Western Digital TV Live Plus Review

Earlier this month, I tested the Roku box.  I like it so much I now consider it the benchmark by which I test the other Internet TV boxes and applications in the market.  So, in this review of the WD TV Live Plus, I am going to compare and contrast it with the wonderful little Roku.

Out of the Box

Packaging and size is very similar.  The TV box and remote are very similar in size and shape.  Although the WD remote has more tiny buttons that are fashioned more like a traditional remote than Roku’s more slick and clean design.  Installation instructions are included but hook up is so simple I didn’t find them necessary like all the other reviews.

Connections

The WD has two 3.5mm mini plugs which have break out cables for standard composite (yellow) and analog audio (RCA red/white) for older TVs.  The other break out cable is for component video.   Also, digital optical output and HDM are onboard.  Unfortunately, it does not have Wi-Fi built in.  A LAN connection is required.   This little guy has two USB ports on the side.  Now most boxes have one USB onboard in most cases it doesn’t do anything.  The manual many times refers to it as “future use”.  Not the WD TV Live Plus, it actually makes use of both USB connectors.  Western Digital is known for storage devices.  In fact, you very well might be operating off a WD hard drive in the computer your on right now.  Because WD is in the storage business, this box can connect with an external hard drive or thumb drive.  But why?

Networking, Storage, & Media Center

If you are a bit of a geek like me, you are going to like the WD box.  If you aren’t a geek or perhaps a closet geek, you will still will like this box.  Why?  Because most of us have collected content on our computers over years of use.  Yet, in order to view this content, we have been bound to the computer in the past.  The WD box changes all that for many of us.  It allows one to play back pictures off a digital camera, play music, or view personal home movies or commercial flicks right onto the TV.  I know I know, this isn’t new to many of you but boy oh boy this device make it so easy and it plays almost everything!  Ready for some jargon?  It plays .mp3, .mp4, divix, xvid, .vob, .flac, .avi, .mpeg, .jpeg, .tiff, .gif, .mts, .aac, .asf, .dts, .qta, .wma, .wmv, etc.  i.e. it probably plays anything on your computer that will quote “play”. 

It makes playing this content as easy plugging a thumb drive into the side or adding it to your home network as a media hub.  As it turns out, this is the single biggest difference between this box and the little Roku.  +1 WD!

User Interface

The interface is clean and sleek but is bogged down in layers.  It reminds me of the Star Trek Turbolift.   

You can go up you can go down you can go left you can go right.  Which is fine but there are several layers in each direction and is probably going to be a bit intimidating to the average person.  I have to admit, it took me a little while to find where to launch Netflix.  For those of you who actually buy this box, Netflix is on “J” deck found in cargo bay #2.

Apps

The Internet apps are listed as “Internet Media” which can be found on “L” deck shuttle bay #1.  Seriously though, the apps are pretty standard and include: accuweather, blockbuster, flickr, live 365, Netflix, Pandora, and Youtube.  The Hulu Plus application says “Coming Soon” for this box which is very exciting  to me personally.  Between Hulu, Netflix, Pandora, Media Center capabilities, and adding an over the air antenna for the local stations, I might just be able to disconnect DirecTV!

Issues

Once the box is connected to the Internet you have the option of upgrading the firmware easily.  However, it seems like I get a firmware upgrade notification every 2 days or so.  It takes about 5 minutes to download and install the firmware but is becoming time consuming and I don’t notice anything that really improves my experience.  In other words, it is annoying.

No wireless out of the box is going to be a real issue for some and the menus are a bit more advanced compared to the Roku.  In the last two weeks, I have lost audio twice which rebooting the box has fixed that issue.

Summary

If you require wireless connectivity and don’t need the media center capabilities, consider the Roku instead.  But, if you want media center, Netflix, and have a wired network already, this box really rocks and retails for $99!  http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=320

As always, thanks for reading the blog.  If you have any questions or comments, please leave them here I would love to hear from you.  Next up, AppleTV stay tuned…..

Roku - Internet TV made Simple, Easy, and Fun on the Cheap!

Let’s face it.  Watching TV has become more complicated over the past decade.  It doesn’t seem too long ago when there were only a few shows worth watching all of which were on the major 3 networks.  A TV wasn’t flat it was curved and worth fixing if it broke.  Today we have hundreds of channels and thousands of shows.  TV’s now have Internet capabilities and now 3D is the next ‘big thing’.  Many of us don’t watch TV in a linear fashion, we DVR and skip the commercials.  Life is good.  Most agree, watching TV is better than it used to be.

Enter Internet TV, yet another technology improvement you should consider.   I have already written about switching from DirecTV to Internet TV and testing some various hardware/software solutions to make it so.  The xbox360 and Google TV solutions have been reviewed.  In sum, both are good but unnecessarily complicated if one is only interested in doing the Internet TV basics.  The Roku box is simple to use, easy to connect, and makes Internet TV fun.  I found myself USING the Roku not fiddling with it like the Google TV or Xbox360.  After about 2 months’ worth of testing, I would like to share my findings with you:

Setup:

By far the easiest device I have ever hooked up to my home network.  Physically, plugging the connections into the back of the box and plugging it in was the most strenuous part.  If you can add a wireless printer or laptop up to the Internet, you shouldn’t have a problem.  The Roku found my wireless network, I entered the WAP key, it connected, updated, rebooted, and started up. 

Connections on the back give you the ability to hook up that old curvy CRT TV via composite and RCA jacks or your newest 55” LED TV with 3D capabilities.

Getting Started:

A TV, Roku box, and fast Internet connection are really the only minimum requirements.  However, I suggest a Netflix account and Hulu Plus especially if you plan to drop your subscription TV provider out of the mix.  Otherwise, it is like buying a car without A/C if that is even possible anymore.  Netflix and Hulu Plus are the main drivers of the usefulness of the Roku experience. 

Hulu Plus:

Most of us know about or already subscribe to Netflix.  In fact, in a recent catt.com poll 23% of you use Netflix today.  So what is Hulu Plus?  Like Netflix, Hulu Plus is a subscription based service for $7.99/mo.  Usage is unlimited but is geared towards TV shows not movies.   It gives you access to every episode of some of your favorite TV shows including the current and older seasons.  Here is a link to some of the content currently available: http://www.hulu.com/plus#content  

Other Content:

In addition to Netflix and Hulu Plus, Roku offers hundreds of free and paid subscription channels in which you can create your own program guide much like digital cable users can setup “favorite” channels within the menu.  For example, Amazon VOD, MLB.TV, Pandora, Blip.TV, Drive-in Classics, UFC, NASA, Radio Stations, News Casts, Sirius/XM, more.  http://www.roku.com/roku-channel-storeThere is literally over a 100,000 titles to choose from.

The Experience:

What is so neat about the Roku is the mix between the power of the content and simplicity of the use.  For example, there is no need to DVR anything with this box.  All content is on demand.  Having to store content on a physical hard disk is so 2005.  With a powerful Internet connection,  you access the video from the Internet cloud.  The faster the connection, the more seamless the experience.  Finally, an application that can really stress a powerful Internet connection.   Add another box in the house and you effectively double your need for speed.

The remote control is so easy to use.  It fits nicely in my hand and after using it a few days, I no longer have to look down to use it.  Solid ergonomics are built right into the hardware and software of this platform.  It is the ‘every man’s’ Internet TV box.

In Sum:

If you want simple, easy, and fun on the cheap you cannot go wrong with the little Roku.  It is a solid platform to get you started with Internet TV and starts at just $59.99 for the box.  The only down side is the media center capabilities.  If you wish to play your own music, videos, and pictures off the home network, this box isn’t for you.  Otherwise, it is perfect for the ‘newbie’ or ‘power user’ in the home.  Some of our more technical people here at RTC use and love the box.  So, just because it is simple doesn’t mean it is ‘Mickey Mouse’.  Let me know if you have any questions.  Coming soon is a review on the WD TV Live Plus and Apple TV.  Thanks for reading and stay tuned!