Western Digital HD gadget gets more web TV to home’s HDTV
October 13th, 2009, 8:25 am · 19 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress
UPDATE, 11:52 a.m.: Western Digital confirms its new media player won’t play videos from Hulu or Netflix either. Also, more pics, see below.
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Lake Forest hard drive maker takes another stab at the TV market with today’s release of the WD TV Live HD media player.
There’s a major upgrade on the new player: It can stream YouTube videos, Flickr slide shows or other high-definition Internet content on a home’s big-screen TV.
While such media-sharing devices have been around for years, the Western Digital gadget is built for 1080p HD video. Last year’s model was novel and worked well, but in order to play HD video, users had to transfer videos to a USB key or external drive and then plug it into the gadget.
The new gadget still resembles a miniature “MyBook,” the company’s line of external PC hard drives that look like black books. It’s very small — about 4-by-5 inches and 1.5-inches thick — so it’s pretty unobtrusive. It connects straight into a big TV via the HDMI port (an RCA jack and other components are also available).
More people are discovering free videos online, not just with YouTube, but sites like Hulu.com, Fancast.com, Joost.com and Veoh.com that offer full-length TV shows and movies. But few devices allow access to everything available.
Western Digital’s is no different. The press release mentions that the Western Digital device allows access to YouTube, Flickr and Pandora. However, in the product specifications, the media player “Does not support protected premium content such as movies or music from the iTunes Store, Cinema Now, Movielink, Amazon Unbox, and Vongo.” No mention of Netflix Streaming either.
UPDATE, 11:52 a.m.: Western Digital confirms this won’t play videos from Hulu either or Netflix. Here are some images of what the software looks like on the TV. Click to enlarge:
I’m hoping to test this out soon to get a good feel of what it really can and can’t do. The WD TV Live HD is available at the company’s store for $149.99.
Earlier on TV gadgets:
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Tamara – let us know what you find under the hood (i.e., windows or linux)
Also, can it play Hulu.com content?
Just curious, why would anybody buy this instead of using a PC? All you need is a video card with HDMI output and you can browse to ANY site and play whatever you want. You can get an HDMI video card at Fry’s for $40.
WD’s touting the simplicity of the device — plug and play. No need to hunt down a video card at Fry’s, install it and then get frustrated with the software. This is for the non DIY-ers.
You make a good point, but I don’t want to move my PC into the living room.
This WD gets close, but not close enough for me — I want it all, hulu, bittorent, x264, etc so I’m going to build a mini-itx HTPC based upon the Zotac board. 
Yes, no mention of whether it can play Hulu content, which is a big sticking point with many media players. Let me ask!
Nope, Western Digital confirms this won’t play Hulu.
You’re a sweetie. Thanks.
Also, can it play the vob folder and files? i.e. if I rip a DVD to a drive, will this play it like a dvd, with the menus and everything, or do I have to convert it to a movie file?
This does play both VOB (DVD) and TS (BluRay) files. It does not do interactive DVD/BluRay menus, though perhaps a future firmware update will allow this.
If it won’t do Netflix or Hulu, what’s the point?
If they were smart they’d build in an HD tuner, stick an antenna connector on the back and make a cheap portable OTA-DVR.
Lack of ability to handle interactive DVD/BluRay menus is a huge downside.
As it is, why bother.
Maybe the next incarnation will get it right
Western Digital, you need to hire some better marketing people. Get it right before you market it. Don’t build something nobody wants and then try to convince us why we should want it.
I’m glad I don’t own stock in WD.
Can anyone tell me how to watch Met Opera on my HDTV? My PC is connected by ethernet and I have no problem with Netflix or Amazon. When I contact their “technical support”, I get an answer that tells me nothing.
I bought an ACER x1700 for $388.00. It has HDMI, is the size of my stereo receiver, and I watch ALL internet sites for free (HULU, etc). Plus it’s a full blown PC, so the internet on my 52 in LCD is perfect. I am now down to basic cable for local only. Why buy a box when a new PC has it all, and at todays prices ….
Steve, the difference s that this device can be very handful in the long run. You don’t need to run wire everywhere, is not bulky, it decodes DTS audio with no need of a receiver, small, portable. And in case I have a house and I have my PC in one room, I honestly don’t want to have another PC on my HT room. It plays most all file without a hitch, network friendly….I could go on, but honestly this little device with O!play, cinematube are excellent for the non savy electronic guru. Gadget will always be a person’s choice. To each their own……You could also stream movies from your PS3 as well, but portability is what people looks for.
Oh, and I got rid of my DVD player too – its in the computer, so DVD’s are played via MS Media Center.
The technology to put a computer next to a TV has been around for years but people apparently want it built in or fed to them without lifting a finger. I bought my first Media Center PC around 2004ish. But I’m back to using a set-top box from the cable company. Guess I had more time to play back then… I am probably going to moving to an HD TiVo though because I cannot stand the limited amount of space on the cable DVR. Or maybe I’ll just wait for Vizio’s Internet TV, which will have Netflix and other web content (no Hulu though).
Looks like a great little product and I plan on picking one up soon. It’s not meant to be a replacement for a full Media Center PC, but more like a super-capable DVD player. Just like with my CD’s I have ripped all my DVDs to my NAS. I currently use a SageTV media player to watch movies and it is really great! I might pick this up for another TV in the house. At $130 or so, it’s a pretty good deal (especially if you have hard wired Ethernet at the right places in your house
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If you get a unit to review, please let us know what you think!
I have one of these, & it is a great product. Very easy to set up, GUI is clean & easy to use. Plays virtually all video formats. For me, I never need DVD menu support, never watch Extra Features (if I really want to, that is what my DVD player is for), I just start the movie & watch it, so this fits my style perfectly. I can transfer any media over wireless to the attached HDD. It can display album & movie art, plays open source audio formats (ogg & FLAC , yay!), .vob files and .iso DVD files.
AND it is sold by a company that has been & will be around!
Poo Poo on watching TV episodes on WD TV Live
I like to watch full length TV episodes found on YouTube TV, Fancast, Hulu and others, but have learned the new WD TV Live CANNOT access copy protected material such as old movies or TV episodes online. if you want to watch these old TV shows (or recent reruns), you must pay for it.
All the WD TV Live will do is play content of your own home grown pix, camcorder videos or at best Youtube videos no more than 8 min in length.
In other words Hollywood is not going to allow the average consumer to watch full length TV episodes or old movies online without making some coin.
The ONLY way to watch these full length TV shows or old movies online is to hook up a laptop or small profile computer to your flat panel TV — right now that it —-
If anyone knows how to circumvent this, let the Gagetress know please!
PlayOn software from Mediamall will enable you to watch Hulu, Netflix, Amazon VOD and more on this device.
It’s worth the $40.00 price. Search the web and you’ll probably be able to find a 1/2 price coupon..