DTivo w/o contract?

[dishkat]

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me if it's possible to buy a new DTivo unit from a place like BestBuy w/o having to commit to a contract?

[Spydertech]

NO.

At least you are not supposed to be able to........

[captain_video]

If you buy a DirecTivo from a retail outlet then you are required to commit to a 12-month contract with DTV for service. If you are an existing customer you agree to extend you current level of service (Total Choice package is the minimum level required) for 12 months from the time you activate the access card. If you fail to activate the card within 30 days of the purchase date then your credit card will automatically get charged an additional $150. DTV subsidizes the sale of every DTivo and DTV receiver. When a dealer sells one of these units, they notify DTV that access card # XXXX has been sold and to expect activation within 30 days. If access card XXXX doesn't get activated within the specified period, the dealer doesn't see the subsidy from DTV. Since they aren't in the business of losing money, you get charged for the subsidy that they normally would have gotten from DTV. If you activate the card 31 days after the purchase date you'll still get charged the $150 and there's nothing you can do about it.

[David Bought]

Originally posted by dishkat
I'm wondering if anyone can tell me if it's possible to buy a new DTivo unit from a place like BestBuy w/o having to commit to a contract?

Why would you want to buy a unit without subscribing it? Surely you are not a service thief are you?

[Spydertech]

OK - now you're reaching to call someone a thief.

Who mentioned not subscribing - I think the question was about being locked into a contract....

A little difference there..........

[captain_video]

I can think of several reasons why someone would want to buy a DTivo without subscribing. Learning to hack it for fun would certainly be justification in itself.

[David Bought]

Originally posted by captain_video
I can think of several reasons why someone would want to buy a DTivo without subscribing. Learning to hack it for fun would certainly be justification in itself.

What use is there in hacking a Tivo that does not receive any channels?

mfs_ftp is great but if that's the only way to get shows onto your Tivo, few if any users would put up with the hassle.

[captain_video]

What use is there in hacking a Tivo that does not receive any channels?

There have been numerous posts asking how to use a Tivo as a DVR for the purpose of time-lapse video surveillance and other uses. Some people would like to use them as a video jukebox for uploading DVD movies. I'm sure someone will come up with other uses but these are the ones that came to mind.

[David Bought]

Originally posted by captain_video
There have been numerous posts asking how to use a Tivo as a DVR for the purpose of time-lapse video surveillance and other uses. Some people would like to use them as a video jukebox for uploading DVD movies. I'm sure someone will come up with other uses but these are the ones that came to mind.

Right, so a DTivo with no MPEG encoder that only plays back proprietary "ty" streams would be an ideal candidate for this sort of task.

[captain_video]

Right, so a DTivo with no MPEG encoder that only plays back proprietary "ty" streams would be an ideal candidate for this sort of task.

I never said I supported the notions and I didn't come up with the ideas in the first place. I'm just answering your question.

[waynehead99]

A subscription and a contract are two different things. I agree with the fact of buying a unit without a contract. I subscribe and later find that I don't like the service or the customer service and want to quit. But I can't because I am stuck in a contract. I would like to have that option. I understand that these companies don't make there money off the equipment but off the service.