This embedding business is intensely annoying and represents a significant amount of effort on my part.
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
PJPro:No. Please teach me how to suck eggs. Are you saying that if I import my flac files into a WMP library it will automatically embed the album art into the flac files? Because it seems the only way to guarantee the album art showing up on WDTVLive is to embed the art into the tags.
This is what worked for me but I wasn't using FLAC but mp3 320kbps.
This is what worked for me but I wasn't using FLAC but mp3 320kbps.
I'm having to grind them out using MP3Tag. Had a look at Media Monkey and some other rubbish. Too complicated. Wanted something easy.
Still, I'm down to Elbow....but ZZTop seems a long way off!
Still, I'm down to Elbow....but ZZTop seems a long way off!
Hmmm. Copying files down to Elbow across the network. There's 999 of them. It's a bit slow. Probably alright for an album at a time but I wouldn't recommend copying your entire media collection across....cos it's gonna take ages.
I haven't mentioned the HDD too much. Well, to my ears it's as good as silent except when it first spins up. Doubtless, the golden ears amongst you will be able to hear it but not me.
It has an under chassis light (like the cars on The Fast and The Furious). This is dimmable. The light flashes to show disk activity and can be a bit annoying. Fortunately, the light is white which matches the white lights on the front of the WDTVLive.
It has an under chassis light (like the cars on The Fast and The Furious). This is dimmable. The light flashes to show disk activity and can be a bit annoying. Fortunately, the light is white which matches the white lights on the front of the WDTVLive.
John Duncan
Well-known member
PJPro:Hmmm. Copying files down to Elbow across the network. There's 999 of them. It's a bit slow. Probably alright for an album at a time but I wouldn't recommend copying your entire media collection across....cos it's gonna take ages.
Can't you just hook the drive up to your PC? I tried syncing 70gig over the network and gave up - much better with gigabit ethernet or USB...
Can't you just hook the drive up to your PC? I tried syncing 70gig over the network and gave up - much better with gigabit ethernet or USB...
Well, I have a wired gigabit network. Trouble is the ethernet port on the WDTVLive is 10/100. Cost saving measure I guess.
I could take the drive upstairs (and did do for the first synch on the drive) but didn't want to keep taking it up and down stairs. It would mean dragging my rack out to get to the power supply....and I hate moving my rack.
Every time I do, it seems, the HDMI cable comes out of the wall mounted TV and it's a real swine to get it back in again. They should have done something more PC like when they drew up the HDMI standard (you know....with thumb screws).
I could take the drive upstairs (and did do for the first synch on the drive) but didn't want to keep taking it up and down stairs. It would mean dragging my rack out to get to the power supply....and I hate moving my rack.
Every time I do, it seems, the HDMI cable comes out of the wall mounted TV and it's a real swine to get it back in again. They should have done something more PC like when they drew up the HDMI standard (you know....with thumb screws).
I've come to the conclusion that the library software on the WDTVLive is rubbish. Everytime you turn it on, it wants to index the whole USB HDD and any networked drives too. This means you get a fairly hefty delay when you turn it on!
The next issue is that the library software will not allow recursive playback of files. So, it breaks the music files into sections reflecting genre. However, when you drill down in genre, I'd expect to see a big list of files (or be able to hit play on the genre). Instead, you simply find further folders holding the music files. I don't think this would be a problem if you stored all your music in a single folder.....but I don't. The work around? Playlists for genre. Trouble is these need to be kept up to date whenever you rip a new CD.
So, I've now switched the library software off on the WDTV Live. Maybe a fix is in the pipeline. Maybe it isn't.
The next issue is that the library software will not allow recursive playback of files. So, it breaks the music files into sections reflecting genre. However, when you drill down in genre, I'd expect to see a big list of files (or be able to hit play on the genre). Instead, you simply find further folders holding the music files. I don't think this would be a problem if you stored all your music in a single folder.....but I don't. The work around? Playlists for genre. Trouble is these need to be kept up to date whenever you rip a new CD.
So, I've now switched the library software off on the WDTV Live. Maybe a fix is in the pipeline. Maybe it isn't.
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
PJ, couple of questions. Is there any way of improving the UI? Does it play bit perfect audio and, I will want to connect up to my DAC and receiver. DAC for the obvious and receiver for picture and surround sound. Can you connect to the receiver using component and hdmi at the same time? If not, would I get surround sound through hdmi and still get the optical feed to the DAC? Sorry, that's a few more questions...
I've switched the library software off on the WDTV Live and simply browse the folders. I can still browse playlists on the HDD and play them.
I'm currently using component and optical to my receiver. I have also used HDMI. But I haven't used component and HDMI together. I haven't used HDMI and optical at the same time either. Why would you need these configurations? Wouldn't you just use HDMI? To use the analog out from the DAC as an audio feed to the receiver?
I'm currently using component and optical to my receiver. I have also used HDMI. But I haven't used component and HDMI together. I haven't used HDMI and optical at the same time either. Why would you need these configurations? Wouldn't you just use HDMI? To use the analog out from the DAC as an audio feed to the receiver?
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
Thanks. I want to be able to get surround sound so either hdmi or optical for that. I also want optical to DacMagic and then out to my stereo amp. I was hoping that hdmi to receiver would give me picture and surround sound but I would also want hdmi for picture and optical to DAC.
Seems your other thread has answered the HDMI/optical question. I assume they are correct but haven't tried it myself.
Incidentally, the WDTV Live is claimed to be bit perfect at 44.1 but doesn't do 96. I am unable to confirm this but your DACM would.
Incidentally, the WDTV Live is claimed to be bit perfect at 44.1 but doesn't do 96. I am unable to confirm this but your DACM would.
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
PJPro:Seems your other thread has answered the HDMI/optical question. I assume they are correct but haven't tried it myself.
Incidentally, the WDTV Live is claimed to be bit perfect at 44.1 but doesn't do 96. I am unable to confirm this but your DACM would.
doesn't do 96khz!!? That's a joke! It can deal with almost anything but not that. Back to the drawing board.
Incidentally, the WDTV Live is claimed to be bit perfect at 44.1 but doesn't do 96. I am unable to confirm this but your DACM would.
doesn't do 96khz!!? That's a joke! It can deal with almost anything but not that. Back to the drawing board.
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
PJPro:Seems your other thread has answered the HDMI/optical question. I assume they are correct but haven't tried it myself.
Incidentally, the WDTV Live is claimed to be bit perfect at 44.1 but doesn't do 96. I am unable to confirm this but your DACM would.
where did you read that about not doing 96?
Incidentally, the WDTV Live is claimed to be bit perfect at 44.1 but doesn't do 96. I am unable to confirm this but your DACM would.
where did you read that about not doing 96?
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
WD has released a new firmware update.
Given the issues with units being bricked by formware update, I thought I'd mention that I successfully upgraded from 1.01.11 to 1.01.17 over ethernet. The upgrade simply makes the download and upgrade manager more robust, preventing further bricked units in the future. Only time will tell if they have been successful. Perhaps I should mention that one or two people appear to have had problems with this upgrade....but this seems to be the exception rather than the rule (as with 1.01.12).
Hoepfully, now that the upgrade manager has been enhanced, WD can get cracking with bug fixes and new features!
Find the details on the 1.01.17 here.
Given the issues with units being bricked by formware update, I thought I'd mention that I successfully upgraded from 1.01.11 to 1.01.17 over ethernet. The upgrade simply makes the download and upgrade manager more robust, preventing further bricked units in the future. Only time will tell if they have been successful. Perhaps I should mention that one or two people appear to have had problems with this upgrade....but this seems to be the exception rather than the rule (as with 1.01.12).
Hoepfully, now that the upgrade manager has been enhanced, WD can get cracking with bug fixes and new features!
Find the details on the 1.01.17 here.
cassper
Well-known member
Guys, this thread has been a godsend for me... I am planning to get a multimedia player for my flac library and use it with the dacmagic and I've been looking for answers for a couple of days. I am trying to figure out how will the optical out from WD TV Live work connected to dacmagic. Optical out is a 5.1 output - dacmagic can only take 2.0 input. Does dacmagic recognize a stereo flac as 2.0 source? For the movies I would use HDMI to the telly and from the telly stereo out to my amp (not planning a multichannel receiver yet).
cassper, I wouldn't have expected a problem connecting the WDTV Live to the DAC Magic....but Mr Snails should be able to confirm that to you for sure.
cassper
Well-known member
PJPro:cassper, I wouldn't have expected a problem connecting the WDTV Live to the DAC Magic....but Mr Snails should be able to confirm that to you for sure.
I'm sure the connection will be just fine - the only question is whether the dacmagic will correctly identify the flac file coming through the optical input as a stereo file (even though the optical input is 5.1 itself). Or is there a chance to set the output signal on wd tv live optical to stereo instead of 5.1? Let's wait for Mr Snails then...
I'm sure the connection will be just fine - the only question is whether the dacmagic will correctly identify the flac file coming through the optical input as a stereo file (even though the optical input is 5.1 itself). Or is there a chance to set the output signal on wd tv live optical to stereo instead of 5.1? Let's wait for Mr Snails then...
dunno about over optical but thru HDMI the wdtvlive outputs flac streamed from my pc as stereo lpcm at 44.1 khz
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