This problem is solved, but I am documenting it for others…
This is the support request I submitted…
My four tuner Tablo has failed, or perhaps its hard drive has failed. So far, I have not been able to figure out which is the problem. The Tablo LED pulses once every second, no matter what I do. The drive light pulses at the same frequency. Other than that, there are no signs of life. The Tablo’s Ethernet connection at the switch never shows any activity.
I have tried a power off restart with the Tablo in various configurations suggested to troubleshoot… with the drive disconnected… with a memory stick connected in the drive’s place… with Ethernet disconnected, etc. I am not able to get the Tablo to show its own WiFi network as would be expected. The Tablo, of course, does not respond from any apps, web, iOS or Roku.
So, which should I consider replacing first? Tablo or hard drive? Are there tests I can do to diagnose further? I have been hesitant to plug the drive into a computer, not wanting to corrupt the recordings. Similarly, I have not tried to do a factory reset. The Tablo is an original 4-tuner model purchased from Newegg in November 2015.
We went down various paths trying to test the networking. No glory. Finally after several e-mail exchanges, I called. The support fellow, Clarke, recalled that some early model 4-tuner Tablos had “weak” power bricks and suggested ordering a $10 replacement from the Tablo store. Bingo!
This was my follow-up e-mail…
My issue is resolved. The replacement power brick resulted in an immediate fix. Please pass along my thanks to Clarke for the tip about the brick being a possibility.
A couple of comments you might pass along to folks facing similar problems. 1) With a good brick, the LED lights solid for about two to three seconds before it begins to blink. With a “weak” brick, the LED begins to pulse immediately. 2) With a good brick, the LED is bright. With a “weak” brick, the LED is much dimmer. Calling it “weak” would be a fair description.
The solution sure beat buying a new Tablo or a new drive.