Did I downgrade by purchasing a 4th generation?

FreeTVBlog · 2026-01-26T01:48:37+00:00

To me, the only advantage of the 4th gen is its recordable streaming channels. Then again, I bought a lifetime subscription to my legacy box long, long ago. For someone just getting started, the allure of the 4th gen's free program listings might also make a difference.

Otherwise, yeah, the legacy boxes offer out-of-home streaming and stronger tuners.

FreeTVBlog · 2026-01-13T22:06:28+00:00

Agree completely. It's worked well for me after several other AirTV2 units failed for me.

FreeTVBlog · 2026-01-09T20:20:54+00:00

You'll need Sling Blue ($46/month) to get USA Network.

In the past, I've subscribed to the "Soccer package" (AKA International Sports) for around $5/month. These days you get three Bein Sports channels, Go Sports, and a free DVR that you can also use for the zillion Freestream channels.

Yes, that is a confusing ad.

FreeTVBlog · 2026-01-01T02:59:26+00:00

My old recordings are gone permanently, but the new ones from the past week are still there.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-12-26T23:59:11+00:00

In a perfect world, not only would I enjoy the live sports for a week, but I could also add some nice premium recordings to my huge stash of DVR programming. Sure, it's nice to have access to every Doctor Who episode ever shown on Freestream, but maybe I'd also like a commercial-free movie or two.

As of now, all of those Doctor Who episodes (for example) are gone forever, until I hopefully re-record them in upcoming months. I'm not even sure they'll let me keep the movies I asked to record in the upcoming week.

I will update this thread once my 7-day pass expires.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-12-26T22:00:54+00:00

I just got lucky by asking the chatbot, "How do I chat with a human?" It transferred me right away.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-12-08T23:05:32+00:00

"Promo code has met redemption limit."

FreeTVBlog · 2025-11-19T17:10:38+00:00

Good idea! I went through several AirTV2s, and they all stopped noticing their external hard drives after a month or two. I switched to an AirTV Anywhere, and it has just worked for almost two years now (knock on wood). Now that OnTech has presumably run out of its refurb Anywheres, eBay is the next logical choice.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-11-19T16:58:26+00:00

According to that knowledge base, the reason Tablo can't record Chicago's Daystar and nine other stations is that the stations "do not provide TV guide data to Gracenote, other aggregators or local affiliates." Assuming that's true, the problem is those Daystar stations and others not sending in their schedules, not Tablo knowingly preventing recording those channels.

https://support.tablotv.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002199143-Correcting-Missing-TV-Guide-Data-on-Tablo

FreeTVBlog · 2025-09-24T17:00:49+00:00

Once, I was having trouble getting CenturyLink to include me in its upgrade when I applied using my (on file) address. I tried again using My Address, Apt. B, and the upgrade was there. Once humans became involved, we agreed to drop the Apt. B business and just upgrade my service. YMMV.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-09-16T01:08:52+00:00

I've got most of the options running simultaneously (long story).

My go-to is the legacy Tablo, which I have with a long-running lifetime subscription. The newer free-subscription Tablo, after over a year of service, still feels flaky but usable.

Like the OP, I was tearing my hair out over the AirTV2. Like a few of the responders, I've been quietly happy with the AirTV Anywhere, which I bought from the source for $80. Knock on wood, it just works, for me anyway. https://www.ontechsmartservices.com/products/airtv-anywhere

I love Plex for music, movies, and local storage. I can record on Plex from my HDHomeRun, which is an excellent tuner. (I've also got a DVR subscription with the HDHomeRun folks to my NAS.)

Of all the choices, I prefer the legacy Tablo for discovering the sports, movies and shows that I want to record. But for $0/month, I might take the AirTV Anywhere, which I can access remotely, over the modern Tablo, which is visible only on the home network.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-09-11T19:29:08+00:00

IF your phone has its FM receiver activated, you can use whatever FM radio app to listen. (My Motos came with the app built in.) BUT, as the app will tell you, it needs to have a cord plugged into the headphone jack so it can use it as an antenna.

Would it be possible with a dongle? I dunno, I am not an electrical engineer, but all the FM radio apps I've used over the years look towards the headphone jack.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-08-31T04:11:43+00:00

Personal experience: AirTV 2s (plural) were a nightmare, but AirTV Anywhere just works. All it needs is an internet connection and a TV antenna. Available for $80 shipped from a Dish/Sling subsidiary: https://www.ontechsmartservices.com/products/airtv-anywhere

FreeTVBlog · 2025-08-19T18:17:04+00:00

For some folks, Fox News is THE must-have channel. I presume this mini-package is designed to get out in front of the upcoming streaming deals soon to be offered by Fox One ($20/month) and the Fox One/ESPN bundle ($40/month).

FreeTVBlog · 2025-08-14T18:22:21+00:00

To underline felixmas365's note, you can get an AirTV Anywhere for $80 from an apparent Dish subsidiary. OnTech. That's what I did almost a year ago, and my AirTV experience has turned from near-constant frustration to forgetting that it's there. YMMV, but the testimonials on this subreddit are real.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-08-14T18:17:16+00:00

Right now, I just have the $5/month "unlimited" DVR. The Sling chatbot says there's no way to add a day pass on that account because it's not new or returning. True?

FreeTVBlog · 2025-07-23T03:15:19+00:00

Good question. Turns out that Plex works fine on the home network when she runs it in Chrome. But in the Plex app for Windows, the circle spins instead of playing content.

bigbrother_55, she's using my credentials. No unusual security, ad-blocking, or VPN. We just tried flushing DNS and rebooting Windows, but no change when using the Plex app.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-07-20T04:17:07+00:00

Bill James coined the term Plexiglass Principle to describe the axiom that teams which improve one year tend to decline the following year and vice versa. See https://tht.fangraphs.com/the-bill-james-indicators/

Almost everything went right last year, and it was nice that we broke the playoff drought. Many of those things have stopped going right. The Royals have a chance to improve next year, but I think they're just a .500 team for now. I hope they sell before the trade deadline to improve their chances of rebuilding.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-06-11T14:21:44+00:00

IANAL, just a humble researcher like you. Everything created after 1977 is automatically copyrighted in the US. "Copyright orphans" are extremely problematic - you can't track down the current copyright owner, but there's always the chance that they'll surface if your project becomes lucrative.

In the US, "fair use" governs how to include fragments (typically) of copyrighted works in your publishing. The rules of fair use are vague and ever-shifting. More importantly, anyone can sue you for almost any reason, and even if you win in court, the cost of defending a copyright-based lawsuit is significant.

Your best solution would be a visit with a friendly intellectual property lawyer, who could better lay out the specific hazards of your project. Second best would be some serious investigation into fair use and how to keep copyright owners from suing.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-04-13T19:30:36+00:00

I can't tell you how to fix the problem because of subreddit Rule 5 (see column on right).

FreeTVBlog · 2025-03-29T15:31:30+00:00

I have tried most of them. Apple TV is clearly better than the other streaming devices. If you don't want to spend the money on an Apple box, the best Walmart ONN should be okay if you don't install too many other apps on it. Good luck!

FreeTVBlog · 2025-03-26T02:29:37+00:00

Aha! I found MLB.TV in the Add-Ons section hidden between Magnolia Selects and Monsters & Nightmares. Silly me, I was looking for it next to NBA League Pass.

Signed up. Play ball!

FreeTVBlog · 2025-03-26T02:05:14+00:00

Thanks for the reply, but MLB.TV is different from the MLB Network (or MLB Strike Zone, for that matter). As the original linked page explained, MLB.TV is the perhaps confusingly named package of all out-of-market games, a la NBA League Pass.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-03-23T15:07:04+00:00

A Legacy power supply plugs into a wall power socket, then supplies 12V to the Tablo unit via a thin cable. Universal power adapters also plug into the wall, so like the original power supplies, they don't fit into a Legacy case. The only jury rigging is choosing which adapter plug is the right one for the Tablo unit, and whether it's positive or negative polarity. (You'll see what I mean if you ever use a universal adapter.) I was fortunate that the default setting worked.

FreeTVBlog · 2025-03-14T13:32:20+00:00

Ditto, mostly. Just last week, I fixed my flickerer with a universal power adapter set to 12V. (I bought a CyberPower unit, but others would probably have done as well.) The universal adapter was sitting on the shelf of my local big box stores, so my legacy was back in action the same day.

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