RSSTiVo Raises Rates, Pushes 'Free' DVR
By Ed Oswald | Published November 6, 2006, 12:11 PM
TiVo has silently raised its monthly service rates by as much as 54 percent depending on the plan selected, a move that has been criticized by some of its users. Effective this month, service plans with new contracts could be as high as $19.95 USD per month.
That figure is for a one-year contract, although consumers would be able to save money by extending their contract by more than one year. A two-year contract would reduce the rate to $14.95 USD per month, which would be a 15 percent increase. If the user decides on a three-year contract, the rate would remain at the current $12.95 USD per month.
The Multi-service discount rates have also changed similarly: $13.95 USD for one year, $8.95 USD for two years, and $6.95 USD for a three year contract - the same rate as it was before the price increase.
Those currently paying month-to-month appear to be grandfathered at the $12.95 per month plan under the new pricing structure. However, those on current prepaid plans would be subject to the new pricing.
Prepay plans would range from $199 for the one year, or about $16.58 per month, to $349 for three years, or $9.69 per month.
Criticism of the price hike was near immediate. "TiVo's doing a good job here confusing consumers and pricing themselves right out of the DVR market," Dave Zatz of the Zatz Not Funny web log wrote in a post Sunday.
Respondents to his post echoed such concerns. "Most people who are considering Tivo are on the fence at $12.95 and three years for that price is a long commitment! There is no way that people will go for $19.95 on top of their cable or satellite bill," a poster named CheezWiz said.
However, others noted that the rates that include a box have not changed. "On closer inspection, I don't think rates have really gone up. You're just getting a free box no matter what," a poster named peteypete wrote.
Others pointed to the total cost of DVR solutions from cable providers like Comcast would be roughly the same as the $19.95 monthly fee now charged by TiVo.
A request for comment from TiVo was outstanding as of press time.
I think google should buy tivo and offer it for free in trade for ad injection during show play.
Score: 0
|say what you want about tivo, i don't like the fact that directv is basically making it that you have to use their solution. i think tivo is fighting this. i hate it when i don't at least the illusion of an option.
Score: 0
|It's $20. I pay double that to have immigrants wash my car once a week.
If this is really a financial issue for you, maybe it's time to start working on that career? Get some motivation to become a productive, well paid, member of society?
If you already do find your checking account nice and bloated, then stop your griping and move on. You can AFFORD IT!
Life is far too short to be concerned with such asinine issues as this.
Score: 0
|How delightfully racist! From your post I certainly must assume you are a well paid, productive member of society. Certainly not like the immigrants you speak of. That $20 a month plan will be perfect for you! You should, in fact, spring for the most expensive plan for every service you subscribe to! You are, after all, a well paid, productive member of society!
Score: 0
|Racist? Which race or is it just the race of the poster? If so, can you identify his race and the races he doesn't like? He must really dislike them, too, since he's paying them $40 a week to get his car washed. Heck, I only pay $8.95.
Put your race card away and discuss the issue at hand.
Score: 0
|With the power and flexibility of software, it's only a matter of time before there's a computer in every living room. I've been using Media Center for almost 3 years now and if they ever charge for their guide updates, there's other software out there.
Score: 0
|I love the Comcast DVR, TiVo is out of thier minds because everyone got smart and decided to make thier own DVR integrate right into the guide. DirecTV, Dish, Comcast. Who actually owns a stand alone TiVO anymore?
Comcast just did a covert 3AM update on my box, I know because I was up....
Anyways, I can see cover art for OnDemand movies, a much improved DVR navigation. TiVo sucks, especially when it has to drive the IR for your TV, cable or sat box. Those emitters work half the time and most people have no idea how to get that feature to work.
TiVo is circling the drain.
Score: 0
|As with anything, experiences vary. I hated the DVR I had from Comcast and I gladly pay Tivo $20 a month to avoid having the one from Comcast. The Comcast DVR would forget to record programs and sometimes even cause the TV picture to freeze.
I don't think Tivo has any problems, but I do think competition is good, so I hope everybody works on putting out a good product.
Score: 0
|only a matter of time before this company goes out of business, anyway
www.minor-ripper.blogspot.com
Score: 0
|F**K YOU TIVO for screwing your customers again. When my 12.95/mo tivo unit breaks, you will lose another customer to Comcast DVR.
Score: 0
|Go Tivo Go!
As a customer of ComCast Tivo and Dish Network over the past 15 years or more actually, I am glad to see that Tivo continues to be their own worst enemy.
As if it isn't bad enough to pay twice (cable and Tivo fees) and have two remotes, two boxes and an incredibly weak menu system (compared to Dish) NOW they want to charge more?! GOOD JOB GUYS!
"
Tivo, the AOL of Vidiot entertainment"
My PocketDish just finished downloading my PVRd shows from last night so I'm off to the beach.
Switch before they go under completely. Once they file chapter 11 they get to keep your money...even those 3yr contracts.
FUTUREFACT - Within a couple of years you will see that torrents are the way to get your media. We already use them to capture entire series of shows that we just started watching. Also, when we miss an episode of something, invariably someone has the torrent up and available within 24hrs. PVRs are nice, but in the not to distant future those receivers will be sitting next to the eight track player in the garage on the shelf next to the National Geographics of naked pigmy woman (maybe that's where the nipple rings, etc originated). WHATEVAH, JIM
Score: 0
|I have a one year contract at $12.95 and I got a free 30 hour unit, I love all the features pause, rewind, season pass, wish list etc... That being said the software issue which causes such poor response time and extreme sluggishness in the menus and guide(it takes a full six seconds for my guide to appear) are a real pain in the behind and if they don't fix it soon no one will want the service at ANY price!
I honestly don't understand how they can justify rasing the prices on a service which is barely usable in it's current state.
Score: 0
|If I have to pay $20 a month I'm going to drop Tivo like a hot plate. I use it because of the season pass option, and the fact that it adjusts channels/recordings in case lineups change, as well as liking transferring shows to my PC and playing music from my PC on my entertainment system in the living room - it's smart, but not smart enough to justify $20, rather than $13 extra on my 'entertainment' bill, for that I pay slightly more attention to my programmings and stay with Comcast DVR for 9.95. Not only that but my comcast DVR (HD) has more recording space AND plays out in surround on my system.
Bad, bad move Tivo.
Score: 0
|Seriously, where the hell did this article poster get "the total cost of DVR solutions from cable providers like Comcast would be roughly the same as the $19.95 monthly fee now charged by TiVo." from?
It's complete bull...I'm sticking with Comcast/Cox-provided DVRs. Why? HALF THE PRICE per month, as Neoprimal mentioned. There are no contracts. If your box breaks, no need for warranty returns, just have the provider swap it out for a new one, no charge. They have dual-tuners integrated, and have for a lot longer than TIVO has.
I enjoy being able to record two channels AND watch something else simultaneously.
The program guide is completely integrated with the service, no need for a phone or ethernet line to receive updates.
It supports HD, optical and coax surround output built in, HD service is NO EXTRA COST with the Comcast/COX DVR.
Season Pass? Is that not the same as just setting my box to record all new episodes of a show, regardless the time slot or channel? Done.
Comcast and COX DVRs DO support transfer of shows to your computer. I don't know how TIVOs do it, but you can just download a driver and plug a firewire/IEEE1394 cable into the box. It acts like a HiDef capture card. You can capture both recorded and live programs directly to your computer, including any HD or surround signals.
I'm glad I went with the Comcast/COX (I have both providers, in two locations) DVRs. And that's not gonna change, ESPECIALLY now.
Score: 0
|Wow - a new $50 VCR, or its equivalent, a $300 VCR that I bought over a dozen years ago will both do all I ever need to do, i.e. record TV programs and allow me to watch them at my convenience.
I still can't fathom why people would pay some company a monthly fee (ANY fee) to do something they've been able to do for FREE for over 20 years now. You'd think people who are "into" technology could figure out how to program a VCR.
Score: 0
|Windows Media Center. No PnP or Season pass. A bit higher start up cost due to Remote, IR Blaster, TV Tuner(s), bit beefier PC. But guess what? I can still use it like a real PC. Monthly cost? $0.00. Except ananomous usage is sent back to Microsoft/EPG provider.
Score: 0
|I beg to differ about a VCR and a tivo being equivalent. First the tivo has no tape to replace, swap out, archive. Second, the programming is much less tedious. Third, you can tape way more shows than a tape can hold. Plus, you can get through commercials a whole lot faster than with a VCR.
Score: 0
|That wasn't his point. He said you can do those things for free without Tivo. Less convenient perhaps, but free none the less. Read the post.
Score: 0
|Laughing OUT LOUD @ AlanRivaldo the NOOB.
Obveously you don't understand technology.
Keep workin' that 1989 VCR.... haha
Score: 0
|Pause and rewind live tv with a VCR? No.
Did I set that SLP, EP, or which? Never again.
Eaten tapes? Never with a DVR.
Jumbling dozens of tapes? Not with a DVR.
I could really keep going.. A couple more features that I really like from Tivo that I don't get with my comcast, and maybe some of you can tell me how to do so. 1) Set a recording from the internet. [Again, VCR can't do that..] 2) Pull the recording to a local machine via a LAN. [Nope, VCR can't do it.]
Anyone know how to do either of those with a comcast DVR? if so, email me at richieb69@hotmail.com
Score: 0
|Thanks, but again, I don't see a compelling reason to pay a monthly service fee for those features. In a year's time, the fees you pay could buy you lots of other things. I use my VCR for time s***ing, so pausing and rewinding live TV would have no value for me. Yeah, setup issues might be an issue for some folks, but not me (as far as recording speed goes, I set-it-and-forget it anyway). Regarding eaten tapes - that happened to me only after my VCR hit 17 years of age, and it was upon inserting the tape I knew something had gone bad, so I didn't lose anything of value. No jumbling of dozens of tapes with a VCR for me - I'm not archiving anything, just recording programs to watch at a convenient, later time. I watch maybe 3 or 4 hours of TV a week tops, and I'm home for most of that anyway. If you want to record from the Internet, just use bit torrent...
Score: 0
|Actually, I *do* understand technology, its rational application, and justifying its costs. Do you, or is it me-too-ism that's got you hooked?
Score: 0
|TimeShifting with a VCR? Yeah...okay....
Score: 0
|I'm not going to e-mail this to you, since other people may be wondering the same thing.
Look on the back of your box. Firewire port. There ya go. Not as handy as the TIVO's LAN usage, but it works. You can also use it to capture live TV, HD programming, and programming with full Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround.
Score: 0
|Are you kidding? Charter is only $8.95/mo for their dvr. The only reason I've kept my tivo is because of the features it offers. But if they jump my plan from $12.95 to anything higher, I'm dumping Tivo and going back to my cable co for their service!
Tivo is going to put themselves right out of business.
Score: 0
|I only pay Time Warner $5.95 a month for thier DVR. And I can also record 2 programs at a time.
Score: 0
|i would guess that people on this site are more computer oriented then the average consumer. with that in mind why would they care about how much Tivo charges when there is such beautiful thing as FreeVo?? ahh, thats right - braging rights! i Pay 0$ a month (well, electric bill is not included...)
Score: 0
|Also have MythTV and another company too, I think Sonic? It powers the Dell Media Experince.
Score: 0
|The comcast DVR is only 9.95 a month and you can record TWO shows at once.
Score: 0
|Two HD shows at once.
Score: 0
|Let's see...
I can spend ~$3000 for the full packages a year to watch and tape(DVR) Oprah and Jerry Springer on cable (not to mention the LCD/plasma tv, etc...), and another ~$600+ on some game console to play the 3 available games, and then another ~$250+ for some low-fi music player for which I get to spend my money and time downloading individual songs (as my time is not valuable) and then I get to spend a ridiculous amount of money so that I can try to figure out which earphone I need for my cellphone just to wax ad nauseum to my friends over which new ringtone or MP3 file I got. That is, if I can get a signal strong enough to make and or maintain the call!
Cost - far too much time and money for a bunch of mediocre toys.
Score: 0
|yeah, you're much better off spending that money on a psychiatrist :)
Score: 0
|Glad I have lifetime subscriptions on my Replay dvrs.
Score: 0
|So don't get them. I enjoy my toys.
Score: 0
|