SOLVED - As of 10/29/2024 this issue has been resolved by the device manufacturer. An OS update that included “minor bug fixes” and a new security patch level has resolved the issue below. For those of you who may be experiencing issue tuning to channel 62.2 in the Chicago area should update your onn 4k Pro to the latest OS update. AFAIK, this update does not resolve the issue that others have mentioned about not being able to scan and find channels 62.2 and 62.3 with their antenna.
Hey everyone! I’ve run into an interesting issue that’s absolutely stumped me. I was trying to watch the new OTA channel for CHSN (Chicago Sports Network) on 62.2 via my onn 4k Pro STB (running Google TV) but the channel never loads. The blue circle spins for a few seconds then goes away. When I bring up the timeline slider I see that the play/pause button is perpetually stuck on “play” so it appears as if the channel’s stream never starts. Pressing play does nothing to start the stream. This is the only STB in my house that has issues with this channel. My cell phones, onn 4k (non-Pro), Roku Stream Stick, and Roku Ultra all play channel 62.2 without issue. These are the steps I’ve tried to resolve the issue so far:
Reboot the STB, Tablo, and router
Rescan the channels
Disable and re-enable channel 62.2
Update the guide information
Record a portion of a program and play that back on the STB
Unplugged the Tablo and STB for over 30 minutes
Uninstall the Tablo app, clear the app data and cache as well
Adjusted the STB settings to output 1080p, stereo audio (no surround), disabled my soundbar
Factory reset on both the onn 4k Pro and Tablo 4th Gen
I contacted support this morning who insisted it was an issue with my antenna/reception even though this channel was accessible on this device prior to the new channel going live AND all my other devices in the house working as intended. Still waiting on a reply from a Tier 2 tech via email but I’m skeptical this is going to be easily resolved.
Let me know if you need any additional information and I’ll gladly provide it. Like I said at the beginning, I’m totally stumped on why this single device is having issues.
Edit: Android App Verion - 1.2, Android TV OS - 12.0 with March 1st, 2024 Security Update; Tablo Firmware Version - 2.2.52; Tablo Device - 4th Gen Two Tuner
On September 15, 2024, the newly formed Chicago Sports Network announced it would broadcast on the second and third digital subchannels of WJYS starting October 1, bringing games featuring the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls, and Chicago Blackhawks to over-the-air viewers
Hey Zippy - thanks for the reply. I meant to add this to the initial post, but the other sub channel, 62.3, works flawlessly on the onn 4k Pro. I’m literally at a loss as to why this one channel doesn’t work. If this is an issue with mpeg4, do you have any advice on how to tackle resolving this on Google TV? Much appreciated
Tablo support would have to connect in and see what is different between 62.2 and 62.3. Of course since this is weirdness only with that sub-channel and the onn 4K pro I can’t see this going very far. And the onn 4K pro might be using the same amlogic cpu as the gen 4.
Well, no luck with support. They said that the logs look fine and that there are no errors. They said to wait it out as the broadcaster may make some changes in the near future since these channels were recently updated.
I looked on Tablo’s website and you need the 4th generation Tablo with latest firmware which supports MPEG 4 broadcasts. I have a problem with AirTV via Sling, which is a product similar to the Tablo product not able to receive MPEG 4. I notified support so hopefully it is just a firmware update to support MPEG 4, but not sure yet.
I have not tested the Tablo 4th generation product yet either with CHSN 62.2 and 62.3, but these are all the sub channels that broadcast in MPEG 4 in the US, which is not many. It just so happens that CHSN and CHSN + is MPEG 4. Most HD and SD ATSC 1st generation digital stations broadcast in MPEG 2 still today.
I just purchased and set up a Tablo 4th gen. It’s not even recognizing either 62.2 nor 62.3. It’s not my signal because all other channels are fine. Also, my newer tv is about 2 feet away and picking up both channels fine. So, they have not fixed the issue. In fact, it sounds like it is worse.
I’ve been working with support over the last week and they cannot seem to find a root cause for my specific streaming device. I can’t speak on why the Tablo won’t pick up the channels. I’m close to one of the broadcast stations and get the channels no problem, it’s just that the channel stream will not load on my onn 4k Pro. I’m really starting to think that it has to do with channels 62.2 and 62.3 being encoded with MPEG-4
I’m 15 miles from Willis Tower and I’m not getting 62.2 or 62.3. I have an older generation Tablo but that shouldn’t make a difference. I’m picking up over a hundred other channels. Also, I’m reading that people are buying new antennas for these channels and they can’t pick up the channels.
If you have a 1st or 2nd or 3rd generation network Tablo, it is not configured to support the MPEG-4 video codec at all for 62.2-62.10. I don’t know for sure if the 3rd generation HDMI Tablo supports MPEG-4 or not, though. From what has been said in previous discussions, this can’t be fixed by Tablo with a software update. The way the hardware was setup for transcoding does not allow for MPEG-4.
However, the latest 4th generation Tablo should show all 10 subchannels for WJYS 62.
I can certify this because in the Jackson, Mississippi market, there is one MPEG-4 subchannel, 16.6 HSN from Hearst ABC affiliate WAPT. This channel doesn’t show in my guide because Tablo knows my 3rd generation network tuner can’t show the video portion of the signal. Because the channel is HSN, almost nobody is complaining about it.
Most TV tuners built before 2013 or so don’t support MPEG-4 either. I have two HDTVs built around 2009-2010 and neither one can show video for that channel.
Thank you for the information. As luck would have it, it’s Amazon Prime day so I purchased a new Tablo. (I can’t remember what I paid 7/8 years ago but I believe it was significantly more). Fingers are crossed for it to work.
That’s a good point on the early smart TVs. Chances are, since it is smart, it still got software updates and the manufacturer could actually add the MPEG-4 codec via firmware updates.
My two dumb TVs from 2009-2010 never had firmware updates issued to add the MPEG-4 video codec. In fact, Coby, who made my 19 inch TV in 2009 went out of business in 2013.
Just a side story… My wife won free Coby TV around that time. She brought it home so proud of the TV. We hooked it up in our bedroom. The remote didn’t work. She walked over and pressed the Power Button, and It fell into the TV.
We bought a universal remote for it and it worked until lightning zapped it years later.
Truthfully, I am not totally surprised. The remote on mine works but makes an unusual click noise when some of the buttons are pressed. It feels rather flimsy.
It’s an extra tv now, so I am open to giving it to someone I know for free.
I can confirm that CHSN 62.2 and 62.3 are working with the Tablo 4th Gen and my TV.
I live about 13 miles away from Willis Tower and had pretty good reception with an older indoor wall mounted flat antenna (non-amped). That older antenna was being fed into a 1 in / 4 out RCA amp / splitter but could not pick up (weak signal) 62.2 or 62.3 on my TV and the Tablo (with internal amp turned on) was able to tune in both channels, but the signal was still weak and the video was scrambled.
I was debating if I should get an outdoor antenna, but instead picked up a new indoor wall mounted flat RCA amplified antenna.
Now this is where things get a bit strange, but hang in there for the story.
I mounted the new antenna right next to the old antenna. The old antenna cable was just dangling straight down to the floor. The new amplified antenna was plugged into the 1 in / 4 out amp / splitter. Rescan of the channels in both the TV and Tablo brought in 62.2 and 62.3 and was excellent with strong signal.
So I think great, I’ll take down the old antenna now… When I took down the old antenna with it’s cable hanging straight down to the floor, guess what, both 62.2 and 62.3 would intermittently go between strong and weak signal (excellent / scrambled video). So I hung the old disconnected antenna back up next to the new antenna and was receiving strong reception, video is beautiful.
Having the 2 antennas mounted next to each other is somehow increasing the signal strength. Maybe some kind of coupling effect of the 2 antennas working together to act like a single larger antenna? I tested it a couple times and when I removed the old disconnected antenna, the video would intermittently jump between good and scrambled. Remount the old antenna and have crystal clear video.
