I’ve seen $100 mail-in rebate deals bringing the price of the box TiVo series 2 box down to 50 bones after the rebate, but this is the first offer I’ve actually seen for a free series2 TiVo with 12 month service committment (thanks Matt).

Yeah, you do have to commit to a 12 month contract for $16.95/month (thus the dreaded asterisk in the title), which is $4 a month more than you’d pay normally ($12.95), so do the math: $48 is what that box really costs you. About $2 less than buying one at the store and getting the $100 mail in rebate and no need to wait for the rebate or be tied into a monthly subscription for 12 months.

And now for the fine print (capitalization is theirs):

This offer is valid only on new TiVo service subscription activations. Re-activation of previously active TiVo service accounts are not eligible for this offer. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer. TIVO SERIES2 DVRS AND TIVO SERVICE SUBSCRIPTIONS PURCHASED AS PART OF THIS OFFER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR INCLUSION IN THE MULTI-SERVICE DISCOUNT AND DO NOT QUALIFY ANY EXISTING OR ADDITIONAL UNITS FOR MULTI-SERVICE DISCOUNT.

Is this a good deal or is this desperation on TiVo’s part? They do have the new Yahoo integration, but it seems with holiday season abounding and so many PVR choices that my old buddy TiVo just keeps getting beat down further by PVR options without monthly fees. And factor in the decreasing cost of Windows Media Center and the Xbox 360 being able to act as an extender (at least from what I understand) and TiVo is looking like a big underdog.

Did this post make you go hmm?

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