Reconnecting Tablo Connect

A while back, I set up and used Tablo Connect. I had purchased an antenna for my mother's house, and set up Tablo locally. I was going to put up an antenna at my house, but decided to try Tablo Connect. It worked great.

After my sisters leased the house to a couple, I set up Air TV for them, and disconnected Tablo Connect. They've moved, and I got with my sister and set up Tablo for her, and set up Tablo Connect for use at my house. It works again.

The only problem with Tablo Connect is that it only works with network connected Legacy Tablo devices. That means the new 4th Generation devices don't support Tablo Connect. You can't watch TV from another location. You have to be on the same network.

Okay, there is another problem with Tablo Connect. Roku isn't supported. I use Chromecast to watch via Tablo Connect. I could use Fire TV instead, but I use Chromecast, because I like it better. And, you have to use the Legacy Tablo app, as the new Tablo App doesn't support Tablo Connect.

Also, you have to set up the device on the home network, but once you do that, you can take it to your other network and use it there.

Your device must be 'paired' with your Tablo on your Tablo's home network for Tablo Connect to work. Pairing is accomplished simply by syncing your device with your Tablo while you’re at home.

Devices that currently support Tablo Connect include:

• PC/Mac
• iOS & Android smartphones
• iOS & Android tablets
• Android TV
• Amazon Fire TV

Tablo Connect is not yet supported on Roku or the native Apple TV app. Apple TVs can however Airplay content from paired iOS devices.

Once paired, Tablo and your app communicate and confirm a secure authentication, all without having to remember and type in a password. Then, when you're away from home, your Tablo Connect-enabled device will know it's away and will contact our server to remember how to reach the Tablo in your home.

While I prefer to use my Chromecast, I can also watch it on a mobile device.

I'm extremely happy with Tablo Connect. I just wish the new 4th Generation Tablo devices supported it. My Steaming Life has had a Tablo Connect sized hole in it for a couple of years. I'm glad to have it back.

Do you need a streaming device if you already have a smart TV?

First, know that I am a fan of streaming devices. I think Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Google/Android TV devices are good options for streaming. But what if you already have a smart TV? Suppose your TV already has apps. Should you get a Roku, Fire TV, or other device? The answer to that question is easy: maybe.

Many smart TVs include one of the above-mentioned systems as the "smarts" of the smart TV. You can find Roku TV devices. Those are TVs that include the Roku software. You can also find TVs with Fire TV or Android/Google TV built in. You turn then on, and there is the Fire TV or Android/Google TV menu.

If you have one of those TVs -- Roku TV, built in Fire TV, or built in Android/Google TV -- then you really don't need a streaming device attached. Unless of course you want to. Why would you want to? Well, there is actually a good reason, which I'll cover shortly.

If your smart TV does not use one of those platforms, then I'm going to suggest that you look seriously into adding one of those platforms to the TV.

Sure, a lot of people like the WebOS (LG TVs) or Tizen OS (Samsung TVs) interface. I don't. If you have one of these, and like it, then you're good. You don't need anything else. Well, probably.

For me, the last time I bought a TV that wasn't a smart TV was around 20 years ago. Maybe longer. On the last non-smart TV I had, I put a Roku and Apple TV device. That was in 2010 (it was already on older TV). The last few TVs I bought all had built-in smarts. I tried them, but didn't really like them.

You see, I had used Roku and Apple TV, so I knew just how good a streaming device could be. I had experience with a faster, more robust system, and the built-in system didn't come close. If I had not had Roku or Apple TV experience, I may have been satisfied, but since I was familiar, I wasn't going to put up with it, so I kept using Roku, Apple TV, etc., bypassing the build-in systems.

But what if  you have smart TV that is one of the major platforms? Should you put a separate streaming device on it? Maybe.

Once, I had use of a Roku TV for about a year. It was an okay experience, but I really didn't care for it. I was used to a better quality Roku device. This was a cheap Roku TV, and it was sluggish compared to a Roku Ultra, or even a Roku Stick. So, I put a Roku Stick on it. I liked the Roku interface, but the device was not performing as I liked. I had a Roku Stick, so I put it on the Roku TV. So I converted my Roku TV to a Roku TV.

In a bedroom, I have a good quality Roku TV. Excellent TV. Great picture. Responsive Roku interface. But as I was testing Google TV, and I put a Chromecast on it. I was using Chromecast on my primary TV, but to fully try out Google TV, I put one on my second TV as well. I wanted all the TVs to use the same interface.

So, depending on personal preference, and the abilities of the family members, you may want to consider buying a device even with one of the top tiers platforms on your TV. If your family members prefer, or if you prefer, something like Amazon Fire TV above all else, and if your TV has Google TV built in, or even Roku TV, then sure, go ahead and add a Fire TV device to it. Or if you really like Apple TV, put that on your TV, even if it's a good quality Roku TV, Android/Google TV, Fire TV, WebOS, Tizen OS, or any other platform.

My Streaming Life is easier when all my TVs use the same interface. You may or may not care. Essentially, do whatever makes your Streaming Life run better.

Is a live streaming package necessary?

The question many people ask when they cut the cord or start streaming is "How can I still watch TV like I'm used to watching it?"

The answer is, you can't. You may be able to watch the same content, but the experience won't be the same.

Is the difference difficult? For some people, it is. But for most people, it's really not that difficult. It wasn't for me. I'm not a young person. I'm older, and I had no trouble with it.

So, how do you determine how difficult it will be? Let me answer the question with a question: How upset do you get when the cable company changes the channel numbers, or drops a channel and replaces it with something else? If you throw a hissy fit, you won't like switching from cable to streaming. Then again, you won't like cable for long, because they will change the channels.

If you can deal with it, then you'll be just fine.

Have you ever moved? I mean, really moved? To a different city? Or to a different place that didn't have the same cable service? That took some getting used to. Finding out where the old channels now were. What new channels you have. What old channels you lost. But you dealt with it, right?

It's not exactly the same when you go to streaming, but there is a difference. Just like when moving to where there's a different cable system, you'll find it different, but still much the same. You have the shows you want to watch. You just need to find where they now are.

Here's where I'm a little different. I think you should ask yourself if you really need live streaming. How much do you have to watch when it airs? How much can not wait until a few hours later? Just how big of a deal is that?

If you already DVR most of the stuff you watch, you are already not using your live TV setup. Your DVR is functioning as an on-demand service.

Why does this matter? Well, what's the difference between $7 and $73? That's the difference between Hulu standard service, which includes a lot of current season TV content available hours after airing (like a DVR) and Hulu + Live TV service, which has that, plus live TV.

Yes, Hulu + Live TV also has some programming that's not part of standard Hulu. But is it worth $66/month, every month? That's $792/year.

Even if you decided that you needed live streaming during certain times of the year -- say during March Madness, College Bowl season, or some other specific time of year -- you could easily add a live streaming service during that part of the year. The savings won't be as great, but it will be significant.

However, saving money isn't the only reason people stream. Some simply like the benefit of having more control of their TV, watching content on their own schedule.

Whatever your reason or primary benefit there is for streaming, you should always be able to make the best decision about what's right for you. Is it extra work? Yes, at first. But is the benefit worth the extra work? Maybe. It was for me. I like saving money.

If replacing cable with a live streaming service is the thing for you to do, then get the best one that meets your needs. But if you find that you can save more by going with on-demand packages, and that's what's best for you, do that. I'm not suggesting you not use live streaming services, I'm just bringing up that it's possible to have a great experience without it. You know what's best for you. I'm trying to make sure you know your options.

My Streaming Life doesn't usually involve a live streaming service. That works best for me. Do whatever works best for you, and take control of your TV. Make it work for you.

More streaming tiers?

Good news everyone! Or not.

According to an online report, streaming services are looking to double the number of tiers they offer customers. This isn't a good thing. Well, I don't think it is.

Let's start by looking at the report, then we'll go from there.

Roger Cheng from Cord Cutters News reported last week that Deloitte Technology, Media, & Telecommunications predictions for the upcoming year pointed to doubling of pricing tiers:

You're already seeing the results of the streaming services' shift to prioritize profitability. Virtually every streaming service has raised prices on their existing plans, or introduced new tiers, like Max's Bleacher Report sports add-on, which will costs an additional $9.99 a month starting in March. Netflix brought back its basic plan -- with a $2 increase. Disney+ and Netflix introduced cheaper ad-based tiers, with Amazon set to roll out ads next year, with the option to pay $2.99 to remove them.

But, according to Deloitte's predictions, this is just the first step. The top U.S. providers offer an average of around four pricing tiers, typically ranging from a cheap ad-based one to a premium one with offline viewing and 4K or Dolby Vision quality video. That average is expected to double to eight tiers next year, with the firm noting that some may offer many more.

"As streaming services work toward profitability, they're getting resourceful with how they offer content to viewers," said Jana Arbanas, vice chair of Deloitte who leads the firm's telecom, media, and entertainment coverage.

These tiers show that the days of paying a single rate for all of the content are long gone, and that consumers will need to do more homework when figuring out which plan is right for them. This gets infinitely more complicated as people are increasingly looking to trim their budgets and keep their subscriptions to a minimum.

That complication is what I mean when I say this is not good news. Sure, more options generally are a good thing. However, confusing pricing tiers often lead to no good, and can actually cost someone more money unless a lot of work is done. Right now, with minimal tiers, that's not too hard. Double the work, though, and that opens up the greater chance someone will pay for more than they really should.

My Streaming Life doesn't need any more complications. I want to keep it simple. Of course, I don't subscribe to a lot of services, so much of this may not impact me. I'll use a service for a month, then drop it. I'll switch services every month, and over a year, I get to watch a lot of content from a lot of services for a lot less money. Whatever changes they make, this won't change.

Browser dangers

We often focus on network, device, and system security and privacy on weekends. Today is another one of those days.

Internet Privacy Guy Rob Braxman says that browsers offer hidden dangers.

[YouTube]

None of this is to panic you. Rather, it's to inform you of the things you need to be aware in today's world. It's really up to you how seriously you take your security and privacy. I like to take mine seriously. My Streaming Life is mine. What I share of it should be my choice.

Watching College Football in 2023: Championship Week

The Conference Championship Week of college football for 2023 has begun. All 10 Division 1-A/FBS conferences have their championship games this week, with two already played last night.

• Conference USA
• Pac-12

There are eight games scheduled today:

• Atlantic Coast Conference
• American Athletic Conference
• Big Ten Conference
• Big Twelve Conference
• Mid-American Conference
• Mountain West Conference
• Southeastern Conference
• Sun Belt Conference

There is one game next week: Army vs Navy, with each team trying to become bowl elibible.

Today's games will be broadcast over several networks. Here are the channels or networks you'll need to watch all the games:

• ABC
• CBS
• CBS Sports Network
• ESPN
• Fox

Here's how to get all the networks:

ABC

• Antenna (free)
• Sling TV (8 markets only) ($45/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month)

CBS

• Antenna (free)
• Paramount Plus (Premium) $12/month
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month)

CBS Sports Network

• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Ultimate) ($146/month)

ESPN

• Sling TV (Orange) ($40/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month)

Fox

• Antenna (free)
• Sling TV (18 markets only) ($45/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($77/month)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($85/month)

That's this week in Division 1-A/FBS college football, and covers all the networks that are carrying college football games this week. My Streaming Life focuses on college football during this time of year.

New Tablo devices add holiday feature

I have an old Tablo device. They call it a "legacy" device. What I'm writing about today doesn't apply to me, or those with legacy devices. However, if you have a new Tablo device, or are thinking about getting one, this is for you.

Tablo has updated the new Tablo interface, available on the 4th generation DVRs, to include holiday content.

The special "Home for the Holidays" featured content row makes it easy to discover, watch and record new and classic holiday TV shows, specials and movies from major broadcast networks and the free live streaming TV channels included in your Tablo guide.

Tablo has your holiday viewing locked and loaded, from Rudolph to the Grinch to festive rom-coms and wintertime tales.

My Streaming Life doesn't have a new Tablo device, and won't until they support remote watching (Tablo Connect), which is only available on legacy devices. But, if  you have, or are thinking about, a new Tablo device, this is good news.