[dinotheo]

Hi all,
I am looking to get some clarification on the HR34. I was offered an HR34 today by DirecTV for a pretty good price.

I was told by the CSR that the HR34 will only do whole home over DECA, but
looking at pictures I see an ethernet port. I don't have DECA and don't plan to go DECA because I have OTA diplexed into my coax. I have ethernet whole home and it works ok.

Also, (I can call and ask this of DTV, but it is late and figured I might get a faster answer here), will DTV send an HR34 or will they require an installer visit? I ask because I've sworn off DTV installers. Nearly every visit by one has been a horrible experience. I don't need them as I can easily install this myself.

Thanks,
Dino

 

[Davenlr]

The HR34 has built in DECA on the coax port, unlike the HR24, it does not disable the coax DECA when ethernet is plugged in. Will only work with SWiM, and the ethernet port is for bridging to the router for VOD and Apps.
Dont know the second answer, I leased mine online.

 

[litzdog911]

You have a lot of DirecTV equipment. The HR34 requires 5 of your SWM16's 16 SWM channels. By my count you're got 23 tuners in your equipment setup. So you might need expand things a bit, or get rid of some equipment. At any rate, I doubt they'll send you one for self-installation.

 

[dinotheo]

You have a lot of DirecTV equipment. The HR34 requires 5 of your SWM16's 16 SWM channels. By my count you're got 23 tuners in your equipment setup. So you might need expand things a bit, or get rid of some equipment. At any rate, I doubt they'll send you one for self-installation.

I've actually got a SWiM8 in storage. If the HR34 would work, I'd add that to my setup. But since it appears that the HR34 doesn't do whole home over Ethernet, it is a no go for me.

Thanks,
Dino

 

[chrisexv6]

I've actually got a SWiM8 in storage. If the HR34 would work, I'd add that to my setup. But since it appears that the HR34 doesn't do whole home over Ethernet, it is a no go for me.

Thanks,
Dino

I think it will work, but ethernet-mode is technically unsupported by DirecTV

Since the ethernet port in the '34 acts as a DECA/ethernet bridge, it MIGHT allow for a mix of DECA and ethernet equipment on the same network, I havent verified this yet.

Ive been pondering going back to an ethernet-only network but have been told by a few (respected, knowledgeable) people on this forum to stick with DECA. The only thing that makes me not want to is the fact that there are more "moving parts" now....adapters at each box, broadband adapter in basement, etc. Thats just more stuff that can stop working IMHO.

 

[DogLover]

I think it will work, but ethernet-mode is technically unsupported by DirecTV

Since the ethernet port in the '34 acts as a DECA/ethernet bridge, it MIGHT allow for a mix of DECA and ethernet equipment on the same network, I havent verified this yet.

Ive been pondering going back to an ethernet-only network but have been told by a few (respected, knowledgeable) people on this forum to stick with DECA. The only thing that makes me not want to is the fact that there are more "moving parts" now....adapters at each box, broadband adapter in basement, etc. Thats just more stuff that can stop working IMHO.

The problem with Dino doing this is that he is using OTA. Since the DECA in the HR34 is not disabled, it will be transmitting RF signals onto the coax at the same frequent as OTA.

 

[GTS]

The problem with Dino doing this is that he is using OTA. Since the DECA in the HR34 is not disabled, it will be transmitting RF signals onto the coax at the same frequent as OTA.

Don't have a HR34 to verify, but why wouldn't using a band stop filter in reverse at the HR34 stop the DECA signal? This would leave you free to diplex OTA and Use the ethernet port for whole home. Totally unsupported by Directv and they may refuse go along with your plans, but should be technically feasible.

 

[Davenlr]

Don't have a HR34 to verify, but why wouldn't using a band stop filter in reverse at the HR34 stop the DECA signal? This would leave you free to diplex OTA and Use the ethernet port for whole home. Totally unsupported by Directv and they may refuse go along with your plans, but should be technically feasible.

It was posted in another thread by VOS that you cannot put a bandstop filter on the HR34 to block DECA without risking damage to the deca transmitter inside, since the bandstop filter would reflect the high power signal directly back into the HR34. I am not going to risk damage to mine to test the theory out.

 

[RunnerFL]

Hi all,
I am looking to get some clarification on the HR34. I was offered an HR34 today by DirecTV for a pretty good price.

I was told by the CSR that the HR34 will only do whole home over DECA, but
looking at pictures I see an ethernet port. I don't have DECA and don't plan to go DECA because I have OTA diplexed into my coax. I have ethernet whole home and it works ok.

Also, (I can call and ask this of DTV, but it is late and figured I might get a faster answer here), will DTV send an HR34 or will they require an installer visit? I ask because I've sworn off DTV installers. Nearly every visit by one has been a horrible experience. I don't need them as I can easily install this myself.

Thanks,
Dino

The HR34 is only available with an installer visit if ordered from DirecTV, they will not drop ship them at this time. The installer will make sure you get everything you need to have MRV, VOD, Apps, etc.

 

[Stuart Sweet]

I know that several internet retailers will ship them to your house and you can activate them yourself.

 

[dinotheo]

I know that several internet retailers will ship them to your house and you can activate them yourself.

Yeah....but I am looking at the sweet discount that DTV will give me on one.

I seem to have become a little "lost" on some of the responses. Just to clarify, I have no DECA in my current setup. Nor do I plan to install DECA because of my OTA.
If the HR34 would work with Ethernet, the way I'd have it connected would be right to the SWiM8. I'd also diplex in OTA right after the PI of the SWiM8. I have ethernet runs to every receiver in my home.

 

[RunnerFL]

Yeah....but I am looking at the sweet discount that DTV will give me on one.

You may be able to talk them into credits to offset a purchase from Solid Signal.

If you order it from DirecTV they will only give you the option of sending an installer. If they send an installer he won't do the install without setting up DECA.

 

[dinotheo]

You may be able to talk them into credits to offset a purchase from Solid Signal.

If you order it from DirecTV they will only give you the option of sending an installer. If they send an installer he won't do the install without setting up DECA.

Which is what is confusing me. After the responses, I am still not sure if I can use an HR34 without DECA for whole home. It works but is unsupported I can live with.

 

[RunnerFL]

Which is what is confusing me. After the responses, I am still not sure if I can use an HR34 without DECA for whole home. It works but is unsupported I can live with.

It works but is unsupported however if your order through DirecTV they will set you up with DECA and make it supported.

 

[am3211]

Which is what is confusing me. After the responses, I am still not sure if I can use an HR34 without DECA for whole home. It works but is unsupported I can live with.

You might want to read this thread.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=202058

 

[chrisexv6]

Ive seen "stick with DECA" a few times on this board. Aside from the whole supported vs unsupported argument, is there any compelling reason to use DECA instead of ethernet?

I just got my HR34 installed and the end result was 3 DVRs that couldnt see the 34, and vice versa. I was originally using Whole Home on my ethernet network, so I had some services ports forwarded to static IPs on each DVR. the tech removed the static IPs and that seemed to have broken the whole home (even on DECA, using a DECA to broad band adapter). I disabled the port forwards, rebooted all the boxes and all but 1 (HR20-100) were on the network again.

So my question remains why NOT go back to "unsupported" mode where everything has been working perfectly for years? I havent tried to mimick a power outage, but Im guessing I will not be able to guarantee that the HR34 boots up before everything else....I WAS able to guarantee the whole home network came back online perfectly fine after a power outage when it was completely ethernet.....DVR boot order didnt matter, they all just ended up seeing each other.

On top of that the HR20-100 works just fine over ethernet, but not DECA without extra parts.

 

[RunnerFL]

Ive seen "stick with DECA" a few times on this board. Aside from the whole supported vs unsupported argument, is there any compelling reason to use DECA instead of ethernet?

There's thread upon thread going over this but the two biggest differences are speed and by going with DECA you take the traffic off your home network.

 

[TXD16]

Don't have a HR34 to verify, but why wouldn't using a band stop filter in reverse at the HR34 stop the DECA signal? This would leave you free to diplex OTA and Use the ethernet port for whole home. Totally unsupported by Directv and they may refuse go along with your plans, but should be technically feasible.

This will work:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=2961809&postcount=2

 

[RMSko]

the ethernet port is for bridging to the router for VOD and Apps.

This may be true in some cases, but my HR34 Ethernet port isn't used at all and I have VOD and Apps.

 

[slapshot54]

This may be true in some cases, but my HR34 Ethernet port isn't used at all and I have VOD and Apps.

You can use a CCK which is what you are doing, OR bridge to the network using the ethernet port on the HR34.

I think everyone in this thread is aware of that.