*** UPDATE FROM THE CEO ***
Hi folks -
We’ve just posted a super news-y blog post that includes:
Head over to the blog for full details.
If you have any questions or comments, let us know below.
If you have specific feedback you’d like to send to the powers that be about the change, send an email to info@tablotv.com and we’ll pass it along.
I don’t think it’s fair to change the terms/conditions for members who paid for lifetime subscriptions tied to their name, not per device. This new update changes the terms of service for something we paid for already.
Someone may have bought the lifetime subscription knowing in a year or two they can add another device, and since they paid for lifetime, they can add a device for free. With the new change, on an already paid for and delivered service, the person would have to pay a fee to get ANOTHER lifetime subscription???
Here is the wayback machine page, which is what people paid for:
https://web.archive.org/web/20170704104539/https://www.tablotv.com/tv-guide-data-subscriptions/
Your Tablo subscription is tied to YOU, not a specific device.
You can associate multiple Tablo DVRs or upgrade to a new device and keep your existing subscription.
This is what it currently says
Your Tablo subscription is tied to YOU, not a specific device.
You can change or upgrade to a new Tablo DVR and keep your existing subscription.
I can understand changing the policy for all future users. But changing it retro-actively for people who already paid for “unlimited” [yes, you guys never said it on your webpage, but it was implied that you can add more DVRs later on, and I’m sure if I search the forum I can find something with that being said] DVRs for their $150 lifetime cost, to now have a change in policy “whoopps we changed our mind, now you can only associate the DVRs already on your account. you want to add another one, you need to pay again, even though that’s not what we told you originally”
@TabloTV For those of us who are waiting to buy the Quad, is there a time period where we can buy a Quad and say a Dual Lite and a Lifetime subscription and still be Grandfathered in? Do we have until June to active 2 units on a new account?
Honestly, I get it. You guys have to make money to survive and you were probably too generous in the beginning. I’d rather see a healthy operating Tablo than bicker over these fees
I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on…I’m still confused. I am waiting for the quad…so can I be grandfathered in if I choose a lifetime?
If you already have a Tablo unit (or more than one), then you’ll be grandfathered for the number of units you currently have. @TabloTV will need to say what the cutoff date is for grandfathering.
From the news release:
You’ll still be able to swap the Tablo DVR hardware to which your account is tied at any time – like if you upgrade from an original 2-Tuner to the new Tablo QUAD when it arrives.
Those who already have multiple Tablo OTA DVRs on their account will be grandfathered and will NOT have to start paying additional subscriptions for their EXISTING or REPLACEMENT units.
So if a grandfathered user has, for example, two Tablo DVRs and chooses to add a third DVR without removing one of the existing Tablo DVRs from their account, they will need to add and pay for a guide data subscription for that new, additional device.
A clarification example that might help make things a bit less confusing for “most” Tablo owners…
If I currently own a single Tablo and have a lifetime subscription then as long as I don’t move to using multiple Tablo units concurrently my lifetime subscription will continue moving from unit to unit as I replace a unit, correct?
I’m perfectly happy with my OG 4-tuner Tablo. The only reason I would move from it is if it stops working. In that case, I would purchase a Tablo Quad and as long as I’m only going to use the Tablo Quad going forward my lifetime subscription would transfer to it, and would subsequently transfer to any new device I move to as long as I’m only using that new device, correct?
So this really only impacts people with multiple Tablo units that they use concurrently.
How do I buy a lifetime subscription now that will work on 2 devices, one of which will be a QUAD when it becomes available?
This doesn’t seem to affect users that already have multiple units.
It affects users who have one unit and want multiple units. Especially if they have a 2-tuner, realize a 2-tuner isn’t enough, and want to also add a four tuner.
But get a grip, the cost of the iron has gone down significantly while users keep requesting more and more features - $150 is really not that painful. Especially if your asking for changes to morph tablo into your ideal solution.
They already did, and the cutoff date is now:
each Tablo unit on a net-new account will now require its own TV Guide Data Subscription.
Well if that is indeed the case, I will never own more than 1 unit now. Unfortunate, if they gave us a couple of months to take advantage of their current structure (like the are with the DVR Beta), I think they would sell more units.
I don’t fault them for making the decision, but I will not be paying multiple subscription fees. The cost of cord-cutting is already fairly high, but adding multiple subscription fees is going to be more than most people will want IMO (especially if you are investing in multiple units). Now if they discounted the cost for a 2nd unit lifetime subscription to say $50, then that is something I would consider. But full price, the perceived value just isn’t there for me.
Yep D-day is today, I just logged into my account and now I can only click “Replace” to add another Tablo. Before you could add another Tablo to your subscription.
The updated user account system can no longer support adding multiple units to a single subscription.
But as always, we want to hear from you if you have concerns or questions about any change we make as a company.
If you have a specific concern you’d like addressed, drop a note to info@tablotv.com and we’ll make sure to pass it along to the powers that be.
I agree. With this cost structure I will never buy a 2nd Tablo. I’m still pissed that they retroactively changed the terms and conditions for something that we already paid for as existing owners, which is not what I expected of a company like a Tablo; but hey, live and learn.
The subscription should have been changed from YOU to HOUSEHOLD so it could be shared by devices on the same LAN.
Then, you wouldn’t have a problem with the user who bought a DUAL and realized they need more tuners and will upgrade by adding another DUAL in the same house (and add a little redundancy for live TV to boot). Now, they must upgrade from DUAL to QUAD or get hit with another sub fee.
So how many people are truly running multiple Tablos on the same LAN in one house? I think this was more about blocking the “Netflix Problem” of people sharing subscriptions with their friends and family.
With the restriction to device, you might need to start working on the Tablo OCTO.
No, nothing should have been changed. You paid for something, you get what you paid for.
For future owners? Sure, you can do whatever you want.
And I’ll say the same thing I said on FB:
What’s to stop Tablo from going in the future and saying “hey now guys, our new account system no longer allows us to tie the lifetime guide data per Tablo, now it’ll be tied to each Tuner! For existing owners too!”
“Those of you with 2 tuners will need to buy 1 more lifetime guide data. 4 Tunes? Yeah, that’ll be another 3 lifetime guide data”
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.
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Nothing.
I get the frustration, but it still fundamentally differs from TiVo for example, where the subscription is still for that specific device. They aren’t taking that part away in how Tablo differs, it’s just a single lifetime subscription now covers one concurrent device.
I know it will upset people who would soon have multiple Tablo devices but how big is that number to begin with? I know we talk about it a lot here but how many Tablo users are actually using more than 4 tuners? The specific scenario I can see where it’s a bit unfair is when someone is wanting to upgrade from 2 tuners to 4 and doesn’t want to just make the jump/monetary investment to 4 tuners in one unit, but add a 2nd unit for a total of 4 tuners.
Otherwise, I get it and agree with @MotobikeMan, they have to make money to survive and they are seemingly choosing the smallest number of affected users to make the change.