WD TV Live Streaming MP not playing MP4 files, Stopped playing MP4 files and now wont play anything Options

[brinuk]

My player has stopped pl;aying MP4 files. The only way I can get it to play any video file now is to do a restart from the systems menu.
MP4 files that have played in the past, start but without sound and then after 20 seconds or so the picture freezes. After that no files will play just a message saying format not recognised, until I do a restart. As long as I dont try to play an MP4 file all other formats play fine.
My firmware is up todate.
Any ideas would be very welcome.
Thank you

[WDUser]

Does this happen with any MP4 file, or only specific ones?

Are you playing from a directly attached USB drive, or wired/wirelessly over the network?

Did this problem start after you updated the FW (AFAIK there have been only 2 versions so far)? If so, how about trying a rollback (see Tutorials section for details) to see if it helps?

[brinuk]

It applies to most MP4 files although I have 2 that will play. Some of those MP4 files that did play earlier now do not. All MP4 files will play fine on windows media player.
I am playing direct from then USB connected drive. The same result from playing over the network
I did a firmware update about two weeks ago, I dont recall any problems immediately after that but I will try a rollback.
Thank you for your help.

[brinuk]

The WD Sopport Section have been most helpful and I understand the problem is if the video has a bit rate greater than 15mbs. I have resolved the problem by convert the MP4 file to MKV or M4V both of which play fine.
It would be nice if the WD MP played the MP4 files with a higher bit rate though as there seems to be so many of them and it would save the time taken to convert them.

[WDUser]

Support seems to have got something right for a change! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) Guess it had to happen some day given the Law of Averages! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[GaPony]

Wow! A positive, though backhanded, comment about WD from WDUser.

There is hope for mankind afterall. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[WDUser]

Heh. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I don't know about you GaPony, but people have very good reason to be pissed off with WD Support and especially WD QA. However, since I am an owner of more than one WD player after all, why should I criticise them when they do happen to get it right? My frustration simply stems from the fact that I wished such 'miracles' (which are nothing more than them doing their job) happened more often, and that they would make at least some effort to learn from their mistakes.

Remember that people who don't care at all about something or who aren't pained by something stupid that could have been prevented, also have no reason to complain in the first place.

P.S. BTW, good to see you back here and posting (semi-)regularly; I remember you were MIA for 7 months or so.

[WaynesNside]

Could it be that one of the last files you added to your drive the WD just doesn't like?

I've had that happen where I get the spinning wheel because it just didn't like a file. Once I find that file and delete it then all is good.

Now this isn't with this SMP, but just a thought.

[GaPony]

All my WD players have been working so well, I'd almost forgotten this place existed! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) j/k

I understand why people get frustrated with some of the firmware updates, but I also know that some of the issues are self-inflicted. That doesn't excuse WD, but it also doesn't excuse failing to pay attention. Nor do I think complaining about issues that WD didn't necessarily anticipate are particularly fair... ie. VPN support for overseas users to access US services. At least WD, unlike ASUS left a door open for users to modify their units.

Having said the above, My WDTV Live Hub has worked very well and all teh fimware updates have gone smoothly. With the exception of the painfully slow file copy speeds, I can't say I have any complaints. My newer WDTV Live SMP has been flawless and even the wireless component has worked well.

I'm not a blind fanboy of WD, but when I consider that virtually every other manufacturer of these digital media streamers has similar problems, I think WD stacks up pretty well against any other media player, that's anywhere near the same price point. Since I have at least one of every media player they've released (except the mini), I've been able to witness the improvements over the years and appreciate how WD is advancing the technology.

I appreciate the welcome back and look forward to taking up the, apparently unfilled, position of contrarian. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Kidding just a little (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[edmoilspill]

I am curious if Technical Support indicated whether this problem would be resolved in a future firmware update. I had purchased this unit in late December and, while I loved the interface, it would not play any of my MP4 files (most of which are encoded at 25 fps). I also had an O!Play Air unit that was two years old and would play these same files perfectly. Since I did not feel like converting all of my MP4 files, I returned the WD unit. In the meantime my O!Play Air died and since I had a product replacement plan, it was replaced by an O!Play Live. The Live unit also plays these MP4 files perfectly, but don't even get me started on all of the issues that ASUS has with the O!Play units. I would much rather have the WD unit, but it has to be able to play my files. I don't understand why a two year old ASUS unit will play the files fine but WD does not.

[james.friend]

Hi all

Realise this is a very old thread but posting in case I can help someone new. I suddenly started getting the format not recognized error on some files today. I stream over ethernet from windows shared folder (Win XP). Upgraded to latest firmware with no change.

I found that moving the files to another folder on the same share solved the problem.

In the past I have also received errors stating that folders were empty when they did in fact have files in them, and either moving them to another folder, or out and then back, also solved the problem.

I think that there must be some issues with file shares that manifest as other errors!

Hope this helps.

James