Cord cutters: Has anyone tried Tablo, or SimpleTV as OTA DVRs?

earlster

Apr 6, 2015 at 1:40pm Edited

We're ready to cut the cord. Mostly we'll rely on Netflix, Hulu, etc. but we also want to be able to watch the local ABC, NBC, etc. channels either live, or recorded.
We already have an OTA antenna and reception is great, the picture is easily as good as HD cable. However, in order to have a better program guide and to also be able to record some series we are looking into Tablo, or SimpleTV to record shows and stream to multiple TV - Roku combinations in the house.
Has anybody here done this, and how are your experiences?

Tom_Reingold

Apr 7, 2015 at 8:53am

We haven't cut the cord yet but we probably will soon. We don't watch TV live any more. We watch using the networks' web sites. Where Apple TV doesn't have an app for a network (such as CBS), we use a laptop and connect it to the TV with an HDMI cable.

composerjohn

Apr 7, 2015 at 9:10am

Tom_Reingold said:
Where Apple TV doesn't have an app for a network (such as CBS), we use a laptop and connect it to the TV with an HDMI cable.

You can also use Chromecast. Don't have to worry about cables!

Tom_Reingold

Apr 7, 2015 at 10:59am

composerjohn said:
You can also use Chromecast. Don't have to worry about cables!

Good point. I don't own one, but we have several at work. They're pretty nifty. We are OK with having a long HDMI cable run across the living room floor.

earlster

Apr 8, 2015 at 6:12am

We only have Rokus. Does appletv allow to watch many of the regular stations?

Tom_Reingold

Apr 8, 2015 at 9:43am

Some, but not many. There is PBS. I can't remember the others. Roku has some advantages over Apple TV. Apple TV doesn't have an Amazon channel. Apple is the only device that has an HBO channel, though it costs a lot, $15/month. Soon, other devices will have this, though.

composerjohn

Apr 8, 2015 at 10:34am

Tom, Roku has HBO To Go as well.

wendy

Apr 8, 2015 at 10:51am

composerjohn said:
Tom, Roku has HBO To Go as well.

But according to this article Roku doesn't yet have HBO Now - To Go minus the cable - yet and only Apple TV does. As of April 7.
http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/7/8363811/hbo-now-apple-tv-hands-on

"If you don't have any Apple devices around, jumping in right now might not make the most sense. Cord cutting Android users will need to keep borrowing someone else's HBO Go login for now. In the months ahead, HBO Now should develop into a richer experience and one available on many more devices. But for right now, all you need is the internet — and Apple. Thankfully, an Apple TV will only cost you 69 bucks."

Tom_Reingold

Apr 8, 2015 at 1:04pm

HBOGo is for people who already have HBO in their cable subscriptions. You can't cut the cord and have HBOGo. HBONow, the service available with the Apple TV, is available as a standalone subscription. I don't think it's a great deal, at least not for me, but I'm reporting on its availability.

earlster

Apr 8, 2015 at 1:29pm

It seems in general that quite a few of the more mainstream streaming apps on the Roku, like ESPN, ABC, etc. all require a cable subscription, which to me kind of defeats the purpose. Especially all the traditional stations ABC, CBS, NBC, etc. are all available for free OTA, but their streaming apps are not, seems misguided to me. They could do target advertisments and what not to make some money, but I guess the cable companies have found some loophole to hold them hostage, and by extension the cable customers.

Tom_Reingold

Apr 8, 2015 at 1:42pm

I agree! I think most of us would agree! And it's only a matter of time before they change their policies.

But one thing I fear is that we end up paying $2/month for NBC, $3/month for CBS, $15/month for HBO, etc until our total spending is more than our current cable bill. And all because we didn't want to be buying bundles that included stuff we don't watch.

wendy

Apr 8, 2015 at 2:00pm

Tom_Reingold said:
I agree! I think most of us would agree! And it's only a matter of time before they change their policies.

But one thing I fear is that we end up paying $2/month for NBC, $3/month for CBS, $15/month for HBO, etc until our total spending is more than our current cable bill. And all because we didn't want to be buying bundles that included stuff we don't watch.

Not gonna happen. HBO now is competing with Netflix. Plain and simple. And all of us will be able to pay for/access HOB Now after the Apple people get past their 3 month exclusive. Do the research folks.

TarheelsInNj

Apr 8, 2015 at 2:13pm

I agree, I find it puzzling that the networks wouldn't want to increase exposure for their shows by offering them free. They don't have a good mechanism in place for measuring viewership (either for ratings or for advertising) which makes no sense to me since arguably it's much easier to measure accurately than traditional TV!

ABC transitioned to a cable subscriber-only system last year on their app and website, but it looks like they've backpedaled a bit by only requiring it for the most recent episode.

Tom_Reingold

Apr 9, 2015 at 8:04am

wendy, I hope I'm wrong and you're right. While I don't like the rates for HBO shows, I think the quality is outstanding and consistent.

wendy

Apr 9, 2015 at 8:21am

Agreed. However, HBO is a premium channel with no commercials, unlike AMC which had produced some outstanding stuff too like Breaking Bad (with commercials). The cable tiers of packaging are still alive and well. HBO was losing out to Amazon and Netflix as far as trying to reach that audience as well. Many who didn't pay for HBO but paid for Netflix will now include HBO Now in their viewing budget.

earlster

Apr 15, 2015 at 2:09pm Edited

To follow up on this. I now have a 2 tuner TabloTV https://www.tablotv.com/, a Western Digital Elements 1TB drive and an OTA antenna from Costco, as well as a Roku for our main TV. The antenna and Roko existed before. The TabloTV is hooked up to my home network via cabled ethernet, not WiFi.

I can now watch live TV as well as recorded shows on the TV attached to the Roku, my smartphone and tablet as well as in a browser on my computer.

I can schedule recordings with the same easy and options as on my cable box. I also have a great on-screen program guide and great picture quality and ease of use overall.

There is a fee associated with the program guide, $5 per month, to $149 lifetime, but that still beats cable by magnitudes.

Tom_Reingold

Apr 16, 2015 at 6:20am

I like that Tablo!

earlster

Apr 16, 2015 at 7:26am

Nice avatar Tom. You can win the Giro d'Italia with that outfit oh oh

sac

Apr 16, 2015 at 9:29am

What earlster said!

Tom_Reingold

Apr 16, 2015 at 9:36am

Thank you. My friend shot me as I was suiting up to race last summer at Kissena Velodrome.

Apollo_T

Apr 19, 2015 at 4:40pm

We have fios w/ 2 dvrs and 1stb. We'd like to eliminate the boxes(monthly rental) w/ own dvrs and NO loss in capacity or quality. Is this doable? If yes(I hope, I hope!!!) please explain in a way that EVEN I can understand.

THANKS

earlster

Apr 20, 2015 at 2:28pm

So if I understand you right, you want to keep Fios for the TV content, just replace the Fios box that you're renting for $$$ every month with a box you own yourself with no recurring cost.

This would be what's called a cable-card DVR. Unfortunately I don't know to much about those, since I'm interested in getting rid of cable for all services, except internet. Getting my TV programming 'over the air', or through Netflix, Hulu, etc.

Apollo_T

Apr 20, 2015 at 3:00pm

earlster said:
So if I understand you right, you want to keep Fios for the TV content, just replace the Fios box that you're renting for $$$ every month with a box you own yourself with no recurring cost.
EXACTLY!!!
Fios tv has been terrific; quality and reliability are great. We wouldn't want to tamper with a winner. Renting the various boxes for a total of approx. $600/yr is not so terrific. This is a return to the bad old days of having to rent your telephones. That practice was struck down by the courts (I think it's called unfair bundling) We'd love to buy our own dvrs just we all do with our phones. I wonder why this hasn't gone to/thru the courts; how much more on point can you get?
This would be what's called a cable-card DVR. Unfortunately I don't know to much about those, since I'm interested in getting rid of cable for all services, except internet. Getting my TV programming 'over the air', or through Netflix, Hulu, etc.
Maybe later. Right now one step at a time.

earlster

Apr 21, 2015 at 5:54am

I think a TiVo for cablecard would fit your bill.

scottgreenstone

Apr 21, 2015 at 6:59am

Tom_Reingold said:
Thank you. My friend shot me as I was suiting up to race last summer at Kissena Velodrome.

You are racing in the Velodrome with hairy legs like that - you are nuts.

Tom_Reingold

Apr 21, 2015 at 10:02am

scottgreenstone said:

Tom_Reingold said:
Thank you. My friend shot me as I was suiting up to race last summer at Kissena Velodrome.

You are racing in the Velodrome with hairy legs like that - you are nuts.

Heh. I may shave this year, to my wife's consternation. The Twilight Series starts tomorrow, and I'm not ready. I better get ready! I haven't even gotten on my track bike in months.

Apollo_T

Apr 21, 2015 at 1:05pm

Earlster,

Thanks for your thoughts. I spent some time last night reading about CableCARD. of course there are a bunch of questions-I'll be pursuing those.

CableCARD is another rental item from cable comp. It works on one-way transmission, so various 'interactive' features are NOT available. This is bc you have no way to signal what you want. These missing features include video on demand, pay-per-view, interact, tv guide and other things. Of these only tv guide is an issue for me... $600/yr for that ain't worth it!

One question I have is: Does CC have capacity to play more than one channel at a time?

I've heard of tivo... isn't that where we would buy their box $x00 then pay monthly fees? How do(es) their service(s) compare to excellent quality of fios? content is NOT a fios issue.

earlster

Apr 21, 2015 at 4:46pm

Apollo,

CC certainly has some drawbacks as you mentioned, no pay-per-view and on demand. As for program guide, that should come with the TiVo. But of course TiVo will also charge you a monthly fee, just not as much as $600 a year (are you sure about that number, that seems excessive just for the equipment rental fees).

Looks like the TiVo Roamio DVR's allow recording of up to 6 simultaneous channels, depending on the model. https://www.tivo.com/shop/roamio#/roamio

ParticleMan

Apr 22, 2015 at 12:02pm

I believe you need a cable card for each tuner, correct?

qrysdonnell

Apr 22, 2015 at 1:06pm

I have two older TiVo Premieres hat I have working with FiOS via cable cards. The cards are $5 a month, and the TiVo service is $12.50/month. We have to pay for both TiVos to have service, but from what I understand with the Roamio you can get one main TiVo ($399) and then use TiVo Minis ($149) and you only need service once.
So at some point in the future you'll save some money, but you'd have to spend a bit now to eventually get there.