Product Review: Western Digital USB HD Media Player

[cherrypopsiclesful]

just put some films on usb and stick it in the box.

[georgef551]

@cherrypopsiclesful

You can't do that, due to copyright law.

However, in this case, it could qualify as "Fair Use", being that it's demonstrating a product.

Better safe than sorry.

[cherrypopsiclesful]

@georgef551 Do you mean, you could, but it's illegal ?

For example if I download the Sopranos, put it in a usb stick, put the usb stick in the box, would they play ?

In theory of course, since that is illegal. But Would it ?

[georgef551]

@cherrypopsiclesful

Yes, they will, provided it's a format it supports. (I never checked to see if there's update patches for newer codecs. I hope there are some.)

What's illegal, is to show it in the review for too long. It is actually illegal to have copies of copies, even for archival reasons. I don't get that part, but I understand distributing them.

[cherrypopsiclesful]

@georgef551 my final question.

how do you switch from the ''media player'' to regular tv, and back again.

when I turn my tv on it goes onto the news channel, how do I switch to this ?

[georgef551]

@cherrypopsiclesful

You'd have to see your TV's manual for that one. Usually, in a general manner, selecting "TV" for your input, or a TV channel, usually reverts back to regular television.

If your cable/sat box not through the antenna input (may also say Cable), you'll have to look it up in the maual, if the input # isn't located next to the inputs anything is on.

[polaris911]

why does the player display file size in kilobytes instead of MB/GB? These are large files.. seems idiotic

[georgef551]

@polaris911

It does seem rather odd, but it's far from the only product that does that.

Might be a standard, for some reason.

[TheHappyZerg]

We have the same TV. Regonized your TV menu instantly. Love that TV. You can change the input label. (Eg. Instead of input 5 you can change it into PS3. Well thats what I did.) Its such a good TV.

[georgef551]

@TheHappyZerg

It's a little glitchy, and there's some spotty brightness differences, but it is a good TV. Oddly, some stations turn the TV off, then it turns back on a few seconds later.

[rainprettybb]

@georgef551

Thaxzzzzzzzzzzzzz 4 the answer I got it ^^

[georgef551]

@rainprettybb

No problem.

[rainprettybb]

how did u get to the chanel

[georgef551]

@rainprettybb

I used the HDMI port, and depending on how you install this, depends on how you access it.

You'll have to see the manual to your TV for that.

[experimental0000]

it'd be more expensive but if you gor the WD TV Live, you could also use it to grab internet media and watch tv and movies online with it if you wanted to in the future, unless you use your computer for that

[georgef551]

@experimental0000

That version wasn't readilly available where I got this, but I do use the 'pooter for the internet stuff.

[experimental0000]

alot of people like those cameras. or so it seems, as I've seen quite a few using those to make youtube videos (or the ones I've seen anyway doing reviews like yours and it has good quality.

[georgef551]

@experimental0000

Now that Flip has one with Image Stabilization, they're that much better, for the most part.

[elevatorsonly]

You should have done this review with the Handycam. If you wanted to re review this, you would use the SlideHD as the camera that records the review and the UltraHD as the video player.

[georgef551]

@elevatorsonly

Too much of a hassle, plus at the time, the camera doesn't like to talk HD with recorded video. On my newer laptop, it'll HD if it's direct capture, but not off the tapes.

The point's rather moot anyhow. It's the same operation, except the Flip would be attached, instead of an HDD.

[elevatorsonly]

@georgef551 You should do a review of the Handycam.

[georgef551]

@elevatorsonly

That won't happen, because it's an old model, from 2006, which is no longer made.

[billapot089]

@georgef551 Does this Media Player, playback 720p MP4 files?

[georgef551]

@billapot089

That's what was playing in this case. It's a matter of formats, rather than resolution. Likelyhood of this working on anything is good. This seems to play stuff it's "unable" to.

[julboy739]

@geargef551

you must really buy good speakers man!

but it is a really good mediaplayer

i've a question can you also put a ard drive in the mediaplayer?

[georgef551]

@julboy739

Yes, you can. It'll take longer to look the HDD over and be ready to play. The manual says it's all about the files on the drives/camera, more than the drive/camera itself.

[SacredHeart808]

Alright thank you very much for your time dude

[georgef551]

@SacredHeart808

No problem!

[SacredHeart808]

Dude i have a question what type of External Hard Drive are you using is it a 2TB WD My Book Studio, Elite or Essential and what type of Format is it on, is it on NTFS or is it a FAT32...........Please reply dude.......and by the way nice video review good work......

[georgef551]

@SacredHeart808

Glad you liked it.

It's the 2TB My Book, the original format was FAT32, but I didn't want to 2GB segments, so I redid it to be a single-sector (NTFS).

[SacredHeart808]

@georgef551

So your saying that FAT32 and NTFS will both work just fine on the WD HD TV Media Player......

[georgef551]

@SacredHeart808

It works with ceartain video files, so it should not matter the partitioning used.

[KONEelevatorman111]

How does the Flip Ultra HD Camcorder do in low light and sound on your opinion? I'm thinking of getting one Christmas.

[georgef551]

Sound is good, just a bit weak on picking up elevator noises: will pick them all up, but sound softer. Video is very good. You're not going to get full motion, but you get movie frame rates (even though it's 1280x720x30).

The MinoHD in my opinion, not the best option. UltraHD is bulkier, but it has twice the memory (8GB) and records 2 hours of video. If the battery pack dies, you can take it out, and use AA's. Neither the Mino can do. (Dead battery = too bad, and 4GB RAM, 1 hour video.)