So I have an old P4 2Ghz machine I built in early 2002. It still runs pretty well, and I have added a lot of disc space to it over the years. Then I got a PS3, and toyed with PS3 Media Server to stream media to my PS3. Then I realized it requires a lot of CPU and Network bandwidth for HD content. So it was either build a new pc or give something like the WD TV Live a try... I'm probably due for a new pc, but if the WD TV Live can do everything a whole new modern computer can do, I'd save a lot! And I did.
This is a fantastic media player. It's so compact, quiet and cool. It plays everything I would ever use. It passes multichannel audio to my receiver beautifully, and HD 720/1080p MKVs work brilliantly. It makes me wonder what kind of CPU is in the WD TV Live. It's so small, but does such a huge job.
I would recommend this media player. Especially to people looking to save a lot of money by bypassing the need for a HTPC.
PS: I have not had any network disconnect issues some have reported. I'm connecting to a Windows XP SP2 machine for streaming my files. No firmware issues either.
EDIT: 12/28/09. - I took the unit over to a friends house to show it off and when I brought it back home the toslink optical no longer worked. Very disappointing! This thing is worthless to me unless I can get the optical audio jack working. Get more detail about Western Digital WD TV Live Network-ready HD Media Player WDBAAN0000NBK-NESN.
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