Does WD TV Live Plus really play everything?

[tj1182]

I'm thinking of getting this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136593 but I just have a few questions.

Does it really play every MKV, x264, H264 files? I have a horrible PC and can't really encode anything. I usually try to play everything on my 360, which really doesn't play much, the 2ch audio really limits everything and does not play any MKV file.

I just want these questions clarified before I make my purchase.

Thanks.

[classfour]

Why would Western Digital lie?

I suspect it depends on the precision of the encoding - much like any video player.

[peggypwr1]

It does not play flv or swf files...I think.

[smokedetectorLOL]

It plays .mkv x264 H264 containers with no problems. Plays any DVD/Bluray rip I throw at it.
Does not play .flv files
Plays most .wmv files, but not all.
Even plays .mov files surprisingly.
A handful of .mp4 files have given me problems such as unable to search, and occasionally jittery playback, but the problematic files all were downloaded from the same source, so it's possible those files are corrupt themselves.

[RabidDog]

And it wont play RMB files? which AFAIK are used extensively for anime in the Oriental countrys.
And it cant be used with bbc iplayer neither

[MJA]

And it wont play RMB files? which AFAIK are used extensively for anime in the Oriental countrys.
And it cant be used with bbc iplayer neither

Oriental countrys

[Soopafresh]

Not DV

[manono]

Read a detailed review which also tests to find out what it does and does not play:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3830/wd-tv-live-plus-western-digitals-latest-media-player-reviewed

[crazy14muzic]

It does not play flv or swf files...I think.

It plays .mkv x264 H264 containers with no problems. Plays any DVD/Bluray rip I throw at it.
Does not play .flv files

My WD box with firmware 1.03.22 plays flv files fine.

flv file details below.

General
Complete name                    : C:\downloads\New Folder\demo.flv
Format                           : Flash Video
File size                        : 52.1 MiB
Duration                         : 20mn 18s
Overall bit rate                 : 359 Kbps
Tagged date                      : UTC 2009-02-19 17:36:19
Tagging application              : flvtool++ (Facebook, Motion project, dweatherford)
totalframes                      : 36527.000

Video
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : Baseline@L3.0
Format settings, CABAC           : No
Format settings, ReFrames        : 1 frame
Muxing mode                      : Container profile=Unknown@3.0
Duration                         : 20mn 18s
Bit rate                         : 288 Kbps
Width                            : 544 pixels
Height                           : 372 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 16:9
Frame rate                       : 29.970 fps
Resolution                       : 8 bits
Colorimetry                      : 4:2:0
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.048
Stream size                      : 41.9 MiB (80%)

Audio
Format                           : AAC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version                   : Version 4
Format profile                   : LC
Format settings, SBR             : Yes
Format settings, PS              : No
Duration                         : 20mn 18s
Bit rate                         : 64.3 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 2 channels
Channel positions                : L R
Sampling rate                    : 44.1 KHz
Resolution                       : 16 bits
Stream size                      : 9.35 MiB (18%)

[Caple]

The WD TV Mini plays RM and RMVB files.

[jman98]

The WD and WD Live players are great for playback, but as others have pointed out, FLV and RM are not supported. Few other devices support them, so no big deal. I can't promise you that 100% of what you download will work in the player, but I can tell you that I have never yet downloaded a file my older WD HDTV player won't play. Do note that HD audio formats such as DTS-HD and Dolby Lossless are NOT supported.

[yoda313]

Do note that HD audio formats such as DTS-HD and Dolby Lossless are NOT supported.

Plus the obvious caveat that you need a dts receiver for playback of sd dts soundtracks.

[handyguy]

If you want something that can play everything use your computer connected to your TV.

[tj1182]

If you want something that can play everything use your computer connected to your TV.

It's easier to buy one of these devices than a Video card with HDMI. Then you gotta go to the PC to select what you want to play.

[lordsmurf]

For computers that will play anything, look at the HP Slimline systems:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2F...reative=390957

I have one of these, works great.

Comes with a remote, Windows Vista x64, HDMI out.

[RabidDog]

Crazy14music . your file is AVC in an FLV overcoat.

Video
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Baseline@L3.0
Format settings, CABAC : No

Strangely the WDHDTV mini does playback rmvb files. The Viewsonic 74 is very similar (specs) to the wd but also plays back BBC IPLAYER, if you in UK. Netflix elsewhere

[branch]

Nothing plays everything, but this plays quite a bit. FLV is still a bit spotty, it doesn't recognize a lot of formats. But it does play some. Though if you want to you can often extract the sound and video from the FLV and mux them into an MKV container and that'll play fine.

[Danneauxsvh]

I know people have said they play mp4 & x264, h264 but I encode in x264 AVC high profile. Any problems with that encode on the WD TV Live?

Thanks in advance.

Danneauxs

[jagabo]

I know people have said they play mp4 & x264, h264 but I encode in x264 AVC high profile. Any problems with that encode on the WD TV Live?

What encoder? There are some problems with some h.264 encoders (on the Mac I think) and the MP4 container. For example, files from Revision3's HdNation and GeekBeatTV don't play smoothly. Everything I've made with x264 under Windows works fine. It even plays 1920x1080p60 h.264 made with x264.

[Danneauxsvh]

I'm using Staxrip latest version to encode. BUT more precicely it's the AVC "High" setting that I'm concerned with at this particular time. For instance my ARchos 504 plays "baseline" x264 encodes fine, but will not play "main" or "high".



below is info pulled from mediainfo on a short encode the avc high@L3.1 & CABAC might be the problem parts? Maybe?
I generally use HIGH profile over Baseline because there is a noticable difference in certain of my encodes; particularly the tv episode encodes which are very low MB and look better on High profile.

Thanks in advace.



General
Complete name : E:\MainMovie\GILBERT_GOTTFRIED_DIRTY_JOKES\VIDEO_T S\test.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom
File size : 4.13 MiB
Duration : 50s 48ms
Overall bit rate : 692 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2010-11-22 09:27:52
Tagged date : UTC 2010-11-22 09:27:52

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L3.1 & CABAC setting
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 8 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 49s 949ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 649 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 982 Kbps
Width : 688 pixels
Height : 432 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 1.447
Original display aspect ratio : 1.448
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.073
Stream size : 3.86 MiB (94%)
Title : Video
Writing library : x264 core 105 r1724 b02df7b
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=8 / deblock=1:-1:-1 / analyse=0x3:0x133 / me=umh / subme=9 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.15 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=2 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-3 / threads=4 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=60 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=22.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Encoded date : UTC 2010-11-22 09:27:52
Tagged date : UTC 2010-11-22 09:27:52

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version : Version 4
Format profile : LC
Format settings, SBR : Yes
Format settings, PS : No
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 50s 48ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 40.1 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 43.5 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 245 KiB (6%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2010-11-22 09:27:52
Tagged date : UTC 2010-11-22 09:27:52

[jagabo]

I don't anticipate any problems with that video. Upload a sample and I'll try it out.

[Danneauxsvh]

Cool, sorry didn't respond earlier the e-mail notice about a reply got filtered.

This sample isn't the one I posted about but it's encoded the same. The biggest problem devices seem to have is with the HIGH vs BASELINE setting. This might be mute once my Archos 101 arrives; I'll be encoding to suit that if I keep it.

Thanks Again.

Danneauxs

[jagabo]

The biggest problem devices seem to have is with the HIGH vs BASELINE setting.

The sample played fine on my WDTV Live. Fast forward and reverse worked too.

[Danneauxsvh]

Thanks much Jagabo this basically makes my decision for me.

Again thanks
Danneauxs