Is Tablo right for you? You’ve heard the buzz and read the expert reviews, but sometimes it helps to hear the Tablo Success Story from real Tablo customers to know if this is the right solution for you.
Our latest blog series, “How I Cut the Cord with Tablo” features Q&A style interviews with our Tablo OTA DVR customers, focusing on how they’ve cut the cord on cable to save money while enjoying a whole-home DVR experience using Tablo.
Whether you’re still on the fence about cutting the cord or you’re just looking for tips and tricks on how to improve your cord-cutting setup, we hope you’ll find these cord-cutting success stories helpful.
Why did you cut the cord? How much money are you saving each month?
The retention department dance with the cable company every 6-12 months was getting really old. Over the last three promotional periods, our rate for internet/cable had risen from $99 to $160/month. I did a little research and just about everything we watched was available Over-the-Air.
After cutting the cord we pay just $34.98/month: $29.99 for internet (at twice the speed we had) and $4.99 for Tablo’s guide data subscription, which is 100% worth it. Here’s the kicker, the savings from cutting the cord was enough to cover the monthly bill for our son’s prepaid college program. Thanks Tablo, you sent my kids to college!
What do you get with an HDTV antenna that you couldn’t get another way?
After I tested a couple of antenna options I noticed the video quality is REALLY GOOD Over-the-Air. In fact, it was better than I was seeing on cable, even after paying the extraneous $10 fee for ’HDTV’. I also got some really cool channels I didn’t get on cable which have been a pleasure to watch.
Why did you choose the Tablo OTA DVR as part of your home entertainment arsenal?
I looked at all the major players in the whole-home OTA DVR market and Tablo was by far the most well-rounded product. Tablo offers a simple way to get a ’cable-like‘ interface for the less tech savvy members of my household. I also really enjoy the little perks like easily watching live or recorded TV on my phone from anywhere in the world. Tablo was also easy to set up. I set ours up over WiFi using only the Tablo app on my phone. No media server or dedicated computer required!
What’s been the best thing about using/having Tablo so far?
The best thing about Tablo is the wonderful user experience. It’s better than cable. I built our setup with the least tech savvy person in mind. I’ve taught people how to use our Tablo setup in less than 2 minutes and they were off and running. With our old cable setup, it was so hard even showing them how to access the DVR.
What other services and tools do you use to watch TV/Video content and why?
The only other tools I need are my Roku sticks and my HD antenna. Roku is my interface on all 4 TVs in the house through the Tablo Roku channel. Roku also has an endless amount of streaming channels such as Netflix & Hulu to fill in your content needs. I use a Mohu Leaf antenna to pick up all my channels, although I may try an attic-mount antenna to improve reception.
What advice do you have for others thinking of cutting the cord?
The key to cutting the cord is analyzing your needs and determining alternate ways of filling those needs. With Tablo you still get a fully functioning whole-home DVR and a very cable-like TV interface so the user experience is not a shock.
The main research lies in what you watch and where to get it. Odds are OTA will cover 80-90% of your needs with popular apps filling in the rest and drastically reducing your monthly bill.
Antenna reception is also very important. You can use online resources to find out which channels are near you and what their broadcast strengths are. Personally I bought a cheap $10 antenna to test with and was shocked by the great picture quality. From there all I needed was more range and that will vary based on your location. A simple mudflap antenna is good for most metro areas but an attic or roof mounted antenna may be needed for more remote locations.
During our cord cutting transition, we used Tablo and cable simultaneously for a month and one by one we happily unplugged all our cable boxes. We love our Tablo.
If you’re already enjoying your Tablo OTA DVR, remember to post a review of your DVR on the online store where you purchased your unit and let your fellow TV lovers know your Tablo Success Story.
If you’d like to participate in the ‘How I cut the cord with Tablo’ blog series, drop us a line at [email protected]. We’d love to hear your Tablo Success Story.
