By Branko Miletic
My prediction 2011 will be the Year of Media Streaming. What I am also predicting is the WD TV Live Hub media set top box will not be one of the devices on everyone’s must have list.
Even though the WD TV Live Hub comes from a wonderful pedigree – that is from the hallowed halls of Western Digital, one of the best Hard Drive makers around – this set-top device is a product, which even though the box has the promise of mega functionality, is a bugger to use and set up.
From the outset, I must say this: if you live in a Mac-only household, don’t bother reading further – it is so hard to set up within and Apple environment that more needs to be said.
If you live in PC world, then you do have some options. First, the WD TV Live Hub has a built-in 1TB hard drive, which means storing any kind of video and audio content is easy.
It can store and play for 1080p all known video formats, music, photos, documents or just about anything else that you have saved on the device can and will be streamed to any modern (i.e. DNLA) TV, Xbox, PSP or PC. However, I am not sure how many songs it will hold as the company didn’t give a ball-park figure and sure didn’t have time to sit down for a few days sussing out how much it could hold. The company really should have these types of facts and figures on hand for consumers.
Western Digital also claims that streaming to the iPod, iPad, iPhone or Android and Symbian-based smartphones is possible with the help of third-party applications, although I never tried this myself Third party apps are also required for YouTube, Flickr, and Pandora streaming as well as Facebook or MySpace integration.
Coming with two in-built USB ports for uploading content from digital cameras, smartphones or external hard drives is a great idea but with no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth means don’t lose those USB cables any time soon, as either USB or an Ethernet cables are needed here.
Oh and does it work with Apple TV?—Don’t even get me started!
For $299 it’s not a bad buy, especially this time of year and its set up with a PC is seamless and almost fun, but really, coming from a company like Western Digital, I expected better – much better.
Pros: large storage, low price, easy PC set up
Cons: no Wi-Fi, Mac-o-phobic and feels toy-like.
2.5 Shacks out of 5
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