Since today I have problems to stream any media ( MKV, AVI, etc. ) from my server to the WDTVLIVE. WD recognizes my server and also connects to it without any problems. Also browsing thru the maps is not any of the problems, but when I want to play something, it only shows me that loading circle. I also have waited for about 20 minutes, nothing happens. By monitoring the network traffic from the server, I also cannot see anything happen. Traffic is always between 10 to 20 %. Also restarted the server and the player many time, but the issue is still there!!! I also tried the shared folder as the media server as well! Both without any success! I have this player for almost a year without having any problems. Streamed everything fine until today after I had dinner! It is not only the HD content, DVD rips has been affected as well!
Does anybody now why this has happen from one moment to another?
Already tried that, without any success. I had the player disconnected for about 10 minutes. I think that should be enough time. Also tried with a dvdrip avi file I knew worked previously. Any other suggestions?
I don’t think the error is at the server side, because i can stream from any other device ( computers ( mac and windows )) fine, without any issues. only when i want to stream any video with the WDTVLIVE it won’t play anything!
I am using the same firmware. Try to resetting within the WDTV. Also try using the paperclip hole on the left side to reset the unit that way. You then will have to reconfigure your WDTV live with your settings. After all that you may still need to leave the unit unplugged for about 20 minutes. I to recently had problems and this fixed them. Hopefully this will help.
Just did it and played a dvdrip ( episode from an old sitcome ) it worked, but after trying an MKV ( 4,5 GB HD 720P ) i got the same problem. Tomorrow i will try to reset it with the paperclip. maybe that wil help! I will let you know if it worked!
Just did it and played a dvdrip… it worked, but after trying an MKV ( 4,5 GB HD 720P ) i got the same problem.
I can virtually guarantee that if you look at the MediaInfo for that .mkv, you will find that it was made with mkvmerge v4.1.x or higher.
This is the infamous “header compression” issue.
Until the new firmware is released, you’ll have to re-mux any files that have compressed headers (i.e. were made with any versions of mkvmerge greater than 4.0.x).
If you have an earlier version of mkvmerge, then just re-muxing the file will fix it. If you have v4.1.x, you will have to select “compression - none” for the audio stream(s) under “Extra Settings”. If you have v4.2.x or higher, you will have to select “compression - none” for _ both _ the audio and video streams.
I tried a MKV that was playable in the past. But without success. I use MKVtoolnix for Mac and handbrake for Mac to make the MKV files.
I also have resetted the whole player and kept it unplugged for about 8 hours. When I checked this morning if it played the file, gave me the same screen as yesterday, when I wanted to play a movie. But it seems it plays episodes from any sitcoms fine, once in a while when I play it thru the media server settings instead of the network shares.
Does someone has any other suggestion how to fix this issue?
I have upgraded my WDTVLIVE to a beta firmware 1.03.40 and now everything is working fine again! i will try to downgrade it to 1.01.21 soon, to see if it is because of the firmware!
If it played fine with the beta, then what was told was very likely correct: The MKV file used Header Compression.
OK, but first, before I had this problem I could play MKV fine, but from one moment to the next I got this problem. So I really do not know why this problem occurred. That is also the reason I thought it was not the Header Compression, because I have this firmware ( 1.01.21 ) for a “long” time. I think I should have this problem at the beginning, when I just upgraded the firmware to the official release. So the problem has to be somewhere else, I think.
MKVmerge only started using copressed headers in the audio tracks in version 4.1.x, and only started using compressed headers in both tracks in 4.2.x.
Any file made with a version before these (and many are still using 2.6.x or 3.3.x, or others) will not be affected. The problem will only show up if the file has been encoded with the newest versions of mkvmerge.
You would have had the “problem” all along… it wouldn’t have played a compressed header track if you’d tried… it’s just that at that time, there were no compressed header tracks for it to get stuck on. So you didn’t know the problem was there. It only showed up (for you) when you started playing tracks that did have compressed headers.
MKVmerge only started using copressed headers in the audio tracks in version 4.1.x, and only started using compressed headers in both tracks in 4.2.x.
Any file made with a version before these (and many are still using 2.6.x or 3.3.x, or others) will not be affected. The problem will only show up if the file has been encoded with the newest versions of mkvmerge.
You would have had the “problem” all along… it wouldn’t have played a compressed header track if you’d tried… it’s just that at that time, there were no compressed header tracks for it to get stuck on. So you didn’t know the problem was there. It only showed up (for you) when you started playing tracks that did have compressed headers.
for example. I always watch movie A. It played fine al the time, I did not change the audio, subtitles or any other settings. but suddenly i have playback issues. it tries to load the movie but won’t play it. I only see the load logo. and it is still within the same firmware.
Al the HD movies are also made with MKVmerge < 4.0.X so it should not be the header as a problem! the problem should be something else, because i’m pretty sure it is not a header issue.
If it played fine with the beta, then what was told was very likely correct: The MKV file used Header Compression.
OK, but first, before I had this problem I could play MKV fine, but from one moment to the next I got this problem. So I really do not know why this problem occurred. That is also the reason I thought it was not the Header Compression, because I have this firmware ( 1.01.21 ) for a “long” time. I think I should have this problem at the beginning, when I just upgraded the firmware to the official release. So the problem has to be somewhere else, I think.
Why not just look at the mkv file info with mediainfo and then your mystery will no doubt be over.
As has been said the problem is quite new and only applies to mkv’s made recently with MKVmerge V4.1 or above. Once you play a ‘bad’ mkv it will hang up your unit and no other files will be playable. You reset it and everything is OK, you then play a ‘bad’ mkv and it all starts again. I believe that the latest beta firmware has overcome this problem.
Why not just look at the mkv file info with mediainfo and then your mystery will no doubt be over.
As has been said the problem is quite new and only applies to mkv’s made recently with MKVmerge V4.1 or above. Once you play a ‘bad’ mkv it will hang up your unit and no other files will be playable. You reset it and everything is OK, you then play a ‘bad’ mkv and it all starts again. I believe that the latest beta firmware has overcome this problem.
Ok, you only need one bad MKV file which was merged with V 4.1 or above, to completely mess up playback of any supported files? that could explain a lot. i should check the lates files i got from my brother, maybe he upgraded his application without warning!
Yep… once it tries to play one “bad” one, under the old firmware, then the box gets all screwy and won’t play anything, even things it’s played in the past, until the box is reset. And then it stayes “fixed” until you play another “bad” one, etc…
So does anyone know what has caused this problem? I have two WDTV Live units and they are both exhibiting the same problem. They fail to play mkv files they previously played without issue and I know this isn’t an MKVerge header issue. Its very weird how it just started out of the blue. Has anyone from WD said anything about this? Is there a resoltion? I don’t think resetting the unit to factory default or leaving it powered off for 8hrs is a resolution, just a band aid fix really.
It must be a firmware issue. It wasn’t until I installed my second WD TV Live last week and upgraded it to the 1.02 firmware that I had absolutely no issues… Now both units do not play tandem on the same local network. I had both configured to two different names so I could tell them apart other than their macs. The first one worked without a hitch with the 1.02 firmware, but as soon as that second unit fired up with the 1.02 it will no longer steam any files what so ever. The second unit ran the 1.01 firmware and both worked flawlessly at the same time. It’s taken me over a week now to do a little reading to figure this ■■■■ out, but it sounds as if the beta firmware may correct my issue. Another issue is that both units will not stream any You Tube stuff either. They seem to pull IP’s from my D-Link 655, previously my ISP’S Gigabit gateway. I plugged the D-Link back in thinking that it was the issue, but clearly it is not.
