Backup HD --- When will we have a simple way to do this?

Tablo Apps
1

Seems like we really need a backup app setup for Tablo’s Hard Disk.  I have been using my Tablo for less than a month now, and my 1.5 TB drive is about 80% full.  With 4 tuners churning away, it gobbles up the HD space quickly.


I use PLEX and have 16 TB on my PLEX server, so I need to get my OTA TV/Movies moved over like right now.

I know it’s in the works, as I asked about this a couple weeks back, but I would really like to NOT BUY another 1.5 TB HD.

Please, can this be done?

Thanks.

-Rodger
2

In this forum there are three documented methods of getting shows off your Tablo. Look for tablo2go, SurLaTablo and a VLC plugin.

3
In this forum there are three documented methods of getting shows off your Tablo. Look for tablo2go, SurLaTablo and a VLC plugin.

Yep - and there’s a whole boat load of people here who use PLEX and know how to fairly easily do this… and with those “3rd party” apps luker listed, it’s not hard at all. (I can get recordings off mine so anyone can do it)

4

Yes there are 3 different utilities floating around to let you do this. None of them are officially supported by Tablo of course.


This is one method:
http://community.tablotv.com/discussion/1706/access-to-raw-recordings
http://community.tablotv.com/discussion/1411/surlatablo-py-python-program-to-query-and-convert-tablo-recordings

Second method:
http://community.tablotv.com/discussion/257/api-interface-to-pull-recorded-show-listings-metadata-and-files-off-of-the-tablo

This is the third method:
http://community.tablotv.com/discussion/1532/tablo-vlc-a-vlc-media-player-extension-to-play-and-save-tablo-recordings
5

@marjamar - Download for offline viewing/storage is definitely on the to-do list. We’ve been a bit preoccupied over the last little while with Roku/Amazon/Android TV but once we’ve got those crossed off the list, we’ll be looking at what’s next on the roadmap. I’m hoping this will be one of the priorities. 


In the meantime, as folks have pointed out, our users are super smart and have figured out a few alternatives.
6

Thanks for the helps.


Tried the VLC method and it does not included full content for any video I saved and played.  Always clip before the end of the movie.  Might be some settings someplace to fix this, don’t know.

The other 2 look to be something done using Linux.  I suppose python could be installed in Windows 7, but haven’t done more than looking to see there is a Windows app for it.

I really think the Tablo developers need to do this.  Looking for end users to come up with a way to backup Tablo’s hard disk makes me feel like I’ve been left to dangle on the end of a rope.  Considering the cost of this unit, I’d really think NOT having this feeling should have been included in the price.

Any of the Tablo team listening?

-Rodger
7
@marjamar - Download for offline viewing/storage is definitely on the to-do list. We've been a bit preoccupied over the last little while with Roku/Amazon/Android TV but once we've got those crossed off the list, we'll be looking at what's next on the roadmap. I'm hoping this will be one of the priorities. 

In the meantime, as folks have pointed out, our users are super smart and have figured out a few alternatives.

I see you posted the same time I did.  I do appreciate that there is a way to ask for features to be added, but I really don’t think we should be asking for this, it should have been included with this unit.  To bother to do recordings, in all that it takes to review, setup, resolve conflicts and all that goes into recording, must mean we really want these recordings.  That being the case, it must also stand to reason we don’t want to lose them simple because our HD gets full and there isn’t a way to conveniently backup and clean up our HD.  To me, this is one of those “no brainers” we’re all heard about.


I am not saying any of this to complain or even to criticize, but to point out how important this absolutely needed feature is.  Please do more than look at it.  It really needs to be done right away.

Thanks.

-Rodger
8

@marjamar, name another DVR that does this.   I can’t think of any, so saying this is such an important feature is really pushing it.  


When my Comcast, DirecTv, or Dish DVR gets full, I delete the shows.  When I get a new box, I lose all my recordings.  That is just how DVRs work.  
3 Likes
9

+1

Snowcat is right per usual.

10

My 2 tuner Hauppauge does this.  Actually, I was surprised there wasn’t a built-in way to do this with Tablo.  And yes, this is a very important feature – Unless you do not really wish to save your recordings.  I do.


I also use MCEBuddy to remove commercials, rename to IMDb conventions and move them to my PLEX TV Library.  I am corresponding with them as well to see if they might offer a solution to this.

I am a bit surprised you don’t see the need for this.

-Rodger
11

@marjamar, what standalone DVR of Hauppauge are you using?  (just curious)

I’ve owned their frame grabbers and tuners, but never one of their DVRs. 

12

I’ve had a few of them.  The one I am talking about now is the Hauppauge HVR-2255.  It works well, but the tuners are not as good as the ones in Tablo, but the recordings are a bit higher quality.  There are also a number of settings that can be used to gauge quality against filesize.


I like Tablo for what it gives me, but so far I find 3 areas that are not exactly what I was expecting.  No multi-channel sound, just stereo.  Recordings that can be less quality then what was broadcast.  And no back up method built-in.

It’s worth the price, but it really seems at least 2 of these 3 things could have been right from the start.

Now it does record with 4 tuners which is the single biggest reason I bought it.  I was going to buy a second Hauppauge card for another computer when I found out about Tablo.  I really do like that it is stand-alone and networked, big plus as I am building a home theater and I really do want access to EVERYTHING from there.  And so far, not a hiccup (besides the aforementioned).  So, no unhappy, but could be more happy.

-Rodger 
13

The HVR 2255 is not a standalone PVR. It uses a computer. You are comparing apples and oranges.

TiVo which is like the gold standard of PVRs does not even have the feature you request.

14

You know, to say something is “really pushing it,” because other DVRs don’t do it and “that is just how DVRs work,” is not that compelling or strong of an argument. There have been millions of things that didn’t exist until someone invented them and the fact that they didn’t exist before they did changes nothing. Backing up data is something that IT specialists constantly admonish people to do. Why shouldn’t people want to being able to back up their recordings.

15

Thanks for the current post to this topic. I was looking back when I posted here, and man have things change! Backup issue is all but gone for me, had some rough sailing for awhile (still do in a couple areas), but overall, I am good now. I do hope fully stability comes to Tablo and I really would like some 5.1 surround sound, but most of what I really bought the Tablo for is now a reality, so I’m happy.

-Rodger

1 Like
16

My argument back then (7 months ago) is that backing up recordings is not an absolute must have for a DVR system. If it is, then the Tablo is the best DVR in the entire world, since you can back up the Tablo pretty easily using a multitude of tools written by the community here. No cable/satellite DVR nor Tivo can do what the Tablo can when it comes to backups.