WD TV Live not working well

[Fio_Cavallari]

Hey all,

                   I just installed my WD TV Live and updated it to the latest firmware (1.02.21). It is located on my network using a fixed IP address (172.16.1.223) and it identifies all my network shares, USB drives and can check youtube videos.

                   Everything is OK until I start playing videos or mp3 files… It plays the first couple of media files and then hangs on the Spinning Wheel of Death or show a message that it can’t play that file (which was played minutes ago).

                   After the power cycle (power off and on, hard reset, reset to factory defaults) it can play the files again, then it stops after two mp3 files being played.

I’m thinking about upgrading it to the 1.03.22 and test it again. Don’t know what else to do.

Regards

Fio

[mkelley]

As always it’s best to work from a known quality.

Can you play the files on a locally attacked USB stick or disc?  If not, try running one of the videos (a short one) through Handbrake with the preset set to High Profile and output type to MKV.  If THAT doesn’t play properly on a locally attached USB drive we have an issue with the Live.

[Fio_Cavallari]

I’m playing both mp3 and wmv videos from an attached USB disc (an WD passport 500GB).

Even through the USB disc or the NAS I can only play 2 mp3 files. Didn’t tried any MKV yet.

The issue is: I can play 2 mp3 files or 1 movie until it hangs. I’ll probably record the issue happening later on this evening and post on youtube or something…

Thanks Mike!

[mkelley]

If you run one of the problem video files through Handbrake (output as an MKV using that High Profile preset I mentioned) and try playing it it will tell us a lot.

If it plays properly (and I suspect it will) then the problem is with your files.  Although it’s not TOO picky, the Live does require files to be encoded in a certain way.

[SjefDeKlerk]

mkelley wrote:

If you run one of the problem video files through Handbrake (output as an MKV using that High Profile preset I mentioned) and try playing it it will tell us a lot.

 

If it plays properly (and I suspect it will) then the problem is with your files.  Although it’s not TOO picky, the Live does require files to be encoded in a certain way.

I really don’t see why running handbrake would do any good, TO clearly says the files run a few time and then just stop. This seems to be a serious issue, not related to the files. I’d try a different FW.

[Fio_Cavallari]

I already tried the 1.01.24 and the 1.02.21 and both didn’t work for me.

I’m gonna try the beta one later…

[SjefDeKlerk]

Fio_Cavallari wrote:

I already tried the 1.01.24 and the 1.02.21 and both didn’t work for me.

I’m gonna try the beta one later…

Yeah, try the beta, that contains a lot of new code. However I have a feeling that there’s something really wrong with your WDTV …

[PixelPower]

Fio_Cavallari wrote:

I’m playing both mp3 and wmv videos from an attached USB disc (an WD passport 500GB).

Even through the USB disc or the NAS I can only play 2 mp3 files. Didn’t tried any MKV yet.

 

The issue is: I can play 2 mp3 files or 1 movie until it hangs. I’ll probably record the issue happening later on this evening and post on youtube or something…

 

Thanks Mike!

Could the unit be overheating?

Do you have sufficient space around the Live?  Nothing sitting on top (or below) it?

[scratchie]

Presumably there’s something sitting “below” it unless it’s hanging from a sling.

[heavenlydmeonic]

PixelPower wrote:

 

Could the unit be overheating?

 

Do you have sufficient space around the Live?  Nothing sitting on top (or below) it?

Are you asking him if his WD Live is … levitating?

[mkelley]

SjefDeKlerk wrote:

 

I really don’t see why running handbrake would do any good, TO clearly says the files run a few time and then just stop. This seems to be a serious issue, not related to the files. I’d try a different FW.

 

Yeah, I misread the first post – didn’t see that he could play a video and then not play it later.

If it’s from multiple sources (local USB drives) then it’s time for an RMA (“time for a new Timex”)

[PixelPower]

scratchie wrote:

Presumably there’s something sitting “below” it unless it’s hanging from a sling.

Sometimes people like to “stack” their hardware, e.g. place the Live on top of an external HDD.

I’m not suggesting it is (or should be) levitating, just asking if it’s on or near anything warm or has insufficient airflow.  :)

[Fio_Cavallari]

First of all, my device is not levitating I’d like to try that but my alien friends don’t share they technology…

Just updated the beta firmware and I could listen to my MP3 files on my thumb drive and external hard drive, but no network shares at all… Since all my files are stored on my NAS, I don’t see any sense on copying files from it to another device…

Ok, let’s check this later.

Next step: Videos.

DIVX, WMV and others worked well, could skip to the next, fast forward and rewind them. But after watching some videos, one of them hanged (no commands worked) and the Spinning Wheel of Death show it’s face when playing any kind of media after hanging. Going to power cycle, no reseting this time.

After power cycling: Added a new device (USB Hard drive with both mp3 files and different kind of videos).

MP3 - OK

Videos - OK, no problems until now…

Youtube - Ok, slow due to my [deleted] internet provider. But looks like I can’t go back to the main menu and going back to the video (maybe it’s lack of knowledge of mine).

Network shares - FAIL

Going to check the forum for help on this…

[Fio_Cavallari]

Just configured the option Media Server on my NAS and WD TV Live found it (the problem is to create the media library, there’s almost 1.2 TB of media)

Let’s see if it works.

[Fio_Cavallari]

This is becoming a blog of what I’m doing…

I had the same problem again. After playing two songs (that’s the strange part) it stops and to continue playing I have to reset the device.

I googled problems with firmware and found the WDlxTV… I know it’s not supported by WD yadda yadda yadda, installed.

And guess what same issue.

I don’t know if you have another ideas, but I think the next step is finding a representative in Brazil and RMA.

I’m really sad about it…

New info

I noticed that when I’m playing any file the counter suddenly turns to 00:00:00 and then nothing else works.

It happened on External Hard Drive, thumb drive and Network Share.

Now I tested it on almost all firmwares I could find.

[Fio_Cavallari]

After installing almost all firmwares available over the internet (official and homebrew) I’m sending it back to WD…

RMA was my last option because it would take over a month to get it back.

Anyway, thanks for the help… I hope the new one works.

[Fio_Cavallari]

As I had to stay at the office today and wouldn’t be able to go back home and send the WDTV to RMA, I started browsing the forum…

One guy had a similar problem and tried disconnecting the device from the network and just use the USB drive. As strange as it can sound, it worked.

I unplugged the device from the network and it played one full album without hanging.

I could see some pictures while the music was playing and nothing happened.

Now I’m watching some videos… And everything is fine…

This is my message on the networking topic

http://community.wdc.com/t5/Networking/Can-t-play-media-while-connected/td-p/29168

[Fio_Cavallari]

I had DD-WRT Micro installed on a WRT54G. WD TV Live didn’t work.

Installed Linksys Firmware on it. Everything is working as it should.

So, no DD-WRT with WD TV Live