Arnie wrote:
So let me think about this: The problem only started with version 2.01.86. Nobody worried about Master Browser this and Master Browser that. The problem apparently raised it’s ugly head with version 2.01.86. So it’s obvious to me that something got broken in this newer version of firmware.
One should not need to be a network engineer to figure out how to attach this to their Windows PC share. It should just work the way a myriad of other devices work… correctly. I have a Zinwell Media Playe that connects and stays connected to my PC server workgroup right out of the box. I didn’t need to know about Master Browser this and that. I didn’t need to know about SMB. None of this network mumbo jumbo. That’s the way retail consumer equipment is supposed to work.
Put the blame where it belongs, not the Master Browser but squarely at the doorstep of Western Digital. I can’t believe there are so many issues with this supposedly simple piece of equipment. But there are 28,000+ complaints on this board. I would say quality control is missing at Western Digital.
There! End of rant!
While I’m just as P’d as you, I don’t think it’s a quality control issue. I’ve been rocking WD hard drives since day one and they’re fantastic. I’ve had a couple fail, and received replacements with no hassle. It’s been a great experience. Pumping out hard drives is pumping out hard drives, though. For them to create a media box like the WD TV and have it work flawlessly is asking a lot. Think of it like designing an app. We’ll assume for this discussion that the user base for smartphones is split 50/50 between Apple and Android. Apple has what, 3 different phones, basically, a couple tablets, that are current gen that will get attention. And all of their phones are controlled, so the environments are essentially always the same. Now Android, on the other hand, has 4-5 Android phones PER COMPANY that get play. That’s dozens and dozens of phones and environments to plan for. Variables upon variables. My setup that I have at home (Linksys router, Windows 8) is fairly generic, but the specifics of it make it more difficult. Motherboard, other devices, where my shares are, etc. can all contribute to those variables. Windows = Android. So, at the end of the day, my setup is basically non-reproducable, so what WD would have to do is make a box that would work for the 5th to the 95th percentile of the population: cover all their bases, but maybe ignore some outliers. Not necessarily ignore, but not worry too much. That’s why they have support. And everyone on this board, for the most part, has got to be savvy enough to be in the 10% that gets left out, just based on the fact we’re able to find a forum, create an account, and do more than WAHHHH FIX MY PROBLEM WHAT DO U MEEEN WHAT OPERATING SYSTEM?!?!
So basically what I’m saying is that I probably get ignored a bit, like a lot of others, because that’s how business works. This box is probably targeted at those with laptops, or those with USB storage. And, again, that’s fine and I don’t mind. Would I like to see more work done and firmware updates more often, fixing reported bugs? Absolutely. Does the WD TV make enough money to warrant that? Well, clearly no. With what I want and what a lot of us want and need is an HTPC/server combo. Keep it all within Windows, keep it running right. But I don’t have the money for that, so this is what I went with. It’s a stopgap. Is it frustrating? Yes, because the issue DOES seem tied to the WD product, not my shares or the “master browser.” But, again, what else can you expect when you sit down to think about it? I have yet to try a firmware rollback, so we’ll see. It’s working again right now, so I’ll just play it by ear.
