Well if one of 'the chosen ones' was asked if TiVo was good or even better than expected but declined to answer then you could reasonably assume that it was bad or worse than expected. That could be anything from riddled with teething problems, to it caught fire and burned down the house, given how speculation runs riot in these threads.
So the best option, if they wish to keep their TiVo and their jobs, is for the guinea pigs to say they can't answer any questions whatsoever. In summary, to avoid causing embarrassment, don't ask!
