The company will withdraw its support for the boxes in June.
TiVo has followed up its deal with Virgin Media by withdrawing support for all of its Series1 boxes in the UK.

Sky customers were exclusively able to purchase TiVo's first generation of digital video recorders (DVRs), which were manufactured between 2000 and 2002.

Since then, the equipment has not been sold and new accounts are no longer being activated.

Having been in operation for a decade, the boxes will be discontinued from June 1st 2011, with TiVo no longer providing them with electronic programme guide data.

This will reduce the devices to limited or no functionality, although viewers will still be able to access previously recorded content.

Users have not been billed since last November and will be able to access the service without charge until June 1st.

Virgin Media unveiled details of its TiVo-powered offering late last year. The set-top box is equipped with one terabyte of storage, capable of holding up to 500 hours of content. 

Comments (11)

Tony Roberts
350 days
What's the game Tivo. I have a lifetime contract on the box with you. you are breaking your contract. Where do we go from here fellow sufferers?
Andy Knott
26th February 2011
I believe TiVo is in breach of contract in doing this. Series 1 TiVos were not exclusively available to Sky customers but could be bought by anyone. One of the options available at the time of purchase was Lifetime Service for which purchasers of the equipment were guaranteed that TiVo would supply their service for the lifetime of the users' equipment. The lifetime service option was not inexpensive but seemed to be a good deal and I think many took it up - including myself.
I believe that TiVo will be failing in their obligation if they withdraw their service unless every holder of a lifetime service agreement has their equipment fail beyond repair before 1st June.
james
21st February 2011
The TiVo's were not exclusive to Sky - I've never had Sky and have used by TiVo with freeview.
Chris
20th February 2011
Imagine buying a new car - for a hefty 50% extra on top of the sticker price, the dealer offers you free oil-changes for as long as you own the car. So far, so good...

After a few years, the dealer calls to say that he's sorry, but he can no longer give you the free oil-changes.

AND HE'S GOING TO CRUSH THE CAR

Still, you get to keep the scrap. And you can always "upgrade" to a brand new car...
miss catriona barry
17th February 2011
its going to be so cool to winning one of the tivo boxes.
bryan
17th February 2011
Anyone could purchase a Series 1 Tivo, they were not exclusive to Sky customers. The Series 1 box, made by Thompson, contains an anologue tuner and can control freeview, satellite or cable boxes. Tivo subscribers pay for the epg data and use it with whichever service they use - cable or other. The exclusive deal that is killing our boxes is with virgin media. Now Tivo have a deal with virgin they plan to cut off all of use living ouside virgin cable areas. Bad form tivo, the very people who have championed your superior software are now being left behind.
notimpressed
17th February 2011
So Companies can get you to sign up and pay for a service on the understanding that it is a life-long subscription - and then another Company like Virgin can persuade that Company to break the contractual agreement - just like that? Are there not consequences for such breaches?
bryan
16th February 2011
To suggest Tivo was exclusive to sky customers is a little misleading. I have never subscribed to sky tv, yet have been using Tivo in the UK for 10 years. I just went into a shop and parted with £400 and £200 for a life time sub. The series one box can control freeview, cable and satellite boxes. We in effect have been subscribing to download the tv guide data. The new virgin powered by Tivo offer is tied to virgin customers. I don't live in a virgin cable area so cannot upgrade. My lifetime sub is being cancelled by Tivo even the box has much life in it! Great when loyal Series 1 users have been championing Tivo for years!
David
16th February 2011
I have two tivo.s and paid almost £400 for life time use so at a whim they can just drop it??? I dont live in a virgin area like I expect most of the population so what are we to do?
Nigel Adie
16th February 2011
I think you need to re-read this news article to fully understand what is being said.
raymond tierney
16th February 2011
i have today been posted a leaflet asking me to get a virgin tivo box but your website is saying thay are to be discontinued on june 1st 2011,becose i was trying to find out what they was for.can u please update me on all this.thank you

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