FIrst of all, I have to say that this is one of the most frustrating devices I’ve ever tried to use. Hopefully it’s just something I’m missing.
I have WHS 2011 with files/folders in the default shares it creates. When I click Video on the WD TV Live, I just want to see the contents of the Videos folder on my server. Same for Photos and Music. All I want is for those menu options to take me directly to corresponding folders on my server. If you’ve ever used XBMC, that’s how I want it to behave. Seems pretty darn simple, but apparently impossible with this device. The WD TV Live has a mind of its own.
If I connect to the server using the Media Server/DLNA method, I get media from anywhere it might exist on the server, without regard to how I have things organized in folders. For example, I have movies in a Kids folder where my kids can easily find their stuff. The DLNA combines them all (even items in folders that aren’t really media folders). I realize that is how DLNA works, but it’s not my preference.
If I connect to the server using the Network Share method, I don’t get an option to actually select the share. I’m presented with a list of computers and select the WHS, and that is it. Then when I select Video or Photo or Music on the WD TV Live, I see all of the default shares on the server (Documents, Music, Pictures, Public, Recorded TV, Software, Users, Videos). That is ridiculous. I want to map Video to Videos, Photo to Pictures, Audio to Music. I would be shocked if there’s not a way to do this.
Regardless of either method I try, the WD TV Live also doesn’t work reliably. When I turn it on, I frequently get a message saying “The last content source has been removed.” If I go to Select Content Source, I get “invalid username or password” which requires me to clear and reenter the same credentials just to see the shares. Even then, it tells me there’s no media found in folders when clearly media is there (I have yet to discover any of my MP3s with this device). I do not understand the Dashboard feature, but sometimes I am told I have to enable Media Library to use the Dashboard (which I do have set to On). I don’t see any options for forcing the WD TV Live to scan the server for new media.
The most frustrating thing is that when it does find media, it plays it beautifully. I sort of wish it didn’t, because I’d just return it and wash my hands of the whole mess. But the fact that it actually plays video content like nothing else gives me hope to try and sort things out.
I’m open to any ideas.
