# Cinema Connection Kit question...



## Codeman00 (Dec 13, 2003)

I'm a new DirecTV customer and had 3 HR24s installed a few days ago using all coax, which I understand from this forums as DECA. I had wired ethernet port in the living room and the installer unplugged the ethernet from my old Dish receiver into the DirecTV receiver. While he was here, it connected and downloaded the Cinema playlists, etc.

Well, a couple of days after he left, I realized that I cannot watch Cinema because it says I have no internet connection. Sure enough after running through the test in the Network Setup menu, I the receiver is not getting an internet connection even though the hub is live and all other components run from it work (PS3, HDTV, etc). 

I called Dish and they say that I need the Cinema Connection Kit (CCT) and for $134, they will send me one. I told them that was unnacceptable since my signup promised that I would get Cinema for free. She put me on hold and then told me that she would charge my account for the $134 then immediately refund it. But an installer would have to come to my house to install it? (Even though I told her I could do it myself). 

I then asked technically, why do I need it? She said that since your MRV is DECA and your receiver is connected through the internet that the signals interfere with each other. The Cinema connection kit will prevent the interference and is required for my setup. Is that correct?? Or not?? 

It sucks that they didn't install it when they were here, but it wasn't part of the work order for whatever reason.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

It feels odd typing this, but ...the CSR was right. With 24s, plugging in the ethernet disables the internal DECA.

It brings all your receivers into a "cloud" that gives then internet access.


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## Codeman00 (Dec 13, 2003)

sigma1914 said:


> It feels odd typing this, but ...the CSR was right.


LOL :lol: She seemed pretty certain.

So exactly what does this kit look like and what does it do to counteract the cloud?


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

A Cinema connection kit is not required for Multi-Room video, if all of your receivers are connected with Coax (H24 or HR24) or have a DECA adapter (All other H and HRs).

With a Cinema Connection Kit, you will be able to schedule programs online with your computer or cell phone, download Video On Demand from the VOD channels.

If you want to do it yourself, and you have an unused port on your splitter, you can buy a DECA module and power supply to bridge that unused port to your router.
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...upply-(DECABB1R0)&c=Satellite Components&sku=
You can also buy a DECA module and power supply, and a 2-way splitter (green label) and a short RG6 jumper, and connect your coax in the living room by the ethernet wire to the splitter, hook one coax from the splitter to the DVR/Receiver and one to the DECA, then plug the ethernet into the DECA.

If you have a H24 or HR24 and the installer plugged a ethernet cable into that unit, then that unit will NOT work with DECA, as the ethernet port disconnects the DECA built in. It doesnt interfere with it, it just bypasses it. If that is the case, you will need to disconnect the ethernet cable, and rerun satellite setup to regain use of the internet DECA.

If the ethernet was connected to a DVR with a DECA module (non-HR24), then the installer hooked it up wrong if you do not have internet connectivity.


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## Codeman00 (Dec 13, 2003)

Alright...I think I understand. I have an HR24, so plugging in the internet via ethernet disabled the internet because I am using DECA. The installer should have known that. 

And the DECA kit from what I understand is a powered box that turns ethernet into coax and this hooks into the DECA network?

So lets say I hook this up myself ...the hookup would be:

Receiver --- ethernet cable --- DECA Module --- Coax cable --- DTV splitter in the attic? 

Is that correct?


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

Receiver to splitter port 2
Deca module coax jack to splitter port 1
DirecTv coax to splitter input
Ethernet to DECA modules ethernet jack
Power supply to DECA module


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## Codeman00 (Dec 13, 2003)

Davenlr said:


> Receiver to splitter port 2
> Deca module coax jack to splitter port 1
> DirecTv coax to splitter input
> Ethernet to DECA modules ethernet jack
> Power supply to DECA module


Got it. Now I understand. Thanks!


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## DrummerBoy523 (Jan 9, 2007)

Codeman00 said:


> Got it. Now I understand. Thanks!


Hey man, SFBoiler here. Thought that your user name looked familiar. 

If you have any questions about the DECA setup, we've got the WHDVR and the internet setup as well. I can help you through it if you need.

~Jonathan


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## Codeman00 (Dec 13, 2003)

Hey SF ! Small world.

I did get my Cinema kit installed today. Strange enough though it was a wireless setup instead of a wired setup. The tech installed a splitter and then a DECA box that a coax and an ethernet cable plugged into. The DECA box is wireless transmits to the receiver. What I don't understand is that the wireless DECA box sits right behind the receiver...about 10" away. Why wouldn't he have connected this wired instead? Or all of the cinema kits wireless?


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Codeman00 said:


> Hey SF ! Small world.
> 
> I did get my Cinema kit installed today. Strange enough though it was a wireless setup instead of a wired setup. The tech installed a splitter and then a DECA box that a coax and an ethernet cable plugged into. The DECA box is wireless transmits to the receiver. What I don't understand is that the wireless DECA box sits right behind the receiver...about 10" away. Why wouldn't he have connected this wired instead? Or all of the cinema kits wireless?


A DECA can't transmit wirelessly to a receiver, so maybe you could take a photo of things and we can figure out what really is happening.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Codeman00 said:


> Hey SF ! Small world.
> 
> I did get my Cinema kit installed today. Strange enough though it was a wireless setup instead of a wired setup. The tech installed a splitter and then a DECA box that a coax and an ethernet cable plugged into. The DECA box is wireless transmits to the receiver. What I don't understand is that the wireless DECA box sits right behind the receiver...about 10" away. Why wouldn't he have connected this wired instead? Or all of the cinema kits wireless?


The ethernet cable in the DECA box that was installed, that goes to your router, correct? If so, it is not that the DECA is wireless. The other end of it is connected to a coax so that your home network is then linked to the coax network for your receivers. This allows ethernet traffic to go over the coax cables to your receivers.

- Merg


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## Codeman00 (Dec 13, 2003)

The Merg said:


> The ethernet cable in the DECA box that was installed, that goes to your router, correct? If so, it is not that the DECA is wireless. The other end of it is connected to a coax so that your home network is then linked to the coax network for your receivers. This allows ethernet traffic to go over the coax cables to your receivers.
> 
> - Merg


Yep, that's it. Interesting. I guess the DECA is wired but I just assumed that the ethernet port on the HR24 had to be used. I guess not.

One thing I will add is that I had to run the DECA directly from my modem. I had a 4 way powered ethernet splitter behind my TV and the HR24 wouldn't fail the internet connection test. My other components seem to work fine via the splitter but not the DECA.


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## DrummerBoy523 (Jan 9, 2007)

Codeman00 said:


> Yep, that's it. Interesting. I guess the DECA is wired but I just assumed that the ethernet port on the HR24 had to be used. I guess not.
> 
> One thing I will add is that I had to run the DECA directly from my modem. I had a 4 way powered ethernet splitter behind my TV and the HR24 wouldn't fail the internet connection test. My other components seem to work fine via the splitter but not the DECA.


The DECA is built in to the 24, so everything runs on your coax. At your router, the CCC is the "DECA" and the coax goes in and ethernet out to your router.

You shouldnt have to run the DECA from your modem. It should look like this:

coax=>CCC=>ethernet cable=>open port on router


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Codeman00 said:


> Yep, that's it. Interesting. I guess the DECA is wired but I just assumed that the ethernet port on the HR24 had to be used. I guess not.
> 
> One thing I will add is that I had to run the DECA directly from my modem. I had a 4 way powered ethernet splitter behind my TV and the HR24 wouldn't fail the internet connection test. My other components seem to work fine via the splitter but not the DECA.





DrummerBoy523 said:


> The DECA is built in to the 24, so everything runs on your coax. At your router, the CCC is the "DECA" and the coax goes in and ethernet out to your router.
> 
> You shouldnt have to run the DECA from your modem. It should look like this:
> 
> coax=>CCC=>ethernet cable=>open port on router


How are all your other devices connected to the Internet now? As Drummerboy mentioned, you need to have the Broadband DECA connected to a router that comes from the cable modem. If you had a switch off the cable modem, that is not going to work.

- Merg


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

At the moment I don't think there is a wireless DECA. One was submitted to the FCC for approval but if it's hit the streets, this is the first I've heard.


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## Codeman00 (Dec 13, 2003)

Here is a picture of my setup....just for the record.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k77/codeman00/Picture378.jpg


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Codeman00 said:


> Here is a picture of my setup....just for the record.
> 
> http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k77/codeman00/Picture378.jpg


"Yep" there's nothing "wireless" there with all that coax. :lol:


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## bigdaddynw5 (Mar 2, 2011)

You can have the DECA behind a Ethernet switch, not a problem at all. As long as the switch is connected to the router. I have 3 switches on my network, DECA plugs into one of them. The issue I see is some routers may not be set to allow new devices on the network most likely a MAC filter. If this is set, you will have to add the MAC address of the DECA to your MAC filter allow list. The other issue I can see is some routers are not set to DHCP which is in charge of giving IP addresses to Ethernet devices on the network. If the DECA is plugged in and can't get an address, then it will default to a nonstandard IP address like 169.x.x.x and a subnet which may not match your networks subnet.

Just things I observed as possible problems when the tech was installing my DECA. Playing devils advocate.

To clarify, the DECA is just a Ethernet (which carries internet traffic) to COAX cable converter which transmits information over the COAX to the HD boxes at a certain frequency which only HD and HD DVRs ( newer models not sure on which, not that savy on DirecTV hardware) are able to strip off and read. This allows the HD boxes to get an internet connection without requiring a wired Ethernet connection.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

bigdaddynw5 said:


> You can have the DECA behind a Ethernet switch, not a problem at all. As long as the switch is connected to the router. I have 3 switches on my network, DECA plugs into one of them. The issue I see is some routers may not be set to allow new devices on the network most likely a MAC filter. If this is set, you will have to add the MAC address of the DECA to your MAC filter allow list. The other issue I can see is some routers are not set to DHCP which is in charge of giving IP addresses to Ethernet devices on the network. If the DECA is plugged in and can't get an address, then it will default to a nonstandard IP address like 169.x.x.x and a subnet which may not match your networks subnet.
> 
> Just things I observed as possible problems when the tech was installing my DECA. Playing devils advocate.
> 
> To clarify, the DECA is just a Ethernet (which carries internet traffic) to COAX cable converter which transmits information over the COAX to the HD boxes at a certain frequency which only HD and HD DVRs ( newer models not sure on which, not that savy on DirecTV hardware) are able to strip off and read. This allows the HD boxes to get an internet connection without requiring a wired Ethernet connection.


I don't think it was stated anywhere in this thread that you can't have a DECA behind a switch. The only requirement is that the ethernet cable from the Broadband DECA is connected in some way back to your router (via switch, wireless ethernet adapter, direct connection, etc.)

Also, the DECA itself does not get an IP address assigned to it. And with most home setups, if a user has not changed anything on their router, MAC addressing and DHCP addressing should not be an issue as MAC addressing is turned off and DHCP is usually turned on. If the user was technical enough to change the setup to something else, I would hope they would realize they need to add their receivers to the MAC addressing list or assign a static IP address to the receivers.

As for the 169.254.x.x IP address, it is not that it is a non-standard address. It is technically a APIPA (automatic private IP address), which devices will revert to when attempting to connect to a network and not being able to obtain an IP address from a DHCP server. Technically, if you turned off DHCP addressing on your router and told ALL of your devices to use DHCP to obtain IP addresses, they would all revert to APIPA and would all still be able to communicate with each other. For the DirecTV receivers, there are two general reasons why they would obtain a APIPA address:

1) the Broadband DECA has not been connected correctly so the DECA cloud is not connected to the home network 
2) the DECA for a receiver is defective or has not been connected correctly

- Merg


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## Accordlayingkit (Feb 28, 2011)

Sorry to hi jack but is a DECA Ethernet cable jus your normal Ethernet cable or is the one that comes with it (if it does) anything special? I have everything to be able to do whole home and cinema connection kit but I have hard wood floors going in now and I'm running all my surround through cord mate trim to my desk and I wanna jus run a Ethernet cable from where my office box is to my router so when I come off the $250 at least the Ethernet is already ran....it's prolly gonna be around 15-20 foot ethernet


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## oldengineer (May 25, 2008)

I think the problem here is that there are too many Boilermakers involved.

BSEE '66 Purdue


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Accordlayingkit said:


> Sorry to hi jack but is a DECA Ethernet cable jus your normal Ethernet cable or is the one that comes with it (if it does) anything special? I have everything to be able to do whole home and cinema connection kit but I have hard wood floors going in now and I'm running all my surround through cord mate trim to my desk and I wanna jus run a Ethernet cable from where my office box is to my router so when I come off the $250 at least the Ethernet is already ran....it's prolly gonna be around 15-20 foot ethernet


The ethernet cable from the BB DECA to the router and the jumper cables from the DECAs to the receivers are all just normal CAT5 cables.

- Merg


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## Accordlayingkit (Feb 28, 2011)

"The Merg" said:


> The ethernet cable from the BB DECA to the router and the jumper cables from the DECAs to the receivers are all just normal CAT5 cables.
> 
> - Merg


Cool thanks alot!


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