Quickstart
Welcome to WDLXTV! Be aware that the software offered here is non-official and could cause damage to your device (but probably won't :). Proceed at your own risk, you have been warned!
Download the Firmware
Download the latest firmware for your device. Ensure you get firmware appropriate to your device model (G2/Live/Plus). EXT3 versions are for non-permanently testing newer builds, so ensure you download the non-EXT3 version for your model.
Install the Firmware to USB Stick
Format a USB stick to FAT32. This is easily doable in Windows via Computer -> Right Click (Driver Letter) -> Format. Quick format is all that is needed. Linux users should use mkfs with vfat, and Mac users are on your own! Sorry; I don't own one :D.
Once your stick is formatted extract the firmware zip you copied and place at a minimum the wdtvlive.bin and wdtvlive.ver files onto your USB stick. If the archive contains a wdtvlive.fff file put it also on the USB stick!
You may also add the S00custom-options file if you wish.
Flash the Firmware
Turn your WDTV off. This means pulling the power plug, not using the remote. Disconnect any existing USB devices you may have from your WDTV and insert the stick into the left port. Plug the power cable back in, turn the unit on, and follow the onscreen instructions.
If the screen stays dark wait at least 15 minutes then remove power completely again, move the USB stick to the rear port, and re-attempt.
If the new firmware is not found and you don't get a "New firmware found", edit the wdtvlive.ver file and change the first version number to something higher than your currently installed firmware.
Example:
You have 1.02.21.WDLXTV_LIVE-0.4.5.3 running and want to up- or downgrade to any other version, change the content of wdtvlive.ver to
VERSION='1.02.22.WDLXTV_LIVE-0.4.5.3'
If it is still not showing the upgrade notice it's most likely due to your USB stick. (95% of the cases)
In this case start over with formating the drive and copying the files (make sure you safely remove the device after copying!
If it's still not working try a different USB stick.
First Boot
If all went well you should now be running the latest, greatest version of WDLXTV! You should now use telnet to set your SSH password.
Enabling Web Management (Live/Plus)
Now that your SSH password has been set, you will probably want a more convenient way to manage your WDTV. Luckily, it comes with a complete and fully featured web GUI. While still connected via SSH/telnet, enter the following commands to ensure the Apache web server is running.
config_tool -c APACHE='ON' config_tool -s /etc/init.d/S66apache2 start
Final Steps
With the web GUI enabled, you can manage your WDTV much more easily. Simply point your browser to either the hostname or IP address of your WDTV box; you can find the IP address under the about system menu. The default user/pass for the web GUI is wdlxtv/wdlxtv. Note that most configuration changes require a reboot.
Support
In the event you have broken something or truly get lost along the way, pop in the support forums and someone will be happy to assist you.
