Western Digital has delved into the world of HD media streaming with the WD TV HD Media Player. Simply put, this device turns your USB drive into an HD media player so you can watch your multimedia clips without using a computer.
But first thing first: the WD TV is not a storage device, as many would thought because of its external hard drive enclosure-type design. It's simply a media player that lets you connect USB storage devices such as a flash drive, an external hard disk drive, a multimedia card reader, or any external storage device for that matter, as long as it has a USB port.
You can connect the WD TV to an external monitor -- a regular TV or an LCD TV will work just fine since the media player has audio/video outputs for the standard A/V composite (RCA) jacks as well as HDMI. Once connected to a monitor, the WD TV will be able to show all the files stored on the USB storage device connected to it. It'll be able to distinguish movie files, photos, music, and other data, grouping them together for easy access. The remote control lets you browse the proprietary WD interface with ease.
Although the WD TV will be able to play most multimedia files you throw at it, there are certain data that it won't be able to read such as digitally protected contents from iTunes and the like. Also, keep in mind that small and highly compressed video files like those from YouTube will look grainy and pixelated on larger monitors. Don't expect high-def conversion when you play them on the device. A firmware update (v1.01.02) should be done on the device to ensure payability of additional file formates.
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