when i contacted tech support at WD they checked and were adamant that there will be an update to the WD live TV Hub, to allow full operation of Netflix.
Netflix has only been out for less than a week. Tech support insisted that the next firmware update will include Netflix and he double checked with other tech support staff regarding this situation.
I’m only interested in the hub getting BBC iPlayer tbh. I assume there’s no technical reason for this NOT to happen?
MilkyJoe wrote:
I’m only interested in the hub getting BBC iPlayer tbh. I assume there’s no technical reason for this NOT to happen?
I would assume that this may be added at some point.
According to Bill_S it will never happen-
Unfortunately, someone in tech support isn’t paying attention. Netflix will never be available on the Live Hub for the UK/Ireland. At this time it is only available on the SMP. And, unfortunately, when I say “at this time,” I don’t mean until a firmware update.
It blimming well better appear!
I’m sick of WD, quite frankly. Not only have I spent countless hours fiddling with my Live Hub when bodged Firmware screws up my settings, I now have to deal with the possibility that iPlayer and Netflix won’t be available on their flagship Media player.
This is utter madness and quite frankly I’m speechless.
We really need an official line from WD on the matter. It would also be useful to know how Bill S fits into the picture, does he work for WD and does he speak the official WD line? (apologies if this has been answered, but I’m new here).
nanas01 wrote:
It blimming well better appear!
I’m sick of WD, quite frankly. Not only have I spent countless hours fiddling with my Live Hub when bodged Firmware screws up my settings, I now have to deal with the possibility that iPlayer and Netflix won’t be available on their flagship Media player.
This is utter madness and quite frankly I’m speechless.
We really need an official line from WD on the matter. It would also be useful to know how Bill S fits into the picture, does he work for WD and does he speak the official WD line? (apologies if this has been answered, but I’m new here).
Bill_S is the community manager of the board and he does work for WD. All that has been mentioned so far is the lack of Netflix, the iPlayer may still be added at a later date.
Number one rule with ANY media player: Buy it for what is advertised. Not for what you EXPECT.
richUK wrote:
MilkyJoe wrote:
I’m only interested in the hub getting BBC iPlayer tbh. I assume there’s no technical reason for this NOT to happen?
I would assume that this may be added at some point.
From what I’m hearing, the BBC iPlayer should be added to the Live Hub. BUT! and that’s a big BUT. Don’t hold me to when it will actually happen.
Also, and I repeat, Netflix won’t be added to the Live Hub. It’s only available on the Live Streaming Media Player.
Thanks for updating us, BIll.
Can you let us know exactly why Netflix won’t be available on the Live Hub?
Do you (and WDTV) understand how this makes the company look? Your flag-ship product has the benefit of a nice internal hard-disc, but has less functional services available to it.
So what’s the consumer to do?
Should we take from this that the Live Hub will be updated soon? Yet another WDTV Live product?
I’ve purchased the Live, then the Live plus, then the Hub…This type of updating isn’t really sustainable in the global economy unfortunately 
(well, at least for me!)
By the way, I’m keen on technology and am very aware that new products come out etc. I bought the Hub for it’s local movie playing abilities and not in the hope that it would some-day play iPlayer etc. It’s just frustrating that instead of looking after your loyal customers, older hardware is simply ignored.
First of all, when we built these, Netflix was only available in the US. And you must understand that we designed and built these devices based on the technology available at the time. And, as I’m sure you already know, firmware updates can’t fix a hardware limitation.
Thanks for responding Bill.
You are welcome.
I think if the WD live Hub is not able to provide Netflix due to hardware limitations!
Consumers should be suitably informed as netflix advertising is all over WD live hub specs and advertising on the official WD site. This is really misleading, ok Netflix wasnt available here in the UK then but it is now .
http://www.wdc.com/channelyou/uk/images/wdtv_MediaPlayers.jpg
Check this out. Clearly implies netflix will be available on WD live tv hub.
“clearly implies” is an oxymoron.
superlop wrote:
http://www.wdc.com/channelyou/uk/images/wdtv_MediaPlayers.jpg
Check this out. Clearly implies netflix will be available on WD live tv hub.
Where on that jpg does it ‘clearly imply’. It also shows the NEW Live Streaming Player which does stream Netflix and iPlayer.
Saying that ,I don’t think that Western Digital are great in the communication business. I would have also assumed that if Netflix USA / Canada was supported then so would the UK. The majority of users are probably non-technical and can’t expect to be aware of the various technicalities of Netflix delivery. I am technical and I still don’t understand, mainly due to the fact that nobody has bothered to explain. This leaves everybody discussing everything from DRM to conspiracy theories regarding WD’s push for users to update in order to sell more units.
I appreciate the response again Bill.
So, just to try and make sense of all this, are you saying that the requirements for the US and UK Netflix DRM are different? Isn’t this something that that WDC (as the huge company that it is) can push back on?
‘To maximise your customer base we should use the same DRM as of the US market’.
I realise that when it comes to the media providers sanity and clarity are rarely present, but this seem absolutely crazy.
Piracy will remain common until the content providers realise that giving users clear, easy, legal access to their content is what’s required. The whole situation is completely nuts.
Who is seriously going to buy another unit simply to use Netflix? That’s lost revenue for Netflix and for the content providers…gah, the whole thing is ridiculous.
nanas01 wrote:
I appreciate the response again Bill.
So, just to try and make sense of all this, are you saying that the requirements for the US and UK Netflix DRM are different? Isn’t this something that that WDC (as the huge company that it is) can push back on?
‘To maximise your customer base we should use the same DRM as of the US market’.
I realise that when it comes to the media providers sanity and clarity are rarely present, but this seem absolutely crazy.
Piracy will remain common until the content providers realise that giving users clear, easy, legal access to their content is what’s required. The whole situation is completely nuts.
Who is seriously going to buy another unit simply to use Netflix? That’s lost revenue for Netflix and for the content providers…gah, the whole thing is ridiculous.
I think the problem may not be a different DRM but that the UK hub does not not have a DRM chip.
I have been informed later this month or early Feb there will be an update to the WD Tv Live Hub. This update will include BBCi player. If this service is going to be provided cannot see why Netflix will not follow!
@superlop as user RichUK is saying the Live Hub probably doesn’t have the right hardware DRM chip so Netflix allows the application in the UK. Probably the Live Hub that is being sold in Europe has different hardware then the one in the US which does have Netflix US.
Good to read that a new update is coming later this month / early Feb for iPlayer at least. Unfortunately that is also only available for UK customers and not other European countries such as the Netherlands where i live. But no big problem. I’m still happy with the features.
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