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Tutor

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11 Messages

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011 1:05 AM

MediaShare/Whole Home DVR & Ethernet

I currently have Whole Home DVR hard wired to my home PC. I had hoped to stream my home videos that are on my home PC through the Media Share functionality on my Directv receiver, but that didn't work. Either the videos weren't recognizeable (I have a whole bunch of iPhone videos, as well as some large HD videos), or they didn't play correctly (no sound). I have the ability to establish an ethernet connection to my blu ray dvd player, but I was hoping to use Directv to view these videos. My question is there anyway I can split/splice the same cable that is going from my home  router to my Directv receiver and to my blu ray dvd player? Since I have an ethernet cable already running this distance, I was looking for a solution to share this same cable. I had phoned this same question to technical support with Directv, but they weren't able to assist. thanks.

Expert

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20.7K Messages

13 years ago

Quote: Originally Posted by cgarrettharc  

is there anyway I can split/splice the same cable that is going from my home  router to my Directv receiver and to my blu ray dvd player? Since I have an ethernet cable already running this distance, I was looking for a solution to share this same cable.

At your TV install an Ethernet switch, connecting it to your existing Ethernet cable.  This will provide four ports and you can connect both your HD DVR and your BluRay to that switch.  This will provide each one with a connection to your router just as though you had run an independent cable for each one.  This link is the one that I use.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=329623&CatId=2793
In my opinion the Mediashare feature is quite rudimentary.  It's great for music and pictures, but the video portion I use just for short do it yourself clips etc. due to it's lack of trick play and other features such as CC.



Tutor

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11 Messages

13 years ago

dcd, can you please shed a bit more detail on what you mean? Sorry, i'm a neophyte. Currently, I have what I believe to be a coaxial connection between the whole home dvr attachment (which is connected directly into my router via an ethernet connection) on my second floor office, which connects to a similar whole home dvr attachment connected to my first floor Directv receiver. I'm not sure how I can incoporate this attachment:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=32962

to perform what you are suggesting. I agree with you that I think my issue with Mediashre is that it is quite rudimentary. In fact when I spoke directly with Directv, they initially told me that I wouldn't be able to stream videos...even though I told them I was able to a little bit of streaming video. Thanks.

Expert

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20.7K Messages

13 years ago

You should not "rewire" anything about your Whole Home system.  You stated that "I have an Ethernet cable already running this distance, I was looking for a solution to share this same cable" then if you add the Ethernet switch to the TV end of that Ethernet cable the switch will act like a 4 way splitter.  This all depends on your having an Ethernet cable running from the TV area to your router.

Tutor

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11 Messages

13 years ago

Sorry, I mistated that. I have a coaxial cable running between the two (one to my router, the other to my Directv DVR receiver) Directv DECA1MRO-01 adaptors. Would it be possible to do as you suggested by connecting the ethernet cable that is connected to the TV side of the Directv adaptor, to the 4-way splitter...then connect one ethernet cable to the Directv reciever and another one to my blu-ray dvd player? This is where I'm naive in wondering if this will work, or if the Directv adaptors play a role in perhaps distorting the process. Thanks.

Expert

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20.7K Messages

13 years ago

You wouldn't want to connect anything to the Directv adapters, that is where all of your shared programming streams through.  How did you connect your BluRay to the router previously?  Cable is cheap if you could snake it throiugh your crawl space, basement or attic.

 

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10208&cs_id=1020814&p_id=2164&seq=1&format=2

Tutor

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11 Messages

13 years ago

My blu-ray was connected wirelessly to my home computer, I just thought if I had the player connected directly I could potentially stream these home videos cleaner than via wi-fi. Since it is a coaxial cable connecting both Directv adaptors, is there any hardware that could potentially do what the ethernet attachment you suggested? Thanks

Tutor

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4 Messages

13 years ago

i use serviio and watch all my movies, pretty  much any format too ( it transcodes).  I have the same setup as you with the whole house and can watch what ever is on any computer in any room.  Servioo is free and it had to be configured a bit and everyone there is extremly helpfull......try it it is awesome......


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