Will a tuner improve my reception? Help! My girlfriend is going to make us get cable!

[rabbit73]

Originally Posted by Tim

From reading this thread it seems that you think a "tuner" will somehow improve your reception. Are you thinking that the tuner built into your TV set is inferior to having a separate external tuner? It looks like you have a good signal on NBC on real channel 40 so I don't think you have a tuner problem.

The file name for his good signal image is wrong. That isn't NBC, it's Fox KSWB.

http://www.rabbitears.info/market.ph...&callsign=KSWB

[garek007]

I just picked this up. I had already purchased it. It's also a DVR. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...HWRCQZYCWL6FA7

But I am going to get the Attenuator also. Is that the same as the FM filter?

[rabbit73]

I just picked this up. I had already purchased it. It's also a DVR.

Good. Please let us know on this same thread how your new Tablo DVR does with antenna signals.

I wonder if the Tablo has a signal strength indicator.

But I am going to get the Attenuator also. Is that the same as the FM filter?

No. The attenuator is to see if all of your signals are too strong to the point that they might be overloading the tuner. The FM filter makes the FM signals that also come in on your antenna weaker because they might be causing interference to the TV signals.

I'm first suggesting inexpensive tests for you to do that might help.

[garek007]

Ok update time. Tablo = garbage. Expensive garbage. I'm taking it back. I could not get my network to detect it using an ethernet cable OR a wifi connection. In the documentation they talk about a router which I don't have, but I thought I should be able to connect it directly to my ATT gateway. My network did see it, but couldn't connect. Beyond that, apparently, it's very picky about which hard drives it will accept (you need an external hard drive to use it).

So that's out. The FM filter did not seem to have an affect, nor did the attenuator (I used a 2-way splitter, not sure if it was 3.5 dB or not, it didn't say).

I did put my indoor antenna on the patio and holy crap! CBS came in better than ever. So I think you are all right, it's a positioning, and/or antenna thing. The Winegard Flatwave really is a great antenna so I'm going to try to make this work with it. The thing I liked about the Tablo was in theory I could position all of that equipment anywhere, out of site, and stream it to my chromecast, BUT that's out since I can't even connect.

I'm going to either go with a Tivo, or the Channel Master

http://www.channelmaster.com/DVR_Plus_p/cm-7500gb16.htm

[rickbb]

My daughter has a Tablo, worked great for a couple of weeks. Now all they get is a weak or no signal to stream from the antenna message.

I ran the antenna directly into the TV beside the Tablo and got all 53 channels no problem, even the 80 mile away channels that people think we're not able to get.

Connected it back to the Tablo, nothing, zip.

It is a pain to get working on the internal network, you need to download an app. it must be on the inside, subnet as in the same WiFi network as all your devices. They control theirs with a iPhone app and stream the OTA signals to Roku boxes at the different TV's. (You have to add the Tablo app to the Roku box.)

Or at least they did, I will be trying to get theirs back running tonight.

[garek007]

my point exactly, it's just not worth it to me to spend that much time dealing with it. It's brand new. I'll just take it back and try something else.

[rabbit73]

I did put my indoor antenna on the patio and holy crap! CBS came in better than ever. So I think you are all right, it's a positioning, and/or antenna thing. The Winegard Flatwave really is a great antenna so I'm going to try to make this work with it.

Thanks for the good news; you are on the right track.

The thing I liked about the Tablo was in theory I could position all of that equipment anywhere, out of site, and stream it to my chromecast, BUT that's out since I can't even connect.

Yeah, best to keep the system simple for reliability, and to make it easy to use for you and anyone else in the household.

[garek007]

Thanks for all the help Rabbit. And to answer your question, if we go cable, yes my girlfriend will pay half

[rabbit73]

You are welcome; glad I could help a little with your problem.

Good luck.

Best regards,
rabbit