.WDTV Data Stored on USB Thumbdrive

[#1]

I don't like the idea of the WDTV Live SMP having "Write" (and therefore Delete) access to the shares. Who knows if my (eventual) 5yr old kid while watching some shows decided to hit delete for tons of other stuff. I've never checked out Parental Controls so for all I know it might be there but still don't don't like the tons of .wdtv and backdrop folders it puts there.

So now for my idea - How about having the option of saving all that data (XML and .WDTV Folders and images) to a USB Thumbdrive. I have a bunch of 512MB - 2GB unused thumbdrives (plus they are super cheap anyways, $5 or so). It seems the device would prefer all the video files being in 1 large folder rather than sub folders but then it creates the .insertfilenameherefolder in the same folder creating tons of clutter when viewed on other devices.

These don't show on the WDTV and i'm guessing Linux devices (Android uses .filenames too to represent hidden) but for Windows and any other devices it just makes scrolling that list messy!

If not that then at least create just 1 .WDTV folder on the root of the drive then create the subsequent .filenamefolder and backdrops into that folder.

Thank you!

[#2]

In Linux you can give write access to the folders (chmod 666) and limited access (chmod 622 for example) to the video / music / photo files. It's all in the configuration.

[#3]

I completely agree with this. Not just because of the write access and messy-ness of the movie folder, but also because I believe the Media Player could probably access the backdrop and thumbnails faster if they were on a device plugged directly into the system.

[#4]

a little late maybe. But I agree 100%. I just discovered all the .metadata and xml files mixed in with my pristine movies folder, and the background folders. ...

Regarding the share, depending on the windows version you can set up the share to read and change, and not allow delete. That's how I've set up mine for the exact reason you said - small kids in the house