Tablo DVR via Roku: Cutting the cord

[@bgnjoe]

Glad to see Roku has the channel guide for Tablo now. When I cut the cable and went with Tablo a year ago, there was no channel guide for the Roku app, so I went with Fire TV. I've never been entirely happy with Fire TV, so might switch to Roku.

[@Oldman_Taylor]

Not sure when Roku added the Tablo channel. You can see that this vid was shot in March, of 2016. I had done plenty of research first, probably 3 months or so, before I cut the cord. So I would say Roku and Tablo had the channel out for all of 2016. It is rock solid.

[@dorianvocalartist]

thank you, this was very useful seing the actual experience

[@BuildTitan]

Thank you for you review and information. I am trying to decide on my solution and this really helped. I appreciate the time you took to make it and do not care how you say Roku or Tablo or whatever. These people don’t even make videos but judge your pronunciation. Who cares!!

[@voiceofreason314]

you know what buddy, it's a free country, you pronounce Roku however the heck you want :D

[@Oldman_Taylor]

Thanks, think I will!

[@eradic8orx54]

Lol!

[@compewterknut]

Thank you for this video

[@roberthansen2008]

The newest version you can channel surf. While you're watching a TV channel you can use the up and down keys to scroll through the channels and then hit the okay button and it will take you right to that channel. So they've improved that.

[@Oldman_Taylor]

Yes, its a great upgrade. The device I used in this video is still going strong, and the updates are free.

[@rebeccahill6287]

The delay loading channels doesn't seem any more than when pull OTA channels directly to my TV from my antenna. The Tablo doesn't seem to make it any worse... which is a good thing. I currently have an indoor antenna on every tv in my house, but since they are in different locations they don't all get the same number of channels. I am going to hook my Tablo up to the one getting the most channels so that all my tvs get the high number of channels. Do you know how the Tablo responds to extender networks? I have an extender router hooked up and I am wondering if it will be a problem for the TVs on the extender network.

[@Oldman_Taylor]

I run the same, with no effect. It will work just fine.

[@anthonyrospo7219]

HI Taylor Thanks for your video. I am interested in the antenna you are using. Right now I am using an 8 bay Channelmaster antenna good for 80 miles. I am currently waiting for the preamp to come in so that i can achieve solid signal in from the US. added to the system will be an apmlified 8 way distribution splitter so that I can send the signal to the future DVR system and TVs in the house. I would like to know how many miles can your dish antenna reach? what is the make and mode of the antenna? Thank you Kindly Anthony

[@mythosESveritas]

Which Roku model are you using? Since the performance of Rokus keep getting better, I'm wondering if newer models wouldn't have as much of a buffer when changing channels. Thanks

[@Oldman_Taylor]

I am using the Roku 3 - but honestly, the Roku has almost no lag. The buffering is from the Tablo.

[@dorianvocalartist]

the delay is in the Tablo as it does transcoding on the source ATSC signal before moving it across the ethernet to the Roku or other streaming device. It is the power of the Tablo processor that determines transcoding performance, and hence the perceived lag

[@coachturner2]

very helpful

[@vidyashankars]

You have Holu on your Ruku?

[@Oldman_Taylor]

I do. I use Netflix, Hulu, Tablo, Amazon Prime, and HBO GO. Will add Sling for football season, and drop HBO Go.

[@bigmike7801]

I see what you did there ;)

[@vidyashankars]

+bigmike7801 ;)

[@BennyUrena]

You need to add Mach tv plus 20. a month and you get all cable channels not perfect service but pretty close to it...

[@procommentr]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!7

[@andrewcox544]

you said it was not running on wifi and you were hard wired in. but I don't think you mentioned what your speeds are at for your internet service ? I am very curious thanks

[@Oldman_Taylor]

The TV signals are not off the internet- the internet only delivers the guide info. Except the guide, the TV and recording/playback will work with no internet. But, my internet when I made this video was about 20 Meg.

[@Oldman_Taylor]

Ya, sorry. It was knew to me. And now I don't feel like re-recording the entire audio to fix it. Hope its not too distracting.

[@dman34]

Which model roku do you own and which specific make and model antenna do you have plugged into the tablo?

[@Oldman_Taylor]

My Roku is the Roku 3 - its functionality is near identical to the cheaper Roku 2, with the added benefit of the headphone jack in the remote. Also pointing out, the remote uses the Wifi, not line of site - it doesnt have to be pointed at the base to work - making the headphone jack far more usable!

[@mbecker163]

Is there any way to record a channel off that is on the Roku device onto the Tablo? I am in a valley and have poor reception, but I have found a few channels on Roku that broadcast local stations.

[@Oldman_Taylor]

Wish you could Mark. The wording in the contents contracts prohibit it at the moment, so no. The Tablo only records off the antenna signal, not off the Roku.

[@BirdmanEnt]

random question - can you record shows on a DVR or this tablo from spectrum streaming tv app on roku?

[@Oldman_Taylor]

You can record all over the air shows on the dvr (your hard drive). This has nothing to do with Spectrum.

[@BirdmanEnt]

Well i was under the impression that i had to have the show/app running for me to record it when using the Spectrum app.. Ill give this a try this week. Thank you again

[@TheBlackedIP]

So is that all Tablo does? Record from an antenna the local channels? or can it access the guide of the dish's SlingTV in a Roku?

[@Oldman_Taylor]

The Tablo only process over the air signal from the antenna. One way to access it is through the Roku. The big difference between just watching over the air content on your TV and using the Tablo in between, it puts the signal on your network, instead of running a cable to the ant jack on your TV. This gives you DVR control of shows, on any device on your network, and portable devices away from home. Hope that clears that up. SO, when you launch the Roku home screen, you choose a "channel" to access its content. Tablo is one, Sling is another, Hulu is another, Netflix is another, and so on. They do not cross, or access each other at all.

[@talochka450]

Oldman Taylor н

[@TheBlackedIP]

I couldnt even say hello to PS vue as its region locked not for my area. No local channels either, thats also the thing I dont see Sling offering local channels as well. But good thing that they brought DVR since DirectTVNow said they would and haven't.

[@TheBlackedIP]

ok let me know how it goes

[@oakes1523]

Can't you just record all the shows you want and watch through that? I mean you don't have to watch it live live

[@chansfor]

So tablo DVR only records the OTA channels or programming from all sources?

[@Oldman_Taylor]

Unfortunately, only OTA. Communication from the Tablo is one way - to the Roku (or other device). The content on the other device does not go to the Tablo. There are restrictions on what can be recorded from the other content providers, and that set up insures you don't illegally record something from a different app.

[@dorianvocalartist]

the Tablo only records OTA to its DVR. If you want to record streaming content to a DVR consider the Tivo Bolt OTA or Tivo Edge

[@TheRadiojewe1]

I have streaming cable from my provider as an app(spectrum ) on Roku can i still dvr shows?

[@Oldman_Taylor]

You can dvr the live content from an over the air antenna OR stream from Spectrum - and switch in between with no problem. The Tablo WILL keep recording just fine, while you stream from Spectrum - but it will NOT record the streaming content.

[@daviddelgado5954]

Anyway to record from Roku? Using a computer maybe?

[@Oldman_Taylor]

Its not designed for that - in fact most of the streaming contracts that allow their shows to be streamed specifically disclude recording. That may change in the future, but thats how it is now. Recording live TV from the Tablo is easy, but from the Roku - that would be considered a hack.

[@dorianvocalartist]

if you want to record streaming content to a DVR consider the Tivo Bolt OTA or Tivo Edge

[@reptilexcq2]

It's not LIVE TV if it's not instant. Tablo is live tv handicapped.

[@Oldman_Taylor]

+reptilexcq2 Sure, 5-20 seconds behind. If thats a problem for some reason, you can run the cable from your antenna into a splitter. Then run one side into the TV. That will by-pass the Tablo on that device, giving you instant channel surfing, without the delay. You can still broadcast signal through your router to all your other devices, and record shows. And still access the recordings through a Ruku or other device on the tv with direct antenna.

[@thegizzard0]

Very helpful. Anyone watching WatchESPN or similar streaming channels is getting a similar delay. Non issue. Thanks again

[@luciusdark1455]

I don't care about over the air TV channels. How do I record from ROKU channels like Prime, HBO, CBS All Access.?

[@Oldman_Taylor]

Unfortunately, that cant be done with this type device. There is some strange legal issues that prevent it.

[@gumarro72]

What antenna are you using?

[@Oldman_Taylor]

Your antenna selection can be a little tricky - it depends entirely on how far you are from your stations, how many different directions, and what is in the way. You can use a site, like AntenaWeb www.antennaweb.org to help sort it out. I went with a much less powerful antenna than that site recommended - mine is the about $50 outdoor antenna from Walmart. I mounted it directly to my Direct TV mast, and used the existing Direct TV cable to get the signal inside. www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-Suburban-Mini-Yagi-Digital-Outdoor-Antenna-with-Mast/10828410

[@dougrobinson2024]

Did you say "roo koo"? haha

[@Oldman_Taylor]

LOl- when this thing was "new", I had only see it written. Thought about re-making this video - but dang, people are still finding it useful. Hate to reset the algo's on it!

[@tvtaran1]

Should have finished showing the game. Go Green!

[@judimohler1591]

then you only need a SINGLE tablo unit for 4 TV's

[@Oldman_Taylor]

If you get the 4 chanel Tablo, it can drive 4 different channels. You can run as many devices as you want, as long as they are all tuned to one of those 4 channels. In other words, yes, 4 tvs. And then take the game that is on TV1 with you on your phone to grab some chips from the store...

[@ruphio26]

ROku

[@Oldman_Taylor]

Ya, got that. Thanks.

[@bukalikat1019]

What the heck is Taboo

[@Oldman_Taylor]

A Tablo is a small piece of hardware that the TV antenna hooks up to. It then connects to your network, and broadcasts TV to any device that can receive it. In addition, it uses a hard drive to give you DVD features for regular, off the antenna programs.

[@Vinylfiend60]

It's pronounced "Row Coo" not "Roo Coo".

[@Oldman_Taylor]

Ya, over the last 3 years, one or 2 folks have helped me with that. Thanks for being sure I know now.

[@liquid79]

10-40 seconds to load each channel? 😳🤢🤮

[@Oldman_Taylor]

There have been some updates that have speed it up , but not tremendously. Ya, it can take near 1/2 a minute, if is a chanel you have not loaded in a while.

[@Vinylfiend60]

RooKoo? it's pronounced "Row coo" geesh!!!

[@fastacker2]

Lost me when you couldn't pronounce the name of the device you are supposedly the expert on. :)

[@Oldman_Taylor]

Not an expert on any of it. I had just got the system working, and just made a video about the parts and pieces. I had never heard then names of the Roku or Tablo spoken before. If it's not useful to you, move along.