WD TV Live HD (fall 2009)

Pros: I never really got to use it for the purpose it was intended, however it was easy to connect to my HDTV and turn it on.

Cons: Product packaging is misleading re. compatibility with USB storage devices, as is the Mfg. product overview comments at their website. .

Summary: <p>After connecting the device to my HDTV and powering on, the device menu screen quickly appeared on screen. I then connected my WD10 internal hd, which is in an Acomdata external enclosure, & the WD device would not recognize it. I then connected another WD hd (WD64) also in a like enclosure, and had the same result. Then I began to do research.</p>

<p>When you go to the knowledge base at WD for this device & look at the USB compatible storage device list, that list is very small, mainly containing WD's own portable hard drives. I called customer support suspecting that perhaps there was a problem with enclosure compatibility, which was confirmed. In addition I was advised that this device does not support connection with any external enclosure for any internal hd, even including WD's own internal hard drives.</p>

<p>Of course you can work around that with a network connection, but that is beside the point. The way the product is marketed (re. USB storage devices) vs. what you actually get are two different things. It seems like WD wants buyers that don't have compatible devices to buy one of their portable hd's, which is what was suggested to me by customer support.</p>

<p>Compare this WD device to the Netgear Digital Entertainer Live which has no compatibility issues (per their customer support) at all with external enclosures for internal hd's. To me that's a basic issue. It doesn't matter how well this WD device performs with content onscreen, if it isn't first compatible with many usb storage devices. </p>

I'm returning mine to the place of purchase and getting the Netgear device, which also costs $40.00 less.