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Thoughts about the WD Live TV? - WDBAAN0000NBK
- Thread starter hardc0re
- Start date
sdotcarter
Limp Gawd
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2009
- Messages
- 177
I'm also thinking of getting this. Curious to see if anyone owns one and how they like it.
SJetski71
Fully [H]
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2002
- Messages
- 17,331
The "Plus" Version WDBABX0000NBK can access Netflix and a few other sites. Works very well and is probably the best $100 solution.
Here's a discussion on the Plus version, and here's the main sub-forum for media streamers. Otherwise everyone there seems to have their eye on the soon-to-be-released Boxee Box available for pre-order at Amazon for only $199.
People are also waiting for Google TV but that's closer to $300 if i'm not mistaken.
Personally i'd pony up for the Boxee Box
Here's a discussion on the Plus version, and here's the main sub-forum for media streamers. Otherwise everyone there seems to have their eye on the soon-to-be-released Boxee Box available for pre-order at Amazon for only $199.
People are also waiting for Google TV but that's closer to $300 if i'm not mistaken.
Personally i'd pony up for the Boxee Box
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I have one and love it. I jstu play media on shared folders, .. if is VERY good at playign many formats. not all of these media player boxes will. This one is one of th etop for being able to play damn near anything.
I did want to mention, ther eis a small issue with "compresed headers" flag or something, it was a default changes in a popular MKV maker program. -- IF you get a file that has this issue you can "re code" it in about 30 seconds, with teh program.
I can link you the post abou tit, jstu warngin you , that it is a VERY small issue, but takes soem time to figure out what was going on.
I did want to mention, ther eis a small issue with "compresed headers" flag or something, it was a default changes in a popular MKV maker program. -- IF you get a file that has this issue you can "re code" it in about 30 seconds, with teh program.
I can link you the post abou tit, jstu warngin you , that it is a VERY small issue, but takes soem time to figure out what was going on.
I have a WD Live and I love it, but I would get the Live Plus, both Newegg and BB have it on sale for 100 bucks at the moment.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136593&cm_re=wd_live-_-22-136-593-_-Product
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Western+Digital+-+WDTV+Live+Plus+HD+Media+Player/9945474.p?id=1218208054702&skuId=9945474&st=live%20plus&contract_desc=null
It is a great product and I think it is definitely worth a hundred bucks, but there are way too many great products out there at the moment that do the same thing (especially if you are not looking for netflix). I picked up a seagate freeagent theater + which basically does the same thing but with a worse UI and much worse remote for around 60 bucks on newegg (Not sure if that price will come back though).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136593&cm_re=wd_live-_-22-136-593-_-Product
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Western+Digital+-+WDTV+Live+Plus+HD+Media+Player/9945474.p?id=1218208054702&skuId=9945474&st=live%20plus&contract_desc=null
It is a great product and I think it is definitely worth a hundred bucks, but there are way too many great products out there at the moment that do the same thing (especially if you are not looking for netflix). I picked up a seagate freeagent theater + which basically does the same thing but with a worse UI and much worse remote for around 60 bucks on newegg (Not sure if that price will come back though).
I have one (non-Plus version) for my kids room and "attempt" to play off network shares. It does a pretty good job when it connects but find it doesn't play well with Win7 shares without a number of config changes to the Win7 machine (this is not limited to just TV Live, this goes for bout anything non-Vista/7 devices). I have more success accessing my library through the Media server option than the network shares; unfortunately, I don't have my collection converted to run media streamed (I use My Movies with transcoding option to play VOBs to my Xbox 360) so if it's something I want desperately to stream to it, I'll copy the VOB and simply change the extension to MPG to play.
I purchased a wireless adapter but wireless isn't quite stable enough to keep a DVD VOB stream, so when it lags you have to return to menu and start (or resume) the movie over it will never rebuffer and correct itself. (This holds true to the plus version as well according to a friend of mine who purchased the plus version) I purchased a SlingLinq pair which turned out to be even slower and lags almost immediately. Another issue I have ran into is troubles mounting to external drives. I have a Seagate FreeAgent 500meg external to copy all the kids movies to and it simply doesn't like it. It sees it, but says it's not accessible. WTH?
Sure seems like I wouldn't be one to recommend it though; on the contrary, I'm sharing my headaches. I do recommend the Plus version simply to have the extra features considering it's only a few extra pennies. You simply can't get a media player as robust and as small as the WD TV Live for less that plays many formats, HDMI in HD and offers some internet viewing. To avoid headaches, I would cut to the chase and run hard wired to your switch/router and if you intend to use an external tank then you may have to purchase WD only to insure compatibility.
I purchased a wireless adapter but wireless isn't quite stable enough to keep a DVD VOB stream, so when it lags you have to return to menu and start (or resume) the movie over it will never rebuffer and correct itself. (This holds true to the plus version as well according to a friend of mine who purchased the plus version) I purchased a SlingLinq pair which turned out to be even slower and lags almost immediately. Another issue I have ran into is troubles mounting to external drives. I have a Seagate FreeAgent 500meg external to copy all the kids movies to and it simply doesn't like it. It sees it, but says it's not accessible. WTH?
Sure seems like I wouldn't be one to recommend it though; on the contrary, I'm sharing my headaches. I do recommend the Plus version simply to have the extra features considering it's only a few extra pennies. You simply can't get a media player as robust and as small as the WD TV Live for less that plays many formats, HDMI in HD and offers some internet viewing. To avoid headaches, I would cut to the chase and run hard wired to your switch/router and if you intend to use an external tank then you may have to purchase WD only to insure compatibility.