Curious about Whole Home Service equipment needs

[evanwins]

I just got off the phone with a rather rude DTV rep. I wanted to add the Whole Home DVR service to my existing account. I have 3 HD receivers, 2 of which are HR24/500's (both are connected to the internet) and a H24 (not connected to the internet).

She told me that I would need another piece of equipment, (some type of hub) to make the Whole Home service work and that it would cost me $229 for the install.

This does not sound right to me and I was curious if someone could confirm whether this is true or not.

Thanks.

 

[robjlevin]

Very surprised to hear the rep was rude. I've had lots of dealing with customer service and they are always very polite and helpful. That said, the 24s all have DECA built in. Do the DVRs have one satellite connection or two? If only one, you already have a SWiM setup and there really shouldn't be much of need for anything other than a Cinema Connection Kit which takes about 5 minutes to set up. You'll need that to get the internet connection for on demand and tv apps.

 

[BobStokesbary]

How are your HR24s connected to the internet? If you are using hardwired connections you are killing your coax MRV signal. As robjlevin says, just add the wireless CCK for $32, and remove your hardwired connection (if that is what you have) and be done with it. And you need to add MRV for $3/month and make sure it is authorized on all receivers. (Or you could just wire your H24 receiver to the internet and be done with it. You still need the MRV service turned on.)

 

[jcrandall]

One factor, they may need a swm upgrade thus the cost. Hit dash on your remote and tell us if it says swim connected or not.

 

[evanwins]

An Update:
A tech came out this morning and looked at my system and set up and then proceeded to ask me what he was doing there, as he obviously knew I didn't need him. My set up was correct and all I needed was for DirecTv to enable MRV (multi Room Viewing), which they wouldn't do because the insisted I needed a SWM, which I didn't.

robjlevin: I know, the reps are usually great...not this one. I have had my receivers connected to the internet for 2 years now (I was a beta tester of their on-demand service) and I have 2 Sat inputs on both. You (and I) were right - I didn't need any equipment for whole home service. I just needed DirecTv to enable MRV which, again, they refused to do without the tech coming.

BobStokeBary: They are ethernet connected and I'm not sure what you mean by hardwired killing coax MRV signal, it's not. Again, the tech did nothing (NOTHING) at my house with my equipment. All he did was call and have them switch on MRV and it worked perfectly.

In the end it was a big waste of my time and the tech's time and if the first rep I spoke to just shut up and listened to me the whole thing would have been over with.

So for those that get the same response from DTV: If your receivers are connected to the internet YOU DO NOT NEED ANY EXTRA EQUIPMENT.

 

[mcintire123]

An Update:
A tech came out this morning and looked at my system and set up and then proceeded to ask me what he was doing there, as he obviously knew I didn't need him. My set up was correct and all I needed was for DirecTv to enable MRV (multi Room Viewing), which they wouldn't do because the insisted I needed a SWM, which I didn't.

robjlevin: I know, the reps are usually great...not this one. I have had my receivers connected to the internet for 2 years now (I was a beta tester of their on-demand service) and I have 2 Sat inputs on both. You (and I) were right - I didn't need any equipment for whole home service. I just needed DirecTv to enable MRV which, again, they refused to do without the tech coming.

BobStokeBary: They are ethernet connected and I'm not sure what you mean by hardwired killing coax MRV signal, it's not. Again, the tech did nothing (NOTHING) at my house with my equipment. All he did was call and have them switch on MRV and it worked perfectly.

In the end it was a big waste of my time and the tech's time and if the first rep I spoke to just shut up and listened to me the whole thing would have been over with.

So for those that get the same response from DTV: If your receivers are connected to the internet YOU DO NOT NEED ANY EXTRA EQUIPMENT.

Well, really u don't need to be connected to the internet to use MRV if thats what you mean by that.

On the thing where they always say that being ethernet hard wired kills your MRV connection. I doesn't always do that, I had one hooked up that way before we got the cinema connection hub and my MRV worked fine.

 

[kovach]

Ok, now I'm curious, I called in a couple weeks ago and was told something similar, that I needed someone to come out and install something for $199 (but then they said they could knock $100 off that price). I have 2 HR22's both hooked up to the internet via powerline, and an HR21 which isn't hooked up to the internet but very easily could be, all via SWM.

What equipment would I need for whole home service? And how would that work with my set up, would the HR21 be connected to 1 of the HR22s, or would both DVRs be accessable from any receiver?

 

[Hutch1814]

An Update:
A tech came out this morning and looked at my system and set up and then proceeded to ask me what he was doing there, as he obviously knew I didn't need him. My set up was correct and all I needed was for DirecTv to enable MRV (multi Room Viewing), which they wouldn't do because the insisted I needed a SWM, which I didn't.

robjlevin: I know, the reps are usually great...not this one. I have had my receivers connected to the internet for 2 years now (I was a beta tester of their on-demand service) and I have 2 Sat inputs on both. You (and I) were right - I didn't need any equipment for whole home service. I just needed DirecTv to enable MRV which, again, they refused to do without the tech coming.

BobStokeBary: They are ethernet connected and I'm not sure what you mean by hardwired killing coax MRV signal, it's not. Again, the tech did nothing (NOTHING) at my house with my equipment. All he did was call and have them switch on MRV and it worked perfectly.

In the end it was a big waste of my time and the tech's time and if the first rep I spoke to just shut up and listened to me the whole thing would have been over with.

So for those that get the same response from DTV: If your receivers are connected to the internet YOU DO NOT NEED ANY EXTRA EQUIPMENT.

What you have is an unsupported version is all. If you have problems they won't send a tech out for you due to it not being connected via coax. That's the only issue, as far as that goes, I doubt you'll have issues considering it seems more stable at this point then using SWM

 

[robjlevin]

With two lines coming into the DVRs you don't have SWiM and the set up, as already mentioned, is not supported...but it does work. The problem you'll have is if you add a receiver in a room without ethernet you won't be able to use MRV.

 

[kovach]

Ok, now I'm curious, I called in a couple weeks ago and was told something similar, that I needed someone to come out and install something for $199 (but then they said they could knock $100 off that price). I have 2 HR22's both hooked up to the internet via powerline, and an HR21 which isn't hooked up to the internet but very easily could be, all via SWM.

What equipment would I need for whole home service? And how would that work with my set up, would the HR21 be connected to 1 of the HR22s, or would both DVRs be accessable from any receiver?

So how about my setup, is there a simple way to turn this into a whole home dvr system?

 

[BobStokesbary]

So how about my setup, is there a simple way to turn this into a whole home dvr system?

Your simplest route, but TOTALLY unsupported, would be to add a third powerline adapter to your HR21 and then just get MRV turned on ($3/mo). (You can search the forum to see how folks do this since it takes some persistence.) This method just uses your in-house intranet for the MRV signal.

Your next alternative is to upgrade to SWM. The least expensive alternative is a new SWM LNB (3 or 5 depending on where your locals are). Solid Signal wants $80 or $90 for the head plus $23 for the power supply. Then you need to add a splitter and a cinema connection kit for about another $35 plus shipping. All that makes your $99 (after the $100 off) a real deal. Moreover you get a tech that will make sure things work right.

 

[robjlevin]

Call them and get the retention department (say cancel twice at the voice prompts). Those are the folks that can do the most for you.

 

[n4uaj]

I just have the HR24 HR21 and H21 connected to my link sys router by ethernet. After naming all the receivers and making sure they were connected to network, I called and told them I wanted the "unsupported" MRV @ $3.00 a month and "zap" there it was. No real problems so far with it. Only time it acted goofy was after a power failure I had to do a red button reset on just one of the DVRs to get them seeing each other again.

 

[averagejoe78]

I mentioned this in a separate thread, but I had a new installation of another HR24 in my bedroom on Monday (supposed to happen on Sunday, which was a disaster). After researching on Whole Home, I think I might be set up for it now, but wanted to confirm here. I didn't really pay attention to my setup until last night. I had the old setup with 2 lines running to my downstairs DVR. So the tech converted my old dish to the SWiM setup. Now 1 line goes to the HR24 downstairs, and one to my upstairs HR24. I think he added that Cinema Connection Kit, or whatever it's called to my downstairs setup. it's a small black box with 1 coaxial out and an ethernet out. and has 3 lights on the front. He said to use that for PPV. So it's hooked to my router, and now no Ethernet is running to my HR24. Does that mean I'm close to having Whole Home?

My router is downstairs, so is my HR24 in the bedroom supposed to be hooked up online as well? I'm not sure how that is supposed to work. Or if that is even needed for Whole Home.

I logged into my account online and it said I'm not qualified for Whole Home. So I'm sort of confused.

 

[ballstothewallinstall]

I mentioned this in a separate thread, but I had a new installation of another HR24 in my bedroom on Monday (supposed to happen on Sunday, which was a disaster). After researching on Whole Home, I think I might be set up for it now, but wanted to confirm here. I didn't really pay attention to my setup until last night. I had the old setup with 2 lines running to my downstairs DVR. So the tech converted my old dish to the SWiM setup. Now 1 line goes to the HR24 downstairs, and one to my upstairs HR24. I think he added that Cinema Connection Kit, or whatever it's called to my downstairs setup. it's a small black box with 1 coaxial out and an ethernet out. and has 3 lights on the front. He said to use that for PPV. So it's hooked to my router, and now no Ethernet is running to my HR24. Does that mean I'm close to having Whole Home?

My router is downstairs, so is my HR24 in the bedroom supposed to be hooked up online as well? I'm not sure how that is supposed to work. Or if that is even needed for Whole Home.

I logged into my account online and it said I'm not qualified for Whole Home. So I'm sort of confused.

My first post . Your setup that you have currently is all setup for mrv. All u need to do is call Dtv and get mrv enabled on your account. After that hit the menu button on your remote and name each receiver. Menu, system setup, whole home, name location. After you do that hit the status option in the whole home option and you should be all set.

 

[stardust3]

I suppose there were no other options for a username? Everything else was taken? Oh well, welcome my balls on the wall.

 

[averagejoe78]

My first post . Your setup that you have currently is all setup for mrv. All u need to do is call Dtv and get mrv enabled on your account. After that hit the menu button on your remote and name each receiver. Menu, system setup, whole home, name location. After you do that hit the status option in the whole home option and you should be all set.

Cool. So my HR24 in my bedroom, does NOT have to be connected to the internet?

 

[ballstothewallinstall]

Cool. So my HR24 in my bedroom, does NOT have to be connected to the internet?

No, since your system is swim you don't have to have every receiver hooked to the net. The black box that is hooked up to your internet with the three green lights enables you to get cinema on demand in all rooms. As far as whole home is concerned, just call dtv and have them activate new programming. Its 3 bucks month.

 

[averagejoe78]

I'm all set up now for Whole Home. I started another thread about how I had an awful experience with a Sunday installation involving relocating a DVR. Long story short, Monday evening I was given a new HR24 as a replacement, and the tech converted me to SWiM. I didn't realize at the time, that he also brought with him the Cinema Connection Kit and had it installed already.

I didn't know anything about the Whole Home service, so I wasn't sure what that box was for. So they really made things right by giving me that kit for free, which I believe has a $199 install charge.

I found that out because when I called in tonight, the rep said I would need the kit, and I told him it's already installed. He said "how did you pay for it?". And I had explained what happened Sunday and assumed Monday's freebie was a courtesy on their part. So I was on hold for several minutes. I kept thinking he was going to come back and say I had to pay the fee. However, he came back and said they need a few more minutes and that I would have it activated. So I'm sure some special supervisor codes were entered.

Of course, I had to spend 45 minutes on the phone with tech support because we couldn't get the service working. Finally, after a simple reboot, I'm fully up and running. I wish she tried that as step 1 instead of step 15. It was worth it. They went above and beyond making things right.