Hi,
I have a WD TV (Gen 1) connected to two MyBook drives (a 1TB Home Ed. and a 2TB Mirror). The problem I have is the annoying delay (usually 3 seconds, but sometimes 5 or 6 seconds) when moving from one video chapter file to another.
To explain, I have converted some of my (original) DVDs into MPEG or AVI formats, so these play as a single file with no problems. However, most of my DVDs were originally put onto my first MyBook drive, and were played directly from the drive via a USB connection to my TV (this was long before I bought the WD TV). As the TV had limited searching / fast forward functions, the DVDs were ripped into separate chapters, and stored unchanged in the original VOB format. The WD TV reads these as mpeg files, so there is no problem playing them. Problem is that because there is a separate file for each chapter, the WD TV pauses when moving from one chapter file to the next. What seems to make the delay longer is that the WD TV ‘wakes up’ both of the MyBook drives before it starts the next chapter. Sometimes this takes as long as 5 or 6 seconds, which is not that long but is rather annoying when it happens all the way through a movie.
I have well over 300 DVDs, and obviously don’t want to have to convert / merge the existing files or re-rip the discs. Strangely, when I play music files (mp3s) from one of the MyBooks, I don’t get the same delay problems. Even though the same basic situation is happening - the WD TV plays each separate file, one after the other in the same (album) directory - but there is no delay when getting the next mp3 file, and it doesn’t stop to wake up the other MyBook drive.
Any suggestions ?
My suggestion for WD is that since so much has been gained from those who purchased the original Gen 1 WD TVs; How about offering an upgrade deal on the Gen 2 WD TV ?
After all, you (WD) wouldn’t have put the Gen 1 on the market if you didn’t think the product was saleable. But obviously needed a lot of improvement, and its only through all of the Gen 1 owners’ inputs, comments, suggestions, etc. that a better and more competitive product (i.e. the Gen 2 WD TV) is now available. So you about looking after the little guy ?
