I was at Best Buy today and saw what appeared to be a new model - WD TV Live Plus. It was about $20 more than the regular TV Live, and apparently includes direct Netflix streaming. I couldn’t find any other differences.
Looks like the folks who bought the original TV Live expecting Netflix with a firmware update will be SOL.
Since this is not yet listed in WD website, does anyone else have any info about this unit?
It is indeed new. I’m really disappointed because I just bought my WD Live 5 months ago. I would have waited had I known a Netflix compatible version was forthcoming.
Yeah, and people who bought the iPhone 3Gs at Wal-Mart for $99 a week ago are now pissed off that Apple released the 4.0 a week later.
That’s life in the tech world, folks…
Heck, 6-9 months is a normal life for being on the top shelf.
Pando wrote:
Since this is not yet listed in WD website…
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/index.asp?cat=30
All I can say, as a Netflix customer having just bought a WDTVLive a few months ago, is…**bleep**!
I cannot believe WD is boning their customers like this. I’m pretty annoyed right now.
What bothers me more is the fact that they haven’t bothered to release a firmware update that gives more functionality to DVD menus, but they release an entirely new model that DOES give that functionality. I understand that the tech landscape changes every so months, so we can’t always ask for new functionality, but how about fixing something that was broken initially?? That’s like buying a Toyota with brake problems and then 6 months later, instead of Toyota fixing your breaks, you can buy an all new Toyota…
OK so they beat the Seagate GoFlex Live to market with Netflix Streaming BUT we’ve known about the Seagate product since January. Being a WD Reseller AND having just bught a WD TV Live for personal use a month ago I’m stunned beyond beilef. If they had just let us know it was in the pipeline. Boy am I hot under the collar right now. I may need to rethink my loyaties.
They shouldn’t be since the new iPhone was ANNOUNCED and also all over the news when a prototype was lost/stolen. WDC did not announce this new model. My WDTV Live is barely a month old. If there was a new product announcement I would have waited.
Umm… you all do realize that there is a 99% chance the hardware is identical to the live right? I haven’t taken one apart yet, but I have a strong feeling that WD only updated the model number, added 2 features to the firmware and are calling it a “new product”. This has nothing to do with apple releasing a new phone, it’s more like apple releasing the 3GS with 3.0 firmware, and then with no warning or hint, releasing a 3GS Plus with 3.1 firmware; and not letting you upgrade. I wouldn’t mind paying even $10 for the netflix, but I now have 2 I bought in the last 6 months (one was 40 days ago) that I was counting on netflix support for. WTF WD.
beren wrote:
Umm… you all do realize that there is a 99% chance the hardware is identical to the live right? I haven’t taken one apart yet, but I have a strong feeling that WD only updated the model number, added 2 features to the firmware and are calling it a “new product”
Yeah it’s weird. But then, if it’s exactly the same hardware, installing the new firmware on the ‘old’ version will be a trivial task. I don’t really get all of this either …
Agreed. Not even a reach around on this one.
As the other Mike Kelley I feel compeled to present an opposing argument.
It’s not in a maker’s interest to announce new products like that – while details of the iPhone did leak, there were serious consequences (people were fired). Apple is VERY closemouthed about any new product just like any responsible company and for a good reason – as everyone here notes, you wouldn’t buy the old product if you knew the new one was emminent.
A company HAS to continue to sell its products and announcing a new product that will undercut sales before the product is available is a terrible move. If I had stock in such a company I’d be appalled. Yes, there is ALWAYS a cutoff where customers might have waited a day/week/month and gotten something better, but if you trace that argument backwards you’d never sell anything.
So – boo hoo. I have zero symphathy for anyone who feels wronged by this, because those folks just don’t understand the business world (and have obviously either never had their own business or run it poorly). The true bottom line is ALWAYS – buy only something that does what you want. If it doesn’t do all you want, don’t buy it until it does.
mkelley wrote:
A company HAS to continue to sell its products and announcing a new product that will undercut sales before the product is available is a terrible move.
Of course. But if this is really the same hardware with just 2 more features, then this move is pretty weird, isn’t it ? All the other companies constantly release new features just for free. Now I, and most users, would be wlling to pay for new features. But in this case, it would mean we would have to buy a brand new box ! That’s at best a bit odd, wouldnt you agree ?
I disagree. This appears to be merely a firmware upgrade. While I see no percise promises it was certainly implied, perhaps unintentionally that this was coming. I wouldn’t have any major problem paying for the firmware upgrade.
Also it says that WDTV Live offers Mediafly support . . . where?
It’s not just a firmware upgrade. So all those arguments are moot.
mkelley wrote:
People, I can assure you this is NOT just a firmware upgrade. So all those arguments are moot.
Please explain how come you know ?
No, not at all. *most* companies have roadmaps that extend years into the future. Apple is a rare exception, and it seems that other people want to join the secret bandwagon. I am pissed about this. This kind of abusing customers is what drives them away. I know for one, I plan on taking a look at the GoogleTV as soon as it’s out and ebaying my WD lives over this. Why would I stay with a company that screws you with a minor software update. Even Apple doesn’t do that. There are hints and warnings, and for the most part any software works with computers 10 years old. I had 10.5 on a bondi blue iMac from 1998. Hardware-wise, yes they like secrets, but they have specific times where they update. Fall for laptops, summer for iphones/ipods, etc. So people do know what’s around the corner most times. But not this. This is a bchslap to anyone who has a live.
Apple is far from the only company that does this – but I’ve heard this all before and, quite frankly, no one really cares. If you think there are companies that act differently, then patronize them (that’s the whole point of patronage).
But complaining here is pointless (and childish).
The new device will for sure have some hardware changes:
Ideas Lab: NETFLIX streaming support
Update: Unfortuantely supporting Netflix is not possible on the current WDTV Live platform. This requires additional hardward component and content protection mechanism. We understand this is a very hot idea and we will keep this in mind for the future.
However the DVD navigation does not require any hardware changes so I’m still waiting to have that included in a firmware upgrade.
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