4th Generation shortcomings

General Discussion
1

Got the 4th Gen 4-tuner model, since I was waiting for it to be available. Some things that immediately hit me in the face:

  1. Have to switch off Apple TV streaming boxes to Roku (or some other, have some Roku’s). Yuck, the Apple TV is much faster and the UI is much better. Like moving back about 10 years.

  2. No quick channel change that I could find. I thought that the 4th Gen didn’t do on-board transcoding, so channel switching should be faster. Not seeing much evidence of that, could just be the weeniness of the Roku hardware. Maybe the Apple TV’s will switch channels faster, hopefully I’ll find out “soon”.

  3. Doesn’t have the ease-of-scheduling collections of Prime Time TV shows and All TV shows that makes it much easier to schedule recordings rather than chasing all over the guide trying to find shows that I’ve been recording on the Legacy Tablo.

  4. When I scan with the Legacy Tablo I find about 65 TV stations. With the 4th Gen, about 45 stations, and the amplifier is “on”. Luckily the ones that I need are there, but my choices have certainly been narrowed. Is the 4th Gen that much less sensitive in the tuners? Is there a splitter problem, or is something else going on.

Seems like there were other things that aren’t there in the 4th Gen that are there in the Legacy, but not coming to the front of my head at the moment. I’m sure that this has all been said before, but I haven’t heard Tablo say that they’re going to remedy these yet. My feelings about this are colored by using Roku, I’m sure. And others have run across these things and commented, I’m sure of that, too. Just adding one more vote for bringing this Tablo up to par with preceding Tablos.

At any rate, this has the look of a product that was rushed to market to me. Haven’t decided yet if I’m going back to the Legacy model or not.

2

Hopefully, #2, 3 and 4 might have solutions.

#2 - You’re right. The Roku does not have the ability to scroll through channels of what is currently on. The Android and FireOS versions allow you to press up or down on your remote, giving you some additional options. What else is playing is one of those extras. (“Channels” shows what is currently playing on other stations.)

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#3) I might be misunderstanding what you’re asking about, but there is a search function where you can look for and schedule shows and movies. Just type in the name, arrow over to it, click, get more information (day, title, time…) Please explain what you mean if I’m completely off base as I mean no harm.

#4) When it comes to television reception, I find that in one room, I need the amplification turned ON, whereas the other it has to be turned off. This has taken many re-scans to figure out which option worked best in the Tablo settings.

In regards to #1, I completely understand your frustrations. Personally, Roku is not my streaming device of choice. I stupidly bought one of their cams and it only works with their software. Regardless, needing to use additional hardware to use your Tablo DVR sucks. Hopefully, the TVOS version will be out soon, your suffering through the Roku interface will be short term, and you will be able to enjoy it on your AppleTV. I’ve found the Android and FireOS interfaces to be better suited to my general viewing needs, so maybe that’s a better temporary option for you.

I appreciate the post on how things are going with your 4 tuner. I hope there are some positives you will share as well, so I can toss two 4th gen 2-tuners and “upgrade”.

[Edited to include image.]

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On my Tablo 4th gen it incorrectly has 24.1 as GRIT instead of KVUE ABC. It is correct on my classic Tablo. Some other channels are wrong too on Tablo 4th gen.

I tried calling support but it said no one available and hung up. I sent to email to Tablo.

Like you, it looks like rushed to market for Christmas and I don’t know if it is going back to Best Buy.

Edit: changed zip code from 78758 to ,78744 and 24.1 is now showing up as KVUE ABC.

Edit 2 it did not change on Chromecast with Google TV. I had to change there too and rescan. I would think changed one place would change all and save it information on the Tablo 4th gen.

5

Thanks…the positives take longer to find with this product, unfortunately. The negatives are right in your face. I did set up some recordings that will require 3 tuners (2 concurrent recordings and I’ll watch something else when that rolls around) and see how that goes. But having to use a Roku (Amazon stuff has too many ads for me) makes it hard to find good things smile. I am using a couple of recent Roku Ultras, but that’s not helping smile. The playback looks good, but so did the Legacy Tablo playback.

And, strangely enough, they did it again on the venting. Heat rises, but do they put vent holes on the top of the case, no sir, the vent holes are on the bottom with some on the vertical sides. So, of course, the top has the usual hot feel that Tablo is known for :-). Be nice if heat could exit the top as it rises…Oh well.

6

I am Admin in a Cordcutting group and I have actually done tuner tests with a TiVo Roamio and Bolt, HDHR Flex ATSC 3, Zapperbox, Tablo Quad, white Tablo 2 tuner, white Tablo 4 tuner and an ADTH ATSC 3 converter box and the difference between all of them was 2-3 channels in my tests. Same spot, same cables, same everything except I did fool with my adjustable gain distribution amp. I think it was the HDHR actually gets better reception with my gain turned all the way down.

I have had no issues works fine for my use, find shows very easily and setup series recordings and so on. If your this unhappy in 1 day, I would just return it. :thinking: Your going to get black icons on one screen, the favorites is not always working, going to be a few updates before everything works.

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I think the thing with these Tablos is it’s not if certain customers got duds, it’s that each of us use them in slightly different ways.

Does it work as a DVR for OTA – 98% of the time it’s perfect. For those that want a simple, VERY easy to use PVR, it’s perfect. And I think if the quad tuner had been available the day I purchased my first one, I would feel completely different about the product.

It definitely doesn’t help that there’s numerous inconsistencies between platforms, and that sometimes an upgrade or improvement breaks a heavily relied-upon feature.

I’m on the fence about my second 4th gen because it qualifies for holiday return. The search, the menus, the icons, the commercial skip, et cetera… all super fantastic features of a device that has the potential to be a game changer. I have three cheap USB PVRs I was hoping to replace with the Tablo… and in general, it’s a definite improvement.

But I’m -still- using one as a backup because I know that a channel scan, firmware update, or overnight system cleaning can interrupt what I’m recording or completely wipe some saves.

It’s not a love it or hate it situation. THIS is what makes it such a hard decision. What do I do with a device that works perfectly and consistently for a week, and then suddenly things stop working properly?

Do I feel stuck with my first Tablo purchase? No. But I use it mainly for OTA and occasional FAST. Do I want to keep my second Tablo purchase? I’m not sure. This one is used mainly for FAST and when I’m out of OTA tuners.

I think most people falling into the category “I need an OTA recorder” are 100% happy and can get past the little quirks that pop up because they don’t use it for much else.

But I’ve become spoiled with all of its extra features. And I want it to work! I stick it out because even in a couple of months of use I’ve seen improvements in the operation. I guess my thinking is, “I’m stuck with one and I make it work, how can I get the second to be just as good?”

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8

I gotta tell you if miss named channels is the only problem you’re experiencing, you’re a very lucky person. Have a look at Tablo App keeps shutting down while watching and you’ll know just how lucky you are.

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LOL. Oh trust me my friend. I’ve got a few posts over there as well!

[Sorry, too many tabs open and I though you’d replied to me.]

10

Ran into another pain point…doesn’t have the recording options to keep a limited number of a particular recording. I use that on the Legacy Tablo when I’m recording the nightly news for seeing it without commercials. Just keep one, so I don’t have to delete a lot of them…the time value is about a couple of hours to me, only want today’s around. Also can’t pick the channel to record from, if a program is on multiple channels, and so on.

Also re-scanned with the amplifier off, just to check. 44 TV stations with the amplifier off,46 with it on. Big whoop :-).

Hopefully these refinements will be added before too long. Haven’t spent enough time with it to notice it stop playing, that would be a killer for me. For soccer, for example, the thing needs to keep playing steadily for a couple of hours.

1 Like
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My bad 269587, I shudda known. LOL.

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It sounds like some of the features you’re used to have changed locations.

If you go to Library > Scheduled … you can see your normal list of what’s going to record at some future point. In here, click on the one you’d like to edit, cursor over to “Series Recording Options” and in there you’ll have a section titled “Keep”. It’s likely set to “Auto” but you can limit the episode count there. Great tool for keeping your drive open for other recordings.

Sorry to hear that the amplification change didn’t help much. Electronics are weird and we could certainly use a better way to check station signals on the Tablo. You should see the crazy way I’ve got the antenna cable zigzagged across the wall while the Tablo’s power cable has it’s own snaky pattern!

Still wishing you all the luck!

1 Like
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MrDoh, try from live, left click on the item to be recorded ->click Series Information->Series recording options->keep-> and select your preference.

2 Likes
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i onlykeeo 3. not news anymore after that

15

Yep, found it, thanks!

16

Found the search function, thanks.

17

Good thoughts. I am strongly considering returning it since the 4th Gen model won’t render my favorite procedural syndication network, ION. The TV station’s there, full strength, 4 dots on the scan, but when I switch to it I get a black screen with just the one or two line show information in the upper left hand corner. After looking at a black screen for about 30 seconds, it bounces back to the Guide. Once it actually brought up the program that was playing, for about 10 seconds, then back to a black screen. No messages about weak signal or anything, so I have no idea what’s going on with it. But it’s been consistent with that station since I started to use the thing.

As a sanity check, I brought up the Legacy Tablo, continuing to use the Roku with the Legacy app. Of course that worked fine. Since I often fall back to an old episode of Chicago Fire or NCIS or FBI or whatever, I’m staying with the Legacy Tablo for the time being. Just have to decide if I want to keep the 4th Gen and hope for better firmware, or return it…in the past, I’ve been burned by holding onto something that didn’t work the way that it should and waiting for firmware fixes that never came. Losing the return window. I obviously want the thing to work, or I wouldn’t be spending time on it, my Legacy Tablo from 2018 is getting just a little tired :-).

So it goes.

18

My Best Buy says Returnable until Jan 13, 2024 do Tablo has a few days to get an AppleTV app or Best Buy will be getting it back. If we all do this that would be awesome.

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Yes, Jan. 13 next year here, too. Also have an Asus RT-BE96U that I need to decide on by then as well…that one’s an easy decision, stable, best wireless ever, and that’s on the early firmware. Leaning toward keeping that one. The 4th Gen Tablo is a more difficult decision…I can return it and re-buy it if and when Tablo fixes my issues, which is what I probably should do. Just the absence of the Apple TV platform is a big one for me. I was just admiring how fast the Legacy Tablo that I’ve put back is on the Apple TV compared to the 4th Gen on Roku :-).

Of course, I knew that Apple TV box wasn’t available before I bought it. If that was the only issue that I had I would most likely keep it. But adding the other various things, especially the inability to render ION, it just doesn’t look like a keeper to me at this point.

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My roku ultra can “render” all 3 of the FAST ion channels. Maybe your problem isn’t the gen 4.

21

Hey Zip, maybe not, but what is? All I changed was putting the Legacy Tablo back in. Same streaming box (latest Roku Ultra), same antenna, same cables, same physical position, same everything.

I can’t account for what your 4th Gen Tablo can do, can I? I’m in a totally different environment. Extremely happy for you, though.

Anyways, exactly what are you suggesting???