Request for external input recording

It would be great if Tablo had an HDMI or composite input and the ability to record whatever was being input to that at a specified date/time/length. Then allowing the user to name the recording would be a bonus as well.

It’s a cool idea, but would be a “new device” (frame grabber).

(somebody on this forum builds such devices)

To record what? BluRay content is protected so you can’t record that.

Well, it’s fairly trivial to record anything you want really… I’ll not post the details, cost might be $20 for a part available pretty much everywhere.

What you are looking for is a video capture device. Most require a computer but a few can work as a stand alone device. I was looking at one for as a VCR replacement for my wife’s aunt. She uses minimal cable (below basic, locals only). It used to have some unfiltered OTA channels when I set the TV to antenna but it did not work the last time I tried.

I settled on the HDML Cloner Box Pro by Cloner Allince.

Don’t let the name fool you it still has the digital copy protection for the HDMI input. I chose it for the following reasons:

  1. It works without a computer (which she does not have). But you can connect it to computer either directly or just pulling the USB drive it saves to.

  2. It also has analog inputs, which is the only way I can connect it to her cable box/ adapter.

  3. It has a timer that can be set to start and stop a recording without the user needing to be there.

  4. It can also be its own playback device and comes with a remote for both setting recordings and playing them back.

  5. It records to a USB drive (not included); flash drive, USB HDD, USB SSD. She needed to be able to watch in another room as well as at the TV. I was planing to get her a Roku Ultra to playback on the other TV.

There are downsides too:

  1. You can not watch a recording until it is done.

  2. You have to leave it on for timer recordings to work.

I ended up not getting it because I was able to get her VCR going again.