Info on WDTV Hubgen Software

WDTV HubGen is a metadata generation utility designed specifically for the Western Digital TV Live Hub (WDTV Live Hub) — a media center device that allows users to play videos, music, and photos on their television directly from internal storage or network sources. HubGen helps users organize media files and generate XML metadata and cover art, enabling the WDTV interface to display visually rich media libraries with movie posters, summaries, ratings, and other information.

🎬 What Is WDTV HubGen?

WDTV HubGen (short for "Hub Generator") is a Windows-based application created by third-party developers in the WDTV community. It’s not officially produced by Western Digital but has become a popular tool among enthusiasts who use WDTV Live Hub or compatible devices like WDTV Live Streaming Media Player.

The software’s primary function is to scrape media metadata — including movie descriptions, posters, cast lists, and fanart — from online databases like TheMovieDB (TMDb) or TVDB, then save that information in a format recognized by the WDTV interface.

🔧 Key Features

Metadata Scraping

Retrieves accurate movie and TV show information based on filenames.

Supports multi-language metadata depending on your preference.

Produces .xml files that WDTV reads to display movie details and thumbnails.

Scan and generate metadata for entire folders of media in one go.

Filename Matching and Correction

Offers manual editing in case a title doesn’t scrape correctly.

Folder.jpg Creation

Sets up custom folder icons for your media collection.

🖥️ System Requirements

OS: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, or 10

Internet Connection: Required for metadata scraping

WDTV Compatibility: Best used with WDTV Live Hub, but also supports WDTV Live SMP with custom themes

🚀 How to Use WDTV HubGen

Download and Install

Find a trusted community source (such as forums.wdlxtv.com or AVSForum) and download the latest version.

Scan Media Folder

Launch HubGen and select your movie or TV show folder. The tool will attempt to match each filename with entries from TheMovieDB.

Edit Metadata (Optional)

If any file is mismatched or contains errors, you can manually correct the title or select the right match from search results.

Generate XML and Images

Hit “Generate” to create .xml, folder.jpg, and backdrop.jpg files for each media item.

Transfer to WDTV

Copy the generated files to the WDTV’s internal storage or external USB/NAS-connected drive.

Restart or Rescan WDTV Library

WDTV will pick up the metadata and display rich content the next time you browse your files.

📌 Final Thoughts

WDTV HubGen is a lightweight but powerful tool that breathes life into your WDTV media browsing experience. While the WDTV line is no longer in production, many users still enjoy its simplicity and flexibility, and tools like HubGen help maintain and enhance its functionality.

For best results, pair it with a custom theme or firmware (like WDLXTV) that supports more advanced metadata displays. Always back up your media folders before running batch processes, and keep your filenames clean for accurate scraping.