It's been a while since I've mentioned it here but I'm a big fan of TiVo. I bought one of the first ones and have never been anything but delighted with the machine, the service and the very principle of time-shifting and storing shows the way it does. Everyone I know who's got one is happy with theirs, though maybe not with the cost of month to month service. A year or two ago, TiVo stopped offering lifetime service for a flat fee, and some who make the monthly payments find it an annoying burden.
Well, guess what, TiVo Town! Lifetime service is back! For $399, you can get it on your TiVo…and I guess I oughta explain what that means. It does not mean your lifetime. It means the lifetime of the machine for which you purchase it. As long as that particular TiVo is operational, you don't have to make the monthly payments.
How long might that be? Well, I've had my current TiVos for long enough to make lifetime service a bargain. You may keep yours for quite a while. When TiVos wear out, the usual reason — maybe 95% of the time — is hard disk failure. You can have a company like Weaknees slap a new hard disk in your machine or sell you a kit to do it yourself…and the lifetime service can continue!
On the other hand! One of these days, TiVo's going to come out with a new model that will be so super-duper peachy fabbo that you may want to pitch your old one and get a new one. We've heard rumors of better TiVos for some time but no firm announcements. Next year? The year after? I dunno. I suspect — don't hold me to this — that when TiVo does bring out a true "new generation" model, there will be some offer whereby one will be able to transfer one's lifetime sub to a new machine. But that also may not happen.
Right now, here's how the math works. Regular service is $12.95 a month, $129 per year or $299 for three years. So for the $399 lifetime service to be cost effective, you'd have to keep the machine close to four years. (A few other things to consider: One is that they can raise prices at some point and that's not unlikely. Lifetime service means you don't have to worry about that…or about paying bills periodically. Also, if you have more than one TiVo, you can get a discount for additional subscrptions on the same account. You can prepay $99 per year on your second unit or if you buy lifetime service for $399, lifetime service on additional TiVos is $299 apiece.)
So does lifetime service make sense? You can figure it out as well as I can. I just thought I'd mention that option is available again.