NEW Off-Topic: 4th Gen Tablo TV

[wardmundy]

For those that ever or never tried Tablo TV for free TV service in order to watch old shows, you probably need to buy one of the new 4th gen models. All the gotchas are gone. Even in the mountains, we're getting over 100 interrupt-free, over-the-air channels. They will probably go on sale in the next few weeks for Black Friday. Also check eBay. We're loving ours and, buying direct, I think we only paid about $50 since we had a pizza box antenna sitting in a closet. Here's why from the Google Machine:

That "night-and-day" difference you are experiencing is the direct result of Scripps pouring its broadcasting resources into rebuilding the platform from scratch. They completely re-engineered the hardware and interface to make free, over-the-air TV as seamless as a premium streaming service.

The shift in ownership explains exactly why your new 4th Gen model feels so different from the legacy device:

• Zero Subscription Fees: Scripps makes its money from TV broadcasting and advertising, not tech subscriptions. Because of this, they completely eliminated the old $5/month (or $150 lifetime) guide data fee that the original Canadian startup, Nuvyyo, had to charge just to keep the lights on.
• Integrated Streaming (FAST) Channels: Because Scripps owns networks like ION, Bounce, and Grit, they designed the 4th Gen to blend over-the-air antenna channels seamlessly with over 70+ free streaming channels right in the same guide.
• Built-In Storage: The legacy models required you to go out and buy your own external hard drive just to get started. Scripps added internal storage right out of the box to make it a true plug-and-play device.
• Onboard Decoders: The 4th Gen decodes the heavy MPEG-2 broadcast signal right on the unit, which drastically improves buffering times and cuts down on the network strain that used to plague the older "crap" models.

Scripps essentially turned what used to be a niche, tech-heavy hobbyist tool into a polished, mainstream consumer product to help protect the future of free broadcast television.

 

[steve54301]

The epic fail is it doesn't appear to support Nextgen/ATSC 3.0.

 

[wardmundy]

I wouldn't call that an "epic fail." Local stations continue to simulcast in ATSC 1.0 alongside ATSC 3.0 to maintain compatibility with older household TVs. I'm not sure everyone is ready to sign on to the DRM feature set that ATSC 3 brings to the table for broadcasters. If you hate skipping commercials, then you'll love ATSC 3.

Also keep in mind this is a $50 device. NextGen TVs typically add $75 to $100 to the cost of a television. So... check back next year for the $150 Tablo model.

 

[KNERD]

For those that ever or never tried Tablo TV for free TV service in order to watch old shows, you probably need to buy one of the new 4th gen models. All the gotchas are gone. Even in the mountains, we're getting over 100 interrupt-free, over-the-air channels. They will probably go on sale in the next few weeks for Black Friday. Also check eBay. We're loving ours and, buying direct, I think we only paid about $50 since we had a pizza box antenna sitting in a closet. Here's why from the Google Machine:

With UHF being a higher frequency which means less obstacle penetration and distance, I wonder how you are able to get so many channels. Need an antenna on a pole?