WDTV Live Plus Limited Public Beta 1.03.39_B (9/9/10)

Am I right in saying that this should ONLY be used on the WD TV Live Plus unit, and not the WDTV Live?  Just checking, as the message was addressed to WD TV Live users!  I have the WD TV Live, but don’t want to brick it if the software is only for use with the Plus.  Thanks!

You’re correct; it’s for the PLUS.   The Live and the PLUS share the same forum, so it wasn’t really addressed only to Live users.  :)

We will be releasing a Limited Public Beta for WDTV Live early next week.  :smiley:

My WDLIVE+ locked twice today, playing 2 different Netflix movies. I Had to unplug and plug it again. Never happened with previous firmware. At least the frame rate problem is fixed.

Brand new box (received yesterday), so a bit subjective on new vs. previous, but have probably spent an equal amount of time in both versions now. I’m primarily using the box to play h.264 and/or MPEG2 (direct rip) MKV’s over a wired LAN, no apparent problems for either. 12-bit HDMI looks better, thanks for fixing that. Not re-subscribed to Netflix yet, so can’t comment on that fix or issues surrounding it just yet.

Am seeing some occasional dropped frames for MPEG-2 MKVs that aren’t apparent in the h.264 versions (I’m in the process of re-encoding, so I still have both). Might be a file problem on my end though, but worth calling out. Saw it in both versions.

Omy-hundro wrote:

We will be releasing a Limited Public Beta for WDTV Live early next week.  :smiley:

Woohoo!  I can’t wait!  Thanks for the update.  :wink:

We will be releasing a Limited Public Beta for WDTV Live early next week.

 

Thank you,  waiting!!!

I just bought the WD TV Live Plus last week and I’ve been running around in circles trying to get my .MKV’s to play. I finally find this topic today and I think “YAY!”  I actually jumped a little too…

But, alas, still no go. I am unable to play my MKV files still. I’m hoping you guys can help me out. Here’s the MKVInfo from one of my files:

(MKVInfo) + EBML head

(MKVInfo) |+ Doc type: matroska

(MKVInfo) |+ Doc type version: 2

(MKVInfo) |+ Doc type read version: 2

(MKVInfo) + Segment, size 2348569919

(MKVInfo) |+ Seek head

(MKVInfo) | + Seek entry

(MKVInfo) |  + Seek ID: 0x15 0x49 0xa9 0x66 (KaxInfo)

(MKVInfo) |  + Seek position: 4099

(MKVInfo) | + Seek entry

(MKVInfo) |  + Seek ID: 0x16 0x54 0xae 0x6b (KaxTracks)

(MKVInfo) |  + Seek position: 4261

(MKVInfo) | + Seek entry

(MKVInfo) |  + Seek ID: 0x11 0x4d 0x9b 0x74 (KaxSeekHead)

(MKVInfo) |  + Seek position: 2348528992

(MKVInfo) | + Seek entry

(MKVInfo) |  + Seek ID: 0x1c 0x53 0xbb 0x6b (KaxCues)

(MKVInfo) |  + Seek position: 2348504909

(MKVInfo) |+ EbmlVoid (size: 4027)

(MKVInfo) |+ Segment information

(MKVInfo) | + Timecode scale: 1000000

(MKVInfo) | + Muxing application: libebml v0.7.9 + libmatroska v0.8.1

(MKVInfo) | + Writing application: mkvmerge v3.0.0 (‘Hang up your Hang-Ups’) built on Dec 12 2009 15:20:35

(MKVInfo) | + Duration: 4550.560s (01:15:50.560)

(MKVInfo) | + Date: Tue Jul 27 17:31:41 2010 UTC

(MKVInfo) | + Segment UID: 0x87 0x10 0x0e 0xf5 0x42 0x61 0xf2 0x27 0x95 0x0b 0x58 0x0e 0x5a 0x5a 0xb7 0x54

(MKVInfo) |+ Segment tracks

(MKVInfo) | + A track

(MKVInfo) |  + Track number: 1

(MKVInfo) |  + Track UID: 1

(MKVInfo) |  + Track type: video

(MKVInfo) |  + Enabled: 1

(MKVInfo) |  + Default flag: 0

(MKVInfo) |  + Forced flag: 0

(MKVInfo) |  + Lacing flag: 0

(MKVInfo) |  + MinCache: 1

(MKVInfo) |  + Timecode scale: 1

(MKVInfo) |  + Max BlockAddition ID: 0

(MKVInfo) |  + Codec ID: V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC

(MKVInfo) |  + Codec decode all: 1

(MKVInfo) |  + CodecPrivate, length 41 (h.264 profile: High @L4.1)

(MKVInfo) |  + Default duration: 41.708ms (23.976 fps for a video track)

(MKVInfo) |  + Language: eng

(MKVInfo) |  + Video track

(MKVInfo) |   + Pixel width: 1280

(MKVInfo) |   + Pixel height: 720

(MKVInfo) |   + Interlaced: 0

(MKVInfo) |   + Display width: 16

(MKVInfo) |   + Display height: 9

(MKVInfo) | + A track

(MKVInfo) |  + Track number: 2

(MKVInfo) |  + Track UID: 3074858653

(MKVInfo) |  + Track type: audio

(MKVInfo) |  + Enabled: 1

(MKVInfo) |  + Default flag: 1

(MKVInfo) |  + Forced flag: 0

(MKVInfo) |  + Lacing flag: 1

(MKVInfo) |  + MinCache: 0

(MKVInfo) |  + Timecode scale: 1

(MKVInfo) |  + Max BlockAddition ID: 0

(MKVInfo) |  + Codec ID: A_AC3

(MKVInfo) |  + Codec decode all: 1

(MKVInfo) |  + Default duration: 32.000ms (31.250 fps for a video track)

(MKVInfo) |  + Language: und

(MKVInfo) |  + Audio track

(MKVInfo) |   + Sampling frequency: 48000

(MKVInfo) |   + Channels: 6

(MKVInfo) |+ EbmlVoid (size: 1024)

(MKVInfo) |+ Cluster

I can’t comment if this was happening in the previous firmware, however it would seem that with upnp media sharing, there are some cases during playback where the WD TV is maintaining 2 streams, whereas on others i’ve only seen one. On my DNS-323, two streams requires two forked upnp processes at nearly 50% CPU each (this is a DVD quality MKV recompressed to h264 via Handbrake w/ AAC pass-through).

I’m not sure if two streams is “normal”. I’ve tried starting from beginning, resuming after stopping, sub-titles on and off, w/ little affect

The alternative is SMB sharing which uses far less CPU at the bitrate required, but doesn’t consistently connect and requires a few more steps for the family to navigate.

Today, when trying to switch from upnp to SMB shares, I did experience a lock-up when attempting to pull the iniital directory tree (share list).

That MKV file should play in ANY version; it’s not using Header Compression.

My live plus will not play 1080p MKV files wirelessly.  It plays them perfectly with wired ethernet connection.

As far as it playing in ANY version (due to the lack of header compression), that’s what I thought as well. I can’t get any of my MKV’s to play.  I’m not streaming over wireless either, straight ethernet to the router. I’m starting to wonder if it’s bad hardware. At first I made the assumption that it was the firmware, but I’ve updated to this beta to no avail…

I’ve since used HandBrake to convert that one file to M4V and it plays wonderfully. I’ve only got ~6 movies converted to MKV so it’s not going to be a huge hit to reencode them, it’s just annoying that I have to change what I’m doing because my hardware isn’t running it.  

Alvind4 wrote:

My live plus will not play 1080p MKV files wirelessly.  It plays them perfectly with wired ethernet connection.

That’s a limitation of your (or any) wireless network, not the Live Plus.  :)

PixelPower wrote:

 


Alvind4 wrote:

My live plus will not play 1080p MKV files wirelessly.  It plays them perfectly with wired ethernet connection.


That’s a limitation of your (or any) wireless network, not the Live Plus.  :)

 

Really!!!

Well, yes and no.

*Most* 1080p files can be played if they are authored properly (meaning: not too high a bitrate).  I can wirelessly stream about 95% of my blu-ray encodes just fine, but then I know what I’m doing in creating them.  Still, at least a handful of films have too high a bitrate for the Live to handle.

Anthony_S wrote:

As far as it playing in ANY version (due to the lack of header compression), that’s what I thought as well. I can’t get any of my MKV’s to play.  I’m not streaming over wireless either, straight ethernet to the router. I’m starting to wonder if it’s bad hardware. At first I made the assumption that it was the firmware, but I’ve updated to this beta to no avail…

 

I’ve since used HandBrake to convert that one file to M4V and it plays wonderfully. I’ve only got ~6 movies converted to MKV so it’s not going to be a huge hit to reencode them, it’s just annoying that I have to change what I’m doing because my hardware isn’t running it.  

Post the info on your MKV’s using mediainfo

.

Here is that same video I posted earlier with MKVINFO but now with MediaInfo:

Format                           : Matroska

File size                        : 2.19 GiB

Duration                         : 1h 15mn

Overall bit rate                 : 4 129 Kbps

Encoded date                     : UTC 2010-07-27 17:31:41

Writing application              : mkvmerge v3.0.0 (‘Hang up your Hang-Ups’) built on Dec 12 2009 15:20:35

Writing library                  : libebml v0.7.9 + libmatroska v0.8.1

Video

ID                               : 1

Format                           : AVC

Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec

Format profile                   : High@L4.1

Format settings, CABAC           : Yes

Format settings, ReFrames        : 5 frames

Muxing mode                      : Container profile=Unknown@4.1

Codec ID                         : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC

Duration                         : 1h 15mn

Bit rate                         : 3 487 Kbps

Width                            : 1 280 pixels

Height                           : 720 pixels

Display aspect ratio             : 16:9

Frame rate                       : 23.976 fps

Color space                      : YUV

Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0

Bit depth                        : 8 bits

Scan type                        : Progressive

Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.158

Stream size                      : 1.80 GiB (83%)

Writing library                  : x264 core 98 r1649 c54c47d

Encoding settings                : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=umh / subme=7 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=6 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=2pass / mbtree=1 / bitrate=3487 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00

Language                         : English

Audio

ID                               : 2

Format                           : AC-3

Format/Info                      : Audio Coding 3

Mode extension                   : CM (complete main)

Codec ID                         : A_AC3

Duration                         : 1h 15mn

Bit rate mode                    : Constant

Bit rate                         : 640 Kbps

Channel(s)                       : 6 channels

Channel positions                : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE

Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz

Bit depth                        : 16 bits

Stream size                      : 347 MiB (16%)

Ugh.  Still no change for the problem I have with .MKV files having the audio and video de-syncronized.  It doesn’t happen on all .MKVs, just on a few.

Works fine of course under VLC or even Boxee for Windows 7 and mac.

Here’s a “mediainfo” cut-n-paste


Format                           : Matroska
File size                        : 721 MiB
Duration                         : 43mn 44s
Overall bit rate                 : 2 305 Kbps
Writing application              : HandBrake 0.9.4

Video
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : High@L3.0
Format settings, CABAC           : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames        : 3 frames
Muxing mode                      : Container profile=Unknown@3.0
Codec ID                         : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration                         : 43mn 44s
Width                            : 720 pixels
Height                           : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 16:9
Frame rate                       : 29.970 fps
Standard                         : NTSC
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Writing library                  : x264 core 79
Encoding settings                : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=7 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.0:0.0 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=12 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=0 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / wpredb=1 / wpredp=2 / keyint=300 / keyint_min=30 / scenecut=40 / rc_lookahead=50 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=20.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Language                         : English
Color primaries                  : BT.601-6 525, BT.1358 525, BT.1700 NTSC, SMPTE 170M
Transfer characteristics         : BT.709-5, BT.1361
Matrix coefficients              : BT.601-6 525, BT.1358 525, BT.1700 NTSC, SMPTE 170M

Audio #1
ID                               : 2
Format                           : AAC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version                   : Version 4
Format profile                   : LC
Format settings, SBR             : No
Codec ID                         : A_AAC
Duration                         : 43mn 44s
Channel(s)                       : 2 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L R
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Language                         : English

Audio #2
ID                               : 3
Format                           : AC-3
Format/Info                      : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension                   : CM (complete main)
Codec ID                         : A_AC3
Duration                         : 43mn 44s
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 448 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 6 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth                        : 16 bits
Stream size                      : 140 MiB (19%)
Language                         : English

Text
ID                               : 4
Format                           : VobSub
Codec ID                         : S_VOBSUB
Codec ID/Info                    : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Language                         : English

Menu
00:00:00.000                     : Chapter 1
00:05:29.195                     : Chapter 2
00:13:39.351                     : Chapter 3
00:23:14.760                     : Chapter 4
00:31:46.938                     : Chapter 5
00:37:18.236                     : Chapter 6

What preset did you use in Handbrake (or did you create your own)?

I’d also be curious if you tried re-encoding that file again (the original source, not the MKV that doesn’t play) with Handbrake but use one of the nightlies (and, as always, use the High Profile preset).

I had created a custom one, but I don’t remember the exact settings since I made the file quite a while ago.

However, if my settings are still the same, then this is what I have set:

Video Codec:  H.264

Framerate: Same as source

Constant Quality Video - 60%/RF:20

Audio:

Codec: AAC (faac)

Mixdown: Auto

Samerate: Auto

Bitrate: 160

DRC 0

Advanced H264 Options

All default except “Adaptive B-Frames” is “Optimal”

Weighted  B-Frames is checked

No idea if that is of any help.