TiVo Series2 Digital Video Recorder (*TiVo Service Fee Not Included)
If you want/need good customer service DON'T buy tivo!
I purchased tivo as a Christmas gift for my Parents in early December. The tivo website states that tivo will `work with everything-from a simple TV and antenna, to cable, digital cable or satellite'. Therefore, since it was a gift, I also pre-purchased the first month of service and a 3 month gift subscription. <br />On initial purchase of the gift subscription, I never once thought tivo wouldn't work on the satellite system. Now I know you should NEVER PRE-PURCHASE ANYTHING FROM TIVO!! <br />Unfortunately, after a full day of attempting to setup the system, we came to the conclusion tivo would not work with my Parent's satellite box. We attempted contacting tivo customer support multiple times throughout the setup process and were placed on hold for over 30 minutes each time and never actually spoke to a customer service rep. <br />After doing further research, we found it easier and CHEAPER to purchase a DVR either through a satellite provider or DirectTV rather than tivo. <br />I was able to return the tivo box to the distributor no problem, but when I attempted to contact tivo customer support again to cancel the first month of service and the gift subscription I was placed on hold AGAIN for more than 30 minutes. Calling back later wasn't an alternative as each time I received the same amount of hold time, over 30 minutes. Emailing customer support provided equal frustration as they responded 4 days after my initial email only to inform me they couldn't help me via email and I'd have to call their customer support again. <br />When I was finally connected to a customer support rep, she was abrupt, rude and defensive when I requested a refund for the services I was unable to use. I spoke to her manager who, after 45 minutes, finally agreed to give me a refund for the first month of service activation but I was out of luck on the 3 month gift subscription. He told me the website 'clearly states in black and white' they do not provide refunds for gift subscriptions and it was out of his control to help me further. I asked to speak with someone who could in fact help me, to which his response was `his supervisors are very, very busy' and he would leave a message for them to call me but he couldn't guarantee a call back from them.<br />My recommendation, DON'T BUY TIVO! It's not worth your time or money. There are other alternatives out there that will provide much more satisfaction.