TiVo Community Forums Archives - Transfering a Serial Number

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Transfering a Serial Number
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Posted by: jasonbanks

OK.. technical question.. since the Subscription is married to the Serial number of the TiVo, can the serial number be changed within the TiVo? I would like to retire my 112 and go with a T60, but I don't want to lose the subscription..

Can this be done? Thanks!

Posted by: Squeak

You probably won't get much of an answer since what you want to do is essentaily steal the service from TiVo.

Serial number is kept in a crypto chip on the motherboard.

Don't do it. Lifetime is for the box.

Posted by: d18c7db

If you've already paid for the lifetime service on a box, wouldn't a simple call to customer service basically allow you to switch the box it's for if you gave them the serial numbers over the phone ?

Posted by: TheShanMan

No. As I recall reading on their website, the only way it can be done is by upgrading through an authorized service company.

Posted by: cramer

quote:
Originally posted by jasonbanks:
OK.. technical question.. since the Subscription is married to the Serial number of the TiVo, can the serial number be changed within the TiVo? I would like to retire my 112 and go with a T60, but I don't want to lose the subscription..

Can this be done? Thanks!

DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS - PERIOD.

What you are suggesting is moving the serial number from a "standalone" 14hr tivo to a "DSS" unit. The serial number is linked to the TYPE of unit far tighter than to any specific unit. If you put an HDR112 serial number on a T60, you will lose the subscription for both boxes. The first time that thing calls in, it's going trip all sorts of flags -- it's running the wrong software.

(In fact, the service is likely to push 1.3 into your T60 and thus destroy it.)

Posted by: d18c7db

quote:
Originally posted by TheShanMan:
No. As I recall reading on their website, the only way it can be done is by upgrading through an authorized service company.

Hmm so in the hypothetical situation where one buys a TiVo with lifetime service then 2 years later the TiVo unit dies out of warranty and you're forced to buy another TiVo box, where's your lifetime sub. that you paid for gone ? I feel it should be able to be switched reasonably painlessly with a simple call to CS.

If switching lifetime was such a pain I would have no qualms fudging SN between boxes however Cramer in the post above is right: do not do this between vastly different types of hardware unless you want to be a Moron (TM). Theoretically it should be fine if you swapped SN between near identical types of hardware that were sold with exactly the same type of software on them. Anything beyond that is just cruising for a bruising.

A

Posted by: DHX

THis is the main reason I did not get a lifetime Service on my Unit and just paid monthly.

Posted by: sjf

This is the main reason I did not get lifetime service on my unit and just paid annualy. Something better will be out in 2-years anyway, assuming that the hardware even lasts that long. And I can (as far as I know) transfer a remaining partial-year subscription to a new box.

Posted by: jasonbanks

Alrighty.. I didn't even think about the difference in hardware!

Yea, I don't really agree with the subscription marriage. I think you should at LEAST be able to pay them like $49 to transfer it or even $99, just not the whole $199 again... but that's just my opinion, I could be wrong..

BTW, if you are going to keep your TiVo for longer then 20 months, it is better to just pay for the lifetime subscription (in the situation of non-transferability), as at month 21, you are now paying more then the fixed lifetime subscription fee...

Posted by: timbck2

quote:
Originally posted by d18c7db:
Hmm so in the hypothetical situation where one buys a TiVo with lifetime service then 2 years later the TiVo unit dies out of warranty and you're forced to buy another TiVo box, where's your lifetime sub. that you paid for gone ? I feel it should be able to be switched reasonably painlessly with a simple call to CS.

When you buy lifetime TiVo service, it's for the lifetime of the TiVo unit, not *your* lifetime. There has never been any deception in this. Personally, I don't see any reason to buy their lifetime service, for the same reasons you mention (if the unit dies out of warranty, when something "next generation", "new and improved", bigger, and better comes along, etc.). Go with monthly.

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Tim Buck
timbck2@yahoo.com

Posted by: kleznik

FWIW, I bought my Tivo at Best Buy and they offered a 4 year service contract for $80. This guarantees me having a functional unit for four years. $200 for four years of service seems fair to me, so I got the lifetime subscription.

-Dan

Posted by: Joewes

quote:
Originally posted by jasonbanks:
Yea, I don't really agree with the subscription marriage. I think you should at LEAST be able to pay them like $49 to transfer it or even $99, just not the whole $199 again... but that's just my opinion, I could be wrong..

You know, I really like this idea! $49 for a "transfer fee" is not too bad, people wouldn't feel screwed about upgrading to something new every 2 or 3 years. Besides, realistically, how long is the units hardware "lifetime" anyway? 3 years, 4 at the most before the drives start to wear out?

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Why you act frightened? I am enlightened.

Posted by: tom_h

Tivo estimates in their IPO paperwork a four year average life span.

The "lifetime of the box" is clearly stated in the agreement. Previously it was less than clear and tivo allowed older buyers (as in 1999 and earlier or thereabouts) a one-time transfer of service.

Fooling with the serial number is an extremely bad idea. For starters, you will get caught immediately and lose service. For finishers tivo has the ability to bond the disks to a serial number and if anyone starts screwing around with this the ability to easily hack and backup the product will be restricted or eliminated.

Dont be a Moron.

By the way, since tivo has a $100 rebate in effect almost half the time, its feasible to get a brand new lifetime service on a new box for $99. I think i like two working tivo's with lifetime on them for $99 extra rather than a $49 exchange fee.

Also, directivo's only have one $199 fee, additional boxes are at the usual directv ripoff of $5 per unit up to 8.

Perhaps Tivo will move to a similar model for SA units at some point, but considering they're scrounging for money right now i'd bet not.

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Got TiVo?

Posted by: Otto

The serial number is burned into a chip on the mobo. Changing it out would be a nightmare, and you'd probably ruin both units in the process. You cannot change the serial via software.

In any case, this is getting into the theft of service, and therefore I'm closing the thread.

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Otto, Supreme TiVoWarrior - Moderator - AVS Forum - Tivo Underground
"If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you it will!" -- Yoda