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Western Digital TV

My main interest in the WD TV is in playing back HD programs recorded from over-the-air broadcasts (US ATSC) using EyeTV. Neither of my Macs can (at least not yet) use my 32" LCD TV as a display.

So far the biggest drawback is that the WD TV cannot display the closed captions in a Quicktime .mov file exported from EyeTV. I haven't yet found a way to export the closed captions into .srt files which the WD TV apparently recognizes.
 
Have you tried exporting from EyeTV to a Quicktime movie? Both the default MPEG-4 compression and H.264 (use the "Options" button) work for me, although I get a better picture with H.264. MPEG-4 is too dark.

Your experience may of course be different from mine because of our different broadcast video standards.
 
Cheers Jt, I've just got back into using a Mac after years with a PC, so I'm just finding my way. I managed to find out yesterday that the Eyetv HD files will play on the PS3 without any conversion etc- the only thing is that I have to split files above 4GB. I've managed to find a program that will split files in windows, but I'd prefer one for the Mac.
 
Firmware Update

There is a firmware update available on Western Digital's web site. Looks like it fixed my problem with it needing to be unplugged/plugged back in sometimes to start up. Lots of other fixes/features.
 
TheZA said:
There is a firmware update available on Western Digital's web site. Looks like it fixed my problem with it needing to be unplugged/plugged back in sometimes to start up. Lots of other fixes/features.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info - can't wait to update tonight . . .

anyone else notice any changes with new firmware?
 
The firmware update provides chapter support for mkv files. Problem is, I've been converting everything to some flavor of mp4. Any comments on how the chapter selection is working for folks with mkv files. Also, you think they will add chapter support for mp4s in the future?

Thanks.
 
wd tv

The software that can with my WD TVis for PC's only. WD says to check with Apple for help, but that's not working. the posts on this site suggest that you have solved this "issue".
What's the solution? Is software even needed.:confused:
 
mcwattc said:
The software that can with my WD TVis for PC's only. WD says to check with Apple for help, but that's not working. the posts on this site suggest that you have solved this "issue".
What's the solution? Is software even needed.:confused:
Click to expand...

Translation:
"The software that came with WDTV is for PCs only."
Yes, that is true. I can't even remember what that software was for. There are several free and readily downloadable programs I use for putting things on a harddrive for playing on WDTV: Handbrake is the main one, which I use to convert to MP4s, and sometimes for ripping. For tagging MP4s I use MetaX. I also often use iSquint, MPEG Streamclip, and Mac The Ripper (essentially, not free). Rarely I use iTunes for meta data editing. Further explanation is beyond the scope of this site. You have some Googling, surfing, and reading to do.
 
3 months with ours...

and we are very happy with it. We have a 42" 720 Samsung and we have 2 WD harddrives set up with it. The harddrives are formatted in Mac Extended (not journaled) as if the harddrive was in the journaled format we had problems and the FAT32 would not recognize file sizes over 4GB. We started off making backups of our library with ripping the discs then converting them with handbrake to a MKV file - it took forever. We now use MakeMKV which has a Mac version. The MakeVKV is lossless and takes a fraction of the time as our old method. We simply put a disc in and within about 25 minutes EVERYTHING is done! Larger file sizes obviously, but they look so much better. With the price of harddrives now, we think it is the only way to go.
 
mddharma said:
and we are very happy with it. We have a 42" 720 Samsung and we have 2 WD harddrives set up with it. The harddrives are formatted in Mac Extended (not journaled) as if the harddrive was in the journaled format we had problems and the FAT32 would not recognize file sizes over 4GB. We started off making backups of our library with ripping the discs then converting them with handbrake to a MKV file - it took forever. We now use MakeMKV which has a Mac version. The MakeVKV is lossless and takes a fraction of the time as our old method. We simply put a disc in and within about 25 minutes EVERYTHING is done! Larger file sizes obviously, but they look so much better. With the price of harddrives now, we think it is the only way to go.
Click to expand...
That's great to hear. I didn't realize that WDTV supported any disk format other than FAT and NTFS. And I'l have to check out MakeMKV.
 
WDTV Version 2

butchseaman said:
will the mac mini do component...?
Click to expand...

The current version offers composite or HDMI, no component. But...

I just read a review of Version 2 to be coming out that does offer component and networking via ethernet.
 
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Yeah, and I'd avoid the WDTV. I have one and I barely use it. Their updates have been few and far between. I think their navigation sucks, you have to convert your .m4v's (iTunes compatible) to .mp4's (for me to get audio) and your cover art has to be real small (then why have hi rez TV's?). And did I say the navigation sucks? So while it can play most formats (including most MKV's, but not all) it cannot play the the default AppleTV format, which I also have. It also does not display all my metadata and I could go on & on. Yeah, $99 is cheap but you get what you pay for.
 
TuckBodi said:
Yeah, and I'd avoid the WDTV. I have one and I barely use it. Their updates have been few and far between. I think their navigation sucks, you have to convert your .m4v's (iTunes compatible) to .mp4's (for me to get audio) and your cover art has to be real small (then why have hi rez TV's?). And did I say the navigation sucks? So while it can play most formats (including most MKV's, but not all) it cannot play the the default AppleTV format, which I also have. It also does not display all my metadata and I could go on & on. Yeah, $99 is cheap but you get what you pay for.
Click to expand...
Not everybody has the default :apple:TV format files, or wants to bother with all of that conversion (I have a few in .m4v format, but I certainly don't relish wasting time converting all of my other movies). I have an :apple:TV but it leaves a lot to be desired IMHO (why can't it play VIDEO_TS folders for example). I don't have a WD TV but I may just get one when I get a new TV.
 
I am seriuosly considering the new WDTV that will soon be coming. Even though is far from a perfect product it address 3 of the most important features that AppleTV lacks for me:
1080p
support for external drives
support way more codecs

Finally it seems it also will offer support for hulu, boxee and netflix. For maybe $99 bucks it doesn't really hurt.

I just hope Apple will finally take care of the lack of interest they are putting on AppleTV. Let's see if something might happen on this possible special event September 9th.
 
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