# Doers the Tivo "support" lying ever stop?



## Daviator00 (Dec 5, 2017)

Tivo support sent a replacement Bolt for my failing 2nd Bolt. I was told that I could transfer the programs from the old Bolt to the new one. However, the new Bolt did not come with a power cord.

I was then told that the original box did not need to be powered up as the programs are stored in the cloud and can be transferred via Tivo-Online. Again, not true.

Both boxes need to be powered up, on the network AND activated. I managed to get Tivo to send me a new power supply but now I cannot watch the programs on my old box (while I'm waiting for the new power supply) as it has now been deactivated. I was then informed that if I wanted it reactivated I had to pay for a month's service. B.S.!

I then asked to be put in contact with Executive Management Team. The so called "supervisor" on the phone said that there was no such thing! Again, B.S.!
Contact the Executive Relations Team

What the heck is wrong with these people? Does anyone at Tivo have a clue? Do they even care?


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Daviator00 said:


> I was then told that the original box did not need to be powered up as the programs are stored in the cloud and can be transferred via Tivo-Online.


Wow.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

If the old bolt is failing, how did you expect to transfer content? If it works enough to transfer, what is wrong with it. You can watch the content on an unsubscribed box, unless it is failing to the point you cannot watch anything, if that is the case transferring would not work anyway.


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## Daviator00 (Dec 5, 2017)

jrtroo said:


> If the old bolt is failing, how did you expect to transfer content? If it works enough to transfer, what is wrong with it. You can watch the content on an unsubscribed box, unless it is failing to the point you cannot watch anything, if that is the case transferring would not work anyway.


I was watching Netflix then the Tivo froze, then it rebooted itself and now the "What to watch", "Search", and "Apps" menus are not working. Tivo determined that it was failing and replaced it. I want to get the recordings off of it so I can send it back.

But Tivo says in order to transfer the programs that both boxes need to be on (hence the need for a second power supply), on the same network (no problem) AND both need to be activated. They said that I will have to pay for a month's service on the old box to activate it so that I can do the transfer process.

If I could return it, even for a partial refund, I would in a heartbeat and use YouTube TV exclusively.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Daviator00 said:


> I was watching Netflix then the Tivo froze, then it rebooted itself and now the "What to watch", "Search", and "Apps" menus are not working. Tivo determined that it was failing and replaced it. I want to get the recordings off of it so I can send it back.
> 
> But Tivo says in order to transfer the programs that both boxes need to be on (hence the need for a second power supply), on the same network (no problem) AND both need to be activated. They said that I will have to pay for a month's service on the old box to activate it so that I can do the transfer process.
> 
> If I could return it, even for a partial refund, I would in a heartbeat and use YouTube TV exclusively.


Others in the past have argued the point with TiVo and TiVo has agreed to transfer the subscription to the new box but leave the old box "on" for a matters of days, to allow the transferring to be done.


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## kpeters59 (Jun 19, 2007)

Just find a 12v power supply and power it up and get it done...

-KP


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Daviator00 said:


> but now I cannot watch the programs on my old box ... as it has now been deactivated


This shouldn't be the case. Any existing recordings on the deactivated box should still be viewable via a TV connected to the BOLT via HDMI.


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## UCLABB (May 29, 2012)

krkaufman said:


> This shouldn't be the case. Any existing recordings on the deactivated box should still be viewable via a TV connected to the BOLT via HDMI.


He probably means that he wants to transfer them so he can watch them on the replacement inasmuch as he has to return the failing Bolt.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

UCLABB said:


> He probably means that he wants to transfer them so he can watch them on the replacement inasmuch as he has to return the failing Bolt.


Possibly, but I had removed the middle bit that indicates they were just looking for a temporary viewing solution...

"(while I'm waiting for the new power supply) "​
The full comment:


Daviator00 said:


> I managed to get Tivo to send me a new power supply but now I cannot watch the programs on my old box (while I'm waiting for the new power supply) as it has now been deactivated.


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

krkaufman said:


> Possibly, but I had removed the middle bit that indicates they were just looking for a temporary viewing solution...
> 
> "(while I'm waiting for the new power supply) "


Possibly trying to watch them remotely through a Mini? Otherwise, you are right that he should have had no issues watching existing recordings.

Scott


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

I have to say this in the thread since every time I see the title it bugs me.
Lying implies Tivo support knows better and is giving known wrong information to users, and I have no love for them or the quality of service they have given since being off-shored, however 
I believe they're inconsistent, inept, and incompetent, but I would not saying they are lying, I think they believe what they're saying no matter how wrong it actually is.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

dianebrat said:


> I have to say this in the thread since every time I see the title it bugs me.
> Lying implies Tivo support knows better and is giving known wrong information to users, and I have no love for them or the quality of service they have given since being off-shored, however
> I believe they're inconsistent, inept, and incompetent, but I would not saying they are lying, I think they believe what they're saying no matter how wrong it actually is.


I agree. I'm not going to make further comments. Wrong forum.


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## shwru980r (Jun 22, 2008)

Daviator00 said:


> I was watching Netflix then the Tivo froze, then it rebooted itself and now the "What to watch", "Search", and "Apps" menus are not working. Tivo determined that it was failing and replaced it. I want to get the recordings off of it so I can send it back.
> 
> But Tivo says in order to transfer the programs that both boxes need to be on (hence the need for a second power supply), on the same network (no problem) AND both need to be activated. They said that I will have to pay for a month's service on the old box to activate it so that I can do the transfer process.
> 
> If I could return it, even for a partial refund, I would in a heartbeat and use YouTube TV exclusively.


You have a 30 day trial period on any new subscription. If you cancel within the 30 day trial period, then Tivo will refund the cost of the new subscription. Try to activate the old Tivo online and, if it works, try to transfer the shows to the new Tivo. If you can't activate online, then call them back and get the old Tivo activated. I think you would have significant leverage to get that one-month service fee refunded since is part of the terms of their subscription contract. We are only talking $15 anyway so it's not the end of the world.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

dianebrat said:


> I have to say this in the thread since every time I see the title it bugs me.
> Lying implies Tivo support knows better and is giving known wrong information to users, and I have no love for them or the quality of service they have given since being off-shored, however
> I believe they're inconsistent, inept, and incompetent, but I would not saying they are lying, I think they believe what they're saying no matter how wrong it actually is.


I understand what you're saying, but I can't help but think that at some point, the recklessness of the advice becomes intentional and qualifies as something more than simple ineptitude. E.g. the recent advice to a user that TiVo recordings are stored in the cloud, when the user needed to have his TiVo box replaced and wanted to preserve his recordings. Absent that TiVo rep. having been thinking of Mavrik (yeah, right) . . . .


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## Rose4uKY (Mar 28, 2003)

I called Tivo today because we currently have a Roamio and this weekend we are getting a 4K Vizio 70 inch TV a new Nakamichi Soundbar and the 4K Ultra Roku and I was wondering since I record so much stuff and it's not in 4K do I really need to upgrade my Tivo to the bolt. He offered me a discounted price I've had Tivo's since early 2000 but anyway he said my monthly fee would transfer to the new box and that I could transfer my old recordings we haven't watched yet and their is a lot to the new box. So I would need both boxes hooked up which I figured and the Roamio activated still also cause he said they would transfer monthly fee from one box to the other. Still trying to decide if I really need to upgrade cause then I'll have to sell my Roamio and we will still be able to watch Netflix, Amazon etc. through smart TV or Roku which will both be 4K.


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## UCLABB (May 29, 2012)

Rose4uKY said:


> I called Tivo today because we currently have a Roamio and this weekend we are getting a 4K Vizio 70 inch TV a new Nakamichi Soundbar and the 4K Ultra Roku and I was wondering since I record so much stuff and it's not in 4K do I really need to upgrade my Tivo to the bolt. He offered me a discounted price I've had Tivo's since early 2000 but anyway he said my monthly fee would transfer to the new box and that I could transfer my old recordings we haven't watched yet and their is a lot to the new box. So I would need both boxes hooked up which I figured and the Roamio activated still also cause he said they would transfer monthly fee from one box to the other. Still trying to decide if I really need to upgrade cause then I'll have to sell my Roamio and we will still be able to watch Netflix, Amazon etc. through smart TV or Roku which will both be 4K.


Seems to me you should just stay with the Roamio unless they are offering a really great price on the Bolt. You won't get much selling a Roamio without lifetime. Plus you have to go through the hassle of cable card pairing, maybe downgrading the UI and recordings transfers. My own experience with the Bolt and what I read here, reliability seems less than for a Roamio. If you ever want to watch 4k, just use the Roku.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Rose4uKY said:


> I called Tivo today because we currently have a Roamio and this weekend we are getting a 4K Vizio 70 inch TV a new Nakamichi Soundbar and the 4K Ultra Roku and I was wondering since I record so much stuff and it's not in 4K do I really need to upgrade my Tivo to the bolt. ,.. he said ... their is a lot to the new box.


What I just posted to another thread where you posed a similar question:

_If you already have a Roamio Plus, and are adding both a 4K TV and a 4K Roku, you may want to hold off on the BOLT upgrade. Your 4K needs would likely be met by the TV & Roku._​


Rose4uKY said:


> ... he said ... that I could transfer my old recordings we haven't watched yet


There's no guarantee that you'll be able to transfer your recordings; copy-protected content won't be going anywhere. You can use KMTTG or a similar utility to identify what content is locked-down.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

Also see: downgrading the bolt
NEW 6-tuner TiVo BOLT VOX for cable


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## Rose4uKY (Mar 28, 2003)

UCLABB said:


> Seems to me you should just stay with the Roamio unless they are offering a really great price on the Bolt. You won't get much selling a Roamio without lifetime. Plus you have to go through the hassle of cable card pairing, maybe downgrading the UI and recordings transfers. My own experience with the Bolt and what I read here, reliability seems less than for a Roamio. If you ever want to watch 4k, just use the Roku.


Thanks that's what I am going to do stay with the Roamio I am fine with it we see a little buffering here and there but your right our new Vizio 4K TV and the Roku will have 4K streaming so we will use those for Netflix and Amazon. Plus my husband is getting this new soundbar too so I think that's enough for now. Tivo was only offering me 125 off and your right it's too much of a hassle and I don't have LT so it would be hard to sell.


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