MRV

Question

Very early CE feeds (last year) this worked, but not since. Now this is an "official" (abet beta) release I am will ask.

I can't see the playlists from either DVR (both are opt'd in, both can see and download from the Internet, both are connected via gig-e switch). Both are current software releases. Both can be seen over the same network by the DirectTV PC viewing software (you really need to have a Mac solution, but I know that topic has been covered a million times). Also both are able to view content via the media share option from my Mac using Vuze. Thus I know I have connectivity between the devices even though the MRV pref claims NO Networked DVRs available......

HD-DVR HR20-700 (living room)
HD-DVR HR21-100 (bed room)

Thanks for any pointers you can find.
--tom

irishntn · Answer

You have to make sure that each DVR is setup to Share Playlist. Menu button, System Setup, Multi-Room, Share Playlist. Make sure it says Yes. Then it will take a bit to load up when you press the List button. Highlight a show and it should first say on the Info (Bed Room) if your in the Living Room. Also (Allow Detection) From all rooms.

litzdog911 · Answer

Try resetting both DVRs and your home gateway/router. Wait several hours and the DVRs should rediscover themselves.

bikedude · Answer

I have tied this multiple times. Neither DVR displays guide data from the other. Should I file an incident report?

litzdog911 · Answer

How is each DVR connected to your home network?Are you still using CE software? If so, report problems in the CE Forum at DBSTalk.

bikedude · Answer

Home runes to ethernet switch. Running national release. As I mentioned I know the network is working as they are each able to download via on demand channels 1000+ channels, as well as I was able once to test using the DTV PC software (really wish you would contract for a Mac version, but that's a comment for another thread)

I can certainly move to a CE release (last one I took was before the most recent build train/cycle).

Thanks for the follow up.
-Tom

irishntn · Answer

Getting the DOD just means that you DVR's can access the internet, Doesn't mean that they are network to view each other. If you have them both hard wired to your router, you might have some adjustment to do within your router settings. UPnP could cause a issues with running a network, and not to mention the onboard firewalls that routers have. If you have a way of running the Ethernet cable from one of your DVR's to the other you can connect it to the 2nd port and your problem would resolve itself.

bikedude · Answer

No UPnP issues or router involved. Each DVR (and all other network devices run to GigE switch in basement (all cat 5e). Devices are NOT NAT'd. All devices on net are getting STATIC lease assignments from my DHCP server. I was a network engineer at Apple for 13 yrs so I am know a thing or 2 about networking. I can send a WireShark trace if we ever get to that point. Unfortunately I don't have a protocol description for your device discovery or I would do some additional diagnostics.

Unfortunately no way to connect the 2 DVR's directly (distance/location issue)

Thanks again,
Tom

dcd · Answer

bikedude,There are many knowledgeable folks who post here, and many with technical training and experience. Manu of them suffer a common problem. They can't network successfully a pair of DVR's. As a temporary measure, you can use the suggestion that irishntn offered. In the long run you can wait for the release of DECA and go that route.Most of us don't used advanced diagnostics. We use off the shelf routers and switches and hook the stuff up and it works. If you have to go to advanced troubleshooting it would appear to me you have something in your system that isn't off the shelf standard.

bikedude · Answer

Actually I have NOTHING non-standard in my network. 2 Gig-E switches (Asante) linked together. Each DVR and all my other ethernet devices are connected via CAT 5e to the switch (all off the shelf equipment). I have 1 wireless access point on the network (Apple). The network works fine for ALL other devices in the home (computers). The DVRs themselves are able to run the Internet widgets, download Internet content, and I can within the home view stored DVR content via DirectPC.

Deductive reasoning leads one to conclude that the problem lies in the MRV software (my personal believe is the device discovery, as neither DVR sees the other when you look menu for other DVRs (menu option, not the content GUIDE)). This is also confirmed by the fact that a VERY early version of the MRV CE release (about a year or so ago), DID work, and I have made NO hardware or software changes to the network (aside from DVR updates that have been pushed)

I am not jumping on you folks who are trying to help, I am just pointing out that there seems to be a problem here that MAY not be unique to myself, and I am in a position to assist in diagnostics and resolution that will not only benefit myself, but other less technically sophisticated consumers.

I may put a packet analyzer on the net over the weekend to see if I can figure out how you are doing DVR device discovery (would be great if you had any info on the protocol). I am ASSUMING it's some sort of multicast discovery. Ideally it would be the protocol I helped work on when I was at Apple, Bonjour (aka mDNS).

Thanks again, I am sure we can be able to figure this out. It's not THAT complicated 😉

--Tom

testerx · Answer

Keep in mind the 'we' have nothing to do with how MRV works, everyone here is just a user like you. Also, since DirecTV does not intend to support anything but their DECA network setup, the only issues they are likely to address are those that affect operation with DECA.

irishntn · Answer

bikedude. A quick and easy test to find out if something is not connected right in your network setup is to open up a media share on two computers that are on your network. If you can view the shared music and video on each of the computers setup then your network setup should be fine for MRV. I just don't like multi-ported switches like the one you are using for the network connection. They are good for sharing a internet connection, but video network sharing would over drive and and cause issues. I would wait for the national lauch of MRV and do the SWM/DECA upgrade if you enjoy this feature.

bikedude · Answer

That's the frustrating part it DOES work! I have my Mac laptop with Vuze installed and Media share on and I can play the video off the laptop on either DVR. That's why I have bee blaming the MVR software (not the infrastructure) 🙂

Glad we are all thinking along the same lines.....

--tom

irishntn · Answer

Now that we are working on the same page. Does your laptop connect to your network wired or wireless? On the Switch how far away on the connections are the two DVR's? Maybe moving them closer together, or placing them in the same block of connections on the switch will allow a better connection inbetween the two DVR's. Now just remember I have never work with that particular switch, but it would just be a suggestion.

Heres a thought. If you have a unused router and know which ethernet connections goto both DVR's maby for a test just taking the switch out of play with those two and connecting the router to the switch and then plugging in both DVR's to the router. Worth the try.

hmcmott · Answer

I didn't read all the posts, but unplugging your switch and/or router may get everything back on the right track. I lost my MRV and nothing worked until I powered down my router AND the switch which connected the DVRs. Maybe the switch would have done the trick alone.

Also check the router security settings. I put the MAC address filtering feature on my router to block the neighbors from stealing wirelss access. It filters wired access as well, I had to put the MAC addresses of the DVRs on the allowed list before they connected.

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