If you own any of the affordable WD TV Live media players that Western Digital has available, old versions or otherwise, then the WD TV Remote app available on the iTunes App Store is a great, if not necessary value-add to the product. Contrary to the manufacturer's web site description, however, the app is only compatible with iOS running on an iPod or iPhone and not on an iPad.
Instructions for setting up the Remote Control app are scant on the WD site but it's fairly straightforward. To set up the Remote TV app:
1. Upgrade your WD TV media player's firmware using the GUI or through a flash drive. The process is slow and ungainly with a downloaded firmware file weighing in at a hefty 100+MB. However, unlike most hardware firmware upgrades, WD's patches are extremely necessary to improve performance and correct the numerous bugs on the product. My own dodgy WD TV Live, which ran on older components, benefited greatly from a recent firmware update.
2. Connect your media player to your wireless network or use a wired ethernet cable. If you've owned your WD TV Live for awhile, you're probably aware of the pokey processor and extended loading times. Thankfully, connecting wirelessly to your router is generally painless using the WD TV Live's menus though I really recommend a wired connection instead just to reduce the already lengthy wait times.
3. Download the WD TV Remote app to your iPod or iPhone. Once installed, your iOS device connects wirelessly to the WD media player to control basic remote control functions such as navigating menus and typing text.
Remotely Controlling the WD TV media player
One of my first jobs in my youth was providing technical support for Sony's flashy range of Universal Remote controls and I'm surprised that even after more than 10 years, many electronic products are still dependent on cheap, plastic remote controls. My WD TV Live's included remote control not only performed poorly, but didn't even have a dedicated volume button (I had to use my TV's remote control to increase or decrease the volume). Mashing the buttons on the remote control often resulted in no reaction to the media player and made me wonder whether it was because of the product's processor or the remote control itself. Once I had the WD TV App installed on my 5th generation iPod Touch, however, I was pleasantly surprised with the response time even across my somewhat busy wireless network.
The response time using the app was much, much faster than using the physical remote control. Plus, there was a dedicated volume slider and an option to use gestures instead. It's nowhere near as fancy as those found in the new intelligent Samsung and LG displays, but let's face it - media players such as the WD TV Live are in the lower range of entertainment devices in the face of upcoming products such as the Xbox One and recent Roku releases.
There was comfort in knowing I can download the WD TV App anytime if I lose the remote control or run out of batteries. I had trouble getting used to switching the subtitles and audio and there is the matter of having to switch on your wireless network just to watch your shows using the WD TV Live media player, but I'm pretty sure most people won't find either a problem.
Although the WD TV Live media player itself is not one of the better products of Western Digital, the remote app's simple and functional design deserves some praise. I hope that all manufacturers eventually provide free remote control apps to complement their products - both high-end and lower end devices. In a market filled with motion sensors such as the Kinect and Wii, it's easy to overlook such an obvious convenience. However, with the widespread adoption of smartphones and tablets, now is a great time to finally set aside that plastic remote control and use that Android, iOS, or Windows 8 device as a remote control instead.
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