# Do I need a TIVO subscription?



## jbondi (Dec 1, 2008)

I'm sure that this has been asked hundreds of times before, but is it possible to use a TIVO to record free, OTA digital TV with out a TIVO subscription? I've read that without a subscription, the TIVO is useless. Does useless mean that all of the fancy "guide" features are disabled. Does activating the TIVO with a subscription actually make the entire unit work? Thanks.

Joe


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

You need a subscription.


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## bkdtv (Jan 9, 2003)

Think of the TivoHD as a $600 DVR that is available for $200 with fees. That's basically what it is.

You have the option of purchasing a subsidized TivoHD for $199 (at Costco) that requires a $129/yr or $12.99/mo fee, or you can choose to pay $199+$399=$598 and have no other fees. TiVo refers to the latter as a TiVo with a lifetime subscription.

Cell phone companies do basically the same thing. You can buy a phone for $$$$ up-front that requires no commitment and/or has bundled minutes, or you can buy the same phone for a lot less that requires a service commitment.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Without a subscription, the tivo is basically a brick. With a subscription, you get everything even streaming, transfer, and other features, providing its also hooked to your network. Using dial-up and the extra features are not available.


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## bkdtv (Jan 9, 2003)

You can now buy *fee-less* TiVos directly from the TiVo web site.


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## RonDawg (Jan 12, 2006)

If the OP wants some of the TiVo functionality without the fees, look into a used Pioneer or Toshiba TiVo/DVD combo unit with "Basic Lifetime" service. These will let you download guide data but have little or no additional functions, and have no monthly fees. 

Series 1 units, and a few very early Series 2's (based upon the reports of a few posted here) can continue to function as a manually-operated digital VCR without a subscription, but you will get no guide data.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

bkdtv said:


> You can now buy *fee-less* TiVos directly from the TiVo web site.


That offer includes a lifetime subscription.
I got that in my email today.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

bkdtv said:


> You can now buy *fee-less* TiVos directly from the TiVo web site.


You just included your TSN in that url so you may want to remove it.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

RonDawg said:


> If the OP wants some of the TiVo functionality without the fees, look into a used Pioneer or Toshiba TiVo/DVD combo unit with "Basic Lifetime" service. These will let you download guide data but have little or no additional functions, and have no monthly fees.
> 
> Series 1 units, and a few very early Series 2's (based upon the reports of a few posted here) can continue to function as a manually-operated digital VCR without a subscription, but you will get no guide data.


But he wants digital OTA... so that's not really relevant to this discussion.

IMHO, if he reallyreallyreally wants something with no fees (not even a onetime lifetime service fee), go to the "DVD Recorder" section on avsforum. There are some with hard drives and an ATSC tuner.


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## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

Both the DVD TiVos with free "TiVo Basic" and the Series 1s that work without service can be made to work with digital converter boxes. (In the case of Series 1 machines, it's by way of a work-around.)

I've been recording three shows every week for the last month using one of my unsubbed Series 1s and a digital converter box. In each of the three cases, Now Playing shows the correct channel info, and the recording is of the right show.


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## RonDawg (Jan 12, 2006)

mattack said:


> But he wants digital OTA... so that's not really relevant to this discussion.


The Pioneer and Toshiba units I believe are Series 2's and thus would be compatible with a digital OTA converter box.

Series 1 models are officially not, but workarounds have been posted here.


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## kfrazack (Feb 9, 2009)

So I presume that you would also lose the ability to transfer between a subscription unit and the non-subscription unit.


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## jrm01 (Oct 17, 2003)

kfrazack said:


> So I presume that you would also lose the ability to transfer between a subscription unit and the non-subscription unit.


You would not lose this capability. You never had it.


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

mattack said:


> But he wants digital OTA... so that's not really relevant to this discussion.
> 
> IMHO, if he reallyreallyreally wants something with no fees (not even a onetime lifetime service fee), go to the "DVD Recorder" section on avsforum. There are some with hard drives and an ATSC tuner.


or just check out the OTA DVR from DISH


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