Could Tablo’s iOS app and macOS Safari support add support for Picture-in-Picture?
iOS Picture-in-Picture discussion
macOS Picture-in-Picture user documentation
The Tablo viewing website can use PiP on macOS with the addition of PiPifier, but I’d really like to see real support across the iOS app and Safari on macOS.
Lots of other folks piped in with this suggestion, but thanks for the heads-up!
It’s definitely something that would be super cool, especially on larger iPads.
Couldn’t PiP be entirely implemented in the Roku app?
How?
The Tablo app for the Roku opens connections to the Tablo to do its thing. That app could be written to allow a PiP feature, and open two (or more) streaming connections to the Tablo, then rendering each stream in a different panel. The Tablo does not care how many connections come from the Roku. From a Laptop you can open lots of Tablo connections simultaneously and stream more than one show at a time from the same device. The Tablo just provides the stream and guide data. It does not provide the on-screen interface.
Unless there are limitations in the Roku SDK on rendering from a stream, it seems logical this could be implemented entirely in the Tablo app on the Roku. No changes need in the Tablo to make this work.
Does the tablo app provide it’s own video player or does it use the video player that comes on the device.
If the tablo app uses the video player on the device(Roku/FireTV Stick) wouldn’t that player and it’s underlying foundation also have to support PiP?
The Tablo does not render the screen image. The Roku does that. Take a look at the Netflix app on the Roku to see what is possible via the Roku SDK. That’s quite an elaborate interface, showing you the trailer while you are searching the catalog, lots of multi-layer imaging etc. The Roku does all the screen layout and rendering. It is possible the Roku SDK does not allow more than one stream per app, but I would be surprised if that were the case. Take a look at the YouTube app on the Roku. I seem to remember more than one stream showing at at time.
When you see the Tablo guide on a Roku it is quite different from the guide on an Apple TV and a then again on a browser or the smartphone app. The Tablo does not render for those smart clients…the smart clients do the rendering.
I am not saying this would be easy…just saying Roku (or AppleTV or smartphone app etc.) would be where this is implemented. I don’t see how the Tablo has to change at all to make PiP work for any smart client.