WeaKnees.com has TiVo Series1, Series2, and Series3 units available already with product lifetime service. They have both the original TiVo Series3 and the TiVo HD (the second Series3 model) upgraded with 500GB drives for 70 hours of HD recording with lifetime service, for $399.99. Note that product lifetime service alone is $499 for new subscribers and $399 for existing TiVo subscribers – plus the cost of the hardware. The new 500GB TiVo Premiere model lists for $149.99. So if you don’t care about the features unique to the TiVo Premiere (HD UI, Hulu Plus, etc.) this is a good deal for a unit ready to run.
Note that the original Series3 (TCD648250) requires two CableCARDs – S-Cards or M-Cards. While the TiVo HD (TCD652160) can utilize a single M-Card. Depending on what your cable company charges for CableCARDs this may or may not be a factor in your decision. The original S3 has the fancy OLED front panel display and the Glo remote, while the TiVo HD has the basic LED indicator lights and a non-Glo remote.
They also have the older Series1 and Series2 units with internal analog tuners and support for external set top boxes, both single-tuner ($299.99) and dual-tuner ($349.99) models. They even have Pioneer TiVo Series2 DVD combo units ($399.99). These units are available in 40GB (single-tuner) or 80GB (dual-tuner & DVD) base models, or upgraded to 80GB ($19.00 S2), 500GB ($99.00 S2 – $149.00 DVD), or 1TB ($149.00 S2 – $199.00 DVD).
The real old-school Series1 units are available in Philips ($199.99) or Sony ($249.99) models, both with 40GB. Upgrades to 80GB ($19.00) or 120GB ($39.00) are available. While I could see some reasons to buy the Series2 units, I really can’t see why someone would want one of the Series1 units these days. Maybe someone really into TiVo hacking with the old TiVoWeb and the like, but even then I doubt it.
All of these units have been refurbished and tested by WeaKnees, and they come with a six month parts and labor warranty. Quantities are limited, so grab one now if you’re interested.
Via the WeaKnees Blog.
