In the war to see who establishes a standard for digital entertainment computers archenemies Intel and AMD present their weapons: at one corner Intel with their ViiV platform – which is the digital home concept that Intel is pushing for ages with a new name – and at the other corner AMD with their Live! Platform. In this article you will learn the main specs for each platform and will see what you will be able to do with them.
A digital entertainment computer proposed by Intel ViiV and AMD Live! platforms is in charge of distributing digital content (data, music, movies, photos, etc) to other electronic equipment such as TVs, notebooks, MP3 players and PDAs. This digital entertainment computer should be able to record TV shows, videos, music and photos in DVD or CD. If you have this kind of PC at home it is possible for one person to watch a DVD movie being transmitted by it at one room of your house and, at the same time, another person listening to MP3 music at another room, also being transmitted by this computer, both using wireless communication.
This digital entertainment computer needs a minimum hardware requirement to be able to process, store and distribute all digital content available. Not all computers can be used as a digital entertainment computer. This computer, for example, must be able to deliver different digital content to several different electronic equipments at the same time.
Keep in mind that ViiV and Live! aren’t isolated technologies, but digital entertainment platforms. Their concept is the same of Intel’s Centrino, where in order to be considered “Centrino” a laptop must meet a certain hardware requirements. On Intel ViiV and AMD Live! platforms a computer can only be considered a digital entertainment computer if it meets a certain hardware and software requirements. In fact, Intel ViiV and AMD Live! define the minimum requirements needed for a digital entertainment PC. Think of these platforms as an “approval seal”, where if a computer meets certain requirements it can be called “ViiV-enabled” or “Live!-enabled”.
AMD Live! platform is based on technologies available on the market and other that will be available soon, while Intel ViiV platform is based on technologies available today.
Let’s now take a look on Intel ViiV and AMD Live! specs.
Intel ViiV Specs
For a computer to be compatible with ViiV platform, it must have at least the following components:
- One of the following CPUs: Pentium D (except 805 model), Pentium Extreme Edition or Core Duo.
- One of the following chipsets: 975X, 955X, 945G, 945P and 945GT, all using ICH7-DH (82801GDH) south bridge, or 945GM chipset.
- One of the following network connections: Intel PRO/1000 PM, Intel PRO/100 VE or Intel PRO/100 VM.
- Quick Resume Technology driver for the south bridge ICH7-DH installed.
- SATA hard disk drive with NCQ technology.
- Intel Matrix Storage technology (i.e. RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10 support).
- High Definition Audio 5.1 or above. Analog or digital connection can be used. If digital connection (SPDIF) is used, 5.1 or above analog connection is optional.
- Operating system: Windows XP Media Center Edition.
- Remote control (optional)
If a computer is equipped with these components (CPU, chipset, networking and operating system), it can be considered “ViiV-enabled”.
What is different on this platform from a “normal” PC is the use of ICH7-DH south bridge (DH comes from “Digital Home”), except on the case of 945GM chipset, which doesn’t use this circuit. What is new on this chip is a technology called Quick Resume, which allows the PC to imitate the behavior of TV sets, where by pressing the power button located on the remote control the screen goes dark, the sound is muted and the keyboard and mouse stop responding.
In a ViiV-compatible computer you can access all your digital content (photos, music, movies, videos, etc) thru a remote control (if the computer has one, of course), thanks to Windows XP Media Center Edition operating system. As the name implies, it is a version of Windows XP targeted to entertainment PCs. It allows you to record your favorite TV shows, share your pictures and songs, listen to radio, download music and movies from the Internet, and also install your favorite programs and games.
As you can see, ViiV platform is simply a set of technologies (processor, chipset, network adapter and operating system) combined to make an entertainment PC.
Gigabyte (with their GA-8I945GMH-RH) and ECS (with their 945G-M3), among other manufacturer, have already launched ViiV-compatible motherboards.
For more information: http://www.intel.com/products/viiv/index.htm
AMD Live! Specs
For a computer to be compatible with AMD Live! platform it must have at least the following components:
- CPU: Athlon 64 X2 or dual-core Athlon 64 FX.
- Motherboard: Socket AM2 or 939
- Operating system: Windows XP Media Center Edition or Windows Vista Premium
- Audio: 5.1 high definition audio with SPDIF output
- Networking: Gigabit Ethernet or wireless 802.11b/g (optional)
- Hard disk drive: SATA (NCQ technology recommended). Two SATA hard disk drives with RAID on computers based on Atlhon 64 FX.
- Memory: At least 1 GB DDR2 667/800 MHz.
- Ports: At least six USB 2.0 ports and also Firewire (IEEE 1394) ports.
- TV tuner card with remote control: Optional.
- Wireless keyboard and mouse: Recommended.
- Video output: VGA, DVI or HDMI with HDCP (optional).
- Optical unit: DVD±RW
- Power supply: high efficiency with low rotation fan.
It is interesting to note how AMD specify several details of their platform, like the amount of RAM memory. It is also interesting to note how several items are optional.
The name way that occurs with ViiV technology, a Live! entertainment PC can be accessed thru a remote control (if the computer has one), since it uses Windows XP Media Center Edition.
AMD Live! platform should be commercially available in the middle of this year – note how AMD specified the use of DDR2 memories, which the current AMD CPUs don’t support.
For more information: http://amdlive.amd.com/