If anyone is slightly confused about the differences between MoCA and DECA, they may sound like they’re different but in reality they are the same standard. MoCA stands for Multimedia over Coax Alliance which maintains the standards for MoCA coax networking. MoCA has specified 2 frequency bands at which the network can be operated: High-RF MoCA for Cable MSOs and Verizon FiOS from 850-1500 MHz, and Mid-RF MoCA for DirecTV from 500-850 MHz. Our more advanced readers may recognize that cable TV broadcasts below 850 MHz on the coax and satellite TV broadcasts above 950 MHz, hence the need for MoCA to avoid interfering with current signals on the line and 2 separate RF bands. Both versions of MoCA are being deployed primarily to enable the Multi-Room DVR feature available from all the major Pay TV providers.
So what is DECA? DECA stands for DirecTV Ethernet-to-Coax Adapter, a simple network bridge with an Ethernet port on one side and coax on the other, and operates at Mid-RF MoCA frequencies. The DECA is used mainly to connect legacy (older) DirecTV DVRs to Whole Home DVR service but is also being used by some consumers to connect Xbox’s, Bluray Players, Internet TVs, etc… to the Internet (also requires a DECA at the broadband router). Some folks are incorrectly using the term DECA to mean Mid-RF MoCA (which is technically incorrect, but perfectly understandable since it SOUNDS like MoCA).
The DECA’s counterpart for High-RF is called the MoCA ECB which stands for Ethernet-To-Coax Bridge. The ECB serves the same function for Cable MSOs and Verizon FiOS as a way to allow Ethernet onto the coax cable. One of the advantages of an ECB is that the same ECB, currently available from NETGEAR, D-LINK, or Actiontec, can be used with any Cable TV or Verizon FiOS service. Today, DECAs only work in DirecTV households and are not compatible with ECBs.
In summary, Cable and FiOS use High-RF MoCA which supports ECBs to convert between Ethernet and coax. DirecTV uses Mid-RF MoCA which supports DECAs to convert between Ethernet and coax. When will we have a single Ethernet-to-Coax bridge that is compatible with all MoCA bands? What will DISH Network use? Stay tuned to MoCABlog.net for the latest MoCA networking news and information.
August 2, 2010 at 5:57 pm poidawg
Have you ever been in that situation where wifi just doesn’t cut it, forcing you to try other network solutions such as Ethernet over power line and wanted tear your hair out in frustration? Whether you have a HTPC, a network media tank, or a video game console system you’ve been to that point where you just wish you could run an Ethernet cable, however due to constraints in your living situation you just can’t hard wire that Ethernet cable like you want to. Today we look at the Actiontec Ethernet over Coax MoCA network adapter and run it through the paces to see if this adapter is just the answer to all your hard wired woes.
Have you ever been in a situation where you absolutely needed to run an Ethernet cable and you just couldn’t run one due to your living situation? Where you first tried wifi (802.11a/b/g/n) and quickly found that wifi, even N wifi, was not stable enough. Then you went on to try alternative connectivity solutions such as Ethernet over power line adapters and they too just didn’t cut it? Well Ethernet over coax MoCA adapters might just be the solution for you.
Read the review at MissingRemote.com
July 9, 2010 at 4:43 pm Smart Phone Dojo
