Anyone using DirectTV's whole home DVR service?

[TastesLikeChicken]

Ah F me, damn shameful to read this because it's so wrong and a real sin to come from a sales rep!

That's unusual coming from a DTV sales rep because they heavily push their DECA WHDR solution over doing it yourself over ethernet.

[snip]

All this said, there is an ethernet jack on my HD receivers. I don't know what they do. I assume if you have a simple setup you could have ethernet running to them and do stuff like ordering movies and what not, but in my case all that is done via the extra little device in the unfinished area that is going to my network.

WHDVR works just as well over ethernet. In fact, DTV's DECA solution is simply a variation of MoCA. It simply sends ethernet signals over coax lines. That's also why that switch is connected to your router. It distributes an internet connection to all of your DTV boxes over coax.

Existing DTV customers who already have hard-wired ethernet in place are better off using that for WHDVR for one simple reason. They get the same functionality, they don't have to sign up for 2 more years to have WHDVR service enabled, and they don't have to pay the install fee for the DECA stuff. Wire your boxes to your home network, call DirecTV customer support, and ask to have WHDVR enabled. The only drawback is that DTV won't provide technical support/repair for system running on a home network. For most of the geeks that would enable it over their home network it's not really an issue.

 

[jhansman]

The ONLY WIRING throughout the house to these two HD receivers is coaxial, the stuff that was around years back when the house was built.

I just last night moved one of the receivers and the only wires going into that HD receiver are its power cable, HDMI, and coaxial.

Good to know, thanks. I thought the sales rep's 'info' sounded a bit fishy. One other note: the installed who added HD to our bedroom said he was about to train on a new technology would add serious connectivity for DirecTV customers. He wouldn't say more, but it sounded encouraging.

 

[Doppel]

That's unusual coming from a DTV sales rep because they heavily push their DECA WHDR solution over doing it yourself over ethernet.

[snip]


WHDVR works just as well over ethernet. In fact, DTV's DECA solution is simply a variation of MoCA. It simply sends ethernet signals over coax lines. That's also why that switch is connected to your router. It distributes an internet connection to all of your DTV boxes over coax.

Existing DTV customers who already have hard-wired ethernet in place are better off using that for WHDVR for one simple reason. They get the same functionality, they don't have to sign up for 2 more years to have WHDVR service enabled, and they don't have to pay the install fee for the DECA stuff. Wire your boxes to your home network, call DirecTV customer support, and ask to have WHDVR enabled. The only drawback is that DTV won't provide technical support/repair for system running on a home network. For most of the geeks that would enable it over their home network it's not really an issue.

I didn't know until this thread it could be done simply with ethernet cables, good to know, although the current setup works well. There are delays, as mentioned. Not bad ones, but not instant and snappy like when running from the central box.

 

[ccrolley]

Nothing but problems since my whole-home installation. Horrible artifacting and dropouts on the DVR. Many programs so corrupted that we chose to pay to download them from iTunes instead.

Trying to watch from a remote receiver is an on-and-off thing, too. Sometimes no programs show up in the playlist, sometimes they do. Then sometimes they just disappear and the DVR is no longer available. Most of the time the programs will play for 3 seconds with no audio - stop for ten seconds - and then play for another 3 with no audio.

The whiz-bangs at DTV can't seem to get the problem solved, except for having me hit reset buttons and wait for software updates. On the few occasions when it's actually worked (2 days out of 14), it's been great and exactly as advertised.

So now I'm waiting another 2 days for a technician to show up and diagnose the problem before I cancel the service. I've had DirecTV on and off for the last 10+ years, and this is without a doubt the worst experience I've had with them. "Live" programs look great, just like always with DirecTV, but this recorder and the whole system around it are just dreadful in my experience.

 

[gar655]

Nothing but problems since my whole-home installation. Horrible artifacting and dropouts on the DVR. Many programs so corrupted that we chose to pay to download them from iTunes instead.

Trying to watch from a remote receiver is an on-and-off thing, too. Sometimes no programs show up in the playlist, sometimes they do. Then sometimes they just disappear and the DVR is no longer available. Most of the time the programs will play for 3 seconds with no audio - stop for ten seconds - and then play for another 3 with no audio.

The whiz-bangs at DTV can't seem to get the problem solved, except for having me hit reset buttons and wait for software updates. On the few occasions when it's actually worked (2 days out of 14), it's been great and exactly as advertised.

So now I'm waiting another 2 days for a technician to show up and diagnose the problem before I cancel the service. I've had DirecTV on and off for the last 10+ years, and this is without a doubt the worst experience I've had with them. "Live" programs look great, just like always with DirecTV, but this recorder and the whole system around it are just dreadful in my experience.

Why not just cancel the whole home feature. DTV still beats the pants off cable.

 

[imagoon]

Have HR24's connected via Ethernet here. Don't have SWM either yet. Told them no when they wanted to do the Coax network (it would disable the older receivers.) It was nice avoiding the extra fees for a ton of gear I don't need.

 

[compcons]

I have been thrilled with the service. Every day I find a reason to use it. The best part is I don't have freaking iCarly getting recorded in my bedroom anymore.

I was on wirleess with my equipment (4 HD-DVRs). Wireless absolutely blows for this kind of thing. The SWiM device carries all network traffic (it actually ties into your router) and transfers the video. I imagine it is comparable to a wired network (not sure if the DVR's use 100Mb/s or 1Gb/s). A few points:

0) MOST IMPORTANT NOTE: You can only do a single item on the Whole Home DVR network at a time. This does not affect any other functions. You can watch a show from DVR1 on DVR2 and still access DVR1. However, you can not watch from DVR1 and DVR2 on two other DVRs. One total network shared program at a time. period. Hopefully, some firmware fixes that. It has not been an issue here with 4 DVR's and 4 people.

1) My home network runs through a Clear wireless router. 5-6Mb/s down and 1 Mb/s up.

2) I have about 20 devices (computers, tablets, Xbox, Wii, TV's, DVD players, etc.) on my network. Devices use wireless or are wired (through a Gb switch) into the modem/router. I have not experienced any "glitchiness" on my network. the internet on the other hand...

3) there is a minor (10 second) lag when starting a show. Once it's rolling, its fine.

 

[compcons]

Nothing but problems since my whole-home installation. Horrible artifacting and dropouts on the DVR. Many programs so corrupted that we chose to pay to download them from iTunes instead.

Trying to watch from a remote receiver is an on-and-off thing, too. Sometimes no programs show up in the playlist, sometimes they do. Then sometimes they just disappear and the DVR is no longer available. Most of the time the programs will play for 3 seconds with no audio - stop for ten seconds - and then play for another 3 with no audio.

The whiz-bangs at DTV can't seem to get the problem solved, except for having me hit reset buttons and wait for software updates. On the few occasions when it's actually worked (2 days out of 14), it's been great and exactly as advertised.

So now I'm waiting another 2 days for a technician to show up and diagnose the problem before I cancel the service. I've had DirecTV on and off for the last 10+ years, and this is without a doubt the worst experience I've had with them. "Live" programs look great, just like always with DirecTV, but this recorder and the whole system around it are just dreadful in my experience.

I would guess you have some other issues going on here. Perhaps some network problems? Don't expect the DTV techician to get too deep into that. I have 4 receivers and all work great. You either have bad equipment or something is amiss on your network. I believe you could just use a simple switch between the DVR's to test the theory by eliminating any other sources of problems.

Good luck,
EH