Also, the Tivo can be hacked not to require a call at all, therefore no monthly charge.

This is what I tell my friends when they ask me what I'd do if TiVo went bankrupt. I tell them no big deal. I go get a TiVoNet board and point it to the zap2it listings, thus cutting out the TiVo subscription service. But, until then, I'm fine with the subscription fee. TiVo deserves it.