Using DECA for streaming media.....can it be done?

[RedWings]

I currently have 2 HR24s and 2 H24s using DECA for the whole home DVR. At one of the TVs, I have a WDTV Live media player that I had to run a Cat-5 to since all my media is on my NAS on the network.

Is it possible to 'tap in' to the DECA and use the HR24 as a network access point? Then I could eliminate the CAT5 run.

I was looking to switch everything over to Wireless-N, but if I can avoid the additional cost, that would be nice.

 

[harshness]

A Cinema Connection Kit is required to "tap in" to the DECA network; you cannot do it with the HR24.

More to the point, as soon as you plug something active into the Ethernet jack on the HR24, DECA will be disabled on that HR24.

 

[RedWings]

A Cinema Connection Kit is required to "tap in" to the DECA network; you cannot do it with the HR24.

More to the point, as soon as you plug something active into the Ethernet jack on the HR24, DECA will be disabled on that HR24.

Are you saying I could use a DECA (like the older setups) to 'tap in' and it wouldn't effect the HR24's ability to connect to the Whole home DVR?

Here is an example of what i'm talking about:

 

[badtlc]

That diagram will not work because you'd lose MRV at the HR24. The HR24 has no power for an external DECA. Bring the RG6 from the wall into a 2-2150MHz splitter. Run one splitter output to the HR24. Run the 2nd splitter output to a black DECA box or a white one like you have pictured but the white one needs the seperate power supply since it isn't powered from a receiver. Then you can run the cat5 to your WDTV or a network switch.

 

[RedWings]

That diagram will not work because you'd lose MRV at the HR24. The HR24 has no power for an external DECA. Bring the RG6 from the wall into a 2-2150MHz splitter. Run one splitter output to the HR24. Run the 2nd splitter output to a black DECA box or a white one like you have pictured but the white one needs the seperate power supply since it isn't powered from a receiver. Then you can run the cat5 to your WDTV or a network switch.

Easy enough to try.

Just to be sure, is this the DECA box I should be using?

DIRECTV DECA Broadband Adapter with Power Supply (DECABB1R0)

 

[badtlc]

Easy enough to try.

Just to be sure, is this the DECA box I should be using?

DIRECTV DECA Broadband Adapter with Power Supply (DECABB1R0)

That one should work. The white one would work, too but you need a separate stand alone power supply to connect to the satellite output terminal on the white DECA.

I am also doing this (ordered a black DECA). In case you are interested, the DECA cloud is supposedly capable of 250Mbps. The DECAs only have 100Mbps ports, but it should be fast enough to not be the bottleneck if your DECA cloud traffic is low between the receivers.

 

[RedWings]

That one should work. The white one would work, too but you need a separate stand alone power supply to connect to the satellite output terminal on the white DECA.

I am also doing this (ordered a black DECA). In case you are interested, the DECA cloud is supposedly capable of 250Mbps. The DECAs only have 100Mbps ports, but it should be fast enough to not be the bottleneck if your DECA cloud traffic is low between the receivers.

Thanks again. Everywhere I find the black DECA like the one above, it mentions the power supply comes with it. Are you saying the power supply is not required for the black one?

 

[badtlc]

Thanks again. Everywhere I find the black DECA like the one above, it mentions the power supply comes with it. Are you saying the power supply is not required for the black one?

You are reading it correctly. Generally, the black one comes with the power supply because it doesn't have a power receiving coax terminal that can be connected to a satellite receiver that provides coax line power.

The white ones are designed to work with a receiver. So if you don't use the white ones with a receiver, you have to provide power from a separate source. This source is not included, typically, with the white DECA because that isn't the design intent for these devices.

 

[RedWings]

You are reading it correctly. Generally, the black one comes with the power supply because it doesn't have a power receiving coax terminal that can be connected to a satellite receiver that provides coax line power.

The white ones are designed to work with a receiver. So if you don't use the white ones with a receiver, you have to provide power from a separate source. This source is not included, typically, with the white DECA because that isn't the design intent for these devices.

Well I just ordered a black one and a SWS-2 splitter so I'll report back when I have everything set back up and running.

 

[badtlc]

was this the splitter you bought?

Wired@Home.com - DIRECTV Approved SWM MRV 2-Way Wide Band Splitter

 

[RedWings]

was this the splitter you bought?

Wired@Home.com - DIRECTV Approved SWM MRV 2-Way Wide Band Splitter

I have not actually bought it yet, but was planning on it. Was this the right one? And what does the DC Power Pass mean and what coax goes to it?

 

[badtlc]

Yeah, that is the right one I linked. You shouldn't need to worry about the DC pass through.

 

[RedWings]

Yeah, that is the right one I linked. You shouldn't need to worry about the DC pass through.

I'll order it then.

I found the black deca box on ebay for ~$20 shipped. A lot better than what a lot of the satellite store websites are selling it for (~$55)

 

[BobStokesbary]

ebay was my choice for my DECA. It works just fine, and as noted, a lot less expensive than what is available from satellite stores right now. D* shows a price of $25 on their site, but insist on professional install ($50 more) for whole home DVR customers. ebay was the best choice for me.

 

[badtlc]

I got the DECA for $15 with free shipping.

Went and got a cheap 5-2500Mhz splitter at home depot last night after receiving the DECA. Split the coax to the HR24 and the new DECA. MRV and everything is working flawlessly. My HTPC is now wired instead of wireless and things seem great. I haven't had an opportunity to see if the throughput is as much as a typical 100Mbps connection on the network through just the router. I'll try and compare tonight.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

The Directv "green label" splitters have additional circuitry to provide coupling at the DECA frequency between ports which are normally isolated. However, if the isolation isn't too great, it will probably work (mine did, but I replaced it anyway).

 

[RedWings]

Hooked mine up today. After rebooting all routers, switches, and DECAs everything worked fine. I tried a 12gb mkv on my WDTV and there was some stuttering. So i tried a file under 10GB and it seemed to work fine. I'll continue to test it and see if there are any limitations. If 10GB is the biggest file I can go, I am fine with that.

 

[charper1]

Hooked mine up today. After rebooting all routers, switches, and DECAs everything worked fine. I tried a 12gb mkv on my WDTV and there was some stuttering. So i tried a file under 10GB and it seemed to work fine. I'll continue to test it and see if there are any limitations. If 10GB is the biggest file I can go, I am fine with that.

Why would the file's overall size matter?

 

[RedWings]

Why would the file's overall size matter?

Larger file size probably means higher quality. Also could mean a higher bit rate. If the DECAs only allow 100mbs as opposed to gigabit speeds, that could lead to the bandwidth not being able to stream a file that large.

 

[charper1]

OK thats what I was thinking; bitrate is the likely cause as opposed to the file size. You could conceivably have a much smaller overall size with the same high bitrate and test it out.