Panasonic Showstoppers for $129 after MIR

[jason_j_a]

Got this deal from AnandTech forums (thanks Netmamma) but I searched here and didn't see it so I hope it's not a repost.

Basically you can get a refurbished Panasonic Showstopper (same a ReplayTV) 20 hour unit for $229. Then send in the $100 rebate and bring it down to $129. Shipping was $10.95 and tax in FL is 6% so that added another $16. My final price was $248.97 - $100 MIR = $148.97

You can then upgrade the harddrive to whatever size you want using the ReplayTV hack http://replayfaq.reidpix.com/faq.asp?id=80

I called the Colorado store and ordered mine today. They had the 20hr units in stock but not the 30hour units. The 30hr units are around $300 so it's not really worth it since you can upgrade the drive anyways. This link has a list of all the service centers
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/bbs/archive/23342.html#WARRANTY

I have a 20hr ReplayTV unit that I bought from buy.com for $300 a couple months ago and I thought that was a deal. I absolutely love it so much that I took advantage of this deal too and got one for my other TV. I'd encourage anyone considering one of these boxes to go for it, they really are great.

[sparrow_32828]

Holy Crap!!
That is a great deal. Thanks for the heads up jason_j_a.

Now, if I can get permission from my wife...

[Tab]

Which store are you getting the refurbished unit from?

[jason_j_a]

I called the Colorado service center. The phone number can be found on the list of service centers posted on the link I provided.

[whogoesthere]

Just tried calling the Mass service center, but the guy there told me that the 20 hr unit was $212 after the $100 rebate. Not that they had any in stock anyways.

Anybody else try this recently?

[Sandman]

rebate is here:
http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/showstopper/promo_coupon.asp
http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/showstopper/images/RebateFront.jpg

Get a $100 rebate by mail when you purchase a Panasonic PV-HS1000, PV-HS2000 or PV-HS3000 ShowStopper® Hard Disk Recorder. Offer good from January 1, 2001 to March 31, 2001.

[skube]

The deal is good pricewise, but I've read on Epinions that the some users of the Panasonic Showstopper are demanding a recall. Probably want to check these articles out if you are considering buying this:

http://epinions.com/elec-Video-Replay_TV-All-Panasonic_PV-HS1000?show=allop&listype=opb

Regards,

Skube

[PeteyBoy23]

I clicked the link for the rebate:

How to claim your $100 Rebate:

1. Purchase a Panasonic PV-HS1000, PV-HS2000 or PV-HS3000 and receive your $100 mail-in rebate. Purchase must be made between 4/01/01 and 6/30/01. All claims must be postmarked by 7/31/01.

Now, can we get a good idea on what we should be paying for this?

The prices I see are in the high $400's. Cheapest I see is $445. Any ideas here? Thanks guys.

[KUJ-Hawk]

Petey-- I bought an open box 2000 from Best Buy last week. Still had UPC code so I sent in for rebate. I paid $269.60 less $100 rebate = $169.60. The sales rep said they were closing them out. Good luck.

[PeteyBoy23]

$269 if I could get it would be great, minus the rebate. Problem is, 'open box' items are usually few and far in between. I was really looking more for something that the chances of me getting were a bit higher. I'll call them up about it, but I'm not very hopeful :( Thanks for the reply!

[KUJ-Hawk]

Petey-- here's another option--Circuit City has them for $399. Take to Sears for pricematch.Local Sears has 10% off plus if you buy two more electronics items you get another 10% off.I buy cheap vcrs and then return them to another Sears . I almost went this route until I saw the one @ Best Buy.Anyway, the price becomes $399 less 10% less 10% =$323.I'm not certain if you can still get the rebate but if you can the final price is $223.

[PeteyBoy23]

Cool. $223 seems pretty cool, seeing that there's no subscription on this sucker. I was hoping to get it cheaper, to be honest. $300+ is a bit much for me to plink down on a 'toy'. Now, I'm also interested in getting one with DirecTV capabilities. It would be a great feature, as I can't you how pissed I am that I missed the last two episodes of Sopranos lol. I saw the link for the hack for it. Another question, does anyone know what type of hard drive the original Showstopper has? Curious if it's a 5400 rpm or 7200. I saw cheap deals for 5400 rpm ones, so I could always upgrade it. That way, I can just do a "set it and forget it" and just watch the shows/events that I don't have time for during the week, on the weekends when I DO have time. If anyone has any more suggestions/comments, I would really appreciate it. Thanks again!!!

[Sandman]

I picked one up for $199 at Circuit City . It was an open box priced at $299 for a 30 hour unit normally priced at $399. I got the manager to knock off another $100 because there was no box or UPC code to send in the $100 off rebate.

Funny thing is they gave me a printed barcode with the serial on it(this is so they could track it in their inventory system) and printed out the rebate form on a receipt. I just sent it in, but doubt I will get the $100 rebate.

I am also on a waiting list for one in Kent, WA for a 30 hour at $229.You can try to get on the list.

It is a pretty cool unit can't wait to upgrade the drives, just waiting for the price on 75GB drives to go down. There are problems when upgrading over 150GB total.

[jclark]

CC normally gives out UPC replacement forms for rebates on open-box stuff. It's not the printed rebate form, you have to go to customer service and the manager fills out a form. Wish mine would just pay the rebates. :)

[PeteyBoy23]

Keep the deals coming. Maybe we'll find someone who finds a great deal not on an open box, though. $100 would be pretty sweet if you get that rebate. Good luck. Keep posting, guys!!

[Sandman]

Originally posted by jclark
CC normally gives out UPC replacement forms for rebates on open-box stuff. It's not the printed rebate form, you have to go to customer service and the manager fills out a form. Wish mine would just pay the rebates. :)

It was the Panasonic Showstopper rebate (I got a printed receipt AND Rebate printed on receipt paper(same legalese as the the one from the website with a different address instead of Panasonic ShowStopper® $100 Rebate it said PAN Showstopper)). It was prefilled out from the CC computer system all I had to do was sign it and fill in the serial number, mail it in with their printed UPC labels, cross my fingers, and wait.

Only problem with the unit is that it has macrovision (unlike the ReplayTV units) and the AGC is really sensitive to normal stations and will sometimes give a message like you cannot view this station due to macrovision for a second and return no problem. I am at a crossroads either to build a circuit myself or just buy one to defeat this Macrovision thing...

[PeteyBoy23]

I was also looking for anyone who had some experience with these types of devices. Should I go ReplayTV? Tivo? Ultimate TV? I was thinking UltimateTV because it's a DSS receiver included as well. Maybe there are some products I haven't thought of? Advice please?

[ricks]

Originally posted by PeteyBoy23
I was also looking for anyone who had some experience with these types of devices. Should I go ReplayTV? Tivo? Ultimate TV? I was thinking UltimateTV because it's a DSS receiver included as well. Maybe there are some products I haven't thought of? Advice please?

I would go with ReplayTV because they don't have a monthly subscriber fee like TiVo does. I am not sure about Ultimate TV though, they are the newest on the market with Microsoft backing them up.

[Sandman]

I chose the ReplayTV because, it was easy to use, it was cheap, there was no service fee involved, it has an internet user interface to manage your replaytv remotely, it is pretty easily hackable/upgradable just like TiVo(hacked drives etc) and I am sure someone will find a way to upgrade Ultimate TV as well, and I liked the user interface better than TiVo (if your notice Ultimate TV has a similar interface to Replay, due to the fact that they hired some of the staff layed-off by replay).

Also TiVo is planning on raising the lifetime subscription rate from $199 to $249 on May 1. Checkout what is needed to to use UltimateTV and the pricing use it here:
http://www.ultimatetv.com/pricing.html

UltimateTV allows the recording of 2 shows and a cool PIP feature, but UTV is like directivo it only works with directv satellite so if you have cable you could end your service and go with a dish.

I suggest going to bestbuy or circuit city and try each out and see which you like best. Also go to the AVS forum good information here for all products people state to what they like and why they like it and make your decision from there...

http://www.avsforum.com/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi

The only downside is if you loose the remote with any of these systems you are screwed, unless you get a webtv or similar ir keyboard ($20$30) or use the My.replaytv.com service.
Hope this helps...

[jason_j_a]

If anyone is interested... I got in on this deal early but I already have a ReplayTV and I haven't even opened the Showstopper yet. I really don't have a need for it but it was too good of a deal to pass up. I already sent in the rebate but if anyone missed this deal and wants a 20hr unit. I'll sell it for $230. That price includes shipping for anyone in the US. Email or leave a message here if you want it.

Nevermind.... sold it on Egay... for 100% markup ;)

[Edited by jason_j_a on 05-16-2001 at 10:07 AM]

[PeteyBoy23]

Damn. Still can't find a good deal on these suckers. I would love to have one, but can't see spending $300+ on getting one. Any more ideas, guys?

[Sandman]

Just got my $100 rebate yesterday for my open box ReplayTV
so my total was $99 + tax. Not bad for a 30 hr ReplayTV. Now just have to wait this summer and pick up a 120MB Hard drive and upgrade it to 150 hrs.

There is a new $100 rebate here:
http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/showstopper/promo_coupon.asp

I have seen some open box Showstopper 30 hr units at BestBuy and Circuit City for around $289-$320.

So can get one at a good price with the rebate. I also heard that ReplayTV/Panasonic may be coming out with a dual tuner unit to compete more with Ultimate TV the end of this summer/early fall, so there may be more price drops then.

[jason_j_a]

Got my rebate on Monday too.

[Edited by jason_j_a on 05-16-2001 at 10:06 AM]

[sunshine]

PeteyBoy,

I didn't see anyone answer your question about drive RPM.

Here's a thread on best prices for an 80GB upgrade:
http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/004678.html

And, the step-by-step instructions for the upgrade:
http://replayfaq.reidpix.com/faq.asp?id=80

Finally, here are recommendations on the drive to use for upgrades:
http://replayfaq.reidpix.com/faq.asp?id=87

Enjoy!

[jclark]

For lots of info about the Replay/Tivo/UTV/DishPVR, check out the forums at http://www.avsforum.com.

I got an open-box 30 hour Replay from CC for $299 before rebate, about two months ago. I can't imagine watching TV without it. The pause feature is addictive. The skip back is useful when you have a chatty SO who insists on talking when you're trying to watch TV. :) The skip ahead means no more having to watch the same commercials every 7.5 minutes. No more forgetting that Show X is a full hour this week. No more losing shows because they're on a different day/time this week. No more forgetting to set the VCR to tape a movie or special when going out of town for a week, just program it over the internet!

Get one! Get two!

For $129 after MIR, I might just have to get another one just to play around with the HD hack.

[KUJ-Hawk]

Got my $100 check yesterday.Certainly better than Sony-- I'm still waiting for rebate on stuff I bought at Christmas.Everything said about the Showstopper is true--they are great.Pause and skip features make them worth twice the price.

[jclark]

Coincidentally, I got my rebate for the (UPC-less) Showstopper in the mail today. :)

[makkonen]

I just found an open box at CC for $279... Pushed them, saying I couldn't get the rebate, and they dropped it to $199.

My question is for all those who did get UPC-less rebates: What did you do? Say that you had thrown the box away before grabbing the UPC? Say that it was open box? Include any other info?

Thanks.