Legacy Tablo Updates

Has anyone heard or have any info on when the Legacy devices are going to get the new Firmware update that the Gen 4 has.

Until the Gen4 are working properly and reliably, I wouldn’t be in a rush. I’d rather they spend their time and money fixing that first.

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Very true and also a good idea

It was originally supposed to be 4th quarter of last year. Obviously it’s been pushed out quite a bit. I haven’t kept up to to date with the Gen4 problems, they are still having issues?

Not sure I care about the update. The new streaming channels aren’t likely something overly interesting as there are so many FAST challenges available through things like Roku.

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I believe I am going to not do the update when it becomes available. Don’t won’t to take the chance on messing up my Legacy Tablo

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Legacy Tablo is stable. Let’s keep it that way :wink:

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I have a legacy unit, but I wonder what it is that makes the 4th gen units so unstable. Is it mostly the integration with FAST channels?

They are merely newer and haven’t had all the kinks ironed out yet.

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You don’t iron out architectural or high level design problems. You iron out implementation problems.

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My thoughts exactly.

Most definitely the fourth-quarter of this year, or next year, or the year after.

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Are you sure you really want to install the next legacy firmware update since it will include gen 4 functionality.

I have a gen 4. I have a high pain tolerance but only up to a limit.

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My concern as well.
I won’t get a Gen4 until all the bugs have faded into the sunset.

There’s no compelling reason for me to upgrade my legacy 4-tuner Tablo with the new Gen 4 firmware. My Tablo is working perfectly for its intended purpose, and as for FAST channels, I get those through other means. Legacy Tablo firmware has had years of fixes and improvements behind it. Gen 4 firmware has quite a bit of catching up to do.

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Well stated…I agree 100%

It’s hard to tell what bugs are firmware, and what are software. I think most of the bugs here are probably more on the software.

I do wish I could get MPEG4 channel support, at least on my legacy HDMI. Although I wonder if it even has MPEG4 capabilities.

When the 4th Gen was announced it was stated that Legacy units would eventually be able to use the 4th Gen experience (with a firmware update).

Has @TabloTV stated whether FAST channels will be available to view and record on Legacy after the firmware update or will it be the 4th Gen interface only?

It’s a little more complicated than just saying it’s new technology. The 4th generation and the Legacy units are completely different. The 4th generation has better picture quality. This is because 4th Gen will not transcode video while watching live TV and, instead, stream the native MPEG-2 video. The Legacy unit transcode the video. This was done to avoid issues caused by poor WiFi networks, since the transcoded video required far less bandwidth than the uncompressed MPEG-2 broadcast.
Because the device is new, it will have bugs that only improve with time, just like a new cell phone. My feeling is it’s a twofold issue. One is poor quality antennas. The majority of people have zero understanding of antennas. The believe the advertising lies about those cheap $20-40 indoor mud flaps that claim 60-100 mile reception. Some will say I get 85 channels with a cheap antenna, so it’s great. What they fail to understand is if you are using a cheap antenna and it’s getting great reception, they live within 25 miles of the transmission towers. I have seen people use a papperclip in the back of the TV and get decent reception if they are close to the transmission towers. The other thing is their wifi setup. If you are using the cheap ISP supplied router and say it’s in the corner of your house, don’t expect decent wifi reception on the other end of your house. There are a couple of options. A mesh network will solve most wifi issues or if you don’t want a mesh network or can’t afford it, the router needs to be centrally located. Better yet, have it centrally located and invest in a high quality router to get good coverage. I have installed 4 roof mounted antennas in the past few months and at the same time optimized wifi. I give the option of different DVR setups. Most people choose the Tablo because they either don’t have a server or the knowledge to operate one. I have had no complaints. One person is my next door neighbor. She loves the 4th generation. In my own home I have only had occasional software bugs that are minor.

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Transcoding buys a few things, Huge space savings, more efficiency and… the big one, near universal support (including HTML5, browser support), (edit) and of course, easier outside LAN streaming.

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Just a note that the legacy Tablo HDMI does NOT transcode, at least for the TV connected directly to it. Not as sure about TV’s that can access it via the apps. It does NOT support out-of-home viewing.

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