I’m looking for a simple tv/streaming system I’m not tech savvy, just want to watch TV and some movies (streaming) I saw a video on utube saying that the current system wouldn’t work in about 2 years can someone dicifer this so I can make a sound decision, had to do with encryption I think
The encryption you heard about is probably DRM (“Digital Rights Managment”), which is probably related to the new TV standard called ATSC 3.0 (sometimes also called “Nextgen TV”). The current Tablo only supports ATSC 1.0. As I write this (end of 2025) this is not a significant limitation because most broadcasters are still broadcasting using ATSC 1.0.
With that aside, the Tablo is not a “general” streaming solution but rather a way to stream OTA (over the air) TV. It needs an antenna. Streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Paramount+, etc. get their content from the Internet and don’t use an antenna. The Tablo lets you stream OTA TV to many of the same devices that steam Internet content (for example, a Roku).
The Tablo is a nice solution if you don’t want to pay for cable (or Sling, or YouTube TV, etc.), you watch primarily OTA TV, and want an easy way to record OTA shows. It’s also nice if you want to put a TV someplace where you don’t have an antenna but your WiFi works well.
Hope this helps…
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@wstewart
Great answer!
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I could not agree more with wstewart. I just want to further stress that to get the best out of Tablo you need a few things. First, you need good, strong antenna reception. Get a good quality antenna and do not skimp. I do not recommend that the antenna that is available pre-packaged with the Tablo. Do some research to find an appropriate antenna for your situation.
Also, you need to make sure that your home network is squared away, and you can either connect via Ethernet (preferred) or have good reliable WiFi throughout your home.
Lastly, in case you didn’t already know, you also need a streaming device, like a Roku or Firestick. Make sure you have one that is compatible.
Feel free to ask questions. There are a lot of people here that are happy to help.
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Hello @geof_delaney, and welcome to the community.
I agree with both @KGBnut and @wstewart. There is another, cheaper, option and that is to forego the Tablo altogether if your antenna can be near your television and you don’t care to use the recording (DVR) function. In this case, you would just connect an antenna directly to the television using its built-in tuner and watch as you have in the past.
You could still use the Roku, FireTV, or other device for streaming content, but watching your antenna would be separated from that using your television remote.
Check out https://www.rabbitears.info to check the availability of your local channels.
Anyway, I hope this aids in your decision making.
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