DIRECTV Whole-Home DVR (Multi-Room Viewing / MRV) FAQ

What is "Whole Home DVR" from DIRECTV? What is "MRV"?

Whole home DVR (also known as "multi-room viewing" or MRV) is a service from DIRECTV that allows you to watch shows recorded on a DVR on other DIRECTV receivers in your home. In addition, DIRECTV MRV technology allows you to share a single Internet connection, over DIRECTV coaxial lines, to all receivers, and to get an Internet connection through a coaxial cable.

What is required to utilize MRV?

To get MRV, you need the following: (1) MRV-compatible receivers; (2) a single-wire multiswitch (SWM) or SWM dish; (3) DECA (DIRECTV Ethernet over Coax Adapter) at each compatible receiver, if the adapter is not already built-in.

What is required for whole-home Internet over coax?

If you have allof your receivers set up for MRV, adding Internet is easy. You simply need a broadband router, a DECA attached to your router, and coax connected to a SWM splitter. (See wiring diagrams.)

Can you have whole-home Internet over coax but NOT MRV?

Absolutely. DECA simply puts Internet over coax cable. You can use DECAs and distribute Internet over your coax even without DIRECTV equipment. However, if you want Internet throughout your house AND you have DIRECTV equipment, then you do need SWM even if you are not using MRV, because SWM frees certain bandwidth that the DECA uses to send Internet through the same wire.

What receivers are MRV-compatible? What equipment is needed to get MRV going?

Below is a chart showing DIRECTV's recent-model receivers. The chart shows which receivers are compatible with SWM and which are compatible with MRV.

Where can I purchase equipment to get MRV running?

If you know what equipment you need, then you can find it at our DIRECTV multi-room viewing / DECA Parts page. If you aren't sure what you need, we have a DIRECTV DECA/MRV configuration tool that will tell you exactly what parts you need to implement whole-home DVR, with or without Internet. In addition, below you will find some charts showing what equipment is needed in most cases. Also see this wiring diagram.

Thanks for the configurator, but can I see a somewhat-confusing chart from DIRECTV telling me what I need if I am upgrading my existing receivers to MRV?

Sure. See below.

What if I am installing all new equipment, all of which has DECA built in?

In that case, you need this other not-too-intuitive chart.