WD TV Live Hub

[hugh]

WD TV Live Hub Media Center is a high-definition network media player with a 2.5” HDD built-in and with Gig-Ethernet functionality.

With its build-in high definition user interface, the network media center allows user to quickly navigate and playback media content that is stored in its embedded HDD, USB mass storage devices, or Internet on to a television. With the networking support, user can now drag and drop content from a computer to the embedded HDD.

Also, Internet content from service providers such as Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, Live365, Facebook, and Flickr, etc. can be streamed to the end user.

The network media center attaches to an entertainment center through a variety of audio/video interfaces and supports playback of all the major audio, image, and video file formats.

It supports high-definition video playback up to 1080p through the HDMI video output.

from UPnP.org

Leaks on the net suggest that it will have a 1TB drive and sell for about $230 USD.

[willise]

I will be purchasing one of these, if the specs are as listed.

I hope it will support Netflix in Canada. The only reason I haven't signed on to Netflix is because none of my devices support it. My BD390, WDTV Live, Samsung 2550, etc all support the American Netflix but not Canadian.

The new WDTV looks very promising. I just wish they would put a wireless card in it - would save me the trouble of finding a "compatible" USB adapter.

Update: I just did a quick search for these units and they are available in Canada right now at Best Buy. They require a USB adapter for wireless (although reports seem to indicate the US version will have internal wireless) and Netflix is not supported in Canada. It says US ONLY right on the box.

[Stirling]

any more info on this device...I am looking to get this device or something similar. A 1 Terrabyte built drive is the big bonus apposed to the live version...but I am curious about its ability to play them smoothly ...DVD or BD...

thanks

[scrooloose]

It doesn't bit stream DTS MA yet either (even my Popcorn Hour A110 does that), but it does DD TrueHD. I haven't had any trouble playing HD video over the network streamed from a HP Windows Home Server. That includes the movie Inception in HD, and some other Blu-ray disks where I had removed the DRM. Haven't done a lot of testing though. I like the ability to scrape cover art and other information for my movies.

-Mike

[Stirling]

Thanks Mike

I will admit am a bit new or late to this party so....how common is DTS MA compared to DD TrueHD. I will assume you have the most recent firmware instaled....
I will be picking this up within a month so anyone else with user experience is helpful. I checked out the popcorn hour you mentioned..looks nice but no hardrive correct? and it is a flashdrive so expensive HD

S

[scrooloose]

DTS MA is more common that DD TrueHD, but it depends what your source is. If you're, *ahem*, downloading movies from the Internet, it won't be a problem as they are generally DTS or DD only. It's only a problem if you want to watch Blu-ray with a DTS MA track. I use AnyDVD to remove the Blu-ray DRM and then copy the movie over to my my NAS and play it from the WD unit. Doing that means I can only listen to the DD or DTS alternate track.

My firmware is current.

-Mike

[Stirling]

Thanks again Mike..once I get this I may be back with more question

[Jason Spaceman]

Does anyone have any opinions on the Western Digital WDTV Live Hub?

I'm considering ditching my satellite and buying one of these devices.

Right now I have a standard def. TV, so the Live Hub's component and composite outputs would be good for my needs. Perhaps later this year I'll get a flat screen TV and use the Live Hub's HDMI output.

[blueroomelectro]

My 2c get a new HDTV first. You can use your PC as a media player in the short term.

[hugh]

I have the device and I would rank it pretty as very good as a video playing device. Can't say too much about music and photo since I don't use that functionality.

IMO, To be excellent, it would have to have some of the capabilities of Boxee to identify and catalogue video files.

I also don't like the fact that you can't turn it completely off so it wastes electricity.

[CenturyBreak]

Hugh,

The default is just 'standby', with the drive spinning merrily away... but it can be fully shut down. As far as I know, there's no e-z way to fully shut it down via the remote... but pressing the front panel power button for more than five seconds fully powers off the Hub.

[hugh]

Thanks CenturyBreak for the tip. I was disappointed when I realized that Power on the Remote didn't turn it off.

[PPL4GOLF]

If the internal HDD is not spinning/audible, there is nothing to worry about and shouldn't be a deal breaker.

Ways to load up the HDD is the problem. AFAIK (practicability purposes), it only works for network albeit slow speed like 15MB/s...not good.

[Korak]

I noticed on the screen shot of the WD TV Live Hub that the temperature shown is in fahrenheit not celsius. I tried out a WDTV LIVE box a month ago and the temperature showing on that was also in fahrenheit with no way to change it to celsius. BTW the wind speed was also in miles per hour and had no way to change it to kilometers per hour. These machines are made for the US with no thought to Canadian content.

[hugh]

And how is that really any different from any other CE device? Several of My Panasonic TV apps are American, so are the LG Smart Upate are U.S. only.

If we had to wait for Canadian only devices then many of these products would never make there way to Canada.