I just got mine and have problems.

[AZ-J]

HDMI into AVR, network cable into 10/100/1000 switch that TV, AVR, BD player and PC share and all connect to network.

On new Live unit blue light flashes, displays WD Live Player logo on TV, but will not respond. WD support closed.

If you can HELP! I think the unit is a DOA unit.

[Charlie]

Did you try to turn it off then back on? What happened then?

[Bob2701]

Unplug the connection to the Lan, just have the box connected via HDMI direct to the TV and see what happens. Easier to eliminate all but the box to check. If that works then connect through the AVR, and then try the network again. On the side there is a pinhole to do a hard reset (hold for about 15 seconds). You are going to love it but get ready to start learning again. :)

[AZ-J]

It comes on when plugged in. Blue light is solid at first, and there is no picture. When the blue light starts flashing I get a large WD and a subtiltle (call it a splash screen) but nothing else.

Did I turn it on - I can't it will not respond! Is it now into the TV with no LAN cable - YES! Did I hit the reset switch for 15 seconds? YES, 3 times.

I am calling WD, this just sucks!

[Charlie]

I assume you set the TV to the right HDMI port? My TV has 4. Plugging in and the light on is normal.

[AZ-J]

Acording to WD Tech Supoort, it is a DOA! I am contacting NewEgg now. This sucks, and WD Tech Support sucks too. They told me an RMA through them would be 2-3X as long as one through NewEgg.

[Charlie]

Newegg is better since it is new and yes the techs suck. We usually know the fixes but this isn't a widely discussed topic yet hope things like this will soon.

[Bob2701]

I just set one up last week and did not have a problem. It is just one of those things. When you get the new one update to the latest firmware (1.02.21 for the Live) as there were quite a few changes in this one. To be safe I would put the new firmware on a flash drive for the first upgrade. If you need instructions let me know. After you make sure your network is working OK then future releases can be done over the net.

Good Luck.

[AZ-J]

If I can't get the unit to show me anything other that splash screen, I can't update it. The damn unit wouldn't reset either.

That piece of crap is on its way to NewEgg's RMA dept. Who knows when the next one will arrive?

As for networking, we are wired across the house with Cat 6. I have a BD player, the AVR, and the TV all share an 8-port Gigiabit switch with a HTPC (I may dismantle the PC after the new WD box arrives, and make it a NAS) but all work over the network and the ethernet. The AVR can stream music off the PCs, but more importantly, plays internet radio from over 8,000 stations, the BD player streams content from various channels, and the TV will show photos, and other media on the TV. I want the box to use through the AVR for DD and DTS, but WD says it operates better with a TV. Bob, I may need more help to get that correct than networking, the latter is easy here.

BTW, the box showed the splash screen via the AVR and direct HDMI to the TV. The TV let me know the signal was 720p. I assume that can be changed to 1080p when the new box comes?

[Charlie]

Yes if it is the live player and the TV can show 1080p you can change that if needed.

[AZ-J]

The TV is 1080p... until the new one comes... NewEgg, you watching?

[Bob2701]

As long as your AVR can handle DD and DTS you should not have a problem. The WDTV is set for "Auto" on the HDMI setting by default. So it should play whatever it gets as long as your AVR will pass it. I think you said you connected from the WD to the AVR and then to the TV.

[AZ-J]

Bob, correct, preferably into AVR which feeds all via one HDMI cable to the TV. The AVR can handle DD, DTS, DD-HD, DTS-HD Master, and more. It can also synth 7.1 from 2.0 or better, using Pro Logic IIx (I'd be better off newer with IIz, but not worth upgrading yet). Funny in a way, the Pioneer TV I have, just shy of its 2-year warranty, dumped, in December '09. A new main board (motherboard?) had it good for a few weeks, and now the problems are intermittently back. After WD support was sooooo bad, this morning, Pioneer support said "the bad news is we ordered a new main board, but it is back-ordered indefinitely". "The good news is you are getting a new TV, and the newer model, to boot."

It was Pioneer's swan song, the 9-G (aka the Pro-151FD). I can hardly wait to hook up that Live box to the new TV! But, now I have to buy an extended warranty for a new TV that has no warranty.

[Bob2701]

Nice to know that Pioneer stands by their products. As far as WD support they are clueless and no help whatsoever. Good luck with the TV.

[AZ-J]

I'll be back as soon as the RMA is fulfilled. Thanks, Bob, and all.

[Charlie]

Thanks and sorry your first WD devices was DOA. I know how this feels as my mobo I just got was just that as well.

[AZ-J]

RMA rec'd and posted by NewEgg. The posting also says:

If your RMA was processed for a replacement, a replacement order should be created for you within the next 1-2 business days.

If your replacement item is not in stock, your RMA may be changed to a refund as discussed below.



We'll see...

[Charlie]

Newegg is trustworthy, that I can tell ya.

[AZ-J]

I hope so.

[Bob2701]

I have used Newegg many many times and they are very good. It is too bad you didn't ask for cross shipments so you would have the replacement sooner.

[AZ-J]

I did not see that on their website. BTW, the chat function is awful.

[Bob2701]

I have never used the chat funtion, I always use email.

[AZ-J]

Just got $0.00 shipping confirm!

[Bob2701]

Sounds like it's on the way.

Now if you lived in NJ you would have it the next day. :)

[AZ-J]

NewEgg is in CA. FedEx 3 day is 2 day at most.

But tracking info will not show yet. So its pickup is likely tomorrow.

[Bob2701]

They also have a whse in NJ. I wish it was in PA then I wouldn't have to pay state sales tax.

Hope this one works...

[AZ-J]

Thanks, me too. Any suggestions on set up?

[Bob2701]

As I said before, hook it up to your TV via HDMI without the network and make sure it comes up. If there is no problem then connect your network and if all goes well it will find a newer firmware version. Select it and let it do it's thing, it will reboot then download and reboot and install and reboot again. Latest firmware is 1.2.21 (I think). When it is done and working, check "Youtube" then set it up through your AVR or however you want. It is really very easy.

[AZ-J]

Tracking info says Wednesday 4/14/2010 delivery now. Good night, all.

[AZ-J]

Got it, Bob, plugged in HDMI to TV, and turned on TV to that HDMI input. Plugged in WD Live unit, and for the longest time, stayed on that splash screen, and then blanked and showed menu! Added network cable, and said Update and it went from 1.0.0.0.0 >. 1.0.0.7.X, rebooted 2 x and came back and said there was an update. Now updated to most recent, and still on. It finds the 2 Vista PCs and the 2 NAS drives; it has troubles finding the Win 7 PCs.

It does, but it cannot see or play HD mkv files, and it sees multiples of other things because the Win 7 PCs share freely via Homegroup. It also renames files funny, showig some, but others are 001, 002, 003, etc. On the 7 PCs, I had to install a driver for this, and they all did, but setting up to share works on some, not on others, and on the ones it works for, some files still cannot be accessed. Weird, still working it out.

[Bob2701]

I think the problem with the mkv files is a windows issue. I know that windows 7 has problems with mkv when you try to use the "Play to". I gave up and have a 1.5T connected to the USB port on the WD and it plays mkv great. Here is a good forum to get info - [Only registered and activated users can see links]

[AZ-J]

Thanks Bob, can you use a laptop type external that powers via USB instead of a power cord type external? I'd like a small-form 1.5 or 2 TB drive. On my PC, I can play mkv via PowerDVD or VLC Media Player.

[Bob2701]

I use the WD Elements 1.5 which has it's own supply. I have heard of problems with the original WDTV and using the WD's USB for power but not sure about the Live. My PowerDVD 9 will not play mkv files so I use VLC.

[AZ-J]

PowerDVD 10 does play mkv files. I Google searched and found this list:

Western Digital External USB Hard Drives:

Device NameModel NumberWD My Passport Studio EditionWDMSxxxxx, WDMTxxxxxWD My Passport Elite EditionWDMLxxxxx, WDBAACxxxxxxxWD My Passport Essential EditionWDMExxxxx, WDBAAAxxxxxxxWD My Passport Essential SEWDMETxxxxxx, WDBABMxxxxxxxWD My Passport for MacWDBAABxxxxxxxWD Elements PortableWDE1MSxxxxx, WDBAARxxxxxxxWD Elements DesktopWDE1Uxxxxx, WDBAAUxxxxxxxWD My Book Essential EditionWDH1Uxxxxxx, WDBAAFxxxxxxxWD My Book Elite EditionWDBAAHxxxxHCHWD My Book Studio EditionWDH1QxxxxxxWD My Book Home EditionWDH1CxxxxxWD My Book Office EditionWDH1Bxxxxx

Here [Only registered and activated users can see links] 3Jvd19jbnQ9NzEsNzEmcF9wcm9kcz0yMDgsMjk5JnBfY2F0cz0 mcF9wdj0yLjI5OSZwX2N2PSZwX3BhZ2U9MQ

Isn't the My Passport drive a USB powered drive?

[Charlie]

Those with the USB only to power the drive on the wd player there is playback issues of lagging and such.

[AZ-J]

Damn, this box is stupid. I converted a mkv file to mp4 using a Giveawy of the Day Video to Ipod converter, and also to an avi file. The avi file was trouble and now gone, but the mp4 file plays fine on my PC, the box does not see it, just as it will not show the mkv file. And the mkv is listed as a supported file format, so why does the box see it?

Do I need to call the morons at WD Tech Support next? What the box does see is most, but not all the flv files RealPlayer has downloaded for me when I ask it to, like videos on miscellaneous tech or vehicles I'd rather it not mix-in with all the videos I want to watch. It also took 1 BD file and scattered all the stream files into separate files.

[Roy]

AZ-J try using the program called MakeMKV it is shareware (free) and see if it works with the files it makes. This is one of the programs I use for my WD TV live.

[Charlie]

THe MKV thing though doesn't change the codecs used just so you know. It just takes the file and makes it into a mkv file format. The v4 has some option to look into and they playback on the wd players so you know.

[Bob2701]

AZ-J I just came across this infomation on one of the forums. I set my Win 7 up as it shows and it plays my mkv files and some BD ISO's without a problem from a Win 7 machine. You still cannot use the "Play to" function of Win 7 with mkv files.


Win7 Sharing fix that requires *NO* Registry Tweaks
« on: December 30, 2009, 06:50:17 AM » Quote

________________________________________
So I just got the WDTV Live yesterday and I am running Win7 Pro x64 and I, like many of you, had no luck sharing folders with the WDTV Live. Some online searching popped up many people in various forums with the same problem. I've seen people suggest registry tweaking and turning on/off many advanced network settings. I just knew there
had to be an easier way without all that, and luckily there is. The method detailed below uses no registry tweaks and it keeps all but one of the advanced network settings at their default value.

*NOTE This method makes no guarantees with a tweaked registry, so if you did that, I suggest you undo it. I also have Homegroup Enabled. I don't know if this makes a difference or not.
• Go to Control Panel --> Network and Sharing Center
• Click on "Change advanced sharing settings" and use the following settings (most are default)
• Turn on Network Discovery
• Turn on File and Printer Sharing
• Turn on Publish Folder Sharing
• Turn on Media Streaming
• Use 128-bit Encryption
• Turn OFF password protected sharing
• Allow Windows to manage homegroup connections
• Right Click on the Folder you want to share
• Click "Properties"
• Go to the Sharing tab
• Click on "Advanced Sharing"
• Check "Share this folder"
• Click "Apply" then "OK"
• Click on "Share..." (this part makes it all work)
• Type the username "Everyone" (can also use the dropdown list)
• Click "Add"
• Click "Share"
• Click "Close"


That's it for the Windows 7 side. As noted above, the magic that makes this all work is that you have to explicitly add the "Everyone" user to the share list. Just because the permissions menu has "Everyone" listed by default does not mean it is shared to them; ya I know, not very intuitive is it?

Now lets setup the WDTV Live to logon to your share anonymously with no password.
• Go to Settings --> Network setting
• Turn ON "Auto login to network share"
• Select "Clear login info for network share"

Now browse to your Network Share and enjoy the movies!

[AZ-J]

Just got home to see this. Sorry Bob, I was through everything you said above last night on 4 Win 7 PCs (we have just 4, and 2 under Vista).
We have a simple wired setup I want to explain first. An 8-port GB switch held all of my PC (Win 7), wife's PC (Vista SP2), younger daughter's PC (Vista SP2), kitchen PC (Win 7), and family room HTPC (Win 7) with a NAS drive and network printer. When we put in a network capable TV and AVR in the family room, we unhooked the HTPC from the network, and another switch plugged in where the family room HTPC was. The TV, the AVR, the newer BD player, the family room HTPC, and the WD Live plug into that. So that switch wires into the "main" switch, which is hard-wired across the house into our Wireless N 4-port GB router.

The WD Live sees the family room HTPC whcih it shares the switch with just fine. It sorta see mine and the kitchen PC which go through the "main" switch. The Win 7 "Test" PC I have (I do lots of experimemting with) plugs into the router itself with the "main" switch, a wireless N transmitter half-bridge (the other half on the other side of the house just needs power, and it rebroadcasts the N signal), and a GB NAS drive. The WD Live see that NAS drive and the other one just fine, is literally hit or miss with the Win 7 "Test" PC, and sees half of what files I have on my PC.

It also see files on the NAS drives, but will not let me play them. I am calling WD now.

[AZ-J]

Called and was on the phone at least an hour. Now, I see many more FLV files, but the unit will not play any, and he says that's normal. Funny, we could play some before.

Next, because my OS is on a smallish SSD, I run docs, pics, music, video on my D: drive and Win 7 is setup for that. The Live box sees the videos and the pictures, but no music.

Same for another PC, small OS drive, loads of music on D, like videos, but Live sees videos no music.

He's having a Live specialist supervisor call.

BTW, we got the live box to see the mkv files I have, it will not play them.

[Bob2701]

AZ-J, sounds like a nice setup you have there. One question, are all the PC's in the same workgroup and named "Workgroup". I don't understand why you can't play the mkv file. If you have a flash drive big enough to hold one of them, see if it will play from the port on the player.

[AZ-J]

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

I checked the SciFi animation movie 9, here's a picture and it matches supported codecs. You can tell me differently.


[Only registered and activated users can see links]


BTW PCs are all in the same workgroup, just not named Workgroup, and WD has network name, when I tried that last night the box crashed and saw nothing. Today, it took it like "that".

---------- Post added at 08:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:37 PM ----------

Copied a 3.03 GB file to 4 GB flash drive stick. Plugged in the side, the unit never seemed to see it. When I plugged it in back a light on the right went on and I saw local drive. I selected it, and it played. I found an older WD 500 GB powered drive, copying all mkv to that for now. But my PC wouldn't take it USB because it tries to auto install old software, I connected it Firewire and it is copying, I hope it plays back USB.

[Charlie]

It has been a while but I have seen a lot of stories with trouble playing over the network. Some it works and some it doesn't from what I saw.

[AZ-J]

Yeah, and in the Fry's Electronics, is a 2TB WD Elements drive. There goes another $129.99 plus tax! lol.

[Bob2701]

I have just started playing with the network as far as playing from another drive and have not had any lag problem playing mkv files. I will try one about the size you did and see what happens.
The only problem I have seen so far is double thumbnails on the network side. (long time issue according to the forums)

[AZ-J]

I have the double thumbnails as well, makes for some 1,000 files when there's less than of that (some show as quadruple thumbnails). That 3.03 GB mkv was the smallest one, I have some 8 GB ones but none of those would fit on a 4 GB flash drive. lol.

The old WD 500 GB I have would not take the larger files, until I formatted the drive NTFS, now it has all of them. Whoopee! Just in time to run to Fry's later to buy that $129.99 2 TB drive. With all I have read here, nevermind the WD Live forum, WD will never be able to show me how to play those files over the network.

These mkv files, BTW, all came from the [Only registered and activated users can see links] ([Only registered and activated users can see links]) site. Have any of you download a movie from there (it takes a day or so to do) and tried to play them? The 3.03 GB came there, as did the other files.

---------- Post added at 09:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:59 AM ----------

I just realized the source of the double/quadruple thumbnails. WIN 7 Homegroup. All my WIN 7 PCs see each other files as if they are on each PC.

[Bob2701]

All of mine come from original disks and I use Handbreak to convert to mkv.

You will not have the double thumbnails on the external HD. If you as going to use category folders then remember the thumnail for the category should be named "folder.jpg" and all of the jpg's inside the folder named the same as the movie.

[AZ-J]

I am just going to copy the mkv files to the external HD, I see no reasons for categories, but thanks for the tip, I may use it eventually. The $129.99 drive will save me from buying more than 10 BD disks so it pays to buy. :thinking: :agree:

The old WD drive was dismal failure but not why one would think. I noticed trouble using it USB (failure to connect) so I used Firewire to copy to it.

But plugged into the Live box, no 2nd light comes on, and it does not see the drive. So, off to Fry's I go.

---------- Post added at 09:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:31 AM ----------



These mkv files, BTW, all came from the [Only registered and activated users can see links] ([Only registered and activated users can see links]) site. Have any of you download a movie from there (it takes a day or so to do) and tried to play them? The 3.03 GB came there, as did the other files.[COLOR="Silver"]


Me bad, link is [Only registered and activated users can see links]

[Bob2701]

AZ-J - I just used MakeMKV to convert a BD to MKV and I have it on a drive (K) on a test PC with Win 7 and WDTV plays it just fine.

[Roy]

thats why I suggested you use MakeMKV. If you are doing video TS files that DNC put on your hard drive it takes about 10 t0 15 minutes to mak it an mkv file. and let the WD TV upconvert to 1080p. Looks very good but not as good as the Bluray file.

[AZ-J]

Well I copied all the mkv files I had on my PC (about 15) to the Elements drive. Sure enough, now the damn box plays every one of them, some DD, some DTS, all 720 or 1080p and gorgeous vid.

Like I said, this box is stupid but a keeper, I'll just use the 2 TB Elements drive back and forth across the house now and then.

[Bob2701]

Glad to hear that it is working for you. Still do not understand why they will not play over your network. I read somewhere where WDTV would not work unless the workgroup was the default "Workgroup", but if that were the case then you shouldn't even see the shares.
Well, as long as it works you will have plenty of time to play around. Maybe the next firmware will change things (each one does).

[Charlie]

Networking with the player is new to me and have yet to try. If you want give this forum a read - [Only registered and activated users can see links]

I believe it is the official forum too but not 100% sure.

[AZ-J]

I read somewhere where WDTV would not work unless the workgroup was the default "Workgroup", but if that were the case then you shouldn't even see the shares.


Bob, I am certain the bold part above is true, and my workgroup is not named "Workgroup". But the second part is not true, when the WD Live box had settings as "Workgroup" the Live box saw all the avi and flv files, and played all of them. When we (the WD support tech and I) changed "Workgroup" to my true network name, the Live box first saw the mkv files but it stll won't play them; it also stopped playing any of the flv files as well, but WD tech support says it's not supposed to play them. Last, but not least, it finds videos and photos on my D: drive where I keep them, but won't find the music there. Right now on the WD Elements drive I have 25 movie files (avi and mkv) and 5009 music files in a sub-directory named My Music and it sees those. Like I said this device is quite stupid.

[Bob2701]

Your right, or maybe WD is quite stupid. :)

[Charlie]

I am dummified on the network ordeal just yet as I haven't had time to read up that is why I linked you to that forum as users there may be able to help and you can post the how to here I hope?

[Bob2701]

But if you checked any of their posts they are really lost. I read a few post in the network area and they were hung up on ip address ranges as to why they were droped from the network. One guy said he moved to above the .20 address and it worked. ????

[AZ-J]

If they have to do that, move up to a static IP of .20, it is stupid. I am sorting and copying some new mkv files to my Elements drive, as I sit here feeling like shit again (I have a fever or something).


Just adding, I looked a lot at that forum and the other one is a bit more knowledgeable but still clueless on networking. I even posted on the "official" WD site 2 times. They are clueless too.

[Bob2701]

It seems that most of the posts on the forums are aimed at bashing WD instead of trying to be helpful. Hope you feel better. I'm finaly feeling better after 5 weeks of a cold.

[Charlie]

AZ-J the player in all is really good so don't go by what you see on those forums. It lacks in some areas for ease of use like you found but when fixed as you need you'll love it. I use the mobile PS3 1920 HQ settings on DNC v4 Even the 720P is good as well. Then I put them on an external HDD to connect the WD to and play.

[Bob2701]

AZ-J, I saw your post on the other forum and I believe your problem with reading the mkv files is because you are trying to access them with Media Server. When using Media Server you will only be able to access files that Media Server supports and I don't think it supports mkv files. This is also why you can't use the "Play To" function with Windows on mkv files.

Try to access them with Network Shares. This is what I do and I thought you were also.

[AZ-J]

Bob, what version of Windows do you run? On my WD unit only Vista PCs and the NAS drive show up in Network Shares. The Win 7 PCs only come up as Media Servers and do not show at all under Network Shares. The WIN 7 PCs also do not show in File Management under Settings.

It is also ironic because you are apparently correct. The box plays the one mkv I copied onto the NAS drive. Yet, it does seem to matter much anyway any more.

I am calling WD tomorrow, because now my box is showing white snow all over the screen intermittently. The use of "intermittently" means it is either not showing or alternatively all over the TV sceeen for minutes. I truly believe WD's QC stinks, as well as product design, now. I am about to try another HDMI cable, but so far, I most underwhelmed and dissapointed in WD and this product. BTW, every WD HD I have ever had (2 500 GB externals and a NAS 1TB external) has failed between 1-2 years of use, while Buffalo external and NAS drives last us 5+ years.

[Bob2701]

I am running Win 7 - 64bit. Did you do what I listed in post 39? That plus sharing the drive I have my mkv files on worked for me. I have used many WD drives and have not had problems, in fact the only drives I had problems with were Maxtor's. I like to stay with the "Black" series as they have 5 year warrantee.

Which firmware version are you using? Never heard of the snow issue. Maybe a 1.3 HDMI cable will help.

[AZ-J]

I am using a 1.3 HDMI cable. I have another, I'll try it. Firmware is 1.02.1.

and in post 40 I started with "I was through everything you said above last night on 4 Win 7 PCs (we have just 4, and 2 under Vista)." In response to you post in #64 I checked again and all settings on my PC are in compliance. I may plug the network port of the box into the wall and see if the switch is making for problems (it doesn't for my TV - shows pictures and plays music and limited video over the network, or my AVR - plays music clean or PLIIx 7.1 over the network) but who knows what's wrong?

BTW, I just tossed the #2 WD 500 GB external HD because it won't connect USB just Firewire and it is too slow either way. But if you want to test it, I'll retrieve it and ship it free.

If I am coming through angry, I am BUT NOT AT YOU. This device is by far more trouble than its worth.

[Bob2701]

You say you are using firware 1.02.1? Is that a misprint because the latest is 1.02.21 and the prompt for it sould come up whenever you turn the unit on.

So when you go to Network Shares you do not see any of the Win 7 PC's? Do you see the 2 Vista mach?

I hate to sound stupid but you did do the last part of the post -

"Now lets setup the WDTV Live to logon to your share anonymously with no password.
• Go to Settings --> Network setting
• Turn ON "Auto login to network share"
• Select "Clear login info for network share""

Something is missing somewhere. Have you done a hard reset at any time? The pinhole on the side.

[AZ-J]

I have not done a hard reset on the unit. I did swap out the HDMI cables and in the short duration, there were no sparklies, so fingers cross one problem solved. As far as firmware goes my number was not a misprint, it was a typo. I have not memorized what the firmware number was.

But now, under File Management and under Network Shares only the 2 NAS drives show. One Vista PC, my wife's (which I set up), is now seen on Media Centers only with all 4 of the Win 7 PCs.

And, last but not least, I also 1. plugged the Live box into the wall, and 2. temporarily swapped out its LAN cable. Nothing changed anything. Yes, YouTube works as does Pandora. Should I do a reset?

---------- Post added at 05:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:30 PM ----------

Don't get me too wrong, I am certainly not angry or miffed at anyone here. I am just frustrated with the crazy networking issues as none of the TV, the AVR, or the BD player have these, and btw, the BD player streams Crackle, Fear.Net, Wired, a range of other A/V, as well as Slacker music, just fine off the same switch the WD Live is in. We also can also see each PC from any other PC, just as want over the same network.

But more importantly, why am I keeping this? From casino_royale.mkv from [Only registered and activated users can see links] ([Only registered and activated users can see links]) no less, off the Elements HD, a paused no-flash, slightly crooked, image:

[Only registered and activated users can see links]


I'd say it's a keeper!

[Bob2701]

AZ-J
Just for Ha Ha's I have attached my network settings for Win 7. Later I'll get the settings on the box. Just to double check.

[Bob2701]

Here are pics of the WDTV setup.

[AZ-J]

Bob, based on a tip to change the network settings to Work, our Homegroup is no longer active, so I attach my other photos. They don't seem different, do they?

[Bob2701]

I'm at a loss for more suggestions. I have read both ways that WD likes the workgroup to be named workgroup and other folks say it doesn't matter as long as it is consistant which makes sense. I had left mine as workgroup so it didn't matter to me. Everything seems to look ok. Do you have more than one HD in one of the Win 7 PC's? If so try sharing that drive and see what you get. If you see it then put a mkv file on it and see if it plays. Other than that I'm out of things to try.

[AZ-J]

I guess I'll rename my network to Workgroup on the PCs and make them Home Network again to see what occurs. In the meantime I leave you with some photos.

My TV is plugged into the same 10/100/1000 switch the WD Live box is. This is the TV on Home Media Gallery showing the Music on my PC and it would play any of it. It does the same for photographs, and very select, avi, wmv, and a Few other type files, but because the TV sound is nothing compared to the AVR sound, we don't use the TV video feature much at all.


2147


The AVR can do Internet Radio, USB feed, or network feed, and it will see all the music on my PC as the TV does. Music this way can use the 7 channel enhancer mode and is much better sounding than through the TV. When I say the most used feature of the TV network ability is photographs, it is easy to see why.

2148


The rest of these are many of the settings my WD TV Live has. It is connected and even passes the network test.

21552154215321522151215021562156

Here is where the problem starts:


2149

I can't seem to fix it any other way than renaming and restarting the 4 Windows 7 PCs.


In the meantime, why are my screens blue, while your are pinkish?

[Bob2701]

Opps, I forgot I am using a OSD mod by lilibabe. It changes the on screen display but it has nothing to do with the operation or networking.

What do you get when you select the LS-GL966 on the Network Shares screen?

[AZ-J]

Let's put it this way, I changed network setting on all 4 Win 7 PCs. First Work > Home in Network and Sharing. Second in System, part of a home network, instead of part of a business network and w/o domain. Then I had to restart all.

In the meantime, I changed network name in the WD TV Live from ours to WORKGROUP. Then I turned it off and on again.

Now I was sort of back to square one, seeing a lot of no use flv files on my PC, but not seeing a single mkv file. But under File Management, my PC now shows, so I selected all, and now it all shows and plays. Thank you, oh Master!

In the meantime, here are two photos of the TV showing pics off my PC. The first is a 0 to 255 test pattern (it crops of 55 of the 255). The second is of my favorite toy. Unfortunately, with no flash, they come out a little blue. I'm not (blue, that is).


21572158

Now, let me in on the OSD mod secret, please.

[Bob2701]

Let's put it this way, I changed network setting on all 4 Win 7 PCs. First Work > Home in Network and Sharing. Second in System, part of a home network, instead of part of a business network and w/o domain. Then I had to restart all.

In the meantime, I changed network name in the WD TV Live from ours to WORKGROUP. Then I turned it off and on again.

Now I was sort of back to square one, seeing a lot of no use flv files on my PC, but not seeing a single mkv file. But under File Management, my PC now shows, so I selected all, and now it all shows and plays. Thank you, oh Master!

In the meantime, here are two photos of the TV showing pics off my PC. The first is a 0 to 255 test pattern (it crops of 55 of the 255). The second is of my favorite toy. Unfortunately, with no flash, they come out a little blue. I'm not (blue, that is).


21572158

Now, let me in on the OSD mod secret, please.

So, making the change back to "Workgroup" now allows you to see and play the MKV files? There were a lots of mixed posts on different forums, some said it makes a difference and others said it didn't.

Glad you have it working. I'll put together a post on the OSD later today or tonight.

[AZ-J]

It's not just making the change to "workgroup". First, it must be WORKGROUP, here, uppercase lettering counts. Second each PC must work as if Win 7's network setting on install were in place (except p'word networking), undoing all the changes one makes to comply with making their network more secure and safer. Third, I had to "activate" the mkv files in File Management. My Live unti did not even display the mkv files until I did that.

We use a strange, weird WEP p'word here, because the initial laptops we tried to connect wouldn't connect with WAP. But in those days each PC had a utility to connect and the utility had to have the WEP p'word to do so. Now, a new laptop running Win 7 doesn't need that p'word entered but once, and Win 7 does the rest. I know this from my older's Win 7 laptop, our older XP laptop still needs the network utility running.

In the long run, while I am glad we solved the network issue, it has become a lot less a problem with the 2TB Elements drive. I have more on it than on my PC now, though most of what's there came from it, and I may start deleting those files from my PC or copy all to another drive. 10-20 mkv files can easily be 100 GB or so. I intend to collect many more of them. :biggrin:

[Bob2701]

OK, here you go with the information to install the OSD Mod.

Before you do anything, go to the link below and download the original WD version of 1.02.21 firmware.
Rename this to something you will remember as the original and keep it on the side in case you want to go back to it.

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

Next, go to this link to get information and download the mod.

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

Lilibabe's mod is based on the 1.02.21 version on WDTVLive's firmware so the names will be the same. This is just a mod for the OSD and not a complete mod of the firmware. There are complete mod's but that is not what we are doing here.

When you go to this link you will see screenshots of the mod. There are a few different ones as you will see if you click on the chart below the screenshots. When you decide which one you like close that window and click on the link below the chart to get the download.

Choose the "GO" button below the Live screenshot and follow this tree.

Click on picto/ - Alt or Default based on what you saw in the chart/ - Layout of your choice/ - WDTVLive.bin and download the file.

Once you have the file unzip it to a flash drive and edit the WDTVLive.ver file to a higher number. Use notepad and change the 1.02.21 to 1.02.30. This will tell the WDTV box that it is a newer firmware than what is installed. Once it is loaded the system will still show 1.02.21.

Put the flash drive in a usb port on the box and after a few seconds it will prompt up to upgrade.

If you want to go back to the original just unzip the Original file you downloaded to the flash drive and again edit the .ver file to 1.02.30 and put it in the usb port.

Just went back to the site and the download is a .bin not a zip file so just put it on the flash drive with the modified .ver.

[AZ-J]

Just got home from work and saw this. Thank you, Bob. I just downloaded the same background you use, and thought wife would like, but she doesn't care. Meanwhile, I copied this page and that as PDF whcih also has site info on bottom, in case I want to revisit this.

This is a great find.