Does Media Hub plat AVCHD & MP4 files - how does it work with Mac?

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live Hub Discussions
1

Hi all,

New to this but hoping someone can help me.

I am considering purchasing the 1tb media hub but want to ensure I understand what it can and can’t do before buying so there are no nasty surprises… I live in the UK and want the product to dump all of our photos, music and home videos on it so these can be accessed and watched back on our 46" Sony TV. 

There are 5 of us in the house and all have a PC and I have 1 x macbook pro. The macbook is used for all photos and home movies - all kept in iPhoto and iMovie and to store all our music in the iTunes library. Problem is, I am ■■■■ with Mac’s… I just don’t get where everything is stored…? :slight_smile:

My questions are these. If anyone could help I’d really appreciate it:

Is it simple to load the movies and photo files from the Macbook onto this drive via my network? (I see the movies and videos only through the glossy iPhoto & iMovie interfaces and have no idea where the actual files are kept or what format they would be in) Does anyone know the answer to this and will these file types play on this device?

iTunes music - Most of my library is from CD’s I own loaded into iTunes, some ‘borrowed’ from friends and others from iTunes store. Once again, where are these files and will they be protected or anything with DRM etc if i try and copy them over to the Media Hub and play from here?

I have a panasonic camera and HD camcorder. I’ve had trouble in the past with the files the HD movie content from the camera spits out - AVCHD - for example, the mac doesn’t see these videos in iPhoto, but they can be viewed in iMovie. Can this file type be played on this device, as I read one review about this device saying it couldn’t play files from panasonic HD camcorders?

Can it play MP4 files, as this is what the Panasonic camcorder puts out?

Any help on the above would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

2

1- Is it simple to load the movies and photo files from the Macbook onto this drive via my network? (I see the movies and videos only through the glossy iPhoto & iMovie interfaces and have no idea where the actual files are kept or what format they would be in) Does anyone know the answer to this and will these file types play on this device?
 

It is easy to transfer any data from your computer, Windows or Mac, through the network. You need to know where there original file are located, you cannot transfer a shortcut.

The WD TV  Live Hut has a list of supported files, there are several 3rd party software, I use MediaInfo, that you can use to determent the files format. You can use any of this programs to know if they are compatible with the WD TV Live Hub.

The link below is for the MediaInfo software:

http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en

The User Manual for the WD TV Live Hub:

http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/UM/ENG/4779-705046.pdf

2- iTunes music - Most of my library is from CD’s I own loaded into iTunes, some ‘borrowed’ from friends and others from iTunes store. Once again, where are these files and will they be protected or anything with DRM etc if I try and copy them over to the Media Hub and play from here?

When you RIP a CD, normally the DRM will be removed, thus this files can be played in the WD TV Live Hub; all music that you buy from iTunes store is DRM protected, the WD TV Live Hub Will not play this files.

You can move your iTunes music folder to the WD TV Live Hub, the link below might help you:

http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1393

3- I have a panasonic camera and HD camcorder. I’ve had trouble in the past with the files the HD movie content from the camera spits out - AVCHD - for example, the Mac doesn’t see these videos in iPhoto, but they can be viewed in iMovie. Can this file type be played on this device, as I read one review about this device saying it couldn’t play files from panasonic HD camcorders?

Can it play MP4 files, as this is what the Panasonic camcorder puts out?

Any help on the above would be greatly appreciated.

This is a bit complicated, the WD TV Live Hub support MP4, as long as the video code are MPEG4 or AVC, some users have reported the same, issues with this specific cameras, unfortunately, I don’t have this camera, thus, cannot tell you for sure, maybe another user can give tell you.

3

Thanks for the helpful info!

I’ve checked in the WD knowledge base and it says that .m2ts files are supported. My Panasonic HD monie content comes out as a .mts file so I’m hoping it will be compatible, although it doesn’t state .mts files specifically as being so…

Maybe I could just change the file extensions from .mts to .m2ts?

If you could also help me determine whether my MP4 files video code are MPEG4 or AVC I’d really appreciate it too.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to help me - much appreciated.

4

Well, you can always convert your movies, as you stated, to M2TS.

Please, post the media info of few of your mp4 movies:

http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2745

5

If I’m not mistaken, the Hub can play MTS movies.