# New to Tivo



## Lord_Vader (Jan 29, 2009)

I am finally going to switch to Tivo after years of lurking. 

I have FIOS and will order a Roamio Pro with lifetime service and a 3 year warranty. I will also order two minis.

1) I plan to get a slide remote to use with a mini in my MBR because I watch TV at night and a backlight would help. I see that it needs a dongle. Does it come with the dongle?

2) Any tips for FIOS? I will order the mstream card. Do I need to do anything other than activate it?

3) I assume that if I order everything from Amazon, I can just activate like normal. Any advantages to ordering from Tivo directly?

Thanks


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

1) Needs a dongle for all TiVo (inc the Mini) except the Roamio Plus or Roamio Pro
2) I don't have FIOS so I will leave that to others
3) No advantage from an order directly from TiVo except the unit comes already activated, get the TiVo for the best price, than (if not from TiVo) Activate. You can get lifetime for $399 (not $499) by using the code PLSR, or you can purchase a code from http://spherular.com/discountcode and purchase directly from TiVo at a good discount.

Use the promo COMMUNITY for a $10 discount.


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## TheBirdMan (Jun 4, 2014)

You should purchase a coupon code from eBay. They cost around $50 and will save you around $400 on your order. What your buying is a discount code to use on the tivo website so you would be buying straight from tivo. I got a roamio pro and 4 minis all with lifetime subscriptions and saved well over $1000 dollars. I got mine of a stellar that goes by spherular both on eBay and on these forums. Everything came activated. Just popped in the cablecard got it paired and started enjoying.


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## caughey (May 26, 2007)

Lord_Vader said:


> I am finally going to switch to Tivo after years of lurking.
> 
> I have FIOS and will order a Roamio Pro with lifetime service and a 3 year warranty. I will also order two minis.
> 
> ...


1) Make sure you order the Premiere/Mini version, and it should come with the dongle. The Roamio version doesn't. http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=510868&highlight=slide+pro+dongle

2) If you have HBO or Cinemax, you will also need to pair your mcard. Use the words "manually validate" with the FiOS rep for the best chance of success, and try online chat instead of phone for less stress. http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=10050325#post10050325

PS: I think you'll love the TiVo/FiOS combo.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

Lord_Vader said:


> 3) I assume that if I order everything from Amazon, I can just activate like normal. Any advantages to ordering from Tivo directly?


If you order it from Amazon you can use the "PLSR" code during activation to receive $100 off of the lifetime service on the Roamio. Or you can buy one of those ebay coupons and use it to buy everything directly from TiVo and save several hundred dollars.


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## Bytez (Sep 11, 2004)

Fios use MOCA for an easy installation, no need to run an ethernet or wireless for the Internet. You should buy the code from http://spherular.com/discountcode for max savings. :-D


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## Lord_Vader (Jan 29, 2009)

Thanks


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## Lord_Vader (Jan 29, 2009)

Will Tivo match Amazon if I call them? I would like to get the warranty, but I can seem to find it on Amazon.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

Lord_Vader said:


> Will Tivo match Amazon if I call them? I would like to get the warranty, but I can seem to find it on Amazon.


No on price match, but after activation you have 90 days to purchase the warranty from TiVo, you will see a link for the warranty or you can get the warranty when you first active your* NEW *TiVo.


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## nycityuser (Dec 30, 2004)

caughey said:


> 1) Make sure you order the Premiere/Mini version, and it should come with the dongle. The Roamio version doesn't. http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=510868&highlight=slide+pro+dongle
> 
> 2) If you have HBO or Cinemax, you will also need to pair your mcard. Use the words "manually validate" with the FiOS rep for the best chance of success, and try online chat instead of phone for less stress. http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=10050325#post10050325
> 
> PS: I think you'll love the TiVo/FiOS combo.


1) Do you actually need to use a dongle for the slide remote when using it with a Roamio Pro? I assumed that if it didn't come with a dongle that you didn't need one. I currently have an old slide remote/dongle that I use with my Roamio Pro and it doesn't work well. Lots of delay and not very responsive. I also use the remote that came with the Roamio and it is very responsive. I use the slide when I want to type, but I'm thinking of getting the slide for the Roamio because I assume it would be more responsive.

2) I activated an M-card on the FIOS website in January and it automatically paired it during activation. HBO and Cinemax came in perfectly without me having to call Verizon for the pairing.

I agree that the TiVo/FIOS combo is fantastic. That FIOS has MOCA already built-in makes TiVo work seamlessly. FIOS is now offering 6 and 12 tuner DVRs with 100 or 200 hours of storage, but I still prefer my TiVo and its great features. And the 450 hours of storage.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

nycityuser said:


> 1) Do you actually need to use a dongle for the slide remote when using it with a Roamio Pro? I assumed that if it didn't come with a dongle that you didn't need one. I currently have an old slide remote/dongle that I use with my Roamio Pro and it doesn't work well. Lots of delay and not very responsive. I also use the remote that came with the Roamio and it is very responsive. I use the slide when I want to type, but I'm thinking of getting the slide for the Roamio because I assume it would be more responsive.


The slide remote works with the Roamio without the dongle, but if you are ordering a new one from TiVo you might as well order the one for the Mini and get the dongle. The price and the remote you get are exactly the same. The only difference is that they throw the dongle in the box, so you might as well get it in case you ever want to use it with the Mini.



nycityuser said:


> FIOS is now offering 6 and 12 tuner DVRs with 100 or 200 hours of storage, but I still prefer my TiVo and its great features. And the 450 hours of storage.


You actually have to get 2 6-tuner DVRs from Verizon to have 12 tuners. They don't have a single DVR with 12 tuners, so essentially it's just like getting 2 6-tuner Roamios.


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## nycityuser (Dec 30, 2004)

tarheelblue32 said:


> You actually have to get 2 6-tuner DVRs from Verizon to have 12 tuners. They don't have a single DVR with 12 tuners, so essentially it's just like getting 2 6-tuner Roamios.


Oh, thanks for the edification. I did a dummy order on FIOS' website for a new DVR and was only offered a 6-tuner. I wondered why they weren't offering a 12-tuner.

They call their 6-tuner option "Enhanced" and the 12-tuner option "Premium." They charge $22/month for the former and $32/month for the latter, at least in New York. So the first box is $22 but the second is only $10.


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## Sixto (Sep 16, 2005)

Lord_Vader said:


> Will Tivo match Amazon if I call them? I would like to get the warranty, but I can seem to find it on Amazon.


Best Buy will match Amazon, but you're better off with the eBay code mentioned above. Hey LV, my DirecTV comparison thoughts are in my signature. Good luck. As mentioned by others, the FiOS/Roamio combination is outstanding, at least for now.


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## Sixto (Sep 16, 2005)

tarheelblue32 said:


> The slide remote works with the Roamio without the dongle, but if you are ordering a new one from TiVo you might as well order the one for the Mini and get the dongle. The price and the remote you get are exactly the same. The only difference is that they throw the dongle in the box, so you might as well get it in case you ever want to use it with...


Yep, I ordered each Slider with the dongle and then used the Sliders on the Roamio's with no dongle and the original Roamio remotes on the Mini's with the dongle. Much better then the remote that comes with the Mini.


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## Lord_Vader (Jan 29, 2009)

Thanks again


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## davidjplatt (Aug 27, 2003)

You really should consider buying a discount code at http://spherular.com/discountcode. I used this and saved over $550 on a Roamio Pro and two Minis with lifetime and warranty.

I ended up paying around $1100 for a Roamio Pro w/lifetime service and 3 year warranty and 2 Minis w/lifetime service and 3 year warranties.

Now I am paying $5 just for the cable card for a 6 tuner DVR with 300 hours of storage and two Minis for other rooms - all have performed absolutely flawlessly.

I figured out the cost for the VMS1100 (with 6 tuners and 100 hours of storage) and two IP1100s for the remote TVs at $42/month for the Verizon equipment.

The TiVo and Minis run $5/month. I break even at 31 months and then at 48 months I'm over $600 cheaper using the TiVo with Minis.

Knowing how long it took Verizon to upgrade to the VMS1100, it will take Verizon at least 5 years to come up something better than the TiVo (and probably not cheaper).


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

davidjplatt said:


> You really should consider buying a discount code at http://spherular.com/discountcode. I used this and saved over $550 on a Roamio Pro and two Minis with lifetime and warranty.
> 
> I ended up paying around $1100 for a Roamio Pro w/lifetime service and 3 year warranty and 2 Minis w/lifetime service and 3 year warranties.
> 
> ...


One person just had a problem with the codes http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=10165734#post10165734 Post *1226
*
*Just a heads up to everyone, TiVo is cracking down on those who acquired sellmoretivo codes who are not entitled to them.

I found out when TiVo allowed me to place an order using a code purchased through eBay.

I purchased a Roamio Pro + lifetime, but received my Roamio unactivated. When TiVo CS looked into it, they said I needed to pick a valid service plan. I explained there must be a mistake, I purchased a plan when I purchased the TiVo, and further to my knowledge TiVo does not ship devices un-activated.

The CS people were nice but utterly useless. A 3 business day CS investigation later, TiVo informed me the code I used belonged to someone who works at Frys, and as such I had violated the terms of the program and they could not give me the discounted lifetime price.

They gave me 2 options:

1. Keep the hardware at the discounted price, but pay either $399 for lifetime or $14.99/month with 1 year commitment.
2. RMA for a refund.

I RMA'd it, but guess what? TiVo only refunded me for the hardware. I called CS and raised holy hell, and the short of it was they apologized, but said there are glitches in their billing and activation systems causing all sorts of havoc, and so they can't refund me the full $ I initially paid for lifetime, because there is no record on their end I paid for any service.

Thankfully I have an email invoice from TiVo showing the hardware + service plan purchased, and thankfully I used an AMEX, so I've filed a dispute and expect to have it resolved in my favor shortly.

If you purchased or plan on purchasing a code, buyer beware. Between TiVo's incompetence and the fact these codes are not intended for the public, you are definitely taking a risk buying a code.

*


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