Western Digital TV HD 1080P Media Player - any good?

Western Digital TV HD 1080P Media Player - any good?

Author
Discussion

Project C

Original Poster:

739 posts

211 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Been thinking about getting one of these for various reasons and wondered if anyone has got one or used one?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002VAVR4A/ref=...

aclivity

4,072 posts

194 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
I've got one, but I just use the Scart output as I don't have a HD Tv.

It does what it says - plays most formats from a USB drive. It also recognises subtitle files if you have one, although I've only ever used that functionality once to prove that it works.

It takes a few seconds when you plug in a new drive to index stuff, but you can pretty much navigate through folders to start playing straight away. I've only ever had one problem, which turned out to be a DRM type problem on the AVI file I was using. If I recall correctly, the AVI file was designed for use on a PC and it insisted I download a bespoke player for it ... so I didn't watch it.

I think you can get it cheaper though, fairly certain I have seen it for less than that elsewhere (but annoyingly can't recall where ... could have been Morgan?)


T0M

713 posts

183 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
I use one of these and it is superb.

I have recently upgraded to the 'Live' version which allows you to plug it into your router via ethernet cable so you can share the drive over your home network and stream any movies you may have on it. Works a treat on an HDTV with an optical cable from the WDTV to the home cinema. I have many 10+GB HD movies on a connected WD Passport 500gb drive. Maplin's are doing the normal WDTV for £25ish I think

aclivity

4,072 posts

194 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Maplin! That's the place. I was almost there, it started with M.


Project C

Original Poster:

739 posts

211 months

Thursday 30th September 2010
quotequote all
aclivity said:
Maplin! That's the place. I was almost there, it started with M.
Nah - its £99.99 at Maplin. That's where I first saw it.

LeoSayer

7,366 posts

250 months

Thursday 30th September 2010
quotequote all
I've had one for a couple of years. It's nice and simple works well and even plays ripped Blu-Rays without too much trouble.

The only real problem is that it doesn't play .mov videos from my digital camera.

Just don't think that it's a media pc. It's a very simple media player for very little money.

T84

6,941 posts

200 months

Thursday 30th September 2010
quotequote all
Popcorn Hour products are FAR superior.

aclivity

4,072 posts

194 months

Thursday 30th September 2010
quotequote all
Project C said:
aclivity said:
Maplin! That's the place. I was almost there, it started with M.
Nah - its £99.99 at Maplin. That's where I first saw it.
This is the one I saw: WD HD player £29.99

Project C

Original Poster:

739 posts

211 months

Thursday 30th September 2010
quotequote all
aclivity said:
Project C said:
aclivity said:
Maplin! That's the place. I was almost there, it started with M.
Nah - its £99.99 at Maplin. That's where I first saw it.
This is the one I saw: WD HD player £29.99
Ahh - yes thats the SD one not HD. I have thought about getting that as I don't have a HD TV yet but decided on the HD anyway.

aclivity

4,072 posts

194 months

Thursday 30th September 2010
quotequote all
Project C said:
aclivity said:
Project C said:
aclivity said:
Maplin! That's the place. I was almost there, it started with M.
Nah - its £99.99 at Maplin. That's where I first saw it.
This is the one I saw: WD HD player £29.99
Ahh - yes thats the SD one not HD. I have thought about getting that as I don't have a HD TV yet but decided on the HD anyway.
My mistake, sorry about that. It has a punt towards HD:

User Manual said:
Video output resolution includes 480i and 576i (composite and component
interface), or 480p, 576p, 720p, and 1080i (component interface)
but not full HD.

Mine has the HDMI output (like in your first link) but I, like you, do not yet have a HD TV. I bought the HD player probably for the same reason, as future proofing for when (if) I ever go HD.



Project C

Original Poster:

739 posts

211 months

Thursday 30th September 2010
quotequote all
T84 said:
Popcorn Hour products are FAR superior.
And so are the prices!! I'll be lucky to afford the WD one as it is - if I had the money then maybe....