In general, buffering is usually caused by a slowdown in device-to-device communication on your home WiFi network.
This can be the case even if you have a 'fast' internet package from your internet service provider, and if other apps that use external internet access (like Netflix) work without buffering.
How To Resolve Buffering Problems
There are a few changes you can make to your Tablo's setup to eliminate or reduce buffering.
Open the Tablo app and navigate to the Settings menu.
Under the 'Recording quality' section switch to 'HD 720p - 3Mbps'. This new setting will become active for all future recordings and Live TV - it will not become active for any old recordings.
Live TV has a separate setting that you can toggle. If you are experiencing buffering on Live TV as well, we recommend adjusting this quality.
Note: This Setting is only available on Legacy Network Tablo DVR models. This is not applicable to the Legacy TV-Connected Tablos, or the new Tablo 4th Generation. However, the rest of the troubleshooting techniques noted below are applicable to all Tablo models.
Next, scroll to the bottom of the Settings page and turn OFF the 'Enable fast live TV startup' toggle.
If reducing the recording and Live TV quality improves your experience, your buffering is almost certainly related to a slowdown on your home network.
If you continue to have buffering problems even after reducing the quality settings, try checking and improving the WiFi signal quality on your streaming device. If the WiFi signal is weak, you may need to improve the position of your WiFi router or replace it with a newer, more powerful router.
Unwilling to continue using a lower recording or live TV quality, or are unable to upgrade your router? Try hardwiring your Tablo directly to your router with an Ethernet cable.
As the Tablo's video is sent directly over your router's network. Poor Wi-Fi connectivity will result in buffering, while an Ethernet connection is generally significantly faster and more stable.
If you would like to learn more about how to solve buffering issues, visit our blog, where we go over the Cord Cutter’s Guide to Streaming HD Video Without Buffering.
Buffering Resulting from Unsupported Storage
Less frequently, we have seen buffering caused by using an unsupported type of storage with the Tablo - for example USB Flash Drives or external hard drives in external enclosures - or from a failing hard drive.
To troubleshoot this, disconnect your hard drive from the Tablo and begin to stream a Live TV channel. If you see no buffering, or fewer instances of buffering, your storage choice is likely at fault.
To solve this, simply switch to a supported storage method and/or a brand new hard drive.
NOTE - It is not currently possible to transfer recordings from one hard drive to another.
