TiVo Series 3 HD Pricing and Timing

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TiVo is running an American Idol contest over the next 11 weeks — each week you vote who’s going home. That’s all well and good… but the real interesting news is that in 11 weeks they’ll be giving away a Series 3. Though TiVo officially has up to four months beyond the sweepstakes to deliver.

So speaking of worshipping that false idol, we now have a little more info to base our speculation on. I’ll go first… Series 3 HD will be available 9/1 @ $800 a pop. What’s your guess?

Update: This is now a contest! Predict the Series 3 release date and cost to win a TiVo-branded wireless adapter. Details are in the comments.

Grand Prize: 1 Special Limited Edition TiVo Series3 HD Digital Media Recorder w/Product Lifetime Service
Average Retail Value: $1,500.00

Selected entrants will receive the the weekly prize by mail within thirty (30) days of the Weekly Sweepstakes end date and the Grand Prize by mail within four (4) months of the end of the Sweepstakes Period (exact timing subject to change based upon availability of Grand Prize, which is scheduled to be released for public sale in the second half of 2006).


92 thoughts on “TiVo Series 3 HD Pricing and Timing”

  1. 9/1/2006 sounds about right. It’s the day after my 40th birthday and an S3 will be my present from my family if that’s the release day (or thereabouts)

  3. Hmm, a Series3 is useless for me but I’d bet it would fetch a nice price on eBay, especially considering the fact that it will be one of very very few that will have product lifetime.

  5. Good idea!

    Here’s the deal… anyone who replies to this post through March 17th will be entered to win a TiVo-branded wireless adapter. I can probably only afford one S3 unit, so I’ll be buying that for myself — sorry. ;)

    Submit your guess on hardware cost (straight-up hardware box, no service) and release date. Each day away from launch is +10 points and each dollar away is +1 point. The person with the lowest point total wins. In case of a tie or hybrid-only service/hardware pricing, I’ll figure that out later.

    Someone will also need to remind me that this contest exists when the S3 drops.

  9. I’m gonna go out on a limb here but i think tivo has lost their mind lately. So they will be selling the series3 for $900 and the life time will be brought back at $600 yup that’s right i said it.

  14. I’ll also say $699. But how can it come with lifetime service? That will not be available after March 15th!

  17. I predict it will be late. Official release date: 11/15/06 — cost $745 for the most expensive unit.

    How will you determine the winner when they release multiple configurations (eg: different sized drives) at different price points?

  24. August 31, 2006 $299.99. Although I doubt they’ll have a standalone price that is not influenced by your subscription.

  28. I’m going to take a radical step of saying August. Why? To hit the Target September reset. Or at least to have the ability to hit it. At the $599 price point, it will unfortunately not get listed.

  37. While probably not realistic, if they were smart they’d get it out by early June for the World Cup. So assuming they’re smart I’m guessing June 6th for $439.

  48. Wonder how that are giving away Lifetime service when they are cancelling Lifetime service this week???

  59. Just for grins…I bet Tivo won’t sell it as a standalone. Instead it will be $19.95 a month, 3 year commitment service bundle available Nov 1st.

  60. there had been alot of discussion here and other blogs about the $1,500 value given to grand prize of the series 3 tivo and lifetime service. i read the fine print and it says.

    “SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION Tivo series 3” so this may not been the model sold to the public which would explain the higher value of this item!!

  62. you missed some of the not-so-fine print: “*average* retail value”. combine that with the fact that there is no longer a “lifetime service” option. If the average TiVo box has a lifetime of 5 years, and monthly service is about $15/month, then 60 * 15 = $900.

    $1500 – 900 = $600

    which seems about right for an HD DVR coming out this year.

  64. Knowing TIVO, I am guessing on May 2007 for a release date, and about $1300.00 for a price if it has what should be expected. Price for the service; perhaps $21.00/mo. As I feel that HD TIVO should have been available between 2001 and 2003; I simply have to expect TIVO to continue to be delinquent regarding HDTV avability.

  66. I’m guessing September 8th, the box will be for free with a 1 year commitment at 29.99 a month per month.

  70. TiVo Series 3 will be released one second past midnight March 31st, 2006. It will cost $899.99, with a 1 year free subscription. The home networking feature will be built in, and you will be able to purchase, download, and view iTunes movies directly from your TiVo.

  77. Given the long development cycle of the Series 3, avoid the first release of this product. Notice the “Product Lifetime Service”. That means when Series 3.5 is released next year, this product’s subscription ends.

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