Did WD completely drop the ball with their best prospect? WD LIVE TV +

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live & Live Plus
1

I would like to hear opinions and hopefully get WD moving on tihs since to me is a very sad and embarrasing situation.

I was a proud owner of both previous version, wd tv and wd live tv, both solid, and I even bragged about them.

Yes, they had their limitations but what they were supposed to do, they did it solidly.

Unfortunately, I have to say we are definitely using a BETA product and as such we are the guinea pigs.

Let’s start with the features and functionality that use to work and that now is no longer the same.

Boot-Up : much longer( this might be normal depending on what they are loading - dunno how much more it could be)

Moving in and out of diff files : example : if I am listening to music, start browsing to a movie while song is still playing the circle just sits there.  I have to unplug and plug again in order for any movies to play.

DTS : I have movies (DTS) which play fine on my WD LIVE TV and will not play audio on my + version.

Playing movies : it seems it takes a little longer to just play the movie - not a big deal just dont understand why.

NEW THINGS NOT WORKING :

NETFLIX : my queue is shot - it has happened twice.  I hit netflix and I get a instant queue not available.

                   I can play it fine on my laptop _ very sad since this is the only reason I got the new version.

                   As far as I know, this was the whole reason the + came out and a firmware couldn’t update the LIVE version.

                   Copyright protection had to  be implemented and the new Sigma processor is doing this.

                   Sad part is that it is a diff processor and a couple of diff features and the device is well below the

                  performance of its predecessor. 

Below are the things that considering the spike in price and difference between the LIVE andn the  LIVE + i think should be in place.

Search network shares : dunno if this would be possible but I would like to hear why it cant :slight_smile:

Options : should have a quick way of hitting repeat, shuffle, etc.

Overall, I would like to hear what anyone else has to say about the WD LIVE TV + .  This is not a **bleep** fest, the more information we have and the more voices are expressed I hope WD takes it into consideration and start supporting their latest product.  

Last but not least, how could their latest product not have its own forum.  We are left with searching through a forum tagged as WD LIVE TV MEDIA PLAYER, yet this is a completely different product.  It would consolidate all information regarding our product, I think it would speed up development, reporting and also just common courtesy.

It is a completely different product and it should have its own audience.

Best regards and hope to hear from all!!

2

…because it’s NOT an entirely different product.   The only difference is NetFlix.   No need to spin up a new forum just for THAT…

3

doubolplay1 wrote:

 

DTS : I have movies (DTS) which play fine on my WD LIVE TV and will not play audio on my + version.

Really?  Can you post the mediainfo on one of these files?

I have two Live units and one Plus and they can play all the files the same just fine – however, that doesn’t mean they can play ALL files.  I’d be curious to see what file isn’t working for you and how you have your Plus set up for audio (are you using “Digital” or “Stereo” in audio output settings, and how are you connected to play your audio?).

4

maybe not completely different but I know the processor is different. It might be a sigma but it is different.

Even if it isn’t , it is a new product and it should have its own audience.  Problems being experienced are different from the Original LIVE,  I dont see how having a different forum sounds like an idea that doesnt make sense.

focusing on issues - searching for answers - communicating better -etc

Otherwise, why would BETA testers have their own place to post, for the same exact device.

It is because it needs to be targeted to that exact device, with that exact firmware.

Again, this post is to be instructive, the whole point is not to start ripping anyone.  If there is nothing helpful in your comments, I would appreciate just taking a pass and moving on.

This is the problem with forums now and why I stopped years ago. 

As far as my mkv file see the specs below.  I have my audio set to stereo. 

see the file settings below :

eneral
Complete name                    : E:\Death at a Funeral (2010)\Deathat.a.funeral.mkv
Format                           : Matroska
File size                        : 4.37 GiB
Duration                         : 1h 32mn
Overall bit rate                 : 6 773 Kbps
Encoded date                     : UTC 2010-07-31 17:05:27
Writing application              : mkvmerge v4.2.0 (‘No Talking’) built on Jul 28 2010 18:38:23
Writing library                  : libebml v1.0.0 + libmatroska v1.0.0

Video
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC           : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames        : 5 frames
Muxing mode                      : Container profile=Unknown@4.1
Codec ID                         : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration                         : 1h 32mn
Bit rate                         : 5 265 Kbps
Width                            : 1 280 pixels
Height                           : 528 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 2.40:1
Frame rate                       : 23.976 fps
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.325
Stream size                      : 3.31 GiB (76%)
Writing library                  : x264 core 104 r1677 19df41a
Encoding settings                : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=umh / subme=7 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=6 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=23 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=2pass / mbtree=1 / bitrate=5265 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00

Audio
ID                               : 2
Format                           : DTS
Format/Info                      : Digital Theater Systems
Codec ID                         : A_DTS
Duration                         : 1h 32mn
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 1 510 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 6 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth                        : 24 bits
Stream size                      : 997 MiB (22%)

Text
ID                               : 3
Format                           : UTF-8
Codec ID                         : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info                    : UTF-8 Plain Text

5

Well, the problem is simple – you used a version of mkvmerge which doesn’t work with the Plus OR the Live.

But the fix is also simple – just remux the video but make sure you turn OFF both video and audio compress (you’ll have to do this in both tracks) or (better) use mkvmerge 4.0 (the last version that works properly).

6

I have to agree with the OP. I have a Gen 1 box, a Live, and now a Live Plus. I have been telling my friends how great the WDTV boxes are until now.

The boot time is so bad with the Live Plus that my wife wants me to return it to the store.

Netflix is working just fine for me so far.

The main problem I have is that after accessing Netflix, if I try to watch a networked or local ISO or AVI, then my box crashes and reboots. I literally cannot watch anything on my 2GB of hard drive space. If I reset to factor settings and unplug the device it will work. But when I go to Netflix if starts the crashing all over again. 

So I now am using my Gen 1 box to watch my local content and my Live Plus for Netflix only.

Hoping a firmware update comes out soon, or my box may be going back. I just don’t want to take the chance that WD can’t resolve these problems with the hardware they chose for the plus.

7

I have never muxed any :)  All of mine were muxed by someone else, and they work perfect :wink:

I will try to remux this one though and report back;  If that is the case, then so be it.

I can understand this being an issue and not being WD fault.  It is just a muxing issue.

I will let you now when I remux.

One question, how did you know this was an issue?

Is there a way to know if a file will be compatible with WD?

Thanks!!

8

Media Info reports the program used to create the file – you can see it in the line “writing application” (it doesn’t always report it, but most well behaved programs write this information in the mkv or MP4 header). 

mkvmerge is a terrific program, but the author changed things after version 4.0 and it is now imcompatible (at least at its default settings) with a ton of hardware players.  Even he admits he is on a “personal crusade” to get them to change to this format (a spec which has been present in the MKV container for years, but which no one prior to this was using).  I can see both sides of the issue, but I prefer to be part of the solution rather than the problem .

The good news – remuxing shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.  The bad news, of course, is that you have to do it at all.  However, it calls into question where you got these files if you didn’t create them yourself (to my knowledge NO commercial products are produced with mkvmerge and, of course, no one at WD can condone doing anything that is illegal).

9

doubolplay1 wrote:

maybe not completely different but I know the processor is different. It might be a sigma but it is different.

Even if it isn’t , it is a new product and it should have its own audience.  Problems being experienced are different from the Original LIVE,  I dont see how having a different forum sounds like an idea that doesnt make sense.

focusing on issues - searching for answers - communicating better -etc

 

Otherwise, why would BETA testers have their own place to post, for the same exact device.

It is because it needs to be targeted to that exact device, with that exact firmware.

 

Again, this post is to be instructive, the whole point is not to start ripping anyone.  If there is nothing helpful in your comments, I would appreciate just taking a pass and moving on.

 

This is the problem with forums now and why I stopped years ago. 

 

 

When you say ‘nothing helpful in your comments’ do you really mean nothing that contradicts my post? If you post in a forum expect to get comments that is the purpose of it. 

The difference between the Sigma processors is copy protection only. When the latest firmware is released there will not be any difference between the two except Netflix on the live plus.

10

Django wrote:

I have to agree with the OP. I have a Gen 1 box, a Live, and now a Live Plus. I have been telling my friends how great the WDTV boxes are until now.

 

The boot time is so bad with the Live Plus that my wife wants me to return it to the store.

 

Netflix is working just fine for me so far.

 

The main problem I have is that after accessing Netflix, if I try to watch a networked or local ISO or AVI, then my box crashes and reboots. I literally cannot watch anything on my 2GB of hard drive space. If I reset to factor settings and unplug the device it will work. But when I go to Netflix if starts the crashing all over again. 

 

So I now am using my Gen 1 box to watch my local content and my Live Plus for Netflix only.

 

Hoping a firmware update comes out soon, or my box may be going back. I just don’t want to take the chance that WD can’t resolve these problems with the hardware they chose for the plus.

The long boot time will remain on the live plus and the latest lives have also been updated to have long boot times. (by long I mean approx 1 minute). This is because the standby is now deeper to save power and the unit has to boot up from cold.

11

doubolplay -

The longer boot time of live + does not bother me that much.  And it is not that long anyway.  It sill plays my video files and music quite well.  I am not that picky over little things and nothing that can not be handled with a re-encoding here and there.  All in all, this is an excellent unit.  My only major disappointment with it is the Netflix issue - a unit created solely to handle Netflix is not doind that.  What a shame.

I hope WD is addressing these issues in a timely manner.

Having said that, look at the other units in the market that are in the same price range.  It is a jungle out there :slight_smile:

12

Richuk :
That is a difference, the response was “no difference”. I dont mind contradictions like I said,
constructive, give reasons, educate, we can’t all know everything.  
I mean someone can come here and start ripping a feature ( like me with my MKV file) and then
someone says : hey that is easy, it is an issue with the muxing and u could prob fix it!

That is what BB and forums , hell even IRC use to be - except now people think most forums are blogs
where people are here to rip each other on a single comment.  I blame this on CNN, MSNBC and all blogs!!!
Most people dont remember the days when walking into a forum, BB, you actually introduced yourself,
were polite and actually helped.  That is all man, I was just stating that all he said was not helpful,
it was just a reply with no substance.

As far as the long boot time, thanks for the info!  At least that is acceptable and completely understable.
If all is loading it should take a little longer.

LunarAgain :
I agree with you except that I have issues moving around the menu.  Especially from Internet apps back to movies.
I was playing MP3’s and it is playing in the background, switch to a movie the circle just sits there spinning
and I have to shut down the unit. It has given me the Blue spinning circle of death more than I could ever remember.
I remember seeing that back in the original unit when you hit certain files that for some reason would overwhelm
the unit.  

I do agree with you though, the unit HAS to fix Netflix since it was the reason for it.
Stability and performance could also use a HUGE boost - they fix those and we are all golden!

mkelley:
Cool, I have used MediaInfo for a long time to determine the video info and saw that.
I just didnt know what to look for in order to know what would make it incompatible.
As far as where I got my MKV’s and WD doing something illegal - Is like the Elephant in the room that
no one wants to talk about.  They are all making money of it and keeping their mouth shut :slight_smile:
Personally, I support them :)  I dont have time to build machines anymore and this has a nice remote!!!
I will remux and let you know and I have remuxed previously, so I can just queue them up!!!

Ladies and gents, thank you for your comments and suggestions and let’s keep them coming!!
Hopefully, we can get our own forum and start bringing in more people!!