# TiVo lifetime subs.. eBay?



## Mindflux (Jan 16, 2008)

I am looking at buying a lifetime subscription via eBay at a 70 dollar savings and even more savings not including tax it makes it to be a good deal.

Has anyone else done this with success? This is a subscription ONLY, not a box with a current LTSUB on it.


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## RetentionSquadIN (Dec 19, 2008)

Do not buy, u can not transfer a lifetime subscription unless, 1. Manufacturer Warranty, 2. 30-Days, 3. Extended Retail Warranty, 4. Jan 21, 2000 or before.


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## Mindflux (Jan 16, 2008)

RetentionSquadIN said:


> Do not buy, u can not transfer a lifetime subscription unless, 1. Manufacturer Warranty, 2. 30-Days, 3. Extended Retail Warranty, 4. Jan 21, 2000 or before.


These aren't subscription transfers, they are people selling lifetime subscription gift cards for under $400.

See here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ksid=p3907.m29&_trkparms=algo=LVI&its=I&otn=2


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## RetentionSquadIN (Dec 19, 2008)

now u are changing everything, giftcards are totally different, i was talking as if the service was activated on a box.


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## Mindflux (Jan 16, 2008)

RetentionSquadIN said:


> i was talking as if the service was activated on a box.


And I was not.


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## RetentionSquadIN (Dec 19, 2008)

as long as the service is unactivated then u are fine.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

I'm guessing that somehow the linked eBay seller is activating a lifetime sub on your box and then doing an ownership transfer to you. It's the only way he has an apparently unlimited supply of subscriptions to sell.


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## Mindflux (Jan 16, 2008)

pdhenry said:


> I'm guessing that somehow the linked eBay seller is activating a lifetime sub on your box and then doing an ownership transfer to you. It's the only way he has an apparently unlimited supply of subscriptions to sell.


Yeah, I'm thinking that's it too. It doesn't make much sense as after PP/eBay fees that guy can't be making but 10 bucks a pop.


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

pdhenry said:


> I'm guessing that somehow the linked eBay seller is activating a lifetime sub on your box and then doing an ownership transfer to you. It's the only way he has an apparently unlimited supply of subscriptions to sell.


The seller must be desperate for money. He'd only make $40, but after ebay takes it's share of the $339 selling price, the seller would lose another $13 and then figure that he listed 10 available, so he's paying $30 for the listing fee. He has to sell 2 just to make $21 and his last listing only sold 2.


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## Mindflux (Jan 16, 2008)

scandia101 said:


> The seller must be desperate for money. He'd only make $40, but after ebay takes it's share of the $339 selling price, the seller would lose another $13 and then figure that he listed 10 available, so he's paying $30 for the listing fee. He has to sell 2 just to make $21 and his last listing only sold 2.


He did it last year too. Most of his feedback are TiVo lifetime subs. eBay and PayPal's fees have gotten out of hand.

I wouldn't have minded picking one of these up when live.com cash was at 30%. I should have, dang it.


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

Mindflux said:


> I am looking at buying a lifetime subscription via eBay at a 70 dollar savings and even more savings not including tax it makes it to be a good deal.
> 
> Has anyone else done this with success? This is a subscription ONLY, not a box with a current LTSUB on it.


You can only do this if you're current subscription is monthly and you have no commitment to fulfill because you'll need to cancel your subscription so that the seller can put the lifetime sub on it on his account which would then get transferred back to you. If you have to pay an early cancellation fee, this won't be a great deal for you.

If you have a friend or relative with Tivo, you'd be better off having them do this for you and it wouldn't have to cost you more than the $299 price tag.


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## Mindflux (Jan 16, 2008)

scandia101 said:


> You can only do this if you're current subscription is monthly and you have no commitment to fulfill because you'll need to cancel your subscription so that the seller can put the lifetime sub on it on his account which would then get transferred back to you. If you have to pay an early cancellation fee, this won't be a great deal for you.
> 
> If you have a friend or relative with Tivo, you'd be better off having them do this for you and it wouldn't have to cost you more than the $299 price tag.


I'm currently in m 30 day trial 'guarantee'. I have a friend that has a TiVo, but I don't think he has 300 to spare to sign my box up on it.. and it would take a few days for me to get the money to him as we live a few states apart now. How does the transfer work? Does the tivo account page let you move it to another account or do you have to get ahold of a CSR?


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

Mindflux said:


> He did it last year too. Most of his feedback are TiVo lifetime subs. eBay and PayPal's fees have gotten out of hand.


This method/price wasn't possible last year.

His feedback for the last 90 days consist of 5 items and only one is for a Tivo lifetime sub and there's a 5 month gap before that.


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## Mindflux (Jan 16, 2008)

scandia101 said:


> This method/price wasn't possible last year.
> 
> His feedback for the last 90 days consist of 5 items and only one is for a Tivo lifetime sub.


I just talked to the guy on the phone and he said he did this all last year. Shrug.


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

Mindflux said:


> I'm currently in m 30 day trial 'guarantee'. I have a friend that has a TiVo, but I don't think he has 300 to spare to sign my box up on it.. and it would take a few days for me to get the money to him as we live a few states apart now. How does the transfer work? Does the tivo account page let you move it to another account or do you have to get ahold of a CSR?


Did you buy this Tivo directly from Tivo or did you buy it elswhere? If you bought it from Tivo, you won't be able to do this anyway. You'd have to cancel under the 30 day guarantee to get your $12.95 refunded, but then you'd also have to return the Tivo to them.


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## Mindflux (Jan 16, 2008)

scandia101 said:


> Did you buy this Tivo directly from Tivo or did you buy it elswhere? If you bought it from Tivo, you won't be able to do this anyway. You'd have to cancel under the 30 day guarantee to get your $12.95 refunded, but then you'd also have to return the Tivo to them.


I bought it at BestBuy. Got it for $199 when I bought my HDTV. :up:


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

The process is simple.
You call Tivo and cancel your subscription.
You give the other party your TSN so that they can use it to subscribe the Tivo with lifetime on their account.
They subscribe it.
You call Tivo and have it put on to your account.


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## Mindflux (Jan 16, 2008)

scandia101 said:


> The process is simple.
> You call Tivo and cancel your subscription.
> You give the other party your TSN so that they can use it to subscribe the Tivo with lifetime on their account.
> They subscribe it.
> You call Tivo and have it put on to your account.


Sounds simple enough but why would TiVo let *me* move a box on someone elses account to mine? Even though it's *my* box?


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

Mindflux said:


> Sounds simple enough but why would TiVo let *me* move a box on someone elses account to mine? Even though it's *my* box?


People buy and sell Tivos with lifetime subscriptions all the time. When ownership of the box transfers, so does the subscription.


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## Mindflux (Jan 16, 2008)

scandia101 said:


> People buy and sell Tivos with lifetime subscriptions all the time. When ownership of the box transfers, so does the subscription.


Right, so I'd assume the seller would have to alert TiVo that they sold the box and to expect a call from the new owner.

Maybe I'll talk to my friend about it.


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## newskilz (Jul 11, 2008)

Um, guys. Correct me if I'm wrong; but referring to how I recall it working in the past with the Lifetime gift cards (I believe no longer sold by TiVo) the lifetime is on the card and the holder of the Gift Card for lifetime service is the one that owns it. And the guy is _selling_the card to the buyer. As in the buyer will receive the gift card via mail, or some other service. The other guy will have nothing to do with starting the lifetime service or anything. Otherwise, it would just be a scam to get your money basically in my opinion.

From TiVo's Website

Gift Subscriptions purchased before Nov. 2006

That should cover pretty much anything you'd need to know about the Gift Cards. As long as you have the chance to verify it being a lifetime sub card after receiving it, or if it's not and sending it back to seller for full refund. Then if it is indeed cheaper, go for it. Of course it's only cheaper if you do not already have another qualifying machine, which would drop your lifetime fee to $299. But you probably knew that already and or only have the one box you mentioned.

So basically, if it's legit; he sells you the card and sends it to you. He does nothing to put lifetime on your machine, that's your job. You then have possession of a lifetime subscription gift card that you can use to activate any new (new to tivo) tivo box. (Refer back to the stipulations in the above link) Good luck!


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## newskilz (Jul 11, 2008)

Mindflux said:


> Right, so I'd assume the seller would have to alert TiVo that they sold the box and to expect a call from the new owner.
> 
> Maybe I'll talk to my friend about it.


You all aren't reading the post well, he already stated it was not a lifetime that was on a current box. No services being transferred from a box or being sold with a box. It's just a gift card.... purchased a long time ago, which never expires and is good toward a lifetime service on one box, regardless of what Tivo is currently charging.... (assuming the seller has the right card) Anyhew. just trying to help clarify things here for everyone.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

newskilz said:


> Um, guys. Correct me if I'm wrong; but referring to how I recall it working in the past with the Lifetime gift cards (I believe no longer sold by TiVo) the lifetime is on the card and the holder of the Gift Card for lifetime service is the one that owns it. And the guy is _selling_the card to the buyer. As in the buyer will receive the gift card via mail, or some other service. The other guy will have nothing to do with starting the lifetime service or anything. Otherwise, it would just be a scam to get your money basically in my opinion.


I think you're reading something into the auction that's not there. The seller has a photo of what looks like a gift card, but he's not selling a gift card. He is selling "Lifetime Service for any TiVo"


> Last Christmas I helped over 100 people get TiVo's award winning Lifetime Service for themselves or their family and friends.





> If your TiVo is a GIFT for someone... No Worries, the TiVo can be activated without you needing to open the box! Meaning you can give that new TiVo for Christmas already activated and ready to be pluged in!
> 
> I offer same day service! I will activate your TiVo on the day payment is received. You will be able to start enjoying your TiVo the very same day you hook it up!


It's not a gift card - you send the seller the TSN for your unit and he activates Lifetime service using his existing subscription as a qualifying sub for a $299 MSD Lifetime subscription. Once it's activated, the "ownership" is transferred (back) to you.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

I PM'd the seller and asked how it worked (I said I didn't have a TiVo yet that I wanted to get Lifetime on)


> I activate the TiVo I do not send a gift card. When you receive your TiVo Iall I need is the 15 digit serial number from the side of the box. Activation takes only a few minutes.
> 
> All I need in addition to that is a phone number you would like associated with your TiVO account.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

I'm surprised Tivo hasn't cut this guy off, but I guess they don't care. Apparently you can add unlimited activations for $299 using the LSD. But I agree with a previous poster, after ebay and PP fees he's not making much money on the deal (I figure about $12.50).


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## newskilz (Jul 11, 2008)

Ah, I stand corrected then. I did not bother to actually look at the ebay add. I tend to not like ebay anyway. Anyway, whatever works for whoever want to pay the guy and hope he delivers, so to speak


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## ragnrok23 (Sep 18, 2007)

pdhenry said:


> I PM'd the seller and asked how it worked (I said I didn't have a TiVo yet that I wanted to get Lifetime on)


So he doesn't even transfer the service to your name? He just keeps a bunch of Tivo's under his contract?


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## Mindflux (Jan 16, 2008)

ragnrok23 said:


> So he doesn't even transfer the service to your name? He just keeps a bunch of Tivo's under his contract?


No, he transfers it.


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## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

That's not the way I read the quote. It looks like the seller creates a Tivo account for you with your phone number. It would not be a good idea to let the seller keep the account and would be a good idea to change the email address and password once the seller gives it to you.



ragnrok23 said:


> So he doesn't even transfer the service to your name? He just keeps a bunch of Tivo's under his contract?


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## ragnrok23 (Sep 18, 2007)

magnus said:


> That's not the way I read the quote. It looks like the seller creates a Tivo account for you with your phone number. It would not be a good idea to let the seller keep the account and would be a good idea to change the email address and password once the seller gives it to you.


That's what i was thinking


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

As I recall, when a lifetimed TiVo is sold either the buyer or the seller can transfer the unit to the buyer's account.

In this case I think the eBay seller creates an account as though he owns the unit (to be eligible for the $299 MSD on his account) and then transfers the ownership to you. AFAICS it's all within the terms of the TiVo service.


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## dgutley (Dec 28, 2005)

I bought a TIVO on Ebay that was HD and sold with lifetime and I had no problem activating it. I don't remember if it had been activated or not.


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## Polekat (Jul 26, 2002)

I was looking into going this route, but now I may just see if I can get my brother-in-law to add a lifetime subscription for me then transfer it instead.


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

I would definitely recommend that over ebay since you can verify it went through. Also don't quote me on this, but I believe you can even pay the lifetime service with your card through his account. Then just wait a few days to make sure it goes through and then both of you will have to call to transfer.


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## Polekat (Jul 26, 2002)

Now would he need to have a lifetime subscription at this point? I'm not sure off hand if he pays monthly or if he has a lifetime plan.


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

Polekat said:


> Now would he need to have a lifetime subscription at this point? I'm not sure off hand if he pays monthly or if he has a lifetime plan.


All one needs to qualify for the MSD rate is have one full price subscription.


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## korvix (Aug 19, 2009)

I bought a TIVO on Ebay that was HD and sold with lifetime and I had no problem activating it. I don't remember if it had been activated or not.


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