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Hardware Forum / Networking / Modems (Cable) / September 2005

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RCA DCM315R

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JustMe - 19 Sep 2005 04:11 GMT
Anyone know what the difference is between a DCM315 and a DCM315R? Comments
re Quality/performance of the 315R welcome,

TIA
Warren - 19 Sep 2005 05:05 GMT
> Anyone know what the difference is between a DCM315 and a DCM315R?
> Comments re Quality/performance of the 315R welcome,

They are the same modem. The R stands for "retail". The 315's without the R
are sold to providers. The 315R's are distributed through retail channels.
Or at least that was those were the intended distribution channels when they
labeled them.

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Warren H.

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JustMe - 20 Sep 2005 04:38 GMT
>> Anyone know what the difference is between a DCM315 and a DCM315R?
>> Comments re Quality/performance of the 315R welcome,
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> channels. Or at least that was those were the intended distribution
> channels when they labeled them.

OK, thanks Warren
$Bill - 20 Sep 2005 08:04 GMT
> Anyone know what the difference is between a DCM315 and a DCM315R? Comments
> re Quality/performance of the 315R welcome,

I haven't heard much good about RCA modems.  I'd be going for a Motorola 51xx.
My rented Terayon is OK, but haven't seen any for sale anywhere.
JustMe - 21 Sep 2005 03:15 GMT
>> Anyone know what the difference is between a DCM315 and a DCM315R?
>> Comments
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> 51xx.
> My rented Terayon is OK, but haven't seen any for sale anywhere.

OK, thanks Bill
Bruce - 22 Sep 2005 04:28 GMT
>>> Anyone know what the difference is between a DCM315 and a DCM315R?
>>> Comments
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> OK, thanks Bill

Over the past six years, I've had 2 (or 3?, can't remember) RCA modems.  
All have been rented from @home, attbi, and comcast.  None failed, but
were changed out to more current models.  I now have model DCM245.  True,
there's not much diagnostics software that come with them, but they've
all been rock solid.

Speed tests show that on good nights, I am getting 3.7mbps down, and
384kbps up.  This is near the max in my area.

Bruce
Warren - 22 Sep 2005 06:23 GMT
> Over the past six years, I've had 2 (or 3?, can't remember) RCA modems.
> All have been rented from @home, attbi, and comcast.  None failed, but
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> Speed tests show that on good nights, I am getting 3.7mbps down, and
> 384kbps up.  This is near the max in my area.

The RCA modems from the DCM226 and lower are only DOCSIS 1.0, so anything
that old should be replaced on Comcast. The DCM235 is the first DOCSIS 1.1
model.

The most common point of failure on many of the RCA models is the power
plug. Off-hand I can't recall when they stopped using them, but many of the
200's, including the 245, used a Molex-type plug. The jacks were not braced
enough by the case, and a lot of stress was put on the boards they were
connected to. It doesn't take much movement to break the connection, and
cause the modems to go offline.

I had a DCM245 for about four years. It was in an out of the way spot, but
it was getting to the point that a stiff breeze was enough to wiggle the
connection, and take it offline. I replaced it with a Motorola SB5100.

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Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
   Your guide to Network Television's Fall Premiers:
  http://www.holzemville.com/television/fall2005.html

JustMe - 24 Sep 2005 05:46 GMT
>> Over the past six years, I've had 2 (or 3?, can't remember) RCA modems.
>> All have been rented from @home, attbi, and comcast.  None failed, but
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> it was getting to the point that a stiff breeze was enough to wiggle the
> connection, and take it offline. I replaced it with a Motorola SB5100.

That's pretty much why I had to replace my existing DCM215. I'd had it since
@Home in 1999 and is was restarting 6 times an hour just from me typing at
the keyboard. ISTR the @Home technicians were quite fond of having folks
disconnect the power connector at the back for any little problem. Comcast
techs always asked for a reset using the microswitch in the toothpick hole.

I installed the new modem last Monday but it didn't find the registration
server so I called Comcast. Got a tech in 2 minutes and he forced the
registration from his side and I was up and running in 10 minutes. The tech
mentioned Comcast was moving to 6000kbps service in short order although I'm
still seeing 3800kbps. I haven't had contact with tech support in about a
year but they seem vastly improved. The man I spoke with was competent and
got right to it. No screwing around playing silly games like the script
readers used to do when Comcast took over from ATTBI. They even gave me a
credit for 7 days without asking. All in all. a good experience.
Andrew Rossmann - 24 Sep 2005 16:09 GMT
> The most common point of failure on many of the RCA models is the power
> plug. Off-hand I can't recall when they stopped using them, but many of the
> 200's, including the 245, used a Molex-type plug. The jacks were not braced
> enough by the case, and a lot of stress was put on the boards they were
> connected to. It doesn't take much movement to break the connection, and
> cause the modems to go offline.

 I've also read a few reports that the power supplies were a bit
underpowered for some. My DM315 is rated for 9-12V@200mA. The supply is
the minimum 9V@200mA. Some had connection problems, mainly establishing
the uplink (when it's doing the 3-bar flash), that was fixed by using a
higher voltage/current supply. I checked mine UNDER LOAD (poked through
the insulation while powering the modem), and it registered around 11V
or so if I remember right, so my supply seems OK.

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Bruce - 24 Sep 2005 23:07 GMT
>> The most common point of failure on many of the RCA models is the
>> power plug. Off-hand I can't recall when they stopped using them, but
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> registered around 11V or so if I remember right, so my supply seems
> OK.

True.  My DCM245 came with a 9v 800mA block transformer.  A few months
later, a box from Comcast arrived on my doorstep, containing a new
transformer, rated at 11v 800mA.  A small brochure said that "a limited
number of power supplies may experience weakened performance over time",
but there was no safety risk.  "Thompson and Comcast are proactively
implementing a Power Supply Replacement program in order to prevent
interruption of your Internet service due to this circumstance".

I never swapped out the old transformer, but saved it just in case.

Bruce
JustMe - 25 Sep 2005 01:26 GMT
>>> The most common point of failure on many of the RCA models is the
>>> power plug. Off-hand I can't recall when they stopped using them, but
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> Bruce

That's interesting. I work around the corner from the store I purchased my
DCM315. I bought it during lunch and took it back to the shop and examined
it. I noted that it appeared to have been used although the seal was intact.
The power cube was rated 12 v. I took it back and got another one. When I
opened it up, I noted the power cube was rated at 9v, 800ma. I looked for
the specs in the book and on the modem case and didn't find any. I wonder
what the power requirements really are?
Andrew Rossmann - 25 Sep 2005 14:13 GMT
> That's interesting. I work around the corner from the store I purchased my
> DCM315. I bought it during lunch and took it back to the shop and examined
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> the specs in the book and on the modem case and didn't find any. I wonder
> what the power requirements really are?

 Right under the power socket on the modem itself, it's printed, along
with a little icon showing the polarity. I just posted a correction that
mine lists 9-12V@800mA (not the 200mA I posted originally.)

 The supply I tested with was a nice RadioShack one that uses a high-
efficiency switching supply (it's much lighter in weight since it
doesn't have a big transformer.)

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Andrew Rossmann - 25 Sep 2005 14:06 GMT
> > The most common point of failure on many of the RCA models is the power
> > plug. Off-hand I can't recall when they stopped using them, but many of the
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> the insulation while powering the modem), and it registered around 11V
> or so if I remember right, so my supply seems OK.

 Minor correction. It should be 800mA, not 200mA. It's very hard to
read that simple raised plastic lettering from where the modem is
stuffed!! I also double-checked the supply, and it's a generic 9V/800mA
brick.

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