[CH_Peter]

Covers all manner of codec playback, HDMI, accepts external USB drives, nice interface, good price. Seems to tick all the boxes, bar being able to copy files to it remotely.

Trusted Reviews News Article

WD Direct Link

[iRevels]

If you can load coverart for movies then I'll buy one fo sure!

[gazdude]

AAC/Dolby Digital decodes in 2 channel
output only

Think I would rather stick with the Popcorn Hour!

[Nellster]

I like it a lot. Now do you think I would be able to plug in my sharkoon quickport pro into the usb? I hope so then I am sold.

Moderator comment: don't link to off site images


Oh yes, first post Hi everyone

[NoDad]

Does this have S/PDIF digital out? It looks like it might have an optical out on the back but it's difficult to tell.

If it does play .MKV @ 1920x1080p that's some achievement. You need a pretty decent PC to handle that.

Just think, put one of these together with a DVD ROM drive and HDD caddy, in an overall outer box the size of a DVD player and you've got it all!

[daniel_owen_uk]

Looks good, anyone know what chipset is inside it? Sigma?

Shame there is no network port.

[Theydon Bois]

Originally Posted by NoDad

If it does play .MKV @ 1920x1080p that's some achievement. You need a pretty decent PC to handle that.

Thats what I would like to know, how is this managed in an £80 box that normally needs a newish mobo and CPU (and or GPU/codec help)?

[evapor8]

Looks very very interesting. I'll be all over that when it's released I think.

Chris

[Stephen Neal]

Originally Posted by Theydon Bois

Thats what I would like to know, how is this managed in an £80 box that normally needs a newish mobo and CPU (and or GPU/codec help)?

Same reason that the Popcorn Hour can do it - custom silicon!

The Popcorn Hour and other standalone players use the same chipsets as Blu-ray players, which do all the video processing in hardware, and have a relatively puny general CPU (which is why their web browsers and UIs are a bit basic compared to a PC) However their video decoding is optimised for H264, VC-1 and MPEG2 - as well as de-interlacing etc. so they do this very well without requiring lots of power (and thus generating lots of heat)

Some will do ts/m2ts demuxing in hardware as well - though Divx, XVid, MKV demuxing is done in the CPU.

Some MKVs using dodgy x264 profiles (too many reference frames usually) won't replay on hardware devices and need software solutions... (But that is the same issue with hardware acceleration on a PC)

[tigermad]

Snow good if you cant play media from a networked drive.

[CH_Peter]

Originally Posted by tigermad

Snow good if you cant play media from a networked drive.

No good for you, but might meet other people's needs.

[NoDad]

The PDF data sheet suggests 24, 30 and 60 fps only NO PAL! It also suggests that it will not do 1920x1080 for .mkv files, only MPEG2/4, H.264 and WMV9 for that resolution.

[dannyman]

For those interested here is a review

MaddHat.com » Blog Archive » New WD Media Player Reviewed, Stripped Naked

[evapor8]

LamdaTek are showing stock:

WDAVP00BE - Western Digital WD TV HD MEDIA PLAYER (WDAVP00BE)

Chris

[CH_Peter]

More detailed info from Engadget.

[Techdread]

Got one of these beauties today will hook it up tonight

Can't Believe a device so small can play back 1080p video.

[Jefft]

Originally Posted by CH_Peter

Covers all manner of codec playback, HDMI, accepts external USB drives, nice interface, good price. Seems to tick all the boxes, bar being able to copy files to it remotely.

Trusted Reviews News Article

WD Direct Link

Thanks ordered one.

[timotapu]

Can I use an ethernet-to-usb converter to add network functionality? Something like this perhaps: D-LINK DUB-E100 USB 20 Fast Ethernet Adapter: Compare Prices, View Price History and Read Reviews at NexTag
How would the device react? Can the USB port on the device handle data coming from the ethernet port? I mean can I stream data from my computer over such a connection? Or is it even a dumb question to ask?

[Stephen Neal]

Originally Posted by timotapu

Can I use an ethernet-to-usb converter to add network functionality? Something like this perhaps: D-LINK DUB-E100 USB 20 Fast Ethernet Adapter: Compare Prices, View Price History and Read Reviews at NexTag
How would the device react? Can the USB port on the device handle data coming from the ethernet port? I mean can I stream data from my computer over such a connection? Or is it even a dumb question to ask?

Only if the WD is designed to operate with that specific Ethernet adaptor. Very unlikely. USB devices usually require drivers (whether built into Windows or supplied with the device). Some media players - like the Popcorn Hour - include drivers for a specific WiFi adaptor - but there is no way of knowing about the WD? Most media players only support Mass Storage devices (USB Flash drives or hard drives) via USB - not things like Ethernet adaptors, TV cards etc. - though some players have hackable software...

[timotapu]

Would anybody on the thread who has acquired one care to try, if the ethernet to usb connection doesn't work?

[ellisbailey]

Looks good but no iso support from what I understand. Also, I don`t see any mention of VC-1. So what about blu rasy movies encoded in this format? ill they not play?

[Techdread]

I setup one up last night, and I am mightily impressed with it.
Plugged in a WD Elements 500gb drive into it and connected the media player via HDMI to a Denon 1909.
The Media player came up straight away!
The interface is really easy to use and the picture quality was good with the preset values.
I was worried that it would not have surround sound support but when the audio is set to Digital (not default)
the speakers started outputting surround sound.
Only tried a couple of films one in mp4 format the other mkv which my PS3 can't play, the WD played it though
I was looking to buy computer to watch films, it is now no longer needed.
This a list of devices that are known to work it
Answer

[Jefft]

I have tried mine and it works well but I have found a couple of issues. It does not remove power from the attached HDD when turned off and when playing videos it does not play the next one automatically even though I have set this option in the menu.
I think a firmware update is needed.

[robtek70]

Originally Posted by Nellster

I like it a lot. Now do you think I would be able to plug in my sharkoon quickport pro into the usb? I hope so then I am sold.

I use one of these with my iStar without any problem. I have pre-ordered one of these player so will be able to check once it arrives.

[NoDad]

Anyone tried a USB DVD drive on one of these?

[elrasho]

Was going to build a £300 media centre just to play HD .mkv files but now I think Im gonna get this instead :-)

One worrying thought is what if the .mkv container becomes obsolete?

[elrasho]

Is it possilbe to upgrade the firmware on these? For example if newer file formats come out, you can upgrde the firmware so it will play them

[Clueless1]

Any information about stock available for immediate delivery would be much appreciated.

[asif147]

Originally Posted by Clueless1

Any information about stock available for immediate delivery would be much appreciated.

I have been looking everwhere for this player I have found a UK stockist which have 30 in stock just ordered my one today from Scan.co.uk: Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online.

[elrasho]

Im soooo tempted, how well is it at upscalling 700MB xvix DVD rips? Also can you use any USB storage drive or does it have to be a Western Digital?

Im assuming the external hard drive will have to be atleast 7200rpm otherwise 1080p files might stutter. Oh and whats the sond like? Im gonna connect to my 5.1 surround sound system using Optical, does it produce 5.1 dolby sund and is the sound quality better than an onboard Realtek sound card?