Goodbye WDTV Live ....Hello Apple TV ( Perhaps )

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gedc

355 posts

Ultimate Geek

#136336 23-Nov-2013 19:41

Just a quick " throw me your thoughts" please...Been running WDTV Live as a NAS streamer and also to watch Netflix ( also using Unblock us) for last 6 to 8 months. I seem to have been the lucky one who had the correct chipset for netflix in this part of the world. For last month netflix has been horrible and hangs A LOT during loading i.e red bar half full and just sits there. Netflix works fine on PC all the time but not on family setup with the WDTV Live.

Did some googling and am not alone with this issue. WDTV don't seem too interested in fixing the issues and I also haven't update to latest firmware as they have apparently altered the latest firmware to restrict my type of box accessing content outwith US apparently.

Was thinking of an Intel NIC, or a standalone, bigger HTPC but my mate just showed me his Apple TV which has modified software on it.

I want to run xmbc and have nice themes / scrapes etc, access a multitude of movies and telly shows on my NAS and use netflix fairly reliably. His does all that...

What are the downsides of the Apple TV setup please ?

Thanks for your thoughts

Ged

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8345 posts

Uber Geek

#939602 23-Nov-2013 19:49

If you are wanting to run Xbmc on Apple TV you will need to source a 2nd Generation unit, the current retail version (3rd Gen) has not been Jailbroken, thus you cannot load other software on it,

gedc

355 posts

Ultimate Geek

#939633 23-Nov-2013 20:59

Thanks for that. Now it makes sense that 2nd hand jailbroken units are retailing for 250 upwards on trademe.

Thanks for the heads up. Mmmh..more thinking to do

Cheers

Ged

davidcole

6041 posts

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#939648 23-Nov-2013 21:17

Its unsupported and a bity of a hack, but you can get Plex Working on there (non jailbroken ATV3)

link here

Also if you have another IOS device (ipad/iphone/ipod touch) you can push a lot of content via airplay.

But the netflix implementation is very good (IMO)

Previously known as psycik

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geekiegeek

2513 posts

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#939680 23-Nov-2013 22:46

getting plex going is dead simple really. there are step by step guides online. not sure why people say its tricky (no offence Dave).

You'll be hard pressed to find a slicker interface to Hulu or Netflix and the Plexconnect interface follows the same layout. Nice and simple device foe WOF

davidcole

6041 posts

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#939752 24-Nov-2013 08:35

geekiegeek: getting plex going is dead simple really. there are step by step guides online. not sure why people say its tricky (no offence Dave).

You'll be hard pressed to find a slicker interface to Hulu or Netflix and the Plexconnect interface follows the same layout. Nice and simple device foe WOF

Yeah following the instructions is relatively simple. I guess why I qualify it as tricky, is because an update from Apple may break it, either accidentally or on purpose.

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#939816 24-Nov-2013 12:01

davidcole:
geekiegeek: getting plex going is dead simple really. there are step by step guides online. not sure why people say its tricky (no offence Dave).

You'll be hard pressed to find a slicker interface to Hulu or Netflix and the Plexconnect interface follows the same layout. Nice and simple device foe WOF

Yeah following the instructions is relatively simple. I guess why I qualify it as tricky, is because an update from Apple may break it, either accidentally or on purpose.

If you don't need the update, don't install it.

I never rush and install updates for my WD units. Auto updating is disabled, and unless the updates fix something that is of key concern to me, I usually sit tight for a few weeks and watch the forums to see if anything important is breaking for anyone. Particularly given Apple's penchant for petulantly deliberately breaking anything users are doing that they don't approve of, I would adopt the same strategy if I had an ATV.

That should minimise the risk.

gedc

355 posts

Ultimate Geek

#939828 24-Nov-2013 12:48

It would seem that if I power the unit down ( unplug ) for 10 seconds then power it back up, it will play Netflix fine for a bit. Then same issues repeat re hanging at loading. Very odd.

Still looking at the ATV as an option even if it isn't capable of being tinkered with just now , plex notwithstanding

Cheers

Ged

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insane

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#939865 24-Nov-2013 13:44

I've used my WDTV Live (bought from the US) for close to two years and found the skipping at the beginning of streams seems to be down to the DNS provider. Have you tried getting a test account from unotelly or another and testing to see if it behaves the same way?

gedc

355 posts

Ultimate Geek

#939868 24-Nov-2013 13:50

HI. It's not skipping as such.

Worked fine again today so WDTV may just be needs unplugged every now and then. I often find it wont access Netflix on first go but does on second. However since the power down has been behaving.

The general issue is when I choose something to to watch and the red progress bar jumps up a couple of notches, crawls up a couple then just sits there about 30% completed. Black screen behind it. That's the time I can give up as it seems to have hung.

MikeB4

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#939870 24-Nov-2013 13:52

I have an Apple TV, it is a good device but very crippled in NZ due to the lack of services. We don't really use it now, the Sat PVR and TV smarts do it all.

old3eyes

9120 posts

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Subscriber

#939959 24-Nov-2013 19:01

gedc: HI. It's not skipping as such.

Worked fine again today so WDTV may just be needs unplugged every now and then. I often find it wont access Netflix on first go but does on second. However since the power down has been behaving.

The general issue is when I choose something to to watch and the red progress bar jumps up a couple of notches, crawls up a couple then just sits there about 30% completed. Black screen behind it. That's the time I can give up as it seems to have hung.

I only use my WDTV for internet streaming not local network but one problem I get at least once or twice a week is it won't play from the local hard disk saying that the file is not compatible. Power off for about 15 seconds and then it's fine for days.. This is shades of the last days of my Popcornhour A100 before I replaced it with the WDTV..

Regards,

Old3eyes

gedc

355 posts

Ultimate Geek

#939961 24-Nov-2013 19:10

Yeah. I find it works flawlessly for 2 months then spits the dummy, wont find the network, wont find files on the NAS...Try everything and no change. Think something is broken.

Come back the next day and its all working...ARGHHH

It has such potential. Just runs like a lada on potato fuel

dclegg

2806 posts

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#940090 25-Nov-2013 08:13

FWIW, you can grab an Apple TV for $130 from 1-day, if you're quick.

old3eyes

9120 posts

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#940095 25-Nov-2013 08:43

dclegg: FWIW, you can grab an Apple TV for $130 from 1-day, if you're quick.

I bought mine a couple of weeks ago from Apple NZ for $120. The problem is with the likes of 1day is that they carry no spares so if it dies withing their warranty period they have to give you a refund. This happened to one of the people i work with who bought a tablet from them. It had a problem after a couple of weeks and when he went to return it they had no spares so refunded him..

Regards,

Old3eyes

dclegg

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#940098 25-Nov-2013 08:46

old3eyes:
dclegg: FWIW, you can grab an Apple TV for $130 from 1-day, if you're quick.

I bought mine a couple of weeks ago from Apple NZ for $120. The problem is with the likes of 1day is that they carry no spares so if it dies withing their warranty period they have to give you a refund. This happened to one of the people i work with who bought a tablet from them. It had a problem after a couple of weeks and when he went to return it they had no spares so refunded him..

I bought mine from Noel Leeming for the same price as 1-day have them. Surely in this case Apple would step up to the plate with any warranty issues?

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