Comments on: Record TV in style with a refurbished TiVo HD, $179.99 shipped

TiVo is offering refurb HD units for cheap, though you'll still have to pay for the TiVo service.

[ktappe]

When I bought my refurb. HD earlier this year, they did NOT offer the $399 lifetime activation. I wanted it and looked for it, but it was simply not an option. So I had to choose $299 for 3 years. Good luck to those of you wanting the $399 option.

[rickbroida]

If you click through to the product page, lifetime activation is listed right there. Personally, I think it's insanely overpriced, but that's just me.

[j_a_s_p_e_r]

There was great outcry from consumers when they removed lifetime activation, I guess they brought it back.

[goober_nut]

If I did my math right though, if you buy the lifetime plan as opposed to the monthly plan it'll only take 31 months to match your investment. That's less than 3 years. So if you plan on keeping your TiVo for more than 3 years, you've made your money back. Granted, $400 is kind of pricey but it's all about looking at how long it takes to start saving.
I currently pay about $5/month to get my HD-DVR and I don't have the chance to pay for a lifetime plan. I do plan on keeping my DVR for at least the next 6.6 years which, if I could pay $400 for a one time fee to keep the service to it actually might be worth it.
Of course, you could always just buy a tv-tuner card and a mid-range computer and have your own upgradable DVR for cheaper. It's really all in how much of a savings it'll be for you in the long run.

[tarrantm]

Don't forget you need to add in either a Hauppauge HD TVR (250 dollars) or a cablecard (which the last time I checked weren't available unless you buy a 2000 dollar hp or dell computer) for the computer to get the non-OTA HD channels.

[j_a_s_p_e_r]

I don't believe you have to fork out that much, look at so called "Mythboxes" that run MythTV

[j_a_s_p_e_r]

Linux alternatives: MythTV, freevo.

Windows alternative : Windows XP MCE or Vista Home Premium with an XBox 360 or other media extender

[norvabear]

The other bad thing with these models is that they only work with cable. If you have Directv or Dish Network, you can't use them.

[CitizenJag]

Seriously, its just so much cheaper to rent one from whoever your service provider is. In that sense, Tivo is quite overrated.