Technical > Cable & Satellite TV > [DIRECTV] Upgrade system question (WholeHome & CCK)

[DIRECTV] Upgrade system question (WholeHome & CCK)

reply to brawney
I have the same setup as you, hardwired ethernet to all receivers because I was beta testing their VOD before the DECAs were released. I am about switch all of them over to the DECAs so I can take the stress off my network *and free up my router ports for other functions. I have seen the difference with my own eyes, the Whole Home functions noticeably faster over it's own DECA network than through a router, especially after the software upgrades to help tweak Whole Home.

From reading on DBStalk
Deca vs Ethernet
Ethernet is actually better but many might have crappy Ethernet gear and that's when deca is better but a good Ethernet setup is faster technically

But then Deca is their "supported" tech and there can be issues that you'll have to know more about to use Ethernet (ie the HR34 doesn't turn off its Deca interface, and the H25 has no Ethernet port aka deca only)

if you want to use Ethernet then help can be found to deal with the H25 and HR34 but deca is just easier

btw its well accepted that using deca vs a switch based Ethernet network does not lower any load on the network, it does free up ports though

however deca is limited to 16 nodes (not a problem for the op) but if you have more than 15 receivers then Deca will not be able to get it done.

Deca is Supported by D* -on service calls- using your own network for MRV is NOT supported-on service calls,.

As far as one being better than other , the both work the same way-for the Average customer (who may or may not know about networking) wiring or even have a home network - the DECA system is PLUG and PLAY (both) for the installer & customer and can easily trouble shot over the phone (supported mode) where as a clueged up customer home network data is NOT that is why it was devised to be installed that way. Not because one is better than the other.

Of course
Its used because its more supportable and removes the unknown

If I were D*'s support dept I'd do the same as I don't want to guess at what you might have or train my people on hundreds of different setups.

Deca has about 170Mbps per node (after deca overhead is taken out) Ethernet has 200Mbps (deca has some form of Layer2 QOS)

but the real thing is Deca is something that they can standardize on and train CSR's to support

Thanks to all for the feedback. I'll let the DTV installer do this thing and install the deca. Sounds good to me.

reply to brawney
What everybody said is true, in a few select instances using ethernet is better, but overall DirecTV's DECA system is very reliable and should be used whenever possible.

reply to westdc
westdc -

I assume the black box on the right, above the white DECA, is the CCK, and it will connect to the internet router using cat5 to provide internet to the coax devices. I also assume the DECA and the CCK gets their power off the coax and don't have external power supplies?

The technology advances that DTV has made are really nice. I had to run 2 coax cables to all my rooms to support the dual tuner. My round dish has 2 coax cables coming into the house, and I remember some had 4. Boy that was a mess of cables running everywhere, so it's nice to see they have enhanced this stuff.

The BB CCK Requires a separte power Supply -the DECA's are powered by the SWM power supply (dc ) through the coax And it does connect to your router with a cat5 jumper. All plug and play.

reply to DarkLogix