WD TV HD Media Player (winter 2009)

Pros: Love having a system to watch my avi files on my TV. Two USB connections. HDMI connection available (but cable not included). Small, sleek unit; doesn't take up much space.

Cons: Remote is terrible. In most cases, can take upwards of 15-20 seconds for one entry on the keypad to register. Makes searching for specific files tedious. Small remote with few functions.A letter keypad would be nice. The search function is laborious.

Summary: Overall, I really like this unit. I love having a way to watch my avi files on my 42" TV. However, I'd be lying if I said it didn't come with some frustrations. The remote is so frustrating because it is very slow. Each press on the keypad can take 15 or more seconds before you can make the next entry. When your only search capability is to enter letters on a virtual keyboard, this is maddening. More functionality and zip on the remote is a must!!!

The unit was almost non-functioning right out of the box. I thought I'd be returning it to the store. But once I made the firmware updates, things really turned around. Now, it's just the remote functions that are the big drawback.

Also, the user manual comes on an included CD. When I loaded this in my laptop, I got a warning message from my anti-spyware software (Lavasoft Ad-Aware) that I should not continue - that the content posed a significant security risk. So I aborted that. Therefore, no manual. Good thing my needs and desires from the unit are simple: Play my avi files. That, I can figure out on my own.

The price was fair but it does vary from seller to seller. I've seen it advertised from $99 to $129 Cdn. Shop around. But only buy from a place with a good return policy as I wouldn't trust every unit to perform perfectly. I'd want the option of exchanging it or returning it, if I were you.

All told, I give this unit a 4 out of 5. I like everything about it, EXCEPT the remote. WD HAS to address these issues and hopefully this will be done on the next round of firmware updates. Although when I gave them "new buyer" feedback about the slowness of the remote, they claimed this was NOT typical (other users' opinions agree with me) and I should make sure the WD "isn't too close to the TV because some TVs will leak infrared radiation that can interfere with the WDTV from receiving commands from the remote." However, they don't say what is "too close". Mine is 2 feet from the TV. I'm sure most people would place theirs the same distance away.

Bottom Line: Buy this unit. You'll love it.