YouTube app crashes the device

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live Hub Discussions
1

I sometimes have a problem with the WD TV Live Hub restarting after using Youtube to watch a few videos, usually after one ends, or I try to leave the video to go back to search.

Firmware is up to date according to the device (3.12.13). It’s **bleep** annoying, but seeing as I don’t use YouTube much it’s somethign I keep forgetting to check up on.

Any ideas?

2

What have you tried so far? Do you encounter the same issue using a different firmware revision?

1 Like
3

Avoid using YouTube Leanback and use YouTube app by WD. 

4

Leanback?

The two YouTube apps are labelled “Youtube” and “Youtube Videos”.

I use the first.

The second one doesn’t play all the content, even though it’s technically easier to use.

5

One called Youtube is Leanback and it will keep crashing and there is nothing you can do about it, nor will WD or Google do anything about it.

Youtube Videos will continue to work, it is basic app from WD.

6

Well, that’s a turn-up for the books.

Thanks for your help!

7

Device is discontinued so ther will be no new firmwares.

Google announced that many devices will lose support after 20th of April becouse of change in API

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6098135?p=yt_devicesupport&hl=en&rd=1

But Youtube is still functioning almost on all of them. 

And Google´s app on Hub (Leanback) was never stable on Hub or any other device.

8

The end to API support now has no videos working through the YouTube app. Leanback is the only way to watch videos now, which is obviously awful, performs poorly, and is almost unusable.

I’m about ready to just throw my Hub in the garbage.

9

ryanspeck wrote:

…

I’m about ready to just throw my Hub in the garbage.

This situation coupled with the lack of updateable decoders for video files is pushing me towards using a NUC like a Brix or something for my next upgrade. It honestly seems like WD have got a reasonable grasp of the market ideal, and the next iteration of the device could be amazing if they were willing to listen to this community and spend the cash to get it right.

Honestly I would happily pay A$350 for the right unit with a good size 3.5" internal drive, along with most of the things the Hub can do and a few choice extras - but it seems they just haven’t quite taken the bull by the horns and decided to make something to really expand into the market. Average people want something that “plugs in and works and does everything I want” rather than a HTPC, but at the moment it is their only option besides this outdated, discontinued prodcut that is now showing its age.

The only thing I use my Hub for now is playing .wav music files. Sad.

10

New device, most likely, will never happen.

It is end of days for Hub and other discontinued WD media players.

11

Someday, this thread will be GONE!

If you really want to watch youtube stuff, you could always install something like PlayOn on a PC and get it that way to the Hub.

12

Or just watch it on PC or mobile phone or any other device that is supported by google.

13

foetus wrote:

Or just watch it on PC or mobile phone or any other device that is supported by google.

^^ this.

Getting into complex stuff like this just turns the average Joe E. User away. As the functionality wears away, they will replace it with a device that does what they want.  Chromecast, for one, or a HTPC if they want something more.

At the end of the day, for WD to let their products lapse just means people will be less likely to buy their products in the future (seeing there is no ongoing support) and people will look elsewhere. The problem here is twofold: The support has disappeared, and there is no replacement produt already on the shelves for some time.
Apple would certainly have a Live Hub 2 Air Mini Pro (or some ridiculous moniker) - but the point is there would already have been a new, improved version that people will already be looking for an excuse to buy to replace the product before support was terminated. Microsoft don’t pull support from previous versions of windows until they have several evolutions of the OS already distributed. The failure here is not continuing to offer the customer a legitimately wonderful product in a continuous fashion without any gaps.

I worked in retail selling these very items for years; consumers left with a disappointing product rarely buy the same brand again - they cite “Nah, that last one of theirs I bought was rubbish, I’ll get Brand Y this time”. Once you lose a customer, they are hard to get back.

As it stands, being a WD fan meant I sold loads and loads of WD products over their counterparts from other brands, but even now I am starting to lose my faith in them. Hard to recommend something that you won’t buy yourself.

The alternatives here are games consoles or Intels NUC. Both always have ongoing support and are upgradeable in terms of the software - and a replacement arrives before the old one becomes obsolete.

For the lighter user, there is Chromecast or Apple TV.

For WD to maintain any semblance of trying, there would have to be a set of unified prducts under the “WD Play” name brand, with different levels of functionality easily distinguished. The support would have to be ongoing, firmware/software should be upgradeable, and if they had an SDK they’d draw in a massive modding community once word got out you could fiddle with the thing.

But what would I know? I only saw what average end users wanted every day.

14

Sorry man, I was just being sarcastic.

I think that WD is no longer interested in media players/centers because there is so much options nowdays. When the first WD TV  came out it was almost empty market.  And Hub has been discontinued for a year, so if you buy discontinued device, of course you can expect that some things won´t be working. 

15

My point was that if you install PlayOn on a PC you can use it to access youtube via the Hub…