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No Media Adapter Support in First Batch of Intel Viiv PCs

By Alexander Grundner | January 2nd, 2006 Interest Level: SMOKING HOT


intel viiv logoDigiTimes is feeding the rumor mill again, this time it’s reporting that Intel’s first batch of Viiv platform PCs (expected to hit the shelves this February and cost around $1,800) will NOT have built-in digital media adapter (DMA) support. “As Intel’s upcoming Viiv 1.0 disables DMA functionality, the first batch of Viiv PCs are recognized to be more like high-end entertainment PCs. By June, when the chip giant introduces the DMA-supporting 1.5 version, PC makers are looking to roll out a more complete digital home product line,” says a PC OEM insider to DigiTimes.

If the report is true, this would mean that users will temporarily not have the ability to stream media files from their Viiv PC to either the Xbox 360 or Media Center Extender. Or, the news can be interpreted another way… that Viiv PCs will not have the ability to double as a media adapter and stream files from other PCs. Honestly, DigiTimes’ report is quite sparce with details and leads to more questions than answers. Either way, something is up.

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Short URL: http://bit.ly/akRhqe [+]  Filed in: Entertainment PCs  
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Alexander Grundner is the Editor & Publisher of eHomeUpgrade. He has been following "Digital Home" developments since 2003. He's also a fan of cross-platform, open development software and industry standards related to media, networking, and the web. You can catch his daily tech musings on Twitter: @agrundner.
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  • There is no part of Viiv that would disable Windows Media Connect or other UPnP devices. Nothing Intel makes (or that comes into Viiv) would be able to disable using those devices.




    If anything that article is meaning to say that Intel will not ship it's transcoding solution with the first Viiv-based PC's. I have no idea if that is true, but I'm 99.999% sure that is what the article is meaning to say.





    Chris Lanier
  • Good questions, but I have no answer for the first part. I do know that Viiv is a secure, trustworthy computing platform (aka locked down PC) that will enable users to play future Hi-Def DVDs, so I'm guessing the hold up might be in part related to the finalization of both Blu-ray and HD-DVD's DRM technologies. Remember, we're supposed to be able to make a "managed copy" to our Viiv PC's hard drive and then be able to stream the movie over our home network to certified media adapters. But, in my opinion, that shouldn't render all DMA functionality unsupportable (i.e. Windows Media Connect and UPnP). There's no way of really knowing if this news bit means that all or some media streaming functionality will be deactivated.




    UPDATE: I just added the following line to the original news post:


    Or, the news can be interpreted another way... that Viiv PCs will not have the ability to double as a media adapter and stream files from other PCs.



    If there's an OEM insider out there that knows more, please feel free to chime in.
  • DarrylS
    This is not clear to me, well actually the whole Viiv thing is not clear to me. When I think of DMAs I think of devices supporting UPnP AV, whether its the MediaServer/ContentDirectory or MediaRenderer portion. Does this simply mean Viiv will not include a UPnP server or client? And couldn't I just install something like Windows Media Connect (WMC) or TwonkyVision for the server and on2share for the renderer to enable DMA capability?

    Can someone explain the value of Viiv? I think its just Intel's marketing spiel to make them appear to be a player in the CE/PC home media convergence. Personally I was more impressed with UPnP AV and DLNP where at least Intel provided some real tangible value.
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