Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (
More info?)
<Jason> wrote in message news:sfk6a19t3jdf6reou6lis8fmiplhgasega@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 05 Jun 2005 04:52:19 GMT, Charlene Charette wrote:
>
>>SAC 441 wrote:
>>
>>> My guess is the OP was equating the TiVo with a VCR......you can use a
>>> VCR for free.Before a purchase (and sometimes afterwards apparently)
>>> people do not realize the functionality involved with the operating
>>> system.
>>> But comparing TiVo and VCR's is like comparing apples to oranges.
>>>
>>
>>You can use a VCR for free, but unless your purchase tapes (ala gas for
>>the car) it's pretty useless.
>>
>>--Charlene
>
> The car analogies don't quite work the way you are using them.
> Read it in this manner.
> You buy a (car/TiVo). You take the (car/TiVo) home and it sits
> exactly where you put it. You love your new (car/TiVo), it's
> really great. However, the (car/TiVo) needs fuel, so you provide
> it with (gasoline/electricity) when necessary. So far, both car
> and TiVo use the same purchase model - You paid for the hardware,
> you get to use the hardware.
> Any additional agreements should not impinge upon this simple
> transaction.
>
> The OP's hardware, legally bought and owned, is not functional
> unless he agrees to send payments to the seller for as long as he
> wants to be able to use his own property. So a unit bought for
> $199 with a monthly fee of $12.95 doubles the total cost in only
> 16 months.
> Someone's going to say "You're full of bull, that extra fee is
> for the service subscription!" We don't have the option of
> refusing this 'extra' feature, it's required. And because it's
> required, the word 'extra' doesn't apply.
>
> How would it look if microsoft adopted this same procedure for
> the windows update service? You buy a nice new computer. Your
> computer contacts the windows update site every other day. If it
> doesn't 'call in' for a month, Windows refuses to allow you to
> type any email/add any other software. All you can do with that
> computer is view things that were already there. You're stuck
> paying microsoft a monthly fee for as long as you want full
> access to the basic functionality of your computer.
>
> Someone should create a hack that creates false guide data,
> consisting completely of 30 min timeslots, all labeled 'To Be
> Announced'. That would keep the box happy, and allow the users to
> manually enter time/channel recordings and make use of the live
> buffer. And for all that, TiVo corp. still gets paid for the
> hardware. If sometime later on that person wants to make use of
> the suggestions/wishlist functions, they can go ahead and buy the
> service. It's their *option*, not a ransom payment for the fair
> use of equipment they already own.
You are free to use the hardware however you see fit without paying for a
subscription.
The software that is pre-loaded on the box is an entirely different matter.
Software is not sold. It is only licensed under the terms set forth my the
owner. Some software owners choose to let you use their software for a
single fee upfront. TiVo chooses to let you use their software 2 ways. 1
is a fee upfront (the lifetime service subscription) and the other is pay as
you go.
If one doesn't want to use the TiVo software under the terms of it's legal
owner (TiVo), then they are free to wipe the hard drive clean and install
different software.