If you own an Xbox 360 or a PlayStation 3, you don’t need a digital media streamer. If these two consoles aren’t part of your home theater system, the WD TV Live streamer is one of the best options available. This streamer is easy to use (a nice touch, since most streamers can be complex), small enough to place anywhere you like, and it performs as well as you would expect it to.

The WD TV Live streamer also comes equipped with Pandora, YouTube, and various other goodies. There are quite a few streamers on the market, but this one has gained a lot of attention for good reason. If you like the way this streamer sounds when you hit the end of this article, you can expect to pay (at the time of this writing) around $70 through an online retailer.

What’s Great About the WD TV Live

This streamer comes with two USB ports and an Ethernet port (superior from the start). In addition, all the wires that you’ll need (no WiFi) are included in-box. An HDMI optical audio out and component out are also nice to have. All of these things come standard on the WD TV Live.

You’ll find that setting up this streamer is a snap too. All you really have to do is connect the appropriate wires, hook it up to your TV, and you’re ready to roll. Just in case you can’t figure out how to set this streamer up on your own, a nice and neat set of instructions are included inside of the box. You can also check the company’s website for additional information. In short, you’ll never be without needed assistance.

Design and Compatibility

Design-wise, this streamer is as sleek as streamers get. A nice glossy finish makes the WD TV Live worth of shelf space. This is also a compact device, so you don’t need to worry about making a lot of extra room (always nice to know when you’re planning out your home theater system). Navigation is made simple with logical controls that don’t take a lot of thought. Simply flip through the media available, and choose the type of media that you want to play.

It’s also a great thing that the WD TV Live is compatible with most devices. If you own a device that can be connected through USB, the WD TV should be able to handle it. This includes thumb drives, card readers, and most other devices. It’s nice to know that there’s a streamer available that can handle a device of most types.

Often, this isn’t the case when it comes to connecting devices via USB. A number of file formats are also supported by this streamer including DTS, Dolby Digital, MPE, JPEG, and many more. Needless to say, you won’t be limited in any way when you choose this streamer.

Availability

If the WD TV Live streamer sounds good to you, you can pick one of these up at some electronics stores. You’ll also find that the WD TV Live is available through online retailers such as Amazon.