Problems play Unsupported? Videos

[HammerToe]

…***In the following SENSE***…

Obviously, one cannot expect WDTV-LMP to play ‘unsupported’ file types BUT:

If the WDTV encounters an ‘Unsupported File Type’ and???, it seems that it will sometime ‘recognize’ that fact, displays the advisory message, and allow one to ‘abort’ and continue.

BUT: I seem to often encounter situations where if I try to play an unsupported??? file type, it just ‘hangs’ and the ‘progress clock’ going on ‘forever’…

AND! The worst part, the ONLY way I seem to be able to get the WDTV to work/play ANYTHING after that is to UNPLUG IT from the power supply, plug it back and and (ie.) do a cold-reboot.

A warm reboot (ie. Remote off/on) will NOT fix the problem.

This seems to happen quite frequently in my case, where I download a wide variety video formats off the Internet, and is quite annoying.

[richUK]

I assume that this because the file you are trying to play is not ‘unsupported’. The WDTV may recognise the type of file and attempt to play it but then because of a number of reasons cannot procede. The reasons could be that the file ‘description’ is different to the actual file or that it is not encoded correctly to the the standard that the WDTV requires. Don’t forget that the majority of movies on the internet are encoded by freeware programs that may not support the specification exactly. This is no problem for software players but is a major problem for hardware like the WDTV.

I agree that  WD should have anticipated this problem and made it easier for the unit to back out if encountering this type of file etc. 

[HammerToe]

richUK wrote:

I assume that this because the file you are trying to play is not ‘unsupported’. The WDTV may recognise the type of file and attempt to play it but then because of a number of reasons cannot procede. The reasons could be that the file ‘description’ is different to the actual file or that it is not encoded correctly to the the standard that the WDTV requires. Don’t forget that the majority of movies on the internet are encoded by freeware programs that may not support the specification exactly. This is no problem for software players but is a major problem for hardware like the WDTV.

I agree that  WD should have anticipated this problem and made it easier for the unit to back out if encountering this type of file etc. 

EXACTLY/That’s  my point.

Having to go so far as POWER THE UNIT OFF AND BACK ON is ‘rediculous’…

[reddiance]

I had the same problem playing an Eminem music video. It started playing fine but then it “hung” the player. Even turning it off and then playing another file, would still display the “hung” screen. I had to unplug it for it to work. It’s a real nuisance.

[kosh2]

The fact that it stated playing ok signifies something else going wrong here.  Possible corrupt file or some bitrate issue.

Can you post mediainfo details?