WD TV is felt by a high-quality device. Laconic design, user-friendly interface and high speed can not help with potential buyers. View photos, videos and auditions Audio is given to the player easily, and the design and ergonomics of the shell often exceed competing solutions, including Android on board. This media player will have to taste to everyone who is looking for a miniature and stable model to play files with the HDD and the local network.
The problem is that in this discipline WD TV is not alone in the Russian market. And the implementation of streaming services for the domestic market does not withstand any criticism. In fact, only IVI.ru and YouTube are relevant for Russians, with a reservation, that only Latin characters allow the search for video recording. Such a negligent adaptation of software for the domestic market causes a lot of questions.
Of course, many flaws will be corrected in unofficial firmware, but from the world famous brand the least expect functionality at the level of "gray imports". Let's hope that existing flaws will be corrected in the nearest updates of software.
Butter porridge will not spoil Folk wisdom
Editorial gG. It has long been selected to the media player Western Digital - a well-known hard disk manufacturer. The Live TV model, at first glance, did not promise any surprises. Well, there is support for Internet services (YouTube and Facebook now are everywhere), well, there is a built-in Wi-Fi (good, but not a feat). Well, there is a video support in FullHD (who will surprise?) But in practice, the device turned out to be damn friendly to the user and extremely pleasant in the work.
The WD media player line together with the TV Live model includes TV Live Plus and TV Live Hub. The first of them differs from TV Live design and lack of Wi-Fi (wireless network is only available optionally, you need to buy a special USB accessory). The second is the same lack of Wi-Fi and a built-in terabyte hard disk. Thus, TV Live can be called the optimal and most popular model among other WD media players.
| Technical characteristics of the WD TV Live media player (WDBGXT0000NBK) | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 125x100x30 mm |
| Weight | 190 g |
| Interface | Ethernet, Wi-Fi B / G / N, USB 2.0 (2 pcs), HDMI, composite output, optical output |
| Video Format | PAL |
| Video File formats | VI (XVID, AVC, MPEG1 / 2/4), MPG / MPEG, VOB, MKV (H.264, X.264, AVC, MPEG1 / 2/4, VC-1), TS / TP / M2T (MPEG1 / 2/4, AVC, VC-1), MP4 / MOV (MPEG4, H.264), M2TS, WMV9, FLV (H.264) |
| Formats of image files | JPEG, GIF, TIF / TIFF, BMP, PNG |
| Music file formats | Mp3, WAV / PCM / LPCM, WMA, AAC, FLAC, MKA, AIF / AIFF, OGG, Dolby Digital, DTS |
| Playback List Formats | Pls, M3U, WPL |
| Formats of files with subtitles | SRT, ASS, SSA, SUB, SMI |
Appearance
A small neat box is a size of a little more pocket format book in soft binding. The first USB port and sensor for the remote control is carried out on the front panel. Well, and of course, the LED indicator of work.
On the back there are elements intended for mounting a media player on the wall both in vertical and horizontal orientation. True, the question remains how in this case use the remote control, if the sensor for the console will be sent to the ceiling.
On the rear panel there is everything you need - HDMI output, another USB, optical output, composite Audioviovideo (included with the appropriate cable) and Ethernet. Although it is much more pleasant to use this device if there is Wi-Fi (you can use the iPhone / iPad or Android-smartphone / Tablet for control).
The remote control is slightly viable, as for me. But it is very convenient to hold it in hand due to the ergonomic design of its lower part.
Video review
The media player menu exceeds any expectations with its neat design, localized menu (Ukrainian, however, no) and a large number of settings. You can change the background (and download new topics from the Internet). To control the color, size, the position of subtitles (and even adjust them to synchronize with video sequence).
It is possible to introduce parental passwords and program a remote control using its numeric keys to quickly go to those or other menu sections or running Internet services.
But the screen keyboard was not very comfortable. To get to the punctuation marks, you need to switch the display page. Cyrillic no. But there is a WD TV Remote application from Google Play or App Store, then (provided a Wi-Fi connection, a smartphone or tablet will not work via Ethernet) the problem of entering text in any language immediately disappears.
As always, a significant part of the available web services is useless in our conditions. Traditionally, you can use Accuweather, Picasa, Flickr, Facebook (I did not find it possible), Vimeo and YouTube. By the way, YouTube has two options - the usual and YouTube Leanback, designed to work with TVs. In this case, you can authorize in your account without entering the password - the application will offer the code that will need to be entered on the page activate . After that, it will be possible to return to the TV and use your saved channels and playlists.
The player has access to two online games - FUNSPOT and PLAYJAM. Games there, understandable case, simple (darts, sudoku, chess), they can entertain / take guests. Especially if there is no gaming console or (oh, horror) computer or tablet.
In the dry residue
Despite the fact that I did not expect any special miracles from the media player, he managed to leave the best impressions of work. With the main task - he coped with the video playback with a bang, never finding a video that could not reproduce. For a month and a half, the player received two firmware updates, which indicates the serious intentions of the manufacturer. Everything turned out to be made on fame and thought out to the smallest detail - from the ergonomics of the console and the ability to program it to excellent menu design and a large number of music playback settings, photos and videos. The last drop was a great application (in any case for Android, but I do not believe that it works worse on the iPhone) WD TV Remote, which in the presence of a Wi-Fi home network makes player control and text input (the same passwords in services or search On YouTube) much more comfortable. As a result, I did not have anything else, how to get WD TV Live by our highest award - the choice of the editorial office.
five reasons to buy WD TV Live
- compact sizes of housing
- built-in Wi-Fi B / G / N module
- programmable remote control ergonomic shape
- regularly updated firmware firmware
- special application for iOS and Android facilitating the player and text entry
GVRAX 2 years ago
Yandex Market
i use from 2012 about!)
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Advantages: 1) Durability and reliability of the device! 2) relevance - I still use 3) Update: I shifted it on the modified firmware, now youtube works again :)
Disadvantages: ceased to support - an irrelevant software on it (but is treated with a firmware with the installation of plagues)
alexey chugunov 3 years ago
Yandex Market
excellent model, I use it all the time. Reads all in 95% of cases. I am pleased with all 100 and I recommend it to everyone
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Advantages: Compact, all reads
Disadvantages: after disconnection and subsequent power on the electricity itself
Vasily K. 4 years ago
Yandex Market
In vain, they were removed from production - the model is successful. But! I know where they are still selling! In the summer of 2016, I bought such a player in the store for 2499 p. - This is the second such player at me at home. The first is still working without complaints.
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Advantages: Small, universal, loses any files from both USB drives and networks. The console is convenient, the location of the intuitive buttons. Soft diode light on the front panel (does not hit the eye). Alternative firmware receives new features.
Disadvantages: the side USB-nest broke - physically broke off from the board.
Noname 5 years ago
Yandex Market
A few years ago I bought exactly the same device, but with a built-in hard drive for 2 TB. Until now, it works fine, additional drives reading easily.
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Advantages: Dignity is only one, you can connect an external drive to this device.
Disadvantages: A huge minus is that there is no (judging by the description of the characteristics) of the built-in HDD!
Dimitry-188 6 years ago
Yandex Market
Excellent device. Important moment: if you just click on the red button on the remote control, the device falls asleep, but very peculiar: instead of 8 W (in "enabled mode") it consumes 6 W. At the same time actively heats and continues to keep the WiFi enabled. But if you press the red button of the console and keep it pressed for 5 seconds, then the device falls asleep completely, does not heat and does not consume unnecessary energy.
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Advantages: 1. Perfectly playing "by air" almost all files. 2. Highly manufactured.
Disadvantages: 1. Play files via DLNA from the file storage it was possible to make not immediately. 2. Connected to the HDMI TV - a little "trimmed" the top of the image.
Andrey G. 6 years ago
Yandex Market
i use more than 4 years. During this time there was a pair of inadequate and inexplicable failures in summer heat (spontaneous shutdown, impossibility of inclusion). I do not use the Internet services and connections. Only view movies (files up to 4GB) from three disks 1TB (2.5 ", USB 2.0 and 3.0, without meals), sometimes a photo from a holiday, sometimes music in mp3 to an active analog trifonik for $ 100. In general, it works perfectly as Swiss Watches.
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Advantages: quality of manufacture, pictures, sound. Reliability, ease of management
Disadvantages: for such a price tag simply no
N. Roman 6 years ago
Yandex Market
Excellent box showing everything and everywhere. Works well with a properly configured media server
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Advantages: All reads (1% failure for 3 years of use), connects to any TV, a good video signal over all wires, the simplest interface, excellent functionality.
Disadvantages: sometimes it is buggy inside the grid (it is possible incorrectly configured) and everything is as shared. Not the best solution for viewing files more than 20 gigs.
EVG B. 6 years ago
Yandex Market
Super machine for your money. A good opportunity to turn a somewhat outdated plasma model (what I have) to a real media center. Ideal for viewing downloaded rips. It looks through this typewriter on a plasma 40 "with a mkv rips with a size of 2 to 3 GB. - Quality is acceptable / good, more good. The size of 4 to 6 GB (720r) - the quality is very good. AVI, in my opinion, go ahead better than through a computer video card, with the exception of traditional soap in the dark sections of the frame. It is recommended to purchase. _______________________ Supplement: After 3 years of use (rather intense), there are failures in reproduction of films (throughout the film 4 -5 times the image and sound for 2-3 seconds are turned off).
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Advantages: Playing all video formats - rips that I have. Sees Harddisk for 2 TB. Gorgeous picture. For the best quality you need to connect via HDMI.
Disadvantages: 1. From about 600 films in MKV did not take only 2 films. The reason is unknown, possibly outdated codec. But this is a funny flaw. Sound roads in AAC loses worse than others (stutter every 10 seconds). Well, if you do not pay attention, it is insignificant. 3. If a file that does not read for any reason or other reasons are recorded on harddisk connected to the media player, then when reproducing other files recorded on Harddisk and which it reader earlier, the media player may not open them. It is treated with shutdown / on, or deleting a unreadable file.
Guest 6 years ago
Yandex Market
i wanted to change the box for the Android - bought Minix Neo X7 - but this android rests - sold in a month to Avito.
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Advantages: It plays everything that is if turned off - continues from the same place. Little comfortable, the remote is what you need. Able to play with VC - on an alternative firmware.
Disadvantages: no wifi no IVI
Alexander P. 6 years ago
Yandex Market
The device has connected to the network twisted pair, twisted the disk 1TB without add. Nutrition. Ruthlessly installed an alternative firmware on him on the first day of purchase. The first requirement was the presence of a rocking of torrents, there is a rtorrent in the firmware, but I didn't like it and an additional Plugin Transmission was installed. After that, the gland began to download / distribute files, while you can play these files with the player. But ... It happens to the toy ... The only thing that was able to achieve is the ratio of firmware / plugin, in which the rocking has renewed after the rigid reboot. At this time, gives more than 100 video files. In general, we found a compromise with the device, although the rocking bracket is apparently weak enough for full-fledged work. I complement the review 15.11.2013, the player worked as a rocking chair / distribution of torrents from 02/18/2011, in addition to this showed these films. I managed to give approximately 35 TB, download 2 TB, today sent to a well-deserved rest (read "to work for the purpose") in connection with the acquisition of NAS. Honor and praise to the manufacturer, persistent needle. Yes, by the way, the firmware has left alternative, rolled the plugin to show movies from external files, now simple TV series and all sorts of entertainment programs can be found without downloading, online.
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Advantages: unconditional leader in price / quality. Serious electronics manufacturer - WD screws never let down. I read 99% of the available video files. Dimensions of the player itself and the console.
Disadvantages: Perhaps the absence of a volume control, although somewhere on the forum read that you can plug in and the volume will appear.
From the first appearance immediately won the sympathy of a huge number of users - simply because it was very cheap, and the built-in functionality could envy a significantly more expensive model. However, the first model had noticeable disadvantages. For example, it did not have a DTS audio decoder, there was no network support and support for the latest HDMI version. But Western Digital has not stood on the spot and released the next version called WD TV Live, in which these shortcomings were eliminated. I was all about to test this model, but somehow did not reach my hands. And then I sent a special new state vessel from the states, which is called WD TV Live Plus (it is almost the same WD TV Live, only with the support of several specific state network services), for which a huge thank you online store Reader-Sony.ru, and We are just now and see that this player is myself. And so, the compact universal media player WD TV Live Plus.
WD TV Live Plus
SpecificationsChipset - Sigma 8655
Dimensions - 126 × 40 × 100 mm
Weight - 330 g
Net - Ethernet 10/100
Wi-Fi - Using a special USB controller
Ports - Ethernet, HDMI, composite A / V signal, component video signal, USB 2.0
Types of audio files - MP3, WAV / PCM / LPCM, WMA, AAC, FLAC, MKA, AIF / AIFF, OGG, Dolby Digital, DTS
Types of video files - AVI (XVID, AVC, MPEG1 / 2/4), MPG / MPEG, VOB, MKV (H.264, X.264, AVC, MPEG1 / 2/4, VC-1), TS / TP / M2T (MPEG1 / 2/4, AVC, VC-1), MP4 / MOV (MPEG4, H.264), M2TS, WMV9, FLV (H.264)
Types of images - JPEG, GIF, TIF / TIFF, BMP, PNG
Players - Pls, M3U, WPL
Subtitle formats - SRT, ASS, SSA, SUB, SMI
Online services - Netflix, YouTube, Flickr, Pandora, Live365, MediaFly Networks
Drive unit - absent
HDD - There is no well, according to the characteristics - it supports though of the bald. But let's see how it will look in practice. Equipment The device itself, a remote control with batteries, an Audiovideo Cababel (composite signal), an Audiovideo Cababel (component signal), a network power supply, a quick installation manual and disks. Appearance and management In the appearance of the change player, there was practically no - a compact box size with a book-book book.
Appearance
On the front panel - power indicator and an external drive connection indicator. On the rear panel - appropriate outputs: nutrition, USB, HDMI, optical, Ethernet, audio video, component.
Rear end
Another USB-port is on the left end. The control buttons on the housing is not like a class, the player is controlled only by the remote control, which was then small and primitive, and remained.
Remote Control
Main menu
Preview images
While viewing the picture, you can call a menu in which there is an approximation-deletion, rotation, information about the file.
Menu
Also, if the Internet is connected, you can view images from your Flickr account. Listening to music Various types of selection: according to performers, albums, compositions, playlists, recently listened.
Composition
Tracks and albums can also be viewed in the preview mode or list. The player is simple, but when playing information is displayed on the artist, album and genre.
Reproduction
Play menu
Accelerated playback is made on 2-4-8 and 16x. It is impossible to jump for a specific time point - by the way, it is sad. The only one of the "jumps" is that it works here is a jump 10 minutes ahead or back when the "Next section" or "previous section" button on an accelerated turning point is clicked.
Roller with external subtitles
High resolution roller
However, it also cannot be retended to a given temporal position or on the corresponding number of minutes, which is not particularly convenient. Acceleration from 2x to 16x works, but on some codecs-containers (especially on the "Matreshka") is slightly curved. A 10-minute jump on the transition keys to the previous / the next sections during the accelerated rewind works here. The key point in my testing of the HD media players is how they reproduce folders with the Blu-Ray disk structures. Because all sorts of rips are modern, the players are already playing decently, but the Blu-ray folders - everything is much more complicated here. At the same time, the players are divided into three categories by the playback mechanism: 1. The player does not understand the Blu-ray structure at all, and to reproduce the desired stream, you need to select the appropriate file of dozens or hundreds. And since the overwhelming majority of players also do not know how to sort files in size (this is the only way to find a file with the film) - It turns out that the cinema is really clear and not to look at the cinema. 2. Player when playing the Blu-ray folder itself finds a movie and starts it. In this case, menus and persons are not available, but you can watch the movie. However, if there is a sufficiently long film about the film among the specials, the player can miss and run it - I came across this. And then the film itself can be launched only manually. 3. Player Plays the Blu-Ray structure as a regular Blu-Ray disk - with all the menu, dopes and so on. This, of course, is most convenient. But for all my practice, the Blu-ray structures only played the Dune players. Some journalists explain the existing problems with reproducing such folders for the concerns about copyright developers - they say, the folders include pirated copies of Br-discs, so they do not reproduce them in order not to quarrel with copyright holders. Explanation, in my opinion, at least strange. Because the same "matryoshka", in which the rips of BR films are distributed, all these players are reproduced without any problems. And folders are shy to play. By the way, I have copies of the normal licensed Br-discs, which I bought my own. Just the order of magnitude more convenient to reproduce them from the hard disk.
High resolution roller in MKV with subtitles
So how does WD TV Live Plus behave with such folders? Behaves badly. Well, that is, it pretends that it understands these folders and seems to play a movie, but in fact it just clings the first stream file in the list - as a rule, this is a licensing warning on hundreds of languages. Therefore, a sense here with WD TV is no. Just search for a file with the film and run it manually. Price In the States, this player costs about $ 90 - that is, two kopecks. Against the background of such ultra-low prices to its disadvantages, you have more than tolerant. If you do not need to watch the Blu-Ray folders, then the player is quite suitable for solving most of the brightest playback of the media system, including from the network. conclusions Well, the player clearly develops - most problems of the WD TV model in WD TV Live developers have removed. With a network, support for DTS decoder and various media Internet services, the player has become very good. And if you still consider that it is actually a penny, it turns out just one of the best budget models on the market. Of the disadvantages - the inability to double the rollers more flexibly and get to the desired point, well, and problems with the Blu-ray folders. Otherwise - a cool player, just cool.
The appearance of a compact and inexpensive WD TV player (Western Digital TV) was encountered by users with enviable enthusiasm. It would be more, because at that time it was, perhaps the most affordable device, from such a uniform manufacturer, capable of playing HD video files. But the most advanced enthusiasts Euphoria quickly kicked: a novelty had too many shortcomings. The complaints list got, first of all, the HDMI interface of the old version, which did not allow the "in the figure" to the AV receiver; The lack of a DTS decoder (without it, movies with the corresponding sound accompanied without sound, if the audio signal was removed from the analog outputs). Also upset rather modest functionality, including the absence of a network exit. About all this we. What awaits us in the next generation model, called WD TV Live?
Differences WD TV Live from WD TV First Generation
Despite the fact that externally, the devices practically do not differ (color not in the account), inside they are fundamentally different. WD TV Live is based on a more perfect SIGMA Designs SMP8655 (500 MHz) processor, and the predecessor has SIGMA Designs SMP8635 (300 MHz). The LAN 10/100 Mbps wired network controller appeared, the HDMI interface "Doros" to version 1.3, ensuring the possibility of transferring all audio streams to the AV receiver. Finally, the DTS decoder was introduced. This means that now the player can be connected directly to the TV even "by analogue", not afraid to stay in full silence on films with DTS-track.
Packaging and delivery package
Click on the picture to enlarge
The device comes in a colorful cardboard box of corporate design, inside which it is itself, a remote control with two AAA batteries, a slight amount of paper waste paper (the full version of the instruction is contained on the attached CD), a network adapter with nozzles for the so-called European and English outlets, as well as two non-standard cables for outputting analog composite, component signals and stereo sound. On the one hand, they have familiar RCA ("Tulips"), and on the other - 4-pin "minijacks". The HDMI-HDMI cable is not included, it will have to be purchased separately. The same applies to the patchcord to connect to the local network. For an inexpensive device, such saving manufacturer is quite admissible.
Appearance
Click on the picture to enlarge
Black gloss, which was beautifully impulsed for the first generation WD TV, but extremely impracticious (especially if you remember "no" coverage resistance to the appearance of scratches). Whether this circumstance, whether the desire to at least change the design of the new items for its visual differentiation with the model of the last generation was the reason, but the WD TV Live case is now matte, and its color is dark gray. Also appeared the DTS icon on the top panel. There are no other changes in comparison with the "simple" WD TV. Perhaps it would be possible to make legs or revise the design so that the player could stand vertically. With the current version it is not recommended to do, because when installing on the sidewall, the vent holes are completely overlapped. However, the player is so small that it is unlikely that someone will come to mind to save 5-6 cm space in a bedside table. But the legs would definitely prevent.
Switching
Click on the picture to enlarge
As you can see, the device body is small, so the connectors on the rear panel are grouped extremely duct. Now it is clear why designers wisely with non-standard adapter cables: RCA's full-fledged outputs just nowhere to place. It is unlikely to consider such a solution, since from WD TV Live buyers only the units will connect the player according to the analogue - the rest will use HDMI switching, and will be entirely right. Photo does not require comments, however, listing ports from left to right: power adapter connector, USB 2.0 port (the second is on the left side, if you look at the device in front), HDMI v1.3, optical digital SPDIF audio output TOSLINK, RJ45 port for Connections to the local network and two "minijack" - to output analog sound signals and images using complete adapter cables.
HDD
As in the first WD TV, in WD TV Live, installation is not provided inside the hard disk housing - there is no free space for it. As a data source, it is proposed to use any USB interface drives or network resources, including home computers, which can be placed as many films and music. The only question is whether the bandwidth of the player's network controller is enough to display high-speed records? This we will find out a little later.
Design and cooling
Click on the picture to enlarge
Click on the picture to enlarge
The WD TV Live design resembles a bulb: a lot of layers. After removing the upper plastic "costume", we see a metal shielding box with perforation. And only inside it is the only e-board. The power supply in the device, we will remind, external, and the place for HDD is not provided at all. The main processor is hidden by an aluminum radiator, fastened on a spring fit and a thermoclate. To disassemble the radiator, it is necessary to warm up a hairdryer, and then, grabbing and pouring, carefully, but with effort, it is important that the processor crystal shard of a crystal remains on the radiator to remain in a bunch of useless scrap metal. In general, everything turned out, but the reinforced ribs in the photo - our hand, we noticed it only later and immediately corrected. The heart of the player is the modern media processor Sigma Designs SMP8655 (500 MHz frequency).
Click on the picture to enlarge
Unlike SMP8652 and Blureyan SMP8642, it does not have Macrovision support and other protection, therefore, by connecting an external optical WD TV Live drive, it is impossible to transform the Licensed Blu-ray / DVD-Video player. In addition, we have big doubts about the efficiency of cooling processor: the radiator is large, but the air exchange inside the two-layer case with small holes is weak, and it also occurs naturally. It is not surprising that the player after two hours of operation - how boiling water is true, it never covered. But now winter, indoors are quite comfortable +23 Celsius. I wonder what will be hot in summer if there is no air conditioner at home? Will there be overheating? Now we can not answer these questions, it remains to hope for the competence of the Western Digital designers ...
Remote control
Click on the picture to enlarge
Paying great attention to the WD TV Live filling, its creators somehow went around the console side. Yes, the same was the first WD TV, but this means nothing. The remote is far from the most convenient for the male palm (it usually concerns the neighborhood of the "Down" buttons and "stop"). He alone himself is small, but the buttons are located close. Well, though the housing is plumpy, so it is not bad in the hand. Functionality - only basic. Many dopunctions are called by clicking on Option, after which the locked position is selected on the pop-up menu of the cursor keys.
Main characteristics
| WD TV Live. | |
| The firmware version during testing: | 1.01.24 |
| CPU: | Sigma Designs SMP8655 |
| Support file types and containers: | |
| Cooling processor: | Passive (aluminum radiator on thermoclate) |
| Internal hard drive: | Not provided |
| Analog video outputs: | Composite (RCA, via cable adapter), component (3 RCA, via cable adapter) |
| Analog audio outputs: | 2 RCA (stereo), via cable adapter |
| Digital audio outputs: | Optical (Toslink) |
| HDMI: | v1.3 (up to 1080p inclusive; support HD) |
| Built-in audio set: | Dolby / DTS (Mixed in Stereo) |
| Connect to the local network: | Wired (Ethernet 10/100 Mbps), Internet Radio, YouTube |
| USB Host ports: | 2 (1 side + 1 back) |
| USB Slave: | not |
| eSATA HOST: | not |
| eSATA Slave: | not |
| Dimensions: | 12.5 x 10 x 4 cm |
| Approximate price in Moscow at the time of publication of the article: | 3500 rubles (according to January 2011) |
Testing
The user interface has not changed: the same single-level mesh structure was also at the first WD TV. Up-down - the choice of category, and to delve into the functionality of this category - to the right. On the one hand, such a menu is extremely clear for development, it is not confused in it, however, in contrast to the usual, when there is a start-up page with pictograms leading to different catches, here too much has to be pressed on the buttons. For example, to start a video with a USB connected hard disk you need 5-7 "Tykov", and when working with a remote network drive is much larger. But the launch of the selected files occurs extremely fast, in seconds. Rate this speed, as well as see the menu design, you can on the video below. Please do not pay attention to quality, because the shooting was conducted from the TV screen.
For those who did not have time to read the names of the test rollers, we inform that the player successfully coped with highly accurate, one of which, excerpt from the Bondian "Casino Piano", has an average of 50-60 Mbps, and the takeoff of the ducks is off and at all for 110 Mbps. All their player seen smoothly, without a chandelier. In general, according to the "omnivities" WD TV Live to the step above the predecessor. Of course, to the reference in this plan, the croche from WD is pronounced, but after all, the price of her is completely different! But the playback of BD images here "no". And the player's DVD images learned to show from the menu only by the end of 2010.
The settings menu offers a fairly large range - so that the user did not feel offended. From the important one, two points should be noted: for HDMI video there is a frequency autolation, and the display of positions (files) can be carried out either as a list or as icons of covers that must be prepared.
Verification on the network was carried out according to the usual technique: no useless digits and complex manipulations. We do the way would make the vast majority of users. Namely, "ocked" the folder on the Windows computer (SMB protocol) and went to it from the player. The entire system communicates through the 100-megabit router of the ASUS brand. At the end of the settings, we try to play multiple files with different bitrate. The familiar excerpt from the screensaver of the film about Bond, in which the bitrate ranges from 50 to 60 Mbps. On the previously tested Dune HD Base 3.0 (on the same technique, on the same equipment), this video was displayed without problems. WD TV at first also pleased, but after a few seconds began "brakes":
It is a pity, but for playback on the network of high-speed files, this device is suitable. It is possible if fresher with alternative firmware and settings; If you use a gigabit switch, not a 100-megabit router, then the situation would change, but we will not forget that the mentioned player from Dune coped with the task of without doping, and WD TV is not. However, we will not be too strict. First, about the record speed of work on the latest Dune models, and so much is said, and secondly, WD TV Live is a player class below - it is intended for ordinary users, and not for the enthusiasts of the Stimination HD video.
Advantages:
- In relation to single video files player almost "omnivorous"
- Fast start of playing any media files
- HDMI v1.3.
- Decoding DTS Sound (Stereo mode)
- Access YouTube and Internet Radio
- Attractive price
Disadvantages:
- Potentially inefficient cooling processor
- Careful speed of network
- Excessively compact and low-functional console
- "Long" menu structure complicates access to content
Conclusion
In a relatively new WD TV Live, many critical flaws of the first generation WD TV were corrected, compatibility with various media files (thanks to the new processor) also improved. If we consider this hardware in binding to the price, then this is a very decent product that can be safely recommended by ordinary users. Enthusiasts This player consult is to consult - at a minimum, due to the lack of support for Blu-ray images, as well as because of the inability to install inside the HDD, and not the right to work with the network. But, repeat, in its class of the elementary level models WD TV Live definitely deserves attention. And even in January 2011, when we updated the price of the price and some nuances (in particular, add information about the support of DVD-images), that is, after almost a year after testing, WD TV Live is still one of the best players of the initial level.
The test was held in February 2010, the article was updated in January 2011
Problems
