I had to return 2 different tablo.. One with out the antenna and one with the antenna… Had to read the very fine print about needing a smart Then newer 2019.. No where on the box or in directions did it ever say. Hey You need a tv newer then 2019… I spent close to 100 hours and trying different ways to set up the Tablo.. I even did the hard wire. That did not even work… I would never recommend Tablo to anyone,
Welcome to the Community. I’m sorry you’re having issues with the device. My understanding is that you don’t need a television newer than 2019 if you have a functional and supported streaming device like a Roku, FireTV Stick, AppleTV, Onn, etc.
We live in a world of fast moving technology. I’m sorry that you are having a conflict, but sadly, Smart TVs get outdated quickly. Five years is about the limit. I’ve had a couple of perfectly good TVs that are no longer supported by several streaming services and the manufacturer. As wysiwyggin suggested, the simple answer is to get a separate, and relatively inexpensive streaming device.
If you need further assistance, this forum has a lot of helpful people.
You need a device with android streaming capability, be it stick, box, or TV. There are plenty of pre-2019 devices out there that are plenty capable.
I use Tablo Gen4 on a Sharp TV I bought in 2009.
I went to Walmart and bought a Fire Stick 4k G2 for $25.00 ($20.00 with coupon) to plug into it. Then download the Tablo app to the Fire Stick 4k.
It works great using WiFi wireless.
Yup, that’s what I use on my 20+ year old dumb TVs. All you need on those is an HDMI input and a $20-$30 android streaming stick.
We have a 2021 “smart” TV but that’s only because it’s hard to find a “non-smart” TV. We don’t even use the “smart” features in it (it’s not even connected to wifi) and just use the Roku connected to it.
I sympathize with people’s frustration over the Tablo 4th gen device, but I have to say that you are wrong in this instance. My TV was manufactured in July 2017 and it is not a smart tv. I never understood (and still don’t) the need for a “smart” tv if you have a streaming box. My Tablo works fine (when it works) with the ONN box and my Roku using my two antique TVs, neither a smart one. One is a Philips from 2012 and my main TV is the aforementioned Toshiba from 2017. Not sure what your issue was.
I believe he was trying to install natively on the TV.
His TVs were not new enough to do that.
We all know to get a streaming device but he didn’t.
It isn’t easy for a lot of people to figure out.
My apologies. I thought that much was obvious…sorry. Carry on…I wasn’t thinking.
I’m guessing you resolved your issue (one way or another), but yes, with a 2015 “dumb” (but very nice 58"!!) Samsung myself, I went through that same realization upon trying to install my new Tablo..
But all it took was a $25 Google TV dongle, and problem solved…
It never hurts to reboot everything once in awhile, but overall, been VERY happy with the whole set-up… Good luck!
Another dumb TV owner here. All you need is an HDMI input and some Stick (fire, roku, google) for your dumb TV to be a smart TV.
Ya, we have dumb (2010) and smart (2022) TVs and use FireTV and Roku. But, the TVs are smart enough to have a tuner and coax connection, so we still use that too. ![]()
I think the sticks are actually the better option to a smart TV. They are always upgrading and improving. Smart TV is stuck at the time built.
You don’t. You can add a streaming stick to any TV that has an HDMI port. I use the Roku devices and one that will serve your needs is in the $20-30 range. You will load the Tablo app onto that device just like you would add Netflix, ESPN, or Disney to the stick.
There is some effort to get an effective signal from your antenna but you can’t blame Tablo for this. There are plenty of help sites about selecting and aiming an antenna. Even some where you enter your address and it gives you exact pointing coordinates.
If Tablo lets you avoid a $150/month cable bill and the OTA meets your needs maybe stick with it a bit longer.