Hi community, I need some help. Just acquired a 2-tuner Tablo and an experiencing constant (daily!) lock ups.
Here are the facts:
-Have owned for about 2 weeks.
-Have the $5/mo guide subscription.
-Connected to gigabit switch via hard wire.
-Have also tried connecting to 802.11AC network.
-Have a WD Elements 2TB hard drive.
-Have tried swapping cables to the hard drive.
-Have tried with no hard drive.
-Use Roku 3, iPhone App, and web site to access interface.
-Started with 2.2.8 firmware. Have since upgraded to 2.2.9 with help of Support.
-Have done a complete factory reset multiple times (hold reset button 10s).
-Have deleted apps from all devices and reinstalled.
-Hard drive is not on top of or under the Tablo. It is to the side (when connected – right now its not connected).
-Have tried orienting Tablo vertically to dissipate heat.
-It sits on ventilated shelf, so heat buildup is not expected to be a problem. However, it does get very hot to the touch sometimes.
-It locks up sometimes when watching it, sometimes when updating guide, sometimes when scrolling through list of shows. Seems to be no common trigger.
The Tablo will lock up at least daily, sometimes multiple times per day. It becomes unresponsive to the apps. When I walk over to it to try to do a soft reset with the button on the back, it does not respond. I must pull the power for it to restart.
Tablo support has logged in several times, but I feel like they aren’t scrolling through the email thread to read my whole exchange. For example, I have been told that the “new firmware out soon will address your problem” even though I already upgraded to 2.2.9 per their instructions. I have also been told to check the cable to the HDD, even though I previously stated there is no hard drive connected. Support response time has generally been about 24 hours between email exchanges. I have asked for a phone call to diagnose on the phone in real-time to avoid delays. My concern is that I am getting very close to my exchange window on the device.
Help! Does my issue sound familiar to anyone? Has anyone had my same lockup problems and solved the issue?
This issue was introduced with Tablo firmware v2.2.9 for me.
This version of firmware is beta, by the way.
v2.2.8 is way more stable for now.
Your Tablo getting very hot to the touch is concerning.
It shouldn’t be, especially since you have it sitting on its side (vertically).
Measured my Tablo Quad, with Raytek MT6 Non-contact MiniTemp Infrared Thermometer…
Vertical position = 103F on bottom when unused for over 1 hour (hottest point; where barcodes are)
Vertical position = 109F on botton with all 4 tuners actively recording for 30 minutes (hottest point; where barcodes are)
I would return it as defective, get another one, and install Tablo firmware v2.2.8 on it.
I have had a 2 tuner Tablo since late 2014. I know there have been many complaints about heat problems with the Tablo, especially the 4 tuner version. I am quite sure the Tablo uses commercial grade components in manufacturing. I would think that when the internal temperature gets above 100 ~ 120 degrees, heat induced failures could occur. I agree with @Radojevic, if the unit is very hot to the touch, you should exchange it
As for my heat experience, I elevated my Tablo about an inch using small strips of wood and using a instant read thermometer monitored the temperature of the bottom metal plate as it sat on the shelf near my router and above my desktop computer. I did this for most of 2015 and I never saw the temperature above 90 degrees (computer room/office temp 65 ~ 76 year round). I have experienced most of the software problems with my Tablo as anyone else. Each firmware release has fixed some problems and caused others. I have 4 older roku’s, a amazon fire stick and a nexus player. I have experienced the most problems with the roku’s. The amazon fire stick is so-so. The nexus player has been the best.
There is also another update to the 2.2.9 Beta due to come out “soon”. I don’t think it’s the heat, that has been a bugaboo for quite some time on this forum. I have yet to see proof of issues as long as the HDD isn’t on top of it and the Tablo isn’t sitting on top of another piece of equipment.
Tablo uses a passive heat sink. The forum is littered with tablo instability issues/reports that some attribute to an overheating issue. Most of these are associated with the 4-tuners model. But all you have to do is touch the heat sink on the bottom of the unit to verify how hot it is. Even the 2-tuner can get fairly hot.
If the unit is sitting directly on a flat surface how hot it gets may depend on the composition of the surface. suggestion have been everything from turning the unit on it’s side to a cooling pad. I raising my tablo off the surface using a pair of 1x1 pieces of wood cut from scrap found in the garage - placed under the outer edges.
Once users started using the various methods instability reports were greatly reduced.
I ordered the DEEPCOOL WIND PAL MINI Laptop Cooling Pad 15.6" Slim Design 140mm Silent Fan Blue LED from Newegg US for 9.99 with free shipping. I set my Tablo quad and 2TB Seagate usb portable drive on top of it and plugged it in. It makes NO noise and very little breeze …but my Table is now just barely warm to the touch and before it was HOT - 90++. And my HD seems to be just fine up there…so far
Now I know that they say that 90+ is normal for the unit, but I have always found that cooler electronics seem to last longer.
Problem solved. Replaced the Tablo and it has been flawless ever since. Was a defective unit. Hats off to Tablo Support for replacing the failed unit and assisting with the troubleshooting.