My digital directions
NMT vs. HTPC vs. Blu-ray player
The gears I’ve owned to satisfy my cravings for watching movies have been aging. Started out with various VHS players from 6-head Hi-Fi to S-VHS to my current DVD player, I am now looking at options on how to further my viewing pleasure.
Home Theater is not new to me, and I have a decent gear line-up that an ordinary Joe can afford and setup. Over the years, I’ve accumulated various DVD software, mostly from Amazon, Barns & Noble, and other online shops.
Moving forward, I now embark on another journey and I have to determine which path to take in upgrading my current, and aging, DVD player.
First stop: NMT
Networked Media Tanks, or NMT, are sometimes referred to as Media Servers. These are self-contained players equipped with local area networking (or even WLAN), and serves as home entertainment center.
The anatomy of a NMT
A NMT is designed around a system on chip (SOC) technology and Sigma Designs is one the leading providers in this area, providing SOC solutions to different companies. This is the heart of the NMT.
Additional components to provide interfaces for audio & video, universal serial bus (USB), high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) and power supply, wraps up the hardware part.
Embedded software is required to provide the user interface and various other functionalities for the device to be useful. This is often referred to as firmware, and must be upgradeable.
The WD TV Live
Western Digital’s newest offering in the NMT area is called WD TV Live. So let’s start by taking about the chips inside it.
Firstly, it uses Sigma’s SMP8655AD Secure Media Processor, which is one of the more powerful SOC available from the manufacturer. You can go to the Sigma Designs website for the specifications.
Secondly, it has 512MB of RAM (I believe for caching, thumbnails and other temporary storage needs) and NAND flash memory (to store settings and account information, such as YouTube accounts).
Lastly, there are other support chips such as a Realtek network controller providing the 10/100 LAN connectivity for the WD TV Live and your wired network.
While there is no internal hard drive or provision for attaching one, the main PCB fits in a very small enclosure, measuring 1.5” thick x 5” wide.
Package contents
The package contains everything you need to get connected, albeit at entry level. I am referring to the included audio and video connectors. If you’re serious about connectivity and your associated equipment are capable of, get out and go buy a HDMI cable, and an Optical (TOSLINK) cable. These will get you into the bigger league.
Inside the equally small packaging you’ll find, the player itself, Composite & Component cables, the power brick with international adaptors, quick install guide, remote control and three AAA batteries for it, and a CD with lousy demo, really.
Installation and configuration
The WD TV Live can complement an existing home theater setup, or can be setup in a basic configuration with just a decent display unit (CRT, LCD, or Plasma).
Basic setup
I did this at the office, where we have a Panasonic LX-something which we use for our meetings and presentations. In this setup, I used the basic accessories provided by Western Digital. The Composite cable (red, white, yellow) is plugged in to the Panasonic’s audio inputs, red and white only. The composite video signal (yellow) is ignored as I used the Component cable (blue, violet, and green) for the video. Plug the ends of the Component and Composite cables to the corresponding mini sockets at the back of the player and we’re half done.
Because there is no internal hard drive, you can use any one, or both, of the two USB channels provided. I borrowed an HD version of The Sarah Connor Chronicles and The Girlfriend Experience for the test.
Home Theater setup
At home, the setup is not much complicated than the office setup. I used an HDMI cable primarily for the video transmission. While HDMI cables will transmit both audio and video, I don’t plan to use my Samsung’s speakers (though they sound real good compared to the Panasonic) to listen to the audio signal. Instead, I connected a full-size Toslink between the WD TV Live player and my Harman Kardon AVR130 A/V Receiver. This way, I don’t need to upgrade to a new model with HDMI input and switching.
The source for the media files is my [non Western Digital] external hard drive containing a few rips of my DVD collections which were left over during my test and personal review of the Xtreamer NMT.
Playback
I’m pretty much old school when it comes to digital playback. I buy something in a media, whether it’s audio or video. I don’t have available downloaded video files to begin with. When I took the Xtreamer for a spin, I had to download MakeMKV to rip my own DVD into digital files. I also begged and borrowed from friends, a few of their downloaded video files.
It’s somewhat frustrating that MakeMVK is not able to convert some of my DVD. And for those that were converted, I can fall asleep while a disk is being ripped with my then Acer 4520G notebook.
The District 9 file I borrowed didn’t play. I suspect it may be DiVX, an unsupported format, though it has an AVI file extension. In fact, a couple of downloaded files didn’t play.
On HD files that did play, the quality is great. My Samsung LA32S is only HD-Ready but the image quality won’t make me lust for another LCD TV. While the video quality is good, the lack of ability to go through movie menus like a DVD player is a negative. The Xtreamer can do this quite well. I’m also having problems with the subtitles, as they don’t show up, but I did this test prior to the firmware upgrade.
I have to set the sound settings from Stereo to Digital for the audio to be fed to the Toslink connected to my Receiver. Both Dolby and DTS encoded materials were recognized and I am pleased with it.
One reason I am interested in the WD TV Live is the fact that it can decode my favorite audio formats- FLAC and OGG. Every time I purchase a CD, I make a copy of it that I can use for my Sansa Fuze digital audio player. I prefer the FLAC format for capable players and I use J River Media Jukebox to convert my CD collections.
The WD TV Live was able to play my FLAC and OGG encoded music with no issues. While my home theater setup may not be audiophile-class, it sounded good enough for me.
Picture viewer
It so happens that the hard drive I’m using also contains photos taken by my then D40 (6MP) and current D90 (12MP). I am pleased that the processing was speedy even for large files, and the photo quality is great (assuming that your LCD has been calibrated). You’d be pleased to find out that the WD TV Live can do multi-tasking. As I’m viewing my photos, I am playing the FLAC files from my favorite J-POP star, Yui.
Networking
I was not supplied with any 3rd party WiFi USB adaptors, and it’s understandable. So my test is limited to wired networking. After plugging in the network cable into the player, I configured the WD TV Live for automatic IP address and I’m connected to the internet via our office network.
A few seconds after, it was telling me that there is a new firmware, so I took the liberty of updating the firmware of this supplied demo unit, three (3) times! Wow, that’s one old firmware it got there! After completing each update it comes back up with no problem manifested.
The next thing I did is to configure my YouTube account. You can specify and it will remember your user name and password. Entering the text was not the easiest, but the text entry interface is enough to get the job done.
After I logged in, I can browse my submitted videos as well as other videos available in the YouTube network. This is a nice feature for always-connected people.
Browsing Flickr photos are also good, though I’d wish I can log in to my Flickr account, like what it allowed with YouTube.
There’s a feature I wasn’t able to test and that’s the connection to Pandora and Live365 due to the fact that I was warned that I had to use the single demo subscription. I’ll give that chance to the last one who will have a crack at reviewing this product.
While connectivity to a digital radio network is a nice feature, it is an expensive way of using the WD TV Live as background music player. Not my cup of tea.
User interface
Having tried the Xtreamer and getting “used to” its user interface, I am so pleased about what I experienced with the WD TV Live. The UI is a lot cleaner, much better looking, more intuitive, and a lot simpler (at the cost of lesser options) compared to the Xtreamer with the 1.x firmware. If you can use a mobile phone and navigate through its maze of menus, the WD TV Live’s UI will not be a challenge even for a kid.
Conclusion
It does work as advertised, and quite well. The UI is very good, and quite intuitive. It is a breeze operating the unit with the supplied remote control.
The lack of menu navigation on video movies is a major let down and must be addressed via another firmware upgrade.
Associated equipment:
Office setup
1. WD TV Live
2. Panasonic LCD TV
Home Theater setup
1. WD TV Live
2. Samsung LA32S LCD TV
3. Harman Kardon AVR130 A/V Receiver
4. JVC XV-NK38 DVD player
5. JVC HR-J7005UM 6-head HiFi VHS player
6. Bose 301 Continental Special Edition, front speakers
7. Boston Acoustics CRC, center speakers
8. Boston Acoustics VRS Micro, rear surround speakers
9. Dali AW8, subwoofer
10. IXOS speaker cables, front and center
11. Generic AWG 18 wire, rear surround
12. Clearaudio analog interconnects
13. Generic HDMI cable
14. Generic S-Video cable
15. Generic Optical (Toslink) cable
The gears I’ve owned to satisfy my cravings for watching movies have been aging. Started out with various VHS players from 6-head Hi-Fi to S-VHS to my current DVD player, I am now looking at options on how to further my viewing pleasure.
Home Theater is not new to me, and I have a decent gear line-up that an ordinary Joe can afford and setup. Over the years, I’ve accumulated various DVD software, mostly from Amazon, Barns & Noble, and other online shops.
Moving forward, I now embark on another journey and I have to determine which path to take in upgrading my current, and aging, DVD player.
First stop: NMT
Networked Media Tanks, or NMT, are sometimes referred to as Media Servers. These are self-contained players equipped with local area networking (or even WLAN), and serves as home entertainment center.
The anatomy of a NMT
A NMT is designed around a system on chip (SOC) technology and Sigma Designs is one the leading providers in this area, providing SOC solutions to different companies. This is the heart of the NMT.
Additional components to provide interfaces for audio & video, universal serial bus (USB), high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) and power supply, wraps up the hardware part.
Embedded software is required to provide the user interface and various other functionalities for the device to be useful. This is often referred to as firmware, and must be upgradeable.
The WD TV Live
Western Digital’s newest offering in the NMT area is called WD TV Live. So let’s start by taking about the chips inside it.
Firstly, it uses Sigma’s SMP8655AD Secure Media Processor, which is one of the more powerful SOC available from the manufacturer. You can go to the Sigma Designs website for the specifications.
Secondly, it has 512MB of RAM (I believe for caching, thumbnails and other temporary storage needs) and NAND flash memory (to store settings and account information, such as YouTube accounts).
Lastly, there are other support chips such as a Realtek network controller providing the 10/100 LAN connectivity for the WD TV Live and your wired network.
While there is no internal hard drive or provision for attaching one, the main PCB fits in a very small enclosure, measuring 1.5” thick x 5” wide.
Package contents
The package contains everything you need to get connected, albeit at entry level. I am referring to the included audio and video connectors. If you’re serious about connectivity and your associated equipment are capable of, get out and go buy a HDMI cable, and an Optical (TOSLINK) cable. These will get you into the bigger league.
Inside the equally small packaging you’ll find, the player itself, Composite & Component cables, the power brick with international adaptors, quick install guide, remote control and three AAA batteries for it, and a CD with lousy demo, really.
Installation and configuration
The WD TV Live can complement an existing home theater setup, or can be setup in a basic configuration with just a decent display unit (CRT, LCD, or Plasma).
Basic setup
I did this at the office, where we have a Panasonic LX-something which we use for our meetings and presentations. In this setup, I used the basic accessories provided by Western Digital. The Composite cable (red, white, yellow) is plugged in to the Panasonic’s audio inputs, red and white only. The composite video signal (yellow) is ignored as I used the Component cable (blue, violet, and green) for the video. Plug the ends of the Component and Composite cables to the corresponding mini sockets at the back of the player and we’re half done.
Because there is no internal hard drive, you can use any one, or both, of the two USB channels provided. I borrowed an HD version of The Sarah Connor Chronicles and The Girlfriend Experience for the test.
Home Theater setup
At home, the setup is not much complicated than the office setup. I used an HDMI cable primarily for the video transmission. While HDMI cables will transmit both audio and video, I don’t plan to use my Samsung’s speakers (though they sound real good compared to the Panasonic) to listen to the audio signal. Instead, I connected a full-size Toslink between the WD TV Live player and my Harman Kardon AVR130 A/V Receiver. This way, I don’t need to upgrade to a new model with HDMI input and switching.
The source for the media files is my [non Western Digital] external hard drive containing a few rips of my DVD collections which were left over during my test and personal review of the Xtreamer NMT.
Playback
I’m pretty much old school when it comes to digital playback. I buy something in a media, whether it’s audio or video. I don’t have available downloaded video files to begin with. When I took the Xtreamer for a spin, I had to download MakeMKV to rip my own DVD into digital files. I also begged and borrowed from friends, a few of their downloaded video files.
It’s somewhat frustrating that MakeMVK is not able to convert some of my DVD. And for those that were converted, I can fall asleep while a disk is being ripped with my then Acer 4520G notebook.
The District 9 file I borrowed didn’t play. I suspect it may be DiVX, an unsupported format, though it has an AVI file extension. In fact, a couple of downloaded files didn’t play.
On HD files that did play, the quality is great. My Samsung LA32S is only HD-Ready but the image quality won’t make me lust for another LCD TV. While the video quality is good, the lack of ability to go through movie menus like a DVD player is a negative. The Xtreamer can do this quite well. I’m also having problems with the subtitles, as they don’t show up, but I did this test prior to the firmware upgrade.
I have to set the sound settings from Stereo to Digital for the audio to be fed to the Toslink connected to my Receiver. Both Dolby and DTS encoded materials were recognized and I am pleased with it.
One reason I am interested in the WD TV Live is the fact that it can decode my favorite audio formats- FLAC and OGG. Every time I purchase a CD, I make a copy of it that I can use for my Sansa Fuze digital audio player. I prefer the FLAC format for capable players and I use J River Media Jukebox to convert my CD collections.
The WD TV Live was able to play my FLAC and OGG encoded music with no issues. While my home theater setup may not be audiophile-class, it sounded good enough for me.
Picture viewer
It so happens that the hard drive I’m using also contains photos taken by my then D40 (6MP) and current D90 (12MP). I am pleased that the processing was speedy even for large files, and the photo quality is great (assuming that your LCD has been calibrated). You’d be pleased to find out that the WD TV Live can do multi-tasking. As I’m viewing my photos, I am playing the FLAC files from my favorite J-POP star, Yui.
Networking
I was not supplied with any 3rd party WiFi USB adaptors, and it’s understandable. So my test is limited to wired networking. After plugging in the network cable into the player, I configured the WD TV Live for automatic IP address and I’m connected to the internet via our office network.
A few seconds after, it was telling me that there is a new firmware, so I took the liberty of updating the firmware of this supplied demo unit, three (3) times! Wow, that’s one old firmware it got there! After completing each update it comes back up with no problem manifested.
The next thing I did is to configure my YouTube account. You can specify and it will remember your user name and password. Entering the text was not the easiest, but the text entry interface is enough to get the job done.
After I logged in, I can browse my submitted videos as well as other videos available in the YouTube network. This is a nice feature for always-connected people.
Browsing Flickr photos are also good, though I’d wish I can log in to my Flickr account, like what it allowed with YouTube.
There’s a feature I wasn’t able to test and that’s the connection to Pandora and Live365 due to the fact that I was warned that I had to use the single demo subscription. I’ll give that chance to the last one who will have a crack at reviewing this product.
While connectivity to a digital radio network is a nice feature, it is an expensive way of using the WD TV Live as background music player. Not my cup of tea.
User interface
Having tried the Xtreamer and getting “used to” its user interface, I am so pleased about what I experienced with the WD TV Live. The UI is a lot cleaner, much better looking, more intuitive, and a lot simpler (at the cost of lesser options) compared to the Xtreamer with the 1.x firmware. If you can use a mobile phone and navigate through its maze of menus, the WD TV Live’s UI will not be a challenge even for a kid.
Conclusion
It does work as advertised, and quite well. The UI is very good, and quite intuitive. It is a breeze operating the unit with the supplied remote control.
The lack of menu navigation on video movies is a major let down and must be addressed via another firmware upgrade.
Associated equipment:
Office setup
1. WD TV Live
2. Panasonic LCD TV
Home Theater setup
1. WD TV Live
2. Samsung LA32S LCD TV
3. Harman Kardon AVR130 A/V Receiver
4. JVC XV-NK38 DVD player
5. JVC HR-J7005UM 6-head HiFi VHS player
6. Bose 301 Continental Special Edition, front speakers
7. Boston Acoustics CRC, center speakers
8. Boston Acoustics VRS Micro, rear surround speakers
9. Dali AW8, subwoofer
10. IXOS speaker cables, front and center
11. Generic AWG 18 wire, rear surround
12. Clearaudio analog interconnects
13. Generic HDMI cable
14. Generic S-Video cable
15. Generic Optical (Toslink) cable
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