# MRV and HR20-700



## Kapeman (Dec 22, 2003)

I have my MRV install scheduled for this afternoon and the tech just called to confirm some hardware questions.

This is his first MRV/DECA install are their any gotchas I should look out for?

More specifically, I have an HR20-700, do I need the band stop filter?

Thanks.

MEH. Never mind. Search didn't produce it, but I found this thread:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=177782


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## tsbrady1 (Jan 6, 2006)

I had two HR20-700s connected on Friday w/o many issues, make sure they refresh the receivers after install either by callin D* or doing it at D*'s website, no band stop filters were used


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## Kapeman (Dec 22, 2003)

tsbrady1 said:


> I had two HR20-700s connected on Friday w/o many issues, make sure they refresh the receivers after install either by callin D* or doing it at D*'s website, no band stop filters were used


Thanks.

I forgot to mention that I have one HR20-700 and one HR24-500.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Kapeman said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I forgot to mention that I have one HR20-700 and one HR24-500.


He should bring 2 DECA's with him. One for the HR20 and one to connect your DECA cloud to your home network. He will also need a PI for the DECA for your Internet and an extra splitter for the DECA for the HR20. The HR20's have an issue powering the DECA, so they can either split the output of the DECA and use both SAT inputs on the HR20 or they can just replace the HR20. I believe in most cases, they are replacing the HR20 if it doesn't work right away.

- Merg


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

The Merg said:


> He should bring 2 DECA's with him. One for the HR20 and one to connect your DECA cloud to your home network. He will also need a PI for the DECA for your Internet and an extra splitter for the DECA for the HR20. *The HR20's have an issue powering the DECA, so they can either split the output of the DECA and use both SAT inputs on the HR20 or they can just replace the HR20* [...]


Actually, just the HR20-100's suffer from this issue. My 3 HR20-700 DECA's are happy with just a SAT1 connection.


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## Kapeman (Dec 22, 2003)

Thanks for all the responses.

I just want to make sure I know what I need since the installer is new to this.


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## FrankD1 (Jul 14, 2002)

Kapeman said:


> I have my MRV install scheduled for this afternoon and the tech just called to confirm some hardware questions.
> 
> This is his first MRV/DECA install are their any gotchas I should look out for?
> 
> ...


Not a direct MRV/DECA gotcha exactly... in the remote chance you are running a CE version on your HR20s (if you don't know what a CE is, you don't have to worry about it), please read the CE threads related to losing existing recordings and timers. Basically, SOP for a MRV install is forcing a d/l of the latest software to all receivers. If you're running a recent CE, this forced download will delete all recordings and timers created since you downloaded the CE (the CE release notes explicitly describe this scenario, but I (like many others) didn't catch it, or didn't stop our installers from forcing the download).

Again, if you don't know what a CE is, ignore this- it doesn't apply to you.


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## Kapeman (Dec 22, 2003)

FrankD1 said:


> Not a direct MRV/DECA gotcha exactly... in the remote chance you are running a CE version on your HR20s (if you don't know what a CE is, you don't have to worry about it), please read the CE threads related to losing existing recordings and timers. Basically, SOP for a MRV install is forcing a d/l of the latest software to all receivers. If you're running a recent CE, this forced download will delete all recordings and timers created since you downloaded the CE (the CE release notes explicitly describe this scenario, but I (like many others) didn't catch it, or didn't stop our installers from forcing the download).
> 
> Again, if you don't know what a CE is, ignore this- it doesn't apply to you.


That's good to know.

I don't have an CE versions currently installed. The CE window is usually past my bedtime!


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## RaceTripper (Sep 16, 2007)

I just got the MRV installed for two HR20-700s and one HR21-700. So far everything seems to be working well. I'm playing a HD program from the HR21 on the first floor to a HR20 on the second floor & so far no glitches whatsoever. During the beta I was using a Wireless-N network and that was not reliable at all.


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## Kapeman (Dec 22, 2003)

My installer just showed up.

He says he'll have to replace the dish, I expected that.

Should the new dish give me better signal strength on the 103 bird?

We'll see how mine goes...


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## Kapeman (Dec 22, 2003)

Now the installer's office is saying that the DECA unit to connect to the LAN (Ethernet Bridge) is not included in the price I paid for install.

On the phone with DTV now.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

Kapeman said:


> Now the installer's office is saying that the DECA unit to connect to the LAN (Ethernet Bridge) is not included in the price I paid for install.
> 
> On the phone with DTV now.


My install had Internet Connection Kit as a line item with cost of free.


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## Kapeman (Dec 22, 2003)

RAD said:


> My install had Internet Connection Kit as a line item with cost of free.


Apparently DTV has two different install packages: MRV only and MRV with Internet. They are the same price.

My WO was coded incorrectly.

At first they said they would need to cancel my order, refund my CC for the charge, reschedule the order and recharge my CC.

I said no to that. I didn't want to pay the interest waiting for the credit to show up (or not) in 30 to 45 days.

Nor did I want to have to take a day off from work, when the installer was here with the correct equipment.

He put me on hold again and came back with an offer of refunding my old install fee of $99 and creating a new one for $49.

I'll take that, but if the installer hadn't called me this AM to check what he needed, I would have been one DECA short.

I also didn't know there were two types of DECA units, one for the power injector and one for the receivers.

It makes sense, but I had only seen pictures of one DECA unit.

EDIT: I think the installer may be been confused about there being 2 DECA units. I'm looking at the pictures on solidsignal.com now.


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## RaceTripper (Sep 16, 2007)

My installer showed up with three DECA units when he needed four (one for each of three receivers, plus one for the router). Fortunately, he had a spare on the truck.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

Kapeman said:


> [...] I also didn't know there were two types of DECA units, one for the power injector and one for the receivers [...]


I've seen pictures of a "broadband" DECA, but based on what folks have been posting about their installs, doesn't seem like they are available yet.

Not sure why they're even needed, since the DECA adapters + PI's work just fine.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

Steve said:


> I've seen pictures of a "broadband" DECA, but based on what folks have been posting about their installs, doesn't seem like they are available yet.
> 
> Not sure why they're even needed, since the DECA adapters + PI's work just fine.


The installer that did mine said the broadband DECA unit wouldn't be available until late June.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

RAD said:


> The installer that did mine said the broadband DECA unit wouldn't be available until late June.


Only feature I can think of that might add some value to a "dedicated" broadband DECA might be a second RJ-45 port that sits logically "inside the cloud". Then it could sit atop a legacy (non-24 box) and simultaneosly provide DECA to that box as well as bridge the LAN.


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## RobertE (Jun 10, 2006)

1 of a few things are happening.

1) CSRs are failing to ask customers if they use DoD. If they do not ask and/or the customer says "no", then they are not adding the additional deca to the workorder

2) The computer for whatever reason is not adding or kicking out the DECA BB. 

While #2 is possible, I believe the problem is #1.

So, if you are ordering WHDVRS, if the agent fails to ask, make sure you tell them that you want DoD/internet connection.


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## DogLover (Mar 19, 2007)

Steve said:


> Only feature I can think of that might add some value to a "dedicated" broadband DECA might be a second RJ-45 port that sits logically "inside the cloud". Then it could sit atop a legacy (non-24 box) and simultaneosly provide DECA to that box as well as bridge the LAN.


And from the picture that I've seen, it is styled like a switch or rounter. Make is easy for the customer (and installer) to know that it interfaces wiith the network.


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## RaceTripper (Sep 16, 2007)

RobertE said:


> 1 of a few things are happening.
> 
> 1) CSRs are failing to ask customers if they use DoD. If they do not ask and/or the customer says "no", then they are not adding the additional deca to the workorder
> 
> ...


 or...
3) The CSR asks if you use Internet/DOD and they still come up short on DECAs.

That's what happened to me, except that I got lucky that the tech had an extra and just included it in the install without hassle.


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## DogLover (Mar 19, 2007)

RaceTripper said:


> or...
> 3) The CSR asks if you use Internet/DOD and they still come up short on DECAs.
> 
> That's what happened to me, except that I got lucky that the tech had an extra and just included it in the install without hassle.


Yeah, my order did not specify the internet connection kit, but the installer had one for me anyway.


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## Kapeman (Dec 22, 2003)

Got everything installed and while the network piece works, the MRV is not.

The installers supervisor told him to try a splitter at the HR20-700 and connect to both SAT ports. I didn't think that would work, but we tried it.

I don't even see the multi-room option in the setup menu.

We forced a download on both receivers (HR20-700 and HR24-500) and no MRV or even an option.

Some of the diagrams I saw mentioned a bandstop filter by the SWiM splitter. Is that necessary? We are using all "green dot" equipment.


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## RobertE (Jun 10, 2006)

Kapeman said:


> Got everything installed and while the network piece works, the MRV is not.
> 
> The installers supervisor told him to try a splitter at the HR20-700 and connect to both SAT ports. I didn't think that would work, but we tried it.
> 
> ...


The multi-room option does not show up on the receiver until it has been sent the authoriziations by DirecTv. That will happen when the tech closes the job via his handheld if he has one. Alternatively, he can call now to have them manually activate the service. It may take a few minutes for the service to "kick in".

The -700 does not need a splitter. Just cable from wall to deca, deca to sat 1 and ethernet from deca to ethernet jack on the HR. As long as all 3 lights on the deca are solid green, you should be good to go.


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## Kapeman (Dec 22, 2003)

RobertE said:


> The multi-room option does not show up on the receiver until it has been sent the authoriziations by DirecTv. That will happen when the tech closes the job via his handheld if he has one. Alternatively, he can call now to have them manually activate the service. It may take a few minutes for the service to "kick in".
> 
> The -700 does not need a splitter. Just cable from wall to deca, deca to sat 1 and ethernet from deca to ethernet jack on the HR. As long as all 3 lights on the deca are solid green, you should be good to go.


You are correct.

The clincher was the activation by DTV, I also had to format the HR20-700.

Everything is working now. I pulled the splitter off from the HR20. DTV confirmed that BTW.


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## Fraaaak (Jul 13, 2009)

I was told the broadband DECAs weren't available yet - I solved the internet problem by connecting the netcable that's supposed to go from the DECA to the RJ8 port on my HR20-700 to a switch instead, and then on the switch I also had a cable going to my router and another going to the HR20 itself. I noticed all the boxes were using APIPA addressing, so I figured a router serving DHCP would work just as well, plus internet, and it seems to work.


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## Monty23 (Sep 16, 2006)

Fraaaak said:


> I was told the broadband DECAs weren't available yet - I solved the internet problem by connecting the netcable that's supposed to go from the DECA to the RJ8 port on my HR20-700 to a switch instead, and then on the switch I also had a cable going to my router and another going to the HR20 itself. I noticed all the boxes were using APIPA addressing, so I figured a router serving DHCP would work just as well, plus internet, and it seems to work.


That is not a good setup and can cause network and performance problems. The HR should not be used as a bridge. Have your installer hook it up the right way.


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## Fraaaak (Jul 13, 2009)

Monty23 said:


> That is not a good setup and can cause network and performance problems. The HR should not be used as a bridge. Have your installer hook it up the right way.


The HR is not being used as a bridge - it just thinks it's hooked up to a network, same as if it was hooked directly to the DECA - there's no traffic running through it that wouldn't normally.

It seems to work - I am able to use TV apps on all boxes

I've attached a picture to this post, basically my DECA is being used as a broadband DECA without using up another cable. The switch, not being a hub, directs the traffic only where it needs to go - either to/from the router for on demand, DirecTV2PC or TV Apps packets, or between the DECA and the internet for TV Apps on the two H21 and H23, or between the DECA and the HR20 for MRV - if anything is acting as a bridge, it's the switch - but this is a single network.


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## plehrack (Aug 21, 2006)

I had similar issues with my DECA install, although I made it VERY clear that I wanted internet, the work order didn't include it so the tech had to go back to his shop to get the right stuff.

He tried to hook up my HR20-700 but after 5 hours of trying everything under the sun, it was the only 1 of my 4 DVR's to not work with MRV although I had it working with the beta using ethernet. I suggested we swap the HR20-700 out for a HR24-500 and unbelievably, he called his office and got the ok to do it.

Peter


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## Fraaaak (Jul 13, 2009)

plehrack said:


> I had similar issues with my DECA install, although I made it VERY clear that I wanted internet, the work order didn't include it so the tech had to go back to his shop to get the right stuff.
> 
> He tried to hook up my HR20-700 but after 5 hours of trying everything under the sun, it was the only 1 of my 4 DVR's to not work with MRV although I had it working with the beta using ethernet. I suggested we swap the HR20-700 out for a HR24-500 and unbelievably, he called his office and got the ok to do it.
> 
> Peter


I actually called D* today and the CS rep was able to set up a gratis appointment for the installer to come out and put the broadband DECA in - it shouldn't be a problem to do it right at the HR20, because there are two cables there already - one not in use since the whole house MRV install.

Turns out they couldn't turn on the MRV back on using my network because we pay for the equipment protection plan and using my own network would be unsupported.

I was trying for an HR24 also, the guy had one with him and I tried to get him to swap the HR20, to no avail. But I did get an H20 swapped out and replaced with H23 - that alone paid for the $99 whole home install.

As for my setup, I've been told that there could be problems with network collisions, etc. though theoretically the switch should prevent that (and broadcast storms).


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