Is WD media player a dead product? If so, can some one recommend

“It seemed to happen after significant use of Netflix when trying to use Media Library with shares (the other unit was mainly used with shares).”

“I had no issues on 2.02.32 watching Netflix and then playing back files from SMB shares (media library is turned off though).”

There seems to be the big problem - media library is having problems.  And that’s my big loss, because that’s the only thing I really want from this device - the ability for it to remember where I left off in the movie, which seems to only be available if you use media library.

fred9999 wrote:> There seems to be the big problem - media library is having problems.  And that’s my big loss, because that’s the only thing I really want from this device - the ability for it to remember where I left off in the movie, which seems to only be available if you use media library.

That’s not true. I don’t use the Media Library at all, and the device always remembers where I left off and gives me the option to continue.

Yes you’re correct to a point.  It has a limited memory, by which I mean, it only remembers the last few.

My family and I have a number of movies and TV shows on the go at the same time, and if you don’t use media library, it won’t remember them all, and then it’s a pain to have to find where you left off.

Also, it won’t remember if you turn the device completely off (5 sec push off button).

In Australia our local ALDI chain had one for around AU$60. It read ok on the box, may have been Android based system, cant remember. I bought one, havent set it up yet (moving house), but FWIW I’ve never bought an ALDI product that didnt do exactly as they said it would. And honestly, how much worse could it possibly be than the WD one???

fatboydarky wrote:

how much worse could it possibly be than the WD one???

a lot  :wink:

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2237819

MarekN87 wrote:

I use 2.01.86 and works fine.

http://community.wd.com/t5/WD-TV-Live-Streaming/Where-can-I-download-OLD-FIRMWARE/td-p/780531/page/2

Thank you guys for the reply. I just got this box, and I’m testing firmware versions like crazy here; so is 2.01.86 the “most stable” of all firmware releases so far you think? I’ve now decided to give the “faulty” 2.0.32 a try and it seems a tad faster-more responsive at the start but then it gets slower until it crashes on me. The only thing I didn’t like about the 2.01.86 is that for some reason audio sounds quite dull and compressed compared to the lastest firmware, at least using the analog output.

TonyPh12345 wrote:


habskilla wrote:

I have a Nexus player on order.  It’s due to arrive in 2 to weeks.  


Not even a comparison.  The Nexus Player doesn’t stream any local media (yet.)  

 

From what (little) I’ve been reading, the pared-down Play store at launch time didn’t have any apps that allow UPnP (DLNA) or Samba streaming – so you’re limited to video available in online stores (Vudu, NetFlix, Play Store, etc…)

 

Let us know how that goes for you, though!

 

The unit finally showed up late yesterday.  So I haven’t had a whole bunch of time to play with it.  

The first thing I did was see if it could play content from my NAS without using a DLNA server like PLEX.  Yes, with the help of an app.  I installed the Kodi (XBMC) apk and it worked FLAWLESSLY.  

No username/password issue.  

No not seeing my network share issue.  

No issues at all.  

In fact, I was blown away by the responsiveness of the Nexus Player.  Browse to a movie/TV show, press play and it instantly played.

I tried playing a movie by browsing to it via ES File Explorer but I needed a video player like vlc installed, but I couldn’t find any compatible players.  Given time, I expect to see a “vlc” type player that will allow native streaming.  But then again, after seeing how well Kodi played and performed, I’ll just stay with Kodi.

Are there issues?

Yes :slight_smile:

A big issue I’m having is I cannot save modified network settings.  I can add a static IP and US DNS IP, but it won’t save the values.  This means I can’t watch Netflix from other countries.

I’ve just scratched the surface of this thing and I’m very impressed.  I can’t wait to check out the games and emulators…

And finally, have I said how fast and responsive this box is?  :)

Just watched all of this, and must say I was impressed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0xHvjuDk68

dipster

Thanks for the interesting link, davedaxter.

Does anybody know if it is possible to convert the HDMI

signal of the Google Player into HD highres 24/192 kHz using a converter like this …?

http://community.wd.com/t5/WD-TV-Live-Streaming/No-HD-Audio-24-96-or-24-192-using-HDMI-to-SPDIF-Extractor-with/m-p/742038/highlight/true#M30964


MarekN87 wrote:

I agree, although after rolling back the firmware I have no problems, so the product is not dead. I guess it depends on what more do you want from it. If you already have a massive media library and if the current WD (with the previous firmware) works, what is the problem?

Don’t take me wrong, I am not happy about the way they do the updates as well. They could have at least  release the older update as a new one and force everyone to rollback until they fix it.

BTW, I’ve just started testing RaspberryPi with XBMC and so far it seems great, the only thing is, that R-Pi doesn’t have optical audio output :frowning:


Don’t know if it helps you but I think RPi can send digital audio output over the HDMI connection. I’ve never used it, though, only the analog outs.

I ran across this media player the other day which looks interesting. Seems like this ought to be able to play anything for quite some time to come, at least anything playable by an Android app.

http://www.amazon.com/SkyStreamX-Quad-Core-Android-Box/dp/B00M03ULH2/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t#productDetails

Due to the fact that there is no response from WD at all on this thread, as with most threads, I would say WD media player is very dead indeed! It seems that WD doesn’t care at all for their customers… This is the shortest way to push yourself out of the market and to commit commercial suicide. Very sad…

I don’t object to what you’ve said but I’ll just play devil’s advocate for a minute, at least in part, with a few thoughts I’ve had:

  • Has WD ever been responsive out here? Maybe they have, but I see that I registered here 8-3-12 and I don’t ever recall them actively responding to customers on this board during my time here, yet it’s been a couple years and the box is still alive. Perhaps lack of response is just status quo and not a sign of abandoning the platform.

  • The 2.02.32 release has a couple things in it, like the API, that I thought were “alive” and forward thinking. I can’t say I’m thrilled with the reliability of the release but I am running it on one of my two WD TV Live boxes. FW 2.01.86 caused me to have to restart periodically and so does the new release.

  • I’ve never seen WD soliciting beta testers. Maybe they do and I just don’t know about it. Maybe through other channels. I sure would be willing to test for them.

  • I have no idea how many of these boxes they’ve sold. Maybe there are millions of people using it without problems and only a few of us that seem to be out here all the time. With consumer electronics as with other products, people aren’t going to join a forum and post comments about how great it works. Only people experiencing problems seem to congregate to discuss, so it’s easy to get the idea that “everyone is having problems with the new release”. Go check a forum about a cable TV box or a router and you’ll feel a similar mood, at least in my experience. What’s that old saying about a happy customer tells one person but a pissed off customer tells 10? Something like that.

  • I still don’t really see any competition for this box, at least from Roku and the like, boxes you can go buy at Walmart. Those devices do some things well but what attracted me to this one and what keeps me here is the ability to connect to and play a wide variety of locally stored (i.e. on my home network) content. Like others have said, some of the Android and Linux-based (ex. Raspberry Pi) solutions seem promising. Another feature I like/need on WD is the composite video out because I have ancient TVs and can’t afford to update everything to HDMI.

  • I’ve often wondered who writes the “apps” for this thing. Do they come from WD or the service provider (Netflix, Youtube, etc)? For example, I love the Accuweather web site on my PC and Android, but the app for my WD TV is pathetic and always has been. You can barely determine if it is supposed to rain today. Did this come from WD or Accuweather?

I’ve never seen WD soliciting beta testers. Maybe they do and I just don’t know about it. Maybe through other channels. I sure would be willing to test for them.

They have sent out invitions several times over the years that i’ve been here

And now even on this forum you can join the “CREW”  for a chance to participate in Beta Testing

On the right side of screen (on the main forum page)   http://community.wd.com/

you will see this icon and link and referral code to join up

martinmarty wrote:

 

  • I have no idea how many of these boxes they’ve sold. Maybe there are millions of people using it without problems and only a few of us that seem to be out here all the time. With consumer electronics as with other products, people aren’t going to join a forum and post comments about how great it works. Only people experiencing problems seem to congregate to discuss, so it’s easy to get the idea that “everyone is having problems with the new release”. Go check a forum about a cable TV box or a router and you’ll feel a similar mood, at least in my experience. What’s that old saying about a happy customer tells one person but a pissed off customer tells 10? Something like that.

 

Here’s the thing.  It’s certainly very possible that only the people who come here are experiencing problems.  But it’s unlikely. What’s far more likely is that while only people who have problems bother to come here, there are many many people experiencing problems who don’t know the forum exists.  Some probably call tech support.  Many others just return the box, or if its older just stop using it.

The one thing that’s definite is that many of the issues are not subjective.  Oh, they vary in how they affect people, that’s true, but that’s because people’s USE of the box varies, not because the bugs are all inherently intermittent (because some are, but many aren’t).

When I can give you a distinct set of things to do that I’m pretty darn sure will cause you problems… then that’s a real bug, not smoke.  Want an example?

1.) If you don’t already have one, create a YouTube account.  Log in via your Web Browser.

2.) Turn on your WD (this presumes firmware  2.02.32)  and enter the YouTube Leanback app.  Log in to your YouTube account.

3.) Now PAIR the Leanback app to your Desktop instance (this is different from merely logging in). The directions on how to do this are contained in the Sign In - Settings area in Leanback.

4.) Now on your Desktop instance find a very long video.  40 min or longer (so a TV show or movie, and even better if it’s a higher res).  In fact, ideally find several of them and shove them all in your playback queue.  Then, right there in your desktop web browser is a little option in the playback window to transfer the playback to your WD player (it’s located in the same place as the Full Screen option–which now should have two options to either do full screen on your PC, or to transfer the video to the paired playback device).  Do so.  And then sit back and watch some YouTube videos on your TV.

5.) Exit Leanback afterwards and you’ll notice the Interface now crawls (because leaving Leanback didn’t release the system resoruces).  You may also get a system message about being low on memory.

Now the above may happen with a lot less being done.  PAIRing the devices I’m not sure is necessary.  It may happen with only a single long video, and I can’t say I’m positive you actuallly have to watch them all the way through.  But the reason I’ve laid the steps out as described above is that I know that particular sequence and conditions lead to the problem.  It should be duplicatable by anyone.

Again, I am not saying there aren’t uncountable numbers of people with no problems.  Just that if so, it’s because they aren’t using Leanback in this way (although remember there are many other bugs in 2.02.32 – this is just me describing a single one that’s consistent as an example).

WileyCoyote wrote:
Here’s the thing.  It’s certainly very possible that only the people who come here are experiencing problems.  But it’s unlikely. What’s far more likely is that while only people who have problems bother to come here, there are many many people experiencing problems who don’t know the forum exists.> * * *

Really? You base that opionon on what? Your gut feeling, any self-made statistics?

WileyCoyote wrote:
this is just me describing a single one that’s consistent as an example).> * * *

Except of course that people reported this exact behaviour with Netflix while others (including me) mentioned they saw no memory issues after watching Netflix for hours before switching back to local playback.

JoeySmyth wrote:

 

They have sent out invitions several times over the years that i’ve been here

 

And now even on this forum you can join the “CREW”  for a chance to participate in Beta Testing

 

On the right side of screen (on the main forum page)   http://community.wd.com/

you will see this icon and link and referral code to join up

 

Thanks, Joey! I’m signed up.

Techflaws wrote:> Except of course that people reported this exact behaviour with Netflix while others (including me) mentioned they saw no memory issues after watching Netflix for hours before switching back to local playback.

Hi Techflaws. Just curious. How’s your Internet service? Around here it’s not that great. Speed and reliability fluctuate greatly. I’m wondering if those of us with more problems have inferior Internet and maybe the runaway memory consumption (or whataver makes it lock up and need a restart) is a result of error handling code or lack thereof. I’ve often had to restart following a Netflix error (We’re having problems playing this video - try again later) or freezup while watching a Netflix video or starting to play a Netflix video (when the progress bar is at about 25%, before it actually starts playing). I’ve never been able to determine whether these problems were really due to Netflix, ISP or WD.

I’ve also had lockups while playing content stored on my network, but far less frequently. I use wifi connection for my WD boxes, so there is another possible source of communications disturbance →  error handling →  possible problems. Actually, I doubt this possibility as I have watched locally stored content for hours and hours without problems. My money is on my ISP as the catalyst of problems.

Techflaws wrote:


WileyCoyote wrote:
Here’s the thing.  It’s certainly very possible that only the people who come here are experiencing problems.  But it’s unlikely. What’s far more likely is that while only people who have problems bother to come here, there are many many people experiencing problems who don’t know the forum exists.> * * *

Really? You base that opionon on what? Your gut feeling, any self-made statistics?

 


WileyCoyote wrote:
this is just me describing a single one that’s consistent as an example).> * * *

Except of course that people reported this exact behaviour with Netflix while others (including me) mentioned they saw no memory issues after watching Netflix for hours before switching back to local playback.

Could we please stick to discussing the issues and not making attacks?  How did me saying that I’m describing ONE consistent behavior that causes a problem offend you?  I didn’t claim that Netflix either does or doesn’t have a similar problem.  I just was laying out an exact series of steps martinmarty, or anyone in fact, could follow in Leanback to cause the resource issue.  Indicting my post based on something I didn’t even claim (that Netflix has a similar problem) frankly ISN’T my problem.  So people reporting a similar issue in Netflix don’t match your personal testing?  Well that’s nice to know, but I never claimed that they would.  Saying it doesn’t happen in Netflix doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen in Leanback.

Also, what statistics do you think I’m making up?  I gave no numbers.  I claimed no numbers. Does the word “many” offend you so much I’m not allowed to even SPECULATE that such might be the case?  I didn’t say that I had knowledge that any specific number of people are having problems, I prefaced the ENTIRE statement with a clear qualifier which framed it as a mere opinion, and you’ve reacted like I claimed special knowledge or proof.  I didn’t… that’s what makes it an OPINION.  How was that any different than martinmarty saying “Maybe there are millions of people using it without problems and only a few of us that seem to be out here all the time”. Another opinion–one I don’t mind him having in the least, whether he has proof or not, and yet you chose to chew me out and not him for a similar type of statement based only on “maybes” and guesswork.

So yes, it’s a feeling.  Disagree if you want.  I just would appreciate it do so with civility rather than clear anger.

Ignore Techflaws. He is a 100% pro WD fan.   The device could start on fire and spew battery acid in your face and he would have a reason as to why that was a feature.

This device is dead.  The hardware is out dated and now low end. 

WD is niche player in this space and  I don’t think WD has the appetite for further investment, but if they are going to stay in this market, they will have to introduce a new device.

martinmarty wrote:

Just curious. How’s your Internet service? Around here it’s not that great. Speed and reliability fluctuate greatly.

Ok reliability but low speed.

WileyCoyote wrote:
Saying it doesn’t happen in Netflix doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen in Leanback.

Saying it happens to you in Leanback doesn’t mean it does to everybody which is my whole point: there may be other issues at work here especially when networking is involved.

WileyCoyote wrote:

Does the word “many” offend you so much I’m not allowed to even SPECULATE that such might be the case?

No, I’ve only been annoyed by your previous incessant whinings (spamming unrelated threads) were you kept insisting - based on YOUR feelings - that the WDTV simply must **bleep** for everybody (and WD of course for DARING not to answer you). I appreciate your sudden discovery of civility though. Keep it up.

Borgo wrote:

Ignore Techflaws. He is a 100% pro WD fan.

That keeps complaining about WD in many threads here. Weird definition of fan you got there.

Borgo wrote:

This device is dead.  The hardware is out dated and now low end. 

Right. It does not play my uncompressed BD rips anymore and since we’re drowning in 4K/H.265 content, I don’t know what to use it for. Get real.