# Transferring Lifetime Subscription.



## wolfie3216 (Jun 24, 2004)

I just got my new Series 3 delivered last night. Bought it from PCSuperdeals, for $615, shipped. Unfortunately, the cable company (Cox) won't be able to come to install the cable cards until Monday. (a day AFTER the Super Bowl).

I tried calling Tivo to transfer my Series 2 lifetime to the Series 3. I made the transaction with PCSuperdeals on Tuesday, 1/30/07. After being put on hold for 45 minutes, I gave up. 

I have a couple questions about the Transfer of Lifetime subscriptions: can this be done online, at tivo.com? I'd hate to have to spend an hour (or more) on hold. 

My seceond question is: do I have to wait until AFTER the cable cards are installed before I transfer the series 2 lifetime?

Any advise would be greatly appreciated. 

Wolf
--------------------
1 Series 3 (unactivated)
1 Series 2 (lifetime)
1 Toshiba SD-H400 (Tivo Basic)


----------



## pl1 (Jan 18, 2007)

wolfie3216 said:


> can this be done online, at tivo.com?


No. You must call.


> My seceond question is: do I have to wait until AFTER the cable cards are installed before I transfer the series 2 lifetime?


No. You do not even have to open the box. The S/N is on the box.


----------



## TivoInNY (Dec 19, 2002)

I just called today to transfer my lifetime subscription as well (box purchased on 1/29). First time on hold for 30 minutes and had to hang up. The second time, I got through in 15 minutes. Once I got through, it took about 5 minutes. I'd try them again when you've got some time to spare.

FYI...I bought mine on 1/29, but for those who purchased their boxes on 2/1 or 2/2 and were wondering if they'd have a problem transferring because they missed the deadline by a day or two, at the moment they aren't even asking when you bought it, so I doubt it would be a problem.


----------



## yanasina (Jan 12, 2007)

I called late in the evening last Sunday and got right through with no hold time. It just depends on what time you call.


----------



## justinw (Jan 31, 2007)

If you buy it from an online vendor (say Onecall) how can they tell that you purchased it before 2/1?


----------



## pl1 (Jan 18, 2007)

justinw said:


> If you buy it from an online vendor (say Onecall) how can they tell that you purchased it before 2/1?


Your receipt might be proof.


----------



## .Dan. (Mar 29, 2006)

I just transferred Lifetime Service to a new S3 today. They never asked when or where I purchased it.


----------



## Deacon West (Apr 16, 2006)

Helped my Dad transfer his lifetime to his new S3 today. The CSR did ask when the unit was bought but was satisfied when I told him two weeks ago or so. I wasn't worried since my Dad did have a receipt with a 01/31/07 date on it. So apparently, some CSR's do ask, but as long as you answer pre 02/01/07, I think you are good to go.


----------



## replaytv (Feb 21, 2011)

Well, I thought I had read that the only transfer of lifetime service was from a oldest Series 1 to a Series 2, but this old thread has got me confused. Can I take my Series 2 with lifetime and transfer that to a Series 3 or 4?
I do still have some series 1 Tivos and the CSR said that there is no transfer of lifetime service, but now I just heard that if you ask to talk to a CSR supervisor then they will do it usually.


----------



## socrplyr (Jul 19, 2006)

There were only two times when you could transfer lifetime:
1. You had a very old S1 (Lifetime Activation before 1/2000 I think).
2. A special offer from Tivo, which generally included at $199 fee. (If you compute that out it is really the same as the pricing now b/c the boxes were $299...)


----------



## larrs (May 2, 2005)

socrplyr said:


> There were only two times when you could transfer lifetime:
> 1. You had a very old S1 (Lifetime Activation before 1/2000 I think).
> 2. A special offer from Tivo, which generally included at $199 fee. (If you compute that out it is really the same as the pricing now b/c the boxes were $299...)


This thread was about the promotion when the S3 came out that allowed you to transfer lifetime to it from another Tivo for a fee. You also got a free year on the Tivo you transferred from.

I took advantage of it and I think my cost upfront was $799.

This was 4 years ago and during the time that you could no longer purchase lifetime. A lot of water under the bridge since then...


----------



## snowbunny (Jun 10, 2007)

.... with my S3 rebooting periodically, becoming very sluggish by the second after reboot, problems with tuning via the TuningAdapter, AND no Hulu+ support, I feel like I've bought a very expensive brick. I bought it several years back but have only within the last week tried to reconnect it - we were victims of early SDV rollout in Austin, which rendered the S3 unusable.

I feel like TiVo doesn't care about its customers. Why on earth should I consider buying a Premiere and paying yet another fee for a "lifetime" subscription when the "lifetime" of any given series can be obviated by releasing another version of TiVo?


----------



## radly (May 25, 2011)

I sucessfully transfer'd my Lifetime Subscription a while back.. When Tivo Series 3 first came out, my brother got me one for Christmas, as I had the previous Series 2 Lifetime Warranty.. I called Tivo and explained the situation to them and they transfer'd my Lifetime warranty over with no problems. I then sold my old Tivo to a friend. I must admit though, this was many years ago and I've had very little contact with Tivo directly other than that.


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

If your S3 is rebooting, it's *likely* due to the hard drive.. which you can replace on your own.


----------



## Resist (Dec 21, 2003)

Many of us wish Tivo would reward long time customers with the ability to transfer a lifetime from an older box at an affordable price. 

In my situation, I have to keep an old Series 2 with a lifetime working so I can continue to get the MSD for my Series 3. And while $6.95 a month is a great price for its subscription, I hate monthly payments and would much rather have a lifetime on that Series 3. Unfortunately I am unwilling to fork over $499 or even $399 to get it one. 

Tivo, if only I could quit you, then I'd have more money in my pockets.


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Resist said:


> Many of us wish Tivo would reward long time customers with the ability to transfer a lifetime from an older box at an affordable price.


They have done this... several times. I got my S3 (currently dead), and TivoHD because of the lifetime transfer options. Well, you may argue they were not 'affordable'. They were $200 IIRC. The TivoHD ended up around $450 total including lifetime, which IMHO is reasonable, since I paid around that much for a VCR that did a lot less. (I'm still hoping to revive the S3, since it was a lot more!)


----------



## Resist (Dec 21, 2003)

mattack said:


> They have done this


The key word is "have". They don't do it anymore and why I made the post. When these were available I was under a subscription contract, so I couldn't take advantage of them. Now I can but not at the $400-$500 price tag. Even $300 makes no sense for a 4 year old Series 3.


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Well, if you want to get rid of your S3, I might be interested in it for parts.. seriously.


----------



## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

Woulda - Coulda - Shoulda 

I have purchased 5 TiVos. 3 with lifetime service upfront and 2 that I paid $6.95/mo for service. Bottom line is even at $6.95/mo I would have been better off having bought lifetime when I bought both of the units I have paid monthly on. 

I have learned my lesson and will not buy another Tivo without lifetime. 

Thanks,


----------



## larrs (May 2, 2005)

atmuscarella said:


> Woulda - Coulda - Shoulda
> 
> I have purchased 5 TiVos. 3 with lifetime service upfront and 2 that I paid $6.95/mo for service. Bottom line is even at $6.95/mo I would have been better off having bought lifetime when I bought both of the units I have paid monthly on.
> 
> ...


Agree 100%. However, I have a THD that is on $6.95. It is too late, IMHO, to purchase lifetime on it for $399 (it would take 57 months to break even and I have already had the box 2 years), but I might do it at a reduced rate.

I would also recommend Tivo look at your account and offer everyone with an older model Tivo another deal to move to a Premiere with lifetime but on the basis of what you have and what you are paying now. To make it fair, it could only be offered on boxes that have been on your account more than one year- to stop people from going out and buying S2s on Ebay to get the deal.


----------



## Resist (Dec 21, 2003)

atmuscarella said:


> I have learned my lesson and will not buy another Tivo without lifetime.


Sadly I agree.

I just wish I was able to transfer the lifetime from my old Series 2 single tuner to my Series 3.


----------



## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

Resist said:


> Sadly I agree.
> 
> I just wish I was able to transfer the lifetime from my old Series 2 single tuner to my Series 3.


I wish I could transfer lifetime from my S1s to my S2s.


----------



## ah30k (Jan 9, 2006)

I still have a grandfathered S1 with a transferable lifetime. I know that as soon as I pull the trigger they will release the next gen hardware.


----------



## Resist (Dec 21, 2003)

ah30k said:


> I know that as soon as I pull the trigger they will release the next gen hardware.


Not to worry, it will most likely be as unfinished as the Premiere.


----------



## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

ah30k said:


> I still have a grandfathered S1 with a transferable lifetime. I know that as soon as I pull the trigger they will release the next gen hardware.


If you have a grandfathered S1 with a transferable lifetime you actually benefit from the new pricing policy (shifting hardware costs to subscription costs). You can buy a new Premiere from Amazon for under $80 and move your lifetime service to it. Lucky you!!

Thanks,


----------



## MScottC (Sep 11, 2004)

atmuscarella said:


> If you have a grandfathered S1 with a transferable lifetime you actually benefit from the new pricing policy (shifting hardware costs to subscription costs). You can buy a new Premiere from Amazon for under $80 and move your lifetime service to it. Lucky you!!
> 
> Thanks,


Has anyone actually done this?


----------



## rtfromnc (Dec 30, 2009)

I was able to do it and they did not charge me anything to do the transfer, but like a previous post mentioned, 90 days later the Premiere came out and I was stuck with a S3 (HD).


----------

