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.

TiVo has repackaged their Blue Moon Birthday Special promotional bundle as a Mother’s Day gift bundle. The details are the same - a TiVo HD, TiVo WiFi adapter, product lifetime, and a TiVo plush doll - all for $698.99.

They also have a number of Series2DT and TiVo HD gift packages available, amongst other items in the store.

The existing TiVo HD lifetime bundle sale is ending tomorrow, April 1, but TiVo has just launched a new TiVo HD lifetime bundle offer good through 6/16/2008. Like the old offer, you get a TiVo HD, TiVo WiFi adapter, and product lifetime service for $698.99 - but as a bonus you get a little TiVo plush doll too. This offer is available to everyone, you don’t have to be an existing subscriber.

Read the rest of this entry »

I was just thinking about posting a reminder that the promotional pricing was about to expire on April 2, and TiVo goes and extends it through July 2. If you go to the ‘Choose a price plan’ page and then login you’ll see the text at the bottom now says: “These special prices expire on July 2, 2008.” Those prices are $9.95/month MSD, $99 1-year pre-paid, or $399 for product lifetime.

Note that the ‘Plan Details’ pop-up for lifetime still says the offer expires on February 13, 2008. TiVo forgot to update it the last time they extended the offer, and it looks like they’ve forgotten again. (*nudge*)

While I’m checking on things, it looks like they extended another offer as well. The offer to purchase a new TiVo HD and get three months of free service had expired back on February 17, but it has been resurrected and is now good through June 30, 2008. You buy the TiVo HD for $299.99, commit to one year of TiVo service @ $12.95/month, and the first three months of that year are free.

However, the TiVo HD with product lifetime bundle offer does still appear set to expire on April 1, 2008. That’s a TiVo HD with a TiVo WiFi adapter and product lifetime for $698.99. Or the TiVo HD with a TiVo WiFi adapter and a $100 service gift card for $399.99.

Of course, once the bundle expires existing subscribers will still be able to buy the TiVo HD and WiFi adapter, then pick up product lifetime for $399 when activating, as above.

Another deal that’s still set to expire, the factory-renewed TiVo HD for $199.99 deal is set to expire on April 2, 2008. That’s a factory-renewed TiVo HD for $199.99, with a commitment for 1-year of services at $12.95/month, or one-year pre-paid service at $129.

And if you don’t need the TiVo HD and a Series2DT would do you quite nicely, you can get one of those for free. There are various promotions out there to support different organizations which will get you a free S2DT, that one happens to be for the National Council of Women’s Organizations.

TiVo has their usual web specials as well.

Thanks to a reader for the tip on the July 2 extension.

The offer for existing TiVo owners to buy product lifetime service with any new TiVo activation for $399 was supposed to expire on February 13th. In fact, the TiVo website still says so. However, if you login to an existing account the $399 lifetime offer is still available with new product activation. Either this is an oversight on TiVo’s part, in not removing it from the site, or they’ve extended the offer and failed to update the T&Cs.

In any case, the TiVo HD with product lifetime bundle is still available through April 1, 2008.

TiVo’s promotion wherein you purchase a TiVo HD and receive three months of service free expires on February 17, 2008. You buy the TiVo HD for $299.99, commit to one year of TiVo service @ $12.95/month, and the first three months of that year are free.

And this reminds me, the ability for any existing TiVo owner to pick up product lifetime on any new TiVo activation for $399 expires on February 13, 2008. So if you’re thinking of getting the soon to be gone TiVo Series3 with lifetime, this is probably your last chance.

Though you’ll still be able to get the TiVo HD with product lifetime bundle for $698.99 through April 1, 2008, along with the TiVo HD, WiFi Adapter, and $100 Service Gift Card bundle for $399.99.

No, it isn’t a joke. The TiVo HD with product lifetime bundle offer that was set to expire back on January 7 appears to have been extended through April 1, 2008. While the image at the upper-right stills says “Hurry! Offer ends 1/7/08″, the fine print at the bottom of the page has been updated:

*Offer available until April 1, 2008, while supplies last.

And:

Offer available for a limited time, while supplies last, from November 19, 2007 to April 1, 2008.

Additionally, remember the $199 product lifetime transfer to a TiVo HD is only available through February 3rd, 2008. That hasn’t changed, at least not yet. If you have a TiVo with product lifetime purchased before October 1, 2003, you can transfer that product lifetime service to a new TiVo HD for $199.

And keep in mind that the special holiday pricing expires on February 2, 2008. And that includes the ability of existing customers to activate any new TiVo on their existing account and get lifetime for $399.

These offers have just over a week left, don’t wait too long.

EDIT: It was pointed out to me that other sites, like WeaKnees and DVRupgrade, list February 13th as the end date for the $399 lifetime offer. I don’t know where they got that date, but I do know that when TiVo first told me about it they stated February 2, 2008 was the end date. And the TiVo pricing plan page also states: These special prices expire on February 2, 2008. So I wouldn’t count on it being available past February 2, 2008.

EDIT 2: Reader Kara Glithero pointed me to the TiVo Package, Product Lifetime service ‘Plan details‘ page, which states:

This is a limited time offer available from November 8, 2007 until February 13, 2008. TiVo reserves the right to terminate this offer at anytime, for any reason.

So, it looks like it will be available until February 13, 2008 - and February 2, 2008, the date TiVo originally gave me, is incorrect.

Thanks Kara!

A reminder, the deal for a $698.99 TiVo HD with Product Lifetime ends next Monday, January 7th. So if you’ve been debating whether or not to take the deal, don’t dally too much longer.

Lasting a little longer, existing subscribers have until February 2nd to activate a new TiVo and get product lifetime for $399.

And ending one day later, you still have until February 3rd to transfer product lifetime from an old TiVo to a new TiVo HD for $199.

The clock is ticking.

Didn’t get that TiVo you asked for? Trying to decide what to spend your holiday loot on? Remember, there are still a few TiVo deals available to get product lifetime service. If you currently have a TiVo with product lifetime service, purchase before October, 2003, you can transfer that service to a new TiVo HD for $199, but only through February 3, 2008.

Ending sooner, through January 7, 2008 existing TiVo subscribers can purchase a new TiVo HD with product lifetime for $698.99, direct from TiVo.

Also, through February 2, 2008, existing TiVo subscribers can purchase product lifetime for $399 when activating any new TiVo. (Something to keep in mind if you just received a new TiVo and haven’t activated it yet.) Also, the current special holiday promotional service pricing is only good through February 2, 2008.

While you need to be a current TiVo subscriber to take advantage of the product lifetime deals, if you’re a (pending) new subscriber you could probably find a friend who is a subscriber to make the purchase for you.

Amazon is selling the TiVo HD for $270.64, the TiVo Series3 for $392.91 (after $200 rebate), and the 80-hour Series2DT for $65.99 (after $150 rebate).

The TiVo HD plus lifetime is $669.64, even less than TiVo’s $698.99 direct offer. But don’t wait too long - you need to have the TiVo activated by the deadline, so don’t forget to allow for shipping time.

And if you’re buying a new TiVo, or you just received one, and you need to use it on your WiFi network, remember to pick up the TiVo 802.11g USB WiFi adapter for $39.58.

And here’s something odd - a couple of $100 TiVo Gift cards being sold for less than $100 after shipping. *shrug*

I’m not sure how I managed to miss this before, but the special offer to transfer Product Lifetime to a new TiVo HD for $199, which originally expired on November 8, 2007, has been extended through February 3, 2008. They managed to slip that one by me.

Remember, that’s not the only Product Lifetime offer currently available. Existing subscribers can also give the gift of a TiVo HD with Product Lifetime through January 7, 2008, or they can purchase Product Lifetime for $399 for any new TiVo activation on an existing account. (Lifetime shows up as one of the options if you activate a unit while logged into an existing account.)

And if you’re not a current TiVo subscriber, but you’d like to be one and to have a unit with lifetime, you can always make arrangements with a TiVo owner to buy a unit for you.