Western Digital HDMI USB Media Player?? (WDAVN00BN)

[jagabo]

Just a guess -- maybe the SRT files that don't display are Unicode, not ASCII text?

[JjMon]

I managed to put a relay on the (WDAVN00BN) Western Digital HDMI USB Media Player to power on/off my 7-port USB hub and my (external/internal) Hard drives. Check the video below...


Click here to watch the video

More to come.


Picture above is where i attached the relay to. The pin of the LED is where the ground of the relay is soldered to, and the last pin of the connector is where the Positive of the relay is connected to.

Sorry about the quality of the video, I was actually using a picture camera to take the video.

[jagabo]

For those not wanting to rip their new media player apart a smart power switch might work:
http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Strip-SCG3-049418906-Autoswitching/dp/B000P1QJXQ/

[RabidDog]

Just looking at that Seagate jobby the salesman *cough* mentioned. It looks like its a very similar concept ..except there IS mention of divx but NO mention of hdmi..and I have to say the remote control looks awkward...I would get the wd simply for the better remote. Still time to change it tho

[yoda313]

EDIT - Forget it. I think I got stop looking to buy new hardware. I was asking about hddvd support on the wd media player. I think I'll just hook up my 360 hddvd drive back to the 360 and use that until it dies. Then I could start rebuying my hd-dvds on bluray. Until then i'll just forget about conversion........

[yonidass]

To answer a question asked a while back, the new firmware does indeed support idx/sub subtitles. I ripped some from DVD and they played fine with an MP4 ripped from the same DVD. There is also a setting now for the subtitle font size. Nice.

Also new with the firmware upgrade is support for other text encodings, such as Asian languages, presumably for file names and maybe subtitles. And video files now display the file size after the file name when browsing.

Still no support for multiple audio tracks in MP4 files.

[kiaconcepts]

Ok I have had this thing since the 1st day, and I love it, Only thing I wish it had was Network support? Has anyone found a solution for hooking a NAS up to it?

[luchazo]

Ok I have had this thing since the 1st day, and I love it, Only thing I wish it had was Network support? Has anyone found a solution for hooking a NAS up to it?

Hi to all the WD HD TV owners or future ones!

I got mine yeaterday, and I'm very impressed. I updated it to the new 01.02 firmware so it's even better now.

Going to the topic on you message kiaconcepts, I'm looking for the same thing: a way to enable the WD HD TV unit in a network, so the files on the HDD can be updates without unpluging the USB hard drive from the WD HD TV.

I found somewhere else that an external hard drive like the LaCie Ethernet Disk mini may do something like this, since it has concurrent access to both of its interfaces:
1) USB 2.0
2) Ethernet input

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/content/view/29790/75/

Hope this helps to find sommeone that has actually tested it with the WD HD TV.

Lucho

PS: Taken from the same web page (it seems a version on 1 TB is available too)

Product LaCie Ethernet Disk mini V2 - 500 GB (301138U)

Summary
Updated version of single-drive NAS with new CPU, gigabit Ethernet and SATA drive.
Available in 250GB/320GB/500GB capacities.

Pros
• Can be used as a NAS, external USB 2.0 drive or both
• Easy to use and set up
• AFP and Bonjour support for Mac users
• Gigabit Ethernet with 4K and 8K Jumbo frames supported
• Fast

Cons
• Windows network browsing problems
• Relatively slow USB-connected performance
• Sluggish admin interface

This was added later when I found extra info on the concurrent USB/Ethernet functionality:

This is the part of the review, where the hability of use both interfaces at the same time is explained. The red part I think is a blocking reason for the WD HD TV to recognize this unit as a mere USB Drive..... Hopefully someone proves me wrong....

One of the original Edmini's claims to fame is that it can be used as either a NAS or as an external USB drive and the V2 retains that feature. However, the V2 kicks it up a notch and now supports connection to both interfaces simultaneously. Note that this doesn't mean that you can combine the USB and Ethernet connections to get higher performance—only one data path per client is supported.
To accomplish this trick, LaCie runs an IP network connection over USB. This, plus changing the internal drive filesystem to XFS eliminates the need to reformat the drive to the FAT32 filesystem if you want to use it as an external USB drive. So once you connect the V2 via USB, you'll find it in Network Connections, not My Computer.

[jagabo]

To accomplish this trick, LaCie runs an IP network connection over USB.

That is why it won't work. Of course, there's no reason WD couldn't add that ability but I doubt it has it now.

[luchazo]

To accomplish this trick, LaCie runs an IP network connection over USB.

That is why it won't work. Of course, there's no reason WD couldn't add that ability but I doubt it has it now.

Thanks!

I found later a full thread where they try to get these WD units capable of network access trhu it's usb. Very techincall though..

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1100062&page=5

[jagabo]

I found later a full thread where they try to get these WD units capable of network access trhu it's usb. Very techincall though..

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1100062&page=5

The WD TV HD firmware source is available under GPL? That is great news!

[mysticgohan17]

one cool thing i realized came with 1.01 firmware update, it now recognizes the correct DAR in mkv files so i don't have to have every 16x9 SD video encoded at a res of 640x360, etc. useful.

my favorite piece of technology ever.

[toiday]

No network, no internal HD? I like my Popcorn Hour much better. This box has all that and it's smaller. http://www.popcornhour.com. I share my hard drive and my Popcorn Hour can play it. No need expensive NAS or USB drive. I bought a HD and installed inside the Popcorn Hour but now I took it out and install in my PC instead. You guys should check it out....

[Supreme2k]

Man, five posts in 6 years, and you have to come out of hiding to shit on this thread?!

You stupid-ass popcorn hour fanboys are so full of shit. The WD TV is a great device, and for the price, totally kicks the PH's electronic ass.

Go back under your rock.

[toiday]

Man, five posts in 6 years, and you have to come out of hiding to shit on this thread?!

You stupid-ass popcorn hour fanboys are so full of shit. The WD TV is a great device, and for the price, totally kicks the PH's electronic ass.

Go back under your rock.

You think WD TV kicks ass because it only costs haft of the PH? That's what you get, haft the hardware. Can WD TV play off the box? Can your WD TV access the internet? Or can it access your file shares? Oh, it doesn't have a NIC. Can you even install a HD internally or you just like to daisy chain it with your USB drives. Too bad. I'm sure WD TV is a good product. I just say it doesn't have enough features. And I don't even have to cuss any one out. I'm reading the previous poster who has a great idea to connect the WD TV with the LaCie so both your PC and WD can access the same share. Great idea but with PH, you can just share your PC's HD and the PH can access it. If you install an internal HD into the PH, you can turn it into your NAS device. But enough of it, check out for yourself.

[Supreme2k]

This whole thread is about WD TV, though. Take your PH worship somewhere else.

You're like a kid going into the Xbox forums and saying how great the Wii is, or vice-versa.

I'm sure a Maserati is better than a Ford Focus, but if the forum thread is talking about the Ford, leave it at that. This thread isn't "Which Multimedia box should I get?"

And why do you give a crap? You've already gone way over your post quota for this year. Enough with your freakin' commercial for the PH. Go back to sleep.

[RabidDog]

This, plus changing the internal drive filesystem to XFS

This is why it wont work.. I've never heard of XFS.

[champ94]

I've just been told by the gru's at WD that the WDAVN00BN does not support MKV movies with DTS sound. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Is there some kind of work-around to overcome this (IMOP) overwhelming problem?

Other that this MAJOR problem it's a great little piece of equipment.

[JjMon]

The only way as of now is you need a DTS receiver capable of decoding DTS. File will play, but will not have audio without a receiver.

[yoda313]

Ok I finally broke down and bought the wd media player.

It is fantastic!

I have two important questions that I'm sure have been covered but will take some time to sort through.

1 - how do you rip a dvd in its original uncompressed quality and maintain 5.1 surround sound so the wd media player will play it?

- I did a test rip of a dvd to .vob without compression. It did see the vob files on the drive but did not play them. I don't want to convert unless I have to. I also want to keep the 5.1 surround.

EDIT - I did read on the front page of the thread that it will play a dvd iso rip. I am attempting that now with a dvd. Hopefully that will do it and save any unneccessary conversions.

2 - Now that this has mkv support unlike the xbxo 360 or ps3 what is the best way to convert bluray and hd-dvd to play on the wd media player with digital surround sound?

I imagine converting to mkv with 5.1 is the best option? Is 5.1 supported in the wd media plyaer in a mkv container? Or is h264 better? The box says it doesn't do aac 5.1 only 2.0. Please note my sony amp is not hdmi and is only dolby digital and dts. So any conversion would have to be compatible with those standards.

FYI I did upgrade it already to the December firmware.

I am also impressed at how small it is. Its no bigger than a papaerback!

[Supreme2k]

1. Rip to iso (movie only0 and play.
2. Check Baldrick's guide


Yes, 5.1 is supported. H264 is the video, but you can use DTS or AC3 for the audio.

[yoda313]

@supreme 2k - Sweet! Thanks for the confirmation.

So h264 with the audio remuxed to normal ac3/dts would be the best bet for bluray/hddvd then? Should I retry ripbot264 for this?

EDIT - Regarding the dvd iso it did work great. I did the whole dvd before I had read your post supreme2k. It did play the iso but not the menu which is ok. Why dodesn't it support the chapters in the dvd? ANyway I did get 5.1 surround sound so I'm delighted with that.

[TBoneit]

Dont forget to update the firmware.

10 Minute Skip is a decent substitute for lack of chapters IMHO.

I loaded the ArcSoft Converter as a test. It only outputs SD.... However it gives the best results for FF and Frev when playing back.

I did a test conversion of a .flv and it came out looking and sounding as decent as it could considering the source. I believe ffdshow is used there. Sad to say do one flv and it won't do another one without a restart. It trys to get you to buy the full version to convert more than one flv.

With the updated firmware I've had success rippping the DVD to the USB drive and the WD player plays the entire movie for me whhen I start from the movies first VOB. Not the menu VOB.

Cheers

[Supreme2k]

Why doesn't it support the chapters in the dvd?)

I haven't checked, because I rarely use chapters, but try the options button, then the chapters option at the top-right.

[jagabo]

If I remember correctly (going by what I've read) it will only play one title from a DVD ISO. Or maybe there was simply no easy way of navigating to the rest of the titles. So TV series are a problem.

[festmaster]

2 - Now that this has mkv support unlike the xbxo 360 or ps3 what is the best way to convert bluray and hd-dvd to play on the wd media player with digital surround sound?

!

As for HD-DVD, the majority of those were encoded in VC-1 with Dolby Digital Plus. You don't really want to transcode to H.264 due to the time and you don't have to. However, the only container that the WD-TV will recognize with VC-1 is .m2ts. So after you rip the HD-DVD, use evoDemux to select the video and audio stream and wait about 10 minutes, then hit remux and wait another 10 minutes and you have a suitable file for the WD-TV.

[yoda313]

However, the only container that the WD-TV will recognize with VC-1 is .m2ts. So after you rip the HD-DVD, use evoDemux to select the video and audio stream and wait about 10 minutes, then hit remux and wait another 10 minutes and you have a suitable file for the WD-TV.

Absoultely beautiful! That is what I wanted to hear. I'm willing to invest in another drive later on if that means I will have to keep my hd-dvds at their 20-30gb size to play them. But it will be so worth it to save hours and hours of conversion and all that frustration.

What if its a hd-dvd title that isn't vc-1? Would I then have to do h264? I only have about 7 or 8 hd-dvds so I don't know what my chances of having that happen are.

Also does that protect the 5.1 audio? I don't have a dd+ or dts master compatible amp just the normal dd and dts stuff.

EDIT - by the way after my harddrive snaffu the other day I am re-ripping my hd-dvd that I was testing on before. I'm about half hour from finishing the rip. Once done I'm looking forward to testing this out!

EDIT 2- by the way on the remux in evodemux I manually changed the extension for video from mpv to m2ts. Is that correct? Or should I use tsmuxer to do the muxing to .m2ts?

[JjMon]

so your saying it better to keep the source instead of compressing? I do that with dvd's I own now. It may take more space but it alright with me I also hope the 1.5 terrabyte I ordered will be usable on this fine unit.

[yoda313]

@jjmon - I can't comment yet on the bluray/hd-dvd conversion issue.

However as far as the harddrive size it should not be an issue. It supports ntfs so as far as I know it should be the skies the limit......

My 320gb works just fine on it and its ntfs.


EDIT - Just finished my hd-dvd rip and opened it in evodemux. This disc is actually h264 - avc. I am still going to try remuxing to m2ts.

Should I try a different approach since this is avc-h264 and not a vc1 title?

EDIT 2 - Well I ended up trying this on a trailer. I'm not sure if the trailer was h264 or vc1 - the main movie was h264-avc I know for sure.

WHat I did was use evodemux and I made sure it was mpv this time (tsmuxer didn't like the m2ts extension evodemux did my first demuxing - this time I made sure the trailer was ripped to mpv and ts muxer took it).

From there I took the video and audio stream and muxed it to m2ts with the tsmuxer. Then I copied it to the harddrive and tested it on the wd media player. IT worked great. The audio and video was in perfect synch. The quality was excellent since there was no compression.

HOWEVER there wasn't any digital surround that I was able to get this way. I am certain there was in the original evo trailer. Tsmuxer said so.

What I"m going to try next is to convert the dolby digital plus to normal ac3 audio. Then hopefully remuxing again will provide me 5.1 audio. I'm praying this time I don't get into synch issues.

Otherwise this method looks great.

[festmaster]

EDIT 2- by the way on the remux in evodemux I manually changed the extension for video from mpv to m2ts. Is that correct? Or should I use tsmuxer to do the muxing to .m2ts?

If you rename mpv to m2ts I think you lose audio. Using tsmuxer to mux to .m2ts works well, though. As for playing DD+, the WD-TV seems to have that ability as it plays fine on the TV speakers.