WDLXTV LIVE Firmware Flashing

[joanjett1]

O.K. guys. I'm a COMPLETE noob and wanted to upgrade my WDTV Live to the BRAD custom firmware from my current firmware (which is the very latest official WD firmware).

What is the best USB stick to do this on? What size stick do I need (4GB, 8GB)?
Any links to the USB stick so I can buy one would be appreciated?

Then once it is formatted... to FAT32 I just turn off my WDTV Live from the mains, plug in the FAT32 formatted USB key, and then turn on the WDTV Live? Is that it? Have I missed any steps?

With regards to the "Make any changes to S00custom-options and smb.conf"... what are the changes that people recommend and is there any instructions about what the changes do (in layman's easy to understand english)?
I am based in the UK and would like to use the WDTV for YouTube HD viewing, streaming DVD and bluray rips, and all the other stuff that BRAD's custom firmware allows. Many thanks for your help and I apologise for the "noob" questions.

Thanks again!

[Buhric]

well almost any USB pen drive would work... if its fast enough... personaly I'm using the 4GB Neon by InnoDisk
Its vry smal and work fine.

As for updating the firmware, just this read thead from the sart.... you need the correct files in the USB...

As for the S00Custom-options file... there no " this is the way" everyone has different needs so everyone would have a different configuration...
just read the the file, theres plenty of comments in it to let you know what does what..

[aff]

I just bought a "Live" last week. I upgraded the firmware to the latest 1.02.21 from WD. Now, I wanted to use B-Rad's great firmware but for the life of me I can't. I did the steps on page one to a tee with 3 different brands and sizes usb sticks and came to the same result. It just will not detect the firmware. I tried everything.

[Buhric]

Hi,
When you plug in the USB (while the WDTV is on) you should see a message saying that its scanning the drive, then a
"New Firmware" icon should apear in the menu.

You are saying that you never got that icon ?

is the USB stick formated in FAT32 ?
did you edited the .ver file in order to change the version number to something higher than what you currently have installed?

while the USB is plugged in the WDTV, try going into "Settings" --> "File management" --> your USB drive, are you able to see your files in there ?

[aff]

Hi,
It doesn't say scanning the drive. Even after a reboot it goes to the Video icon. I formatted all the usb drive with the hp format program to fat32. I have also edited the version to higher numbers.
When I go to the file management it sees the the usb sticks as they are called Kingston, Verbatim, etc. but it says there are no media files on the drive. If I put them back in the pc the files are there.
The wdtv just doesn't see them.

[Buhric]

k try this, put a JPG in the root and a folder
and see if File Management is able to see the JPG...

can yoo also post here the contents or your .ver file
and the structures of the files in the USB drive

Also regarding the formating... the HP tool seems to work fine for multiple user, but I personaly use Windows formating on them and it works fine for me
I just make sure to select FAT32

[aff]

I put on a .jpg pic and it does see it. It says it's file 1/1.
Here is my .ver file

Code: Select all

VERSION='1.20.25.WDLXTV_LIVE-0.4.2.2'
LOCATION='wdtvlive.bin'
   

For files it has the .wd_tv folder
S00custom-options
smb.conf
wdtvlive.bin
wdtvlive.ver

When I look at the properties it does say it's FAT32

[KAD]

don't know if this makes a difference, but original fw has an option for online update, I'd make sure that is off

KAD

[Buhric]

... are you sure you have the WDTV Live ? and not the WDTV Live Plus ? or a different one....

Or make sure that its one of these firmware you are trying to install if its really a WDTV Live

Also what is the version # that show on your WDTV when you go in the "About" in system settings

try deleting everything in the USB, just leaving the .ver and .bin files
you can alway put the S00custom-options and smb.conf file after the firmware was flashed....

[aff]

I got it. I started fresh from the start. The only thing I changed this time was the version to this

Code: Select all

VERSION='1.21.26.WDLXTV_LIVE-0.4.2.2'
LOCATION='wdtvlive.bin'


I don't know why it worked this time when the version I had in there was high enough anyway. I must have messed with it for 2 hours last night.
Happy now though.
Thanks for the help.