fact, anything you want out of TiVo, keep calling back until you get a CSR that will do it for you instead of giving up after the first turndown.


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## randywalters (Oct 21, 2003)

Lots of us have gotten $99 Lifetime on older Tivos. My boss gave me his old Premiere and i had him call to cancel his monthly service and ask to buy Lifetime for $99 and the CSR did so with no problem, and gave him a reference number so i could transfer that now $99 Lifetimed Tivo to my own account. Others have gotten $99 Lifetime on their older Tivos simply by calling and asking for it (without talking about canceling).

Here's a good thread about $99 Lifetime:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=509228


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## booboy97 (Sep 20, 2000)

Talked to a CSR. Wanted to give me lifetime for $399 :down:

He opened a reference number so when I talk to cancellation, they perhaps can give me a better deal.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

booboy97 said:


> Talked to a CSR. Wanted to give me lifetime for $399 :down:
> 
> He opened a reference number so when I talk to cancellation, they perhaps can give me a better deal.


Welcome to the other CSR--Customer Service Routlette--where you keep calling back until you get a rep who gives you the answer that you want.


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## shwru980r (Jun 22, 2008)

booboy97 said:


> Talked to a CSR. Wanted to give me lifetime for $399 :down:
> 
> He opened a reference number so when I talk to cancellation, they perhaps can give me a better deal.


If you don't threaten to cancel, they probably aren't going to give you the $99 deal.


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## jlb (Dec 13, 2001)

I did not have to threaten or even say I was going to cancel. I just said I was a long time customer (which they checked) and asked if they could offer me a deal for LT. 

Act nice and they will help usually.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

Among my TiVos are two S2 DTs, a 652 and a 648 on each of which I've been paying $9.95 per month. The rest are lifetimed S2 and S3 units I picked up cheap because of something wrong with them--mostly power supplies.

(I've got a lifetimed S1 Philips and lifetimed S1 Sony that that are currently "resting")

Called up to try for $99 lifetime on all.

Started with the 652, because it comes due next, and there was some objection to giving me the deal on it.

Then tried one of the S2s, since it was next to come due, and 'though some people have gotten the deal on S2s previously, they were resistant to the idea of doing lifetime on S2s.

From his tone of voice I got the impression I couldn't even have gotten full price lifetime on them just because of their age.

So he did the talk with his supervisor number, (whether he was actually talking to him or taking somebody else's call while leaving me hanging I of course have no way to know), and came back after a long while and they offered me a reduction to $6.95 per month each on the two S2s and the $99 deal on the 652 and the $99 deal on the 648.


So I took that for now, but I'm going to try for lifetime on the S2s again later on sometime so that if I get hit by a bus I don't have to worry about them getting screwed up because of missed payments.


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## booboy97 (Sep 20, 2000)

Called TiVo and got "Advanced Customer Care" Would only do $99 for one of the 3 TiVoHD for now.

Guess I'll call back in a month and do the second one and then again for the 3rd one.


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## DawnW (Nov 28, 2008)

Is it in your parent's name? 

When I bought my last used Tivo from a friend, I asked specifically if they could call themselves and ask since it was in their name and they had used the Tivo for about 7 years and paid a premium monthly charge.

If think if I had purchased it first and then called, it may not have been so easy.

Can your parents call in for you?


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## booboy97 (Sep 20, 2000)

DawnW said:


> Is it in your parent's name?
> 
> When I bought my last used Tivo from a friend, I asked specifically if they could call themselves and ask since it was in their name and they had used the Tivo for about 7 years and paid a premium monthly charge.
> 
> ...


All the TiVo's are on my account.


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## DawnW (Nov 28, 2008)

Wow, that is so strange.

I just got a Roamio with the lifetime deal because of my Tivo that had been connected for 10 years (and not all of those years by me.)

I hope you can get it worked out.


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## dcline414 (May 1, 2014)

I was just last week told that our Premiere qualifies for $199 lifetime service, but if I call back in mid-January when the box will have been active for three years to the day that they will be able to do $99 lifetime service.

I followed the prompts to cancel, but made it clear I was just looking to save money and had heard about the $99 deal online. No threats or suggestion that we might cancel or upgrade or anything of the sort. 

The rep did indicate that it is simply a promo code that the system will only accept after service on the box has been active long enough (36 months), but perhaps there is a revenue component too. Our box has had $15-$20 monthly service fees, so deeply discounted rates might require longer than three years.


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## shwru980r (Jun 22, 2008)

unitron said:


> Among my TiVos are two S2 DTs, a 652 and a 648 on each of which I've been paying $9.95 per month. The rest are lifetimed S2 and S3 units I picked up cheap because of something wrong with them--mostly power supplies.
> 
> (I've got a lifetimed S1 Philips and lifetimed S1 Sony that that are currently "resting")
> 
> ...


You didn't call to cancel, so why should the CSR give you lifetime service? You have to play hardball and let them know the only option is to give you lifetime service or else cancel the monthly service and lose a subscription.

I've bought 3 different S2's with lifetime service for less than $99 over the past few years, so you're really paying a premium to tivo for $99 lifetime service on an S2.


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## shwru980r (Jun 22, 2008)

dcline414 said:


> I was just last week told that our Premiere qualifies for $199 lifetime service, but if I call back in mid-January when the box will have been active for three years to the day that they will be able to do $99 lifetime service.
> 
> I followed the prompts to cancel, but made it clear I was just looking to save money and had heard about the $99 deal online. No threats or suggestion that we might cancel or upgrade or anything of the sort.
> 
> The rep did indicate that it is simply a promo code that the system will only accept after service on the box has been active long enough (36 months), but perhaps there is a revenue component too. Our box has had $15-$20 monthly service fees, so deeply discounted rates might require longer than three years.


If you're not cancelling, then why should the CSR give you $99 lifetime service? The CSR was not being truthful with you.

I got $99 lifetime on a 2 tuner premiere someone gave me that had only been on monthly service for 2 years. I activated the tivo with monthly service and called customer service at day 22. I told them I wanted $99 lifetime service or else cancel the subscription. The CSR was rude and condescending and made a few false statements to try and change my mind. In the end I got the $99 lifetime service, but I was on the line for about 15 minutes.


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## DrewTivo (Mar 30, 2005)

Worked just now for a HD/Series 3 with no problem.

Basically told CSR this

"Hi, I have a Tivo HD/Series 3 on a monthly service plan that I'm planning to cancel. However, I understand I might be eligible for a lifetime plan for $99. Is that correct?

CSR: "Yes there is [2 second pause] and you're eligible . . . Let me process this."

If any of this matters, I've been a Tivo customer 10+ years, and had this unit on an MSD ($6.95) for at least 5 years. (Wish I'd called earlier, although I didn't have a real threat to cancel until getting a Roamio.


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## mchief (Sep 10, 2005)

I just got $99 lifetime on both my TivoHDs. Called and told the CSR two options, cancel or $99. No problem for the $99


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

I just did the $99 lifetime on an ancient S3 I have, in preparation for sending it to my D&SIL in ATL. They are antenna/OTA, without a DVR, so I thought an S3 would be a nice gimme for them. (They agreed)

Status still shows "3", current, not "5" lifetime. Any issues with sending it to them now, as versus waiting until it finally flips over? Does it need to be on my home network for any reason? 

Also, any reason to let TiVo know this, or switch owners? They don't intend to do any online access, and they won't owe any money or have any contact with TiVo.

Sorry for the slight thread drift, this seemed like a good place to ask.


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## Mike Richardson (Sep 24, 2012)

astrohip said:


> D&SIL in ATL


D&SIL? (I assume ATL is Atlanta).


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## DrewTivo (Mar 30, 2005)

Mike Richardson said:


> D&SIL? (I assume ATL is Atlanta).


Daughter and Son-in-Law I assume.


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## DrewTivo (Mar 30, 2005)

astrohip said:


> I just did the $99 lifetime on an ancient S3 I have, in preparation for sending it to my D&SIL in ATL. They are antenna/OTA, without a DVR, so I thought an S3 would be a nice gimme for them. (They agreed)
> 
> Status still shows "3", current, not "5" lifetime. Any issues with sending it to them now, as versus waiting until it finally flips over? Does it need to be on my home network for any reason?
> 
> ...


YOu can send it to them now. You can wait until it switches to 5 (after 30 days I think) and then transfer ownership to them via Tivo.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

Mike Richardson said:


> D&SIL? (I assume ATL is Atlanta).


Yes.


DrewTivo said:


> Daughter and Son-in-Law I assume.


Yes.


DrewTivo said:


> YOu can send it to them now. You can wait until it switches to 5 (after 30 days I think) and then transfer ownership to them via Tivo.


Thanks. :up:


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## lstorey (Mar 17, 2005)

astrohip said:


> I just did the $99 lifetime on an ancient S3 I have, in preparation for sending it to my D&SIL in ATL. They are antenna/OTA, without a DVR, so I thought an S3 would be a nice gimme for them. (They agreed)
> .


Will these work with OTA/Antenna? I always thought it wouldn't I guess unless you manually program everything you want to record


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## Wil (Sep 27, 2002)

lstorey said:


> Will these work with OTA/Antenna? I always thought it wouldn't I guess unless you manually program everything you want to record


No. They work fine.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

lstorey said:


> Will these work with OTA/Antenna? I always thought it wouldn't I guess unless you manually program everything you want to record


Absolutely. When running Guided Setup, it asks:

* Antenna only
* Cable only
* Antenna & Cable both

BTW, it's now residing in Atlanta, recording OTA only for my D & SIL, who are cord-cutters. As someone who has every channel available on both Comcast & DirecTV, I thought I taught her better.

They also have Netflix, so I'm curious to hear how that experience goes for them on an old S3. Which I didn't even realize an S3 could get, until I read it in a thread here a few days ago.


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

astrohip said:


> They also have Netflix, so I'm curious to hear how that experience goes for them on an old S3. Which I didn't even realize an S3 could get, until I read it in a thread here a few days ago.


Netflix access is working fine for us on our S3 OLED's (Comcast Performance Internet so 25Mbps down).

TiVo Search is your friend for finding and watching movies on Netflix with an S3. I do add series that we're catching up on to our queue though to make it easier.

Scott


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## HDRyder9 (Aug 2, 2007)

I picked up a used Tivo HD and called Tivo to see what I could pay for lifetime. They said they couldn't find any record of my Tivo HD ever being subscribed. They offered me lifetime for $198.


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## MLev1 (Feb 27, 2015)

My S3 just died. I called to ask about transferring down the Season Passes that show up on their website. During the discussions I ended up speaking to a rep. They offered me a Roamio Plus 399 plus $99 lifetime. I am going to still see if I can salvage my S3. I don't have an image to burn onto the new HD. I do have a "new" 250 GB HD. I tried using InstantCake. Big mistake.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

MLev1 said:


> My S3 just died. I called to ask about transferring down the Season Passes that show up on their website. During the discussions I ended up speaking to a rep. They offered me a Roamio Plus 399 plus $99 lifetime. I am going to still see if I can salvage my S3. I don't have an image to burn onto the new HD. I do have a "new" 250 GB HD. I tried using InstantCake. Big mistake.


Check the power supply on that 648 while you've got the lid off so that you can hook the drive to a PC and run the drive maker's diagnostic software on it.


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## Steamfitter636 (Feb 19, 2015)

I have a Premiere XL with Lifetime that was sounding pretty bad. I ordered a 2T HD from Weakness and a new fan. While I was waiting to receive them, I fired up my old HD with external drive, so that I could transfer all my shows before changing the hard drive. I went on tivo.com and activated the s3 HD that had been sitting on my garage for the past 4 years. 

Everything went great with the hard drive replacement. I can't even hear my Premiere now. I called up Tivo to cancel the service on the s3 today, and was offered $99 Lifetime, and they deducted the 9.95 that I had paid for the month of service on the s3 HD.

So I just got Lifetime on my s3 HD for $89.05! 

BTW: I have had service since 12/04/07, so I'm not even close to 10 years.


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## shwru980r (Jun 22, 2008)

Steamfitter636 said:


> I have a Premiere XL with Lifetime that was sounding pretty bad. I ordered a 2T HD from Weakness and a new fan. While I was waiting to receive them, I fired up my old HD with external drive, so that I could transfer all my shows before changing the hard drive. I went on tivo.com and activated the s3 HD that had been sitting on my garage for the past 4 years.
> 
> Everything went great with the hard drive replacement. I can't even hear my Premiere now. I called up Tivo to cancel the service on the s3 today, and was offered $99 Lifetime, and they deducted the 9.95 that I had paid for the month of service on the s3 HD.
> 
> ...


The 10 year requirement is to get a discount on a Roamio.


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## ROMAN1 (Apr 5, 2015)

What was the magic phrase you used to get the offer? Never seen less than $99


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

ROMAN1 said:


> What was the magic phrase you used to get the offer? Never seen less than $99


The offer s/he got *was* for $99, but they applied the $9.95 monthly just paid which resulted in a net of $89.05


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