Western Digital WD TV HD Media Player - a HTPC replacement??

[zorro]

Idle Brain

I myself bought a WD player just recently and have not played with it as yet. Based on my knowledge it is as follows. Madbullram can further clarify it

WD Player does not have the ability to decode 5.1 dts/DD. However it can decode Dolby digital into 2 channels.

Since it has a digital optical out, it allows pass through of DTS and DD 5.1. In turn if you have a digital surround receiver then it can receive through optical connection and decode DTS or DD into 5.1 channel output.

Hope this helps.

Zorro

 

[madbullram]

Idle Brain

I myself bought a WD player just recently and have not played with it as yet. Based on my knowledge it is as follows. Madbullram can further clarify it

WD Player does not have the ability to decode 5.1 dts/DD. However it can decode Dolby digital into 2 channels.

Since it has a digital optical out, it allows pass through of DTS and DD 5.1. In turn if you have a digital surround receiver then it can receive through optical connection and decode DTS or DD into 5.1 channel output.

Hope this helps.

Zorro

U r absolutely on the money. Idle if you have HTiB or a AV unit which has a Digital In or Optical In you should be fine

 

[Shuvc]

WD Player does not have the ability to decode 5.1 dts/DD. However it can decode Dolby digital into 2 channels.

Does it not downmix 5.1 DTS to 2 channel analog out?

 

[illusion]

Does it not downmix 5.1 DTS to 2 channel analog out?

Nope , WD TV does not decode DTS at all. So no question of downmixing altogether.

MBR please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[madbullram]

Nope , WD TV does not decode DTS at all. So no question of downmixing altogether.

MBR please correct me if I am wrong.

U r 100% correct, WD TV didnt buy the DTS license so it cant decode, it can only do a pass through using the Digital Out.

 

[idlebrain]

U r 100% correct, WD TV didnt buy the DTS license so it cant decode, it can only do a pass through using the Digital Out.

Thanks to Madhu & Zorro.
If it can pass the DTS/DD through Optical In to my HTiB I am very much happy to go ahead with the purchase.

Thanks again guys.

 

[Sumit]

Hey Guys!!

A few questions below are yet to be answered. Thanks.

Thanks a lot MBR. This clears a lot of doubts. I shall use the chapter option in handbrake menu. As of now, I use to rip in AVI format. From, now onwards I shall rip in .mkv format.

However, I have a second set of queries for you:

1. I read somewhere that WD tv can play vob files. So, if space is not a constraint then can we not just rip the dvd and play directly? We won't need handbrake then. Wat say?

2. I want to create playlists from the huge collection of music that I have. How can I do the same and play on the WD tv?

3. Any idea about subtitle/s support?

Thanks a ton man.

Sumit

 

[madbullram]

Hey Guys!!

A few questions below are yet to be answered. Thanks.

1. WD plays vob files, if you have no space constraint directly rip them, but you wont get Menu support, you have to fast forward everytime to get to a scene.

2. Create a play list of the music in your harddrive using winamp and save it to the hard drive, WD will recognize it

3. Its got very good subtitle support, whats the question?

 

[Sumit]

1. WD plays vob files, if you have no space constraint directly rip them, but you wont get Menu support, you have to fast forward everytime to get to a scene.

2. Create a play list of the music in your harddrive using winamp and save it to the hard drive, WD will recognize it

3. Its got very good subtitle support, whats the question?

1. How can we get menu support otherwise?

2. Thanks

3. How can we display subtitles?

Thanks

 

[madbullram]

1. How can we get menu support otherwise?

2. Thanks

3. How can't we display subtitles?

Thanks

1. You cant get menu support. Its not available yet.

3. Press the options button on you remote, the options menu will be displayed on the tv. the subtitle option is the second icon from left, select it, it toggles between on and off and if you have multiple language it toggles btw that also./

 

[thevortex]

Am just curious... the title of this thread is a question. What do people think - Is the WDTV an adequate replacement for a HTPC? I would love to know the thoughts of people who have had both solutions, if at all possible.

 

[illusion]

1. You can get menu support. Its not available yet.

3. Press the options button on you remote, the options menu will be displayed on the tv. the subtitle option is the second icon from left, select it, it toggles between on and off and if you have multiple language it toggles btw that also./

Also I dont think u need to toggle the subtitles switch using options button. By default the subtitles start playing along with the movie. U need to access the option button to change language/turn off the subtitles.

 

[madbullram]

Am just curious... the title of this thread is a question. What do people think - Is the WDTV an adequate replacement for a HTPC? I would love to know the thoughts of people who have had both solutions, if at all possible.

Direct straight forward answer: NO

Why:
1. I cant upgrade - technology etc
2. Cant play all future formats
3. Can't add DTS-HD etc
4. Limited features compared to HTPC
5. Networking capabilities

So who is WD TV for?
People who want HD experience at low cost and minimal fuzz! For that and even people like me who are now growing toward lets get home play the movie and enjoy instead of worrying about 100 things

 

[thevortex]

Thanks Ram. Makes sense too.

 

[illusion]

Direct straight forward answer: NO

Why:
1. I cant upgrade - technology etc
2. Cant play all future formats
3. Can't add DTS-HD etc
4. Limited features compared to HTPC
5. Networking capabilities

So who is WD TV for?
People who want HD experience at low cost and minimal fuzz! For that and even people like me who are now growing toward lets get home play the movie and enjoy instead of worrying about 100 things

I dont agree . Atleast not for the next 3 years . For me it is an HTPC replacement, as for me there is no current need for Blu Ray with True HD Sound. However maybe when Blu Rays become as commonplace as DVD's and there is a urge for me to update then I may think that WD TV is not an HTPC replacement. . But by time WD TV would have released Version 3 or 4 of their Player !

 

[madbullram]

I dont agree . Atleast not for the next 3 years . For me it is an HTPC replacement, as for me there is no current need for Blu Ray with True HD Sound. However maybe when Blu Rays become as commonplace as DVD's and there is a urge for me to update then I may think that WD TV is not an HTPC replacement. . But by time WD TV would have released Version 3 or 4 of their Player !

Offcourse Illusion, its the same for me. I was just stating strictly from what an HTPC is supposed to do (everyone has their version of HTPC i am taking a common HTPC need). WD TV cannot do everything HTPC does and also the main advantage of HTPC is upgrades which is not possible.

So I meant from that sense.

 

[illusion]

Offcourse Illusion, its the same for me. I was just stating strictly from what an HTPC is supposed to do (everyone has their version of HTPC i am taking a common HTPC need). WD TV cannot do everything HTPC does and also the main advantage of HTPC is upgrades which is not possible.

So I meant from that sense.

Well you do have a point there. I think the thread title is all wrong . I mean u really cannot compare a full fledged Computer with a Media player . But I know that I will never spend money on an HTPC especially after the plug and play convenience offered by WD TV and its future versions.

Offtopic : Now Wd TV features have also been included in the Samsung 40 inch LCD (Series 6 ), I think which is just awesome ! Slowly these devices are evolving and somehow becoming more like a complete entertainment centre rather than limited functionality devices.

 

[thevortex]

Illusion - dont get me wrong. The media players like WDTV and Xstreamer are all very impressive and their plug and play comforts do try their best to seduce me.

However, the problem for me lies with sound quality. With a HTPC I can aim sky high as far as sound quality goes for music. With these systems I am yet to see one which has some potential in this direction. I dont doubt that these do a great job for movies which is what will be important for most people. But for me, music is more important - even if I do watch a lot of movies.

 

[madbullram]

Illusion - dont get me wrong. The media players like WDTV and Xstreamer are all very impressive and their plug and play comforts do try their best to seduce me.

However, the problem for me lies with sound quality. With a HTPC I can aim sky high as far as sound quality goes for music. With these systems I am yet to see one which has some potential in this direction. I dont doubt that these do a great job for movies which is what will be important for most people. But for me, music is more important - even if I do watch a lot of movies.

ofcourse, for the perfectionist, its a journey...and its called HTPC isnt it ?

 

[thevortex]

ofcourse, for the perfectionist, its a journey...and its called HTPC isnt it ?

Well nothing is ever perfect. What is good today does not seem to stay that way tomorrow.

So, this customizability and extra scope is not always the greatest thing. At least not if you are married and dont have access to wads of currency on demand