Smaller file sizes for recordings, so you can fit more of your favorite TV shows on your hard drive.

Support for a very wide variety of devices including Smart TVs, streaming boxes and sticks, PCs, mobile devices, & gaming systems.

Tablo OTA DVRs transcode every incoming Live TV stream to your choice of five video quality and bitrate settings, up to 1080 (720p 60fps) at 10 Mbps. The main difference between Tablo and Recast is when and how transcoding is used, which has a major impact on basic functionality. Both also support passthrough of 5.1 Surround Sound. Both models can connect to your router via Ethernet or WiFi to enable optimal placement of your TV antenna for signal reception.įire TV Recast is priced at $229.99 US for the 2-tuner model and $279.99 US for the 4-tuner model.īACK TO TOP Streaming Live OTA TV & Recordings:īoth the Tablo OTA DVR and Amazon Fire TV Recast use a process called ‘transcoding’ which takes the native MPEG-2 video from the TV antenna and turns it into a streaming-friendly file format called HLS (aka H.264). Neither model offers expandable storage although Amazon has announced this feature will be enabled at a future date. (NOTE – Tablo also offers TV-connected OTA DVRs which feature their own remote, for those who prefer a more traditional set-top-box DVR.)Īmazon offers two different models of Recast: a dual-tuner variant with 500 GB (75 hours) of onboard recordings storage and a 4-tuner with 1TB (150 hours) of storage. Tablo OTA DVR hardware costs between $149.99 US and $239.99 US, depending on the model. The Tablo DUAL 128GB and Tablo QUAD 1TB provide onboard storage, but all Tablo DVRs, including those with internal storage, support up to 8TB of expandable storage via USB hard drive. Tablo OTA DVR hardware comes in two dual-tuner models ( Tablo DUAL LITE and the Tablo DUAL 128GB) and two quad-tuner models ( Tablo QUAD and Tablo QUAD 1TB).Īll network-connected Tablo OTA DVRs can connect to your router via Ethernet or WiFi to enable optimal placement of your TV antenna for signal reception. However, if you’re a devotee of the Amazon ecosystem and all the devices in your home are running an Amazon operating system, you may wish to consider a Recast.īACK TO TOP Hardware, Tuners, & Network Connections: TL DR – Tablo OTA DVRs are the best way to watch live and recorded Over-the-Air TV on any device, anytime, anywhere. Recast’s video recording and playback functions are tuned to deliver video effectively to Amazon’s own products, but it is not compatible with the most popular brands of Smart TVs and streaming media devices, nor computers or gaming systems.Īmazon Recast’s recording storage is limited at this time and not particularly efficient. Its goal is to deliver live and recorded local TV to its slate of streaming devices, televisions, tablets and smart displays to the exclusion of competing products. The Amazon Recast, on the other hand – despite being a product of a massive multi-national company – is a new entrant to the Over-the-Air DVR space. Tablo DVRs’ video recording and playback functions have been tuned to maintain crisp video quality while maximizing recordings storage space.Īll generations of Tablo OTA DVR products continue to be supported and improved via app and firmware updates with funds generated from its optional TV guide data subscription. It even allows 3 rd parties to develop tools for power-users using the Tablo API. There is however a difference between how the products deliver video and their supported device ecosystems.įrom its inception in 2013, the Tablo brand has focused on an open-ecosystem approach, providing the best Over-the-Air DVR functionality on the widest variety of internet-connected devices. Tablo DVRs and Amazon Fire TV Recast both connect your TV antenna to your home network to deliver Over-the-Air content. Additional Considerations Tablo OTA DVR vs Amazon Fire TV Recast Overall Comparison: Apps & Device Support – Apps & Device Comparison Chartĥ. Streaming Live OTA TV and Recordings – Streaming Comparison ChartĤ. Hardware, Tuners and Network Connections – Hardware Comparison Chartģ. Tablo DVR and Amazon Fire TV Recast – Overall Comparison (TL DR)Ģ. *** FYI – The Amazon Fire TV Recast has been officially discontinued by Amazon in 2022 ***ġ. However, navigating the variety of options can be daunting, especially for new and soon-to-be cord cutters. If you’re trying to decide between a Tablo OTA DVR vs the new Amazon Fire TV Recast for your the Over-the-Air (OTA) DVR requirement, this product and feature comparison will help you choose the network-connected OTA DVR device that’s right for you. There is a sheer variety of services, gadgets and technology available to help you escape the clutches of cable TV.

Fire tv recast