Over the past few years, the team behind Tablo has added support for many mobile and streaming media devices so we can achieve our goal of becoming THE app for live TV and recorded broadcast programs on your internet-connected gadget of choice. Today we’re expanding that list to include gaming systems by launching an app for a brand new platform: Microsoft Xbox One.
*** Xbox One gaming systems have a native Tablo app, however the app is no longer being updated. ***
Starting right now, Tablo customers with an Xbox One (or Xbox One S) can download the Tablo app from the Xbox Store and begin watching live and recorded Over-the-Air TV on the same device they use to play blockbuster games like Fallout. So when yet another settlement asks you to stop looking for your missing son and lend a hand, you can hit save and watch some free TV instead, without having to ditch your controller for a remote or change inputs on your TV.
GET THE TABLO APP FOR XBOX ONE NOW!
Wait, Doesn’t Xbox Already Have an OTA DVR?
Cord cutters who use Xbox One as their home media hub were pretty stoked in the summer of 2015 when Microsoft announced plans for a DVR engine to go along with its single tuner OTA dongle. Those hopes were dashed earlier this year when Microsoft put the project on indefinite hold, leaving Xbox gamers without a seamless option for recording Over-the-Air TV.
DVR Functionality Not Coming To @Xbox… Well then, @TabloTV or @simpletv #XboxOne #failed #WhyWait #movingon #next https://t.co/jvALNz1TjJ
— Shannon Reca (@ShannonReca) June 9, 2016
We Heard You Wanted an OTA DVR for your Xbox…
When Microsoft axed its OTA DVR plans, we were putting the finishing touches on support for two new devices (Apple TV and LG Web OS Smart TVs) and were considering what to tackle next. A few Tablo users had already suggested we take look at gaming platforms, but the gaming community’s reaction to this news cemented the decision.
Absolutely hate my DVR from my cable company and very disappointed with @Xbox cancelling the planned OTA DVR. Not cool
— Brett Howse (@BrettHowse) June 11, 2016
@TabloTV well xbox one won’t have OTA DVR feature. https://t.co/Aw0o1TiQxC you guys going to do a Universal Windows app?
— Randy Hawkins (@JediRayjay) June 8, 2016
So We Made an OTA DVR for ALL Your Devices, Including Xbox
If you’re not familiar with Tablo, it’s a network-based OTA DVR. Because Tablo doesn’t connect directly to a single TV set like legacy DVRs, it can stream both live and recorded broadcast TV from your antenna to all of the devices inside your home, including your Xbox One.
Unlike the planned single tuner Microsoft OTA DVR, Tablo offers both 2- and 4-Tuner models which means you can watch or record up to four programs at once. It works with any Over-the-Air TV antenna.
Storage is virtually unlimited, just attach a USB hard drive. (We have tested Tablo with hard drives up to 8TB which equals approximately 2,000 hours of shows at the highest recording quality setting.)
If you want to know what you’ll need to use Tablo OTA DVR with your Xbox, there’s a handy checklist here.
What You Can Expect from the Tablo App for Xbox One
Today, the Tablo App for Xbox One gives you access to most of Tablo’s easy-to-use screens and features including:
- Playback of Live TV with pause and rewind capabilities
- Playback of recordings with pause, rewind and preview-enabled fast forward commercial skipping
- One-click scheduling for recordings including all NEW episodes or ALL episodes in a series or just a single show
- Grid-style Live TV guide to see programs airing right now, or later today
- Netflix-style TV guides so you can browse TV shows, Movies and Sports airing over the next two weeks
Additional TV guide filters and features will be added via app updates in the coming months.
The Tablo app for Xbox can also be used as a desktop app on PCs running Windows 10 – Anniversary Edition.
Tablo’s Optional Subscription Makes it Easy to Discover Content
Tablo’s Xbox app does not support Tablo Connect, our out-of-home streaming service, but all of our mobile device apps, our web-based app and some of our set-top-box apps do support browsing, recording and streaming TV from anywhere in the world.
Tablo Connect, as well as one-click series recording and access to some guide data views are only available to those with an optional Tablo Guide Data Subscription which is available for as little as $5 USD/month or $150 USD/lifetime.
Along with advanced features, the subscription gives you 14 days of rich TV guide data with series and episode details and beautiful cover art so you can discover shows you never knew you could get for free, in beautiful HD, without cable!
If you’d prefer not to subscribe to the Tablo Guide Data service, you can still view live TV and set manual recordings with your Xbox.
Game On!
If you’re ready to cancel cable and start watching free Over-the-Air TV on your Xbox, you’ll need a Tablo DVR and the Tablo app for Xbox.
To use the app, your Tablo DVR must be running the latest firmware (2.2.12). The Tablo app is not available for older model Xbox devices like the Xbox 360.
Tablo OTA DVRs are available for customers in the United States and Canada. Find out where to buy Tablo OTA DVRs on our store page.
