I'm basically looking to play my video files and watch netflix without any of the flicker i get when i try to hook up my vid card to my tv using an Dvi to HDMI cable. Which do you think is better for that purpose? I have MPEG4, avi, and all sorts of files. BTW my only TV is right next to my PC so the multiroom feature isn't an issue. Thanks
Go with the Live Hub. It's about the same price AND you have built 1TB storage, so there's no need to connect a external USB HDD. Plus I'm sure the built-in storage offers better performance, than as supposed to playing via USB 2.0. You can still connect a USB 3.0 HDD, but will still be limited to USB 2.0 speeds, since WD has added USB 3.0 to their HDDs but not their media players yet. Also Live Hub has HDMI 1.4, so if your looking into 3D content later on in the future, this will play it. I'm thinking about picking the Live Hub myself, but for my preference I'm going to wait till they release a USB 3.0 version, but that's just my preference, the built-in 1TB storage for the Live Hub will still be pretty fast compared to USB 3.0. I'm sure you can pick this up for a great price on Boxing Day.
I have the WD TV Live, newly purchased. Very disappointed that the Hub version is so expensive & that USB 3.0 is not yet supported. What is WD thinking? I have experimented with a USB 8GB flash drive & noted the following: Does not support .mov files (god knows they are common enough so why?). Phone support which is free for 30 days is of poor quality, they even advised me .mov was supported, I later discovered the box indeed listed it as not supported. It did support audio FLAC files. Playback quality on my 50" Panasonic Plasma screen was good, despite most of my file were at best SD. I loaded a selection of audio & video files sorted into several folders which seemed logical & I had been told this was the best approach. The players file retrieval seemd not to recognise the folders & insisted on trying to sort by Album, Artist, file type etc. Yes there is a folder selection option but it works very poorly & unlike the bullet-proof display you get on your PC. All round I found it difficult to locate songs & files without clicking & clicking & clicking. In short it plays OK, but finding & playing what you want, especially on a 1TB HD might just drive you crazy.