# Any plans for an easy wireless option?



## heisman (Feb 11, 2007)

Does D* have any plans to activate the USB port on the HR-20? I tried a wireless gaming adapter to get VOD, and had no luck. They couldn't even help me at D-Link phone support. My Tivo HD, on the other hand, was basically plug and play with the USB wireless adapter. Any knowledge would be appreciated.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Nope.

The Wireless Bridge devices are the only wireless solution.

There are no plans to include any type of USB Wireless options


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## heisman (Feb 11, 2007)

Earl Bonovich said:


> Nope.
> 
> The Wireless Bridge devices are the only wireless solution.
> 
> There are no plans to include any type of USB Wireless options


I think all they might need is some interactive on screen software to address the wireless adapters. Also, the units have USB ports, so you would think they would use them like Tivo and E*.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

heisman said:


> I think all they might need is some interactive on screen software to address the wireless adapters. Also, the units have USB ports, so you would think they would use them like Tivo and E*.


Drivers for one...
Unles they sell a specific make/model unit, and only have to worry about 1 driver.

Wireless Security protocol and passwords for WiFi networks, entry screens.
(Since right now the keyentry system doesn't have symbols or different cases)

Compatibility with different WiFi types... do they use G today for that custom model? or Pre-N, ect....

Do they have other future plans for the USB?


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## heisman (Feb 11, 2007)

Earl Bonovich said:


> Drivers for one...
> Unles they sell a specific make/model unit, and only have to worry about 1 driver.


Exactly what I was thinking they should do. That's why I asked about an official launch. You would think that when they officially launch the product that they will support it. What easier way to support it, than to pull a Tivo with their own wireless g adapter and make it easy as pie like Tivo.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

heisman said:


> Exactly what I was thinking they should do. That's why I asked about an official launch. You would think that when they officially launch the product that they will support it. What easier way to support it, than to pull a Tivo with their own wireless g adapter and make it easy as pie like Tivo.


As far as I have been told.
It is not in the plans.


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## heisman (Feb 11, 2007)

Earl Bonovich said:


> As far as I have been told.
> It is not in the plans.


:crying:

Sounds like they need someone who thinks like an engineer in El Segundo.


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## ztrips (Nov 28, 2007)

built in powerline would be nice too....


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

ztrips said:


> built in powerline would be nice too....


I read somewhere that DirecTV is planning, or is already providing, powerline ethernet adapters for installers to simplify network connections.


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## phat78boy (Sep 12, 2007)

Not that I have inside knowledge, but I think it would be foolish of DirecTV to offer a wireless solution. If they did, they would have to open a whole new call center division just to troubleshoot and help people hook up their DirecTV branded wireless device. Thats not their business. They already support ethernet and I could see future powerline support. 

Just because most of us are techs, think of the problems wireless causes for those who aren't. Its a nightmare.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

phat78boy said:


> Not that I have inside knowledge, but I think it would be foolish of DirecTV to offer a wireless solution. If they did, they would have to open a whole new call center division just to troubleshoot and help people hook up their DirecTV branded wireless device. Thats not their business. They already support ethernet and I could see future powerline support.
> 
> Just because most of us are techs, think of the problems wireless causes for those who aren't. Its a nightmare.


Ding Ding...
That is another major consideration by adding their own branded networking equipment.


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## heisman (Feb 11, 2007)

Earl Bonovich said:


> Ding Ding...
> That is another major consideration by adding their own branded networking equipment.


I respectfully disagree with this philosophy Earl. When D* officially launches the VOD product, they will be receiving calls about all kinds of wireless hardware, and people will expect answers, because they purchased specific hardware to access D*'s VOD service.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

I am with Heisman. Right now, they have a world of possible solutions that may or may not work and if they don't, DirecTV will take the blame even if the problem is with Linksys or Netgear or someone else.

Tivo, a much smaller company, came up with a plug and play solution that, in my mind, would LOWER the difficulty of calls and make the customer happier.

Wireless bridges can be a pain in the butt (I have difficulty with them because of the multitude of wireless networks in my immediate area), especially with the lack of debugging tools and information control on the DVR itself.

Besides, it is a duck and dive. The box is running Linux, correct? They can't configure a USB solution? I don't buy that.

Some of the DirecTV decisions mystify me. Let's make everyone use the internet but let's not support it. Yeah, right.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

heisman said:


> I respectfully disagree with this philosophy Earl. When D* officially launches the VOD product, they will be receiving calls about all kinds of wireless hardware, and people will expect answers, because they purchased specific hardware to access D*'s VOD service.


Big difference between answering the quesiton on what they will need to do get it hooked up....

And actually supporting the networking equipment.

While there will certainly be calls...

You take on an entirely new level of support... when you sell and provide the networking equipment... vs just providing a product that can use networking equipment.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

tonyd79 said:


> Tivo, a much smaller company, came up with a plug and play solution that, in my mind, would LOWER the difficulty of calls and make the customer happier.


When Tivo first introduced the wireless aspect or even networking to their units the first time.

It was an absolute nightmare.

Not only did you have to have a specific model adapter.... you had to have a specific version of that specific model.

It only got worse, until TiVo then launched their own branded network adapter.

The TiVo solution is still far from just "plug and play"...
And often at times, a customer will still need to call their ISP or the vendor of their wireless host, to get security codes and other things.

There is not much about wireless that is "straight forward" for the average consumer out there.

DirecTV may do it someday... but for now....
I haven't even heard a whisper of it comming.


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## phat78boy (Sep 12, 2007)

tonyd79 said:


> I am with Heisman. Right now, they have a world of possible solutions that may or may not work and if they don't, DirecTV will take the blame even if the problem is with Linksys or Netgear or someone else.
> 
> Tivo, a much smaller company, came up with a plug and play solution that, in my mind, would LOWER the difficulty of calls and make the customer happier.
> 
> ...


They could, no doubt about it. The point is they would be opening up a whole new support issue and it would require a whole new team. I highly doubt a company, whose main purpose is to provide TV and TV services, would want to start a wireless phone support division. It doesn't make business sense.

Tivo, on the other hand, is soley in business to make its product best in class. They only support their box, nothing else. It makes sense for them to have a team who could support wireless capabilities for its box.


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## sheureka (Dec 23, 2007)

litzdog911 said:


> I read somewhere that DirecTV is planning, or is already providing, powerline ethernet adapters for installers to simplify network connections.


I'm new to DirecTV (install on Monday), coming from Tivo and stuff just keeps coming up that I take for granted and probably shouldn't. Is there any reason the HR21 wouldn't work with a Slinglink Turbo? I have a 4-port that I was planning to use for networking. TIA - sheureka


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

I still think...

That it would be great if DirecTV partnered with say Cisco-Linksys or D-Link or NetGear...

To take over the support of the networking aspects of it....
With in turn giving them the rights to branded equipment certified to work with DirecTV receivers (and that could include wireless equipment)


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

sheureka said:


> I'm new to DirecTV (install on Monday), coming from Tivo and stuff just keeps coming up that I take for granted and probably shouldn't. Is there any reason the HR21 wouldn't work with a Slinglink Turbo? I have a 4-port that I was planning to use for networking. TIA - sheureka


Should work fine..


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## phat78boy (Sep 12, 2007)

sheureka said:


> I'm new to DirecTV (install on Monday), coming from Tivo and stuff just keeps coming up that I take for granted and probably shouldn't. Is there any reason the HR21 wouldn't work with a Slinglink Turbo? I have a 4-port that I was planning to use for networking. TIA - sheureka


The HR20/21 will work with any standard ethernet switch. The Slinglink Turbo just use powerline features to send data between ethernet switches/devices. You should be just fine.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

phat78boy said:


> They could, no doubt about it. The point is they would be opening up a whole new support issue and it would require a whole new team. I highly doubt a company, whose main purpose is to provide TV and TV services, would want to start a wireless phone support division. It doesn't make business sense.


Yeah, much smarter to make it a requirement that folks use the internet for on demand and then not have any kind of support for it at all. Nobody who tries to hook up their DVR to the internet, wired or wireless, will bother to call DirecTV.

What you and Earl aren't getting is that they already opened up the support issue. But without a solid solution. They are requiring something to make their system work (delivering On Demand sure as shooting is part of their product), wired or wireless internet and have no solution.

Don't tell me that it is not their problem. The majority of customers will see it as their problem. Heck, a lot of people even here (the enlightened few) blame DirecTV for every speck on their screen without even thinking the problem could be from the channel they are watching.

I just see a lot of calls to DirecTV that will result in bad information, misunderstandings, and very upset customers.

Again, DirecTV has taken steps forward but haven't thought out the full impact.


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## heisman (Feb 11, 2007)

Maybe by the time they officially launch the product they will think it through more thoroughly. My Tivo wireless adapter for my Tivo HD worked right out of the box. I entered my WEP encryption right on the screen and it's worked flawlessly ever since.

Good luck against the Aggies tomorrow night Tony!


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

heisman said:


> Maybe by the time they officially launch the product they will think it through more thoroughly. My Tivo wireless adapter for my Tivo HD worked right out of the box. I entered my WEP encryption right on the screen and it's worked flawlessly ever since.
> 
> Good luck against the Aggies tomorrow night Tony!


But you knew your WEP encryption code...

Given that I have already taken about a dozen+ calls from people in our company... and my family... that got Wireless devices... how do I get that information...

That is a big difference between you and Joe PQ Public.

Does every company out there, that has an option to connect to a network support the entire network connectivity aspect?

If you were to call Nintendo to get help get the Wii on a wireless network... to what point do they support it? Same for Microsoft and Sony with their game systems.

How much support do you get from Denon for their Amps...

Even though DirecTV will have to field phone calls because of the network connection... right now, it is pretty much to a certain point.

Adding in a USB Wireless Nic... takes it to an entirely new level.


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## phat78boy (Sep 12, 2007)

tonyd79 said:


> Yeah, much smarter to make it a requirement that folks use the internet for on demand and then not have any kind of support for it at all. Nobody who tries to hook up their DVR to the internet, wired or wireless, will bother to call DirecTV.
> 
> What you and Earl aren't getting is that they already opened up the support issue. But without a solid solution. They are requiring something to make their system work (delivering On Demand sure as shooting is part of their product), wired or wireless internet and have no solution.
> 
> ...


I again think it isn't their problem. You connecting your device to the internet is a you problem. Once you get it connected and pass the test from the HR20/21, then its a DirecTV problem. I understand people will blame them, but that just means people need to be educated about the process little more.


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## John in Georgia (Sep 24, 2006)

heisman said:


> Does D* have any plans to activate the USB port on the HR-20? I tried a wireless gaming adapter to get VOD, and had no luck. They couldn't even help me at D-Link phone support. My Tivo HD, on the other hand, was basically plug and play with the USB wireless adapter. Any knowledge would be appreciated.


... and why is DirecTV even using the internet for on-demand when they are currently streaming to us, wirelessly, from a geo-synchronous satellite? Bandwidth?


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## heisman (Feb 11, 2007)

Earl Bonovich said:


> But you knew your WEP encryption code...
> 
> Given that I have already taken about a dozen+ calls from people in our company... and my family... that got Wireless devices... how do I get that information...
> 
> ...


You see Earl, this is why I left Comcast HSI for ATT DSL. Comcast does not support home networking. I would call them when my HSI was out, which was quite often, and they would always reply, "Are you using a router?" When I told them that I did, their response was always, "we don't support that, have a nice day!" What a company! :nono2: ATT DSL, on the other hand, includes their own product for home networking with their service. Everything is plug and play, and the WEP encryption is right on the bottom of the wireless gateway that they include with their service. So they protect themselves from the dummies (me!), not to mention that I have never had to call them because it works flawlessly, much like my Tivo wireless adapter.


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## phat78boy (Sep 12, 2007)

heisman said:


> You see Earl, this is why I left Comcast HSI for ATT DSL. Comcast does not support home networking. I would call them when my HSI was out, which was quite often, and they would always reply, "Are you using a router?" When I told them that I did, their response was always, "we don't support that, have a nice day!" What a company! :nono2: ATT DSL, on the other hand, includes their own product for home networking with their service. Everything is plug and play, and the WEP encryption is right on the bottom of the wireless gateway that they include with their service. So they protect themselves from the dummies (me!), not to mention that I have never had to call them because it works flawlessly, much like my Tivo wireless adapter.


You are basically saying the same thing we have been saying. Comcast HSI does not have a home networking product, therefore why would they support one? ATT does. They market, sell, and support one as an all inclusive product. If you called them with a netgear router, they would probably tell you they didn't support that.

DirecTV, should they decide to, could do the exact same thing. As of now, they do not.


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## HeadHodge (Aug 1, 2007)

I use SONOS products to hook up my HR20 to wireless. It's kind of spendy but works great.

I connect a SONOS Zonebridge to my Cable modem router which creates wireless capability. Then I use a SONOS Zoneplayer to connect to the HR20. Then I use some software on my computer, called a SONOS Desktop Controller to access and configure the Zonebridge and Zoneplayer.

For me the setup was practically plug 'n play. If the Zoneplayer is too far from the Zonebridge you can add multiple Zonebridges that act like repeaters to get any distance you want.

Anyways I'm very happy with it and also use it to distribute music around my house too. You can get more info at www.sonos.com


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## HeadHodge (Aug 1, 2007)

I forgot to say in my previous post that I'm pretty sure you could do the same with 2 Zonebridges instead of a Zonebridge & Zoneplayer. That would cut the cost quite a bit.

I use the Zoneplayer for distributing music from the HR20 audio outputs when I'm on an XM radio channel.


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## BkwSoft (Oct 18, 2007)

Bottom line is when it comes to wireless, easy goes out the window. The only true easy is a hard wired Ethernet and even that can be easily muddled without too much effort. As soon as you go wireless or power line you start adding layers of complexity that DIRECTV has chosen at this point not to get into.


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

Just bypass wireless completly if you can. I simply drilled a hole in my floor to my basement (where the home theater is) and run 50 foot of Cat 6 down there from my router in my computer room. Put in a $35 8 port switch and I can now connect all the various ethernet devices (HR20/21, HDDVD, game console, slingbox, media center device, whatever) up via a short ethernet cable. It's well worth your while because a wireless gaming adapter only gives you one port. I've already got 4 things in my home theater that either require or have the option of connecting to the network. Going wired whenever possible is best.


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## heisman (Feb 11, 2007)

phat78boy said:


> You are basically saying the same thing we have been saying. Comcast HSI does not have a home networking product, therefore why would they support one? ATT does. They market, sell, and support one as an all inclusive product. If you called them with a netgear router, they would probably tell you they didn't support that.
> 
> DirecTV, should they decide to, could do the exact same thing. As of now, they do not.


We aren't saying the same things. Your stance is D* should not have an all inclusive solution. Mine is that they should. Flooding Comcast's customer service lines with calls, whether they answer them or not is not good for business. ATT, on the other hand, has never received a call from me for tech support issues because everything is dummy proof.


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## BkwSoft (Oct 18, 2007)

I've been working in IT for far to long to be naive enough to think anything is dummy proof. You just need to keep in mind that most of us on this message board will be the minority that even know what Ethernet or USB or Wireless are let alone how to implement them. It would be far more adventitious to have DIRECTV train installers in setting up Hard wired connections to peoples routers than trying to implement any kind of wireless USB network setup.


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## Rambler (Nov 9, 2006)

litzdog911 said:


> I read somewhere that DirecTV is planning, or is already providing, powerline ethernet adapters for installers to simplify network connections.


Would be a very good idea. I have this Netgear Powerline XE104G setup and it works great. It truely was a plug-n-play installation. The XE104 gives you 4 ethernet ports, and I have my HR20, HD DVD player and PS3 connected currently. I use the 4th for an occasional laptop connection when guests come over. Just add another Powerline plug in a different room, and you have another instant ethernet connection.  This also appears to be faster than the previous wireless ethernet bridge that I had.



BkwSoft said:


> As soon as you go wireless or power line you start adding layers of complexity that DIRECTV has chosen at this point not to get into.


I'd have to disagree about the Powerline solution adding any real complexity.


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## puffnstuff (Sep 2, 2006)

I was on the Directv site last night to upgrade a box and they had a HD DVR network insallation kit available that looks to be a powerline type solution . So I think it is already here !


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## phat78boy (Sep 12, 2007)

heisman said:


> We aren't saying the same things. Your stance is D* should not have an all inclusive solution. Mine is that they should. Flooding Comcast's customer service lines with calls, whether they answer them or not is not good for business. ATT, on the other hand, has never received a call from me for tech support issues because everything is dummy proof.


You are correct, I do not believe wireless is consumer friendly. I like hardwired/powerline options as once they are hooked up there is virtually no break in the connection. If they do offer that, I would hope it was only available with installation. Atleast that way you only have train your techs, not the entire consumer base.


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## heisman (Feb 11, 2007)

phat78boy said:


> You are correct, I do not believe wireless is consumer friendly. I like hardwired/powerline options as once they are hooked up there is virtually no break in the connection. If they do offer that, I would hope it was only available with installation. Atleast that way you only have train your techs, not the entire consumer base.


That's an excellent idea.


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## puffnstuff (Sep 2, 2006)

heisman said:


> That's an excellent idea.


Look at my post above I think they do already offer a Directv powerine solution .


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