WD’s TV Play Can Stream Both Internet and Local Content

If you’re tired of seeing all of these streaming-only media players that don’t offer the ability to stream your own content, then you might want to pay attention to WD’s latest release. Called “WD TV Play”, its goal is to stream content, plain and simple. Internet-wise, it supports YouTube, Netflix, Hulu Plus, VUDU, SlingPlayer, Spotify, Pandora and even Facebook, but extending its reach further, it also supports the “most popular media file formats” (pictures, music, video) streamed via DLNA.

As seen in the shot above, the TV Play is a bit simpler than most other media players. Because it’s streaming-only, there’s no USB port for external storage. Instead, you’ll be bringing content in via a wireless or wired connection – the latter being ideal if you want to reliably stream 1080p content, though WD does say it’s also possible with wireless.

If the inability to plug a USB stick into the device seems like a major downside, consider the fact that the TV Play is retailing for only $70. That’s not too bad at all, given it does a lot more than stream its default Internet channels. The biggest downside for some might be the device’s lack of MPEG2 and DTS audio support which were undoubtedly dropped in order to keep the price low.

WD’s TV Play is currently available from its official online store, and should be making its way into other e-tailers shortly.