VideoHelp Forum
+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 15 of 15
Thread
  1. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    US, FLorida
    Search Comp PM
    I have a number of these devices and two now stutter on some of the files I throw at it and one does not. They are now 7 years old so I think its time to replace them.

    Are there any "competitors" to WDTV Live that also do all the file reading directly without needing some kind of passthrough server?

    I just want something I can point to my NAS that contains my media library and just have it read the file and play without it having to his some server nd me worry about some other PC doing the "work". However the WDTV Live has such a lack of other streaming services I am wondering if there may be some other beefy gigabit devise that may do this ANS have multiple streaming options to it? Also 4k playback would be nice.

    List below -
    Gigabit connection to ensure no LAN bottleneck (no wireless).
    A large number of streaming service support.
    *Not a deal breaker but something I can add other programs to would ben nice as well.*
    Direct file play on a LAN from a NAS (no side program running or server needed or required troubleshooting) the reason for this is a lot of these have issues with multiple connections and we are always using ours sometimes all 3 at one time.
    Preferably something with a lot of horsepower so will last for many years. (I think 7 years for these last units was pretty good).

    Suggestions or recommendations?
    Quote Quote  
  2. Member godai's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    United States Florida
    Search PM
    i dont an expert, but i dont see too much yet on usa, but i see plenty chinese boxes, them supports h265 latest codec developed, and it comes with android software , and xmbc
    Quote Quote  
  3. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    San Francisco, California
    Search PM
    Have you looked at the latest WD TV Media Player? It has a 100 Mbps Ethernet port, plenty for Blu-ray resolutions. Most media players these days are cheap little boxes that do USB only.
    Quote Quote  
  4. Latest WDTV is overall worse then its predecessors, my experience, and even latest one does not have Netflix. If getting over Amazon , one must be sure, what model is really getting. No HEVC playback. Time to move on. To some other device, imho, I did.
    -Android + miniUSB with touchpad, that handles 4k HEVC (it means it is not of those early models)
    -HTPC gets smaller, like those NUC models or others, but price tag is higher.

    Those old school firmware devices from the past become kind of weird, just waiting for a company to fix some really stupid bug for a year or something, to release a new firmware, if you have OS based unit (Android, windows, Linux) there is always a way how to go around a problem.
    Example, Kodi would not play DVavi nicely so you use MXplayer instead. Nt ideal but much much better.
    Or fast-forward, with old school firmware device, you have to jump in intervals or by chapters or whatever, OS device platform, you just touch touch-pad, navigate to part of video on timeline and press play. So Android needs that touch-pad. Folks tend to be hugely disappointed with Android using just included 10 button (or so) remotes, that is not much working well. You would not use windows using remote control also. Only perhaps with special platform, like OpenElec or so.
    Quote Quote  
  5. Some users here like the Wetek players.
    Quote Quote  
  6. Member godai's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    United States Florida
    Search PM
    i have wd player too
    i just waiting to mygica release a new video player with dual atsc tuners.
    Quote Quote  
  7. As for those Android units, I'd be careful what SoC is in it. For example Amlogic wi-ki page. Looks like Wetek seems to have one of those early version from 2012?
    That is why Android has a pretty bad vibes so far I think, because of those early Soc's. I'd get at least that latest S9 family. I have unit with Quad-core 64 bit Cortex A53 S905 CPU and it seems to be fine. Exceptions: VC1 fullHD (like 1:1 VC1 BD rip), I get jerky result , perhaps VC1 is not hardware accelerated and 4k 60p HEVC jerky as well (Seems to be too much for that particular S905 SoC).
    Quote Quote  
  8. Member
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    New Zealand
    Search Comp PM
    I am in the process of replacing my WD Lives (1x WDTV Live, 1x WDTV Live Hub).

    For the bedroom, which will basically be a straight media player, About 18 months ago I went with the Minix X8-H, a quad core android box, and while it hasn't had a lot of use I'm happy with its performance. It runs Kodi, and my next project is to scrape metadata and art etc for my server (which will run plex), and install PleXBMC on the Minix so it will pull it. I got the extra remote control, which has a media remote on one side and a QERTY keyboard on the other, which I also recommend.

    For the living room, I need more. Including the ability to run tuners, and to use an Hauppauge HD PVR 2 in conjunction with an HDCP stripper to record material off my Cable box - for viewing/transfer/storage using the network. I went with an ASROCK Beebox which I am about to configure and install when I get time. It's a tiny unit with a reasonable price, and comes comes with a 32GB SSD, a Baytrail N3150 processor, HDMI out, a remote control and Windows 10 preinstalled. It will run Kodi and PleXBMC, so should be a decent media player. It also has space for a laptop drive, and I have dropped a 750GB one in to deal with recordings. Plenty of space, given it's only for working files, and finished recordings etc all transfer to the NAS with 24TB (shortly to be upped to 36TB).

    The WD units still work, and won't be dumped yet. They will eventually be pensioned off to the spare rooms. I have also been known to take the smaller unit with me, with a hard drive of material, for viewing in hotel rooms on work trips.
    Quote Quote  
  9. In case you're interested, this subject (media players) is discussed often at AVS. Here's the most recent thread:

    http://www.avsforum.com/forum/39-networking-media-servers-content-streaming/2334873-wh...mebox-etc.html
    Pull! Bang! Darn!
    Quote Quote  
  10. ½ way to Rigel 7 cornemuse's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Cyber Dystopia
    Search Comp PM
    What about 'Dune' players? I have a wd live smp(?) I do not like. I got a Dune 303d, (?) player with swappable 2 1/2" hdd bay. Its better than the wd, but not a whole lot better. (the wd has been back in its box for a year now, , , , thats what I think of it)

    -c-
    Yes, no, maybe, I don't know, Can you repeat the question?
    Quote Quote  
  11. Originally Posted by _Al_ View Post
    As for those Android units, I'd be careful what SoC is in it. For example Amlogic wi-ki page. Looks like Wetek seems to have one of those early version from 2012?
    Yes, the Wetek Play has a dual core CPU. But from what I've read the hardware, firmware, and software are well integrated so it's pretty responsive with video playback. It isn't up to speed for heavy gaming though. I didn't realize it wasn't available yet, but the new Wetek Core has quad core CPU and the ability to play 4K and h.265 video. Previews I've seen/read look pretty good. Wetek seems to be pretty Euro-centric though.
    Quote Quote  
  12. Originally Posted by Chopmeister View Post
    I went with an ASROCK Beebox
    We have a Beebox with an N3150 CPU, 8 GB DRAM, in the bedroom as a cable PVR for use with our Silicon Dust HDHomerun (pretty much all our cable channels are encrypted QAM so we need to use Windows Media Center). It works fine but it's a little slow bringing up the channel guide (a few seconds). The i3 4130T mini ATX system we use for the same purpose in the living room is peppier.
    Quote Quote  
  13. Interesting comparison of that Wetek Core (Amlogic S812) and Tronsmart S95 Telos (Amlogic S905):
    Both seem to be ok. Wetek perhaps is more robust, made, they had solid players out there before. Price perhaps about the same, It comes to details like comparing remote controls etc. but as I said for Android sooner or later those wireless USB's are needed.
    Tronsmart S95 Telos
    Wetek Core
    Quote Quote  
  14. Originally Posted by jagabo View Post
    Originally Posted by Chopmeister View Post
    I went with an ASROCK Beebox
    We have a Beebox with an N3150 CPU, 8 GB DRAM, in the bedroom as a cable PVR for use with our Silicon Dust HDHomerun (pretty much all our cable channels are encrypted QAM so we need to use Windows Media Center). It works fine but it's a little slow bringing up the channel guide (a few seconds). The i3 4130T mini ATX system we use for the same purpose in the living room is peppier.
    Yes, HTPC's are always about 1/3 or 1/2 price more but it is a choice also. Perhaps better if one wants to watch video from regular but still flash streaming sites. That is better choice than Android because even using Flashfox browser for Android might not help.

    Recently I've seen even cheaper devices with dual boot being sold. Not remembering a name now. Booting Win 8.1 (or 10) or Android.
    It really starts to be comfortable to select a device as a media player.

    I'm sure at the end of the year those chipsets get even faster a bit or they integrate it even a bit better than now. Especially those SoC's for Android. In that category it pushes a price down.

    There is one device from Dune that supports BD menu (perhaps some light version) so there is a choice for everyone I guess.
    Quote Quote  
  15. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    I have recently replaced my WD Media players with a KDlinks HD700 Extreme. It seems to have a more up to date chipset along with usb3 ports and a SATA port. There is wireless built in but I am connected via ethernet so I can't comment how well it works. The interface is different and will have a little learning curve. It will support larger NTFS external drives and will play Blu-Ray ISO's with or without the menus. I think the menu option may be a little buggy on Blu-Rays but it play the ISO with no problem.


    http://www.kdlinks.com/index.php/popular-products/kdlinks-hd700-network-media-player.html
    Quote Quote  



Similar Threads

Visit our sponsor! Try DVDFab and backup Blu-rays!