Features of the WD TV Mini Media Player include:

• Play video, music and photos on your TV in up to 1080i HD resolution;
• Supports widest variety of file formats including RealMedia Variable Bitrate (RMVB);
• Rich HD 1080i advanced navigation and user interface;
• DVD-like navigation with chapter support, trick modes and subtitles;
• Expandable: buy more storage, delete fewer movies;
• Photo slideshow with unique transitions and music on your HD TV;
• Thumbnail support including photo thumbnails and music album art;
• Ability to preview your video during navigation (480 and 720 mode only);
• Video, music and photo auto-play for users digital signage solution;
• Subtitle support including multi-language subtitle support for video playback;
• Picture Transfer Protocol to view or backup content from your digital image device;
• Compatible with USB Camcorders and USB mass storage devices;
• Component and composite video output;
• Digital optical audio output via SPDIF;
• Ultra-compact design making it perfectly portable for travel; and,
• 1-year limited warranty

Product Page

Press Release

“What’s New?

Prerelease 1.02.10 (includes all previously released updates)

* Greek subtitles render slowly in Greek character encoding mode; subs render properly now
* Korean subtitles disappear during the video playback, Korean subs now play properly
* Playlists play in correct order. Instead of playing files in alphabetical order, they are played in the order added to the list.
* Metadata support for music improved over previous release

Added feature:

* Metadata support for music improved over previous releases. For example, browsing by genre is broken down into artists, then albums, then tracks.

Known issues:

* A few text strings were not translated properly over different UI languages”

WD’s Website

Download (RapidShare)

* Update 12:15 *

All downloads are restored. If you still encounter any problems. Please report here

* Custom background and screen saver images can be supplied at boot
* requires welcome_background_bg.jpg (maxsize=524288) or
screen_saver.png to exist on a device attached at boot

So since all the hackers and programmers are doing great work in making it possible for us all to enjoy the full capability of the great WD TV media player it’s time for the designers to show their skills. Just let your creative minds work and send your masterpieces to us. People will vote their favorite and the winner will be famous forever (promise!)

Rules:

• You have to submit both background and screen saver image (max 512 kB) to compete
• Submit your entry as a zip or rar archive
• Entries are allowed until firther notice
• Submit your entry here

Download original background and screensaver image (try not to make files larger to be safe)

Update

Wrong link to original images was provided. Please try downloading original images again and show us your skills!

Discuss the contest in the forum

After a failed attempt to bundle forces with wdtvforum.com we have decided to implement our own forum at WDTVC.com. And as of now they are officially open! Please take a minute to register and introduce yourself. We are hoping we can fill this forum with lot’s of usefull information and discussions togehter.

Check it out now

But  even this little media monster has one big disadvantage, there is no DTS decoding. The DTS signal is bitsreamt trough the optical output so if you own a DTS surround receiver with optical-in you will be able to enjoy DTS audio with your movies. If you are connected trough HDMI only, as I am, you will here nothing.

Who’s to blaim for this? Western Digital? I don’t know. For only 99 euro’s this thing is pretty cheap and DTS certificates and licenses are very expensive so it probably was the only thing WD could do to keep the WD TV HD as cheap as it is now. I have sent an enquiry to Western Digital if DTS to stereo/AC-3 downmixing will be a possible feature for new firmware upgrades to come. Untill now they haven’t replied to my question.

After doing some reading on the WD TV HD it seems it is based on the SMP8635LF chip from Sigma Designs. This chip happens to be used in other Linux based devices like the HD200 (SageTV), Teac HDRM7250, TVIX6500 and the Popcorn Hour A-110.

The Popcorn Hour may be of interest, as it has a feature for downmixing DTS, and reportedly Popcorn Hour Linux modules were imported succesfully in the WD TV HD system.

Another hint of DTS downmixing being possible is in the firmware microcode that is used for the audio processing on the Sigma DSP:

/lib/firmware/xrpc_xload_audio_ucode_SMP8634_2.8.3.0_facsprod.mips.nodts.bin

So it looks like DTS was specifically disabled. Maybe it’s possible to just swap the audio_ucode with one that supports DTS (downmixing), like the Popcorn Hour. Altough this might be blocked by some encryption scheme. I don’t have the technical knowledge to answer this question. But I know that ISTAR doesn’t have DTS decoding neither but some of the users used the Popcornhour firmware and they can now successfully decode DTS. Since WD uses the same Sigma chip, I’m guessing there’s a chance. Still, we need confirmation from a person who has technical knowledge.

So is there anybody reading this with a lot of linux knowledge, serial access to a WD TV HD and willing to help a lot of people? Please let me know. I have Ubuntu installed on a virtual machine but I haven’t got the knowledge and serial access. I’d also would be way too concerned about bricking my device. The guys over at the AVS-forum haven’t got DTS decoding or downmixing working but they sure are making progress. They have reportedly got the WD TV HD running with an ethernet connection using a WiFi USB device!

I know the simple solution would be to buy a DTS surround receiver with optical in, but damn those things are still expensive. The best solution for me would be the HTX-22HD Home Theatre Package System. Since i do not want 5 speakers. Quality 2.1 will do for me. This system comes standard as 2.1 and has all the features you would like for watching high definition video/audio. E.g. TrueHD, DTS HD, HDMI 1.3 in/out, optical in/out. But untill I have the 330 euros for this great audio system I would like my WD TVHD to downmix my DTS. I’m sure you agree!

Update: I got a response from WD “

Dear *****,

Thank you for contacting Western Digital Customer Service and Support.

I apologize for the inconvenience you are experiencing and thank you for your suggestion, we are gathering customers feedback to see how we can improve our product, unfortunately we do not have information on what will be changed or a release date for the upgraded product as of yet. I will forward this e-mail to our feedback queue to be taken under consideration.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,
***** *.
Western Digital Service and Support
http://support.wdc.com

So we might all want to keep sending e-mail about how much we want DTS-downmixing!

We will be bringing the latest news on the WD TV HD device, offering latest official and unofficial firmware versions, extra software, hacks and tricks. Besides that we will be offering comunity services likes forums, wiki, chat and downloads. We have just started so content and functionality is still low. Expect a lot of features being implemented soon!

For now have a look around and enjoy or learn stuff. If you like it here, register! This will be obligated for all coming services and is quite nessecary for building a community don’t you think?