# MRV Issues



## ghscott (Jun 28, 2010)

I have searched for an answer here and not found it exactly, so I apologize if this has been addressed. I have had 4 visits from tech's that have no idea what is going on. I continue to drop the ability for my 2 DVR's to be seen by each other and my other HD receivers.

My last visit they even swapped out one of my DVR's as they thought that was the problem. If I reset every box, the sharing comes back for a little while and then I will get a message on each TV that it has lost connection to the DVR's. 

If I turn sharing off the receivers can then see the 2 DVR's, but when sharing is on, they cannot be seen.

My equipment is:
2 H24-100
1 H21-200
1 HR20-100
1 HR21-700 (this is the one they swapped out on Wednesday)

I have a phone number with a Pin to call customer service to get this taken care of, but I have a feeling they won't know either.

I also read some things about VOD, and both DVR's have the Deca plugged into the top ethernet port, and I have the bottom ethernet port plugged into a wireless bridge on both for sharing media, streaming and VOD. Everyone that has come out has not seen this as a problem, but I don't know?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

Using the bottom ethernet port to share the connection _could_ cause a problem and isn't the approved way to bridge a connection to your home network (although it works for many people). The installer should instead have provided another DECA module (with power supply) for this purpose.

Try removing that ethernet connection to see if sharing reliability improves.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

+1 to bob...

In order to bridge to your local network (for VOD and Media Share), you should have an extra DECA and PI that is just used for that purpose.

- Merg


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## ghscott (Jun 28, 2010)

I got to the bottom of my issue on accident, and hope this will help anyone with similar issues. It came down to my Ooma was screwing everything up. My Ooma was connected directly to my desktop in order to manage the badwidth of my calls. I had to put the Ooma outside of my router and this solved my problem.

I figured this out, as the Ooma was screwing with my homegroups on my Win7 devices. Once I took the Ooma out of the setup, my Win7 devices could see everything and my DVR's could see everything.

Good to go now!


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## dwcolvin (Oct 4, 2007)

ghscott said:


> I got to the bottom of my issue on accident, and hope this will help anyone with similar issues. It came down to my Ooma was screwing everything up. My Ooma was connected directly to my desktop in order to manage the badwidth of my calls. I had to put the Ooma outside of my router and this solved my problem.
> 
> I figured this out, as the Ooma was screwing with my homegroups on my Win7 devices. Once I took the Ooma out of the setup, my Win7 devices could see everything and my DVR's could see everything.
> 
> Good to go now!


*NO*, you're not. :nono2:

There must be one, and only one, Ethernet connection to any receiver, and it must be the DECA. (There must be _no_ Ethernet connections to any Hx24). To bridge to your home network requires another DECA with power supply, coax attached to a SWM splitter somewhere, and Ethernet attached to your home network somewhere.

Edit: I hesitate to mention this, since D* should do it right (and Case Management will certainly get you there), but this configuration on _one_ of your DVRs would at least work reliably until you get another DECA and power supply: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=2459468#post2459468 .


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## ghscott (Jun 28, 2010)

Interesting, as so far so good...since I took the Ooma out of the question, this is the most reliable it has been. I also have PlayOn working on all of my receivers as well now, which is really nice.

Case Management is not here until tomorrow, so I am going to keep an eye on it, but so far it has passed that 24 hour period that haunted me in the past.


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## dwcolvin (Oct 4, 2007)

ghscott said:


> Interesting, as so far so good...since I took the Ooma out of the question, this is the most reliable it has been. I also have PlayOn working on all of my receivers as well now, which is really nice.
> 
> Case Management is not here until tomorrow, so I am going to keep an eye on it, but so far it has passed that 24 hour period that haunted me in the past.


It _doesn't matter_ that it appears to be working. It isn't installed correctly. :nono2:


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

dwcolvin said:


> It _doesn't matter_ that it appears to be working. It isn't installed correctly. :nono2:


And as such, DirecTV might refuse to provide support to you if you need it in the future.

- Merg


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## ghscott (Jun 28, 2010)

Point taken, I will have them out tomorrow to give me the needed components for an approved installation...4th time should be the charm.


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## ghscott (Jun 28, 2010)

We have an update for all of those that were concerned :lol: 

Installer got here at 9:00 am, and he is supposed to be the best of the best. He tells me no one has any idea why these things sometimes work and sometimes don't. They are actually trained to just keep on resetting the boxes until they work!

By 11:30 am he is suggesting I go back to the setup that was working. I look at what he is trying to do (I had a plumber out as well, so I couldn't really be with him until the plumber left at 11:30) and suggest something, and all of the sudden it works with the "correct" setup that is supported by DirecTV.

He was trying to use my HR20-100 as the main networked DVR. He had the Deca going into the wireless bridge like he was supposed to and everytime he would try VOD or Media share, all of the receviers would lose contact with this one. I suggested that he try using the HR21-700 as the main networked DVR. Once he did this, everything worked seemlessly. 

When I was messing around with them two days ago I realized this, but I guess I actually had to tell him. The moral of the story, the HR20-100 with Deca cannot be used as the main networked DVR in this type of a setup.

Now hopefully I am good to go. It is unbelievable that these people know nothing about their own equipment.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

ghscott said:


> By 11:30 am he is suggesting I go back to the setup that was working. I look at what he is trying to do (I had a plumber out as well, so I couldn't really be with him until the plumber left at 11:30) and suggest something, and all of the sudden it works with the "correct" setup that is supported by DirecTV.
> 
> He was trying to use my HR20-100 as the main networked DVR. He had the Deca going into the wireless bridge like he was supposed to and everytime he would try VOD or Media share, all of the receviers would lose contact with this one. I suggested that he try using the HR21-700 as the main networked DVR. Once he did this, everything worked seemlessly.
> 
> ...


 What do you mean by "main networked DVR?" 
I've got three all DECA networked and NONE are the "main" one.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Hopefully, the ethernet cable going to the wireless bridge is not coming directly from the HR21. One of the coax cables should be split with one output going to a DECA for the HR21 and the other going to the DECA and PI that goes to the wireless adapter.

- Merg


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## Ken984 (Jan 1, 2006)

It sounds like he is still using the 2nd ethernet port for internet connectivity. That is working from the HR21, but it is still not DirecTV approved. Why are the installers so clueless about this, we are quite a ways out from launch and still they do not know how bridge the deca network properly.


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## dwcolvin (Oct 4, 2007)

Sorry, but _have you been listening?_ 

There is no such thing as a 'main networked DVR'.

Do you, or do you not, have a DECA that is *not* connected to any DVR, but instead to an independent power supply, your home network _somehow_ and a SWM splitter? (That is, you have one more DECA than you have receivers)

Is _anything_ that is not a DECA attached to any DVR Ethernet port?


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## ghscott (Jun 28, 2010)

Where the HR21-700 is I have a Deca connected to the ethernet port and coax, then to a splitter. Connected to that splitter is another Deca that is also connected to an outlet as well as wireless bridge...does that make sense.

Case Management called me and asked how it went, I told them it was a mess, but it works. They are not closing this out for another 5 days to make sure this works.


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## dwcolvin (Oct 4, 2007)

ghscott said:


> Where the HR21-700 is I have a Deca connected to the ethernet port and coax, then to a splitter. Connected to that splitter is another Deca that is also connected to an outlet as well as wireless bridge...does that make sense.
> 
> Case Management called me and asked how it went, I told them it was a mess, but it works. They are not closing this out for another 5 days to make sure this works.


'It would be better' if coax from the (first) SWM splitter was run directly to somewhere a DECA could connect directly to wired Ethernet (which isn't always possible), but what you describe is 'legal' and will work.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

dwcolvin said:


> 'It would be better' if coax from the (first) SWM splitter was run directly to somewhere a DECA could connect directly to wired Ethernet (which isn't always possible), but what you describe is 'legal' and will work.


Actually, his setup is probably the most common for those that did not have a dual-cable setup to begin with in which the router is somewhat near a receiver. Although I realize he is using a wireless ethernet adapter, but in the overall scheme of things that shouldn't matter.

- Merg


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## ghscott (Jun 28, 2010)

dwcolvin said:


> 'It would be better' if coax from the (first) SWM splitter was run directly to somewhere a DECA could connect directly to wired Ethernet (which isn't always possible), but what you describe is 'legal' and will work.


I see...too bad my router is far away. I actually have two wireless bridges in my house to extend the network to the DVR, a Blu-Ray Player, HD-DVD Player and Xbox 360...I have FIOS, and this is located in my office with no DirecTV coax in site.

I am just glad I am up and running on a supported solution, and will be talking with a Director, Evan, at case management tomorrow to tell him what a mess this has been!

Thanks for all the help on here, I think I should point Evan in the direction of this forum to learn a little about his own technology.


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## dwcolvin (Oct 4, 2007)

The Merg said:


> Actually, his setup is probably the most common for those that did not have a dual-cable setup to begin with in which the router is somewhat near a receiver. Although I realize he is using a wireless ethernet adapter, but in the overall scheme of things that shouldn't matter.


Yes, but...

The install covers running new coax _to the router_ from the SWM splitter (if that is practical) and connecting the DECA there. D* obviously can't expect customers to have a spare wireless bridge lying about.

DHCP, 'phoning home' and TV Apps shouldn't be a problem, but VOD, Media Share or DirecTV2PC could put a strain on wireless bandwidth.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

dwcolvin said:


> Yes, but...
> 
> The install covers running new coax _to the router_ from the SWM splitter (if that is practical) and connecting the DECA there. D* obviously can't expect customers to have a spare wireless bridge lying about.
> 
> DHCP, 'phoning home' and TV Apps shouldn't be a problem, but VOD, Media Share or DirecTV2PC could put a strain on wireless bandwidth.


That is true, but it in most cases running a coax to where the router is located is not always practical for a free, basic professional install. In most cases where someone is already using VOD, they will have an ethernet cable hooked up to at least one DVR. Since the cable is there, the easiest thing to do is to just split one of the coax runs to that receiver or if the receiver was already using a dual run, just using the extra coax run.

- Merg


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## ghscott (Jun 28, 2010)

OK, so issues starte coming up again and I was dropping the HR21-700. I called DirecTV and they escalated to both Engineering and Case Management again. I spoke to Case Management for 40 minutes, and they were confused as they thought the problem should be the HR20-100, but that has been flawless since I started this mess. After speaking to her, she told me that they have no answer, but try my own configurations and she actually directed me to this board. She said this isn't really what she is supposed to say, but at this point she doubts anything will get done for months.

Well, I started looking at the diagrams and first realized that the installer used a SWM Power Inserter to power my DECA that went into my Wireless Bridge instead of a DECA power supply...not sure if this is an issue or not???

Next, I followed DWCOLVIN's (thanks for help on this thread and the diagram thread) post from 5/17 with the DECA straight to my wireless bridge and wireless bridge back to the HR21-700...I took the 2nd DECA, Splitter and SWM Power Supply out of the setup. Right away, every receiver could see my HR21-700.

Per Colleen at Case Management, she said most people dealing with this know more than DirecTV and she said if I can get it to work in a non-supported way, just do that. If I have any issues, just tell them it is set up correctly (and change it before someone comes out).

So, I went the Adventurous route and so far so good.


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## armchair (Jul 27, 2009)

ghscott said:


> Well, I started looking at the diagrams and first realized that the installer used a SWM Power Inserter to power my DECA that went into my Wireless Bridge instead of a DECA power supply...not sure if this is an issue or not???


Same here for me. I checked the DECA First Look (http://hr20.dbstalk.com/docs/DECA First Look.pdf) and found a note on page three. Despite the difference of 21V for DECA and 29V for SWiM, they're substituting the SWiM PI. IDK if that was intended for long term use or not? My DECA PS powering broadband DECA says SWM ODU only (Outdoor use only(?) but I suspect that only means it's watertight).


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