Horrible Audio Distortion on MP3 / Audio Playback with WDTV Live on all Firmwares above 1.2.21

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live & Live Plus
1

Just received my WD Live HD today and with all avalable Firmware Editions the installed MP3 Audio Playback is horrible.

Its way overbuzzed / Scratchy / Distorded coming out of my Stereo and TV no matter.

Like if i would put levels to 180 instead of 50 and 100 would be maximum.

I tried all Firmwares and everytime i did a factory reset and also unplugged and removed power entirely without any success.

Unbelievable …

While everything Networking Video Works the Audio Side is not usuable at all if i upgrade to newer Versions.

Is there a 3d party Software / Firmware which fixes this and how coms no one notices this of the Developers or even listening to some usual 192 Kbit VBR Mp3s

:frowning:

Audio Output is setup to → Stereo

If i switch to Digital its the same Issues.

Even if i switch HDMI Cables its same Issues.

2

Are all your files 192K VBR?

Have you tried the standard AV output on the back.

3

After i entirely tested like hours here is my final Results on that Major Bug

No matter which  firmware you use.

Audio Playback / MP3 / Flac / PCM  no matter which bitrate is distorded once you

  • install a new Firmware 1.2x  throughout  the new ones

  • Do a Standby or power off the WD Live

It does not happen if you Hardware reset the WD Live HD left side using a stick or needle.

But once you go back to Standby or Power off all Mess appears again.

Something Destroys the Audio Settings config which is on “default” and good level while if you made a Factory defaults RESET and do not power off.

If you then finally Power the WD off  to Standby or power it off entirely removing Power cable the WD Software 

audio Loudness settings are damaged til lyou make a factory reset again and keep it “ON” .

This is so annoying and nothing helps. No HDMI Cable switch no other TV no other AV Receiver.

If i plugin that AV Cable into my AV Receiver or TV the Audio is perfectly undistorted no matter if i do a Standbye or a full Power off using that Output Mode “AV” then.

Once i move my Tele Remote to HDMI again its distorted.

I tested a bunch of Audios like PCM / FLAC / MP3 vary bitrates also CBR and it is messing with every of them.

4

Its really hard to tell in which situation the WD behaves …

I figured out now that the "Factory Reset " Audio Fakefix only works with Firmware 1.2x and 1.4x .

With 1.3x it is not working at all.

And you MUST do a Hardware side Reset using a needle or stick first time!

After that you can fix the Audio distortions doing aFactory Reset over the Menue.

But remember same time you power off or standby distortions are back.

And of course you need to reconfigure the whole WD live again then including network setups / Display and so on.

After some more h of testing and getting really mad i can say that all Videos containing LPCM do have the same

Distortions in Audio over HDMI then the Audioplayer.

Using 1.2x Firmware as ONLY Solution  even being able of getting rid of this WD Live Firmwaredesaster  is no Option at all. Once i do playback a Header compressed MKV the WD is dead and refuses to playback anything anymore and must be reactivated with 1.4 Firmware and then downgraded again to 1.3 since 1.3 ist the only solution for Header compressed MKV.

I didnt even know my MKV had header compession… No joke…

Whatever id need 1.3 but with1.3 Firmware all i can use is dirstorted Audio in Videos.

1.4 is not usable since MKV Playback is overall damaged and stutterly and even booting the WD is slow as **bleep**.

Edit 02.03.2011

Using wdtvlive_1_02_14.zip also works HW resetting on left side with a stick

WDTV_Live_1_01_11.zip did not  work using a HW Reset.

If someone can tell me a magic spell to save my resetted WD Config now so that i can keep the Audio good it would be much appreciated.

Honestly… what did you change on HDMI Audio in Firmwares1.2x and 1.4x that a Reset temporary works with distorted HDMI Audio? Someone removed this in 1.3x and brought it back in 1.4x.

If you could just save this HWReset-Setting it would be awesome.

If i can help u using a Debug Firmware to install it on my unit to log Data help fixing then here i am.

:wink:

BTW i do have a LG LE 5300 LED TV ( European ) and a Samsung LE32C530 LCD ( European )

Toslink Optical Audio Output with the WD Live is also working flawless but all my Inputs at my AV Receivers are full :slight_smile: