BETA: Support for Tablo tuners (Gen 3)

Channels DVR Server
#1

Update: Tablo support has ended in Channels DVR Server. The beta period proved it to be unreliable. There may be third party projects they help you get Tablo tuners into Channels, but our support has ended.

The latest DVR prerelease now includes native support for Tablo tuner hardware. Once your Tablo is setup, simply Scan Network in Channels DVR and your Tablo will show up to configure and use.

While Tablo support can work, it is not an officially supported tuner as it does not have an open API we can rely on working in the future. For now, it can work. Please do not making buying decisions based on this support. If you're looking to buy a tuner for Channels, purchase an HDHomeRun networked TV tuner, which is officially supported.

This is based on the docker solution we released last year: Tablo for Channels

If you have Tablo tuner hardware, try it out and leave your feedback below.

9 Likes
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#2
#3

Connected my Tablo (an older 4-tuner version) to my network. Decided to test it on my backup Channels DVR server (my Shield). Initially had a few intermittent failures, tuning errors. Cycled power on the Tablo and tested for several hours without any failures at all. It does seem to take several sec longer to start playing a channel. I was using a Firestick 4k Max as my test client. I can test more tomorrow, do some recordings.

3 Likes
#4

Did more testing with Tablo today. Tried to record from the Tablo, but even though I am using a test server and set the priority to Tablo, it would always use the HDHomerun units for recordings. I decided to setup an isolated network to run further testing. Now I could not really get more than one stream running, the second stream would always error out after a few seconds. Trying to play a recording in progress was almost impossible. Not sure I want to put more effort into getting my Tablo to work with Channels, although it would be nice to have it as a backup.

5 Likes
#5

I started Channels DVR without an HDHomerun unit only a Tablo that I have been using for a couple of years. I did not attempt to setup the tuner and then it just showed up with all the local channels. It works great thank you for your work on this. I was amazed when it just appeared. You guys are awesome.

3 Likes
#6

That's wonderful news. I don't have a Tablo tuner yet but I was interested in the 4 tuner ATSC-3 model as Silicon Dust's latest tuner just has 2 ATSC-1 and 2 ATSC-3 tuners.

Any comments out there on the db gain of the Tablo compared to the Silicon Dust model?

Is this a solution that will be persistent or can Tablo make firmware changes that will lock us out?

Thanks for all you do!

3 Likes
#7

Tablo has stated that their ATSC3 tuners will only work with HDMI out, and cannot stream over the network to other devices or apps. So they probably won't appear in or be usable by Channels.

1 Like
#8

I'm sure they've got their reasons but to me it seems like they've boxed themselves in. (Or fenced us out!)

2 Likes
#9

Oh wow. So I just noticed this upgrade, so I updated my server, she there it was! My Tablo quad tuner showed up!

But I have a question....
If I have the same channels from the HDHR and from the Tablo. It only shows one in the guides, and it doesn't say from which one it is. So if I tune to a channel I have no way of knowing if it will tune to HDHR or to the Tablo.
Is there a way to tell them apart?
Or is this meant to work only if I don't already have a HDHR?

1 Like
#10

During my testing, I decided to setup a second local network and DVR server with only the Tablo tuner available. I didn't want my Tablo testing to mess with my main DVR system. So far, I haven't been able to get more than one channel to stream at the same time from my Tablo. If I record or play one channel and then try start another channel, it will play for a couple of seconds and then error out. Also the recordings are having a fast-forward/rewind problem. I haven't sent any diagnostics yet as I am still trying to verify my setup is good.

1 Like
#11

Found out why my Tablo was not working properly. I had removed the external usb storage since I was only using the tuner function, but apparently it needs at least some external storage for temporary buffers. Now my Tablo seems to be working very good with Channels. Channels may have some difficulty determining if all the Tablo tuners are in use, but still testing.

3 Likes
#12

Tablo is not showing up in my list of custom channels, it was working previously any tips on how to get it back? I am running 2022.11.15.1908 Stable

#13

You need to update to a pre-release version. Tablo support is not in the stable version.

1 Like
#14

I'm running Channels DVR 2022.11.15.1908 (I've never ran Pre-Release) on macOS and this showed up for me:

Screen Shot 2022-11-16 at 6.39.04 PM
Screen Shot 2022-11-16 at 6.39.04 PM816×359 52.8 KB

I think I did have to click the little gear next to Add Source and select "Scan Network". Then the Tablo showed up.

While it's a neat addition to Channels, I kinda wish there was a way to tell Channels to ignore the Tablo. I'm hoping that by not setting it up it will leave it alone. Kinda want to keep the two worlds separate.

1 Like
#15

If you don't assign it data/location, the DVR will not use it.

1 Like
#16

I have the latest prod version of Channels, v2022.11.15.1908. Tablo just appeared as a source even though I didn't have plans to add it. Is there a way to force Channels to ignore my Tablo as a tuner? I have 3 other HDHR units that I have dedicated to my Channels DVR, and I want to make sure that shows are being recorded via that instead of the Tablo.

#17

I believe if you do not assign guide/provider info for the tuner, the DVR (and therefore the clients, too) will not use it.

1 Like
#19

You have to also disable them in the Clients ... The Clients will use them. If in the sources, they have priority at the client.

1 Like
#20

Do the clients see a Tablo? I thought they only saw SD tuners?

1 Like
#21

Oh I did not know that. Thanks for the Info noting it.

So How do you watch LIVETV without tuner sharing ? just curious.