“Cord cutters” who ditch their cable subscriptions can still get access to the major broadcast networks, like CBS or ABC, for free by just installing an antenna. But the problem with this system is that you actually have to watch the program at the scheduled time, or have a DVR tied just to your TV.
For those who have fled TV and live mostly in the world of Netflix and Hulu, the idea of not being able to watch shows whenever they want, on whatever platform they are in the mood for, can be irritating.
Tablo is a device that solves this problem by recording broadcast TV and letting you play it back whenever you want. And, whereas traditional DVRs connect to a single TV via an HDMI cable, Tablo uses Wi-Fi to let you stream those recorded shows on any (compatible) device you want.
You could watch on a TV connected to a Roku, your iPhone, your laptop — the list goes on.
And since Tablo records the shows to any external hard drive you plug in, the amount of shows you could record is theoretically endless. A Tablo representative said the biggest hard drive they have tested is 8 terabytes, which is a gargantuan amount of shows.
At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Tablo announced a few new devices that it works with, notably the Apple TV and all LG smart TVs. These join an impressive list that includes Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV and iOS or Android phones and tablets.
The standard Tablo 2-Tuner (which can record two shows at once) retails for $219.99. And Tablo’s premium subscription, which gives you a bunch of extra features, is $4.99 per month.
