We're getting pissed off. WDTV MP4/MKV/AAC audio sync issues

[Ibrahim]

Ok, these problems have been brought up before. Mp4 files with AAC audio won’t play without screwing up the sync. Some MKV files have the same problem with several audio formats. People are complaining across several boards, and WD isn’t responding at all.

This thread isn’t about noting these problem,s but rather what are we supposed to do about it?  Will calling them help? Posting negative reviews of the player on Amazon or BestBuy or Newegg or youtube citing the exact problems? What would it take to get those people to fix the thing? Apparently this problem’s gone on for months, since late last year. The version 1 of WDTV HD played these files fine, why can’t they fix this one?

It pisses me off. The box says the machine will play these files, and the hardware certainly would support them. It’s just apathy towards the consumer that has the firmware fix not released yet.

[Bill_S]

I have sent your complaint along to the products group. 

[Guy_K]

I’m sorry you’re having problems. We’d definitely like to fix these issues. If you can provide sample media files that we can use to reproduce these bugs, we can try to fix them.

To address your concerns, we do constantly find files that have issues and fix the problems related to these files. The problem is that there are nearly infinite possible combinations of codecs, containers, and encoding settings, and it’s difficult to make them all work perfectly. For many of these files, we can only fix them on a case-by-case basis. Further compounding the issue is that sometimes a change in the video decoding logic that makes one file play back better makes a different file play back worse. 

The best thing you can do is to keep pointing out problems and to provide as much information as possible. Information about the container, codecs, and encoding settings is useful, but what’s most helpful is a sample video that demonstrates problems.

[tginn]

It is understandable that there could be issues with different codecs. However, customers have been complaining about Audio sync issues with MP4 and MKV files for some time. I have yet to find any MP4 file that can pause, resume, fastforward or rewind without losing audio sync. This is entirely unacceptable. I have a hard time beliving that you have not yet been able to replicate the problems people are having. Also, it has been months since a firmware update. With so many problems and complaints you would think that Western Digital would at least make an effort to support their paying customers. You haven’t even given us any indication that a firmware update is being worked on.  We deffinetly are getting pissed off. Please do something to fix this issue and please do it soon.

[Ibrahim]

Thanks for prompt reply. I’ve read others complain about this for a while now. From what I see, any mp4 file with aac audio has this going-out-of-sync problem.

I uploaded a short clip that gives the same sync problems:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EEFCLBVE

This is the info on another one of the files I’ve seen go out of sync:

Format: H.264/MPEG-4 AVCBitrate: 1909 kbit/sEncoding: 2 PassResolution: 1280 X 544Quality Factor (QF): 0.116Frame Rate: 23,976 fpsSize: 1.31 GB (1,414,208,964 bytes)Display Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1Type: mp4a: MPEG-4 AAC LCBitrate: 304 kbit/s (6 ch) / 128 kbit/s (2 ch)Sample Rate: 48000HzChannels: 6 channels: Front: L C R, Surround: L R, LFE / 2 channels: Dolby Pro Logic II L RSize: 199 MB (209,460,228 bytes) / 91.4 MB (95,933,729 bytes)

[Ibrahim]

Additional possible minor problem (don’t know if it’s firmware or my device or what): when I select video and then “folder”, it takes about 2 whole minutes before it shows the “usb device” thumbnail representing my hard drive. I didn’t see that happen with my version 1 machine, it detected the usb device immediately.

Also sometimes on playing a video it suddenly stops. This has happened to mp4 files as well as m2ts files, probably others as well. Sometimes it shows a “no audio detected” notice on a black screen for an instant just before it goes to the menu. At other times, the audio plays, but the video shown is of the menu. I think this problem has been described by others here. Not a big deal, it’s easy enough to select the file again, but it’s a bug nonetheless. Not playing h264/AAC files is a huge problem, especially given the old model did everything just fine.

[RustBox]

YEP i would have to agree the audio synch problems with MP4 files is the only fly

in the ointment from an otherwise perfect gadget.

On the original firmware my MP4 files st st stuttered on playback so i updated to the latest firmware

which solved the stutter problem but introduced the audio sync issue.

Appreciate its a headache to be all things to all people but thats why i got the box in the first place.

Please help…

[Ibrahim]

I hope to hear of a new firmware upgrade soon. Far as I can tell, WD did a pretty good job ironing the problems out in version 1. For some reason they’ve not been attentive towards working out the many bugs in version 2.

[Thajup]

i’think it’s realy easy to see what is happening here !

wd stoped software development on the wd tv hd player it’s an older model and they do not want to spend any more money on it .

if you want help just buy a new wd tv live ore the mini and all your problems are solved.

that is how the big companies think and make mony the easy way.

WD please do not comment on this post with more lies! we know that you wil not bring out a new firmware update in the near future to fix these problems with audio mp4 and mkv files . ( just be honest to us! )

[Ibrahim]

Apparently  two of the guys who is in contact with the production end of the product  has responded to my first post, and asked for info on or a sample of media that demonstrates the problem. I’ve given both. Let’s thank them for responding so promptly and give them some time to work this out. As I said, “Version 1” had none of these particular problems and this is supposed to be superior in terms of hardware, so it’s clearly a firmware issue.

If it isn’t fixed in a while, I’ll certainly return my machine given it doesn’t do what the box and product description says it should, and will take the time to visit bestbuy/amazon/newegg as well as youtube channels to duly review the product negatively and advise others not to blow money on this product. It IS still in the market, and surely WD would rather invest in giving a working piece of firmware rather than lose sales. But I won’t do that for about a month. Hopefully by then the problem will be fixed.

[Guy_K]

Ibrahim, I’ve got some questions for you about the file you provided a link to.

1. Is it out of sync from the very start of the video, or does it gradually go out of sync?

2. How badly out of sync is it? (A rough guess is okay, I just want to know if it’s 50 ms or 5 seconds)

3. What’s your A/V setup? Are you playing the audio through a receiver? What model receiver/tv do you own? How is everything hooked up? Are you playing the file over samba, a media server, or a USB drive?

Thanks.

[Ibrahim]

I’m not a techie at all. I simply have the device connected directly to my tv through hdmi cable. I’ve been using the cable on other devices, so I know it works fine. The media is on a WD 1TB hard drive connected by usb. No reciever, no network, no additional speakers, just the TV’s own inputs and speaker. TV is a 46 inch Samsung LN46A550 hdtv.

With some videos it seems to start off alright, then progressively gets worse. Others, it starts out of sync. The video precedes the  correct point in audio by 3 to 5 seconds before I give up watching. And fast-forwarding doesn’t help. Pretty much as simple a set-up as one can have. Once again, based on my reading of this forum and others, the problem of mp4 sync seems almost universal. And this seems to be happened to every mp4 file with the usual aac audio. I’m also seeing the problem with an mkv video I “corrected” using mkvmerge.

This problem described by other buyers, none of them me:

http://wdtvforum.com/main/index.php?topic=4043.0

http://wdtvforum.com/main/index.php?topic=3681.0

The very first video you see searching “WDTV” on youtube, complaining about the audio sync in comments, not by me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urViZNQYhAw

And of course, a multitude of threads on this forum.

So as you can see, this is a big problem for you guys.

I don’t know who is supposed to be looking after the quality of the WDTV v2, keeping it up to date and making sure the thing works properly; and it really looks like the product was abandoned almost immediately after it hit the market. Search for any mp4 video on torrents, you’ll find an abundance of videos that will demonstrate the problem. And mp4 isn’t uncommon at all, both Youtube and Vimeo stream it now. Was the machine not tested before it was given the ok for the market?

Also, it seems often to be the case that when you click on a video, it goes black for an instant, and then it either returns to the menu, or plays the sound of the video but shows the menu. This happens to files regardless of extension.

[Hawkster]

I,m thinking that the unit does not have the (CPU CHIP) power to correct errors, the bigger the file like ripped blue ray  you have the sync problem, smaller files or ripped dvd’s (vob folders) have more chance to jump back to the menu. But on my Laptop all the files play perfect CPU (core 2 duo) GPU (nvidia 9650 gt). So maybe it cant be fixed completely because the chipset just wont do it. What would be perfect is a unit with a better CPU/GPU. And these media players have been out long enough to have a better OS system than they do, were talking about a unit that cost about the same as a zune with out the screen, but it does not have these problems. Microsoft may need to make a unit with windows CE OS system on it to hook to your TV set. A nice unit should be under 199.99

[Ibrahim]

As I said repeatedly, the WDTV version 1 played all these files without losing sync. I decided to return it for a version 2 instead, and only then encountered these problems. The version 1’s cpu was an older version than the one in version 2, and the hardware in version 2 is supposedly improved in every way (memory, etc).

[SEP555]

Yes this is poor, one would like to think if an old model can play them fine then a newer improved model should play them and more…I looked at v1 then noticed v2 was out so I paid the extra expecting it to be better.

will rip afew dvds to see what happens

[blanco]

Hey Guy_K since you are a part of the staff do you think you could provide us with a download of firmware 1.01.70.  In my paticular case I was experiencing problems with choppy playback on some MP4’s (h.264/aac) which wasn’t as terrible as the audio sync issue I am having now after the firmware upgrade to 1.01.77.  My audio sync problem varies from movie to movie mostly audio lags behind video, at worst by 4 or 5 seconds, and ff or rr makes it worse.  I’ve heard WD doesn’t support downgarding but I think considering they haven’t given us a good upgrade the decent thing to do is provide us with the best working firmware (1.01.70) until a new one is out.  At least that may keep us from giving this product negative reviews on newegg, amazon and other sites to warn for the lack of support of the gen2 wdtv.

[Teejay]

Agree with all above. I tried everything to fix , no luck. WD support told me to reset it (did not work) and then suggested that it was a problem with its HD. Really. In frustration I asked WD customer support for a link to 1.01.70 but was told that was not possible as WD does not support downgrading. I will keep my version 1 player but I returned my version 2 today for refund. I could buy the Live version, but frankly I do not need the ethernet connection, and the last thing I need is one more cable to lose - you need cables for composite or component, which I do use occasionally. I will come back to WD when they get it ‘right’ perhaps but may stay go for a hacked Apple TV which can play most of these files and maintain sync.  I am surprised the company is not prompt in a firmware fix for this, even for an older player given the bad press this is generating. Best of luck for those with this very frustrating problem.

[nijaju]

Buying the Live won’t help. I have a friend with a Live that just finished re-ripping all of his DVDs to avi’s because his first rips to mp4 were all out of sync.

Quite frankly, I’m surprised whenever I hear WD responses to this problem because they all sound like it’s the first time they’ve come across it. This is a well known and documented issue. Don’t any of the engineers working on these devices ever use them? I’m guessing not because if they did, they would be much more polished than they are now. Or, they just don’t care and are only in it for the money.

[wddaddy]

While this is an amazing gadget, the sync problems make it a miserable experience.  I was so embarassed when I had my kids friends over to watch a movie and the movie party ended because the children were so frustrated with the audio and video being out of sync.  I am a gadget person…but not a techie.  To that point, I felt angry with the WD excuses.  It’s hard to understand that the company does not have the intellectual capacity to fix the problem.  As a business, I would think that they would not want this negative issue to affect their brand.  If their technicians aren’t skilled enough, why don’t they hire a consultant group to fix the problem.  Enough is enough…respect your company and your brand and invest the resources you need to fix the problem and satisfy your customers.  Clearly, another company is going to create a similar product over time…and you will be left in the dust with a first to market…first to bankruptcy product.  I love the product and it’s concept…please do what you need to do to make it pleasant…I can’t in good faith turn my friends on to the technology now…

[djalex]

You’re RIGHT !!!

just be honest to us!

just be honest to us!

                                   just be honest to us!

                                  just be honest to us!

                                                                      just be honest to us!

                                                                     just be honest to us!

                                                                                                         just be honest to us!

                                                                                                        just be honest to us!

                                                                                                                                             PROBLEMS WITH AUDIO MP4 & MKV.