OK I know WD released the “Live” version and thus may have better software on it than on my WDTV HD, but here are some simple suggestions/questions based on my first impressions of a WDTV HD (first gen, upgraded to the latest firmware):
Why list file types that cannot be played?
For example, I connected a backup drive of mine and it found LOTS of files on it that were not movies and listed them in the Videos list. It listed .DAT , .MOD (which is supposed to be a music file), .MOV (ok thats a movie file, but none of them play), and possibly other extensions.
If the system can scan a drive for files, couldn’t it also do a quick check of the codec and determine if it’s supported or not? Then either don’t show the file, OR show the file with a little red X icon next to it so we know it is not compatible.
A standby mode that doesn’t heat the unit up so much. If I turn power off on an external HD, it’s not so bad, but if there is a USB thumbdrive inserted, then it seems the unit doesn’t “sleep” ever. Stays hot.
Oh and I wanted to say I was surprised that some AVI and WMV I have that are a few years old wouldn’t play. I would have thought the player would be up to date up to, well at least 2009?
It doesn’t. Several file types have more than one use. It expects a .dat file to be a VCD disc. It doesn’t know (or care) if other applications also use the .dat filetype to store their data. Apparently WD figured you’d only try to play valid files and not AVG databases. There are several types (mostly disc formats) that aren’t mentioned. It also supports .iso files.
If the system can scan a drive for files, couldn’t it also do a quick check of the codec and determine if it’s supported or not? Then either don’t show the file, OR show the file with a little red X icon next to it so we know it is not compatible.
The scanning takes long enough as it is, and the memory of the device is limited. It can’t really be expected to remember the thousands of files on a 2TB drive that used an unsupported codec within a supported filetype. I guess WD just felt that if they told you what it would play and what it wouldn’t, that you’d only try to play supported files and codecs on it – especially when they provided conversion software.
Oh and I wanted to say I was surprised that some AVI and WMV I have that are a few years old wouldn’t play. I would have thought the player would be up to date up to, well at least 2009?
Unlike a PC which can essentially infinitely keep installing new codecs, the WDTV has limitations. It supports the most common codecs found in the supported file types.
