DBSTalk Exclusive First Look: DIRECTV Ethernet Coaxial Adapter

[Doug Brott]

DBSTalk.com, the OFFICIAL HOME of the Cutting Edge Program, is proud to present this exclusive First Look at the future of networking DIRECTV High Definition receivers... the DIRECTV Ethernet Coaxial Adapter, or DECA.




Click here for the DECA First Look in PDF format.

Special thanks to HDTVfan0001 and dave29 for their excellent authorship of the First Look, and Sixto for the Overview below.

Please Note: The DECA is not yet available for purchase and DIRECTV installers do not have access to them at this time. These devices were found on the floor at CES 2010 and DBSTalk was able to get our hands on a few of these devices to bring this report to you.

[Doug Brott]

I'd like to thank Sixto for this FAQ:

Overview

• The DirecTV Ethernet Coaxial Adapter (DECA) enables DirecTV to create a DirecTV Coax Home Network. This is DirecTV's implementation of Multimedia over Coax (MoCA).
• The DirecTV Coax Home Network utilizes the frequency range 500-600MHz within a DirecTV SWM environment, to enable Ethernet (RJ-45) connectivity via Coax to DirecTV receivers.
• Typically there will be one Coax Network within a home, but there can be multiple Coax Networks, one per SWM port, all bridged to the Home Network.

Coax Network - Prerequisites

• DirecTV SWM-enabled environment
  • SWMLine Dish or
  • SWM-8 MultiSwitch(s)
  • The SWM environment allows for the 500-600MHz frequency range needed for the Coax Home Network.
• DirecTV SWM-capable and Ethernet-capable (RJ-45) receiver(s)
  • DirecTV H21/H23 HD Receiver(s) or
  • DirecTV HR2x/R22 DVR Receiver(s)
• Home Network with at least one open RJ-45 interface

Coax Network - New Hardware

• 1 SWM Filter, to separate the SWM from the Coax Network.
• 1 DECA for connectivity to the existing Home Network. Power is supplied by 1 DECA Power Inserter (PI).
• 1 DECA for each DirecTV receiver. Power is supplied by the receiver.
• Possibly an additional or larger SWM-approved Splitter to provide Coax connectivity.
• Special Note: Currently the HR20-100 requires it's DECA to be powered by the secondary tuner input, or a separate PI, while the satellite signal is passed to the primary tuner input.

Step-1: SWM / Coax Network Separation

• The SWM Filter must be installed after the SWM output, and prior to the first splitter.
• Typically the SWM Filter will be installed at the SWM PI output, or at the SWM port#2 output.
• Installation of the SWM Filter should have no effect on the existing SWM environment.

Step-2: Home Network Connectivity / IP Addressing

• In order to provide Coax Network connectivity to the existing Home Network and the Internet, there needs to be a "network" DECA installed.
• The "network" DECA will have three connections:
  • The "Ethernet" RJ-45 interface will be connected to the Home Network
  • The "Sat Rcvr / Power" pigtail will be connected to the power inserter (PI)
  • The "Wall outlet" F-connector will be connected to the SWM environment
• All network traffic from any receiver on the Coax Network, to any receiver outside the Coax Network or the Internet, will pass through the "network" DECA.
• Installation of the "network" DECA should have no effect on the existing SWM environment.
• Note: Instead of installing a "network" DECA, it should be possible to have a DECA-attached receiver with two RJ-45 ports provide the Home Network connectivity by connecting the top RJ-45 port to the DECA and the bottom RJ-45 port to the Home Network. This configuration may be unsupported by DirecTV, and you must be very careful to not create a loop condition whereas there's more then one connection from the Coax Network to the Home Network. This will also cause all network traffic to the Home Network to pass through the DECA that is attached to the receiver providing the Home Network connection, which may affect the network performance of this receiver.

Step-3: Receiver Network Connectivity

• In order to provide Coax Network connectivity to a DirecTV receiver, there needs to be a "receiver" DECA installed.
• The "receiver" DECA will have three connections:
  • The "Ethernet" RJ-45 interface will be connected to the DirecTV receiver port#1 (top)
  • The "Sat Rcvr / Power" pigtail will be connected to the DirecTV receiver
  • The "Wall outlet" F-connector will be connected to the SWM environment
• After installation of the "receiver" DECA and restarting the receiver, the receiver should have full network connectivity, just as if the receiver was directly connected to the Home Network.

Notes:

• Due to the Coax Home Network's use of the 500-600Mhz frequency range, diplexing of OTA into the SWM environment is not supported.
• DECA-networked receivers can be inter-mixed with direct-attached networked receivers within the home.

Summary

• After the proper installation of the Coax Home Network, each DECA-attached DirecTV receiver should perform very similarly as if the receiver was directly RJ-45 connected to the home network.

DirecTV Coax Home Network Example - Pictorial View

• Click on thumbnail below.

[kevinturcotte]

Doug
Now that this is out of the CE forum and "Official" does this mean we're closer to being able to purchase?

[Doug Brott]

Originally Posted by kevinturcotte

Doug
Now that this is out of the CE forum and "Official" does this mean we're closer to being able to purchase?

It means that it was shown @ CES .. I do not know when it will be available as that hasn't been hinted at in any information I've found nor have I been given any specific information. It could be next year for all I know but it seems like it will happen before then. I just don't know when.

[hdtvfan0001]

Originally Posted by Doug Brott

It means that it was shown @ CES .. I do not know when it will be available as that hasn't been hinted at in any information I've found nor have I been given any specific information. It could be next year for all I know but it seems like it will happen before then. I just don't know when.

As one of the folks on the ground at CES right now (and yesterday), I can tell you that the question was asked, and Doug's response above is absolutely correct - there is not date established for when DECA will be publicly available.

Those in the know here at the CES were not at all evasive, but told us that it honestly is unknown at this time. Perhaps we'll learn more in the next few months....

[PaceHD]

HR24 = multiroom DVR server, H24 = multiroom receiver? Also RVU supported TV's will be able to link to HR24 without need for box. Presumably there is a very high likelihood Pace is manufacturing this product / won a contract to supply? It sounds like Directv will pay around $700 to Pace per box as Directv CFO suggested so on 5/1.

One of the Pace engineers working on the project was suggested as Jean-Michel-Marrot according to his linked-in profile.

Pace have been very cagey about the outlook for 2010 and very unusually omitted any mention in last week's trading statement. This high profile confidential launch for Directv must be a driver along with the significant potential for Directv to be buying Multidweller from Pace also? Both are to be launched within the next two months according to Directv's CFO on 5/1.

[hdtvfan0001]

Originally Posted by PaceHD

HR24 = multiroom DVR server, H24 = multiroom receiver? Also RVU supported TV's will be able to link to HR24 without need for box. Presumably there is a very high likelihood Pace is manufacturing this product / won a contract to supply? It sounds like Directv will pay around $700 to Pace per box as Directv CFO suggested so on 5/1.

One of the Pace engineers working on the project was suggested as Jean-Michel-Marrot according to his linked-in profile.

Pace have been very cagey about the outlook for 2010 and very unusually omitted any mention in last week's trading statement. This high profile confidential launch for Directv must be a driver along with the significant potential for Directv to be buying Multidweller from Pace also? Both are to be launched within the next two months according to Directv's CFO on 5/1.

I can tell you there was no sigsns of that at CES....the prototype was NOT a Pace unit....that much we did learn.

[harsh]

The DECA frequency band specifications confirm why DIRECTV has been steadfast in recommending against diplexing in OTA. DECA frequencies (500-600MHz) are the same as UHF channels 19 through 35. Depending on how "good" (Q factor) the band-stop (stop band in DIRECTV parlance) filter is, it may well whack all but the highest UHF channels.

The MoCA standard calls for frequencies in the 860MHz to 2GHz range.

[Grentz]

Thanks for the first look guys!

Originally Posted by harsh

The MoCA standard calls for frequencies in the 860MHz to 2GHz range.

Which overlap the standard DirecTV frequencies thus the reason for the custom DECA

[Movieman]

BTW fantastic job yet again on this First Look. Lots of valuable information!

[Sixto]

Here's the sample config that goes with post#2.

[harsh]

Shouldn't the device labeled SWM filter be labeled DECA (or "stop band") filter?

[hdtvfan0001]

Originally Posted by Sixto

Here's the sample config that goes with post#2.

Thanks Sixto....you certainly were a big part with your contributions to our First Look information!

[hdtvfan0001]

Originally Posted by harsh

Shouldn't the device labeled SWM filter be labeled DECA (or "stop band") filter?

It actually was "known by" several names.....even during testing....

[Doug Brott]

It is a stop band filter, but most people will probably call it "the filter you connect on your SWM" or "SWM Filter" .. Other than being a technicality, I doubt folks will really get confused over this one.

[veryoldschool]

Originally Posted by Doug Brott

It is a stop band filter, but most people will probably call it "the filter you connect on your SWM" or "SWM Filter" .. Other than being a technicality, I doubt folks will really get confused over this one.

If you look on the updated ones it says "Band Stop Filter" and getting really technical it's a notch filter.

[dvdmth]

If the rumors are true that future HR2x/H2x receivers will have DECA built-in, and if the "band stop filter" is required in a DECA setup, does that mean that anyone who gets one of these future receivers must also install a band stop filter on his SWM setup (whether he uses the DECA functionality or not)? This might be an issue if someone needs, say, to get an HR22 replaced and is shipped an HR24 (assuming the hypothetical HR24 has built-in DECA).

[veryoldschool]

Originally Posted by dvdmth

If the rumors are true that future HR2x/H2x receivers will have DECA built-in, and if the "band stop filter" is required in a DECA setup, does that mean that anyone who gets one of these future receivers must also install a band stop filter on his SWM setup (whether he uses the DECA functionality or not)? This might be an issue if someone needs, say, to get an HR22 replaced and is shipped an HR24 (assuming the hypothetical HR24 has built-in DECA).

"My guess" is the HR24 won't be shipped as a replacement and will be limited to those with a DECA setup.

[Doug Brott]

Originally Posted by veryoldschool

If you look on the updated ones it says "Band Stop Filter" and getting really technical it's a notch filter.

.. I'll still probably call it an SWiM Filter even though technically it's not accurate ..

[Sixto]

Originally Posted by Doug Brott

.. I'll still probably call it an SWiM Filter even though technically it's not accurate ..

me too.

[kevinwmsn]

Any thoughts that D* will allow this as a customer installable item? I wouldn't let a tech to mess with my network. I'm curious about what the pricing on this would be.

[Doug Brott]

I do not know pricing. I also do not know about Do it Yourself installs. The connection point to you network is a single DECA connected to the SWM with an Ethernet cable that needs to be connected into your router.

The only thing a tech would need to touch is to find a port on your router and plug the cable in.

[hidefman]

So, if you desire to keep things as they are.... your own cat wiring, connected to each box...with a wb68, or a wb616 with converters or even a current SWM configuration with diplexing OTA, can you just keep it like that? Forever?

[jasonki32]

Originally Posted by hidefman

So, if you desire to keep things as they are.... your own cat wiring, connected to each box...with a wb68, or a wb616 with converters or even a current SWM configuration with diplexing OTA, can you just keep it like that? Forever?

Yes, you could keep your current configuration. If you use SWiM, diplexing OTA is non-supported and that configuration would not work with DECA if you choose to go that route. Otherwise, using your own Ethernet setup would work just fine.

If your network is crowded and you want to free up some traffic, DECA would be your best setup since it frees up bandwith when using MRV as it runs through the DECA cloud and not your home network. If you use DECA you must be on a SWiM setup.

[Todd H]

I'm interested in hearing about a price and customer installs as well.