WDTV Live (non Plus)

[Soopafresh]

Does anyone have a playlist file that they've confirmed will work on the WD TV Live?

Questions:

PLS or M3U ?

Forward / or Back \ slashes for directories?

Version of Firmware?

thx

[RdM642]

You forgot the number one change in 1.01.24:
* Removed ability to playback HD YouTube files

Also:
*Ignored all the main user requests for fixes

[branch]

You forgot the number one change in 1.01.24:
* Removed ability to playback HD YouTube files

Guess they didn't pay for that.

Also:
*Ignored all the main user requests for fixes

They had to focus on getting compliant with google first (or possibly risk getting sued) - the next patches will be fixes.

[jagabo]

the next patches will be fixes.

Sure.

[RdM642]

They had to focus on getting compliant with google first (or possibly risk getting sued) - the next patches will be fixes.

How do you figure? The last three patches had zero fixes. There is no evidence they are going to be addressing any of the main issues people are having.

[branch]

They had to focus on getting compliant with google first (or possibly risk getting sued) - the next patches will be fixes.

How do you figure?

Youtube doesn't allow non browser based players to play HD content - since the old firmware allowed that, they had to remove it or get sued. There are also certain labeling rules to follow if you wish to playback Youtube so they had to do that first.

The last three patches had zero fixes.

Not true.

There is no evidence they are going to be addressing any of the main issues people are having.

They have said they will, to me that has more validity that you being negative.

[jagabo]

There is no evidence they are going to be addressing any of the main issues people are having.

They have said they will, to me that has more validity that you being negative.

Link?

<edit>
Found one:

http://community.wdc.com/t5/WD-TV-Live-Ideas/idb-p/idea/status-key/pending

Not a lot there though.
</edit>

[branch]

An "issue" is a legitimate bug (at its not a bug when people can't figure out how to configure their network - its a network streamer) not that people want a lot of functions which were never promised. And those 'pending' are suggestions they have have now suggested they will implement.

As for promising to fix bugs of course they do, have posted it several times - and no, i'm not going to look for links.

[Soopafresh]

1.02.14 - I'd wait a bit, though.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=18190900#post18190900

[branch]

Or you could link to the official prerelease page http://www.wdc.com/wdtvlive_prerelease/

[jg0001]

Here's a tip for those who want nice thumbnails for their movies that approximate the original DVD or Blu-Ray box:

(1) Go to AMAZON.COM and look up the title (including the term DVD or Blu-Ray as needed -- for example "Wargames DVD"). What's nice about using Amazon is that it will bring up pretty much every major release of a given movie -- including discontinued ones, because it will also show used DVDs for sale -- this is great for DVD's you bought 10+ years ago, to get the matching box art.

(2) When it brings up the box art, you can usually click on it to get a larger view - do so (9 times out of 10, it is a truly larger view, not just a zoom).

(3) Use the "Snipping Tool" (available in both Windows 7 and Vista) to grab the image of the box, being careful NOT to include any white space. Note: you cannot just download the image of the box from Amazon's site as it typically is a SQUARE with a lot of white space on each side of the box itself. To make this quicker, in Windows 7, I put the shortcut to the Snipping Tool as the first item on my taskbar, so pressing Win+1 brings it up. There's no need to be too exact with your selection, I usually end up a pixel inside each side to be on the safe side.

(4) I be sure to name the resulting JPG file the same thing as any given .ISO or .m2ts and place it in the same directory as the movie.

With the above, I haven't bothered to worry about overall pixel sizes or exacting ratios -- the WDTV Live handles them all just fine. You do not need to resize anything yourself! Each JPG ends up roughly 75k in size, so it's not a big deal.

Now, on a LOCAL drive, the movie will now have the JPG image show up in place of the default icon. On a NETWORK SHARE, the JPG will show up first by itself and then, when you scroll down to the .ISO's, those same JPG's will be used as the icons for the movie. Just set your WDTV Live to show file EXTENSIONS and or SIZES to be sure you are getting the proper file.

[sambat]

Thanks for the tip - it's a great idea.

[Phlexor]

(3) Use the "Snipping Tool" (available in both Windows 7 and Vista) to grab the image of the box, being careful NOT to include any white space. Note: you cannot just download the image of the box from Amazon's site as it typically is a SQUARE with a lot of white space on each side of the box itself. To make this quicker, in Windows 7, I put the shortcut to the Snipping Tool as the first item on my taskbar, so pressing Win+1 brings it up. There's no need to be too exact with your selection, I usually end up a pixel inside each side to be on the safe side.

Found this in another forum:

Wanna remove those sometimes annoying white bars around the pictures you use from the various Amazon sites then heres what to do....

Here we have an url with the bars:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000FJH5M2.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V50666971_.jpg

Then all you have to do is just remove the SS500_ from the url and you're done.

After:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000FJH5M2.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V50666971_.jpg

With Bars:



Without Bars:

[jg0001]

Well, that is indeed a neat trick.

[RdM642]

[QUOTE=branch;1962269][QUOTE=RdM642;1962175]

They have said they will, to me that has more validity that you being negative.

I am not being negative. It is a fact that the last three updates added essentially nothing.
1) The third to last bricked units.
2) The second to last did nothing except fix the bricking issue
3) the last one removed Youtube HD capability.

Stop throwing terms around like "being negative" when what I posted is a fact.

Fact: The main affect, and the one everyone noticed of the last firmware was the removal of a feature. The last three firmwares have had a little net effect but to remove function.

I own several brands of streamers and WD is clearly not up to par with attention to firmware update (either from the standpoint of testing firmware before release or addressing issues) and is either understaffed or underfunded when it comes to firmware update.

On their own site they have a listing of top fixes and firmware requests. they hve to do with things like menu and chapter support (which the competition has), shortcuts in navigation, less problems with networking, etc. These have not been addressed in firmware.

Don't call people "negative" for pointing out competitive disadvantages and the obvious screw ups with firmware.

[RdM642]

An "issue" is a legitimate bug

That isn't the case at all. A bug is a bug. An "issue" includes competitive disadvantages, missing commonly used features in other devices etc.

There are WD acknowledged bugs with networking, and there are a quite a few "issues." Pleas look at our own tools lists etc. on videohelp, very commonly listed are competative disadvantes betwen competing products (software and hardware). When someone cites a feature common in the competition, but missing in a device or piece of software in the same exact market segment, the citation is quite legitimate.

[branch]

I am not being negative.

Then you need to rephrase how you put things. I point WD has said on forums they are working on bug fixes, and you simply dismiss that because you don't want to believe it.

It is a fact that the last three updates added essentially nothing.

Lets just get one thing straight, its not relevant what previous updates fixed. The point is you just dismiss that they are going to fix bugs, thats being negative.

1) The third to last bricked units.

On some devices, by no means all. But because of this everything else was put on hold and delayed, they needed to fix this first.

2) The second to last did nothing except fix the bricking issue

I would not call it nothing that they prevent our devices from bricking.

3) the last one removed Youtube HD capability.

As has been said they have to do this, contractual obligation to Google - the only other choice would be to remove Youtube entirely.

Stop throwing terms around like "being negative" when what I posted is a fact.

You didn't post a fact, you posted an emotional statement, you said " There is no evidence they are going to be addressing any of the main issues people are having. " something which seems to be in contradiction with truth, when their product manager has posted they are now going prioritize bug fixing now that the patcher should be solid, and they fixed the youtube situation (before getting a lawsuit probably)

Especially since the firmware in prerelease now has a lot of fixes.

I own several brands of streamers and WD is clearly not up to par with attention to firmware update (either from the standpoint of testing firmware before release or addressing issues) and is either understaffed or underfunded when it comes to firmware update.

Given that there was suddenly action from January 1, I'm assuming that there has been an internal reshuffle, and new people where hired from the start of this year - I have absolutely no proof of that though - just a feeling.

Don't call people "negative" for pointing out competitive disadvantages and the obvious screw ups with firmware.

Don't try and twist what you say in order to prove a point which was never there.

An "issue" is a legitimate bug

That isn't the case at all. A bug is a bug.

Exactly - I was trying to tell you (and everybody else) that they have promised to fix bugs, and will presumably fix bugs. But when/if they don't add a DVD menu and people start yelling then those people need to understand they have never been promised such a thing. The Live does what it says on the box. Anything extra which might show up is a bonus. That the device is missing things you think it should have isn't an "issue" - thats just you wanting more, which you may or may not get.

And if people start moaning about "other thing is better" - well then buy that then.

There are WD acknowledged bugs with networking,

Really? They did? Amazing, most of what i've seen have been people doing things wrong. But good for them.

[RdM642]

Branchl,
You response is emotional and a bit shrill. I don't see a single fact in it at all. I posted facts. I posted consensus from WD own users.

You are responding with a strange impressionistic and emotional response. It makes no sense.

It is a fact that the least three updates did nothing but brick units and remove touted capabilities.

As far as doubt on WD commitment to firmware, there are other users here saying the same thing and WD own forums are full of people amazed at what a botch WD has made of it. That isn't "negative" -- it is a reporting of the facts.

You said this and user jagabo responded

the next patches will be fixes.

Sure.

That is an rational response. Sure.

Why you have to be so negative is beyond me.

[jagabo]

Here's a better list of what's in the upcoming release:

http://wdtvforum.com/main/index.php?topic=4951.msg36720#msg36720

[ron spencer]

Before people start asking if this adds a washing machine simulation and high score, here is their list of things done:

· Added Windows 7 Support.
· Added larger subtitle font size options.
· Added European language input for keyboard.
· Added serial and part number to About page.
· Added support for embedded subtitles in mpg files.
· Added new category in Photo/Video to view by date.
· Added a field in network settings for changing the workgroup name.
· Added ability to play a video from the preview window without restarting.
· Added username/password feature for SAMBA security.
· Added Wireless LAN strength bar in Network info page.
· Changed default browsing by date to start with the latest files first.
· Changed video browse default to "Preview Mode" instead of thumbnail mode.
· Corrected several language translations issues.
· Resolved issues with subtitle sync adjustment.
· Resolved abnormal display of BMP photos through a media server.
· Resolved Audio channel information shows up in AutoPlay mode.
· Resolved Blu-ray ISO subtitle not displaying throughout VIDEO playback.
· Resolved Blu-ray slow playback across SAMBA.
· Resolved camera files not enumerating correctly in mass storage.
· Resolved login issue with SAMBA after exiting screen saver.
· Resolved DVR-MS black screen problem on resume after forward and rewind.
· Resolved external sub/idx subtitles flashbacking issue.
· Resolved playback across media server failures.
· Resolved hard drive icon from disappearing in the video list under preview mode.
· Resolved issue of HDMI becoming jittery after long time play.
· Resolved M4V files not supporting fast forward and rewind.
· Resolved manual network addressing issue.
· Resolved missing shuffle & repeat icon for slideshow within Flickr.
· Resolved music search not displaying playlist names.
· Resolved network devices (SAMBA) disappearing without warning.
· Resolved PTP issue of unsupported video file formats DX6490,DIMAGE Z2 & X1, Optio
555 and DMC-FX2.
· Resolved Sony Walkman not showing photos within directory.
· Resolved unsupported file formats not showing an error message.
· Resolved video playback overscan issue for CRT TVs.
· Resolved WIFI Belkin F6D4050 with RAlink 3070 chip and Linksys WUSUB100 Ver 2.
· Resolved WIFI ZyXel NWD-270N dongle not enumerating.

[RdM642]

Ron, that is the update that ruins mkv playback, right?

Confirmed, it is the one that makes you wait 10 minutes for an mkv to start.

[jagabo]

Ron, that is the update that ruins mkv playback, right?

Confirmed, it is the one that makes you wait 10 minutes for an mkv to start.

Yes, and it's still in beta.

[branch]

Ron, that is the update that ruins mkv playback, right?

Confirmed, it is the one that makes you wait 10 minutes for an mkv to start.

The delay depends on the length of the mkv - if can be 1 minute if its small, or 20 if its 2 and half hours.

And its only via network, no delay via USB

[RdM642]

btw I think the WD was selling for less than $70 few days at newegg.com using a %10 off coupon

Probably the older WDTV. Or the Mini version.

you are right.it's the mini.

FYI I picked up a mini for $40 and use it in the car.

[carlmart]

That is ridiculous. Wait 20minutes to stream a two-hour film? My LG BD390 player, which plays mkv and doubles as network streamer plays everything instantly. Why would a media center, which main objective is to stream files, be different?

Something seems to be wrong in that firmware if that is so.

[jagabo]

That is ridiculous. Wait 20minutes to stream a two-hour film? My LG BD390 player, which plays mkv and doubles as network streamer plays everything instantly. Why would a media center, which main objective is to stream files, be different?

WD has no idea what they're doing?

Something seems to be wrong in that firmware if that is so.

Obviously. It's a beta release. But something that catastrophic shouldn't have been in a beta.

[branch]

That is ridiculous. Wait 20minutes to stream a two-hour film? My LG BD390 player, which plays mkv and doubles as network streamer plays everything instantly. Why would a media center, which main objective is to stream files, be different?

Something seems to be wrong in that firmware if that is so.

It is BETA software! Nobody forced anyone to try it out. Beta software has bugs.

[branch]

But speaking of buggy firmware, there is a new beta prerelease for those interested.

[jagabo]

But speaking of buggy firmware, there is a new beta prerelease for those interested.

Version 1.02.19: http://www.wdc.com/wdtvlive_prerelease/

[MJA]

I wonder if Lenovo Multimedia Remote w/ Keyboard will work with WD player

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/integration.wor...id=pg_57Y6336&