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DIRECTV First Look: C31-700 Home Media Center RVU Client

122K views 502 replies 121 participants last post by  inkahauts 
#1 ·
This is the future of DIRECTV: It's all RVU, and it's smaller than you imagined. Yes, that's an iPhone on top.


C31 First Look


This is an incredibly small box. It only works with the HR34 but it provides full DVR functionality with zero fan noise. Even pause live TV!

I'd like to thank the hard working C31 test team, who really came through on this little box.

The C31 is only available in limited areas at this time.

Please note that some DBSTalk.com testers and staff members may have received free equipment from DIRECTV or its partners for the purpose of evaluation and testing.
 
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#77 ·
"bgartz" said:
Looking to make my switch back to Directv, and would love to get my hands on this for the bedroom, does anyone think these might be available soon? I was thinking 1 HR34, 1 HR2?, and another HD box. Maybe I should hold off on the 3rd box for now and wait for this little box to be available.
I don't think I'd ever consider a non DVR unit with the c31 available.
 
#78 ·
dettxw said:
A really cool feature is the ability to connect the C31 wirelessly via a WCCK.
Works great for those places where you don't have a cable drop.
Such as by the pool*, in the kids playroom, or in front of the garage, or in it!.....?....!

*There're some ads from a competitor being run here in the Bay Area extolling the virtues of watching TV anywhere on your property.
 
#79 ·
Alright, so here's my question for speculation. How long before the standard install is a HR34 with c31 clients as the normal and all free install, and then make all h2xs $50 and hr2xs $99 on new installs, basically flipping their current pricing structure for new customers. I'd like to think almost immediately after its available, but I suspect physical inventory may be the determining factor for when they can go to that model.
 
#82 ·
hdtvfan0001 said:
I suspect the requirement to have more than 5 tuners does not reflect the vast majority of customers in the market.<< Snipped bits out >>
I bet it doesn't represent a slim majority much less a vast one! :hurah: In fact, I would be surprised if more than 20% of even the rarified group that makes up the DBSTalk regulars need more than 7. (One HR34 and one other DVR). Thus guessing that the general population really interested in paying for way more tuners would be less than 5%.
 
#84 ·
Any news on whether the C31 is RVU certified?

UL listed?

FCC approved?

RVU and MoCA certification wouldn't be necessary for DIRECTV's immediate purposes, but UL listing and FCC approval would seem a must before the product is allowed into general availability.
 
#85 ·
inkahauts said:
Alright, so here's my question for speculation. How long before the standard install is a HR34 with c31 clients as the normal and all free install, and then make all h2xs $50 and hr2xs $99 on new installs, basically flipping their current pricing structure for new customers. I'd like to think almost immediately after its available, but I suspect physical inventory may be the determining factor for when they can go to that model.
Like you, I suspect inventory, as well as training, to be the reasons why it wouldn't be immediate...

~Alan
 
#87 ·
harsh said:
Any news on whether the C31 is RVU certified?

UL listed?

FCC approved?

RVU and MoCA certification wouldn't be necessary for DIRECTV's immediate purposes, but UL listing and FCC approval would seem a must before the product is allowed into general availability.
Don't know about the other two but the label on the bottom says tested to comply with FCC regulations for home and office use.
 
#88 ·
harsh said:
Any news on whether the C31 is RVU certified?

UL listed?

FCC approved?

RVU and MoCA certification wouldn't be necessary for DIRECTV's immediate purposes, but UL listing and FCC approval would seem a must before the product is allowed into general availability.
It's UL listed. And it works as advertised. I don't recall the answers to the other questions right off hand.
 
#89 ·
dettxw said:
A really cool feature is the ability to connect the C31 wirelessly via a WCCK.
Works great for those places where you don't have a cable drop.
How does the WCCK give live video on a C31?

Seems to me we tried that years ago for early MRV and concluded that 802.11g/n wasn't reliable enough so wired or DECA is always recommended.

Isn't this like MRV/WHDVR?
 
#91 ·
NR4P said:
How does the WCCK give live video on a C31?

Seems to me we tried that years ago for early MRV and concluded that 802.11g/n wasn't reliable enough so wired or DECA is always recommended.

Isn't this like MRV/WHDVR?
It would be, and after using a U-Who wireless receiver, it all comes down to how you setup your WiFi network.
U-Who uses a 5 GHz N access point, with the gateway being 2.4 GHz G.

The U-Who ad mentioned earlier in this thread, like all ads, doesn't really address the limitations.
 
#93 ·
F1 Fan said:
I dont see this answered anywhere....

Can I view HR24 (or other HRxx) recorded programs on the C31 as I can on my HR34 (lets assume MRV/WHDVR etc).
I don't believe this is currently true but it will be in the future. I'm sorry but I have no other information to give.
 
#95 ·
NR4P said:
How does the WCCK give live video on a C31?

Seems to me we tried that years ago for early MRV and concluded that 802.11g/n wasn't reliable enough so wired or DECA is always recommended.

Isn't this like MRV/WHDVR?
veryoldschool said:
It would be, and after using a U-Who wireless receiver, it all comes down to how you setup your WiFi network.
U-Who uses a 5 GHz N access point, with the gateway being 2.4 GHz G.

The U-Who ad mentioned earlier in this thread, like all ads, doesn't really address the limitations.
I agree with VOS, wireless for WHDVR or the C31 client very much depends on the wireless network. When I was playing with it moving the wireless DECA just a couple feet one way or another could impact how well it worked. IMHO there's just too many variables involved to be able to say flat out that a wireless C31 setup will work reliabily.
 
#96 ·
cypherx said:
There's no access card slot right? I thought the monthly fee was to mirror programming on the access card. So if you could buy one outright and put it on your network, wouldn't it find your HR34 and you could pair it up without DirecTV's intervention?
I don't know the answer to that, however, at anyone time the most C31s you can have on the HR34 is 3, that to me doesn't mean you can't have 5 C31s, but that the HR34 can only service 3 at once. This includes TVs too (RVU clients), so the cost, as I'm aware, is associated with the number of fulltime "potential" clients, form the HR34-700. I know others were scaled to the number they were using, but I'm not sure how that worked with TV interfaces, since I didn't have an RVU capable set.
 
#97 ·
Mike_TV said:
So I'm guessing people who have lifetime DVR on their account (I have three HRxx in my house) moving to an HMC with RVU client set up would starting incurring an additional $18.00/month charge since these are not DVRs?
$6.00 per unit, attached to an HR34-700. But if you don't have any, then $0.00 extra, for clients, but there is the usual STB charge on top of that.
 
#98 ·
TBlazer07 said:
Well, if they are owned (which would be great) or if they are only considered an accessory than DirecTV would lose a lot of 2 year commitments as people add rooms with new boxes months or years later. I can't imagine them giving up that cash cow. It would virtually eliminate individual "contracts" after the initial 2 years for new customers with HMC & only clients setups.
Good point, I don't know. :)
 
#99 ·
harsh said:
Any news on whether the C31 is RVU certified?

UL listed?

FCC approved?

RVU and MoCA certification wouldn't be necessary for DIRECTV's immediate purposes, but UL listing and FCC approval would seem a must before the product is allowed into general availability.
Yes it is RVU, UL, and FCC approved. It is also energy star and Dolby certified. I'm not sure of the reasoning behind your question, but the answers are matters of public record.
 
#100 ·
NR4P said:
How does the WCCK give live video on a C31?

Seems to me we tried that years ago for early MRV and concluded that 802.11g/n wasn't reliable enough so wired or DECA is always recommended.

Isn't this like MRV/WHDVR?
The WCCK simply acts as an ethernet bridge to your wireless router so that the C31 and the HR34 can talk to each other (in place of the subnet through the SWM on a wired connection). The HR34 uses the RVU protocol to send video over this wireless connection. The WCCK and C31 are connected with a short run of coax cable. Yes, range will be limited by the quality of your router and physical layout of your setup. Does the RVU protocol provide a "better" connection than streaming straight video over a wireless connection? Don't know, and don't recall seeing any discussion on the subject. Works for me. My WCCK/C31 and wireless router are separated by about 20' and two walls.
 
#101 ·
If we could obtain UL, FCC and RVU IDs, we could run queries and obtain meaningful technical info (since no one want to answer to technical questions here :( ).
Especially someone did open it and made small unreadable pictures.

Actually the IDs are on a label and easily accessible. Why not share with us ?
 
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