I am currently running a WD Live without a network in my basement Home Theater. I have an old 1TB My Book hooked into it. Here is what I’m trying to do: 1) get my WD and it’s attached HD onto a network so that I can use my iPhone app to control what I’m watching (I listen to a ton of music through my WD and I’m a projector owner. I don’t want to waste bulb life on my projector when listening to music). 2) After I solve issue # 1, I will run an ethernet cable to my main floor to get content on my upstairs TV.
For # 1, I’ve tried to connect the WD Live via one of those power-line wifi things and it managed to hook the Live up to the internet (I got Youtube streaming and did my software upgrades). However, no matter what I did, it did not recognize the content on the My Book Hard Drive. The same was true on the iPhone app…it was like the files on the HD didn’t exist.
From what I’ve read, I’ll need to get a new Hard Drive (like the WD My Book Live) which the WD Live would recognize.
For # 2, I will run an ethernet cable straight from my router to a second WD Live unit upstairs. I suspect that this is all I’d have to do…
Any thoughts?
If I understand correctly:
1- It sounds like you just have a network of independently running devices.
2-The “Share WDTV on your network” setting on the WDTV Live enables apps like iPhone’s PlugPlay to control it but not directly access content, so your TB USB drive is not part of the sharing - feeding the one WDTV device.
You can do the My book Live approach since it can be networked, although you have not mentioned how fast your network is (ex. Wireless-N; Mbps wired?)
An alternative, if you have a PC on your network,you have two options
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A crude method is to enable network sharing and scroll the available folders, but that would not play nice with the iphone app
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You could use the PC as a media server feeding the players. You would need to set up Windows Media Player or Twonky Server to act as a media server to feed content. The backup drive like your old TB one could be hooked up to your PC and shared on your network this way.
I think I have the problem solved…or at least I hope.
My network will look like this - 1) my content will be stored on a WD My Book Live (NAS) hooked into my router (G but will be replaced with an N later on). 2) I will have a WD Live in the basement hooked into the router that will run my basement HT. 3) I will run an Cat 6 cable from my router to my upstairs system and set-up another WD Live (Plus) for my upstairs system (this will allow the kids to watch their stuff on the plasma instead of killing the bulb on my projector). At the end of the day, I will have a wired network running off the WD My Book Live (NAS). I will use my 1TB WD drive to store and access content that I will only play in the basement HT. Best of all, I can limit the wasted bulb hours on my projector.
From what I’ve read, the My Book Live has uPnP which is what is required for the iPhone app to access the data. As long as I can play my music without firing up the projector, I will be happy. My wife and kids will be happy to not have to go to the basement to watch films.
