Comments Western Digital WD TV HD Media Player - Peripheral - review

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Keithe6e

10:58 AM on 2 December, 2008

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Nice, now if only WD could add a couple of digital receivers & and a DVD/Blueray drive.. :)

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Darfuria

11:52 AM on 2 December, 2008

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Another device that would be perfect with a damn ethernet port.

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AndyVandervell

12:04 PM on 2 December, 2008

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Yeah. Have heard of something in the US with an Ethernet port, too, so wouldn't be surprised to see others (WD included) coming out with something similar. As it is, though, I'm still going to be buy one of these things. For sheer convenience you can't really beat it.

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Darfuria

12:15 PM on 2 December, 2008

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I suppose... if you use external drives for your media.

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AndyVandervell

12:17 PM on 2 December, 2008

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Yeah, it's perfect plug in and play walk up device. Just plug in a USB key and off you go.

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mike8

12:38 PM on 2 December, 2008

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Edward's review is spot on - this is a brilliant little media player. The format support is so good that my mate and I have a competition to see if we can find a legitimate media file (other than drm-d files) that it can't play - no winner yet. The upscaling it performs is no match for higher end gear but it's not too shabby. For £80, if you don't need to stream from a network, this is a no-brainer.

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BarryWard

12:47 PM on 2 December, 2008

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There's no mention of DivX anywhere in it's list of formats, yet Xvid is listed. Can it play DivX?

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AndyVandervell

12:49 PM on 2 December, 2008

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Hmm, odd that. Will Fix. Rest assured DivX/Xvid is supported. :)

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Steve32

1:07 PM on 2 December, 2008

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Although not mentioned in the review, according to the WD site it supports NTFS formatted HDD's - i.e. bigger than 4GB files!

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Xelon

1:09 PM on 2 December, 2008

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Very good effort by WD, but if you want the Networking support and internal HDD you'll have to buy a Network Media Tank (got the HDX1000 superb!)they use the same sigma designs chip. If WD bring out a higher spec model with all of the above, it will be a must have IMO. Good Review.

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Ian7

1:25 PM on 2 December, 2008

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Can anyone confirm if the WD TV supports 5.1 surround sound? From the specs on the WD website it seems like it only supports 2-channel stereo. I would have expected the digital feed via HDMI to be capable of surround audio to an a/v receiver but would like to confirm before buying one.

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Darfuria

1:34 PM on 2 December, 2008

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I guess you could just use an external HDD with an ethernet port and a USB interface... didn't think of that.

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Geoff Richards

1:38 PM on 2 December, 2008

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The official WD page says "An audio receiver is required for surround sound output. AAC/Dolby Digital decodes in 2 channel output only"

however, before y'all cry into your tuna baguette, I'm wondering if we can't just use the optical for a 5.1 bitstream (as normal on DVD players et al) and do the decode in your receiver...

I'll ask Ed to check :)

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Luan Bach

1:38 PM on 2 December, 2008

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I've got it on back ordered on Play.com.

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mike8

2:00 PM on 2 December, 2008

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Yes, WD TV supports 5.1. - here is something important that I don't think Edward mentions. As far as I can tell, the WD TV will not downsample 5.1 to stereo - if you don't have a compatible amp/receiver, you won't hear anything. I use the optical digital to my Onkyo amp and it works perfectly.

I can confirm that it reads NTFS - have reformatted my main USB key to this and works fine - as stated this means that >4GB files are fine.

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Geoff Richards

2:33 PM on 2 December, 2008

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Thanks Mike - great to hear from an existing owner (and fellow Onkyo owner). I can see myself picking one of these bad boys up myself :)

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YG

5:09 PM on 2 December, 2008

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Looks like the WDHD has only 1 USB connection, what happens if you have a portable hdd (Seagate FreeAgent) that needs 2 usb ports - to avoid the need of a power adapter. Please don't tell me I need to buy ANOTHER external hdd!

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AndyVandervell

5:28 PM on 2 December, 2008

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There's two, one is on the side.

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MarcDavies

5:59 PM on 2 December, 2008

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I've had one for the past few weeks and agree whole heartedly with this review. This is one awesome little device. I've tried a number of different video and streaming solutions in the past, including old laptops, DIVX DVD players, Media Centre extenders, etc. and this is by far the best (with the exception of my MCE PC maybe). I think that the simplicity of NOT having networking is a real bonus in this device, it saves all the fuss and headaches I always seem to encounter whenever I try to get things talking over wireless. This is a device that I could give to my mum and be happy that she could use without any problems.

One of the best things besides the amazing codec support is the size, it's so small and portable. I've had mine hooked up to a few different screens, everything from a 20 inch portable LCD to a giant Pioneer 60 inch plasma and it's worked well on all of them. 5.1 surround works a treat through the optical out and reglar 2.0 stereo through the component (the HDMI also outputs digital audio).

My top tech purchase this year by far.

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lifethroughalens

6:35 PM on 2 December, 2008

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Does it support .iso files? I have all my films in .iso format, so I hope so!

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ilovethemonkeyhead

6:46 PM on 2 December, 2008

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.mkv support? at that price?

i'm in

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BobaFett

1:14 AM on 3 December, 2008

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As a parent, this could prove to be a very useful device to take on holidays where early morning TV options for children can be lacking. It looks pretty portable and combined with an external hard disk, is still cheaper than a netbook and probably easier to connect to whatever TV is available. Admittedly it's probably slightly larger than a DVD travel case including the power supply and cables but at least I wouldn't have to worry about DVDs getting scratched or left behind.

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basicasic

6:57 AM on 3 December, 2008

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The first gadget I've thought 'I must have' for a long time. Fits my needs perfectly.

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LetsGo1

10:32 AM on 3 December, 2008

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Very good review,

Excellent little device.

I could not believe WD were selling at such a low price.

Played all i could throw at it, and 5.1 surround sound too!

Easily wins the best device award for me this year.

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drdark

11:00 AM on 3 December, 2008

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I love the specs and price of this device, but can someone just confirm one thing for me?

I've seen mention online that it won't actually play subtitles in MKV files. I can't find any specific mention of whether it will/won't on the WD site either.

Can someone please confirm? Thanks :).

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MarioM

12:49 PM on 3 December, 2008

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I think my XBMC could now die in peace, apart from the ethernet port which isn't a dealbreaker. Can anyone confirm if this has a fan on it?

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Guy 1

3:46 PM on 3 December, 2008

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Sounds extremely cool! Quick question to those who have one already: I watch my films with subtitles (.srt files) which load automatically on my pc (for example when using media player classic) if they carry the same name as the video (.avi) file. Has anyone tried .avi on the WD with subtitles? and it works?! Many thanks!

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lifethroughalens

5:04 PM on 3 December, 2008

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Err, no .iso support....that sucks. Back to the quest.

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Gordon394

5:05 PM on 3 December, 2008

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@lifethroughalens - wow, no pleasing some! ;)

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lifethroughalens

5:15 PM on 3 December, 2008

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250 movies in .iso format kind off makes it a necessity for me! :)

Having said that, I can't believe they threw the kitchen sink at this great gadget and still left .iso support out :(

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Michael9

5:23 PM on 3 December, 2008

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I bought this a couple of days ago and it says it supports .SRT but the one I got doesn't so I'm returning it tomorrow and will try a new one. I'm HOH and also I live abroad so I need SRT.

Oh and if you embed subtitles in a mkv file you have to rip them out and create a .SRT file.

Personally I think the price (99 Euros) reflected the quality of the materials used, i.e the remote feels very flimsy but if the new one works manaña I'll stick with it.

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Pbryanw

5:29 PM on 3 December, 2008

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Also, shame there's no component output as my only TV HDMI input is being used by the Virgin Box :( I'll have to take a look at my receiver as I'm sure it can do HDMI switching.

Anyway, I'm amazed no-one's released a product like this before (have they?) and at such a low price. I can definitely see this complementing my DVD player, (which I'll still use for my DVD's) but I'll use this for its mkv support.

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mike8

7:27 PM on 3 December, 2008

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It does support .iso and I have tested this. However, it basically finds the movie and plays it - no support for displaying the DVD menu. It does support displaying subtitles from the .iso.

Pbryanw - you can find an HDMI switch quite cheaply these days - so this is another option if your receiver doesn't provide that.

My understanding is that subtitles are not supported in .mkv containers - you need to provide a separate .srt file. I haven't tested this.

I think the Netgear Eva 9000 is going to be great - my boss uses the 8000 with the latest firmware and it has great format support, too. ISOs are handled much better than with the WD TV - and this is bound to be improved again in the 9000.

I just need to convince my wife that 5 media players are justifiable - I managed the WD TV by saying it was the only one that could play some of the movies she has been wanting to watch. Nothing else can play those .ygx files of Desperate Housewives...The things one does for gadget love.

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lifethroughalens

12:57 AM on 4 December, 2008

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@mike - thanks for the heads-up on the .iso support...at least someone round here knows the score and has done their homework!

I'll keep an eye out for the Netgear Eva 9000 too. Cheers.

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Camillo

8:17 PM on 13 December, 2008

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I just ordered the WD TV, convinced by either its price and the amount of readable formats.

Now, I have a decent collection of .flac files. Also, I'm an almost happy owner of a small black box called Squeezebox, not properly cheap but very good quality wise, expecially if you want to stream your music through a wireless router.

The question is: did anybody test both the devices with .flac music files? Any difference of sound quality ?It should be an interesting comparison. WD TV lacks a display of its own and a LAN port, but usb access is really welcome in a device like that.

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Ralph1

8:24 PM on 14 December, 2008

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I've got one of these, and playback is great - much better than through DivX dvd players I have used and a lot simpler than plugging my laptop into my telly.

Biggest problem is I haven't figured out how to attach or associate cover art with my xvid video files, so I can't browse media by thumbnail, i have to have a list. Can anyone suggest how I fix this?

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spike

4:54 AM on 24 December, 2008

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Firmware up-date http://www.wdc.com/en/products/wdtv/index.asp?wdc_lang=en What's New?

* Even more video file formats supported

* Improved subtitle support. Additional advanced features added

* Enhanced Matroska (MKV) support for chapters and subtitles

* Enhanced media playback and navigation

* Improved power management

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Camillo

4:21 PM on 26 December, 2008

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Even with this firmware update, STILL NO SUPPORT for ISO files!

Lots of cheap currently available mediaplayers do not lack in this feature and put wd to shame.

Otherwise, it would be a nice device on any front.

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Kevan

7:24 AM on 10 January, 2009

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For Camillo

I bought the unit for both playing avi files and flac files

Yes it plays flac files fine

The only small niggle I have is like some media players there is a small gap between each track. This is unnoticeable in most cases but annoying playing a an album where the tracks merge into each other eg Dark Side Of The Moon

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Optician

4:44 PM on 12 January, 2009

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Upscaling of standard definition stuff to 1080p Panasonic 50" plasma is excellent. A great product all round.

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HDRE

4:21 PM on 13 January, 2009

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I bought this essentially based on this review alone to play my movie collection and I have to say well done to it and yourselves. I whole heartedly agree with Score and "Recommended" status. To all those complaining about a lack of ISO support (not tried), stop winging, come on it's great kit for little money. My only slight annoyance is regarding the remote and here I have to disagree with the review. I find it sluggish and unresponsive and just too tiny. Come on WD, take a butchers at the Sky remote to see how it should be done.

My only other negative is that I found that I have had to ensure I unplug it at night as it can run hot resulting in it not responding to the remote. A couple of minutes of cooling rectified this.

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Camillo

8:51 PM on 13 January, 2009

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Kevan, WD-TV works flawless either with my lossless collection and mp3s. If only it had a display of its own I'd be even happier, but I can live without it.

I'm trying to add a 7" for use this nice device in my car with my .flac's.

This is the answer of WD team:

"Thank you for contacting Western Digital Customer Service and Support.

- omissis -

From the above knowledge document I regret to inform you that the WD TV is unable to play ISO files."

Very quick replay. But surprise ! My WDTV works perfectly with my .iso movies, even better than with my xvid ones ! Apologies then for my last message.

Conclusions: WD made a very nice and affordable mediaplayer, its a shame that they dont know well the item they sell...

Jocks apart, the only flaws I notice now are a bad responsive remote, slow menu, poor implementation of cover thumbs display and, in my case, a defective hdmi connector.

I still recommend it as a perfect purchase.

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HDRE

1:22 PM on 14 January, 2009

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@spike - thanks for the info.

It's great to see WD supporting it with Firmware up-dates.

@Kevan thanks for the headup with ISO files. Though there does seem to be a question over it in the above comments. Can TR provide the definative answer before I try and add to the debate?

To all those about to by this, you may want to buy a HDMI cable as it only comes with a composite lead. It was my only real disappointment with the product straight out the box.

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ksdp37

9:16 PM on 21 January, 2009

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Several sites have mentioned the "Popcorn Hour A-110" (Google it!) as one of the best all rounder. A newer version also comes with wireless-N.

Do you think you could get your hands on one of these to review?

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Geoff Richards

11:08 PM on 21 January, 2009

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ksdp37 - sounds pretty impressive! I hadn't heard of it before now but if it's for sale in the UK I'm sure we could get one for review.

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ksdp37

10:48 AM on 22 January, 2009

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@Geoff - I’ve compared the features are they truly look really impressive compared to the Western Digital WD TV. They can play MKV files @ 1080p without problems and also come with P2P software that requires no PC, can accept 1TB hard drives, Ethernet, SP-DIF, etc.

There are a few places in the UK that sell the A-110, but the newer one with Wireless-N isn’t available yet, which is what I’m waiting for. You can still order from the US (comes from China), but costs $250 + $50 P&P + Custom Charges, but with the premium goods are sold here in the UK, it may still work out cheaper ;-)

Honestly, I can’t wait to get one, but I’m really waiting for you guys to review one of those first!!

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Guy 1

2:01 PM on 22 January, 2009

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A comment following on from HDRE (13 January). My unit also gets very warm and even when turning it off after use the attached USB sticks/drives remain on. Is this something others have found, a problem which could be easily rectified in a future firmware upgrade surely?

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ishaqueanjum

6:40 PM on 31 January, 2009

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it's brochure does not mention the FLV video format. Please guide me what to do? any alternate format or to convert to compatible format.

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Bal1

12:59 PM on 2 February, 2009

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I'm very close to placing an order for one of these but I have a few outstanding questions.

1. Is the Arcsoft Software any good to convert DVD's to a playable format.

2. How can you add movie cover artwork and have the WD TV display it when in thumbnail view?

3. Am I right in saying that the Arcsoft software will allow me to upscale SD DVD's to 1080p media?

4. Has the firmware update fixed the issue of chapters and subtitles in MKV containers?

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sumit

3:09 PM on 14 February, 2009

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I got this unit last night...USB flash drive no problem. works like a charm. In my case i also had a old laptop hard disk and an enclosure. I used a USB cable to attach it to teh player, the unit will not recognize this drive. Uplon careful look at the requirements in terms of external hard disk support, this played only supports a few Hard Disks type. To my dismay. nevertheless am using a flash drive for now. I am am to invest in the HD etc the cost goes well above 200 bucks. at that price you could go with Sling Catcher with way too many features than this player. sigh...

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windich

7:03 AM on 5 March, 2009

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For a Mac user (I know we are a minority) the WDTV is a little disappointing. I hoped it would play my .mov files from iMovie/Final Cut and also the files from my HD Camcorder (HDV), but there is no way to play those files other than converting them into H 264, which takes about 10 times as long as the clip or movie is - not worth doing, I feel.

I would be interested to know, what most people are watching on this device and where they get the videos from (which formats are the most common, and why don't you watch it directly on TV?).

Another disappointment were the slideshows: One transition (fading to black and back) is not very tempting and without transition there are often strange "flashes" between two slides.

But there's hope: Software/firmware can be updated! (Yes I already have the lates firmware on my unit). And of course: If you think what you get for your buck ... it's a sweet little unit.

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Bal1

1:13 PM on 19 March, 2009

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Following up on my own review. I've had this unit for a few weeks now, and am slowly building up a collection of ISO images of my DVD's, downloaded HD .MKV files and full .m2ts files and it plays all of them in glorious high def! I hope we'll be able to add movie cover artwork soon, as I think the marketing description falsely says you can for movies.

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mbellinzonanetde

3:31 PM on 26 March, 2009

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>For a Mac user (I know we are a minority) the WDTV is a little disappointing. I hoped it would play my .mov files from iMovie/Final >Cut and also the files from my HD Camcorder (HDV), but there is no way to play those files other than converting them into H 264, >which takes about 10 times as long as the clip or movie is - not worth doing, I feel.

Hi,

I just purchased a WD media player and I have the same problem. But I want to be able to play my HD movies (.MOV) made with FCE so could you please tell me exactly how to do it. I am not an expert and I tried a number of ways (with FCE and conversion software) without success. So I would really appreciate a very clear answer:-)))

Thank you so much for your time and patience

Mattia

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Steve17

1:43 PM on 1 May, 2009

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For Mac users this unit is great I read the review some one else had left and it nearly put me off buying one it's a great companion for imovie 09 final cut express and it ever plays AVCHD contend straight from a high definition camera I have a Canon HF100 all I have to do is take my SD card out of the camera plug it into a USB reader and away you go this WD TV is well worth the money the best buy I have made in ages

Eliminates the need for conversion software and lengthy time spent waiting

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digitaldr

2:59 AM on 5 May, 2009

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Hi Steve - good to hear the wdtv works with your canon HF100 - just got one (HF100) and am very pleased with it. I recorded my son's football match on this weekend and ended up with 60 separate mts files! Do the AVCHD files play back seamlessly or do you need to join them together first? Thanks

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MELOMANIAK

11:23 AM on 12 May, 2009

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Hello,

I have backed up my entire DVD collections on an external hardrives with DVD Shrink.

So all movies are under their directory names and contain a AUDIO_TS and a VIDEO_TS directory with the VOB files.

Can this device load and play those DVD's, with the menu?

thanks

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tc0925

5:53 AM on 21 May, 2009

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I have a huge collection of media files in rmvb format. Does this WD TV support rmvb?

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tc0925

6:00 AM on 21 May, 2009

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Do I have to have a HD TV to play it?

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daz

10:22 PM on 22 May, 2009

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please can someone confirm that this device can handle x264 files, and will a 16gb flash drive with fairly slow read/write speeds be ok to use? thanx in advance.

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Geoff Richards

12:16 AM on 23 May, 2009

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@tc0925 - a quick Google around suggests the WD TV does not (yet) support .rmvb files. However, Western Digital have been very good about updating the firmware, so it might well in the future.

It does have composite video, so it would work in standard definition though it would be cheaper to just get a £30 DVD player with USB. You can, of course, use the HDMI for HD playback on a suitable monitor, not just an HD TV.

@daz - the full list of supported formats (including h.264) is on Page 2. USB speed isn't likely to be a factor - it should only need a few MB/sec and even a slow stick is capable of that.

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daz

11:18 PM on 24 May, 2009

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geoff, could you confirm that h.264 is the same as x264? cos most hd stuff iv seen are in x264. Thanx for your time and effort!

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ckkent

8:34 AM on 29 May, 2009

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Hi, since the latest firmware came out stating that it now supports subtitles in mkv, I'd just like to confirm if anyone has tried it already. I have lots of anime in mkv format with chapters and subtitles. Thanks!

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terry6

10:06 AM on 31 May, 2009

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I have a number of High Definition videos on a portable Hard Drive (usb connection). I also have a HD TV with multimedia inputs (HDMI, USB, etc, its a philips 32pfl7562d-10). I cannot get the HD video files on my portable hard drive to play on the TV (is this because I have connected the portable drive to the TV via a USB connection?). Will this WD TV HD player allow me to play my HD videos in true HD vision?

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Geoff Richards

10:31 AM on 31 May, 2009

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@Terry - in a word, "yes". The reason it doesn't work right now is because you don't have any chip / device to do the playback. The USB hard drive is just storage, and the TV just displays a signal - you need a box in between that does the hard work of decoding the video and outputing it via HDMI.

The WD TV is that box. Go get one and enjoy! :)

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terry6

8:50 AM on 1 June, 2009

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Thanks Geoff, I intend to purchase one of these players. Does anybody know how it compares with the Traxdata Media USB player as reviewed recently on the BBC program 'Click'

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GeoffC

7:17 PM on 7 July, 2009

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I get .ts files from my Humax PVR. Will the WD Media Player allow me to stream these files to a TV?

I noticed MELOMANIAC asked a simlar question; apologies if I have missed understanding an answer.

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brianbuys

10:12 PM on 9 July, 2009

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It's true this is a very good player for the money though it does have buggy issues as many have reported. Too bad western digital has not released a firmware version yet to fix these problems. once they do this will be a hard to beat player since it can do ALMOST everything you would want it to do. Seems there are two types now: with and w/o hard drive. those with HDD like the Mediagate or Popcorn hour are a good choice. those w/o hard drives like the WD TV, IOMEGA Screenplay are good too but you have to attach some sort of external usb storage anyway. So choose wisely. If you are looking for something that may be better than the WD TV, search for this: "Mediagate MG-M2TV". this is the newest player from Mediagate which can do everything the WD TV can but actually supports more formats like RMVB (real video) for many Asian videos. so this is one item i'm really looking forward to. hoping the reviews are good on this one.

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laurent

7:20 PM on 18 July, 2009

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I just bought the box, full of hope after such a good review.

1st impressions are still good. Box is really small and stylish. I am pleasantly surprised that it accepts USB sticks in place of a hard drive. Interface is user friendly.

2nd impressions are not that good. I tried to watch a HD video file encoded with mkv. The box reads the video fine but, big dissapointment, does not support the audio file (DTS HD)...

I now try to watch a divx file with audio encoded in AC-3 (it is supposed to be the same as Dolby-Digital). Another disappointment, audio is not decoded even though the box is supposed to decode Dolby-Digital.

I go to online support and see that neither DTS HD nor AC-3 are supported by the box.

Big let down. What's the point of decoding HD video files if it does not support the HD audio files that go with it?

Note: I updated the box with latest firmware (april 09) so updating firmware does not solve problem.

Box seems perfect to enjoy divx but useless to decode HD video files. I though I bought a future-proof product. WRONG.

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DusanMatliak

1:27 PM on 1 October, 2009

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Hi, I have few questions:

1. Does this player have a fan? If yes, how loud is it when on full performance?

2. If I upload the last update, does it include all previous updates? Or do I have to upload all released updates?

3. Does it support for example Czech, Slovak subtitles (does it support the special characters)?

4. Is it possible to synchronize the subtitles with the movie? (forward/backward)

Thanks

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SalilMohammed

7:51 AM on 10 October, 2009

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Find the latest Firmware beta

http://www.wdc.com/wdtvprerelease/

Thanks

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gadgetmania

1:01 PM on 6 November, 2009

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The WD TV was another purchase instigated by a very positive TR review. I was not disappointed. Having spent a bit too much in media players playing the "early adopter", I confess this is the first media player with a high WAF that has entered our home. It does what it says in the box, I don't need to decompress my FLAC archives to listen to my library and delivers 1080 content without a complaint.

(My former media players: Conceptronic Grab'n'GO 3.5", limited format support and dreadful UI; Emtec MovieCube with DVR, networking, better format support and larger HDD, average, sluggish UI).

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David36

12:56 PM on 27 November, 2009

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I like to use slow motion sometimes when watching from DVD. Does this let you have slow motion and in different speeds? Does it work well?

Thanks

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Mark34

1:46 PM on 9 December, 2009

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This sounds like a great product, but I would like to confirm that it will play AVCHD content from my Sony Camcorder before purchasing. I have scoured the documentation but can not find any info re this - also the manual does not say support for the m2ts extensions exists.

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PaulHopkins

7:56 PM on 15 February, 2010

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Bought one today and has to be best piece of tech I got since my Sony HDD recorder. Excellent menu system and picture quality is excellent even in SD. 10/10. Cannot recommend it enough - a real Roseal product. It really works, easy to set up just plugged in my mini Hard Drive and found all the files straight away. Get one today.

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