Major problems with whdvr

Does the DECA module that connectes to your router have a 18 volt power supply attached (in addition to the 21 volt SWM power inserter)?

"So much for customer service, they should have had a tech who knew the system out here by now after so many calls".

The techs don't know the system yet, that's why so many of the installs are problematic like yours is. Eventually it will be easy to get Whole Home installed but right now it's chancy. Maybe the guys here can help if you answer their questions, they know a lot more than any CSR would.

Yes

You've paid for Whole Home DVR and you should demand that Directv send a tech that can fix your problem.  I personally wouldn't retreat to an inferior system or accept less than perfect performance.

Note that lots of folks are enjoying Whole Home that works perfectly, including me.

After so many hours on the phone, no answers, more lies, I am unwilling to do anything but revert to my old owned units, I will be moving 15 feet south soon and when I do will weigh in Directv vs Dish vs whoever else can provide service. Not much point in driving myself crazy with this in the midst of homebuilding when it will all be swapped over in the next 6-9 months.

I only got suckered into this with the 'Loyal Customer' offer to upgrade me, perhaps by then some of the installers will know how to get it to work in these parts or not, I will not sign off on any work order until they can demonstrate it stays up and running for at least two weeks.

On the up side all this has cost me nothing cash wise for equipment, service or instalation, but it has been a dismal failure in functioning.

DTV needs to train their installers, send them off someplace for a 2 week training and make them pass the final exam or they should not be out in the field winging these instalations. Been in the field service business 30+ years and never had one single customer complaint, always made sure the job was done if it took till midnight or staying on a few extra days.

kd006,

I can't blame you for your frustration with the results, so far, on your upgrade to WH DVR: I would probably feel much the same way. And it sounds like you're just about as stubborn as I usually am, when something either doesn't work, or doesn't make sense -- or both!

If you are resigned to things staying the way they are, until your house is finished, then we'll be here when you're ready to tackle it.And maybe you're right: DTVprobably will have taken off some of the rough edges by the time you guys are ready for Movers Connection, so it may go more smoothly then. But it's also possible that you are closer to a solution now than you realize: dealing with a different TSR on every call, often repeating the same elementary steps, with their wanting to start from the top and work back through, can be exasperating; and when we get exasperated we sometimes jump around and skip steps.

And the new TSR probably won't catch that. It doesn't make this your fault, but the frustrations with the system become another roadblock. That may be one of the reasons that coming here often works: it breaks the routine, forces you to take a breath, lay it all out one more time -- retaining what you've learned, knowledge from mistakes made -- and work through the problems, fresh. The Forums can accelerate a solution by slowing it down: making it visible in freeze frame, so that others can contribute, and all of a sudden the pieces can start to fall in place. The things you learn now may be the biggest change leading to a successful installation in the another few weeks.

So let us know if you're willing to put a few more man-hours into fixing what's broke:maybe we can get you over the hump or help isolate the weak link and give you the ammunition you need get DTV to swap it. I'm not really the expert here: there are people who are smarter, especially on this Topic. But I'd be willing to bet that you could get this wagon out of the ditch with a little help; and there is nobody at DTVthat thinks the performance you've experienced is acceptable, normal or permanent. And certainly no customers here do. We'll help you get it right, if you're willing!

ggtwo,

The equipment is sitting out front awating pickup, at this point all I want is to see it gone and have them restring the cable they cut from my old ground block to the bedroom.

I have been all through the diagrams and it 'looked' like everything was connected correctly, 21v power inserter, splitter, LNB, deca with it's own supply. Probably a flaky DVR since it would work then fail. I have to say I was not impressed by the last tech who said he still had not gotten media share to work at his home! Both TSR's were out of work construction workers, probably with minimum knowledge of electronics. Actualy the last one out said I didn't need the external DECA and wanted to connect my network to the RJ45 jack on the back of the DVR, well until he called someone from around the back of the house then came back carrying a DECA from the van.

Profesional instalation?

kd006,

I'm sorry you felt you had to pull the plug, but I can understand.

Your installation may have been particularly brutal, with apparent chaos in the local installation market, combining badly with new technology -- and the initial product quirks and rampant misinformation which that inevitably brings. I still can't help but wonder, though, if your result might have been different, had you a little backup assistance from here, back at the beginning of your ordeal.

This may be implausible at the moment, but I hope you'll consider a fresh attempt when you guys are ready for your move. At the end of the day, the DECA/WH DVR technology is not fatally flawed: it's working all over the country -- even if it got badly botched at your address. Regardless, the things you learned in this process can (and will probably have to) be transferred to any new technology you might choose to implement,no matter the provider. If you play it safe,either with your existing DTVservice, or an upgrade to new HD equipment withoutWH DVR; if you go with a standard HD package from Dish or the Cable company, the installation will be simpler and likely come off a lot more smoothly.

But if you want to incorporate advanced capabilities from any TV service into the system at your new house, there will likely be product anomalies, a learning curve and growing pains to overcome. Don't misunderstand me: the bungling of your installation was completely unacceptable -- and highly unusual. There was something desperately 'broke' from the beginning, whether it was flawed configuration or defective equipment, we have no way of knowing at this point. It should have been fixed -- somehow -- and in a group effort, it wasn't. I don't know why.

What I do know is, the chances of a similar 'cluster headache' occurring with a new WH DVR installation are nil,because you know moreat the outset than you did before. You can lean on DTV to use a different Installer, know when you meet him whether he has a clue, ask the supervisor for an advanced tech, and you can get some coaching and advance prep from here to ensure that it goes more smoothly. Perfectly? Maybe. I mean, it's happened; but probably not.Still, what you read and heard about Whole Home DVR,before this all went down, is true: it's pretty amazing and practical technology -- when it's done right. 

Maybe it'll be worth it to see if the team can make it happen on the rubber match. Regardless, I hope we'll have the opportunity to help you in the future; and we can always use another hand in the Forums,helping others with the equipment that you use every day. 

ggtwo,

Yup should be fun, IF I stick with Drec-tv they will have to provide pre-wiring information or come out and pre-wire before sheetrock, house on slab and steel siding and they are NOT drilling any holes, all my wiring will be in the walls, phone , tv, network, sound system since this will be radiant floor heat with ceramic tile floors their is no place to hide wires.

I had to have techs come out three times to get the install right. In the end everything works well but the picture quality is not as good as it was before the upgrade. I got the new HR24-500 box and everything looks interlaced and fuzzy...

Not worth it!

I am thinking between lack of training and perhaps a few % of boxes just being bad this is a trend, seems they are in such a hurry to roll out the new hardware we are all 'beta testers' once again. I did hear something from a family member today I didn't know before, apparently before the last big crash from which the system never recovered their was a on screen message that the HR24 internal temp was 145 or 155 deg F! Could explain a lot of the problem but not the cause. Not enough heat sink, too small a fan??? I don't know but to have the unit run that hot is not good IMO.

Directv (nor most any other provider) will pre wire your house, but if you want information we can likely provide suggestions.  If you like, why don't you start a fresh post for that specific purpose?

kd006,

Setting up another thread for the wiring would be a good idea, when you are near that point in construction. Don't leave it to a General Contractor, unless you can talk to his sub. If you've already got a sharp low-voltage wiring and electronics guru to do the rest of your pre-wiring, it shouldn't be too hard to configure the house to allow cable, satellite or FiOS TV service and any networking required. Even though DECA doesn't use Cat-5 at each STB, other devices like Roku, Blu-Ray Players, PS3, etc. do; so I'm sure you'll want to plan accordingly. I think Dish Networks' system for sharing a DVR may be a little less conventional in its wiring, but I suspect that wouldn't be an option for you, because it won't share an HD feed. We'll be glad to help you accomplish your priorities, as it involves any potential DTV configuration.

I think dcdsaid it well, earlier:

You've paid for Whole Home DVR and you should demand that Directv send a tech that can fix your problem. I personally wouldn't retreat to an inferior system or accept less than perfect performance.

Note that lots of folks are enjoying Whole Home that works perfectly, including me.

I would expect you to take that attitude into the installation of TV service at your new home, regardless of the provider. I should also hope that your frustration with this episode wouldn't bleed over into your dealings with anotherTV service, already primed for exasperation at the outset. I mean, it wouldn't make sense to hold them accountable for what someone else did, right? You need to try to start with that same clean slate, even if you make another stab at WH DVR: you'll be dealing with a fresh batch of equipment, a new installer, a new house and new wiring. A fresh start is the only way to go, no matter which service you choose; and you've got a great opportunity to do that. If we can be a part of that fresh start, then let us know.