In looking at the NP, I still need one NP for each TV right? I am having trouble visualizing how one NP can serve the entire house (without carrying the remote around and making sure in range). Thanks for all of the guidance, but if I need one for each TV then I am in the same quandary as I was before…
LOVE the feedback and the willingness of this forum to help people be successful… MUCHO APPRECIADO!
Yes it is a standalone streaming box like a Roku, or Apple TV. So you will need one per TV.
My point is if you run into streaming issues with the Chromecast such as buffering, then get a Nexus Player. Many have been happy with it.
I assume you have a Chromecast at each TV now?
That is correct…
I can vouch for the Nexus Player as well. I started out with 2 of them before upgrading to the Shield. Ended up buying my parents 4 of them, and they are used for Tablo as well with no issues. Great boxes for the price.
My hope is to get this to work without the need to purchase additional hardware. Honestly, my two plasma TVs are 720p anyways so if I can make them work with what I got…then great… but I am also keeping an eye out for the Nexus Players too because if I change my eco system, I need to make sure I train the family and have the same user experience else I am dead in the water there too…
Thanks for the posts, ideas and lively conversation…LOVE IT!
If your HDTVs are only 720p and you’re planning on using Chromecast, I suggest you set the Recording Quality on the Tablo to “720p 3 Mbps” rather than the “720p 5 Mbps”. The 720p 3 Mbps setting to be called “720p Roku / Chromecast”.
Yup. That is the idea. Thanks for the confirmation.
If you’re adamant about staying with Chromecast for Tablo you will never fully enjoy the Tablo experience. It’s a tale of woe often told here and backed by my own personal experience as well.
In this case, I will admit I have a “teenager” mentality (as well as a bit of a cheapskate) wanting to see it for myself before I go off and invest another $150 in hardware and process changes that may not be required. I have been fair warned and I promise not to blame Tablo for any experience in casting… if I do, you have permission to tease me until I cry… 
My situation may be very specific and I appreciate you warning me about the full experience…sometimes…I need to be able to walk the journey to appreciate the blisters experienced by others…
I can also vouch for NP. I got it prior to the Roku being fixed.
+1. Got an NP during the Roku drama and haven’t looked back… I can even control it with my TV’s remote using HDMI-CEC which was a bonus.
I dont see any NP new stock anywhere…I see some on Ebay but I am wondering about the platform if it is going to be refreshed or supported going forward? Also, does the NP replace the Chromecast but you can cast just the same just with more horsepower than the Chromestick?
Some stores sell on ebay as well as their own site so people that haven’t heard of them can still buy from them. I got mine on ebay from a large store in NY called Adorama. Newegg also sells on ebay, sometimes even cheaper than their own site.
Yes Android TV is here to stay; the NP is not the only device running the OS. It is also the fastest growing TV OS, used by Sony, Sharp, TCL, and a few more. Additionally, there are 2 other boxes running Android TV, the Nvidia Shield TV and Razer Forge (don’t buy this one).
Google has invested a lot into the platform, and continues to make new improvements all the time. The NP was the very first consumer box to run Android TV, so it is just getting older, which explains the low stock. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a newer model this year.
Android TV will likely pull the same trick Android did. Slow start, slow initial adoption, but as it matures, it will spread like wildfire. The simple fact is that it is a free platform for any OEM to use. It will save them $$$ down the road in an era that is ever more demanding with regards to streaming capabilities. Nerds and tech enthusiasts will continue to buy the boxes like Roku, Apple TV, etc, but the general masses will want an all-in one simple solution. Android TV powered smart TVs will answer that call.
Since this thread of discussion has veered away from the original poster, why does one have to see the title “This is the WORST DVR ever!” every day one logs into this forum? As a new Tablo user and forum visitor who appreciates this device and its company, why are we subjected to seeing this title? One would think that the Tablo CEO himself would find it objectionable to having visitors see this ancient title blazed across the forum subjects particularly since it reflects just one person’s view… Do the Tablo personnel not care about their company?
We do, we just like to be as hands-off as possible on the moderation side.
Given that the OP seems to have abandoned this thread, does anyone have any concerns about us renaming this to something more innocuous like ‘Issues with Chromecast’ which seems to be the heart of this discussion?
I concur. This appears to be a thread surrounding Chromecast/connectivity issues.
Done.
So now there’s no need to start a counter thread entitled “Tablo: the best DVR ever!” right? 