The Roku debugging tool very well may be displaying incorrect information, but I would like Tablo to very if they can. What I didn’t like reading in a Roku post was that the automatic setting takes the last few streams bitrates and averages the best stream rate based on the last few streams. When I force 3.5, I swear I am getting a clearer and sharper picture. It could just be in my head though 
Yea, I just went in and played a few different shows at different quality and they all show 1.5mb bitrate on the debug screen. I don't trust that value at all
I get this too, but if the automatic setting is self determining an average Bitrate based on the last few steams then it would be 1.5 for any channel you go too. Maybe the Roku developer can chime in here on this discussion and put some light to what the Automatic setting is doing.
Here is the link with some more info. Look at kc8pql post about the Automatic Setting. forums.roku.com/viewtopic.php?t=24342&sid=66ee71110762f9db6ad6accb66630e86
@Davidvr how is the Roku determining Internet streams vs Local Network streams in its Automatic setting? Tablo delivers HLS ( http live streaming ) files from the Tablo device ( as a web server on you Lan ). This sdk article sdkdocs.roku.com/display/sdkdoc/Encoding+Guide Describes “HLS is the Roku recommended way of streaming video content. The Roku box is an advanced HLS player that will dynamically, proactively pick the appropriate bitrate segment to play based on the bandwidth available to the player”.
@guck11 my interpretation of that doc is that the notion that Roku will select the appropriate bitrate segment to play is predicated on the fact that the server makes multiple bitrate streams available for playing. I don’t believe Tablo does that sort of transcoding - the streams are always at the same bitrate.
@guck11 the tablo does not provide different bitrates, I’m not sure how else to explain that to you. It will not adjust the bitrate after the program is recorded. Hls will only dynamically adjust the bitrate if the server supports that, the tablo does not
@ Davidvr thanks again for all the info. @jestep received various bitrates on files from his posts above. This is where I was thinking that Tablo is recording multiple bitrate segments. further reading on the debug tool states that it will not work on adaptive Bitrate channels such as Netflix, Hulu, etc but will report a stream rate on channels that explicitly state one. Strange. Let’s just hope that the Roku is in fact displaying the Tablo stream at the correct bitrate it was recorded in.
@guck11 Can you send over a link to the default bitrate documentation you’re referring to? The bitrate information doesn’t change for Roku - it’s just recording quality specific.
E.g SD = 2
720p Roku/Chromecast = 3
720p = 5
1080 = 10
@TabloSupport there is a secret menu for changing the Bitrate on the Roku. This menu has many different options for selecting a bitrate. When debugging is enabled and automatic set, and the Roku is reporting a connection speed of 1.5 mbps. As far as encoding rates, there is a link a few posts above that describe the recommended encoding rates from Roku. My worry was the 1.5 mbps connection speed Roku is reporting, when I set to the max of 3.5 I swear the picture was sharper and motion was improved reducing the Internet look.