I can not find a live plus. Every where I go to look for one are out of stock and one place stated they were discontinued. I just bought one last month and want a second. Is the liv ethat is out there now at best buy for $100 the next generation? It is able to stream netflix and many other sites.
This is the new one: http://wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=330
The capabilities vary by region.
As far as I can tell, Sigma has stopped making the 8655 and 8654 chips (or is about to) and replaced them with the new SMP8670 (which is the chip in the new WDTV Live Streaming Media Player).
So, even if WD wanted to continue production of the Live/Live Plus, it would appear as if they’d be unable to. That’s presumably why they no longer list them as “active” models.
Newegg was selling Live Plus last week. You can get the newer Live Streaming model for same price there, too. Check eBay for plenty of used and new ones. If you get used, be sure all parts are included. Since you got a new one, you know what they are.
The new one does all that the old Plus one does; just be prepared for a different look to the menu displays. If you like your Plus, you may like the new Streaming model as good or better. It has added internet content.
The only real difference is that the old model is hackable the SMP is not. If you are not interested in software hacking, long term the SMP will have better WD support.
You know… I almost was liking WD for a while there. But then they just turned into the same old boring silent corporate electronic megalith. I’ve enjoyed using the Live+ for a little over a year. Haven’t had as many problems with it as some of the folks I read about on here but I always felt their pain. But the past year of “firmware update just around the corner” followed by WD’s discontinuance of the product is just disappointing. Sure, the chip they based it on got discontinued, this stuff happens. But I feel like I’ve been given the runaround. Not really a way to inspire consumer loyalty. But then again, what does a global corporate electronics monolith care? Thanks RoofingGuy, for all the helpful tips and thanks TonyPH12345678910111213 for the laughs. And sure why not thank good ol’ Bill_S, the “Community Manager” who was always so specifically vague? Thanks. It’s been swell.
