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Digital Video Library: Need advice.

C

Coldkilla

Diamond Member
Having the ability to watch our home video collection in a digital format has changed the way we watch television/movies/view family photos, etc. I live with my Dad and about two years back we purchased this Western Digital Media Player:
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digita.../dp/B001JZFQU4

Since we have kids over at the house frequently, we no longer have to worry about our DVDs being taken or damaged by the little buggers. We just keep the device up on the shelf and they don't even notice it. However this device (Imo) has run its course. The interface (while much more user friendly than an actual PC [for my PC illiterate father]), is slow, and its interface is blocky.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any other products similar to this that would be able to play our 200+ .MKV videos in a very user friendly way for someone (like my dad) who still doesn't know what "My Computer" is.

Also if you could recommend a reliable HDD company as two of the three external western digital "My Book" 500gb hard drives we've had had failed. Leaving us (especially my dad) wondering if we need to pull all of our DVDs out of the attic again and stick to hard copies. We've been looking @ 1.5TB drives as our current box only has 2 USB inputs, but do not know if they are less reliable when full compared to a 500gb'r.

Much appreciated!
 
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have you updated the firmware on it? Mines is as old as your and I updated the firmware on it, and has worked like a champ since. I have a nas server hooked to it with 4tb of Mkv and never choked on me.

How much are you looking to spend. With the budget in mind we could better help you decide on what next to get.

also here is a useful site to check out also. http://wdtvhd.com/

you said that you have it in a cabinet? You have to have some airflow around it or it will over heat. I took mines apart and re-did the thermal paste on it and it works a lot better.
 
Is a NAS Server a box that essentially houses 2+ internal HDDs with a USB out, emulating a single external HDD?
 
If I could recommend the Seagate Freeagent Theater+. I have a WD HD TV, the mentioned Seagate and a brand new HDX-1000. I have YET to find a ripped movie the Seagate cannot play. My uber expensive HDX-1000 chokes at times on some stuff. I use the WD HD TV player in the bed room with an external drive attached to it.

Anyhow the prices for the Seagate Theater+ have dropped quite a bit. Seen it for well under $100. It offers Giga Ethernet -- all my movies are on my Windows Home Server on the network and my Seagate Theather+ sits in my living room attached to my 52” LCD – outputting at 1080p, and connected to my router which is also behind the TV. I have no issues streaming 8, 10, 12, heck 20GB MKV movies. It has an easy interface -- they just released a new firmware which added some features like Netflix etc. It navigates fast, turns on quite fast… etc. It has no issues also playing ISO’s with full menus, something I wanted since I had ripped a vast majority of my files in ISO formats.

In the 9 months I have had it; it has NEVER crashed or hung. I reboot my HDX-1000 at least 3-4 times a week (I the HDX-1000 since it can bitstream DTS-MA or DD-TrueHD BR movies I ripped). Only reason.

The Seagate can also bitstream, just everything other than the HD audio formats mentioned above. The Seagate also down-mixes if you are not piping your movies to a receiver that can decode the audio, if that is a concern too.

Lots of reviews. Check it out.

Edit: also it's very easy to use -- my gf who also wants to know nothing about technology has no issues navigating to the network shares. However if you are viewing movies through an external USB drive(S), then it's even easier. Period. Everything shows up under MOVIES. First screen.
In regards to reliable drives, my Windows Home Server uses 4 WD 1TB GREEN drives. I also have the same 1TB green in my PVR. I cannot tell you enough how reliable these are. Now, if you are looking for an external enclosed drive, not sure, unless you are willing to go with an enclosure of your own and through in the HD you want, such as the WD Green or even Black edition.
 
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