The maker of the popular Tablo DVR and streaming boxes have unveiled new hardware that is capable of receiving and decoding new broadcast television signals.
On Wednesday, Canada-based Nuvyyo unveiled the Tablo ATSC 3.0 Quad HDMI box, which the company says will be able to decode signals that are transmitted in the newer broadcast standard known as Next Gen TV.
The hardware is the first from Nuvyyo that will allow Tablo users to decode ATSC 3.0 signals, which are still rolling out through the United States.
The majority of over-the-air television broadcasters are still maintaining a digital high-definition ATSC 1 signal, Nuvyyo wrote in a blog post. But many are voluntarily turning on ATSC 3 signals in major markets, which are capable of transmitting ultra high-definition (UHD/4K) signals with complementary data streams.
No broadcast outlet in the United States is currently taking full advantage of Next Gen TV technology, but the new Tablo box unveiled this week will allow customers to be ready when ATSC 3 signals become available in their areas.
The Tablo ATSC 3.0 Quad HDMI box plugs right into the back of a customer’s TV set using an HDMI cord, much in the same way a person would hook up a game console or DVD player.
Unlike other hardware made by Nuvyyo, the Tablo ATSC 3.0 Quad HDMI box won’t allow customers to stream to other devices using the Tablo app or beyond a person’s home. Nuvyyo says the limitation is due to technical reasons involving smart TV systems and the way ATSC 3 signals are received and decoded by their boxes.
But there is an upside for customers who record ATSC 3 signals using the new Tablo device: Nuvyyo says the new encoding standard for ATSC 3 broadcast signals means recordings will use one-quarter of a hard drive’s space compared to traditional ATSC 1 signals.
The new Tablo ATSC 3.0 Quad HDMI will be sold for $300 and is available for pre-order on Tablo’s website.
