The TiVo is over! Beloved recording device taken off market as devoted users mourn its passing

TiVo has pulled the plug on its revolutionary video-recording device.

On October 1, TiVo ended sales of its physical DVR hardware and accessories, adding that its remaining inventory had also sold out. The company said existing customers will still receive product support.

“We are very proud of the TiVo DVR legacy,” a company spokesman told the Wall Street Journal.

Launched in 1999, TiVo revolutionized television by allowing users to record, skip commercials, and customize their viewing, becoming so popular that “TiVo” entered the language as a verb for recording shows.

Its signature “badoop” sound and cultural ubiquity were reflected in mentions on shows like Sex and the City and The Simpsons.

However, the rise of cord-cutting and streaming services has diminished demand for TiVo’s DVRs, as many viewers no longer need to record live cable shows and can easily access on-demand content.

For many longtime users, the company’s decision still hits hard. Devoted customers who relied on TiVo’s devices for years — some buying lifetime service plans — are now facing an uncertain future, holding on to aging equipment with no replacement available.

Amy Suggars, a 65-year-old biology professor and pet-sitting business owner from Delaware, Ohio, had used TiVo for 14 years but faced a double setback this month when TiVo ended DVR sales and her device stopped working.

“I hung on as long as I could, but I would’ve hung on longer if TiVo hadn’t taken the decision out of my hands,” Suggars told the WSJ.

Douglas Brent, a lawyer from Louisville, Kentucky, told the outlet that he still uses two TiVos: one 13 years old and another 12. His lifetime subscription has long since paid for itself after more than a decade of use.

“It’s really the best consumer product ever except maybe Roku,” Brent told the outlet. “When it goes away, I won’t hold a grudge.”

Some TiVo loyalists are unsure how long their devices will keep working. Pat Kalellis, a 55-year-old attorney who has owned five TiVos, bought a new one just days before sales ended—paying $25 for the device and $250 for a lifetime subscription.

Though he’s “quite disappointed” by the timing, Kalellis plans to keep using his two TiVos as long as they last.

“What’s going to happen with lifetime service? If it dies and they pull the plug. What’s the alternative?” he asked.

The Independent has contacted TiVo for comment.