Hard drive manufacturer Western Digital quietly announced a stand-alone device for HD media playback. Called the WD Elements Play, the device packs either a 1TB or 2TB internal drive, component, composite, and HDMI connections. This makes it ideal for media storage and easy playback for any standard or HDTV.
"An easy, affordable way to supersize your movies and photos on your big-screen TV, and play your music collection on your home entertainment center," the company said. "Simply connect the drive to the TV and you’re ready to enjoy all your digital media in Full-HD 1080p resolution."
The WD Elements Play provides Full HD video picture quality (1080p) and DTS 2.0 digital audio. It also has several USB 2.0 ports and supports popular formats like RMVB, H264, MKV, PLS, M3U and more. Automatic Play lets the user select a media file to play when the unit boots while an easy, intuitive interface provides DVD-like navigation, photo slideshow capabilities and more.
So far Western Digital hasn't provided pricing or availability.