The 4th generation Tablo has two over-the-air TV tuners.
The primary function of these tuners are to decode the signal coming in from your over-the-air TV antenna, but they also perform other functions.
The 4th generation Tablo also has two 'virtual' tuners used to stream and record free streaming channels.
An over-the-air tuner is required for:
- Watching a live Over-the-Air antenna TV program
- Recording an Over-the-Air antenna TV program
An over-the-air tuner is NOT required for:
- Watching a completed Over-the-Air antenna TV recording
Over-the-air tuners are also used for:
- Generating fast-forward previews on ALL completed recordings
- Archiving antenna TV recordings when using onboard storage
A virtual tuner is required for:
- Watching a live free streaming TV program
- Recording a free streaming TV program
A virtual tuner is NOT required for:
- Watching a completed free streaming TV recording
This means that the 4th generation Tablo can support up to two concurrent antenna TV streams or recordings AS WELL AS up to two concurrent free TV streams or recordings.
For example, at the same time across all of the smart TVs, streaming, and mobile devices in your home, you can:
- Watch a live over-the-air antenna TV program in the living room
- Record a live over-the-air antenna TV program on another channel
- Watch a free streaming program in the family room
- Record a free streaming channel
OR
- Watch a live over-the-air antenna TV program in the living room
- Watch a live over-the-air antenna TV program in the family room
- Watch a completed over-the-air antenna TV recording in the bedroom
- Record a free streaming program
- Watch a free streaming program in the kitchen
Seeing a Tuner Reassigned Error Message?
Recordings take precedence over live TV streams, so your live TV session may end if a tuner is needed for a recording. You can however un-schedule the recording in question and return to watching live TV if you prefer.
Tuner Math Recap
| Tablo Actions | Requires Tuners? YES / NO |
2-Tuner Max Concurrent Actions |
| Watching live OTA antenna TV | YES | 2 live streams |
| Recording OTA antenna TV | YES | 2 in-progress recordings |
| Watching a completed OTA antenna recording | NO | Up to 6* |
| Watching a live free streaming channel | YES | 2 live streams |
| Recording a free streaming channel | YES | 2 in-progress recordings |
| Watching a completed free streaming recording | NO |
Up to 6* |
| Generating fast-forward previews on ALL completed recordings | YES |
N/A** |
| Archiving completed OTA antenna recordings | YES |
N/A** |
*Depending on the quality of your home Wi-Fi network.
** Generating fast-forward previews and/or archiving of completed OTA antenna recordings (when using onboard storage) will be delayed until an over-the-air tuner is available.
