whole home dvr set-up question

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Weaselpolooza

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Jun 9, 2011
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Michigan
I have an HR24-500 and (2) H24s. I want the whole home DVR service. What additional equipment do I need for this set-up? Do I really need DTV to install or should I be ble to handle this myself?

Thanks!
 
I have an HR24-500 and (2) H24s. I want the whole home DVR service. What additional equipment do I need for this set-up? Do I really need DTV to install or should I be ble to handle this myself?

Thanks!

You could buy a cheap switch(maybe $15) and hook up all 3 units to it with cat-5 cable, also cheap, if you're so inclined. It's a bit of a hassle to get them to activate it "unsupported" but very do-able, then you just have to pay the $3 per month. If you can't run the wires then you need to pay for the install.
 
Is there a way to do it using the existing coax feeds to each reciever? Will using the cat-5/switch set-up you refer top allow internet connectivity to the HR24? How would they know if my setup is supported or unsupported when I go to add this service to my plan?

Thank-you for your reply!
 
If all you want it whole home DVR, you don't need any additional equipment. You just need to add it to your subscription and make sure it is authorized on all receivers. If what you really want is "Cinema Connection" [aka VOD] then you need to add an internet connection to your D* network. There are a number of threads that identify the DECA that you need to buy. If you know anything about network connections, it is a simple setup. Otherwise, professional help is an advantage.
 
If I shoot for Whole home dvr only do I need to link the H24's back to the HR24 somehow?

Assuming that you have a SWM setup, and because you have the new HR24 & H24's I would bet that is what you have. There is nothing needed to make the MRV (whole home DVR) wok. The units are all connected to each other through the coax lines. Directv just needs to activate it on your account.
 
If you have the swm dish already, you just need call up directv and tell them you want the whole room service.
 
I do not have an SWM set-up. I have the slimline5 dish and I just upgraded my receivers. I understand this set-up may be a little more tricky. Wondering if it would just be easier (cost effective) to upgrade to an SWM set-up?
 
Is there a way to do it using the existing coax feeds to each reciever? Will using the cat-5/switch set-up you refer top allow internet connectivity to the HR24? How would they know if my setup is supported or unsupported when I go to add this service to my plan?

Thank-you for your reply!

Home networks are unsupported Deca/SWM setups are supported.
 
To get to SWM do I need a different dish or just some type of module?

Thanks for all the help!

A SWM system is just a KA/KU dish with either a SWM3 or 5 or a legacy 3 or 5 LNB attached. If you have a legacy system (aka a non-SWM system) than you just need a SWM module in place of your 6X8 switch or 4 way grounding block. You will also need a 29 volt power supply to power the SWM module, so your best bet is to just try to set up the upgrade through customer service. Hope this helps.
 
How would they know if my setup is supported or unsupported when I go to add this service to my plan?
If DIRECTV installed it, they have a record of it and it is "supported". If they didn't, it is "unsupported".

If your current installation was a recent "professional installation" (done by DIRECTV or their contractor), you should be good to go. If you have two satellite cables going to your HR24, your installation is "unsupported".

"Unsupported" WHDS is not covered by any DIRECTV service plan.

It is up to the reader to decide what "supported" and "unsupported" represent.
 
Weaselpolooza,
From the kind of questions you are asking I would strongly suggest getting professional installation help on the SWM setup. You probably would have gotten all this free if you had gone through D* for an HD upgrade with a new two-year contract. But, now you really need to get someone in to make sure you get the right equipment, that the dish is aligned correctly and that you have the right connectors and cables in place. (You should have solid core RG6 for the power to the SWM head.) While it is not hard to do the upgrade, you do need some special equipment to do the job right. Your questions suggest that you are sort of poking in the dark on this one. Getting a professional person in to do the work would save you money and time in the long run.
Bob
 
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