WD TV Live stops playing files

Legacy Products WD TV
1

I’ve had a WD TV Live for some time, and it was working fine, playing an assortment of different video file types, via an external hard drive connected by USB.

One day, out of the blue, it suddenly went to play one video and refused to, and refused to play anything else, including videos that had previously played fine with no issue. The only solution was a complete Device Reset. Now, it does this quite often, either randomly stopping in the middle of a video or refusing to play a new one, and again the only solution is a Device Reset, something I now have to do multiple times a week. I also have a related issue, where the device will, again randomly and out of the blue, exit out of the currently playing video file and tell me that the external hard drive has been disconnected, in which case sometimes it will automatically reconnect, and other times I will have to physically disconnect and reconnect the USB cable.

As far as I’ve been able to tell, this seems to be a common problem, but I am yet to find a permanent solution, can anyone help me please, because it’s incredibly annoying

EDIT: Firmware version is 2.02.32

2

Well, trying to play an incompatible or corrupt video will result in previously “OK” videos not to play afterwards … this is well documented and reported over the years on all WDTV’s (all firmwares)

A device Restart / Reboot  will let the previously “OK” videos play again. (a device “Reset” is not [& should not] be necessary)

Regarding the “External HDD disconnected” … try another USB cable

3

The problem with that theory is that the videos in question aren’t incompatible or corrupt. They are videos using the same codecs and everything as hundreds of other videos I’ve played fine with no problem whatsoever. Also, often this happens while I’m in the middle of actively playing a video, with no problems beforehand, and once I’ve done a Device Reset said videos play perfectly fine afterwards, which wouldn’t be the case if they were incompatible or corrupt.
It’s seemingly completely random.

Restarting the device does nothing, that was the first thing I tried. A Device Reset is the only thing that works. I’ve been doing some Googling about this, and it seems to be an issue that a number of other people have, but so far I haven’t found a permanent solution, so I figured I’d come straight to the source, so to speak.

I did think of trying another cable, though of course that shouldn’t be necessary since, again, I’ve been playing hundreds of videos over the same cable, with absolutely no problems most of the time

Also, since it’s completely random, it’s kind of hard to test.

4

Just want to add that I’m seeing the same issues.

Often, files that previously played on the WDTV will not play if the device has been on for a couple of hours for me.

Sometimes, a file that i have been watching will stop and go to a black-screen, only to never start up again. Closing (using the back button) and trying to re-start the file ends up with the turning arrow.

Often, it ends up with me needing to reset the WDTV, and also the laptop some times, so that the device can talk to the laptop again.

I have the WDTV connected via USB to an external HDD, and also wirelessly to a laptop, and this happens with both methods of playback so i don’t think it will be cable-related.

Same firmware version as mitthrawnuruodo, would like to hear if anybody’s found a root cause for this kind of thing happening.

It’s the way it stops playing stuff halfway through that gets me…

Cheers,

1 Like
5

mitthrawnuruodo wrote:

The problem with that theory is that the videos in question aren’t incompatible or corrupt. They are videos using the same codecs and everything as hundreds of other videos I’ve played fine with no problem whatsoever.

Which would still allow a faulty mux to be the issue.

mitthrawnuruodo wrote:

Restarting the device does nothing, that was the first thing I tried. A Device Reset is the only thing that works.

What happens if you remove it from power shortly and not reset it?

6

I can confirm this problem, as well as the fact, that switching-off is not sufficient to rectifiy the problem… I can provide more details: On my hard disk (WD-MyBook 4TB) I have mainly 2 different types of files: - myself created DVD-structures - several MP4-types, downloaded from mediatheks of german tv The problem appears in MP4-type files only and then blocks all such files, while any DVD-structure can still be played. If the reason would be a corrupt or unknown structure, the failure would happen always at the sam point, but this is clearly not the case. In fact it seems to be a kind of random failure, but it happens very often…

7

Lets not mix up bugs:

  1. playing one corrupt file results in no playback of any proper file afterwards
    this bug has been around for ages and can only be fixed by power-cycling (and by not playing crappy files in the first place)

  2. some MP4s are not played back in 2.02.32 while others do just fine (demo file here)
    solution: rename to m4v or remux or downgrade to 2.01.86 till this if fixed (already done on the “new” WD TV in 1.02.17, no idea why backporting it to the Live Streaming takes so long)

  3. playing any proper file right after bootup results in “Unable to play selected file. Please see the User Manual for a list of supported formats”.
    This bug seems to have been introduced with the 2.x firmware and is also present on the current WD TV. It’s not reproducible but it appears to be connected to the TV not being tuned to the WDTV during boot
    solution: powercycle or apply KAD79’s reset everything script.

  4. some files stop playing after any number of minutes (usually ~30)
    So far there’s been no proper description on how to reproduce this: what file type was played? Was it played from USB/NAS/Wifi or standby (which seems to be playing a major role in some issues)?
    It might be an overheating issue which is weird cause I’m almost exclusively playing uncompressed high bitrate BD rips and haven’t seen this happen ever, not even after long video nights of 5-6 hours continuous playback (and despite the WDTV gettig quite warm to the touch). Maybe it’s the “3 hours energy saving Auto shutdown” that’s somehow active and interfering after a standby?

  5. boot loop/no playback without Internet connection
    It currently seems to apply to the Live Streaming only. Either you can’t playback any files or the player loops when it is connected to your network but not to the Internet. It’s not reproducible so as with #4 we’d need more info. Until then you should disconnect the player during bootup.

What we need is people trying to narrow things down as much as possible.

8

I just logged on to find the solution to this issue. I am not technical so I’m not sure what other information you need, but I have the same lock-up. The movie will simply freeze. I am playing movies from 4T drive with nothing but MP4 files on it with a USB cable. I doesn’t matter how long the system is on so it is not a heat issue. Several of the files have played with no issue in the past but then once the issue starts, even they won’t play again. Same firmware version as others

Thanks!

9

When will it freeze, after 10 mins, 30? Does it freeze every time or did it just happen once on this file but the next time on another? Do you put the player into standy or turn it off completely after watching (like I do) and does it happen with other filetypes? There’s a MP4 bug in 2.02.32 so I wouldn’t rule out a connection to the format. Also, can you get back to the filebrowser from the frozen file and play other or do you need to powercylce or reset the device?

But thanks, the fact that you’ve seen this happen from USB (albeit from 4 TB which could also be a factor) sadly indicates it’s most likely not related to network issues.

10

When will it freeze, after 10 mins, 30? Sometimes rightaway and others will play for 30 minutes, but never longer.

Does it freeze every time or did it just happen once on this file but the next time on another? Issue has gotten worse overtime, initally all files we attempted played no problem, now most of the time we try to use the device and on all files. I have 4 different WD passports of varying size, all freeze. 

Do you put the player into standy or turn it off completely after watching (like I do) and does it happen with other filetypes? Left on standby, blu-ray.mkv also affected.

There’s a MP4 bug in 2.02.32 so I wouldn’t rule out a connection to the format.

Also, can you get back to the filebrowser from the frozen file and play other or do you need to powercylce or reset the device? Completly locks up requiring a full reset, powering off and on won’t do it.

11

Wait, so you’re not able to play any files any more? Or are you saying, it’s happening on more and more files/filetypes? If you encounter this on a file, what happens if you power-cycle the device and then try the same file again? Does it happen from USB flash drives as well? And despite using local playback for now, is the player connected to any network (wired, wireless)? Have you plugged in the drives into the other USB port?

So far I see three possible reasons:

  • overheating (could be remedied by shutting down the player rather than using standby)

  • your HDDs are too demanding (though WD Passports usually are not) or the port is broken

  • something in the wakeup from standby process is messing things up

What firmware are you on? 2.02.32? What happens if you rollback (see Joey Smith#s guide on how to do this) to an older version resetting the device afterwards. Do you still see this happening?

12

Sorry for the confusion. It will play some files, but happening more and more on MKV’s. If I power down and go back to same file it will happen again, but not in the ecact same place, may play less or more. I am connnected wireless and no issus streaming. Both USB ports affected. Heat sounds like the issue to me after all of your guidance so I will first try shutting down and see how things go. If still ng I will roll back and update you on how that worked.

Thank you so much for your help!

13

Hi guys -

Unsure if this will help, but the issue is affecting me also with a 4TB WD hard drive plugged in locally, but also with wifi over my network (Billion modem/router).

I’ve just had the issue occur (almost exactly 30 minutes into a show, after a clean re-start) and decided to check for a firmware update before re-starting and continuing my show.

I get the message “The device fails to check for new firmware update. Please check your network connection and try again”

I tried connecting to my laptop to play a file there - it can see the laptop, but cannot seem to start a file (which played fine previously, it’s a show i’ve already watched). Once the problem’s occurred, it doesn’t matter which source you try and play files from, it can see them but can’t play them.

Device is re-started now, and it can check for a firmware update, and is playing video from the local drive and laptop again.

Thanks,

Edit: has happened twice again tonight, once 40 minutes into a show and another time 2 minutes into a show. Both times after stopping, it was able to confirm current firmware is up to date so unfortunately that’s not consistent.

14

Well, in both cases you are connected to wireless networks, even when playing local files. What happens when you start the device and NOT connect to a network? Does local playback still stop after a few minutes?

15

I am having the exact same issue. I will test with it disconnected from the network and also with connection via CAT5 rather than wireless and report back.

16

Ok, update #1. I’ve disabled the wireless by giving it nonsense IP addresses and tried playing a movie from a USB hard drive. It works fine and doesn’t freeze.

Next I’ll be trying the unit playing a video off of Netflix but via a cabled connection, rather than WiFi, to see how that affects it.

Either way, it’s progress!

17

hello all,

last saturday will be 3rd player the “FREEZES” in the middle of an MKV flie. The first tell sign is the player will not cut off with the remote. After unplugging the unit and doing a complete restart, the freezing issue continues. The player is in a well vented area by the same issue every 3 months. The good / bad thing is Best Buys will give me a new unit but no Netflix on the new units. Can the old units be reapired?

18

[actually scratch that - ill put my second update here again soon after some more experimentation]

19

I’m experiencing the same problems.

I constantly get the spinning disc problem and then I can’t playback anything again.

When will it freeze, after 10 mins, 30?

It freezes at the beginning of the file or soon after starting to playback. After power cycling I may get something to play, but I seem to experience the problem again very soon.

It’s either the spinning wheel at the beginning (no playback) or a black screen after the playback begins

_ Does it freeze every time or did it just happen once on this file but the next time on another? _

It’s not something that happens with only one file and I’ve managed to playback a file previously refusing to play. I’ve used the same HDD for much time without problems.

I tried the other USB port but no changes.

Do you put the player into standy or turn it off completely after watching (like I do) and does it happen with other filetypes?

I’m not sure, but I always hold the power off button for some seconds. I’m not sure about the files.

_ Also, can you get back to the filebrowser from the frozen file and play other or do you need to powercylce or reset the device? _

Yes, I can go back to the menu but I cannot play another file. I get the spinning disk and maybe a backdrop image.

So what exactly is a “proper, not crappy” file?

Because I never had this issue before and it does not seem that all of a sudden my newer files are not proper.

Also, I’ve upgraded a long time ago and never had these issues with my current firmware before.

Also, can we define power cycle? Remove the power cord for how many minutes?

Is it because of a specific file? I’ve tried plenty of them. It happens even with files that used to play perfectly.

20

Yours sounds more like bug #3 than any of those 30 mins in and suddely playback freezes. Power-cycle means disconnecting the device from power. I never even wait a minute but plug it right back in. Crappy files refers to **bleep** you download from the internet. If you have a DVD or BD, you could rip (or chapters from it) it to ISO to make sure the files are proper.