The hardware specification has finally been released for AMD Live!, which is AMD's upcoming answer to Intel's Viiv platform. AMD executives said this week that the technology would roll out in at least two phases, the first one of which may be delivered in 2007.

Although the technology itself is advanced, the specifications describe a fairly typical next-generation PC: either a dual-core Athloxn X2 microprocessor or FX chip; either a Media Center Edition or Vista operating system; a Serial ATA hard drive or RAID array; either a single or dual-GPU graphics card that can run the basic "Aero" interface of Vista; and a low-RPM power supply, required to eliminate the noise that might interfere with the television experience.

Interestingly, the Live! specifications do not describe the interface that will be used to connect the PC to the set-top box. A certified 802.11 Wi-Fi connection is listed as an option, and de Onis said that manufacturers will have the choice of selecting which technology will be used.