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| Included with the system are NTI’s CD&DVD Maker & Cyberlink’s PowerDVD; two fairly standard OEM versions of the programs. The utilities CD contained the drivers for the onboard Intel(R) 82801GHM SATA RAID Controller (Mobile ICH7MR/DH), Intel Graphic Chipset, Intel PRO 10/100/1000 network chipset, and the Realtek High Definition Audio. There was also a hand labeled CD with two additional software components, Intel Viiv software v1.5 and the latest version of the Intel QuickResume software. QuickResume is a feature of the chipset that allows the system to “Power On” immediately, just like your TV. This is accomplished in much the same was as modern consumer electronics by just powering off the audio and video. The Viiv software includes the missing functionality that Microsoft forgot to include with WinXP MCE. |
“It's easy to dismiss Intel Corp.'s Viiv platform as just another marketing/branding initiative to promote entertainment PCs based on proprietary chips. A closer look reveals a grander ambition—to redefine not just entertainment PCs, but also the future of consumer electronics (CE) boxes.
Should CE companies be worried? You bet.
Should chipmakers working with OEMs devise a new strategy? Absolutely.”
-- Intel ReViiv’s its CE Strategy, EETimes, 01 Mar 2006
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The first phase of the Viiv strategy encompasses the PC platform, The real fun begins in the second phase, Intel is working with consumer electronics manufacturers to develop protocols and interfaces that seamlessly connect them with little to no quality degradation. The first CE devices are now starting to appear in the marketplace.1
Two major components of the Viiv software rate special emphasis. The Viiv media server and the Network aware hub software. The media server "engine" can reformat various digital content files on the fly so they can be viewed on a selection of devices verified by Intel to work with Intel Viiv. This along with QuickResume, allows you to continue to serve media hosted on the Viiv system along with any Viiv compliant device and any traditional PC with shared media on the network. The network aware Hub software makes adding new equipment to the network a snap. As soon as a device is added to the local network the software senses it and brings up a notification allowing classification of the device as it relates to the Viiv system. This includes non-Viiv compliant devices as well. I have two ReplayTV boxes on my network, the software brought up notification that the devices were present and allowed me to add them. At this point in time the media server can not access nor serve media to these devices, but as there is software to create virtual ReplayTV on a PC, I am sure that the user community, if no one else, will come up with a solution for devices like the Replay and Tivo. |
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