I recently ripped a DVD containing a set of TV episodes into ISO format (or rather I should say copied it) using DVDfab. The .ISO file was placed on a drive hooked up to my WD TV Play. It doesn’t even show up in the WD “my storage” app. I haven’t had any problems ripping audio tracks/albums into the same drive and getting them to show up in the WD. Can anyone help? Is there something peculiar about the ISO format and the WD? Earlier, I had ripped the DVD into individual episodes (.VOB), but didn’t like the result. I ended up with a “video_ts” folder with files in it that the WD wouldn’t play (unsupported format). I’m new to ripping DVDs and want to end up with something that will play like the DVD with the menus, and will be supported by the WD TV play.
abyssalloris wrote:
I recently ripped a DVD containing a set of TV episodes into ISO format (or rather I should say copied it) using DVDfab. The .ISO file was placed on a drive hooked up to my WD TV Play. It doesn’t even show up in the WD “my storage” app. I haven’t had any problems ripping audio tracks/albums into the same drive and getting them to show up in the WD. Can anyone help? Is there something peculiar about the ISO format and the WD? Earlier, I had ripped the DVD into individual episodes (.VOB), but didn’t like the result. I ended up with a “video_ts” folder with files in it that the WD wouldn’t play (unsupported format). I’m new to ripping DVDs and want to end up with something that will play like the DVD with the menus, and will be supported by the WD TV play.
First. please edit your original post to delete the three pages of blank text…
Second, the WD TV Play doesn’t support DVDs or DVD ISO.
Edit message: done. Didn’t realize I had blank pages.
Doesn’t support DVD: What does this mean? I can understand if it doesn’t support ISO format, although the manual says that it supports .iso files (BD), meaning only BD ISOs? Why would that be? In any case, what exactly is meant by not supporting dvds? My intent is to rip the DVD into some sort of video format. The WD TV play clearly supports various video formats. Can you advise which format I should rip into?
You’d not only have to rip the DVD, but you’d need to convert the video to a supported video format.
ALL DVDs use MPEG2 video. The WD TV Play doesn’t support MPEG2 video in that way.
BD’s don’t use MPEG2 at all… They use AVC or VC-1 video.
Ok, so I went ahead and converted the ISO to MKV. Resulted in a single file. So far so good. WD plays it too, but no menu controls or anything. It’s just one big file that will play end to end without accepting any input. Really, this mustn’t be so hard. You are supposed to be able to take a DVD and end up with something that the WD will play, and support with DVD-like functions. What is missing?
As I said before, the WD TV Play does NOT support DVDs. And you cannot convert a DVD into a supported video format and still keep menu navigation.
If you wanted DVD support, you should have gone with the WD TV Live.
Hmm… looking back at the product comparison page on WD, I see that the the Live offers MPEG2 (& something about DTS) over the Play. Wish I’d known that MPEG2 = DVD. Are all consumers supposed to know that? How annoying and what a waste of time & money. If this was clearly stated in non-tech jargon, I would have bought the Live. I remember reading a few reviews and such, and never did I find anyone that clearly said “no dvd”. Please understand that I’m not complaining to you personally, but just voicing my annoyance.
So, the only difference between the two products is MPEG2/DTS? If I were to get hold of a Live, I would be able to generate a DVD ISO and retain all DVD control functionality? The device would recognize and support the ISO file? Thanks for the clarification.
No, there’s lots of additional functions in the Live compared to the Play.
Compare the User Guides of both to see the details.
Are all consumers supposed to know that?
Maybe; at least ones who want to do what you want. They get informed before they buy. You see, the WD Play is an entry-level unit that can do some, but not all the things a top-end unit can. Return the Play and get a Live if you can.
The WD TV Play does not support the ISO format… and not support the MPEG-TS standard .vob compression.
Umm… got the bit about DVD/MPEG2, etc. So, looking at the user manual for the Live, I see no mention of Netflix; neither do I see such a button on the picture of the remote (like there is on the Play’s remote). I do see some mention of Pandora and what not. Is the Live only a media player meant for playback of local content, or is it an online streamer also? The way the product comparison table on the website is written, it would seem that the Live does all that the Play does, and more. Is this not correct?
In short, I want a box that will stream online stuff (most importantly Netflix), and also play back audio/video content stored locally. Considering that the majority of video content people have is still DVD (vs BD), that certainly means it should play ripped DVDs - preferably with full features. Can someone put me out of my misery and tell me if WD offers such a box and what it’s name is? Must one read a 200 page manual to figure this out 
?
abyssalloris wrote:
Must one read a 200 page manual to figure this out
No, just reading the website will tell you that…
Bottom line to this:
If you want max streaming sources AND you want to play all your own media, you need both a Roku and a WDTV Live (not a WD Play) . Both units do some (or all) of each, but the Roku is firstly a media streamer with hundreds of sources, and secondly a limited media player (of one’s content). Vice versa is true for the WDTV Live; iwhich is a media player that does some streaming of very little internet content. Many of us have both units for these reasons.
Roku has a great Netflix interface, and access to Amazon Prime video, and that is mostly what our Roku is used for. For streaming ripped DVD, that is what the WDTV is used for. I started out years ago with a Roku, and got a WDTV when I wanted to play our own content on TV, (music, videos and photos).
Buy a RASPBERRY…
