# Cinema Connection Kit same as Whole-Home DVR?



## GoHogsAR (Aug 29, 2008)

tl;dr: Is the Cinema Connection Kit the same thing as Whole Home DVR service?

Good afternoon,

I called DirecTV today with a wish list that included the following:

*Sunday Ticket with RedZone Channel
*HR34 Receiver
*Whole-Home DVR
*No increase to monthly bill

I was still on a the Total Choice Plus DVR package. I have five receivers and was paying $12.99 for the regional sports package and $4.99 for the HD Extra pack. My total bill was just over $135 each month.

I called the Retention department and started by saying that I had no intention of canceling service but was looking for some help and figured that group could help me most. The gentleman I spoke with said he understood and asked what I was looking for. I read him the list and this is what he ended up with:

*Added Sunday Ticket and Red Zone channel, along with Showtime and Starz free for six months. He said this wasn't Sunday Ticket Max and that I wouldn't get mobile access to the games (no problem - I have a Slingbox). He said he included Showtime and Starz because that was the standard promotion right now.
*He also gave me a $10/month statement credit without me asking.
*Switched me to Choice Ultimate and reduced the sports pack from $12.99/month to $6.00/month.
*HR34 + Install for no charge

All of these changes are reducing my bill from more than $135 month to right at $120/month.

Now here's me question: He said he wasn't able to give me the Whole Home service for free, that they would have to charge $199 but that he could throw in the Cinema Connection Kit for free. I told him I wasn't wanting to spend that much so he put me on hold. When he came back, he said he was able to figure out how to charge me $99 for the Cinema Connection Kit for $99 and that would give me Whole Home. He also added a $10/month HD credit to offset the $99 I was paying for the Cinema Connection kit. That brings my bill down to $110 month. 

I agreed, but I did some reading after I hung up and now am wondering if it really is the same thing. So, does the Cinema Connection Kit really enable Whole Home DVR service?

Thanks for reading.


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## GoHogsAR (Aug 29, 2008)

One other point to add - the DVR in my living room is already connected to the internet via ethernet cable. This is where the HR34 is going, so the play was to hardwire it as well. Not sure if I even need the wireless CCK.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

I can't answer your questions about biling but I can tell you that if you are able to hard wire the internet instead of wireless you are way better off.

You do not have to have Internet hooked up to have whole home DVR service .

They, all the receivers, are connected thru the coax cables and some DECA adapters on certain receivers .


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## NR4P (Jan 16, 2007)

The CCK is not the same as WHDVR service.
CCK is a piece of hardware that provides a connection from your router to your coaxial cable network. CCK connects the WHDVR's to the public internet through your router. It enables VOD and other things.

Since you will have a Cat5 cable plugged into the HR34, you don't even need the CCK. But the script says you need it, so its coming. The HR34 will bridge the internet to all the other boxes via the coax cable/SWiM system.


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## GoHogsAR (Aug 29, 2008)

Thank you for the responses. The more I read about this, I think I'm starting to understand. Still a few questions if y'all don't mind.

Even with the CCK, I won't have everything I need for WHDVR will I? I'll still have one HR20-100, two HR20-700, and one H21-100. Don't I need DECA for each receiver and a band stop filter for the HR20-100 to make WHDVR work?

Since I don't have any use for the CCK, can I call DTV and have them drop that from the work order? I don't currently have a SWM setup but since the H34 requires it, seems like they'll have to install that anyway.

Thanks


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

I certainly could be wrong, but I think he is setting you up for whole home dvr and that usually includes all that is needed to get it to work. So you should be getting whatever extra hardware is required I think, which would include switching you to SWM and all that entails.

And while a phone call might clear things up, it also might confuse the issue. I think I'd leave things as they are and play extremely dumb when the installer gets there.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

Yep, they are going to change you up a bunch. If I am reading correctly, when you are all connected you will have a total of 10 tuners. This will require the SWM 16 Multi Switch.
They will do all this for you including the DECA adapters.

As for the CCK, when you call them just tell them you do not want wireless that you want the Hard wired connection. They have an adapter that allows internet over the coax.
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...CA-II-Ethernet-to-Coax-Adapter-DECA--(DCA2SR0)
They should do this also as part of the Whole Home DVR install.
It is also possible for the tech to just change up the order on site, especially if he has the hardwire adapter on his truck.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

"jimmie57" said:


> Yep, they are going to change you up a bunch. If I am reading correctly, when you are all connected you will have a total of 10 tuners. This will require the SWM 16 Multi Switch.
> They will do all this for you including the DECA adapters.
> 
> As for the CCK, when you call them just tell them you do not want wireless that you want the Hard wired connection. They have an adapter that allows internet over the coax.
> ...


Correct. A SWM16 will be installed. Any DECAs and a BSF will also be installed. The w-CCK will be installed as well. There 's no need to tell them that you want it wired. The w-CCK can be configured for a hard wired installation. At worst, since the OP is not really concerned about Internet connectivity or using the iPad app, the OP can just remove the CCK after the tech leaves. If they want stuff connected later, they can just hook an Ethernet cable to the HR34.

- Merg


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## GoHogsAR (Aug 29, 2008)

I called DTV this morning and had them look at my installation order. They said there is nothing on it to indicate WHDVR, but said that when the installer got there I could just ask him to do it, refuse the CCK, and they would credit that back to my account. I asked how they would charge me for the WHDVR install and they said there "shouldn't" be any charge for that, including any required equipment. Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to get what I want on Friday, and/or they are going to end up trying to charge me a lot more than $99?


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

GoHogsAR said:


> I called DTV this morning and had them look at my installation order. They said there is nothing on it to indicate WHDVR, but said that when the installer got there I could just ask him to do it, refuse the CCK, and they would credit that back to my account. I asked how they would charge me for the WHDVR install and they said there "shouldn't" be any charge for that, including any required equipment. Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to get what I want on Friday, and/or they are going to end up trying to charge me a lot more than $99?


If there is doubt when the tech gets there discuss what he is scheduled to do and what he can change before he starts to work.

I had a tech come out to install an HD DVR in place of and SD DVR. He did not like what had been done before him. He installed a new dish, new cabling, new ground and changed out the receiver. All this was no more than they told me on the phone.


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## GoHogsAR (Aug 29, 2008)

jimmie57 said:


> If there is doubt when the tech gets there discuss what he is scheduled to do and what he can change before he starts to work.


Thanks, will do. I'll report back on Friday how it all went.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

GoHogsAR said:


> I called DTV this morning and had them look at my installation order. They said there is nothing on it to indicate WHDVR, but said that when the installer got there I could just ask him to do it, refuse the CCK, and they would credit that back to my account. I asked how they would charge me for the WHDVR install and they said there "shouldn't" be any charge for that, including any required equipment. Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to get what I want on Friday, and/or they are going to end up trying to charge me a lot more than $99?


If you are getting an HR34 installed, that will get you converted to a SWM system automatically. As part of the HR34 installation, Whole Home Service is also included, so you will get that as well. Since you will have Whole Home Service installed, you will need DECAs on receivers that do not have DECAs internally. That should take care of you.

- Merg


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