It is pretty obvious that we can't wait to get our hands on a Series 3 TiVo, first we got to play with it at CES, then we had to live with the fact that
we weren't choosen for the Beta and we weren't the first to get
un-boxing pictures. But we are doing everything we can to get one, including pestering every
Best Buy employee we can for details. Well it may have paid off because a Best Buy employee took our money today and promised to deliver by telling us we could pick up the Series 3 on Sunday the 17th. As much as we want to believe him, we will when we have it in hand. For now we will continue to check TiVo.com's
Series 3 page until they block us because they think we are DOSing them.
UPDATE: The Series 3 TiVo is getting love from Circuit City too via their online
catalog. Input your zip and then navigate to the video section and it is right there under the TiVo & ReplayTV section.
posted Sep 11th 2006 at 2:17PM
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
shamse @ Sep 11th 2006 3:38PM
How did you get them to take your pre-order? Website has no listing for it and the people in blue shirts give me a blank look when I say Series 3 (or correct me that I mean Series 2).
Ben Drawbaugh @ Sep 11th 2006 3:40PM
I got the same blank stare, until I gave them the sku number 7974418, then the guy said it was special order only and I asked if I could order it and he said yes.
RobM @ Sep 11th 2006 4:58PM
So, you had to pay the full $799 MSRP? No Best Buy discount? What about rebates?
Ben Drawbaugh @ Sep 11th 2006 5:07PM
I didn't get any, but I may try to find something before I pick it up on Sunday.
Honestly I will be so happy to have it I won't care much about rebates!
Jim @ Sep 11th 2006 6:28PM
The big thing I want to see is if the TivoToGo thing is working on this box, being able to move HD shows off the box and onto a PC via the ethernet port. Similar to the Comcast/Moto 6412 firewire method.
I'm intrigued by the series 3 and it's capabilities but the price they expect one to pay is crazy ($800) and then the subscription fee. If it can do everything and has all the capabilities that we are expecting it to do, then *maybe* it's worth it.
Richard Green @ Sep 11th 2006 7:14PM
Had no idea you were in Tampa area Ben... funny the details you find when you look hard. I am in the next town over :)
I miss my TIVO but having been using MCE and now newer things... It would be hard to go back... especially since I hate "dimhouse" in this area.
LA Dave @ Sep 11th 2006 8:28PM
Well it makes sense to be available on the 17th. The current Tivo rebate program expires on 9-16. It's possible that they give a large rebate to Series 3 purchases vs. Series 2. We can hope it's a $200-250 rebate or that they offer the normal box discount on Tivo.com with a pre-paid service fee.
Island in the Net @ Sep 12th 2006 6:31PM
You can just order one from the TiVo web site.
http://www.tivo.com/2.0.boxdetails.asp?box=series3HDDVR
Rick @ Sep 18th 2006 2:49PM
So, the 17th has come and gone. I was told last Thursday by Best Buy (on the phone) that I, too, could pre-order and pick up on Sunday. The guy told me they were getting a shipment on Saturday, and that units would be on the shelf on Sunday. I called on Saturday to see if they got a shipment, and the guy said they had no shipments, none in distribution, and none in the warehouse. He said he had heard mid-October.
So, I'd like to know if you managed to get your Series3 yesterday or not. Thanks!
Ben Drawbaugh @ Sep 18th 2006 2:57PM
Well yes, I canceled this pre-order and found one on the shelf at another store.
http://www.hdbeat.com/2006/09/16/why-you-shouldnt-order-your-series3-from-tivo-com/
Rick @ Sep 18th 2006 4:44PM
I just called my local Best Buy (San Carlos, CA) again, to see if maybe they had actually gotten them in. They said no, and so I asked when they'd be getting them. With an annoyed sigh the guy started typing at his console. After a few minutes, he told me (quite emphatically) that this particular store would NOT be carrying the Series 3, ever. When I asked why, he made up an answer about promoting DirectTV products (and something else).
This is extremely frustrating.