Does TIVO charge a monthly service fee?

Frances Macky: When you buy a TiVo, you only own just the hardware. You do not "own" the software at all, despite a copy being installed on the box.TiVo still "owns" the software, and has certain terms of use which require subscription to use most features. What you subscribe to for the most part is a license to use the software, as well as guide data.In theory, you could install 3rd party software that has a different Terms Of Use, but nobody has publically released any to date....Show more

Sol Bayn: Go to http://www.tivo.com and get unconfused. Too many plans to tell you about here.

Darwin Ecton: TiVo does charge a service fee in addition to the box purchase. They offer several plans. Month-to-month service is $12.95, but you can pay $129.50/year instead (that's the price of 10 months.) There is also "Product Lifetime Service," for $399 you pay once for the entire "lifetime" of the Tivo (not YOUR lifetime.)The service includes, most importantly, program g! uide information. Your TiVo can't do its job if it doesn't know what's on. Your season passes, searches, and other features wouldn't work. Service also includes software updates, and all kinds of other features that require a subscription to work. Check out TiVo.com to learn all about it.You should know that as for the device itself, it beats all the cable company DVRs by miles. It's really a great DVR. Once you go TiVo, you'll never want to go back!...Show more

Irma Poiter: Skent is right. Also, DirecTV charges the lowest DVR service in the industry. Cable companies will typically charge you the DVR service (usually around $6 a month) for EACH DVR that you have in your home. DirecTV blankets your account with one flat $5.99 a month charge for DVR service, no matter how many DVR's you have. That's the MAIN reason why I am not switching to cable is because I have DVR's in every room of my house, and if I went with cable, I would pay an extra $30-ish a month just ! for the extra DVR's that I have. With DirecTV, I only pay $5.9! 9 a month for all of them....Show more

Pattie Vold: Tivo Service Fee

Jeannine Vassie: >Does TIVO charge a monthly service fee?Modern Tivos require their service to record programs. You can pay monthly ($12.95/month), yearly, or pay $399 for "lifetime" service. >If so what service am I paying for since the box does all the work and I own thatWIthout the service contract, it won't record anything & you won't get the service guide. The newer series 3 & 4 Tivos have both analog and digital tuners built into them, but if want to record channels that require cable company equipment, you would probably have to also rent a "cable card" from your cable company to pick up any encrypted channels. By the time you pay for the Tivo, service, and cable card, you are not saving any money. But many people think that Tivos are superior to typical cable company DVRs....Show more