I have four HR22s connected to my network via wired ethernet. It has been that way for a few years now. I have been sharing playlist between my DVRs since it first became available and via the cutting edge program before it was available to the general public. It was working great until a couple weeks ago. All of the sudden, I can no longer watch programs recorded on one of the HR22s from the other DVRs. When I called Directv, they said I need some white box (DECA?) installed on each DVR to make whole room work and it would cost me $199 for them to come out to do it. So, it appears, that something that has work fine for a couple years now will cost me $199 to have it continue to work. Surely I'm mistaken.
Whole home networking
- Thread starter dancrouse
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Ok. I reset all DVRs and all is working again. I don't know what this DECA thing is, but it appears not to be required.
I think the D* version uses the coax to transfer the info (DECA), whenytou plug in the ethernet to the recvrs you turn OFF the DECA.
Someone correct me if this is not right, this is from memory.
Someone correct me if this is not right, this is from memory.
Jimbo said:
(H)HR24, H25, and HR34 have built in deca's. Yes, once a ethernet is connected to these boxes you lose MRV. All other MRV capable receivers require a receiver deca (white box) from there the white box and Ethernet cable is used. It's what transfers the information via coax to another receiver.
dancrouse,
Knowingly or unknowingly you did exactly the right thing. MRV or Whole Home DVR works on an internal network that can operate over the coax (the official D* supported way) or over your home network in the configuration you have. To make it work over the coax with your receivers you need a DECA that has a pass-through coax connection with a RJ45 connector to hook to the back or each of your receivers. Once in a while (even with the coax version) the addressing gets whacked and the receivers cannot see each other. On my system usually resetting my living room receiver corrects the situation. Although on one occasion I had to do a whole system-wide reset.
Glad to see you got everything working OK. And as you know, it does not take $199 to make it all work.
Knowingly or unknowingly you did exactly the right thing. MRV or Whole Home DVR works on an internal network that can operate over the coax (the official D* supported way) or over your home network in the configuration you have. To make it work over the coax with your receivers you need a DECA that has a pass-through coax connection with a RJ45 connector to hook to the back or each of your receivers. Once in a while (even with the coax version) the addressing gets whacked and the receivers cannot see each other. On my system usually resetting my living room receiver corrects the situation. Although on one occasion I had to do a whole system-wide reset.
Glad to see you got everything working OK. And as you know, it does not take $199 to make it all work.
The interesting thing is the D* customer service rep insisted that I spend the $199 and go to the DECA system. I even suggested resetting all the receivers and he didn't want me to do that. Why on earth would anybody want to add another device if they could simply use the Ethernet only?
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Something about this just isn't correct.. I have Ethernet hooked to both my DVR's and I don't have a Deca. And my MRV works just fine.
MRV works fine with NO internet connection.. It works over SWM. Networking only required to use the VOD part.
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The issue is that they do not support the ethernet only option. The only way to get support from Directv for MRV is to use the DECA setup.
Personally I went the DECA route instead of ethernet as i did not have ethernet run to all of the rooms in the house. Also the DECA setup was free for me at the time.
Hutch1814 said:
That's interesting. I have SWM also. I will double check, but I think if I disconnect the Ethernet, I lose MRV. I will test that.
If you only disconnect the line (cable/DSL) coming in from outside your MRV will be OK. Reread Hutch1814's message. He was only mentioning that you do not need internet for MRV to work, which is true. Your MRV is not going outside your house. It is going from receiver to receiver using your router. I am using the coax method and don't currently have my internet connected and everything works just fine.
So... I want to move to an MRV setup... currently I have the old-style multiswitch hooked to 3 HR2x DVrs. I did test the MRV during earlier CE versions (using Ethernet), but I don't currently have it enabled. I want to add an HR34 to my account in the near future, and want MRV and DECA. If I buy the needed DECA parts elsewhere for less than $199 (i.e., not directly from DirecTV), then I can just call them up and have them add MRV to my account, correct? Any realistic chance of convincing DirecTV to supply the DECA stuff for free?
Call them and ask. You'll have the best chance of that by speaking to someone in retention.
OK, I guess I can ask when I am able to order the HR34. Then again, it's not much of a bargaining chip if they know I'm about to order an HR34! 
If they say no, can you clarify exactly what I need to buy? Here is what I think I would need (I have an HR20-700, HR21, and HR22, and would be adding an HR34):
One DIRECTV Deca Broadband Adapter with Power Supply (DECABB1R0) (costs about $60 each) - this gets connected to my home's Ethernet network, and is the device that provided Internet access to all of the DVRs that are DECA-compatible on the same coax network.
Three DIRECTV Ethernet Coax Adapter Deca (DECA1MR01) (costs about $20 each) - these are connected between the coax line running to each DVR I have (except for the upcoming HR34, which has DECA built-in). I would connect a short Ethernet cable from these to the Ethernet ports of each DVR.
So that's about $120, saving me $80 off of the $199 that DirecTV wants to charge.
The part where I think I may be confused is wondering if that $60 "Broadband Adapter" can be used with one of my DVRs in lieu of one of those $20 adapters, meaning that I would only have to be 2 of those "Ethernet Coax Adapters" instead of 3 of them.
If they say no, can you clarify exactly what I need to buy? Here is what I think I would need (I have an HR20-700, HR21, and HR22, and would be adding an HR34):
One DIRECTV Deca Broadband Adapter with Power Supply (DECABB1R0) (costs about $60 each) - this gets connected to my home's Ethernet network, and is the device that provided Internet access to all of the DVRs that are DECA-compatible on the same coax network.
Three DIRECTV Ethernet Coax Adapter Deca (DECA1MR01) (costs about $20 each) - these are connected between the coax line running to each DVR I have (except for the upcoming HR34, which has DECA built-in). I would connect a short Ethernet cable from these to the Ethernet ports of each DVR.
So that's about $120, saving me $80 off of the $199 that DirecTV wants to charge.
The part where I think I may be confused is wondering if that $60 "Broadband Adapter" can be used with one of my DVRs in lieu of one of those $20 adapters, meaning that I would only have to be 2 of those "Ethernet Coax Adapters" instead of 3 of them.
OK, I guess I can ask when I am able to order the HR34. Then again, it's not much of a bargaining chip if they know I'm about to order an HR34!
If they say no, can you clarify exactly what I need to buy? Here is what I think I would need (I have an HR20-700, HR21, and HR22, and would be adding an HR34):
One DIRECTV Deca Broadband Adapter with Power Supply (DECABB1R0) (costs about $60 each) - this gets connected to my home's Ethernet network, and is the device that provided Internet access to all of the DVRs that are DECA-compatible on the same coax network.
Three DIRECTV Ethernet Coax Adapter Deca (DECA1MR01) (costs about $20 each) - these are connected between the coax line running to each DVR I have (except for the upcoming HR34, which has DECA built-in). I would connect a short Ethernet cable from these to the Ethernet ports of each DVR.
So that's about $120, saving me $80 off of the $199 that DirecTV wants to charge.
The part where I think I may be confused is wondering if that $60 "Broadband Adapter" can be used with one of my DVRs in lieu of one of those $20 adapters, meaning that I would only have to be 2 of those "Ethernet Coax Adapters" instead of 3 of them.
yes and no, if you use the bbdeca you linked for 60 bucks you NEED the rdecas as well as the bbdeca to get internet running to all receivers, however, im fairly certain (not 100% someone please correct me if im wrong) that if you use the wireless deca with the pass through, you can eliminate the need for 1 of the rdecas, assuming that your internet connection is close to one of your receivers. however the wireless bbdeca will probably end up adding more cost to the entire equation.
DIRECTV CCK-W Wireless DECA Cinema Connection Kit (CCK-W) from Solid Signal
100bones via solidsignal
*edit* after re reading the solidsignal page, the wbbdeca only combines the signal to a moca enabled receiver, so you would still need the 3 rdecas... sorry for confusion, but now you know about the wireless bbdeca
I don't need to use any wireless connection - I have an Ethernet switch conveniently located right behind the entertainment center. So given that, I would need the $60 device and that will merge my Ethernet network to the coax wiring AND provide the DECA connection to one of my DVRs, and then I would get two of the $20 DECA adapters for the other two, right? Or did I misunderstand?
If you can plug cat5 from your router to the hr34 then it would do away with needing DECA broadband adapter and you would only need the DECA adptors for the other receivers. Also check ebay you can pick up the adapters cheaper than retail most of the time.
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