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The New Star and Tivo 90 day free service

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Posted by: Y-ASK

I am deleting this entire entry because I do sound like a troll and I do not want to come across that way. Let me just say that I would like to see a promo with some real cost savings involved. I would be willing to get rid of my old series 1 Tivo with Lifetime Sub and pay the full purchase price of a new series 2 Tivo if Tivo were to offer to transfer my Lifetime Sub for $100.00 or $150.00 bucks. Oh, I still do not like unsolicited advertisements IE the star.

Y-ASK


Posted by: Jabberer

Even if current owners don't, they may tell their friends about it and they will and that may be the thinking there.

As for the argument that you'd buy a lifetime and it wouldn't matter, there are are plenty of people (such as myself) who don't have a lifetime because we figure we'll be upgrading the equipment before it becomes cost effective, they don't want to shell out $250 all at once, or any of a dozen other reasons. Given that, the 90 days free Tivo becomes more attractive.

Not all promotions are attractive to all people, but most are attractive to some...


Posted by: Y-ASK

Yeah Jabberer, that makes perfect sense. I guess I was hoping it was going to be a promo for everyone that had some teeth in it. I'm looking for some real cash savings since I have already made a significant contribution to the survival of Tivo.


Posted by: TiVoPony

This promotion did not so out to everyone...it did not go to Series2 standalones or to combo boxes. Just to those customers with Series1 standalone systems, as we felt they were most likely to be interested in the next generation standalone system.

That said, the offer is open to everyone, whether you received the promotion or not. Whether you're a current subscriber or a new subscriber. Friends, family, neighbors, your dog...Doesn't matter.

There have been a lot of requests to help you guys evangelize TiVo...here's your chance. Got a friend who really should have a TiVo? Let them know. Ninety days free service, ninety day returns, and free shipping.

www.tivo.com/specialoffer

That ought to help! :D

Cheers,
Pony


Posted by: phone1

Someone asked this on another thread and I don't know if it got answered or not. Does anyone know if you still get the 90 day rebate if you order life (i.e. reducing the cost of lifetime by $39.00)?

I noticed it didn't show up on my S2. I think it's an oversight. S2 owners may want to tell their friends too or even buy a second TiVo.

quote:
That said, the offer is open to everyone, whether you received the promotion or not. Whether you're a current subscriber or a new subscriber. Friends, family, neighbors, your dog...Doesn't matter.



Posted by: TiVoPony

quote:
Originally posted by phone1
Someone asked this on another thread and I don't know if it got answered or not. Does anyone know if you still get the 90 day rebate if you order life (i.e. reducing the cost of lifetime by $39.00)?


Yes, if you purchase lifetime service you're still eligible for the rebate.

Pony


Posted by: Gai-jin

Bob,
I've contacted customer care and the 800-buy-tivo people, but nobody has given me an answer either way. I recently purchased a series 2 unit from the web site. About 2 weeks later, this new promo started. I asked if I could get the 90 days free service, since I was still within the 30 day return period. 800 buy tivo sent me to customer service. Customer service has yet to respond to my emails, and each time I call the hold time is more than 35 minutes. If you could have someone contact me, I'd appreciate an answer either way. (Certainly I'd more prefer an answer that Yes, I could become elegible for this deal under some sort of price garauntee, or with a "return" and repurchase in the computers w/o having to actually return the unit.)

Thanks,
Steve


Posted by: phone1

quote:
Originally posted by TiVoPony
Yes, if you purchase lifetime service you're still eligible for the rebate.

Pony
:) That's great, but it's not stated anywhere (that I could find) in the promo or on the website. My first response, not knowing this, was "wouldn't do me much good" since both my subs are life and that's what I recommend to my friends.

(Or could it be that TiVo's not pushing lifetime subs too hard these days?)


Posted by: SleepyBob

Is this for any Series2 TiVo, or only if you buy from TiVo.com? My friend is looking to buy, but she doesn't want a 60 hour model.


Posted by: TiVoPony

quote:
Originally posted by SleepyBob
Is this for any Series2 TiVo, or only if you buy from TiVo.com? My friend is looking to buy, but she doesn't want a 60 hour model.


This is only for TiVo Series2 Recorders ordered from TiVo.com. Yes, they are 60 hour models.

Pony


Posted by: smak

According to math, wouldn't a rebate based on a 90 day free offer be 1/4 of $250 or 62.50?

-smak-


Posted by: TiVoPony

quote:
Originally posted by smak
According to math, wouldn't a rebate based on a 90 day free offer be 1/4 of $250 or 62.50?

-smak-


Clever, smak, but the only equivalency for ninety days of service is the monthly option.

But if you'd prefer, for you I'll see about bending the rules just this once, and only for you.

Let's see, I believe that for purposes of our finances TiVo recorders are assumed to have a lifespan of four years (don't quote me on that). So 90 days out of 48 months is roughly 6%, right? We'll send you your $15.50 rebate once you qualify. ;)

Everyone else who elects lifetime service and qualifies for the service rebate will get $38.85. :D

Cheers!
Pony


Posted by: MighTiVo

IMHO, the video on the promo should have included a URL to see the video if you don't have a TiVo. Since you have a deal with REAL I would assume a REAL One video.

Seems a shame to spend all that money making a video that seems to be to non tivo owners and just have TiVo owners watch it.


Posted by: rasheed

There was some fine print at the end of the 90-day free spot that indicated that the free 90-days comes via a rebate to your account. I don't remember seeing it in the clip version, but saw it in the 'unedited' version.

Rasheed


Posted by: Y-ASK

MighTivo,

That was kind of my thought when I 1st saw the promo. I thought how dumb is this? I already know all about Tivo and I'm hooked to the tune of over a thousand dollars. Why do I need ninety days free when I already have it now fully paid for? I guess Tivo wants us to get the word out but I find that extremely hard to do these days with the monthly increase and lack of a 800 number. Where I live that's all you can use unless I or one of my friends picks up the bill that Tivo once did. Not to mention the idiots at Best Buy, the terrible phone support for Tivo, and the lack of product in the stores except on the web site. It's kind of a hard sell. And I don't want to even go into the data collection issue (which is why one of my friends refuse to buy one) or the forced SPAM that I get (yes the star) without a convenient way of deleting it. The key word is convenient. Tivo has made some pretty negative policy changes since I made my purchase last July 01. While I enjoy what I have, I have no desire to shout Tivo's name to everyone I know now or would meet in the future. I was on the bandwagon ten months ago but now the message has gotten lost. It's no longer TV my way, it's TV Tivo's way.

Y-ASK


Posted by: phone1

Whew - can someone else in MD check up on Y-ASK? I think he's off his meds again!

:D


Posted by: MighTiVo

Found the video in Kontiki, it is the one titled "New TiVo Series 2 DVR"

Now what would it take to get the AP Kontiki subscription downloaded and played ack on my Enet enabled TiVo!?!


Posted by: Y-ASK

Hi Phone1,

Well I guess it was just my turn to rant. If you've got one rolled up then I'm ready for a chill smoke. I have not posted my feelings about the star or any of the other policy changes and I guess it was just my time to express my opinion. Only thing I did post about was the data collection stuff a while ago. Light em' if ya got em'

By the way, I did see TivoPony's post about the 800 number after I submitted my rant. Still it is kind of a hard sell to someone new in my area who doesn't get to use the 800 number. And yes when I bought my new systems last year new customers got to use the 800 number. It is just my opinion but cost of ownership has significantly increased when compared to this time last year.

Y-ASK


Posted by: phone1

I guess that's what the forum's for Y-ASK. Give credit to TiVo for continuing to help underwrite it, even though not everyone who posts here agrees with everything they do.

Even though toll free service doesn't affect me, I'm glad to see that they took the high road by reinstating it for existing users. :)


Posted by: papabrody

Another good move by TIVO, (in addition to the 800 # news). I'm starting to like what I hear from the company.
Am I pressing our luck to ask: Any chance on gettting out of the BB deal? ;)


Posted by: Y-ASK

Phone1

Yes I agree with you on the 800 issue! After a series of negative policy changes that may be good for Tivo but bad for the user I am glad to see that they are listening and may be ready to turn the corner. I want the company to be profitable but at what cost is the question and I really don't have an answer to that one.

Y-ASK


Posted by: trojanrabbit

Unless it will do serial control for an AT&T Motorola box (and it is determined that a series 1 never will), it doesn't do anything for me, unfortunately.
Even though I don't use the 800 service, I do want to give TiVo credit for taking care of those customers.


Posted by: smak

Pony, i bought my original Tivo in August 2000, and have always paid monthly, so i'm right at about $240 paid in.

You should give some kind of lifetime incentive for people who have actually paid the lifetime fee, but have paid it monthly.

Now i basically have paid more than lifetime would have been with no end in site :D

Actually I barely even notice the fee because it's on my directv bill, and it's the same monthly bill every month, so it doesn't seem like it's making a debt.

I'm going beyond the call of duty keeping you guys afloat :p

I hope you profit next quarter by $30 so i'll know that's because I was too dumb to buy lifetime...

-smak-


Posted by: GoldenTiger

quote:
Originally posted by Y-ASK
MighTivo,

That was kind of my thought when I 1st saw the promo. I thought how dumb is this? I already know all about Tivo and I'm hooked to the tune of over a thousand dollars. Why do I need ninety days free when I already have it now fully paid for? I guess Tivo wants us to get the word out but I find that extremely hard to do these days with the monthly increase and lack of a 800 number. Where I live that's all you can use unless I or one of my friends picks up the bill that Tivo once did. Not to mention the idiots at Best Buy, the terrible phone support for Tivo, and the lack of product in the stores except on the web site. It's kind of a hard sell. And I don't want to even go into the data collection issue (which is why one of my friends refuse to buy one) or the forced SPAM that I get (yes the star) without a convenient way of deleting it. The key word is convenient. Tivo has made some pretty negative policy changes since I made my purchase last July 01. While I enjoy what I have, I have no desire to shout Tivo's name to everyone I know now or would meet in the future. I was on the bandwagon ten months ago but now the message has gotten lost. It's no longer TV my way, it's TV Tivo's way.

Y-ASK


I agree. I adore my TiVo, but the spam and long phone holds are ridiculous. They really need to remove the yellow star at least, keep the line if they have to but that star is SO distracting I can't stand it. I tried calling to complain about it and gave up after a 45 minute wait.


Posted by: rasheed

quote:
Originally posted by trojanrabbit
Unless it will do serial control for an AT&T Motorola box (and it is determined that a series 1 never will), it doesn't do anything for me, unfortunately.


I don't think anyone has said that serial control won't ever come to Series I for the DCT boxes. It is just that it doesn't look like it is going to be coming to any box outside the ATT branded box at this time.

I did get the serial cable too in my Philips box so I assume that one day I will be able to use it.

Rasheed


Posted by: soundguy

>>Just to those customers with Series1 standalone systems, as we felt they were most likely to be interested in the next generation standalone system.

I can't speak for any other series 1 owners, but I have a number of series 1 boxes with $200 lifetime subs. My boxes allow me essentially unlimited access to make changes to the software and hardware and I have the programming and hardware chops to keep them functioning in some form for at least another decade, whether Tivo (the company) survives or not.

Why would I (or anyone of a like mind) want to 'upgrade' to a box that won't allow unauthorized software changes, makes it nearly impossible for the OWNER OF THE HARDWARE to access a shell on the GPL operating system it runs, and won't operate at all without a service contract that costs $50 more than it did a year ago?

Want me and my kind to throw more money your way for Series >1 boxes? Try making it WORTHWHILE! How about including the functionality I've been requesting for more that 2 years (and counting) like:

and while you're at it, how about cleaning house a little by:


and by the way...;) I won't be giving up my Series 1s even if I buy a newer version, so keep that guide data flowing - these things are going to have a long, LONG 'lifetime' :D


Posted by: LarryInAz

quote:
Originally posted by TiVoPony


This is only for TiVo Series2 Recorders ordered from TiVo.com. Yes, they are 60 hour models.

Pony


Pony,
I purchased a Series 2 machine direct from TiVo.com June 10th and rec'd it June 14th, subscribed to the monthly service plan that day. I would like to get the lifetime sub. Will I be entitled to the rebate? Who do I call and do I mention your name?


Posted by: rasheed

AFAIK, you do not qualify for the promotion. Purchases made online have to be made via the special URL for the 90-days free TiVo service promotion. Purchases made by phone must mention the special offer code.

Rasheed


Posted by: Gregd33

quote:
Originally posted by trojanrabbit
Unless it will do serial control for an AT&T Motorola box (and it is determined that a series 1 never will), it doesn't do anything for me, unfortunately.
Even though I don't use the 800 service, I do want to give TiVo credit for taking care of those customers.


You ought to take a look in the TiVo Underground... It might have the answer you seek... Unsupported of course...


Posted by: BrettStah

quote:
Originally posted by LarryInAz


Pony,
I purchased a Series 2 machine direct from TiVo.com June 10th and rec'd it June 14th, subscribed to the monthly service plan that day. I would like to get the lifetime sub. Will I be entitled to the rebate? Who do I call and do I mention your name?
Many companies extend offers like this to any customers who are within the return time period. Otherwise, some folks would just return their product, get a refund, and then buy it again under the new promotion.


Posted by: LarryInAz

quote:
Originally posted by BrettStah
Many companies extend offers like this to any customers who are within the return time period. Otherwise, some folks would just return their product, get a refund, and then buy it again under the new promotion.


I agree and I'd like to hear the "official" policy direct from the Pony's mouth [er, keyboard] if possible... :confused:


Posted by: trojanrabbit

quote:
Originally posted by Gregd33


You ought to take a look in the TiVo Underground... It might have the answer you seek... Unsupported of course...


Yes I saw this, thank you, but right now I'm not really comfortable playing BASH my TiVo.:)




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