The E. W. Scripps-owned consumer technology company Nuvyyo is rolling out a firmware update for most of its legacy Tablo digital video recorders that will allow broadcast TV viewers and recorders to access free streaming apps from a newer version of the Tablo app.
The update, firmware version 2.2.25, is available now across all legacy Tablo DVRs, except devices that have built-in HDMI connectors, Nuvyyo said in a press release on Friday.
Once installed, legacy Tablo device users will have access to a handful of free streaming channels that have long been available to those with newer, 4th-generation Tablo DVRs, including Bloomberg News, Court TV, American Country Network, AccuWeather Now, Estrella TV, Fawesome, Draft Kings TV and Fubo Sports Network.
The streaming channels are available to legacy Tablo users through the newer Tablo app for phones, tablets and smart TVs. Users will need to re-scan their devices through the new app once the firmware update is installed, and then manually select the free streaming channels they want listed in their guides, the company said. Due to technological limitations with the older Tablo hardware, some streaming channels — including those owned by AMC Networks and Warner Bros Discovery — won’t be available to legacy Tablo users.
Once the firmware update is complete, legacy Tablo users will be able to switch between the old app and the new one, depending on what they want to do. The older app will still allow legacy Tablo users to stream content out of home, while the new app experience handles most everything else, including watching live TV and recording broadcast stations.
Customers who upgrade their firmware will be able to cancel their monthly or annual guide subscriptions through the Tablo website, then receive full guide data through the new app experience.
For users with HDMI-connected Tablo devices, the company is offering a one-time, $30 coupon to upgrade to a 4th-generation Tablo DVR. No trade-in is required to take advantage of the coupon, Nuvyyo said.
The 4th-generation Tablo DVR is available in two flavors: A two-tuner model that allows streamers to watch and record two live TV channels at once, and a four-tuner model that increases the capacity to four channels at once. Both DVRs otherwise offer the same sets of features, including access to more than 100 free streaming channels.
The legacy Tablo app is available on most phones and tablets, while the newer Tablo experience is also available on smart TVs, including as a native download for Samsung and LG TVs.
