WD reveals updated TV Live set-top box

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Oct 2011 10:45 User comments (7)

Western Digital has introduced its updated TV Live set-top box today, this time adding support for Spotify.

For Spotify, premium subscribers can stream 15 million songs in 320 kbps quality.

The 802.11n Wi-Fi device also has streaming access to Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, YouTube and many other channels. As in the past, the WD TV Live will play a wide variety of file formats, notably MKV, in full 1080p.

Additionally, WD has shown off their updated WD TV Live Hub, a similar set-top box that also includes 1TB of internal storage. The Hub will require ethernet, however.

Both boxes will also launch with a new "intuitive user interface."

Says WD:

WD incorporates Spotify's popular features in the new service, including the ability to create and manage Spotify playlists, share songs to Spotify friends, and see and subscribe to friends' playlists via their Spotify profiles. Users can also share tracks by sending songs directly to other Spotify users' inboxes. Spotify for WD TV Live and WD TV Live Hub delivers an exciting new way to enjoy and share music on the best sound system in your home.

The Live costs $99 and the Hub costs $199.

Tags: western digital Set-Top Box WD TV Live

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7 user comments

16.10.2011 23:31

xaznboitx

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Senior Member

hello, build in wifi already geez

27.10.2011 08:39

buxtahuda

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Originally posted by xaznboitx:
hello, build in wifi already geez

VVV

Quote:
The 802.11n Wi-Fi device

Unless you mean you want this to also be an access point??

Edit: Oh, you meant for the media hub version. But you'd want ethernet for a media hub, wireless just doesn't push a solid enough stream for it to be connected to the whole network only through WiFi.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 07 Oct 2011 @ 8:42

37.10.2011 09:08

flyingpen

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Junior Member

I have the current version of WDTV Live Hub. I use it every single day and is the best device I've bought in... probably the last 5 years. It really is absolutely fantastic. The only thing I use more than my WDTV Live Hub box is my computers. Honestly, if you want one of these, and dont intend to use Spotify, look to getting one of the current models when their price drops. The only real thing with the current box (and I don't know if they fixed this) is that you 1. cannot rename files or folders and 2. Cannot create folders. So lets say you rip all your dvd movies to avi and then add them to the WDTV. But everything gets cluttered and you want to put them in a folder labeled "Movies" well then you have to go on your computer connect a usb drive create a folder called "Movies" on the usb drive, then connect the USB to the WDTV Live Hub and copy it over and place all the movies in it. It's not a HUGE deal. You just kinda have to think before hand how things will be set up.

47.10.2011 10:30

Interestx

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flyingpen

I agree, the WD TV Live is a briliant little device.

I have 2 x 2tb drives hooked up with everything I want on them & a cable plug-in 500mbps networking connection for whatever I've missed on the PCs.
Yes loading up the HDDs is a bit of a pain but it's a pain you do once.

I really couldn't care less about wi-fi, it's just not needed.

Streaming both lossless audio codecs over HDMI would be a cherry on top (it already can do DolbyTruHD but not DTS HD MA) but that's about all I can think of & tbh I can't say it's a terrible exclusion 'only' having DTS & DTS ES via optical out.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 07 Oct 2011 @ 10:32

58.10.2011 00:58

jemaric

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i got 2 & loving them ,they need the wifi

68.10.2011 04:26

elbald90

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i love my wdtv live and recommend it to anyone who is considering getting one

79.10.2011 21:33

Satviewer2000

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Newbie

At least they finally made a "real" remote control instead of that easy to lose tiny little remote on the original series.

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WD reveals updated TV Live set-top box

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