Are We Ever Going to Get an Amazon Instant Video App for These Devices?

Is there some legal reason why WD will not support the Amazon Instant Videos like my Roku device does?

I have not seen an answer to these questions.

Thanks

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Thats because only WD know what will be added and they never tell give out that information.

I’ve contacted both Amazon and WD regarding this. I think the hold up may be on Amazon’s side. Not sure why though :cry:

It’s sad. If you go to Amazon’s page, only a handful of devices (mainly Roku & Sony) has Amazon Prime. Not sure if they have some contract in place, but the WD TV Live is so much better.

The hardware chipset maker Sigma Designs (which the Live uses for secure online DRM) do not have Amazon as an industry partner, which may explain the problem.

The problem is with Amazon. You can see many forums posts to the effect of asking them to support the WD Live. I asked them about it and received their canned “we will think about it” type message. 

This only hurts them.  I know the majority of their perk is with the free shipping but there aren’t that many devices that support it.  Even on their official list, most of them are the Rokus, some TVs, and some BluRay players.

It would be a nice gain if WD somehow got it, but then again, I’m not that concerned about it.  The WD TV Live is the best dang streaming device I’ve ever seen.

You can get Amazon VOD (and Prime Instant) through Playon. I know, not what you wanted to hear, but it is a solution. They’re having a sale right now, so I got the $60 package to test out for 30 days. My wife loves it, but I’m not seeing a benefit. I can simply hook up my laptop for the few things we need it for (IE, White Collar on Hulu, or NCIS).

I purchased the PlayOn media server software on my computer so that I access Amazon Video on Demand with my WD TV Live Hub (red button Media Server option).  PlayOn has Amazon as one of it’s channel.  The disadvantage is that I have to order my movie on my computer and use the WD TV Live Hub to watch it but it works perfectly.  I would prefer that we get Amazon Instant Video directly on the WD devices like Roku.

Agreed. I miss Amazon VOD and Crackle from my Roku, but then WDTV plays my ripped movies SO MUCH better. You can scan for the info (Roku REQUIRES moviesheets), and you can do it by plugging in a USB HDD (up to 3TB) or viewing it off a network share. The Roku will only take UP TO a 2TB HDD (negates my 3TB), and it won’t view a network share natively. You have to do it via a web server, which means my desktop has to be on 24/7, whereas the WDTV allows me to view it off my HDD connected directly to the router.

It all comes down to preference, and for me, that’s a bigger deal than Amazon/Crackle, two services that I rarely use. However, my wife trumps all, and she is gettting really sick of the crashes. She’s currently unemployed and stays home with the kids, so the TV is on for about 12 hours a day. Every day I get home and its, “Well, it only crashed 3 times today,” whereas the Roku almost never crashed.

I really wish there was a device that could do what the WDTV does, but without the crashing and freezes. But with the $99 Ouya around the cornder with XBMC 12 support, we may finally have it.

I emailed Amazons support about this and they said it’s all up to WD and that they would be more than happy to have them include it on their devices.

All good reasons to have both WD and Roku players.  I do, but I don’t use Amazon movies.  I have Netflix streaming and disc rentals, and Comcast cable, yada yada – good grief, too much stuff to chose from already. 

Amazon has a big name, but when it comes to streaming they are insignificant.

If I were running the show at WD, they would be pretty far down the list in terms of things to worry about.

dcb917 wrote:

Amazon has a big name, but when it comes to streaming they are insignificant.

 

If I were running the show at WD, they would be pretty far down the list in terms of things to worry about.

Are you saying that the other streaming apps on the player are ‘significant’? I would assume that featured apps are due to some sort of deal between them and WD and has little to do with ‘significance’.

First of all thanks for taking time to read this.

First of all I am one of those people who had multiple streaming boxes such as Apple TV, Roku and Boxee and let me say that the WD Live player to me is the best of them. Especially with its AV File support and DNLA capabilities all without special applications that need to be downloaded. Perfect network player hands down.

Now lets talk about services. It needs a major overhaul. I mean only a niche crowds watches Yupp TV and Red Bull. The You Tube channel is the sorriest in network box stream history, because the only thing you can watch on it is some cat calendar because 80% is blocked. What’s the purpose of having it? Open it up or get rid of it!

Now here are some great suggestions. The main services that you need to have in this over haul is this


Movies / TV: Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Prime Instant Video, Vevo, Crackle and a REAL YOU TUBE CHANNEL!! :slight_smile: That is a great set right there.

Music: Vevo (as mentioned above), Pandora, Spotify, Shoutcast, iRadio, Tune In and BBC

Network Services: XBMC, Plex and Play On

Now this format and I am sure if you were to put this up on an public forum I say over 80% would agree to this. The services above are must have services. The AOL HD and other niche services which are good services, but they are not primary material.

Now one of your compeditor streamer like Rolu boast there hundreds of chanels and services, but you don’t need all of the channels just the best ones and a awsome example as before the mentiend above.

Thank you for taking the time to read and I do hope this is something your company will take under serious consideration. Because I truly believe this overhaul will attract a lot more users to the WD Live player.

I really like the netflix app on the WD compared to the app offered on android/ios and the roku. Amazon would’ve been great along with crackle/hbogo or a playon/plex/serviio app. Personally I have two roku3’s (if I could get the wd remote like the roku3 I would be in heaven) coupled with my two wdtv’s and things are great. It would be nice to get one device to rule them all but it’s unlikely to happen.

WD is really behind on the apps (ok by me at this point) and it would be a monumental effort for little gain at this point imo. People are looking for apps like twonky playon plex along with popular streaming apps like hbogo/netflix/amazon/crackle/aereo/even the evil xfinity has apps.

My guess is they’re either going to pull out of the market or wait a bit longer for the android craze to settle down. If I had my way and dreams come true they would release an updated hub with a blu ray player built in with tuner card and an overlay if you have an STB already. Gigabit/Dual band wireless 3TB drive with four or five USB 3 ports. Radio remote like the roku3 with theme support and the same codec foundation we have now. SD and mSD support for loading pics firmware or caching something off the system. We would be able to get OTA channels in a a new updated slick UI not to mention the ability to record and save shows from netflix/amazon or OTA to the device.

Wake up.

Netflix
“89% of the TV streams, while Hulu Plus had 10% followed by Amazon Prime’s 2%”

http://www.deadline.com/2013/06/netflix-continues-crush-competition-fast-growing-streamed-tv-market-npd/

Amazon Prime I think is sort of a side venture or vehicle like the play video service which gives you an itunes like service for digital video on other platforms. Considering the amount of money Amazon has spent on securing or acquiring content this year I imagine they will make a big move in the next year or two. It does come out cheaper per month than netflix and having all that viacom content is a big deal at least in my house.

dcb917 wrote:

Netflix
“89% of the TV streams, while Hulu Plus had 10% followed by Amazon Prime’s 2%”

 

http://www.deadline.com/2013/06/netflix-continues-crush-competition-fast-growing-streamed-tv-market-npd/

 

 

IMO, the reason for this is 2 fold. One, Netflix can be found on just about ANY streaming device out there, thus people have far better access to it. Amazon needs to step up to the plate on this one big time. They have dragged their feet for FAR too long on getting their service on more devices. You would think this would be a priority with all the money they have been shoveling out lately for content.

The second is that netflix is $8/mo, whereas Amazon really only comes in a yearly flavor and many people don’t want to shell out $80 in one pop and be stuck with it for a year. Amazon tested a per month thing late last year but it only lasted a whole 2 weeks. WTH?

The bottom line is if Amazon really wants get get serious with streaming(and based on the amount of money they have been coughing up lately for streaming content, it definitely seems that way), they MUST get their software on more devices and they MUST offer a monthly sub. Until then, they will be just an afterthought, as per what that article shows.