It looks like TiVo’s product lifetime service is back, and not as a special promotion this time. I won’t say it is back for good, since it went away before, but there doesn’t seem to be a set date for it to cease either.
This video was posted to YouTube last night (don’t bother watching it, really) by user ‘TiVoLifetime’, with this description:
TiVo Product Lifetime is back by popular demand for folks who “Never Want to Give TiVo Up”.
TiVo Product Lifetime service means consumers pay once up-front for the life of your DVR and never again. Product Lifetime service is priced at $399 for new customers and we offer a multi-service discount price of $299 if you are already a TiVo customer with a qualifying subscription.
In short, customers asked, we listened.
Could be a joke, right? Well, Product Lifetime service is back on the TiVo Price Plans page for $399.00. And that’s without being logged in, it is available to everyone. The new pricing plans are $12.95/month, $129.00 annual, $299 three years, and $399.00 product lifetime.
And there’s more – if you’re an existing subscriber you qualify for Multi-Service Discount, and for the first time MSD also applies to Product Lifetime! Logged in the pricing options are $9.95/month, $99.00 annual, and $299.00 product lifetime. That’s both surprising and very welcome.
These changes are further confirmed by the “TiVo service payment plans document“, which is marked as updated in May 2008. The document states:
2. You may pay for the TiVo service on a monthly basis for one (1) year at $12.95 per month. Promotional Pricing may be available from time-to-time.
3. You may also pay annually for your TiVo service at $129 a year, prepay for three (3) years at $299 (renews annually after 3 years) or purchase a Product Lifetime Service (as described below) at $399. Promotional Pricing may be available from time-to-time.
The “TiVo Multi-service discount service agreement” has also been updated in May 2008, and now states:
1. Discounted TiVo service fee. The MULTI-SERVICE DISCOUNT reduces the 1-year Monthly TiVo service or TiVo Plus service subscription fee to $9.95 per month, $99 per year if paid annually, and $299 for Product Lifetime Service while in compliance with all applicable Initial Qualification and General Eligibility requirements on new eligible TiVo service subscription activations (not existing TiVo service subscriptions). 3-Year prepaid TiVo service plans are not eligible to receive the MULTI-SERVICE DISCOUNT. However, in accordance with the Initial Qualification and General Eligibility requirements set forth above, paid 3-year prepaid TiVo service plans may serve as the Qualifying Subscription. In the event two or more TiVo service plans are being purchased simultaneously, the Product Lifetime Service shall be considered the Qualifying Subscription and if no Product Lifetime Service is being purchased, then the highest priced prepaid service plan shall be the Qualifying Subscription.
There you have it – TiVo Product Lifetime is back!
Thanks to Dave Zatz for the heads up via IM – and he’s posted at Zatz Not Funny as well.
sale is, frankly, weak. Not really much of a sale at all, they’re pushing new releases – Lars and the Real Girl, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (Uncut), and Juno. But they’re $3.99 each, which is full price – so not really a sale at all.
