Feature Type
New Feature
Requested App Platform
All Tablo Apps
Feature Title
ATSC 3.0 Expansion Module for Gen 4 — Upgrade Instead of Replace
Feature Description
I’d like to suggest an idea for making the 4th Generation Tablo more future-proof: an official ATSC 3.0 expansion module that could be added to existing Gen 4 Tablos.
Rather than requiring Gen 4 owners to eventually replace their entire DVR when ATSC 1.0 is phased out, Tablo could offer a small module containing the necessary ATSC 3.0 tuner hardware and integrate it through a firmware update.
The biggest advantage would be that customers could keep:
• Their existing recordings and DVR library
• Existing USB storage
• Recording schedules
• Existing Tablo hardware and setup
• The Tablo ecosystem they’re already using
The module could potentially do more than just add ATSC 3.0. Depending on the hardware, it could add additional tuners, improved processing, networking capabilities, or other future upgrades.
I also think there is a business opportunity here:
New customers: Sell the Gen 4 bundled with the expansion module.
Existing customers: Sell the module separately as an upgrade.
That gives Tablo an additional hardware product while giving existing customers a reason to stay with Tablo rather than replacing the entire DVR or moving to another platform.
Instead of the message eventually being “Your Gen 4 is obsolete; buy a new DVR,” it could be:
“Your Gen 4 is upgradeable. Add the new tuner when you need it.”
I realize this would require substantial firmware and hardware development, especially with ATSC 3.0’s technical and DRM requirements. But I think an upgradeable Tablo platform could be a great long-term direction for the product.