I bought a new Tablo 2-tuner device yesterday and set it up this evening. It seems to work just fine on my desktop computer through my home network. I tried to watch live television on my Android smartphone via the Verizon network, but it only offered me a selection of recording. I am on my 30 day trial subscription. I have not paid for a Guide Subscription yet. Is it likely that I will be able to watch this through a desktop computer away from my home network tomorrow? Do I need to pay for a Guide Subscription before the Web-based app will work?
The desktop you want to watch on MUST first be paired with Tablo, then you can. I watch on my laptop at work and Starbucks. We have requested a different method but @TabloTV hasn’t done yet.
While you are on any kind of subscription (paid or trial), Tablo Connect (the remote access feature of the Tablo) is available.
You do have to do two things beforehand.
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When you go into settings on most of the apps (the one on your computer will work well), make sure that “Tablo Connect” is checked, and the status is “Your Tablo is ready for remote access.” If that isn’t your status, then you likely need to do some configuration on your router to make it work (do a forum search for more info).
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Once that is working, any device that you want to use remotely has to connect to your Tablo on your home network first. This is called “pairing”. So your plan likely won’t work, since it sounds like your remote desktop isn’t part of your home network.
Thank you for the reply. The “Tablo Connect” is checked and the status is “Your Tablo is ready for remote access.”
I was hoping to use this away from home, but you are correct my remote desktop isn’t part of my home network. I guess I misunderstood what they meant by watching away from home.
OK, but you could watch on a ipad, phone or laptop.
… if paired on the local network first (that is, access the Tablo on the local network first).
This is the most ridiculous product restriction! How about a simple user ID and password? This “pairing” requirement breaks for me pretty much every time I try to use it.
I am a big fanboy of Tablo, but I will not recommend this device to anyone until this restriction is removed. I just won’t take the chance of recommending this product to friends or family and then let this “feature” be discovered by the new user. They will think I am an idiot . . . or at least it will be confirmed for them!
Tablo - it is time to wise up and fix this irritating feature. Until then, you have made the only sale you will make within my sphere of influence. I love your product, but hate this feature. I could recommend Tablo to all my cord cutting friends and family, but I just can’t do it.
I don’t think Tablo support have ever responded to these posts with a rationale since it hasn’t really turned out to be ‘easier to use’. I’ve always wondered if it was a position related to proving their product is for personal use instead of rebroadcast (trying to avoid a file-sharing legal confrontation). A username/password could be sold / shared with others all over the world, but the requirement for the viewing device to have first been on the same local network drops that pool of devices to a small group much more likely to be restricted to close friends and family.
It would be great if Tablo would explain why they’ve stuck to this approach over a username/password approach.
Can be complicated but one option would be to set up a VPN into your home network, make the initial connection through that.
If your upload internet speed is fast enough you can run Tablo across the VPN and I have found the experience a bit more fluid, especially in skipping forward and backward.
If your upload internet isn’t fast enough, then just make the initial connection through the VPN, disconnect and from that point on you should be “paired”.
I am beginning to understand this better now. When I read that it would allow me to view television remotely, I incorrectly assumed that it mean you would simply log in with a username and password, much like Slingbox.
Fortunately, I bought this locally, from my neighborhood Micro Center. I will return this to them in a few days.
Does anybody happen to know if there have been any changes on this yet? Or does the computer still need to be “paired” to watch live streaming over the air television? Also, is it still possible to view live content without subscribing to the guide?
Pairing is still required.
Of course, without a guide subscription you can watch live TV, setup manual recordings, and also watch these recordings.