Connecting a receiver to the internet

[eezelpreezel]

I have two HD-DVRs, and they both recently got the update to include Pandora, so I am now highly inclined to hook them up to the internet. There was another thread on this topic, but that person had whole-home service, so I don't think it answered my question, which is: Do I have to buy the connection kit from DirecTV, or can I buy a wireless adapter to plug into the USB ports on either of the receivers? The router is on the complete opposite side of the house, so I can't do ethernet. I would like to be able to just move the adapter from one receiver to the other as necessary, instead of buying two adapters, if that's possible too. If I can just go to Best Buy (or wherever) to get one for less than DirecTV sells them for, is there anything in particular I should be looking for? And just so whoever answers knows, I am not very tech-savvy. Appreciate any responses & thanks in advance!

 

[BobStokesbary]

You are basically stuck with using D*'s wireless connection kit or hard-wiring some solution to get internet to your DVRs. There is no information that I have read about connecting to the internet via a usb device. So, I think you can rule that option out. (You just cannot pick any usb hub and have it work on a D* receiver.)

To give you a better answer, however, it would be very helpful to know what kind of DVRs you have and your basic setup to be able to give you the best answer to your question. Do you have SWM, for example. You can tell your system uses SWM if you only have one coax wire going to your DVR. And yes, you are correct, there is no connection between having DVR and establishing an internet connection.

 

[Blueridge66]

At our cabin I use a couple Netgear powerline adapters to supply a connection to our only receiver. The particular Netgear model is XAV2001. Connection speed is dependent on the wiring path in your house. If too far apart it can drop off dramatically. You might go that route if you could find a retailer with a good return policy.

At home the receiver is close enough that I can connect via ethernet cable. I've got a single line from my main 8 port switch that feeds a 5 port switch near the receiver. From there I feed my Roku and the Directv receiver. Both switches are Trendnet bought thru Amazon. I had this setup before Pandora was available thru DTV. Now I have a choice, either via Roku or DTV.

 

[robjlevin]

I tried a powerline adapter with an HR-24 that was in the only room without ethernet and while the adapter itself worked very well (I tested it with a laptop) there was no way to get the DVR to see the connection using it. As with all things, YMMV. I've added whole home and using a Cinema Connection Kit to get all of the receivers on line. Works very well especially with a 35/35 FiOS connection.

 

[Blueridge66]

Interesting your HR-24 wouldn't connect. I've got a HR-22 but wouldn't think that would make any difference. I may have had to go into the receiver's setup to get it to recognize the network but don't recall any problems. We have 768kbps DSL at the cabin, but again wouldn't think that would make any difference.
But that's why I mentioned a retailer with a good return policy. I don' buy things with the idea of taking them back but it's good to have a plan B if they don't work.

 

[eezelpreezel]

My main one is an older HR20 that I've had for several years, and the secondary one is HR22, I believe, that I just got this year, but it's refurbed, through DirecTV. Each has dual input, but I don't think that's important to the discussion. I don't have any of my home entertainment equipment hooked up to the internet. I do have a Blu Ray player that is connectable but I haven't bothered with it because it's not preloaded with Pandora, and that's really all I'm interested in. As stated in my question, the router for my wireless internet is too far away to run ethernet. I'm not sure I've answered your question about my basic setup or not, but I hope so. But it's sounding as if they box you into buying their equipment. And if that's the case, can I buy just one of their connection kits & swap it from one receiver to the other as I see fit, or is it best to leave it in place once it's been set up?

 

[BobStokesbary]

Yes, it is important to know your setup. With your configuration, your path of least resistance is to get one or two wireless connection kits and just hook them directly to your DVRs via the twisted pair connection. And as an aside, I wouldn't characterize this as "boxing you into their equipment" since all the technology we are discussing here would be a real mess if they had to support every Tom, Dick and Harry's version of how it should work. What is not evident is that all equipment used in these processes require specialized drivers to make them work. It would be a nightmare to support a number of them.

 

[eezelpreezel]

Yes, it is important to know your setup. With your configuration, your path of least resistance is to get one or two wireless connection kits and just hook them directly to your DVRs via the twisted pair connection. And as an aside, I wouldn't characterize this as "boxing you into their equipment" since all the technology we are discussing here would be a real mess if they had to support every Tom, Dick and Harry's version of how it should work. What is not evident is that all equipment used in these processes require specialized drivers to make them work. It would be a nightmare to support a number of them.

So you say buy one or two from them. If I just get the one, can I move it from receiver to receiver? And I don't understand the phrase "twisted pair connection." Sorry, I really am not that well versed in these things.

Your point is well taken about supporting various adapters. That makes sense to me. I've just dealt with them a lot over the last two months, and I'm not too keen on giving them more money if I can avoid it. They're $80 each. And they told me last month that six months from now, I "may" be eligible for a free whole-home upgrade, and I think that would get me the internet connection too if I'm willing to wait.

 

[BobStokesbary]

I am talking about the wireless self-install version DirecTV sells for $25 plus $7 shipping. The $79 model is the hardwired version and D* demands professional installation. You can buy the wireless version directly from the D* website. There are instructions as to how to set it up. You just need to connect one of those blue internet connection cables between it and your receiver. There are instructions included that show you how to do it. The good news is that you can use this same CCK in your whole home setup as well. (You just connect it to your coax cable instead of directly to your receiver.) And if you want you can move it from receiver to receiver. I would just get one to start with.

 

[eezelpreezel]

The website only lists the wireless Cinema connection kit as an option, and it's $80. So I called to find out why the $25 one wasn't available, and they say it's because I don't have whole-home service and it wouldn't work without it. So now my options are to, A, buy two of the connection kits; B, pay $200 to get the house upgraded to whole-home, which supposedly would come with the internet connectivity; or, C, buy something completely separate from the DirecTV setup to get Pandora.

 

[robjlevin]

This response is based on my experience and YMMV. If you check your account online is Whole Home DVR available? If so, go ahead and activate it.

At this point not much is going to work but you can call DTV at this point and tell them that. I have 4 DVRs and an HD receiver and they happily sent me the DECAs and the Wireless Cinema Connection Kit at no charge.

Of course if you can't activate it on line you're out of luck, but you could call and get through to retention (say cancel at both voice prompts) and see what they can do. As long as you're a customer in good standing you can pretty much count on a steeply discounted installation.

 

[eezelpreezel]

I don't think that's going to work for me. At the end of '11, they ran an "upgrade" promo, and through it I got a 2nd HD DVR for free. Little did I know when I agreed to it that I was also agreeing to a 2-year contract. But according to one of the people I talked to back at the time, if I wait about 6 months, they might give me that whole-home upgrade for free at that time. So now I'm weighing whether to get a Roku or some such device. Any advice about those? Which one is best?

 

[robjlevin]

I took advantage of that deal in December. The worst thing that will happen is they say no so give it a try.

 

[rob321]

I use two wireless routers and I do not have any issues with my mrv Setup