The Tablo requires this data because it uses this information to form a zap spec. This includes the call sign, channel number, etc.
As noted above, this affects many other DVR’s - and that’s the key. Some TVs/other tuners can just ‘make up’ the information needed for live streams, as they don’t support guide data, and they can’t record the content. The information within the PSIP data is required to do both of these.
Even for live TV, the Tablo is recording (temporarily) to the disk so that you can FF/RW; and of course because it needs to transcode the video anyway, for the supported devices out there.
Support Team: I did create a “ticket” last night so you should have it. How/when do we start the remote session?
CraigRoyce: Regarding a separate DVR for that one channel: I actually have an iView 3500STBII coming today from Amazon. It is similar to the Homeworx HW180STB that you mentioned. I ordered it to use as a tuner for my projection system. I have seen in the few days I have had my Tablo (and read on this forum) that the Tablo isn’t the best thing to use to actually watch live TV because of the inability to channel surf, the buffering. As such, with my HDTV’s I just use an ordinary antenna connected to the TV’s receivers; I ordered the iView to have a receiver for my projection system. Also, I may try the RCA TVPRAMP1Z; my local Lowes has one in stock.
Beastman: My antenna is a 1byone 45 mile range digital attic/outdoor HDTV antenna; however, it doesn’t do any better than the 1byone 25 mile super thin HDTV antennas I have in the house. I have one of those connected to three different HDTV’s and the antenna is in the window. They look very similar to the antenna you said you have but do not have an amplifier.
The iView may well confirm whether it is a signal strength or PSIP type problem. If it gets channel 51 and can record it… If the iView is like the Homeworx (which it is), then it will also have a numerical signal strength meter with which to gauge the signal strength for that channel.
Maybe the question should be that when using the 80920 zip code and tablo channel search tool, the channels available and signal strength displayed by tablo are way more optimistic then any results returned from tvfool.com. antennaweb.org, channelmaster.com, or winegard.com.
I just cannot believe that it is an issue with the signal strength, either not strong enough or too strong. My house is at 7,000 feet and I can see across town to the top of the mountain where the antenna’s are located at 9,500 feet. It is line of sight and only about 15 miles. I pick up ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, CW57, ION, KBDI, KWHS (channel 51, the channel the Tablo does not find) and KXTU CW (57) with a simple1byone 25 mile super thin HDTV indoor antenna in the window. I have three of these connected to three different HDTV’s. Of all of these, it is channel KXTU CW (57) that is the weakest based on the fact that it comes in and out on my HDTV’s yet, ironically, Tablo picks it up fine. The one channel that Tablo doesn’t find is KWHS (51.1 & 51.2) yet it works perfectly on all three HDTV’s. The Tablo is connected directly to a roof mounted 1byone 45 mile range digital attic/outdoor HDTV antenna and it doesn’t find channel 51. I have tried connecting one of the indoor 1byone 25 mile super thin HDTV antennas to the Tablo and the results are the same. I’m betting that it is an issue with the PSIP data. It will be interesting to see if the iView 3500STBII picks up channel 51. I’ll update this post later today after Amazon delivers the iView 3500STBII.
CraigRoyce: I just wanted to share with you that I just installed the RCA TVPRAMP1Z and it doesn’t make any difference.
Tablo Support: Regarding the remote session you mentioned…I did file a support ticket…How/when do we do that?
Yup, I suspected that it wouldn’t be a signal strength issue since TVFool shows an NM of +26 to +28 (which is good) across most Colorado Springs zip code areas. It’s when the NM becomes a negative number that reception becomes problematic. And I doubt that it is a multipath problem since that mainly occurs with 2-edge transmission not LOS. The iView test will be interesting…my experience is that these iView-Homeworx-ViewTV boxes are more forgiving regarding PSIP irregularity.
You’re the 3rd person to report not being able to receive a Cozi TV channel on your Tablo.
KWHS 51.2 is Cozi TV.
I was able to pick up K15CU 15.1 for many months, and recently, my Tablo can’t tune it in.
Gotta be something weird with stations broadcasting Cozi TV.
These channels are mostly broadcast by LeSea which is not a mainstream broadcaster. They may not be adhering to standards and thus transmitting funky metadata. But if the iView picks it up, the solution will be get a $30 box to supplement the Tablo (as MarkKindle has been advocating at this forum). Does he get a commission when these boxes get sold?
Radojevic: Thank you for sharing that with me. It definitely sounds like it is a compatibility issue with 51.2 Cozi and Tablo.
Craig Royce: I’m curious if you have an opinion on the iView 3500STBII versus the Mediasonic Homeworx HW180STB? I went with the iView based on some reviews I saw on Google.
I have friends with all of these boxes! They are clones of one another. The chips are all the same, the firmware identical. Manufactured in the same areas. The prices range from $29 to $32. Some models may vary as to the output interfaces but they are essentially the same box.
What I like about them, especially for projectors is that they give you the original MPEG2 stream uncompressed. Picture quality is great with these boxes!
Most HDTVs have a info button that displays portions of the psip data.
As far as I know titantv.com doesn’t display signal strength. It assumes you have the most powerful antenna available. Some sites think the signal strength of 57-1 is 3 and 51-1 is 2. Tablotv thinks they are both 5 green dots.
And even in a zip code where the size of the zip code is small the exact address can make a big difference.
When you get your iView, if you get the channel, try and see if a guide shows up for 51. TabloSupport indicated that missing PSIP data would screw up a DVR type device. Try recording a few minutes. I’d be curious if the iView could show a guide for 51 and record…
I ask this in a new post buy no one is replying so I’ll all of you directly:
Thank you to all of the knowledgeable people who commented on my last issue about my Tablo not receiving all of the channels that my HDTV receivers receive, I have another question.
Since getting my new Tablo 4 Receiver up and running Tuesday night my hard drive has disconnected four times. This happened twice Tuesday night and I didn’t think too much about it because I knew the hard drive had to format itself and figured the overall system was updating, etc. However it happened again yesterday and once today. Each time I get the following message:
“Playback Error”; “Your tuner has been reassigned or your device has temporarily lost connection with your Tablo”
My hard drive is a Western Digital Elements 2TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBU6Y002BBK-EESN.
I am going to return it to Amazon and get another hard drive. My question is what hard drive do you suggest based on the one you use and don’t have any issues with. If this hard drive should be ok then I’ll simply have Amazon send another one just like this one. Alternatively, if you suggest another hard drive, I’ll get that one.
Thank you. In that case I won’t change the type of drive, I’ll just have Amazon send me a replacement since I have had this one only four days. Like I said, it keeps saying it has disconnected. I have checked to be sure that the cable is plugged in securely to both HD and the Tablo, and it is.
To follow up on today’s discussion about my Tablo and it not getting channel 51.1 and 51.2 while my three HDTV receivers do, I received my iView 3500STBII and have it up and running. As you will recall from the post earlier in this thread I wanted something to use as a tuner for my projector. The iView 3500STBII does find channels 51.1 and 51.2 when it scans. It does display guide information for those channels. I have recorded from those channels and have watched the recordings. Bottom line, the issue with my Tablo and channels 51.1 and 51.2 is definitely a compatability issue that is specific to Tablo and those channels, most likely, as several of you have stated, a PSIP irregularity. Thank you all again for your help earlier today.
I posted my drive earlier today. It is Western Digital Expansion 5 TB. Been using it sine it was supported. Previously had Elements 1 TB and it worked except for renning out of space. Reformatted and use with laptop.