If you are desperately waiting for a new update... Read this!

KAD79 wrote:

why not flash the new device firmware on the old smp

 

well for starters, you’ll loose netflix as well as some other services

With so many devices doing Netflix so much better (tvs, BD players, etc…) I don’t see that as a drawback.

I only have one working SMP using 1.06 firmware.  If I had a 2nd unit or wasn’t afraid of screwing this one up altogether, I’d would certainly try to flash the SMP with the firmware for the ‘new’ unit.

I already tried to flash the “new” WDTV FW, but the update option doesnt show in the menu.

It doesn’t recognize those files as a valid FW.

I also tried to rename the files and edited the txt file.

WD took steps to avoid that their FW could be flashed anywere.

I have no problem with not being able to crossflash, I find this aceptable.

My only problem is that my WDTV LIVE SMP crashes because of the huge memory leaks, youtube leanback never worked and now some .mp4 are not recognized.

Abandoning the previous gen. customers to a crashing device, when wd only needs to compile the last gen FW that already has these bugs fixed, this blows my mind…

it really is way past time for someone from WD to get on these forums and explain themselves. I have purchased four WDTVs over the years, two being the original SMPs and use them almost daily on rolled back firmware.  I can understand not adding any new updates/services, but to release a firmware with known bugs and then go completely silent on the issue is unacceptable. WD has forgotten the people who championed these products from the start and have lost all of my respect and more importantly to them, have lost my business.

Totally agree. I find the response from WD to the top of this article incredible slack. I actually believed that they would eventually sort this. Insanely ive been checking the news announcement pages nearly daily for approx 8 months thinking that they must soon announce a fix as i thought no company would be so poor to release a firmware with major bugs, which they know how to fix, and have fixed on nearly identical devices, and just totally ignore its user base. Especially when you look at the amount of postings on this forum, and this device must have been old of their most widely sold devices.

Its just insane. Rant over. As soon as there is another product which has a similar feature set im jumping ship.

I completely agree with you guys. They left us with a bum product and that needs to be fixed. There’s nothing else, aside from streaming devices that run plex that do what the WDTV does at this pricepoint.

I am starting to wonder if WD software engineers even look at this forum. There are around hundred people complaining about the same issue, but WD is being careless about it. How hard is it for companies to fix their software?

As a Sw Eng myself, I doubt they have any say in the matter. They work on what they are told to work on. If they had the option, I’m sure they would fix it.

I see. All I ask for WD to do if any WD support team is reading this is release a bug killing update. That’s all I ask. I don’t ask for frequent updates, I am asking for one update. Please.

As of right now, there is nothing to report. 

This is exactly why I don’t buy WD products anymore. It’s a joke they left us with a buggy device and completely ignore their customers. I’ve replaced my 4 media players with a much better and cheaper solution. 

Thanks a lot WD!! 

Moor208 wrote:

I’ve replaced my 4 media players with a much better and cheaper solution. 

Which is?

Something similar to this. I’ve customized them way more.

http://mymediaexperience.com/raspberry-pi-xbmc-with-raspbmc/

I can’t believe this forum is still active with people who still regularly use this product. Just get a Fire TV (either model is good; I’ve extensively used both) and sideload SPMC and you’re good to go.

Because it’s still working fine for a lot of people, that’s why. Also, since FireTV won’t read NTFS from USB, it’s a no-go for me. That’s why I sold mine.

That’s not a major issue, you can still stream 4GB or larger video files via network share. They added Fat32 storage recently, potentially they could add NTFS later, but I’m not sure.

My wdtv streaming works fine as well, but the experience is objectively worse in almost every way when compared to using KODI/XBMC on the Fire TV. The wdtv is just a completely redundant product in the Android box and sideloading era of 2015.

Right, and it precedes them by several years having autoframe which Android STILL does not. And no, just because it’s no problem for you doesn’t mean it’s the same for everybody. I have my NASes and still want to be able to play back files > 4 GB from USB.

I’ve read that minix neo has auto frame rate detection.

Never tried one.

I was btchn about iview not working anymore back in december due a security change at ABC’s end and although a solution was promised by WD, it never came and a quick check back here shows it never will. They did take the time to mod my post though due to a swear word that was camouflaged with some astericks, etc.Wow! I had a feeling that it would take too long at that time so I invested a few dollars and some time to get a Raspberry Pi running the way I wanted it, complete with Kodi and Catchup TV. Thanks, WD for your support :stuck_out_tongue: and giving me the push I needed to move to a more supported product.

                                               Yours Sincerely,  Ex Customer

P.S. If you intended on dropping support due to the unit being superceded you could have at least left on a good note and released a final firmware that tried to address all the reported bugs. You can’t say you haven’t had time or know of any issues. But you apparently prefer to make people choose to either rollback to an earlier FW that fixes some things or purchase your new product…Oh, hang on, there are other brands.

I want to use this unit, but it’s crashing every day from huge memory leaks.

Please fix the bugs WD.

Mr-Wolf wrote:

I want to use this unit, but it’s crashing every day from huge memory leaks.

Please fix the bugs WD.

 

Ah young one, we WDTV Hub owners were once like you.  Come in, have a seat.  We have knowledge to impart…