that’s definitely a networking issue then if you can play files from the USB but not streamed from a PC/Mac.
SjefDeKlerk wrote:
I think you mistake ‘bugs’ for normal network behavior. If you want to share files over the network, you unfortunately have to setup your network environment correctly, which is TOTALLY independent of your player. If you haven’t configured your server & router correctly, you just can’t access your network shares. Getting another player MOST probably won’t change anything.
I completely disagree. There are problems with WD’s network implementation. There are so many posts describing network problems with this device. Networking worked fine for some folks until a firmware update broke everything. Other folks only have problems with Windows 7. There are so many different problems.
Some of the “fixes” are ridiculous. I should not have to manually set permissions on a shared folder. I should not have to manually edit the registry. These are just some of the tricks used by people to get networking to work.
I consider myself somewhat technically knowledgeable. I can’t imagine someone with no computer/networking knowledge attempting many of the fixes required to get networking to function.
Besides, networking is only ONE of the issues I have with the WDTV Live.
SharpBarb wrote:
Some of the “fixes” are ridiculous. I should not have to manually set permissions on a shared folder. I should not have to manually edit the registry.
I think that’s something you should tell Microsoft instead of WD
Oh, and btw, yes there IS something wrong with the WD implementation, I’m not denying that (see my topic in networking to solve it). However, what I’m saying, 90% of the problems are not caused by this but are simply a result of your network setup/server configuration.
I have had a few D-Link wireless media servers. Their performance was less than reasonable. I am running a WD Live over wireless N network on a cheap ($15) USB adapter and streaming 1080P content without any problems. I have no issues with WD. The variety of formats supported, crisp interface and ease of setup was enough for me to purchase another. With a NAS, I need not have a PC running. cj
cjeman wrote:
I have had a few D-Link wireless media servers. Their performance was less than reasonable. I am running a WD Live over wireless N network on a cheap ($15) USB adapter and streaming 1080P content without any problems. I have no issues with WD. The variety of formats supported, crisp interface and ease of setup was enough for me to purchase another. With a NAS, I need not have a PC running. cj
Man, I come from the TVIX 6500. That box crashes every now and then, has never been stable, doesn’t play all files and has all kinds of weird, unsolvable bugs due to a buggy SDK. Moving onto the WDTV Live was a pure relief ! It plays everything smooth & never crashes. I really believe this might be THE best mediaplayer out there.
> * * *SharpBarb wrote:
Some of the “fixes” are ridiculous. I should not have to manually set permissions on a shared folder. I should not have to manually edit the registry.
You absolutely, positively MUST set permissions! Heck, if it worked WITHOUT doing that, there’s a HUGE GASH in Microsoft’s security! That’s just silly. That’s like saying, I shouldn’t have to set passwords on my user accounts to keep people out. :smileyvery-happy:
As to registry settings: I agree with you there, but I’ll also say you do NOT have to edit the registry. The forum posts describing that are describing ONE WAY of side-stepping a systemic issue in Microsoft Networking. There are more High-Level (read: user-controllable) settings that need to be addressed, which negate the need to edit the registry.
Microsoft is definately complicit here.
If WDC removed Network Sharing functionality, no-one would gripe about it. All the other vendors that work via Network Shares have the same issues being reported…
I have to agree with SjefDeKlerk
WD Live may be the best media player out there. I believe the level of frustration shown by some users is that they are not setting their expectations to the right level. They want the holy grail of media players.
I have couple of video files NOT play through the WD Live. I also know it can not handle MP4’s encoded with a certain B-Frame setting. But compared to the number of files it plays well is amazing.
Users should report issues by giving info on video file as reported by MediaInfo. Or run it through a program like GSpot and report video and audio encoding used. I believe many users with a high level of frustration do not appreciate the wild array out there of encoders and decoders being used.
All in all, WD Live has stood its ground and the two units I bought have been worth every penny I paid for the amount of time I have used them.
i did NOT have to change any register settings on my netowork sharew with W7 PRO. i forget exactly what i did when i set it up, but it was simple and easy. i was not keen on getting a router, but it was a simple and easy set up for the router and for the WDTV LIVE.
if i don’t want something shared, i simply “right click” select “share with nobody” and it’s not shared. i don’t have any passwords to enter when i want to watch something, i have a couple partitions on my HD set as SHARED and evertyting that goes in there, shows up on the WDTV LIVE, i don’t have to change a thing.
brucered wrote:
i did NOT have to change any register settings on my netowork sharew with W7 PRO. i forget exactly what i did when i set it up, but it was simple and easy. i was not keen on getting a router, but it was a simple and easy set up for the router and for the WDTV LIVE.
if i don’t want something shared, i simply “right click” select “share with nobody” and it’s not shared. i don’t have any passwords to enter when i want to watch something, i have a couple partitions on my HD set as SHARED and evertyting that goes in there, shows up on the WDTV LIVE, i don’t have to change a thing.
I’m assuming you’re on XP ? That OS is a lot easier to share on than Win7 (however one could argue that that also possibly results in less security)
SjefDeKlerk wrote:
brucered wrote:
i did NOT have to change any register settings on my netowork sharew with W7 PRO. i forget exactly what i did when i set it up, but it was simple and easy. i was not keen on getting a router, but it was a simple and easy set up for the router and for the WDTV LIVE.
if i don’t want something shared, i simply “right click” select “share with nobody” and it’s not shared. i don’t have any passwords to enter when i want to watch something, i have a couple partitions on my HD set as SHARED and evertyting that goes in there, shows up on the WDTV LIVE, i don’t have to change a thing.
I’m assuming you’re on XP ? That OS is a lot easier to share on than Win7 (however one could argue that that also possibly results in less security)
NEGATIVE. i’m using W7 Pro 64bit. i don’t have any problem sharing.
TonyPh12345 wrote:
You absolutely, positively MUST set permissions! Heck, if it worked WITHOUT doing that, there’s a HUGE GASH in Microsoft’s security! That’s just silly. That’s like saying, I shouldn’t have to set passwords on my user accounts to keep people out.
I’m on a home network. I don’t use an account password on any of my machines. Anything that is physically connected to my network should be able to access a share with the default settings. When I share a folder the default permission is “Everyone”. That should be enough.
I’ve been able to access my network shares with my DVR for a while, and it worked right away, without any problems. Unfortunately, the UI is slow and clunky. The one thing I do like about the WDTV Live is the UI, although I wish it was more customizable, it is simple and responsive.
Anyways, just now (mid rant) I tried to access my shared drive so that I could post the error message, and for some reason it worked. So I guess I’ll shut up about that, although I have no idea why it started to work all of the sudden.
There are still several other quirks that are annoying, and should be fixed, but the networking was probably my biggest gripe. Assuming it continues to work (since I don’t know why it didn’t work before) then I would say the WDTV live is not so bad.
Have 2 WDTV Live myself.
But im disapointed about nothing happening, with missing functionality and idea requests people have posted in the idealab.
Im sure the WDTV Live can handle most of the requests, but there are no updates coming…
one of the most requested ideas is DVD menus… why isn’t that supported yet???
and the menu system, you can’t modify it with shortcuts, but have to go through all devices and paths every time you turn it on
I have my eyes on this to www.popbox.com to replace both my WDTV Live, hopefully it will be released soon.
I actually tend to agree with you – we are missing some things that could surely be fixed in firmware and development has been extremely slow.
However, I think it’s a huge mistake to assume that something which hasn’t come out yet will solve all your problems. If there’s one thing history has taught us it’s that no first time hardware solution has ever gotten it right out of the gate. I’ll bet you a dollar there will be at least one (and likely several) showstopper problems with any new media player and it will take months (years?) to work out the bugs.
Assuming you have the patience, then some new device may well be the answer, but I’d lay 8 to 5 that it will come from someone who has had a device out on the market for a while. So something like the Live (or Seagate’s theater) will be far more likely to eventually get it right (however, I will also admit that as time goes by I’m getting less and less convinced it will be WD that “gets it”).
well, the popbox is made by Popcorn Hour, who have made a few different boxes already, this is the drive- and fanless version of it.
and you’re right, im just assuming that it will be working satisfyingly, if only it would work like the XBMC on the old Xbox, I’d be happy
Popcorn delivers fine boxes but I think they have more issue’s than the WDTV has, just check their support forums.
This thread is just silly. Topic opener starts ‘hey I’m very disappointed, Avi’s dont work, they’re not supported, I want another box’ ! Then, after some questioning it’s obvious that Avi’s DO work. Then he says ‘hey network ■■■■■, I should not set security settings manually’, then it’s obvious that it DOES work. In the end, what’s the problem, everything works !?!?
You’re right in that the thread topic is pretty silly, but overall I think the issues discussed in this thread are worth discussing (or I wouldn’t be participating).
Perhaps we need a thread like “Where is the Live compared to other media players?” or some such. I still say that any new player that is on the horizon is a crapshoot – if there weren’t problems/issues it would be on the market already, and even when it reaches market there will ALWAYS be things users find. If I were coming to this arena cold I’d be looking for a device that does what I want *right now*.
For me the Live is very close to that device – it’s not all that I want (stupid thumbnail issue) but it’s so close that I’m willing to put up with the problems. But others may have a different set of priorities and it’s not silly to discuss that, even if those things are not something we might not be personally interested in.
The Boxee Box and new Popcorn aren’t out yet so any discussion is speculation. I have an Asus O’play in my bedroom and prefer the WD as the HD scalining is gorgeous. My WD HD Live works exactly as described and I’ve gotten many hours of enjoyment out of it. I paid $79 for it ($99 at best buys with a $20 coupon) and it’s for sale now at the local Sam’s Club for $90. It’s a good value. I was disappointed it couldn’t play DV (even though from the specs I knew that when I bought it). I had VisualHub batch process my 7 years of DV family footage to mp4 and it saved 60% of my hard drive space at the same quality and it upscales the videos beautifully. Overall very happy. Would I like more? Sure but I feel I got what I paid for.
Jesperben wrote:
Even worse it won’t show my TIIFF-pictures and a lot of my JPG-pictures. I understand that their resolution is wrong.
It tells you they are too big or what?
If you have a PC you can use the program Irfanview to process a whole batch of photos in one go ( Irfanview website )
This can take a whole directory of your pictures and “do stuff” to them (including resizing) and save them as one of the many formats it supports.
Very handy little program.
Thank you all for your inputs to this thread (silly or not). They have made me a lot more knowledgeable on the whole mediaplayer-subject (especially the video-part), which is new to me.
I think I’ve learned how to enjoy what the player can do, and understood that there is not a perfect device for me anywhere (yet).
Still, I will advise makers of this kind of products not to go to far in marketing them as no-brainer plug and play’s. The ordinary tv-owner will get lost very quickly.
