Prerelease Firmware (1.02.14) Feedback [ Edited ]

[PixelPower]

--NEW ISSUE--  Related to MKV playback via Media Server following network Share access

Had some odd behaviour when changing from Network Share to Media Server.

I finally got TVersity set up to stream my films / shows and decided to A-B the same titles from both sources.

Example:  2.86GB / 2hr37m MKV film

Network share loading time:  8 minutes

Media Server loading time: 5 minutes (odd, right?)  

I then browsed other films and used the Preview to gauge if they'd load quick.  MP4s and M4Vs previewed fast.. got to another MKV and it previews quick.  Weird!

Went back to the original MKV test film and now it plays back without delay via media server, which is the behaviour most people are reporting.

I only mention it because the same thing has happened several times since upgrading to 1.02.14.  Accessing a media server file following playing an MKV over network share seems to trigger a similar playback delay behaviour when switching to media server.

New example:  1.36GB / 1hr34m MKV film.

Network Share load time: 6 minutes

Media Server [initial load]:  3 minutes

Media Server [subsequent]:  Instantly

I'm guessing this won't affect most people (after all, if you have a media server set up correctly, you likely never touch Network Shares and vice versa).  Still, it's an unexpected behaviour and I thought it might be worth mentioning! 

[nomadic1]

Hi there,  Well I've tried 2.14 and not much works anymore for me - nothing from Tversity or Playon servers and network shares are not visible. And I've just given up on waiting for streams to start... I love this little box but if this is indicative of what we can expect in the next release well it's reduced the functionality of the unit in my eyes to about 20% of what I started with!

Worst of all I can't seem to get back to 1.24 as it doesn't seem to see the firmware on my USB Stick? Is there a Knack to "Down-grading" firmware? 

[richUK]

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nomadic1 wrote:

Hi there,  Well I've tried 2.14 and not much works anymore for me - nothing from Tversity or Playon servers and network shares are not visible. And I've just given up on waiting for streams to start... I love this little box but if this is indicative of what we can expect in the next release well it's reduced the functionality of the unit in my eyes to about 20% of what I started with!

Worst of all I can't seem to get back to 1.24 as it doesn't seem to see the firmware on my USB Stick? Is there a Knack to "Down-grading" firmware? 

---

I assume you have reset the unit, this sometimes helps then certain things don't work.

To downgrade you need the 'special' .24 firmware on the page below.

Its under the heading 'How to Roll Back to 1.01.24' in step 1

 Basically you download the .24 but with a 2.15 version header.

http://www.wdc.com/wdtvlive_prerelease/

[mbryanr]

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nomadic1 wrote:

Hi there,  Well I've tried 2.14 and not much works anymore for me - nothing from Tversity or Playon servers and network shares are not visible.

Read post 1:

Note:  PlayOn is currently not working on this version.

[marzoqi]

mp4 also has sycn issues , firmware rollback ....start!!

[kkuba]

PlayOn is currently not working on this version but PS3 Media Server is working. Version 1.2.400 works fine (you must download this build from official forum , not from Google repositories) - but of course You will have slow video start and forward, back, pause problems (this is still the same WD Live bug). It's a kind of "black humor" that WD writes to us many about new functions, options etc.  but they didn't fix problems with... back, forward and pause.  Congratulations... WD - The best programmers team ever.

[davenull]

Well, in fact, i've downgraded to last stable version as the MKV bug with Network share is too important.

Anyway, except for that, i've no noticed great differences between the beta version and the last stable... 

[wongnog]

Downgrading too.   Flashed the beta firmware and did a factory reset before and after.  But the first MKV file on network shares I loaded up never started, just froze on a black screen.  I hope downgrading to 1.01.24 works for me.

[Yemble]

I am very annoyed that WD have pulled this beta before I had a chance to download it ... WHY???

Anyone who wants it can find it here: [text deleted - no unofficial downloads please] 

[MatthewS]

Its incredible isnt it that WD can't seem to do anything right with the WDTV Live. Every new firmware breaks something.

I only use MKV (H264) encoded with Handbrake and playing from USB hard drive. Im having the following issues:-

* Audio is out of sync with many of my files. (I think this is with stereo audio channels only as 5.1 channels seem to play fine. Btw I have the WDTV set to stereo mode not digital as I play audio via HDMI on TV).

* Switching to chapter will sometimes cause the screen to go orange for about 5 to 10 seconds before video displays.

* "Rewind" tends to not stop when I press Play. Instead I have to press stop and then restart by pressing play.

* Sometimes subtitles display black "outlined" transparent letters instead of solid white letters with a black outline.

WD why dont you do some serious testing/fixing with MKV/H264.

[text deleted] Alas I'm not so what else can I do except complain about having purchased a product that does not work as advertised on the box.

Hey WD, think you can fix these basic issues, your paying customers deserve it!