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First International's slim, VIIV-powered GE2 multimedia PC
Ever since the Mac mini made its much-heralded debut, new small form-factor multimedia PCs have been popping up seemingly every day, so a new company called First International (FIC) has its work cut out for it if it hopes to top the likes of AOpen, Blueado, and Hi-Grade with the super-slim, VIIV-powered GE2 revealed at Computex. Not surprisingly, the specs on this machine closely match other models on the market, so features like a Core Duo processor, integrated graphics, slot-loading DVD burner, WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0, optional TV tuner, and DVI and S/PDIF outputs will probably sound quite familiar by now. Since neither pricing nor release date are known at this point, all we can hold onto is FIC's promise that the GE2 will be shipping "very soon."
Buffalo LinkTheater Wireless Media Player for Viiv PCs
If you like the idea of BenQ's Viiv-flavored DMP300 Digital Media Player we saw yesterday, but would so much prefer a version with snazzy antennas, Buffalo has you covered. It's the very same remote Internet applications and premium content that Viiv support enables, just this time in a Buffalo box, and featuring a USB 2.0 port for plugging in digital cameras and portable audio players. Codec support is hefty, with audio (MP3, WMA, AAC, LPCM), image (JPEG, BMP, PNG), and video (MPEG 1/2/4, WMV 7/8/9, XviD) formats well represented, along with DRM like DTCP-IP and Windows Media DRM 10 for Network Devices. There's an Ethernet port along with the 802.11a/b/g wireless connection, but though the device has S-Video and composite outputs, component video only works off of a D4 port via an included adapter, and no mention is made of HDMI. The LinkTheater should be available later this month for around $250.
BenQ's VIIV-friendly DMP300 Digital Media Player
Now that you've picked up a brand new VIIV-powered PC (because computing just isn't computing without VIIV), you probably want a media streaming device to watch all your digital swag on regular TVs, and BenQ's got your back with the new DMP300 Digital Media Player. Like many of the other similar solutions on the market, the DMP300 streams your music (MP3, WMA, PCM), vids (MPEG-1/2/4, WMV9, XviD), and pics (JPEG, JPEG2000, BMP) over a wired or wireless (802.11b/g) network, but also leverages the power of VIIV for accessing certain remote applications and premium content. This model sports a full range of connectivity options -- HDMI, component, S-video, and digital audio outputs are some of the highlights -- and will be available for an undisclosed price under generic branding sometime next quarter.
Acer Aspire Idea 500 Windows Media Center
Yeah ok, we missed the press release on the Acer Aspire Idea 500 last month but she's still worth a quick double-back on this fully-spec'd, Viiv Windows Media Center PC. At just 2 3/4 inches thin, this low profile living room media center generates a mere 28 dBA under heavy load (23 dBA idling) yet packs in a Core Duo T2300 CPU, 250GB disk, 1GB DDR2 memory, a dual-layer DVD burner, 7-in-1 memory card reader, 4 x USB, Firewire, 802.11b/g WiFi, an RF keyboard and mouse, and not one, but two mini-PCI tuner cards for viewing and recording digital and analog television broadcasts. It also features a complete range of connectivity including HDMI, DVI-I, 2 x SCART (RGB?), 7.1 audio with S/PDIF digital out with support for High Definition audio, Dolby Digital Live, and DTC Connect. The Idea 500 should hit the cobbled streets of Europe any day now with an expected VAT-inclusive price of €1299/$1671. See, now aren't you glad we told you?[Thanks, Liam B]
AMD Live! goes live
When Intel announced Viiv, no one had any idea what the hell they were talking about (in fact, we still don't). Then AMD re-announced their Live! strategy at CES, about which we also didn't really have any freaking clue. Well, now we have a clue, thanks AMD; Live! is a (gasp) entertainment platform that will use a number of applications to create a more immersive, improved multimedia experience designed around their existing Athlon64 X2. Those applications, you ask? Well, they're mostly software rebadges: AMD LIVE! On Demand powered by Orb Networks, AMD LIVE! Network Magic, AMD LIVE! Compress, AMD LIVE! LogMeIn, and AMD LIVE! Media Vault. So it's basically Viiv -- nebulous multimedia software suite + CPU / platform -- but AMD style, which we more or less knew. Expect Live! PCs from "leading OEMs including Acer, Alienware, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Gateway, HP, Sahara, and Tsinghua Tongfang." Oh, you know we will![Via PC Mag]
Viiv doesn't suck after all?
That's what CE Pro is suggesting. After questioning Intel's underwhelming initiative, they have now softened their stance offered an alternate perspective and given us some food for thought on why Viiv might actually be worthwhile. Chief among those reasons is transcoding. For example, your second-gen Viiv equipped PC should come with the capability to stream any type of media to an Xbox 360, without any workarounds or extensions.We'll wait until we see a Viiv PC with more useful capabilities, although this jibes with rumors we heard earlier about streaming functionality not coming alive until Viiv 2.0.
Is Viiv living up to the hype?
Viiv. Do you even know what it is. For starters it is somewhat like Centrino was to laptops a few years ago. Viiv is a combination of hardware that allows consumers to easily view and stream digital media. Intel introduced this last year at CES with a cool box that would look great in any equipment rack. But go into any major electronic store and seek out their Viiv systems. (if you can find one) HP has a desktop that is just a desktop filled with a few web clips and digital media files. Nothing special to us. So where are all the cool Viiv products? Well, for one, remember that Onkyo media center. That's one. We are sure more is to come but this is a home entertainment product that someone like Onkyo or TIVO would be great at making. There is more to come and hopefully penetrate into homes. [via digg]
HP Pavilion m7360y, Viiv reviewed, called jive
Here we are, four months since Intel promised a new home entertainment computing revolution the likes of which we'd never seen in the form of Viiv. Sure, no one -- including Intel -- could really figure out what the hell Viiv was, but they successfully convinced a lot of people that it's a brand they needed to see represented in their next PC. Well, according to the Washington Post, who recently spent some serious time with as mature a Viiv product as exists in the form of an HP Pavilion m7360y, the platform "amounts to a smattering of free Web video clips and discounts on online music, movie and game rentals -- plus a nifty rainbow-hued Viiv sticker on the front of the computer." They too couldn't define Viiv, and even called the Intel's much lauded Quick Resume feature as being akin to switching off your display and speakers -- nothing more. Not that we're really surprised, but it's pretty harsh when people start accusing your seemingly directionless platform initiatives as "embarrassing [your]self."
Maingear's Prysma does Viiv Egyptian-style
We knew that shady Viiv spec had a few tricks up its sleeve, and apparently they involve completely pointless (well, rather pointed in this case) yet strangely mesmerizing form factors. The new pyramid-shaped Prysma Media Center PC from game PC manufacturer Maingear has support for the Viiv spec, and though the $1752 base configuration has a mere 512MB of RAM, 80GB HDD, and integrated graphics, there's plenty of room to grow. Of course, in keeping with the Viiv spec, there is gigabit Ethernet, 7.1 Intel HD Audio, and a Pentium D 920 Dual Core 2.8Ghz processor, so the PC should at least be able to push around a bit of HD content if you can manage to find some. Maingear rounds out the Prysma with dual NTSC tuners and some pricey ($299) custom color options.
Onkyo unveils HDC-7 Viiv media PC
Remember that Onkyo media PC we got word of last fall? Well, the little box, now known as the HDC-7, is now ready for its close up, and comes packed with lots of goodies, including a Pentium D820 at 2.8GHz, 1GB RAM, 400GB drive, DVD burner and all the inputs and outputs you'd expect, including DVI, component, VGA, dual Firewire and dual USB. It's due out in Japan in late May, with pricing expected to run about ¥300,000 (about $2,500). [Via HD Beat]
Okoro's Core Duo-powered OMS-LX100 HTPC
Okoro Media Systems has just released a low-profile, reasonably priced home theater PC based on Intel's Core Duo processor that has also received the coveted VIIV seal of approval, which we're still not exactly sure about, but whose very existence makes us scared of buying any products without this enigmatic certification. Besides the 1.73GHz Yonah T2300, the OMS-LX100 features one gig of 677MHz DDR2 RAM, a Nvidia GeForce 7300 GS PCI Express video card with 256MB of memory, an ATI Theater Pro 550 PCI TV/FM tuner with MPEG-2 encoding (OTA HDTV tuner optional), 250GB hard drive, 16x dual-layer DVD burner, IR or RF remote, Dolby Digital Live support, your choice of operating system and bundled multimedia software, and a host of ports: component, S-Video, composite, DVI, VGA, optical and coax digital audio, plus the usual complement of USB, FireWire, and PS/2 hookups. Available immediately, Okoro's dual core HTPC will set you back just $1,400.
MCE and DIRECTV Viiv in the works
I know it isn't news, but it is good to hear someone mention it since CES. Each year at CES there are at least a few items that end up being vapor ware. Here at HDBeat we love to stream HD Content around our house and using XP Media Center Edition with an Xbox360 is always a good option. Of course the biggest problem is that we can only stream OTA content and other HD content from our PC, but not content from Cable or satellite. We are so excited about being able to use either CableCARD or a Viiv powered DIRECTV STB that you can bet we will keep you updated as soon as we find out more. For now all we have is a mention by DIRECTV CEO Chase Carey at the Intel development conference's keynote. He said that the Viiv-certified DIRECTV box was in the works. The real question is if it will be available before the standalone HD TiVo. I probably won't buy both, but I will buy the first to market.
Apple rumors are fun when they're about HDTV
Nothing we love more than rumor mongering analyst predictions at HDBeat, the latest of which has revived the high definition or HDTV-based video iPod rumor. No news on possible Intel Viiv-based plasmas or MovieBeam integration, but we wouldn't rule out a surprise appearance by Bigfoot at this point.The announcement, whatever it is, will be made at a just-announced press event February 28th, so check back here on Tuesday to see what is what. What do you think: is there anything video or high-def related coming out of Apple's closet next week?
Intel Viiv support: who needs it?
Oh, there's quite a buzz going on about Viiv and the buzz continues to get louder as more info surfaces. There's apparently a "Supports Intel Viiv" logo that we're just starting to see and that begs the question: what will wear this badge o' honor and more importantly, will this be a sticker that you as an HD-project tinkerer actually get? We doubt it; it seems pretty certain that like CableCARD 2.0 certified Vista systems, a Viiv cert will be OEM-based as well. Is that really a bad thing though? Not that we have a solid understanding of the Viiv platform (does anyone?), but it appears to simply be a way to put consumers at ease when mixing components and hoping that they work. If all of the components are Viiv-able, then your overall system should have no DRM challenges. If you cobble your own boxes together, you're on your own; which you realized when you started your little homebrewed high-def science experiment, right? If our interpretation of Viiv is right, then mainstream consumers should be happy. For the more technically astute, is Viiv really adding anything?
So this is what Viiv is?
I think part of the reason it's so hard to figure out what Viiv is, is because it's so many things. One of those things, is a small form factor PC with dual cores that turns on and off almost instantly and runs Windows Media Center edition. This box, the µDMS P60 from Hi-Grade is only a concept, but it's one that I like: small, sleek and somewhat powerful. The question is: how is it at HD? It's said to have an optional ATSC tuner for OTA HD, but how about access to DIRECTV HD programming?[via Engadget]
Disney to release HD MovieBeam STB
It's a good thing we all have our OTA antennas ready because we're going to need them to enjoy the latest in HD entertainment: MovieBeam. Disney started testing this back in 2003 and now it looks like it's ready to go and in HD to boot. No firm release date yet It is availabe in some ares now and Cisco's Linksys division is going to make the STB and both Cisco and Intel are helping to foot the bill. If we're lucky there may even be Viiv support. MovieBeam will be available in 23 cities and come preloaded with 100 films from most of the major studios. Considering the price of $200 plus a monthly and per movie fee, I wonder how many people are going to take advantage of this, not to mention how this will effect our OTA HD that we love so much. They are distributing the content with datacasting and I can only imagine where they are getting the wireless bandwidth from. Now we just need one to test in the HDBeat labs. This should be interesting to watch develop.
CE Pro attempts to answer the question: "What is Viiv?"
Intel's new platform that so far has provided more questions than answers is the subject of an interview by the CE Pro Weblog. Installers and resellers are just as interested as everyone else in what Viiv can do, so will this quell the "Viiv is DRM" rumblings?Not exactly, although they do talk about transcoding, why Viiv is necessary despite DLNA, and Intel Virtualization Technology, so check it out.*Shrug*, sorry Intel, but no matter how many partners you have, I just don't think I'll be impressed until you show me some muscle to justify wearing the "verified Viiv digital device" yoke. We prefer our high definition content DRM-free, but who knows how possible that will be in the coming year.
Simplay HD certification
Certifications seem to be in the HD news lately, first it was CableCARD 2.0 and today it's a new service called Simplay HD from Silicon Image. Simplay HD isn't a mandatory standard however. Silicon Image's goal is to reduce consumer frustration to ensure that different high-def devices work together; sorta sounds like the Viiv platform only without validation of the DRM. According to the Simplay HD site, a device gains the Simplay HD logo if it can prove it meets the highest standards for getting and sharing a digital HD signal. Currently the only products on the approved list are several HDTVs from Mitsubishi, Sanyo and Thompson.We're all for HD compatibility and clear standards, but is this really necessary?Read [via eHomeUpgrade]
Even the manufacturers don't know what is going on
More than a week later and I'm still trying to find out what Viiv is all about and why I should be excited. I'm not even the only one, our friends at Engadget have posted their reasoning for why no one knows the secret of Viiv, making for an entertaining read at the least.Also, over at CE Pro they're recounting just a few of the flubs and missteps live presentations had at CES, according to Intel with Viiv they have succeded in "making the PC more PC like". Yeah great job on that one guys.
Switched On: Enter the lay tricks
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a weekly column about the future of technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment: The scene: A hotel room on a rainy night. Pentius and Duo face each other near large, comfortable red chairs that look like leftover props from Pee Wee's Playhouse, yet no one is filming a Radio Shack commercial. "Pentius! It's an honor to meet you!" "Please, have a seat, Duo. The honor is mine. I imagine that right now you're feeling a bit like a noob in the middle of a large computer store. You're here because you feel something that's eating at you that you can't explain. Do you know what I'm talking about?" "What is..." (squinting at the badge on Pentius's computer) "V eleven v?" "It's pronounced 'vive." Do you want to know what it is?" "Actually, there's this E! True Hollywood Story about "Who's The Boss" that I -""VIIV is the hype that surrounds the industry. You can see it in every computer magazine, in Intel's booth at CES, in keynotes from Microsoft. Soon it will be in your living room, your bedroom, anywhere you have an Intel-based desktop. Duo!" "Yes?""Were you listening to me or staring at that big pile of co-op funds from Intel?""I was, uh... OK, so this vi'iv thing? What is it again?"
