# Why would I need a Cinema Connection Kit?



## AlanSaysYo

I previously thought I understood what the Cinema Connection Kit is for... but now I'm questioning that. I currently have three receivers (HR20, HR23, and H21 - not sure on the H21 but it's not a DVR). I've had whole-home DVR service since it was officially made available and had the technician come out and install adapters on my receivers. It all works fine, and it's all connected to the internet via the HR23 being connected to a wireless bridge. 

When I attempt to add a new HD DVR to my shopping cart on directv.com, the site automatically adds a Cinema Connection Kit and professional installation, for which it wants to charge me $50. Is there something I'm missing, or is that way off base? I already have the current receivers networked... if I wanted a new HD DVR, wouldn't DirecTV only need to send me a receiver and another one of those adapters, or a receiver with the adapter built in? Has the Cinema Connection Kit replaced that adapter? And why on earth would I need an installer to come out when all I would need to do is plug in the receiver?


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## kaminar

The CCK is for the Cinema Plus (online streaming) service..over 7000 free movies and tv shows, plus PPV..it's an adapter/bridge for your hd-dvr and router (or modem, if also a router)..allows you to extend tv capabilities by instantly streaming those movies and tv shows to your hd-dvr..and if recorded, push thru your whole home/mrv to other receivers..excellent option with high speed internet connection (recommended min internet speed approx 3 mb/s..preferred 6-10mb/s)..

Hope that helps 

-=K=-


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## retrax

I recently updated my old analog TiVo/Directv box to a HD TV. I am pretty new to this modern technology and just upgraded to a flatscreen HD TV at the same time. When the tech came out, he took down the old Directv dish and put up a new one which was a little larger. He connected my new HR24. 

Because my router and modem at the time was in a different part of the house, he added the Cinema Connection kit which connected with WiFi. I told him I would be moving the router/modem downstairs in the near future so it would be next to the HR24 and asked if there would be a benefit to eliminating the Cinema Connection kit and just plugging the HR24 into the router with a CAT6 cable. He said that would work, but if I were ever planning to add other receivers to my system (I only have one television and one receiver at this time) I would need to have the Cinema Connection kit to connect to the internet because if I direct connected the back of the HR24 with an ethernet cable, it would disable some type of ability to use additional receivers.

Hopefully this makes sense to someone, this is all very new to me and I am learning a lot on this forum.


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## AlanSaysYo

kaminar said:


> The CCK is for the Cinema Plus (online streaming) service..over 7000 free movies and tv shows, plus PPV..it's an adapter/bridge for your hd-dvr and router (or modem, if also a router)..allows you to extend tv capabilities by instantly streaming those movies and tv shows to your hd-dvr..and if recorded, push thru your whole home/mrv to other receivers..excellent option with high speed internet connection (recommended min internet speed approx 3 mb/s..preferred 6-10mb/s)..
> 
> Hope that helps
> 
> -=K=-


But my receivers are already connected to the internet and I already have a bridge from the DirecTV network on coax to my home network. I can already get/record On Demand content from both my HD DVRs. What is the Cinema Connection Kit actually adding?


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## lesz

My understanding is that the Cinema Connection Kit is something that is needed by those who don't have an internet connection/router located near one of their DIRECTV DVRs/receivers and who don't have their DIRECTV equipment networked via DECA or some other means, such as a Powerline adapter, and, if you are already connected to the internet and networked, you don't need it. I could be wrong, and, perhaps, someone with more knowledge will tell us that there is some other benefit of the Cinema Connection Kit about which I am not aware.


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## revolg

The deal With having a receiver with a Ethernet cable is that it will disable MRV. That's one reason the cck is useful so you can access net apps and in demand while still maintain mult too
Viewing for the other receivers to see the on demand shows from the most advanced receivers. Also using the cck saves you 3 bucks from ppv.


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## CurtP

AlanSaysYo said:


> But my receivers are already connected to the internet and I already have a bridge from the DirecTV network on coax to my home network. I can already get/record On Demand content from both my HD DVRs. What is the Cinema Connection Kit actually adding?


Then you don't need it. There's two versions of the CCK - a hardwire version (DECABB1R0) and the wireless (CCK-W). I think most people are referring to the wireless version when they say CCK. They're both DECA bridges.

It can also be bridged using the DECA adapter (DECA1MR01 or DCA2SR0). My first SWM install used the adapter connected to one ethernet port on my HR21 Pro while the other port was connected to the network. The DECA adapter could also be used with a power injector (PS18DER0) to make it a stand-alone unit.


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## ProfLonghair

revolg said:


> The deal With having a receiver with a Ethernet cable is that it will disable MRV. That's one reason the cck is useful so you can access net apps and in demand while still maintain mult too
> Viewing for the other receivers to see the on demand shows from the most advanced receivers. Also using the cck saves you 3 bucks from ppv.


Are you missing some detail or explanation, or are my ethernet only receivers magical in that I use MRV all the time?


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## Beerstalker

AlanSaysYo said:


> But my receivers are already connected to the internet and I already have a bridge from the DirecTV network on coax to my home network. I can already get/record On Demand content from both my HD DVRs. What is the Cinema Connection Kit actually adding?


How are your receivers currently hooked up to the internet? If you are using both of the ethernet ports on one of your HD-DVRs you should stop doing that and use a cinema connect kit instead.


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## CurtP

Beerstalker said:


> How are your receivers currently hooked up to the internet? If you are using both of the ethernet ports on one of your HD-DVRs you should stop doing that and use a cinema connect kit instead.


Why? If it works, why change anything? Chances are it was set up that way by an installer. My DECABB1R0 always ran hot and I never cared for it. I was happy when I was able to remove it from my system.


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## Beerstalker

Because, as it has been posted on here many, many, many times, using both ethernet ports on an HR2x receiver is not a good idea. It uses processor power from the DVR to control the ports and pass the information between them. It can slow down the receiver (which is a big complaint already) and can cause other issues.


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## CurtP

Beerstalker said:


> Because, as it has been posted on here many, many, many times, using both ethernet ports on an HR2x receiver is not a good idea. *It uses processor power from the DVR to control the ports and pass the information between them.* It can slow down the receiver (which is a big complaint already) and can cause other issues.


AYFKM? No routing, no filtering, no error checking. What isn't being handled by the ethernet ASIC and is being offloaded to the CPU?


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## Beerstalker

I don't remember all the specifics. I just know that it has been talked about here many times. I believe VOS, or one of the moderators knows more about it and has talked to DirecTV's engineering department about it and they were the ones who told them not to use it. It's also why the port were removed on the HR24 and HR34.


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## AlanSaysYo

Beerstalker said:


> How are your receivers currently hooked up to the internet? If you are using both of the ethernet ports on one of your HD-DVRs you should stop doing that and use a cinema connect kit instead.


I'll take a look at this when I get home. I've not paid much attention to it until now. I assumed (heh) that there was a CAT5e cable connecting the HR23 to the adapter that the installer used for whole-home installation (sorry, I don't know the proper terminology for that adapter), and another CAT5e cable running from a second port on that adapter to my wireless bridge. The other two receivers just have the connection from receiver to adapter.

I didn't think my receivers had two ethernet ports, unless you're referring to the ports on the adapters.


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## AlanSaysYo

OK, I was way off. I have two ethernet cables plugged into my HR23. The HR23 is sometimes slow, but not nearly as bad as some people are seeing on this forum. I'll do some more searching on this topic...


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## BobStokesbary

This thread has gone so far off the rails it is hard to know where to start. MRV and on-demand are handled via IP packets. These packets don't care if they go over cat-5 lines or coax. So, if you hook all your receivers (and DVRs) up to your router they will go over your cat-5 lines. If, however you choose to use the coax, you have to insert/remove the IP packets to/from the coax. That is why you have the DECAs. On all models prior to HR24 you have an external DECA. On HR24 and beyond the DECAs are built-in.

There is nothing wrong in using your in-home intranet for your MRV and on-demand services. Just know that it is not supported by D* and you will have to do your own troubleshooting. And no, it does not take any more cycles from the receiver/DVR than any other IP servicing method.

If you choose to go the CCK coax route you need to have DECAs on all your receivers/DVRs that need them and you need to remove any hardwired connections to your router. Then you hook the CCK to your router and let it handle the transfer of all internet packets to your D* network. This is the configuration currently supported by D*.

(The HR34 may be an exception in that it acts as a CCK when you connect it to a cat-5 cable, but I don't have one and cannot confirm.)


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## Ed_wil

I just got DTV installed yesterday, two TV hookup, one with HMC DVR and 2nd outlet has a plain HD receiver and have whole house DVR. On the 2nd receiver location they also installed my free CCK. I looked online at the diagrams for the CCK and it shows the rear having one Ethernet port and two coax connections. Looking at the diagrams it typically shows the coax cable coming from the wall connected to one of the coax terminals on the CCK, then a cable connects between the 2nd coax connector on the CCK back to the receiver. In addition it shows and Ethernet cable going between the CCK and the receiver.

My kit looks and is connected totally different. The CCK still has the one Ethernet port, but only has one coax connector. It's connected as follows, coming from the wall there's a splitter, out of the splitter one cable goes to the back of the receiver, the second cable goes from the splitter to the CCK coax port. Right next to this receiver I happen to have an 8 port Ethernet switch so he connected an Ethernet cable directly between the CCK and a spare port on the switch. 

I will add what the installer wanted to do was connect the Ethernet cable from the CCK directly to my router. The problem was the router was a distance away from either TV and didn't have any spare ports. (That was why I recently added the switch) He insisted it had to be connected to the wireless router, which I proceeded to ask if it's a wireless device, why did it need to be connected at all. I convinced him that connecting to the switch would be no different than connecting to the router. Upon completing the installation, the CCK seemed to function correctly, so appeared connecting direct to the switch was OK.

My questions are is this a CCK, why does it look different than what is show non the DTV website, has there been a hardware re-design and their website hasn't yet caught up?? Is it connected correctly as it's totally dfifferent? I am able to view channels 1000, 1004, 1005, etc on the DVR so I'd assume that means it is working correctly.

Can't view any of these on the 2nd receiver which from what I read is correct. I am kind of disappointed in that as I assumed I would have been able to access on-demand from either TV/box. Would a work around on 2nd box be to go to first TV/HMC DVR record something on-demand there, then once it starts recording, go to 2nd box and view. Will it allow me to do this? Will it show up on my list on 2nd TV? In hind sight I'm assuming I should have asked for a 2nd HD DVR as that would have then allowed me to access on-demand form either box.

Anyone have any thoughts or explanation as to what's going on?? Thanks!


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## inf0z

ProfLonghair said:


> Are you missing some detail or explanation, or are my ethernet only receivers magical in that I use MRV all the time?


Define "Ethernet only receivers". Are you set up with MRV over your own network or are you SWIM installed?


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## BobStokesbary

To Ed_wil,
Ironically, you are correct on all points. Welcome to DirctTV and welcome to the confusion that abounds on the Cinema Connection Kits. First, the way the installer set you up is perfectly OK. So many of these guys don't really understand networking (which is an entirely different technology from satellite reception) and they are having to learn it on the fly.

The connection using a splitter was the "standard" method of connecting the wired CCK. When D* added the "wireless" version they realized that it would most likely be collocated with a receiver rather than near a router so they included the ability to just put it in-line with a coax line to a receiver. Most installers who really understand the technology will just install it that way. Those who's only training is for the wired version will include the splitter in the installation.

Then when things could not get complicated enough, they added the ethernet port to the box. I have seen diagrams indicating that you can connect a router directly to that port and it acts like a wired router (which appears to be the way you are connected). But, the D* manual only shows that port being used when the CCK is installed on a single receiver system and the cable goes from the ethernet port on the CCK to the back of the receiver. All this just adds to more confusion. If there is a definitive explanation of all the ways this box can be installed it is buried somewhere in D*'s training site.

So, your installation is just fine. But, there were alternatives. If you ever need to use that splitter elsewhere you can just do the pass-through wiring. And, if you want to use it as a wireless CCK in the future you have that option as well.

As for not being able to get on-demand on your receiver, on-demand has to go to a DVR. Once the recording has enough buffered you can access it via your receiver. Unfortunately, that functionality is not well defined in the literature as well.
Bob


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## Ed_wil

So appears everything is OK. But are there two types of CCK? As I mentioned mine only has one coax connection? Sounds like I have an older version that is NOT wireless. So if I didn't have the switch there to connect to, he wouldn't have known what to do then?? On the wireless style the coax just passes through the CCK then. I couldn't pass thru the CCK as mine only has one cox port.


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## BobStokesbary

My bad. I misread your post. Yes, there are two CCK units. The "wired" version and the "wireless" version. You have the "wired" version; the same CCK as I do. Only one coax connector. It has to be connected wired. You need the splitter. Sorry for the confusion.


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## bobnielsen

If you include the "pre-CCK" solution consisting of a DECA module plus a power supply, there actually are three versions.


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## Ed_wil

Kind of interesting that the tech showed up only having the wired version with no clue as to where he could access things. Kind of surprised the DTV website doesn't still show the wired unit also and how it's installed.


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## ProfLonghair

inf0z said:


> Define "Ethernet only receivers". Are you set up with MRV over your own network or are you SWIM installed?


I have two HR20-700 receivers, each with one coax line from my swim (5, I think) that carries two signals, and one hard line to my router. I use MRV, tv apps, VOD, and streaming to/from my PCs with no problem.

Ethernet only was to desrcibe my internet connectivity. That clearly could have been phrased better on my end.

Not really sure why I would want, or need, any other set up, or why the OP would either. If you have the capability to run ethernet to the receiver (Obviously, for ethernet-port-having receivers only), it seems like over-selling to try to force any other kit. When I activated MRV, they tried to sell me a $90-$100 kit, which I politely but firmly declined, for the above stated reasons.


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