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**dweekie** · 02-12-2009, 01:36 AM

I just hooked mine up this past weekend. If you're super picky about using it as an audiophile transport, it won't qualify since it resamples audio. Otherwise, it is very impressive for such a small package. The Popcorn Hour seems better with full 1.3a hdmi support, more mature firmware and less issues, and DTS downmixing. However, the WD fills its duty at half the cost. It's a great toy to keep around on a second system where convenience of compressed hard drive media takes precedence over Blu ray and perfect audio.

**rumonkey2** · 02-12-2009, 06:55 AM

Thinking about this as a music only server - using FLAC files, and no streaming.
Droht - glad to hear the ease of set-up & use.
Dweekie - kinda confused about your statement.
Not to hash over what is/isn't "audiophile" - but I was thinking of going digital out to a DAC - can't this be done???

EDIT: I ask this because pics show an optical out (?) but not "mentioned" in physical specs...???
EDIT2: OK, pulled up the PDF - it can be done... would this set-up "resample" FLAC or other lossless files to make them "not audiophile"???

**droht** · 02-12-2009, 07:51 AM

In terms of audio, I have it going into avr via RCAs. Compared it to my PS1 playing same CD going to avr via RCAs. I can't hear any difference. I don't claim this to be an audiophile set up in any way, so I can't comment too much on that...

**dweekie** · 02-12-2009, 07:59 AM

The info I dug up mentioned that all audio is resampled to 48khz before output. I brought that point up since it is usually an unannounced spec that is important to many audiophiles looking for a way to pass a signal untouched to their DAC. I probably couldn't tell a difference either way though. :toilet:

**rumonkey2** · 02-12-2009, 08:01 AM

Originally posted by droht

In terms of audio, I have it going into avr via RCAs. Compared it to my PS1 playing same CD going to avr via RCAs. I can't hear any difference. I don't claim this to be an audiophile set up in any way, so I can't comment too much on that...

good enough for me... I'm far from "Golden Ears/Audiophile" rank.
But I can hear the difference in most lossy vs lossless files...:snaggletooth: The whole DAC thing would be a building block anyway. The WD would stay in "HT Room" for music and the DAC would eventually move into a dedicated 2 channel system....:smoke1:

**nwboater** · 02-12-2009, 10:51 AM

Originally posted by dweekie

I just hooked mine up this past weekend. If you're super picky about using it as an audiophile transport, it won't qualify since it resamples audio. Otherwise, it is very impressive for such a small package. The Popcorn Hour seems better with full 1.3a hdmi support, more mature firmware and less issues, and DTS downmixing. However, the WD fills its duty at half the cost. It's a great toy to keep around on a second system where convenience of compressed hard drive media takes precedence over Blu ray and perfect audio.

Dweekie,
I'm curious where you got this info. I recently purchased a Sage TV "Home theater" http://store.sagetv.com/Merchant2/me...tegory_Code=HD that I'm using as an extender to my Sage TV server. It has most of the features of the WD in it's 'Stand Alone Mode', but also has the benefit of being able to control Sage TV. I have had difficulty getting much info on it's audio capabilities and would appreciate a source for some.

Thanks,
Rod

**dweekie** · 02-12-2009, 11:18 AM

I got the info from one of the threads at AVSforum, I believe in the bugfix or issues thread. It really took some digging just to figure that part out. If you have a dac that displays the sampling rate, that will be the easiest. Maybe your soundcard has a digital input so you can test it yourself. Otherwise, I don't really have any other suggestions.

**PhenomeNhan** · 02-12-2009, 11:50 AM

Very interesting unit. I believe the specs mentioned out putting DD and DTS in 2-channel only. Can someone confirm?

**dweekie** · 02-12-2009, 12:14 PM

Originally posted by PhenomeNhan

Very interesting unit. I believe the specs mentioned out putting DD and DTS in 2-channel only. Can someone confirm?

It will only pass DTS through the optical port for a receiver to decode. You will have to reencode the audio stream to another format for the WD Media Player to play movies with DTS tracks (using the Popcorn Hour Audio Converter program, for example).

**Ray3** · 02-12-2009, 12:25 PM

Good timing on this thread.

I just bought an HP MediaSmart Server (EX485) that should ship next week. It's a NAS device that has a nice set of software to do backups and centralize all of my music, photos and video (including all of my DVDs).

The PS3 I have is OK, but comes up short in a few places, so I looked at the front ends mentioned above (SageTV, WD TV, Popcorn Hour and a few others). I ended up buying a Popcorn Hour (PCH) because of it's ability to play pretty much everything and the active community / constant firmware upgrades for support. About 2x the cost of the WD TV, but it appears to offer more and ties in nicely with the HP (based on user preference at an HP MSS forum I frequent).

Several "jukebox" software solutions can be used to dress up the interface (read - easy for wife to use). I think I will be using Yet Another Movie Jukebox (YAMJ).

The PCH can take an internal HD and an external USB HD. Along with the 4 internal drive + 5 external drive capability of the HP, I should have just enough storage available.:rock:

The PCH should be here early next week. For those who haven't seen it this is a pretty good site for these kinds of devices.

Looking forward to puttiing everything together.

**rumonkey2** · 02-12-2009, 03:56 PM

Hey Ray -
I've looked at PCH too...lotsa good stuff on it.
I really never plan to do anything with video on whatever I choose. And no streaming, yet... I was initially leaning PS3 & additional HD to get the benefit of BluRay too.
I'm just looking for the simplest/straight forward for 2 channel music storage that will do FLAC or another lossless. Yes, I still have to re-rip most of my music.
Other than the ripping to an ext HD, which I have no problem with, I'm looking for the least expensive way to accomplish this. The more I research, the more complicated it becomes. I need to just keep it simple. I guess I could start really cheap and quiet by using flash drives on the WD???:dizzy::eyebrows:

BTW: thanks for that link!!

**rumonkey2** · 02-12-2009, 04:38 PM

Originally posted by droht

I just hooked up my new Western Digital HD Media Player tonight. Connected to the HT along with an external hard drive. Very impressive performance. Music stored as flac files sounds awesome, RCAs out to AVR. Pix and video look good, going to plasma via HDMI. User interface is excellent. Set up is simple. Zero complaints at this point.

The only downside is that you have to manually add content to the external HD. No wireless connectivity. If you are OK with that then I highly recommend this unit.

The more I go back and read this, the more I believe this is the unit I'm looking for. Heck, I've already got a handful of 8-16 gb flash drives to get me started until I spring for a 1TB HD!!
Now, the question - would a DAC make the sound even "better"??? :raspberry:

Keep us posted on your impressions Droht!:eyebrows::yes:

**nwboater** · 02-12-2009, 04:43 PM

Originally posted by dweekie

I got the info from one of the threads at AVSforum, I believe in the bugfix or issues thread. It really took some digging just to figure that part out. If you have a dac that displays the sampling rate, that will be the easiest. Maybe your soundcard has a digital input so you can test it yourself. Otherwise, I don't really have any other suggestions.

Hi Dweekie,
Thanks for the prompt answer. Good ideas on testing with a DAC or soundcard, but I don't have either yet. Have been kind of waiting for the new TCA DAC and also looking at some others that will do 24/192 (not sure yet what the TCA one will do).
ThinkI will email Sage to see if they will give me their specs - they sure don't publish much other than the codecs that it can handle.
Rod

**rumonkey2** · 02-12-2009, 07:08 PM

And I've got to add...

...first I've seen of SAGE....and gotta admit...haven't looked deep...
Can this be used as a stand alone DVR with a cable box????
Looking now...but have WEB "ADD" so doing many things at one time!!:neener:

I would love to get rid of my Charter DVR....hell I may get rid of Cable altogether
(ESPN:hissyfit:)

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