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.

Even Investor’s Business Daily is picking up on the growing demand for connecting the home theater to your computer network.  The article mentions both Powerline and MoCA as the best wired alternatives.  For connecting the home theater, coax networking makes the most sense due to the availability of coax outlets in consumers homes as well as being “far simpler than their electrical system”.

Read the article here.

Maximum PC gives NETGEAR’s MoCA adapters an 8/10 score and raves about the easy installation, speed and security of the product.

Setup is Joe-six-pack friendly: Just unplug the coax cable from your TV set and plug it into the Netgear MOCA adapter. Run a second coax cable from the adapter to the TV. TV signals are passed through transparently, so your American Idol viewing won’t be disturbed.

The reviewer also streams HD videos with no problem and gives his final verdict thusly: + Easily builds a secured, wired, network using existing coax cables, – Doesn’t work with satellite providers, VERDICT -> 8 (out of 10)

See for yourself at Maximum PC

More and more positive reviews of the Netgear MCAB1001 MoCA Adapters are coming to light. These are a few more great reviews; check them out if you need even more reasons to buy one of these adapters.

Read the Review via zatznotfunny
Read the Review via grahms

Read the full review

The folks over at Engadget HD have reviewed the Netgear MCAB1001 MoCA Coax-Ethernet adapter. They do a great job at simplifying the concept and describing how the technology works.

This is a new device so we think a little introduction is in order. While this little box looks like a switch it’s really a bridge, in fact it is a Ethernet to coax bridge. You need two devices to get started, but can use up to 16. Each one has two coax connections and one Ethernet. The coax acts as a pass through so you can continue to use the coax cable for its initial purpose — you know cable TV or an ATSC antenna (not compatible with satellite). With these you can add a network connection anywhere in your house you have a coax cable running.

They give it a rave review, saying that that it works exactly as advertised without the pain of dropouts or weak throughput that powerline and Wi-Fi have. Pictures and a screen shot are included in the review, so, if you want to check it out, go to Engadget HD.

The folks at Station Stops have reviewed the Netgear MCAB1001 MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapter Kit. Overall, it seems to have gotten a positive review.

If you want to plug multiple devices on the remote end (as I did – it is sitting behind my TV and needs to feed my game consoles, TiVo, remote Wifi AP and internet-connected TV) – you just need to plug the remote end into a cheap router (as the remote device itself only exposes a single IP address).

Previously, the only way to accomplish this type of thing without wifi or ethernet was to use Powerline ethernet, which is basically an identical solution except that it uses your AC wiring. The problem with Powerline is that the real throughput speed can vary widely, and even in the best case maybe tops out at 45 Mbps – half that of the Coax product.

If you want to read the full post, check out Station Stops’s review.

MoCA at Best Buy

Went down to the Santana Row Best Buy in San Jose, CA and spotted the first MoCA networking kits in the computer section of the store along with the Slingbox, cable modems, and DSL modems.  They hadn’t yet switched out all of the price tags so the description didn’t match the NETGEAR MCA1001 model number and price but it sure looked good on the shelf.  To the left of the MoCA units are the Tivo wireless adapters so everything sort of fits together.

The Santana Row Best Buy is one of the more impressive Best Buys I’ve seen, 2 stories of electronics with all the extras even an Apple Store.  If you’re looking for a pair of MoCA networking units and don’t want to wait for the UPS guy to show up, check out the Best Buy website and use Store Pickup from a local Best Buy that has them.

MoCA networking gear is now available at select Best Buy brick-and-mortor stores across the US!  The NETGEAR Coax-to-Ethernet adapter kit is being sold in flagship stores in major metros from Silicon Valley (Santana Row), San Diego (Mission Valley), Chicago (Evanston), Las Vegas, Brooklyn, Cincinnati, Dallas, Philadelphia, etc…  Of course, you can also order online from BestBuy.com or punch your zip code into the site to check for a store in your area.  Post a photo if you see in your local store.