I am having the same problems as everybody else with the playing of .mkv over network shares.
If its a short video then it takes a short while to start whereas if it is a long video it takes for ever. I am connected via wireless and I notice the light is flickering very fast and it is accessing my computer at a constant speed. I have reset to factory default, used the reset on the side, recycled the power and there is no difference. The reason you cannot play anything else is due to the WDTV live constantly ‘analysing’ the video which was selected. I have noticed that even when I turn off the unit via the remote that it continues this ‘analysis’ when I switch it back on again. The only way to use the unit again was to recycle the power or wait until the video started to play (if ever). The same video files work perfectly via a directly connected usb drive and start immediately.
If you bring up the windows task manager in XP and look at the networking tab you will see that the unit is accessing the computer when the video is waiting to play. Mine was a straight line at 1% for some time until the video starts playing and then it goes up. You can use the remote to turn off the unit the line falls to zero and then goes back up 1% when you switch back on. Surprisingly it also does this if you switch off auto network logon!!
I tried and failed. Reset everyway I could think. Got one mkv file to play over network shares eventually but that began to stutter after 5 minutes so I have given up and got old firmware back on. Things back to normal…
I can confirm that it is to do with the length of the .mkv file. I have a 2min 39 sec clip which takes 13sec to start via network shares and a 34min video which takes 1min 13 sec. I also have a 1hr 46min film which after 10min has not started.
Using the Wild Media server they are quicker with the short 2min 39sec clip taking 2sec, the 34min taking 13sec and the 1hr 46min film taking 36sec.
On a directly connected USB drive they are instant.
Same problem with MKV then playback of most type is hosed as well.
And why can’t we get chapters working on MKV with remote “previous” and “next”?
They are obviously not precluded by license since WDTV LIVE does do it albeit it with the cumbersome and useless numeric chapter selection the menu bar.
Chapter seem to be the number one request by far and not a peeep besides the incorrect claim that chpters are a license issue.
I’m running XP and connecting by wired also I have a labtop connected wirelessly with windows 7 so I think it’s not related to the OS’s and the problem with mkv occures on both systems , and thanX for the bigger subs
About the MKV slow loading issue: What devices are you streaming your MKVs from? NAS? Windows PCs? Macs?
Windows XP.
As as mentioned if you put them on a USB stick they start at once - suggesting the machine is doing some very time expensive activity when its over network (perhaps searching the file or something)
Also, I repeat: What does “Added European language input for keyboard.” mean?
Added how? No new letters show up on the keyboard?
1-bigger subtitle font is the best and is feature of the firmware for me
2-not just with mkv playback via network shares has bug but also browsing the media server has been very slow and irritating so I guess u guys should work on the network issues more
3-disappointed as the mp4 issue has not been fixed yet but bigger subtitles makes me feel better
making this a beta is a good idea in my opinion as the network issues are for real!!
I just notice this new beta firmware. I was able to download it. I’ll try it later today.
Only one observation: with 1.01.24 I noticed a very very slow acces to m2ts files via network shares. It takes about 1 minute to start playing a 4.8G home made m2ts. As it starts, it play normal, without problems. I can pause and resume smoothly.
Same file was starting fast on 1.01.24.
I haven’t test this with a MKV file.
I see that you complain about this on MKV files with this beta. Did you saw this behaviour on 1.01.24?
About the MKV slow loading issue: What devices are you streaming your MKVs from? NAS? Windows PCs? Macs?
I was streaming from a Windows Vista PC (32 bit)
After the initial problem of getting network shares to work, I have had no network problems for files no bigger than 8Gb. So full BR Rips in MKV files would not play but begin to stutter. (on 1.01.24).
With the Beta release I had the mkv issue and after 1 play, struggled to get anything to play. Also stuttering of files that had previously played OK.
Streaming via a NAS via powerline network. Media server streams fast (seems faster than before) but network and mkv clearly muck things up. I never had the patience to wait for results but was certainly more than 2 minutes with no actions.
Just wanted to say thanks for a great update! I just bought the device yesterday and was having issues with a small amount of jerkiness in all videos every 5 seconds or so, also with the audio sync after fast forwarding/skip forward. This firmware update has fixed both issues for me, so now really happy with the device. Cheers.
P.S. With the new firmware I did see issues with the playback pausing for a while after jumping forward ten minutes, but I can live with that for now because the sound stays in sync at least.
I checked new firmware with PS3 Media server. No progress… I use PS3 Media server 1.20.400 (VLC 0.98 - as it is recommend) on Win7 64 with wire lan connection. Forward (and back) still haven’t worked. When You press Forward (or Back) video position is changed randomly. Moreover time position in file which is displayed by Live is wrong and thumbnails are wrong too.
