I would like to see an option to record SD sub channels at a lower bitrate. Currently, I record everything at 8MBS and I love that for HD content, but is just a waste of space for old content like Chips and the Johnny Carson reruns. A good 480p setting for SD would be perfect since these are already highly compressed while keeping the HD content at my current 8MB setting.
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If you go into the Settings menu there is Max Recording Quality which has a setting of SD 480-2Mbps. I have never used it but it should save a lot of space. The problem is that setting goes to ALL recordings until you change it. It would be nice if you could set the quality for each recording. I have tried all the quality setting and have settled in with the recommended HD720 - 5Mbps. I do record a fair number of old shows and I am amazed at how good the pic is with Tablo. I am guessing that the camera recording technology was far ahead of TV tech in those days and that some/many of the old shows were recorded at a higher quality than the tvs could show in those days.
Yeah, I thought it was a good idea too - having the ability to customize Recording Quality for different shows. Tablo said something like it couldn’t be done. And others on this forum indicated that I was crazy for wanting anything other than the Best Quality possible 
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I mean : it used to be possible on a VCR !!! Even on the same tape.
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If we select best recording quality available, can the Tablo tell 36-1 is 1080 and 7-4 is 480 and record accordingly?
Now I’m so confused. My recording quality is the 8 mbPs. Does that mean every recording takes this many bits on the disk, no matter what the recorded channel is?
Yes. https://www.tablotv.com/blog/choosing-right-tablo-recording-quality/
With a large hard drive (4 or 5 TB), it really isn’t a big deal.
@snowcat You are correct on that. I have a 2 TB and I am not in the same boat with free space. I love the self powered smaller drives. Just seems like a waste of HD space on the SD stuff. 2-3 MB should do the trick and would make more sense to me.
BTW, who do want for a new HC for the Titans? I wish the Browns snagged the #1 pick…congrats on that!
I really don’t have a preference yet. I just want the new GM to pick the new head coach and have them both lead the team. While it is nice to get a #1 pick, it sucks being a fan of the worst team in the NFL. 
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At a minimum it should default to the 2Mbps setting when an SD channel is set to record, the Tablo already knows which channels are SD and HD.
Wimpy pseudo code example:
If channel is SD record at 2Mbps
Else use the recording quality setting
I also like some of the classics and 10Mbps for Burns and Allen is not just inefficient its borderline abusive 
I understand there are other things that must have priority such as the expansion to other platforms, bug fixes, and performance optimizations. But this is something that effects user experience and cost if they end up having to buy a larger drive than they anticipated because SD recordings are taking are taking 4 times as much space as needed.
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