TiVo raises rates, limits WPA to own WiFi adaptor

Doing away with the generally well-regarded lifetime subscription was unfortunate albeit bearable, but now TiVo is really pressing its luck. Just in time for folks to slash that pricey Series3 off their holiday wishlist, the widely adored DVR company is not only upping its monthly service rates for new customers and those currently on prepaid plans, but also limiting WPA support to its own TiVo Wireless G Adapter. Just days after teasing high-rollers with its chromed-out $50 "premium remote," TiVo has announced that monthly rates are being raised to $19.95 per month for those in one-year commitments (up from $12.95 monthly), $14.95 per month if you're locked in for 24 months, and $12.95 monthly if you make the huge mistake of signing up for three solid years. For additional units in your crib, the extra $6.95 per month is now up to $13.95, $8.95, or $6.95 depending on your 1/2/3-year commitment. In a move to seemingly further limit your choices (and make things easier on its own tech support personnel), your only option for utilizing WPA on that Series2 / Series3 box is to fork out for TiVo's own 802.11g device. Apparently TiVo either thinks we're all made of money, or there's simply a lack of alternative DVR solutions waiting to take its place on your AV shelf -- both of which are probably incorrect assumptions.

Read - TiVo's wireless adaptor supports WPA [Via Zatz Not Funny]
Read - TiVo's new service rates

[Fuzz @ Nov 6th 2006 5:26PM]

So wait . .you sign up on a contract, and they can raise prices? realy? Sounds like an awsome company. Whats to stop them from tripling prices?

[JeffM @ Nov 6th 2006 5:29PM]

Good-bye TiVo!

If I had $10k to short your stock into bankruptcy I would! :)

[Scott @ Nov 6th 2006 5:32PM]

TiVO just made a profit like a few months ago didn't they?

[Sean Cooper @ Nov 6th 2006 5:41PM]

I haven't been a fan of Tivo for some time, as it has a horribly slow interface and often glitches. Their solution to this is the 800 dollars series three tuner, which is obviously a premium product. This is going to be the nail in the Coffin for my Tivo subscription, as I will switch to the cheaper DVR/Service from my cable company and await the apple iTV as a supplement to it.

[Shane @ Nov 6th 2006 7:07PM]

I have to agree. I've been disappointed with Tivo dragging their feet on the "upcoming" Mac support... and now this?? Bye-bye Tivo! I'm going elsewhere for my media fix. Thank goodness for ATSC & computer-based DVR software.

[doubtful @ Nov 6th 2006 5:44PM]

That's ridiculous. The price of an additional unit is now above the old price of a primary unit? Does Tivo really want everyone with multiple subscriptions to cancel?

Who tolerates a nearly 80% increase in a luxury bill?

[chadc17 @ Nov 6th 2006 5:47PM]

For those of you lucky souls that have Verizon FIOS, their DVR service AND Hi-Def programming/recording is a great alternative to this blatant robbery.

[Matt @ Nov 6th 2006 5:51PM]

For these prices I will build an HD Media Center PC +/- $1000 and not worry about a monthly service or contract. I won't get the clunky UI, the constant ad's, suggestions on things I have no interest in, and I can back everything up to DVD's.

Tivo needs to remove their heads from a certain anal cavity or else the only cavity left will be the hole in the company bleeding.

[az1324 @ Nov 6th 2006 5:52PM]

unfortunately this also gives cable companies the opportunity to raise their dvr service fees and you know how those guys are about making an extra buck.

[Zeke @ Nov 6th 2006 5:53PM]

Good thing my folks bought into the lifetime subscription while they could.

As for me... MythTV once I start watching TV enough to care.

[F @ Nov 6th 2006 6:00PM]

TiVo is not worth the money. TiVo has NEVER been worth the money. TiVo NEVER will be worth the money.

What I can't understand is why anyone has ever signed up for TiVo service. There have always been alternatives to the TiVo service that were either free, or at least far less expensive.

I just wish everyone would cancel their subscriptions and force TiVo out of business so that blogs such as Engadget would be able to spend time and space on more worthy items.

[andras @ Nov 6th 2006 6:04PM]

Wow. First they take away your ability to use your tivo without a subscription, then they release software updates that come very close to destroying the usefulness of your devices (which they haven't fixed yet either) and now they are going to raise subscription rates? Ballsy. Stupid. But ballsy.

[Todd @ Nov 6th 2006 6:07PM]

Oh little Tivo
how I loved you so well
Spent much time together ( customer since 1999 )
it was just swell
But with these new prices
you can just GO TO HELL!

[Pete L @ Nov 6th 2006 6:11PM]

Puuuuhlease guys,

1) Most home users don't even know what WPA is -- never mind actually go through the trouble to use it (and, yes, I include myself in this -- a certified techie -- not enough risk in my area & I don't want to bother helping out friends and family everytime). I'd bet that >=95% of their users are either running WEP or no security whatsoever (including MAC filtering). Even if they do, they wouldn't hestitate to switch back to WEP or other such measures.

2) Most users don't have wireless USB devices, nevermind certified compatible devices, laying around their houses and the ~$50 dollars or whatever it costs to buy Tivo's device these days truly isn't that much more expensive to buy.

3) Supporting other devices in WPA mode may well have proved too costly for Tivo to support. In fact, I'm sure this is the case. It's not like they're going to drive a significant number of people to buy their adapter by doing this given how few people this really applies to.

[Chris @ Nov 6th 2006 6:14PM]

This is EXTREMELY misleading.

This only is for Tivo package deals that include getting your machine for free from Tivo. This is not a change in their pricing...it is exactly the same as it was when they changed their pricing a few months ago. People who purchase their own machines and just want the tivo service will still only pay $12.95 and $6.95 for their first and second machines respectively.

This is not a change!

[Rick Lyon @ Nov 6th 2006 6:18PM]

Wow, I thought it was always too expensive, not just the box, but then adding the monthly subscriptions. Now they are raising rates? I guess that means there's no way in hell I'll ever be a Tivo owner.

[raulr @ Nov 6th 2006 6:25PM]

@Chris

The pricing is not only for their free boxes. Go on their site. Any box you select, the new rip-off, I mean pricing plans is effective.

[Robert Aitchison @ Nov 6th 2006 6:34PM]

Unfortunately the part about no viable alternatives is true, up until recently there was exactly one viable alternative to TiVo, ReplayTV. Now that is gone for good and TiVo is all by itself in the premium DVR segment.

A MythTV or even Windows MCE my be good for the hardcore geeks but not their wives, mothers, fathers or drinking buddies. My boss had a Windows MCE and his wife never wen't near it, she found it too hard to use. He bough a TiVo and she uses it all the time and the MCE is gathering dust.


For a generic Cable Company or Satellite DVR, those will work for a large number of people who have never used a TiVo but the usability, stability & feature deficit of one to a TiVo will make switching to one a hard pill to swallow for most TiVo users.


I have two Series2 TiVos with Lifetime Service so I'm thankfully not affected by this, though I think that this is a huge mistake on their part. Right now there are a whole lot of people who have no DVR and are considering one, they may be aware in a vague sense that a TiVo is better than what their cable company is offering but they don't know why. These prices are high enough to all but rule out TiVo as a choice for these people.

[Steve @ Nov 6th 2006 6:38PM]

Good job Engadget for REPORTING the HOLE STORY!!

This place is going down hill...

[Alexander @ Nov 6th 2006 7:31PM]

whole...

[Jim Snyder @ Nov 7th 2006 2:34PM]

You missed the joke, Alex.

[Steve Wallen @ Nov 6th 2006 6:41PM]

Having used an DirecTivo for a few years, a MCE 2005 box for a few years, MCE Vista for a few months, and now a Tivo3... i can say that hands down that Tivo is light years ahead of the rest in terms of usability and reliability. MCE might do some stuff that Tivo doesn't, but Tivo does the base DVR thing much much better.

[Brett Verseso @ Nov 6th 2006 7:11PM]

I called TiVo to verify what my "new and improved" fees are, and they are going up. Kind of. I was on a $16.95/month plan for a year, and got the hardware. Now that a year is passed, I was expecting to pay $12.95/month. Nope, they are keeping it at $16.95/month. They said I was paying the same amount. (Yes, but now I own the hardware!)

(As much as I would prefer MythTV, Windows MCE, etc. the Wife Acceptance Factor is not there. )

Comcast DVR is $10/month, $120/year. TiVo (for me) 16.95/month, $203.40/year. As much as I hate Comcast, and as little as $83.40 is in the grand scheme of things, I am going the Comcast route. At least until they p*ss me off.

[LA Dave @ Nov 6th 2006 7:15PM]

This story is not misleading:

I am all pro-Tivo but the latest move has really annoyed me.

I recently purchased the Series 3 Tivo and canceled my Series 1 to give to a friend.

I was under the impression she could activate it with the base $12.95 month-to-month plan that they were offering for non-new boxes.
She went online to activate the Tivo and they wanted to lock her into a yearly plan for a Series 1 Tivo.

I called them and spoke to customer service. I asked what was the deal and he said that since I had cancelled my account she would have to activate for 3 years to get $12.95 a month. I was baffled that they would force someone to do that for a Series 1 Tivo.
I told him that I was just going to throw the Tivo in the trash and he said "Sorry thanks for calling Tivo".

I am extremely disappointed with Tivo.
I got the 3 year plan on the Series 3 Tivo, but if they continue pulling this crap I don't know if I will continue my service after that.

Requiring a contract for a used box is rediculous.

[GSP @ Nov 6th 2006 7:19PM]

Thanks TiVO - that's all I needed to convince me that my next DVR will NOT be a TiVO.

[Cronick @ Nov 6th 2006 7:24PM]

If I ever dump DirecTV (TiVo for $4.95/mo), I will miss TiVo.

But then I can build a Mac/PC DVR and get channel schedules off the web can't I?

[Zuke @ Nov 6th 2006 7:25PM]

Dammit! I was on the verge of subscribing, but now I'm going to see wait and see what DVR deals Directv offers for the holidays. That is too much freakin money for what I basically use VCR tapes fine for. The convenience sounds great, but nobody likes to feel like they're getting bent over...

[Quentin @ Nov 6th 2006 7:37PM]

Today, I am so happy to have made that decision to choose BeyondTV or Tivo. Yes, it's a lot more user friendly than BTV, but the cost of the hardware, software and remote outweigh the cost of paying monthly for the service and a device upfront.

[Matt Smith @ Nov 6th 2006 7:42PM]

I used to be a big tivo fan. I used to recommend it to everyone. This article just changed that. Tivo, I can do better on my own.... thanks for trying... it was fun while it lasted... but good bye.

[Martin O'Brien @ Nov 6th 2006 7:52PM]

Geez, it's nice that TiVo told me about this!

But I wonder: My dual tuner box is on a prepaid 1 year, and I'm doing the $6.95/month deal on my older tivo. These price changes only seem to reflect people on 'contracts'. What happens to people like me, who aren't on contracts?

[Mike @ Nov 6th 2006 7:53PM]

Wow!

I absolutely love my DirecTV/Tivo, I was one of their very first customers and I've upgraded the box twice (now using HDTivo), but if they ever raise my rates anywhere close to this I'll drop my service that same day.

[J @ Nov 6th 2006 7:58PM]

haha Tivo SUX. My Time Warner DVR's are 10 bucks each a month and each has had 2 tuners built in (since the beginning way before Tivo released theirs). I get 2 DVR's for the cost of one Tivo and after using both I assure you the interface on the Time Warner one is much more intuitive.

[Scott @ Nov 6th 2006 8:55PM]

J:
Time Warner's DVR is more intuitive? HAHAHAHAHAHA! No wait... You're serious? HAHAHAHAHAHA!

My TimeWarner DVR costs $7.95 for the service plus another $7 for the DVR itself. Oh, and don't forget another 35 cents/month for the remote. Why is there two charges when neither can work without the other? Oh that's right...because Time Warner wants to screw it's customers at every possible opportunity.

[Kevin @ Nov 6th 2006 8:40PM]

Geeeez...

I love Tivo's product. I love my Tivo Series 2. Oh how elegant is its interface and oh do I love its lifetime membership...

But TiVo is a SUPPLEMENT to cable/sat. I'm not going to pay Tivo just as much as I pay my cable company!!!!

[Slvrmustang @ Nov 6th 2006 8:47PM]

Good job Engadget for REPORTING the HOLE STORY!!
^^ Not so great job in grammar.
Actually i think it is worth it. I am a 3 year subscriber, so i am locked into my rate until the end of the contract. 20 bucks a month for the ease of use and convenience? i will pay it. I spend more than that on beer each month(or sometimes week.. This isnt a whole lot of money, and i'll keep my series 2 Tivo right where it is for a long time.

[Sam @ Nov 6th 2006 8:50PM]

I'm convinced that Tivo just wants to die. One step forward, two steps back...

[Josh @ Nov 6th 2006 9:14PM]

@ Scott

Which sounds better?

Tivo HD: $20/mo + $800 + tax (upfront)
CableCo HD: $12/mo + $0 (upfront)

Easy decision. Tivo may have a nicer interface and some cool features, but thats a rip off.

[J @ Nov 6th 2006 10:12PM]

The question of whether or not one is more or less intuitive the the other is a matter of preference I have had time to play with both and find the TWC DVR to have a much quicker and yes more intuitive menu and guide system. TIVO has too much crap and annoying souds. I don't need it to look pretty just work well.

That initial charge your taking about is the cost of a digital box which is $5.00 ($4.85 box $.15 remote in my area) which is necessary to receive digital broadcasts so you should need it with a tivo too (unless you get a cable card but they don't provide the same guide or video ondemand or indemand services no event ordering). In my area you pay $10.00 on top of the cost of the monthly box rental for a DVR, so $10+$10= 20 bucks as stated in my post. One nickel more than the cost of one month of TIVO. Oh and did I mention my HDDVR cost no more than my standard DVR (don't get confused with the HD plus tier it is unnecessary to receive most HD programming) and there is no initial cost to install the device and no contractual agreements they even included the component cables for free.

See for yourself.
http://www.timewarnerla.com/pricingguides/PDFs/Orange%20County.pdf

[VideoFlying @ Nov 6th 2006 9:27PM]

I don't understand: you're paying monthly 15$ for a DVR you're already owning (and outrageously expensive)?? or does that monthly bill include TV services or what? if not, I totally don't understand the US consumers :)

Seems a little bit crazy to me :D

[ChrisWray @ Nov 6th 2006 9:29PM]

I thank the God I don't even believe in for my series 2 and lifetime subscription.

[jack @ Nov 6th 2006 9:42PM]

Sorry, if you are a tivo user I truly believe I can sell you "air". Not kidding. Whenever I meet a tivo sucker, sorry, user, I see a someone that can be had.... easily.

[Jas @ Nov 6th 2006 9:49PM]

Haha. Tivo subscribers should look into ReplayTV. Tonight I upgraded the 40gb to 120gb in 1/2 hr. It has lifetime and free networking functionality. DVArchive lets you download the shows to mpg format. My 2 ReplayTV's are freakin' awesome!!

[Nogami @ Nov 6th 2006 10:04PM]

There's no way I'd even consider $20 a month for a service like tivo. Infact, my cable company offers it free after I purchased their DVR settop box. The interface isn't as nice as tivo, but I'm not paying $300 a year or more in "service fees".

Happier than ever I didn't go with their solution (and I was about 1-click away from buying one in the summer).

[kc! @ Nov 6th 2006 10:23PM]

BOOOOOooooooooooo!

[Micro Tac @ Nov 6th 2006 11:19PM]

Thanks Tivo!!!

I feel a whole lot better... I just got off the phone with Comcast after ordering their top of the line HD DVR for my whole house (3 HD LCD's). I've been waiting for the Series III, but when it came out at that price point, I just couldn't bring myself to spring for the 3 units I really needed.

With the recent increase, you made the decision a lot easier. If you ever come to your senses, before Comcast improves their unit, and before you go BANKRUPT, I might change back.

[someToast @ Nov 7th 2006 11:17PM]

"I feel a whole lot better... I just got off the phone with Comcast after ordering their top of the line HD DVR for my whole house (3 HD LCD's). I've been waiting for the Series III, but when it came out at that price point, I just couldn't bring myself to spring for the 3 units I really needed."

Micro Tac, I've had the Comcast "top of the line" HD DVR for nearly a year. I give you two weeks before you come up with a pet name for it (I use "Motorola Shitbox"... feel free).

I agree that the Series 3 is too expensive, and these latest service rate increases are crazy (I had the DirecTV/Tivo combo box for four years and a standalone for a couple before that), but the Comcast HD DVR is a seriously buggy POS.

[MegaZone @ Nov 7th 2006 12:02AM]

Calm down, take a step back from your keyboard, and do the damn math before replying. I love how people freak out without putting their brains in gear.

They�ve actually simplified their pricing. There used to be one set of prices for bundles and one set of prices for service on retail boxes. Now they�re the same. So instead of twelve total prices, there are six (pre-paid or monthly, 1-, 2-, or 3-years). This raised the costs on service-only a bit, but they also bumped the rebate by $30 to $70 at the same time, to offset that.

In the end, out of 30 permutations (80-hour S2, 80-hour S2DT, and 180-hour S2DT bundles from TiVo.com, and 540 and non-540 rebate units from retail times the 6 pricing options) 21 of them *dropped* in cost. 1 stayed the same. 5 increased just slightly - $13.60-$15 for 1-year, and one $18 increase over 2-years.

There were only three (or two, depending on how you look at it) noticeably increases. The two 1-year monthly S2DT bundles each increased $40. The 1-year monthly non-540 retail net increased $54.

All of the three year plans dropped, up to $154 off the old prices. All but one two year plan dropped, the exception went up $18 spread over 2 years.

One 1-year plan stayed the same. Four of them had only minor increases, $15 or less. With the remaining three showing real increases.

Overall, this is a price decrease more than an increase.

Oh, yeah, the sky is falling, right. *sigh*


As for WPA - the TiVo 11g adapter has an onboard processor. To date this has only been used to offload network processing from the TiVo's CPU. In user tests this has resulted in a performance boost of up to 60%. It looks like WPA will be handled in the same processor, which would be why it doesn't work on other adapters.

If they did WPA in the TiVo's CPU, that's just bottleneck even faster than it did in the past, making for the slowest transfers yet. And then people would bitch about that instead.

[MegaZone @ Nov 7th 2006 12:12AM]

Jas - Look into ReplayTV? You mean look into how they stopped inproving their software several years ago? Or how they stopped producing new hardware shortly thereafter? Or how stopped selling new hardware entirely early this year?

ReplayTV is out of the DVR business. Now they're pushing their PC-based software, which hasn't launched yet, supposedly this month.

Oh, and I download shows from my TiVos and create MPEGs from them too. I also play digital music via my stereo via my TiVo. Oh, right, ReplayTV promised that and cancelled the project, like everything else.

[MegaZone @ Nov 7th 2006 12:14AM]

Brett -

That's how it has always been since they introduced bundles. When the bundle time period expired you continued to pay monthly at the bundle rate, unless you called and re-upped for a new contract. Nothing about that has changed. You would NOT have dropped to $12.95/month without calling, and it would require another year's commitment.

The change is what options you have now. You can call and commit to 1-year for $19.95, 2-years for $14.95, or 3-years for $12.95. Or one of the pre-paid options.

[MegaZone @ Nov 7th 2006 12:15AM]

LA Dave - That's how it has been for a while. *ALL* new activations, even on used boxes, have required a minimum one-year commitment for a while now. There hasn't been a 'month to month' option. That's not new with this price change.