TiVo Community Forums Archives - Lifespan of TiVo PVR

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Lifespan of TiVo PVR
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Posted by: C_A_Jones

I know people have wondered what the expected lifespan of a TiVo PVR is, and there have been guesses. Well, here's the answer:

"TiVo estimates that the service life of a digital video recorder is four years and the company will incur costs without corresponding revenue if a DVR is used beyond four years, according to an SEC filing from Dec. 16, 2002."

Source:

http://news.com.com/2100-1040-982923.html

Posted by: JPriller

quote:
Originally posted by C_A_Jones
"TiVo estimates that the service life of a digital video recorder is four years and the company will incur costs without corresponding revenue if a DVR is used beyond four years

That's if it's on Lifetime? The article doesn't say. On monthly they keep on generating the $12.95/mo until they die.

Posted by: Dajad

In prior SEC filings they had estimated it at 3 years. Who knows ... My series 1 is healty and running well at 3 years 3 months of age.

...Dale

Posted by: samo

quote:
In prior SEC filings they had estimated it at 3 years.

I don't think so. It always been 4 years in SEC filings. My own estimate was 3 years, but it was because I got 3 years extended warranty from Sears that expired last September. :)

Posted by: Mysteryman

quote:
Originally posted by C_A_Jones
I know people have wondered what the expected lifespan of a TiVo PVR is, and there have been guesses. Well, here's the answer:

"TiVo estimates that the service life of a digital video recorder is four years and the company will incur costs without corresponding revenue if a DVR is used beyond four years, according to an SEC filing from Dec. 16, 2002."

Source:

http://news.com.com/2100-1040-982923.html

[sarcasm]
Is THIS the definition of a "lifetime" sub to Tivo 4 years? ;) Tivo Inc does call the lifetime sub "the lifetime of the unit"

[/sarcasm]

Posted by: HDTiVo

Anyone want to join the euthenasia for old TiVoes society?

Posted by: Chris Gerhard

Does this mean TiVo believes lifetime subscription units will last an average of 4 years? Lifetime units will last much longer than monthly because the repair decision after failure is so different. Monthly unit breaks and repair cost is $150, most will buy the newer model with newer features for the incremental costs. Lifetime unit requiring $150 repair and most will opt for the repair with lifetime subscription at $300. I would guess that 4 year average is about right for lifetime units but way to high for monthly. Overall average of 3 years would be a better guess in my opinion.

Chris

Posted by: colemanr

quote:
Originally posted by HDTiVo
Anyone want to join the euthenasia for old TiVoes society?

I think it's called "carousel." :)

Posted by: JimSpence

Where's Logan when you need him?:)

Posted by: Chris Gerhard

quote:
Originally posted by colemanr
I think it's called "carousel." :)

Now how many people will get this reference to an obscure 70s sci-fi film? I saw that one in a movie theater when it first came out and thought Jenny Agutter was so sexy. The film was total nonsense however but fun nonsense. She must be 50 or so now like me, bet she still looks great.

Chris

Posted by: dgh

quote:
Originally posted by Chris Gerhard
obscure 70s sci-fi film?

Obscure? It even had a TV-series spin-off.

Posted by: GBL

Does this bring back memories?

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Mptv/1085/10239_0010.jpg

Posted by: MikeSRC

quote:
Originally posted by Chris Gerhard
I saw that one in a movie theater when it first came out and thought Jenny Agutter was so sexy.

I'm with you on that one Chris! She was so hot in that movie. Of course, I was in my 20's then too. :D

quote:
She must be 50 or so now like me, bet she still looks great.

I saw her in a English TV show not to long ago and . . . let's just say she's put on a few pounds. ;)

Getting back to the original topic, my original Tivo unit is now almost 3-1/2 years old (purchased Sept., 1999) and still going strong.

Posted by: korn316

I don't think anyone has owned tivo for over 4 years to know if it would last that long.

Posted by: Chris Gerhard

quote:
Originally posted by dgh
Obscure? It even had a TV-series spin-off.

Yes and the according to the IMDb, it lasted for 14 episodes beginning in 1977. I have never even seen that and since it didn't have Jenny Agutter I doubt I ever will. Equally obscure I would say. I guess obscure is in the eye of the beholder like most other opinions.

Chris

Posted by: c3

Hard drive and fan are the two parts most likely to fail due to age, but they are the easiest parts to fix.

Posted by: dgh

quote:
Originally posted by Chris Gerhard
I guess obscure is in the eye of the beholder like most other opinions.

Well using Google as the ultimate measure of obscurity (;)) I got 15,600 hits on "logan's run" (with the quotes). On the other hand, a moderately obscure film like "Plan 10 from outer space" only turned up 443.

A few more for fun:

"silent running" 23,200
"beneath the planet of the apes" 8060
"It conquered the world": 2090
"moon zero two": 1010
"Queen of Blood": 883
"the space children": 774
"the tenth victim": 707
"son of blob": 623
"battle of the worlds": 544
"wild wild planet": 388
"Zontar The Thing From Venus": 331
"masters of venus": 60

Posted by: bsnelson

All the more reason to get rid of lifetime service, and it certainly seems that TiVo is moving that way. Considering that the hard drive is the only moving part, I would bet that a user who performs his/her own disk maintenence could keep a unit alive for many years.

Brad

Posted by: tmcmullin

Anyone with a doctored photo of a TiVo on life support? You'd have at least one iV hooked up to it! (slapping my knee!)

Posted by: PrimeRisk

quote:
Originally posted by Chris Gerhard
Now how many people will get this reference to an obscure 70s sci-fi film? I saw that one in a movie theater when it first came out and thought Jenny Agutter was so sexy. The film was total nonsense however but fun nonsense. She must be 50 or so now like me, bet she still looks great.

Chris

Yes, yes, don't forget Farrah Fawcett in those days either!

Posted by: PrimeRisk

My first TiVo is just over 3 years old and one of the HDDs appears to be on the way out. It has developed the infamous stopple issue after the last power outage that exceeded the UPS runtime by about 4 hours. Enough time for the drives to cool. Now one (or both) are quite noisy. I'm about to perform open Harddrive surgery, just need a replacement drive and the time to do it.

Posted by: dgh

While I was out washing the car I remembered another Jenny Agutter reference. In a "Coupling" episode the guys are sitting around talking about actresses to look for in a video rental store for guaranteed nudity. Agutter comes up and one of the guys says something like: Oh yeah! remember Logan's Run? She's in an ice cave and freezing cold so what does she do? Takes off her clothes! Brilliant!

Posted by: JJ

If it never made it to Mystery Science Theater 3000 it wasn't obcure at all

Posted by: kitsap

quote:
Originally posted by dgh
On the other hand, a moderately obscure film like "Plan 10 from outer space" only turned up 443.

Holy cow, they did a sequel to "Plan 9"???!! Did Criswell appear?

BTW, "Walkabout" is the main Jenny Agutter "look at that!" vehicle.