I have the old WD TV there are no updates to take care of problems in the last year

You need to update the old WD TV Media Player.   I Own several of your media players. The files play just fine on the WD TV LIVE but won’t on the old WD HD media player. You just need to update your support of the old products. I’m just playing movies in DVD format. The files look like this when you look at them on a computer.

 Video_TS.bup

 Video_TS.ifo

 VTS_01_0.bup

 VTS_01_0.ifo
 VTS_01_1.vob (The old WD TV will not play the movie)

When there is more than one vts_01_2.vob, vts_01_3.vob __ etc then it will play correctly. Just update your software.

The last firmware release that i know about for the WD HD is 1.03.01

It’s no longer supported. In other words, it isn’t going to happen.

Right. It’s still weird that a Bluray I ripped to MKV myself runs flawlessly on the LIVE but not at all on the 1st Gen.