Latest WDTV Media Player Model: WDBYMN0000NBK-HESN

Does any of the great theme work done on the previous WDTV Media Players translate to the newest WDTV Media Player Model: WDBYMN0000NBK-HESN?  I am seriously considering the newest WDTV Media Player, but if I do purchase it, I want to enhance the movie viewing experience with themes and backdrops (Movie Sheets?), etc. 

I am very invested in the Home Theatre PC platform with Windows Media Center and the Media Browser Plugin for my movie viewing at home on my TV.  I have a gigabit wired home network, a NAS device to store my movies, and have structured the movie folder hierarchy to be compatible with the software on my HTPC.

I am thinking of moving off the HTPC and Windows platform for my movie player, and the newest WDTV Media Player has caught my attention.  But I don’t want to jump into this pool without understanding what the pitfalls are, and how to achieve an approximation of what I have now.  I am willing to give up some of the functionality I have now for a simpler technology platform.

Where do I start?  Can you point me in the right direction?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

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Any theme for the WDTV Live Streaming (SMP) will work on the latest WDTV (2014)

(theme’s for the WDTV Live Hub … to an extent (may need modification)

if you’re willing to “downgrade” from a HTPC to WDTV 

Where do you start ?    Provide detailed information on what you require in a simple Q&A

eg.

1. Does the new WDTV (2014) support Netflix ?

No

_ 2. Does the WDTV support Bluray ISO with Menu’s ? _

The WDTV supports Bluray iso’s … but does Not support playback of “menu’s”

3. Does the WDTV remote control have a Volume Control ?

No, the IR remote does not … the WDTV Remote App (for Android / iOS) does

etc. etc. etc.

Think of a bunch questions … and myself or others will do our best to answer them 

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Thanks for the reply.  Here are some of my newbie questions:

  1. I understand I need to upgrade/enhance/replace the firmware on the WDTV Media Player (2014).  Where do I get this software? 

  2. Once I have the firmware upgraded, I think I understand that I will need to obtain some tools to work on my movie folders.  I have read about Thumbgen, and visited web sites for other tools.  It is a little confusing to me at this point.  For the WDTV Media Player (2014), what tools do I need to get started working on my movie folders so the backdrops will be displayed as I look through my movie library?

  3. I use the software called Media Center Master to create the XML for each of my movies so my current setup (Windows Media Center with the Media Browser Plugin with a theme applied) can display the backdrops, movie synopsis, rating, characters, etc.  This software (Media Center Master ) has an option to create the XML for WDTV media players.  My question is what do you normally use to create your XML for the new enhanced firmware for the WDTV? 

  4. In my current setup, I have my movies segregated in a folder hierarchy something like this:  Movies/year/moviefolder.  I have had the folder hierarchy different in the past, and it is no issue to change my hierarchy on the fly.  My set up will automatically pick it up, so it is dynamic that way.  Within the movie folder is the movie itself, the XML, the trailer, several backdrops (backdrop1.jpg, backdrop2.jpg, etc) the Dvd cover (folder.jpg).  I am currently creating a “Movie Sets” level in the herirachy (same level as year)  with level below that for the actual movie set folder which then contains all the individual movie folders of that set, like the Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, movies etc.  My question is about the hierarchy of the movie folders with the enhanced WDTV firmware.  Can I change the movie folder hierarchy on the fly in this setup, or is it fixed?

  5. My current setup (Windows Media Center with the Media Browser Plugin with a theme applied) will display my movie collection (using the folder hierarchy) such that I first see the year level (displaying each year folders “folder.jpg”), then once I click on a year, all the various “folder.jpg’s” for each movie in that year folder will be displayed.  Once I click on a movie, then a screen displays showing the movie synopsys (from the XML), movie rating, characters, etc.  Also, the backdrop.jpg’s for that movie will rotate in the background.  This screen also has buttons for “Play Movie”, Play Trailer", and a few navigation buttons (based upon the theme I am using).  My question is how do I get something similar in this WDTV Media Player environment?  I understand the movie synopsis and other information is somehow created as a .jpg, and stored in the movie folder (I think).  So I suppose when I click on a movie this picture will display.  I also suppose that at this point i can click on a button to play the movie?  What about the trailer?

Thanks for any information you can provide.  I appologize for rambling, but I am still trying to get my mind around this environment.

1. Where do I get this software?

The WDTV will notify you when new firmware is available (a New Firmware Icon will appear on the Home Screen) and you can upgrade online.  If you manually wish to upgrade via a USB Flashdrive … the download link is here

http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/updates/?family=wdfwdtv_g2

2. For the WDTV Media Player (2014), what tools do I need to get started working on my movie folders so the backdrops will be displayed as I look through my movie library?

Backdrops (and movie info) won’t display for “Folders” only “Files” (see pics below)

I personally don’t put my movies into Folders except for One “Main Folder” eg. MY MOVIES

3. My question is what do you normally use to create your XML

Me personally ? i use the WDTV … as it has it;s own Media Scraper to generate xml, poster, backdrops

4. My question is about the hierarchy of the movie folders with the enhanced WDTV firmware. Can I change the movie folder hierarchy on the fly in this setup, or is it fixed?

There is only “Filter” and “Sorting” options eg.

“Filter” … All, Folders, Genre, Actor, Director, New Items etc

“Sorting” … Date, Alphabetical, Ratings and Recently Viewed

5. My question is how do I get something similar in this WDTV Media Player environment? I understand the movie synopsis and other information is somehow created as a .jpg, and stored in the movie folder (I think). So I suppose when I click on a movie this picture will display. I also suppose that at this point i can click on a button to play the movie? What about the trailer?

If you want a Backdrop jpeg that contains movie info (aka. Moviesheet) then you will have to use Thumbgen.

(oodles of info in the “Themes” forum (most moviesheet themes come with instructions) also, there is a Thumbgen forum)

http://community.wd.com/t5/WD-TV-Themes/bd-p/hub_themes

http://forum.wdlxtv.com/viewforum.php?f=25

If the movie and trailer are in a Folder … then yes, you will need to press OK to enter the folder and the Backdrop will appear and you will also see the trailer in the folder as well to play

Backdrops and Movie Metadata will not display for Movies in Folders

Backdrops and Metadata will display for Files (once you “enter” the Folder)

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Thank you very much for the detailed reply.  It appears the latest WDTV will do more than I thought.  I will move foreward on purchasing the device, and see how it handles my movie library.  I am sure I will have additional questions once I get my hands on it, and start using it.

Thanks again!

no probs

just a reminder, you “Will” have to re-do your complete library. Because i’m guessing with MCM you did’nt check “WDTV Compatible”

eg. your xml’s look like this …    movie.xml

which the WDTV will not read … it needs to be the name of the movie  eg. Starship Troopers.xml

Hi, not sure if this is useful but I bought one of these abut a week ago as a replacement for my early model which had no network connection on it. I love the WD box have for years plays back most mkv’s and mp4s with no issues. My older one did have some issues with MP4 with sound synch issues, whick MKVmege used to fix most of the problems. I have noticed more sound issues lately on mp4 where re-coder not worked so waited for mkv instead. This was main reason for getting new model.

I have bought these for relatives before and bought a wd tv hub.

My review of latest model is a UK one from PC world for £69.99. Main points are:

  • Has played all the files I had previously AVI, MP4 and MKV
  • Has played some problem mp4 that where out of synch on old box with no issues…yipee !
  • I set it up as a media library, but by default auto updates are off so you have to press update on each film.
  • Turn on updates and it took about 40 minutes getting my library and pictures down for about 1tb of data. Looks good and was pretty accurate. I prefer the folder view but did this just to test it !
  • On old box I had a hacked firmware to switch the drive completely off  when pressed standby button wheras on thi smodel when clicked standy my wd potable drive flashed away alll night. This is fixed now it saya in manual to hold power button down for 3 seconds and it powers the USB port down as well.
  • I was running a 2 metre USB  cable to drive oddly the connection on back of this device is looser thn old one and in vertical position. I had a few  loads where it could not read my wd portable 2tb drive. This was fixed by a new cable of ebay still 2 metres long, Just fitted better. 
  • One thing that is hard to tell from google searched is the ability to attach from another pc. With the WD play on and the tool as stated in te manual you can connect to the USB attached to the WD live  from a PC. This can be a network  drive or network patch. I then managed to play a film on my Windows 8 laptop using the WD box and its drive. This will save me lots of time as wont need to recopy stuff to my laptop. Most importantly you can also copy form laptop to the portable drive on the WD box via network. Its not that fast but saves me time unplugging it evey few days.
  • Overall very impressed. I have experience of plex and also use that to stream to TV’s. I have not quite got my laptop working to pull from te WD box and then stream direct to a different PC, but I’l get that working. I should be able to add to plex and do via chromecast or use a player that will restream via dnla.

Thanks for all the replies.  I just received my new WDTV Media Player (2014)!  It came with 2 themes, and one looks fairly good right out of the box.

I am looking for additional themes to download, but am having trouble figuring out which themes will work “out of the box” on my new 2014 WDTV Media Player. 

First, are there themes available that will work on my new WDTV out of the box?  If so, where can I go to get them?

By the way, I have read over and over on these forums where answers were given to “go to the theme forum, you will find what you need there”.  Most (if not all) of the information on the Themes forum is for previous versions of the WDTV, and I can’t figure out how to tell if any of them will work on the new WDTV Media Player (2014).

Any help would be appreciated.

i answered your question in the Themes Forum

http://community.wd.com/t5/WD-TV-Themes/WD-TV-Media-Player-Themes/m-p/861475#M15646

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Ok, I am up and running.  I have loaded another theme on my WDTV, and I see how that works.  I have spent a fair amount of time trying to understand how to map the WDTV to a specific folder on my USB connected hard drive. 

I know I am missing something.  I have a 2GB hard drive that has multiple folders on it.  Some have videos, and other media in them.  I only want to map one specific folder to the WDTV, but it wants to map the entire drive.

What am I missing?

where are you plugging the 2TB hard drive into ?

the WDTV or your PC ?

Directly into the WDTV.

I am getting my WDTV Media Player Model: WDBYMN0000NBK-HESN tomorrow and was greatly enjoying this thread.  But it died…  :cry: