The digital entertainment computer concept is really very interesting. Image the ability to access any kind of digital contents (data, music, movies, pictures, etc) anywhere in your home from a central computer.
 
Keep in mind that ViiV and Live! aren’t isolated technologies but digital entertainment platforms. They define the minimum hardware and software requirements that a digital entertainment computer must have. Both platforms are based on dual-core processors supporting SSE3 multimedia instructions.

Intel seems to be ahead on the digital entertainment PC standard race, with some products already emerging on the market, like the already mentioned motherboards from Gigabyte and ECS. AMD Live! should be available somewhere this year.

On the technical specs side, we have some important constructive criticisms. AMD and Intel don’t require their platform to have wireless networking – which is in our opinion the main feature of the so-called digital home.

On the other hand, AMD define Gigabit Ethernet (1,000 Mbps) as a minimum networking standard for their platform, while on Intel side the minimum standard is Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps). AMD scored a good point here.

Another point scored by AMD was the Firewire port requirement, since this kind of port is used by video equipments – the kind of product that entertainment PCs are targeted to be connected to.

Both TV tuner card and remote control are optional on both platforms and in our opinion they should be required, since one of the objectives of the entertainment PC is to watch and record TV shows and to control the PC remotely.

A complicated limitation for audiophiles is the 5.1 audio on Live! platform, since on ViiV platform the audio can be up to 7.1. On the other hand we should make it clear that both platforms require the audio to be at least 5.1. Live! Platform required the system to have digital audio output (SPDIF), while ViiV is more flexible, making it optional. But on Viiv the manufacturer can use two-channel analog output if the motherboard carries an SPDIF digital output, so you will need a home theater receiver to use all audio channels if the motherboard manufacturer decided to save some bucks and use only one analog audio output, i.e. two-channel (2.0) output. That’s complicated.

On the storage side Intel requires ViiV motherboards to support their Matrix Storage technology (i.e. RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10 support). As Intel requires the use of a specific south bridge chip (ICH7-DH) it is redundant to say that Viiv platform supports RAID (or Matrix Storage, if you will). However it isn’t clear to us if Intel requires this technology to be used on a ViiV computer. On their website is written “Intel Matrix Storage support”, and we don’t know if “support” is a synonym of “has to use” or “has to be available” (i.e. available but not required to be used). Intel requires that you use NCQ-based hard disk drives on ViiV computers, while NCQ is optional on AMD’s Live!. On the other hand, on Athlon 64 FX-based computers, the system must have two hard disk drives using RAID.

In summary, even though ViiV and Live! set minimum requirements for a digital entertainment computer, there will be on the market PCs with better specs than others, all getting AMD or Intel conformity seal. So everything stays like it is nowadays: the user will have to know all the technical specs of the entertainment PC he or she is willing to buy in order to compare competing products.