Is it worth swapping out from a HR54 to a HS17 for a rack mount system?

If your current system is working fine, I wouldn't "upgrade" to an HS17.  I think it's still more "buggy" than the HR54.

I don't know that I'd say it's working correctly. I cannot stream my recordings to a mobile device for example which to me says there's a TCP/IP issue on the DVR more than likely.

Streaming from DVR to mobile device was something that was being removed back in March. Too many problems with it I guess. The remaining Mobile DVR feature is to copy recordings to mobile device for temporary usage (up to 30 days).

HS17 still has the bug concerns so would suggest staying with the HR54 as it is more reliable.

You do have an unusual setup and paying more for it. Since the HR54 is a full receiver to be on a TV, you are paying for one more TV then you are using but not having it connected to a TV. The HS17 doesn't go on a TV so shouldn't count towards the TV fees, but a billing issue in the new account system is counting it towards the number of TVs for some people.

Benefits of the HR54 over the HS17 is that it has Picture in Picture (PiP) on the Genie itself, plus more importantly it allows HDDVRs. Each HDDVR adds 2 tuners and 500GB recording space, plus can work even if the Genie doesn't. Clients do not have tuners or recording space, and cannot work without the main box. Yes Clients have a wireless option, but that is a lot of capability to give up for the wireless aspect in my opinion.

I would recommend having the Genie put on one of your TVs and returning that Client to DirecTV which would save you the $7 you are not using. Depending on location of the other wireless Clients I would consider using your upgrade to swap one of them for a full HDDVR. More capability, no difference in monthly cost (other than saving the $7 by not paying for one more TV then you have setup).

A few additional questions.

1.) If I went with your plan, would the recorded content be available across the entire system. Meaning if I recorded a program on HD-DVR 1 would it be available for playback on HD-DVR 2? 

2.) If I move the Genie that means I would have to run coax from the dish, or the main drop in the wiring closet, to where ever the Genie goes would I not?

3.) The new HDDVR would also require coax be run to it as well, correct?

The idea behind having the DVR in the wiring closet was to completely eliminate coax from the house other than between the wiring closet and the dish itself. If I'm going to have to make several runs of coax throughout the house to do this, that will be quite impossible. This is really a question of functionality over cost.

1.) If I went with your plan, would the recorded content be available across the entire system. Meaning if I recorded a program on HD-DVR 1 would it be available for playback on HD-DVR 2? 

Yes. Whole Home DVR works with a minimum of HDDVR (HR20 and up, plus special R22) and HD non-DVR (H21 and up). The only HDDVR currently available would be the last one made (HR24). The Genie is DirecTV's Advance Whole Home DVR so the service is required where with earlier setups it was optional.

2.) If I move the Genie that means I would have to run coax from the dish, or the main drop in the wiring closet, to where ever the Genie goes would I not?

Genie would needs a coax line going to it as there are no wireless receivers. Only Mini Genie Clients have wireless models (C41W and recently seen C61W).

3.) The new HDDVR would also require coax be run to it as well, correct?

Same as the Genie as it is not wireless.

The idea behind having the DVR in the wiring closet was to completely eliminate coax from the house other than between the wiring closet and the dish itself. If I'm going to have to make several runs of coax throughout the house to do this, that will be quite impossible. This is really a question of functionality over cost.

Hmm perhaps more in-depth work depending, but hard to fathom being impossible. If you truly must keep to the kind of setup you have now, then if the bugs are squashed, then the Genie-2 (HS17) would be better in your situation (This is the only time to date I have ever said to consider this model). Doesn't go on a TV so removes that TV fee you are not using (provided the billing account issue is fixed) and the 7 tuners and 2TB hard drive would be an increase over the 5 tuners and 1TB of the HR54, plus having the WVB built-in.

If you do go the Genie-2 (HS17) route, few things to keep in mind. It forbids HDDVRs and HD non-DVRs from being on the account, so is a Client only system. This means the 7 tuners are a hard cap. Still no PiP as Clients can only use 1 tuner each, but since your HR54 wasn't on a TV in the first place then this is not really a loss for you. Also DirecTV's 4K Client (C61K) is wired only as there is no 4K wireless option currently.

Juniper,

I understand my situation is somewhat unique. My entire house is ethernet based. I removed every trace of RG-58 and RG-6 I could when we bought it. It's also a tri-level home with a finished basement. The only way to run any cables is through the attic which was a nightmare when we ran all the CAT6 in the first place. I have never used the PIP functionality, even when I had stand alone receivers at each TV in my old home as we never watch live TV, only DVR'd recordings. This might be an issue for those who watch live sports events and such, but I do not fit that demographic. Here is a picture of my wiring closet. You cannot see the wireless bridge as it sits on top of the rack, along with my router (I have the Uverse wireless disabled and the modem in bridge mode). 

As for the 4K receiver, you mention this needing to be hardwired. Is this COAX/MoCA dependent or can it run over Ethernet? I do not currently own a 4K TV (I have a 65" 1080P Panasonic Plasma) but am considering going to a 75" OLED display in the next year or so.

The C61K like all DirecTV boxes connects by the coax and then to the TV by HDMI. Specifically the TV must support HDMI 2.0, HDCP 2.2, and 60FPS. But as there is only a couple channels in 4K, plus a few PPVs, it might not be something to consider yet as it is still the early days.

DirecTV was fully built around coax, only really using Ethernet for internet connection as it had no need to do otherwise. But if you were to replace the HR54 with a Genie-2, then install shouldn't be much other than making sure everything is paired ok and adjusting the shelf levels as it cannot sit on its side and will not fit where the HR54 currently is when standing up. Recordings wouldn't copy over, and if any external hard drives are used with the Genie then those recordings would be lost as well as they are encrypted to the exact DVR.

Ethernet to entire house, a couple cloud storages with 4 HDDs each if I see correctly, wow. Tri-level and a finished basement? I may be starting to drool a little, very nice.

Here's a rough layout of my network.

From the NID there's a homerun of CAT5E STP to the wiring closet. From there it connects to my Arris Uverse gateway. That has it's wireless turned off and is set to bridge mode. That connects to a Netgear R6300v2 router. From there I have it connected to the Netgear 24 port GigE switch (being replaced by a Dell PowerConnect 5548 managed layer 3 switch). That in turn breaks out to CAT6 run to each of the main rooms in the house (bedroom, office, etc). The DirecTV DVR connects to the switch there, as does my MyQ garage door opener and my two NAS boxes.

The first NAS is a QNAP TS-451+ with 4 x 6TB drives in RAID5. I've ripped every CD, DVD, and BluRay I own using MakeMKV and FLAC. This box acts as my media server.

The second NAS is a QNAP TS-421 Pro with 4 x 3TB drives in RAID5. This acts as a backup for all the PC's on the network as well as cloud storage.

I have a nVidia Shield TV box at each TV in the house. These are hardwired back to the switch. I use KODI to manage my media library. This way I can play back any of my movies in lossless format from any room in the house that has a TV without worrying about transcoding. Honestly, it works a lot more reliably than I ever thought possible.

The only real weakness in the system is the DirecTV wireless boxes seem really slow. But I suppose that's just the nature of the beast.

for your setup you may want to consider directvnow, or some other streaming service

as has been said, directv is built around coax.

and as you notices the wireless is slow

Did some more digging. It looks like I can use DECA adapters with the HS17, which I honestly should have expected. If that's the case I can just use those and put the Genie Mini's and  HS17's Ethernet connection on it's own VLAN. Though honestly, I shouldn't need to as the QoS at the switch should handle that on it's own.

I'm just curious if there's a perceptible speed difference between using the boxes wirelessly vs via coax. 

note: the hs17 is not rack mountable

and also, thats not how decas are intended to be used.

you would need one at each end of the run, so 2 per mini?

According to this thread the DECA adapters can absolutely be used that way. All they are is Ethernet to coax adapters. By their very nature they should be bidirectional/full duplex. It sounds like the HS17 has the ability to transmit IGMP or whatever protocol the Genie boxes use over Ethernet built in. So all I should need is a DECA adapter at each box. 

I plan on putting the HS17 on top of the rack. There should be enough room vertically up there for it to fit. If not, I can get one of those wall mount brackets they make for them and bolt it to the wall.

what they can be used for and what they are designed for are 2 diff things

typical use is one connected behind a tv to coax

then connected to the tv with ethernet cable

the tv uses an rvu app for directv

they were also used to inject internet into the swm system

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@skippman wrote:

According to this thread the DECA adapters can absolutely be used that way. All they are is Ethernet to coax adapters. By their very nature they should be bidirectional/full duplex. It sounds like the HS17 has the ability to transmit IGMP or whatever protocol the Genie boxes use over Ethernet built in. So all I should need is a DECA adapter at each box. 

 

I plan on putting the HS17 on top of the rack. There should be enough room vertically up there for it to fit. If not, I can get one of those wall mount brackets they make for them and bolt it to the wall.

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Sorry, but you can't use a DECA adapter that way. 

Please explain why I cannot. Have you tested this before?