Hello, this is my fourth post on this forum so far.
My biggest gripe with the Tablo TV OTA unit is that it does not offer the option of hooking the unit up directly to a television like a DVD player or VCR. Everything must be wired into a live internet connection.
Why can’t Tablo improve this by allowing users who have already recorded programs to watch them on a TV without having to be online or have an effective, working internet connection. HDMI out jack(s) and an A/V output would be a plus.
Also, is there a way to watch recorded programs on the Tablo TV OTA unit without having to have an internet connection. I fear the answer is no.
I think TiVo Roamio beats Tablo to the punch when it come to the aforementioned things that are needed for me to be 100% sold permanently on the Tablo TV device. These are my biggest complaints.
My next purchase will probably be a TiVo Roamio 4-tuner unit. Tablo needs on making these improvements.
You don’t necessarily need an Internet connection. You do need a local LAN connection to a streaming device connected to the TV (or smart TV with Tablo app). Some streamer platforms require an Internet connection at some times, but not all.
The Tablo is designed to work with streamer boxes or smart TVs. Adding an HDMI output on the Tablo box is essentially the same as building in a streamer output. That’s not the design goal.
Do you actually have a Tablo? If so, what streaming devices are you using with it?
I can’t imagine the Tablo ever having TV outputs. There are more media streaming devices now than ever before, and the Tablo works on all of them. The Tablo is so much more useful as an app on a streaming device.
Apples and oranges. They are designed for different applications. I supplement my Tablo with a Mediasonic Homeworx DVR which has an HDMI output. For $30 with no monthly fees it’s a no brainer.
Current trends favor streaming applications such as provided by Tablo.
See my thread “Backup to My Tablo” for some considerations about having both:
The Homeworx (and clones such as iView) is great for recording sports events in native (OTA) mpeg2 format which is better than Tablo’s MP4 for picture quality. Plus it’s usable for projectors as a tuner with time shifting. Personally I prefer having Tablo + Homeworx over upgrading my Tablo from 2 to 4 tuner. At $30 it’s not much of a cost. I feel safe having an inexpensive backup should anything happen to my Tablo.
Yes, records only one program at a time. This adds a third program option to my 2 channel Tablo. More importantly it provides instant channel switching, pause/resume, and on the fly recording from live. And of course uncompressed OTA signal delivered via HDMI output and no internet required.
Not an elegant performer but gets the job done and has the advantage of flash drive storage for portability. You could use several I suppose (one for each TV) and still be dollars ahead without monthly fees, but as I said not a refined performer and the remote is a hassle. Luckily I was able to program most of the necessary functions onto my Harmony 650 remote.
As mentioned before, a nice inexpensive adjunct to (not a replacement for) Tablo.
Not only is it a supplementary tuner (in addition to the Tablo) but it also is a check on the Tablo. I’ve noticed here and at other forums where a Homeworx type DVR can get a channel when some other expensive, more complex DVR is failing. The complexity of most DVRs causes all sorts of unanticipated problems whereas the simplistic Homeworx will just chug along doing its thing. The simpler the device, the better as a backup and alternative it is. So it’s not bad having this simplistic digital VCR type device sitting there in the background ready to go at such a low price. Like having a bicycle in the garage as backup to one’s car LOL. It’ll get you there…