Tablo Dual HDMI OTA DVR Review

With rising cable and satellite television costs, cord-cutting can save loads of money. And although streaming services can be convenient for on-demand and even live content, one of the best ways to cut the cord is with an over-the-air (OTA) antenna. Using an OTA antenna, you’ll be able to pull in dozens of channels for watching live TV for free. But to retain the ability to pause, rewind, and record live TV from an over-the-air antenna, you’ll need a digital video recorder (DVR). The Tablo Dual HDMI is a fantastic OTA DVR that mimics a traditional DVR experience, provides top-notch audiovisual quality, and delivers an excellent software experience. Learn why the Tablo Dual HDMI over-the-air DVR is the best OTA DVR for most cord-cutters in our hands-on review!

What is the Tablo Dual HDMI OTA DVR?

Nuvyyo’s Tablo Dual HDMI is an over-the-air DVR that focuses on audiovisual quality. Unlike Tablo’s network-connected DVRs, the Tablo Dual HDMI and its Tablo Quad HDMI older sibling are TV-connected. An HDMI output on the Tablo Dual HDMI and Quad HDMI sends a video signal from the DVR to a television or projector. As such, the Tablo Dual HDMI delivers a more traditional DVR experience since it’s intended to connect straight to a TV. Contrastingly, Tablo network-attached DVRs lack a video output and instead rely on streaming to devices with the Tablo client app installed.

Because of its HDMI port, the Tablo Dual HDMI offers raw MPEG2 video support at broadcast resolution as well as bitrate. Thus, the Tablo Dual and Quad HDMI can record at 1080i 30 frames per second (FPS) and 720p 60 FPS. Of course, that means your hard drive may fill up faster than with a network-connected Tablo OTA DVR. On the audio side, the Dual HDMI supports stereo PCM or 5.1 AC3 passthrough. Better video quality means that a 1TB hard drive can only hold around 130 hours of TV recordings, compared to around 700 hours on a 1TB HDD hooked up to a Tablo networked DVR.

Since the Dual HDMI is engineered for use with a display device such as a TV or projector, it sports an infrared (IR) sensor and comes with a candybar-style IR remote. Built-in CEC lets you control select TVs and projectors with the Tablo HDMI’s remote. A pair of TV tuners allow you to watch and record live television from two channels simultaneously.

Despite the onus on local video watching, the Dual HDMI does feature some Internet connectivity. You’ll find an Ethernet 1000/100/10 jack as well as 802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi with multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) which uses several antennas to amplify a wireless signal. As such, in-home streaming to compatible devices such as smart TVs, Roku set-top boxes, Fire TVs, and Android TV boxes works great. I was able to stream to my Hisense H8F 4K smart television in addition to my NVIDIA Shield TV and Chromecast with Google TV Android TV boxes. Unlike its network-connected OTA DVRs, the Tablo Dual HDMI can’t stream to mobile devices such as phones and tablets. Similarly, out-of-home streaming won’t work.

In the box, you’ll find the Tablo Dual HDMI DVR itself, a remote control, a pair of AAA batteries for the remote, a power supply, an Ethernet cable, an HDMI cable, and a quick start guide. Everything you need to set up your Tablo over-the-air DVR, including batteries, comes in the box. Just add an external USB storage device and an OTA antenna.

Tablo Dual HDMI OTA DVR Specs

• In the box: Tablo Dual HDMI OTA DVR, remote, 2 x AAA batteries, power supply, 5′ Ethernet cable, 5′ HDMI cable, quick start guide
• Connectivity: Barrel jack power port, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x HDMI 2.1 output, 1 x coaxial input, 1 x Ethernet 1000/100/10
• Dual TV tuner: Watch and record up to two channels simultaneously
• Specs: Quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB flash storage
• Networking: 802.11ac dual-band Wi-FI with MIMO, Gigabit Ethernet
• Supports USB external hard drives (1TB-8TB recommended)
• Raw MPEG2 video recording compatible
• Stereo PCM audio or AC3 5.1 passthrough

Tablo Dual HDMI Over-the-Air DVR Design and Build

Tablo’s Dual HDMI OTA DVR is a small, black 37 mm x 135 mm x 131 mm (1.45 in. x 5.3 in. x 5.15 in.) box that weighs a mere 228g (8 oz.). On the front of the unit, you’ll find an IR sensor that interfaces with the bundled candybar remote.

Moving around back, the Tablo Dual HDMI boasts an HDMI 2.1 output for connecting to HDMI-enabled display devices such as televisions, monitors, or projectors. There’s an Ethernet jack for a hardwired Internet connection. A USB 3.0 port provides an external hard drive hook up for adding storage space to the Tablo Dual. Its coaxial input delivers an OTA antenna connection.

Under the hood, the Tablo Dual HDMI packs a dual TV tuner set up which lets you watch and record from up to two channels simultaneously. The Tablo Dual HDMI is powered by a quad-core processor that’s mated to 2GB of RAM and 16GB of flash storage. Onboard storage is intended for housing the operating system (OS) and accomodating any software updates rather than storing recorded movies and shows.

Nuvyyo Tablo Dual HDMI Set Up and Installation

Setting up the Tablo Dual HDMI is a breeze. It’s pretty plug-and-play. I followed the easy-to-follow quick start guide, but the Tablo Dual is fairly intuitive. Essentially, all you’ll need to do is connect all of the different peripherals such as an external USB hard drive, HDMI cable, Ethernet cable, and an over-the-air antenna. The superb setup wizard makes the process extremely painless, walking you through each step of installation from first boot to connecting a hard drive and antenna, plus scanning your channels. I was impressed with its nearly unrivaled level of user-friendliness.

Tablo Dual HDMI Software – Robust TV Guide, Recording Options, and More

There are tons of OTA DVRs on the market. However, Tablo DVRs remain some of my favorite choices, in large part because of the absolutely outstanding software experience. Luckily, the Tablo Dual HDMI did not disappoint. There’s a fabulous guide with 14 days of guide data, although that requires a subscription which is well worth it. Tablo includes a slew of different options for navigating menus and viewing by channel or genre. For instance, you can view TV shows, movies, and sports separately.

Similarly, recordings are incredibly customizable. Clicking into a show or movie allows you to toggle on various options to record just that one episode, all episodes, or only new episodes. What’s more, you can select different recording options to start recording early and end late in order to avoid missing the start or end of a show. Since the Tablo Dual HDMI features a pair of TV tuners, it’s possible that, depending on your recording schedule, you may have a recording conflict.

You can dig into settings for the DVR itself as well. For example, you can enable audio passthrough for use with a soundbar or receiver and toggle on CEC for controlling a compatible TV, projector, or receiver using the Tablo Dual HDMI’s remote. There’s a nice balance of customization and ease-of-use for both scheduling recordings as well as device setup.

Tablo Dual HDMI Review Verdict

As a cord-cutter, I value the ability to watch and record live TV. Using an over-the-air antenna, I’ve been able to accomplish that feat on the cheap. When I first cut the cord, I was using an OTA antenna paired with a WeTek Play 2 Android TV box which works just fine. However, a good over-the-air DVR can make a major difference. As a cinephile, I value video quality quite a lot, and that’s where the Tablo Dual HDMI shines. Whereas network-connected DVRs sacrifice some video quality, raw MPEG2 recording capabilities ensure top-notch picture quality. I was extremely impressed with the Tablo Dual HDMI’s recording quality. Although, it’s important to note that the picture will only be as good as your reception. If your antenna isn’t situated properly, you won’t have decent channel reception.

With its small footprint, the Tablo Dual HDMI fits neatly into even the most cluttered of entertainment centers. I was able to nestle my Tablo Dual in between my soundbar and TV. Build quality is great. Despite its lightweight, the Tablo Dual doesn’t feel cheap. Set up and installation is easy and painless. I was able to go from unboxing to watching TV and scheduling recordings within around 15 minutes.

The Tablo software experience is virtually unparalleled. Tablo provides plenty of power user features for advanced scheduling, recording, and navigation. At the same time, it’s a streamlined interface that’s simple to explore. There are loads of options for customizing recordings ranging from selecting a recording delay to skipping commercials. What’s more, its 14-day user guide is wonderful for scheduling out recordings.

While you can use the Tablo Dual HDMI for free, many of its top recording features like the channel guide and commercial skip require a paid subscription. Tablo provides its TV Guide Data Service and Tablo Premium Service. The Premium Service unlocks automatic commercial skip and is an add-on for Tablo’s TV Guide Data Service which is what enables the 14-day guide, in-home streaming, and advanced scheduled recording features. It’s $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year for the TV Guide Data Service, and $2.99 a month or $20.00 annually for the Premium Service. Though that may be a downside for some users it’s pretty affordable even at $6.99 a month/$69.99 annually for both Tablo’s Premium Service plus TV Guide Data Service, and totally worth the cost.

Although the standout feature on the Tablo Dual HDMI is its broadcast-quality recording capability, there are some limited networking features. In-home streaming works flawlessly and I was able to access saved recordings and live TV on my NVIDIA Shield TV and Chromecast with Google TV Android TV streaming boxes. I appreciated the in-home streaming functionality which let watch on different TVs and projectors scattered around my house.

Unlike some of its network-connected OTA DVRs, the Tablo Dual HDMI lacks an internal hard drive bay. Thus, you’ll need to use a USB external drive. This didn’t bother me, although some home theatre enthusiasts seeking a streamlined set up may not enjoy having a box with a USB HDD hanging off of it sitting by their TV.

Should You Buy the Tablo Dual HDMI?

If you’re in the market for an over-the-air DVR, the Tablo Dual HDMI is a superb choice that offers top-notch video quality. However, it’s a trade-off between recording quality and network connectivity. If you value image quality, the raw MPEG2 broadcast recording capabilities of the Tablo Dual HDMI make is a solid solution. When compared to Tablo network-connected DVRs, the Dual HDMI doesn’t rely on Internet connectivity as much. That makes is a great option for cord-cutters in rural areas with slower Internet speeds or niche use cases like an RV where network speeds may not be fast enough to support a network-enabled DVR.

Although the emphasis of the Tablo Dual HDMI is on its built-in video output, in-home streaming to Rokus, Fire TV devices, smart TVs, or Android TV boxes works perfectly. Yet, there’s no out-of-home remote streaming or access on Tablo mobile apps for phones and tablets. Granted, the quality of recordings on networked Tablo OTA DVRs is compressed. Another consideration is storage space. Since recordings may be higher quality than on a Tablo network-connected DVR, your available hard drive space won’t go as far. Tablo suggests that a 1TB drive will afford 130 hours on a Tablo HDMI DVR versus 700 hours with a network-enabled OTA DVR. For video quality enthusiasts or cord-cutters with slower Internet speeds, the Tablo Dual HDMI or Quad HDMI are awesome OTA DVRs. Cable cutters that demand remote TV streaming access should opt for one of Tablo’s networked over-the-air DVR options.

Tablo Dual HDMI OTA DVR Review Final Thoughts – The Best OTA DVR for Cord Cutters

Ultimately, I’m incredibly pleased with the Tablo Dual HDMI OTA DVR. It’s a nifty solution that allows cord-cutters to watch and record live, over-the-air television. The ability to save broadcast-quality videos in raw MPEG2 is a complete game-changer, and the HDMI output simplifies the setup process for new cord-cutters coming from traditional cable or satellite DVRs. Additionally, the Tablo Dual HDMI is a good pick that doesn’t require a strong Internet connection. While there’s no out-of-home or mobile device streaming, limited networking lets you access live TV and recordings on smart devices within your home. In the end, the Tablo Dual HDMI is a wonderful way to watch live and recorded television for free and in broadcast quality.

Your turn: Which OTA DVRs do YOU recommend?