Virgin Cord Cutter Q's

General Discussion
1

Hi community,
I’m getting ready to dump the Dish and want to make 100% sure I understand everything I read and viewed. I want to run this configuration past those with more experience than me to see if I got it correct.
I purchase a Tablo and connect my Antenna to input TV, then output to my network router. From the network I can access the Roku to output to my TV. Right? I can record ota TV and view through roku. Tablo setup via ipad or PC. I need Tablo subscription for menu pgm, lifetime  149.00.
I’ll install the Tablo and HDTV ant in the computer room since the Router is there (for non wifi Tablo’s), and computer for Tablo app interface. The only thing in TV room then is TV and Wifi Roku.

Questions:
Can I split my ota Antenna to TV and Tablo, for live tv viewing and recording purpose?
If I buy a non wifi Tablo will the USB port work for a usb wifi adapter to reach network, or is it only for usb drive storage?
On Roku 2 is there a Tablo channel?
Final Question Are you happy with Tablo setup with Roku and is it worth dumping Pay tv for?

2

Congrats on getting a Tablo.  Here are my answers to your questions.


1. Yes, you can split your antenna.  I actually use 2 antennas, one for my Tablo and one for my TV, but many people here have split the signal with no problems.

2. All Tablos have wifi built in, though setup and performance is better with the Tablo wired directly to the router.  The USB ports on the Tablo are for the hard drive, though it is strong enough to use as a USB charger for a cell phone or tablet (if you want to use the 2nd port).  No one has tried to use that 2nd port for a USB wi-fi card (and likely wouldn’t work with the Tablo).

3. The Tablo channel is for all Rokus, including the Roku 2.  It’s a private channel, so you have to go to the Tablo apps page to install it rather than through the channel store. https://www.tablotv.com/tablo-products/ 

4. I love my Tablo setup using Rokus for my TVs. (I have two Roku 3)  One is wired and one is wireless, and they both work great.  There is a brand new Roku interface coming in a month or two that will make it act a lot more like the web and tablet apps.  For now, if I want to set up a recording, it is easier to do it on my PC or tablet, and I use my Roku mainly to watch recordings or live TV.  The new interface should make it easier to do everything on the Roku.
3

+1

Only caveat to all of this is the Roku 3 is a lot faster than the remaining Roku’s, even the 2. You may experience a slower than normal response time from the UI. It should not have a problem playing the recordings though.

4
5

@gesteiger - Our community veterans are correct as usual. 


If you have any other questions about Tablo, just let us know :) 
6

You should see the number of splitters I have… a main 8-way then at each wall jack, there’s another 1 to 2 splitter (did that for when I was running to the TV and to the DVD recorder, and now I’ve split that to run to tablo, too


We still watch “live TV” through the … uh, TV?  (old habits and it’s simply easier, turn it on, start watching!)
Recorded material we watch via Tablo. That DVD recorder is still very useful and we’ve got over 150 DVD-RWs with at least 6 hours of stuff on each so it won’t go away, but the program button is starting to gather dust. 

snowcat and others are pure genius when it comes to Tablo. I LOVE our Tablo quad. 

(and these guys are driving me insane with the Roku this and that talk so if we ever buy a second device for another TV, well, that option is on the table, not decided but it’s on the table. Chromecast is working fine now that I’ve gotten things pretty well figured out and it’s been literally trouble-free for days now. I do really like the speed and ease of the Chromecast plus if my wife wants a big screen for her games, we just cast her screen to the TV via the Chromecast. It’s fast, it’s easy. )
7

I’m with you @ShadowsPapa I only watch Live TV using the tuners built into our TVs.  Hence why split 6 ways in the basement.  It would never have occurred to me to watch Live TV from the DVR (which used to be a MythTV backend server), could feature on Tablo though that I might test out on a tablet.

8

Live TV via the Tablo is pausible.  Useful, especially for “live” (not recorded) stuff.  Just saying…

And at least for me, since I don’t have the world’s largest outdoor antenna, splitters, amplifiers etc. on the house, my TVs don’t have OTA access.  In fact the reception room where the antenna is at doesn’t have a “TV” at all (it’s in my lab, which just so happens to have a window facing the “right way” for the broadcast towers).  At some point I may “solve” this better, but maybe not until the next house…

Like some here, I was an Aereo user for a good reason…


9

If you use splitters, you may need to add a distribution amplifier to the coax from the antenna… I found that, if I added splitters, I lost a few channels. I got one at Home Depot, but you can get one from Amazon, too.

10

If you’re going to add an amp, you should add one right at the antenna first.  That way you don’t amplify the line noise and the original SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) you had at the antenna is maintained.

11

Be careful with splitters. They need to deal with the proper DH frequencies… up to 5 Ghz.


CCR
12
Be careful with splitters. They need to deal with the proper DH frequencies.. up to 5 Ghz.

CCR

For OTA ATSC all you need is 1Ghz splitters…

13

I used this splitter from my antenna to my 2 Tablos without issue


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DIGAB70/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
14

My typing is awful, and stand corrected. 1Ghz is good. And it should read HD, not DH… :wink:


CCR
15

@CC_Rider Your fingers are probably just frozen. I will be in Toronto on Thursday. Brrrrrr.

16

Yeah, deep freeze here… Bring your mitts and a warm hat! I’m just east of TO.

17
Yeah, deep freeze here.. Bring your mitts and a warm hat! I'm just east of TO.

We would rather @roraniel bring some warm NC weather! 

18

It’s not real warm here in NC today! We have about an inch of ice on the ground…and expecting historic cold on Friday morning (right around 0 degrees Fahrenheit). What the deuce??

19

On second thought, you Carolina folks can keep your weather :smiley:  (And your hockey team that beat ours last night…!)



20

@DaFury Beat me to the punch. Because my fingers are frozen!!! We got 1 1/2 inches of sleet on the ground with a nice topping of a 1/4 inch of ice. My car did not even leave tracks in my driveway or street this morning it was so frozen solid. Fortunately I grew up in Illinois and Michigan so of course I think I am the only person that knows how to drive in this stuff.