# Roamio with Lifetime for $574 after $125 Off



## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

Just got an email with that offer. I guess it is the basic, 4-tuner model. Since I'm OTA, that would be all I can do (there were offers for the other two models, too).

I checked in a few weeks ago and folks were talking about whether LIFETIME would be offered. But I really don't know much about this "new" Roamio device.

Opinions are most welcome. 

Oh, I see I could "throw" in a tivo mini for another $150 for watching in another room. I know nothing about any of these services.

And I apologize if there are already threads on this offer.

Thanks in advance.

(edited to add: I think maybe the discussion was about the new whatever and lifetime??? Hey, I have an OLD birthday about a week ago and the gray matter is .....)


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

$574 for a Roamio w/lifetime is a decent price, but it isn't really all that special. You can buy a Roamio from Amazon right now for $170 and get lifetime on it for $400 when you activate service by using the code "PLSR" for a total price of $570.

You can also buy a Mini for $133 from Amazon right now, so $150 from TiVo isn't really a very good deal.


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## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

Thanks for grounding me a bit. 

I wonder if Tivo charges sales tax. Being in WA, Amazon's home, sales tax is a given.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

fred2 said:


> Thanks for grounding me a bit.
> 
> I wonder if Tivo charges sales tax. Being in WA, Amazon's home, sales tax is a given.


Just like with Amazon, whether or not TiVo charges sales tax depends on the state they are shipping items to. You can try going to TiVo's website and putting something in the cart and entering your address and seeing if any sales tax shows up.


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## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

Yes, they do charge sales tax. So no special benefit.

Okay, one last question (for this MINUTE). How old is the Basic Roamio model? Any expectations of a replacement with months or ...?

And thanks for the answers.


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

The Roamio line was introduced last August a year ago. There are no expectations of a new line of boxes coming anytime soon. The Roamios are great, in my opinion.

The question about whether Lifetime would be offered was for the $50 "Roamio OTA" box which is strictly OTA-only. (the answer is no.)

The box in the above offer is the base Roamio which is OTA or cable.

For the best offer, buy a coupon code from spherular on ebay (give him a reasonable offer) and you can get a Roamio + Lifetime for $450. I still think this is the absolute best offer out there.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

fred2 said:


> Okay, one last question (for this MINUTE). How old is the Basic Roamio model? Any expectations of a replacement with months or ...?
> 
> And thanks for the answers.


No one can say for sure, but there are no rumors that TiVo plans to release any new DVRs (with the exception of the TiVo Mega) anytime soon. I would be shocked if TiVo came out with new DVR models within the next 2 years. The Roamio DVRs just came out last year, and they have pushed the current CableCard tech to just about its limit. I doubt TiVo will release a new line of DVRs before we have a replacement for CableCards, and that is years away at best.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

BigJimOutlaw said:


> For the best offer, buy a coupon code from spherular on ebay (give him a reasonable offer) and you can get a Roamio + Lifetime for $450. I still think this is the absolute best offer out there.


I think you are a little off there. The ebay codes will get you a Roamio w/lifetime for $500, plus you have to buy the code for $30-$50. So total price would be $530 to $550.


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

tarheelblue32 said:


> I think you are a little off there. The ebay codes will get you a Roamio w/lifetime for $500, plus you have to buy the code for $30-$50. So total price would be $530 to $550.


His auctions say $449.99. So it would be that, plus the cost of the coupon, and whatever tax/S&H Tivo sticks on.


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## pcbrew (Mar 15, 2008)

Yes, TiVo charges sales tax on the device and service fees.

I have been on the fence on Roamio but I see Best Buy is matching the Roamio Pro price $325 and I have $300 in reward points, which are exempt from sales tax so now may be the time to pull the trigger and also get the Mini (cheaper from Amazon) to replace my old S3 and the $6/mo charge for 2x CableCards.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

BigJimOutlaw said:


> His auctions say $449.99. So it would be that, plus the cost of the coupon, and whatever tax/S&H Tivo sticks on.


Hmm, so it does. Maybe TiVo dropped the code prices recently? The "sellmoretivo" site still says $499:

http://sellmoretivo.com/

It also still says $174.00 for the Mini, but spherular's ad says $150.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

pcbrew said:


> Yes, TiVo charges sales tax on the device and service fees.
> 
> I have been on the fence on Roamio but I see Best Buy is matching the Roamio Pro price $325 and I have $300 in reward points, which are exempt from sales tax so now may be the time to pull the trigger and also get the Mini (cheaper from Amazon) to replace my old S3 and the $6/mo charge for 2x CableCards.


BestBuy will price match Amazon's Mini price for you too if you just ask them.


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## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

Okay, I guess one more question.... (g)

Is this Roamio with Lifetime, as an add-on to my existing 3-whatever with lifetime? In other words, I would have two devices with lifetime? 

So I could sell the 3-whatever with lifetime separately? Or does my existing lifetime move over to the new Roamio if I acquire it (off to pt but be back soon)

And THANKS ALL, great help, here, as usual.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

Lifetime stays with the box... So if you have an existing box with lifetime, that will stay and can be transferred to a new owner if you sell it.


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

I went with Spechular on ebay for some Minis and it all worked all perfect. I'd do that if his Roamio BAsic price is $450. You can make an offer on the code and see if he'll accept it. 

$450 plus cost of code is great. The OTA Roamio would be $410 after 2 years ($50 plus $15/mo x 24months.)


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## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

Okay, who is the SPECHULAR and how does he/she/it offer such terrific prices?


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

fred2 said:


> Okay, who is the SPECHULAR and how does he/she/it offer such terrific prices?


It's explained in this thread:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=520530&highlight=coupon

It is also discussed some in the Roamio deals thread:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=507790&highlight=coupon


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

fred2 said:


> Just got an email with that offer. I guess it is the basic, 4-tuner model. Since I'm OTA, that would be all I can do (there were offers for the other two models, too).
> 
> I checked in a few weeks ago and folks were talking about whether LIFETIME would be offered. But I really don't know much about this "new" Roamio device.
> 
> ...


That is the same price I could have purchased a lifetime Roamio Basic back in November last year. I bought it from TiVo for $175. But instead of getting lifetime for it at $400(either with MSD or the PLSR code), I transferred the $6.95 monthly rate to it from my Premiere.


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## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

Since the Mini was included in the offer although separate....

If I read about the mini, it needs a hardwire to the network or some other contraption. And, does the Roamio that "serves" it also need such a connection. In this 100 year old lath and plaster home, over two floors that is not going to happen.


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## DeltaOne (Sep 29, 2013)

fred2 said:


> In this 100 year old lath and plaster home, over two floors that is not going to happen.


Some folks have had success with Powerline adapters. I wonder how much an electrician would charge to run the necessary ethernet cabling?


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

fred2 said:


> Since the Mini was included in the offer although separate....
> 
> If I read about the mini, it needs a hardwire to the network or some other contraption. And, does the Roamio that "serves" it also need such a connection. In this 100 year old lath and plaster home, over two floors that is not going to happen.


Does the house have coax cabling? If so, that's all you need. If not, then as stated above powerline adapters MIGHT work, depending on the house's electrical wiring. If you have a really strong wireless network, then wireless ethernet bridges MIGHT work also.


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## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

DeltaOne said:


> Some folks have had success with Powerline adapters. I wonder how much an electrician would charge to run the necessary ethernet cabling?


Thousands, I believe. The last time I had electrical work, kitchen wiring, it was about a thousand and that did not include fishing wires between floors and where walls do not line up between floors.

Coax? Ha! There's still knob and tube in the very hard to reach attic.

But in a touch of modern, I do have solar panels on the roof.


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## moedaman (Aug 21, 2012)

fred2 said:


> Thousands, I believe. The last time I had electrical work, kitchen wiring, it was about a thousand and that did not include fishing wires between floors and where walls do not line up between floors.
> 
> Coax? Ha! There's still knob and tube in the very hard to reach attic.
> 
> But in a touch of modern, I do have solar panels on the roof.


My previous house was built in 1928, so I feel for you there. When I had cable tv installed on the 2nd floor, the installer just ran it outside, under the bottom edge of the vinyl siding until it reached where the room was and then went straight up outside the siding and went through the wall to where the tv was. I was told by the installer that very, very few people will fish coax through walls to a 2nd story anymore.

Now on the first floor, I did everything myself (both coax and ethernet) since I had a full basement underneath.


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## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

moedaman said:


> My previous house was built in 1928, so I feel for you there. When I had cable tv installed on the 2nd floor, the installer just ran it outside, under the bottom edge of the vinyl siding until it reached where the room was and then went straight up outside the siding and went through the wall to where the tv was. I was told by the installer that very, very few people will fish coax through walls to a 2nd story anymore.
> 
> Now on the first floor, I did everything myself (both coax and ethernet) since I had a full basement underneath.


Yup, phones lines snake around the outside and occasionally succumb to weather, painting, squirrels!

Just two weeks ago I returned a Bose/Yamaha receiver/speaker combo due it its restrictive wiring needs. While I have run wires under the living room, through the basement and into walls, it needed wires from the receiver to the subwoofer/amp and back again to the speakers with a large bus plug. I would have had to chop a large hole into hardwood oak floors - no way. So I draw some limits on desecrating this craftsman home.

Maybe a mini is just not worth it. I guess if I get the Roamio basic (OTA, here), I can use my older 3-whatever upstairs.

Do Tivo's still talk or share with each other?

Or I should just get out more and not devote too much time to tv viewing! 

edited to add:

Okay, might as well turn this into the "kitchen sink" thread/question..... Can an external hard disk be added to Roamio (more tv, not less!) to add more capacity? Or are folks going the new-internal disk route? How hard?


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

fred2 said:


> Since the Mini was included in the offer although separate....
> 
> If I read about the mini, it needs a hardwire to the network or some other contraption. And, does the Roamio that "serves" it also need such a connection. In this 100 year old lath and plaster home, over two floors that is not going to happen.


My minis will work perfectly with a wireless bridge. Whether using MoCA, Ethernet, or a wireless bridge the experience has been identical. All three have provided me rock solid streaming.

The mini only deals with low bitrate streaming. Even OTA is under 20mb/s which is slow. If a wireless network can't handle those low bitrates without issues then it is not setup properly.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

fred2 said:


> Since the Mini was included in the offer although separate.... If I read about the mini, it needs a hardwire to the network or some other contraption. And, does the Roamio that "serves" it also need such a connection. In this 100 year old lath and plaster home, over two floors that is not going to happen.


Maybe you could call the local cable company that you're going to use with your mini and start a new subscription using one of their boxes in the room that you're going to want the new mini. They will run all the coax you'll need for their box that you can later use for the TiVo mini. Then after about a month, get your new mini and return the cable box.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

HarperVision said:


> Maybe you could call the local cable company that you're going to use with your TiVo and start a new subscription using a couple of their boxes in the rooms that you're going to want the new tivos. They will run all the coax you'll need for their boxes that you can later use for the TiVo Roamio and minis. Then after about a month, get your new TiVos and return the cable boxes.


Good suggestion. I would just add to sign up for their "whole home" dvr service so they have to be sure to wire it up right for MoCA.


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## magicspell (Jan 10, 2013)

pcbrew said:


> I have been on the fence on Roamio but I see Best Buy is matching the Roamio Pro price $325 ...


Where have you found a Roamio Pro for $325? That's a screaming deal!


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

magicspell said:


> Where have you found a Roamio Pro for $325? That's a screaming deal!


I think he meant Roamio Plus.


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## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

HarperVision said:


> Maybe you could call the local cable company that you're going to use with your mini and start a new subscription using one of their boxes in the room that you're going to want the new mini. They will run all the coax you'll need for their box that you can later use for the TiVo mini. Then after about a month, get your new mini and return the cable box.


I don't know if I can get away with that 'scam!" I am OTA and plan to remain that way. So, could I really, ahem, "TEST" cable for a month, have them wire the place and then cancel? I think that might be over-reaching just a bit.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

fred2 said:


> I don't know if I can get away with that 'scam!" I am OTA and plan to remain that way. So, could I really, ahem, "TEST" cable for a month, have them wire the place and then cancel? I think that might be over-reaching just a bit.


Oh I'm sorry. I wasn't intending for you to scam anyone. I must've missed that you were OTA and not cable. I was suggesting that if you were cable because I didn't think it would be considered a scam since you would still be paying them for their services. My apologies!


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

fred2 said:


> I don't know if I can get away with that 'scam!" I am OTA and plan to remain that way. So, could I really, ahem, "TEST" cable for a month, have them wire the place and then cancel? I think that might be over-reaching just a bit.


Sure you can, as long as when you sign up they say that you can cancel at any time without any sort of early termination penalty. A lot of cable introductory offers include some kind of "no risk" clause or an "evaluation period" where you can cancel for any reason without penalty. Just make sure to read over all the fine print and know what you are agreeing to when you sign up.


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## kokishin (Sep 9, 2014)

trip1eX said:


> I went with Spechular on ebay for some Minis and it all worked all perfect. I'd do that if his Roamio BAsic price is $450. You can make an offer on the code and see if he'll accept it.
> 
> $450 plus cost of code is great. The OTA Roamio would be $410 after 2 years ($50 plus $15/mo x 24months.)


FWIW, I utilized Spechular's service and he was knowledgeable and responsive. Good guy and I can recommend with no hesitation.


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## spherular (Jan 16, 2014)

kokishin said:


> FWIW, I utilized Spechular's service and he was knowledgeable and responsive. Good guy and I can recommend with no hesitation.


Happy to help where I can.

Spherular


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## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

spherular said:


> Happy to help where I can.
> 
> Spherular


Well, if the Tivo arrives next Monday, the process will have been pretty darn painless (well, it still did cost money!  )

Thanks.


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## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

spherular said:


> Happy to help where I can.
> 
> Spherular


Just thought I would post that Roamio arrived after using your discount code. THANKS VERY MUCH


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## cp2k (Mar 16, 2004)

spherular said:


> Happy to help where I can.
> 
> Spherular


Let me also add my thanks to spherular. I bought a code from him and LOVE my TiVo Roamio. It is great to be back in the TiVo family after such a long lull.


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