Buying a dv9500t... a few questions

tstone, THANKS MUCH for not yelling at me for virtually HIJACKING your thread for the past couple dozen posts...

Although I don't yet have the laptop, much less the expansion base, I may be able to help a bit on your monitor question, as to adding a third monitor, in that how many monitors you can use is USUALLY dependent on the processing ability of your video card... If the 8600 is capable of supporting 3 monitors, then it might depend on what ports your expansion base DOES have... It may also be possible to get a VGA splitter to run the third monitor, although in that case I believe it would be limited to running the same content as the second monitor.

As for WEI, if it's really THAT useless, I wonder why Microsoft even bothered to implement it in Windows? It DOES seem to accurately reflect the difference in processing power of the CPUs, as I see an almost DIRECT correlation between scores and Ghz speeds for the Core 2 Duo chips... For instance, the 1.5 Ghz Core 2 Duo in the 9535 scores a 4.5, whereas the 2.2 Ghz in the 9500 Yukstin and some others have scores a 5.1, and the 2.4 Ghz in my desktop system scores a 5.3... So I guess it's a good indicator for CPUs, at least, maybe less so for some of the other components (the 8600 and 7600 have IDENTICAL graphics scores, but the GAMING graphics score for the 8600 is 5.1, vs. 4.7 for the 7600, which is the same as the regular graphics score for BOTH cards).

As for the 9500 using the Santa Rosa chip, the one computer at Best Buy that scored a 4.5 on RAM (even though it's got 667 Mhz RAM) is a 9535, with an 8600 card in it... I would think that would still put it in the 9500 "family," but knowing Best Buy and their "custom systems," it's possible it DOESN'T have the Santa Rosa chipset (I learned LONG AGO that one way both Best Buy AND Circuit City get around much of their price guarantee is by having custom-built systems from some of the major manufacturers that are similar, but not exactly the same as the other, with slightly different model numbers and configurations... They'll have some of the major ones, too, but also some "custom systems" that only THEY carry... Sam's Club does that, too).
Jeff

 

Besides connecting a USB monitor, I am under the understanding from reviews that you can use up to two of the four video options on the back of the base at one time: [1) component video out YPbPr; 2) S-Video out; 3) composite video out--rca plug; and 4) VGA in. There is no DVI connection or HDMI connection of the xb3000.

I use one monitor, a two year old analog or DVI, LCD, Samsung SyncMaster 192t. The monitor is capable of DVI or anolog RGB, but the xb3000 doesn not have a DVI or HDMI port--so I use the VGA connection on the back of the xb3000 and it works great for me.

It really is plug and play . . . excellent just touch volume, power, mute (works for any speakers attached to expansion base)--the dv9500t remote also works with xb3000 expansion. The stand is extremely solid and adjustable too.

I will be getting a second power cord; this time a 90 watt one to take in my computer bag. I am already tired of plugging and unplugging.

There is no Bluetooth or infared port on the docking station.

Wireless mouse and keyboard are equivalent to a middle of the road Logitech set.

The xb3000 is a sensible option, user friendly, for me and really does turn the dv9500t into functional eye candy and a simple desktop replacement for me.

But if I were running several monitors, and my needs were more technical, I really would consider a nice USB 2.0 hub, with the exact peripherals I wanted, and a generic (non-powered) notebook stand.

For a little more money as the xb3000 on hp.shopping.com, you can get much more specific: mouse, keyboard, usb hub, etc. In any case, you will have to hook any HDMI capable monitor right up to the notebook.

This is my second expansion base in two years. (Have an xb2000 for my dv4000 lappy.)

Also nice, enough USB ports that I can add a USB hub and throw more stuff connected to the xb3000 when it is full. In fact, I am going downstairs now to drag my Belkin 4-port USB hub out of the closet and attach it to.

If you are looking for neat, clean, and functional, the xb3000 looks and functionals well for generic desktop replacement needs . . . and it does look great!

When I buy another notebook in two years, I will most probably by another HP expansion base then too.

The xb3000 also comes with an adapter, so I can use it with my older HP laptops, like the dv4000 I have.

I paid $187 for my xb3000 (EPP discount) from www.hp.com. If find it a good buy at that price. Any more expensive, and I would have probably gone the other route.

You can always plug an extra monitor into the laptop while it is connected to the expansion base.



Below the asterisks are the descriptions of the the ports from the manual that comes with the xb3000.

Hope that helps.

********************

HP xb3000 Expansion Base Component Description

(1)
Power connector
Connects the expansion base to computer AC adapter.

(2)
USB ports (4)*
Connect optional USB devices.

(3)
Component video jacks
Connects an optional component video device.

(4)
S-Video-out jack
Connects an optional S-Video device such as a television, VCR, camcorder, overhead projector, or video capture card.

(5)
Composite video jack
Connects an optional composite video device.

(6)
S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) digital audio jack
Connects an optional compatible audio/video receiver through a digital coaxial cable (purchased separately).

(7)
External monitor port
Connects an optional external VGA monitor or projector.

(8)
RJ-45 (network) jack
Connects an Ethernet cable from the expansion base to an RJ-45 wall jack.

(9)
Hard drive power connector
Connects the power cord for the optional internal hard drive.

(10)
Security cable slot
Attaches an optional security cable to the expansion base.
NOTE The security cable is designed to act as a deterrent, but may not prevent the computer from being mishandled or stolen.


(11)
Hard drive carrier screw
Secures the hard drive carrier for the optional internal hard drive.

(12)
Expansion cable
Connects the expansion base to a computer.

(13)
Connection indicator light
On: The computer is connected correctly.

*There are 2 additional USB ports on the right side of the expansion base.

 

Jeff, I have been unable to find specifics on EXACTLY what WEI tests. If you don't know how a test is conducted then it can't be valid. It's like statistics

Obviosly a 2.4 is more powerful than a 1.5, but is it testing one core, or two? Is it a floating point calculation? Is it running SuperPI in the background? We don't know.

Both AMD and Intel processors have their strong/weak points, but WEI can't tell you that. Do you see where I'm going?

As far as I know the only thing Vista actually uses WEI for is to determine if Aero effects can be used.

It is in the 9500 family and is Santa Rosa.

 

WEI does give you a little idea of how the system is performing, but it's really just a curiosity, not an exhausting benchmark. You should really only use it to make quick comparisons.

It's TRUE purpose, however, is for marketing, and to make hardware vendors happy. MS has said that over time, they will update the WEI score, so what you see on it today will not be comparable to scores obtained in the future. How will they change it? Your older hardware will get a lower score of course! In 2 years, your 5.1 will become a 4.1 (for example), and then you'll need to buy new hardware! Hardware makers are happy because they sell more, and MS is happy because you'll probably buy a new machine, which means they sell another license. Everyone wins! This is probably the biggest reason to not make a big deal out of WEI now, so it doesn't become a standard that people rely on -- it's a moving target, and MS can change it however and whenever they like.

This is also the same reason that Vista retail is so expensive. They know that people will say, "$400! I might as well just buy a new machine that already comes with vista!" And they get more hardware sales, and another Vista sale.

 

Orev's post should be a Sticky, or in a FAQ somewhere. Seriously.

People try to read into this WEI score as if it were their IQ, or their blood pressure reading when as you say, it's merely a curiosity. Nobody outside of Microsoft knows how to interpret it, so it's basically useless, except for giving the reader a rough idea how well the Aero interface will run. That's it. WEI is not a benchmark.

 

That's interesting about the "moving target," Orev. I didn't know about that, but it DOES make sense, unless Windows plans on increasing the top end of the scale, since the WEI IS a RELATIVE scale, so as faster and more powerful processors, graphics cards and hard drives become available, the scores of EXISTING processors, graphics cards and hard drives RELATIVE to the new ones WOULD HAVE TO BE lower.

And even though it's not a true benchmark, at least for whatever it DOES measure, it has to be a way to compare one system to another, doesn't it?

That said, I still agree with Lupin that orev's post probably oughta be a "sticky" somewhere, and as someone simply looking for a way to compare one system against another, one component against another, perhaps I've been making WAY TOO MUCH out of WEI, but it's the ONLY THING built into each Vista system that will give me ANY basis for comparison. So from THAT perspective, I apologize if I've been making Core 2 Duos out of Celerons (yeah, I'm being tacky), but I've been using the only "tool" I could find for comparison that I can use right in the stores and/or ask ANYONE online who has a Vista system to check by simply going into his or her Control Panel.

So string me up by wet noodles and hang me from the towers at Redmond!

Jeff

 

Geesh, I didn't mean to KILL THE THREAD... But if you guys are mad at me, just go over and look at my most recent post (just a few minutes ago) at THIS: OFFICIAL: Inspiron 1720 Owner's Thread in the Dell area... I'm guessing some folks over there are gonna have steam coming out their ears, lol, but I can't help it, because it's ALL TRUE... I'm using a KILLER DESKTOP but with software and firmware update support that sometimes makes me wanna KILL SOMEBODY, lol.

I'm getting CLOSE to making a purchase, IF I don't pull all my hair out first, lol.
Jeff

 

Jeff, HP does include an OS disk with the computer. It's call Windows Upgrade Anytime. The drivers are in the swsetup folder on the c: drive and on the website. I don't see what the issue is?

 

Allow me to answer your question THIS WAY, deputy...

The following three lines are excerpted from an explanation of how to go about reformatting and reinstalling Vista on your new Dell Inspiron 1720 if you want to have a "cleaner system," cleared of any "bloatware" Dell might ship with the system (and I'm MORE THAN CERTAIN HP ships the 9500 with PLENTY of THAT)!

a. Dell's Media Direct Reinstallation CD that came with your Inspiron 1720
b. Dell's Vista Re-install DVD that came with your Inspiron 1720
c. Dell's Driver CD that came with your Inspiron 1720.

I'm fairly sure that's THREE MORE DISKS than ship with the HP system, unfortunately... HOWEVER, HP DOES prompt you as soon as you set your computer up to sign up for their AUTOMATIC UPDATES, and from that point onward, continously monitors your system and automatically monitors your system anytime you're online (all the time if you're hooked up continuously to something like a cable modem), and then either does automatic updates in the background, or prompts you when they're ready and asks you if you want to do them (I know this from having an HP Media Center for more than 3 years)...

Dell, on the other hand, has a SECTION in their technical support area of their website where you can plug in your computer's service code and download the latest software and firmware updates that are relevant to your configuration, but it's an UNHOLY MESS (if you want to go read my last few OUTRIGHT RANTS in the OFFICIAL 1720 Inspiron Owners thread about that, feel free, lol -- and NO, I don't care to start a similar war of words about HP NOT supplying installation disks HERE).

What I WILL DO, however, is before I buy (and I'm still leaning towards the 9500) is CALL HP's sales department while I have a system I've "built" up on the screen, and try to REASON WITH THEM about just WHY I should have the installation disks (NOT a backup disk that gives me NO CHOICE other than to restore my system back to its shipped state, including all BLOATWARE), and see what I can do.

Truthfully, as I just said in the other thread, if EITHER Dell had automatic updates, OR HP included installation disks for the software installed on the disk (and the other didn't), it would be a real NO-BRAINER for me as to which system to buy... I think both Dell and HP make great computers, but BOTH are lacking in, what to me is ONE important area -- it's just a different area for each of them.

My Dell XPS 410 came with no fewer than 6 Installation CDs or DVDs (maybe more, but I know at least 6 that I have handy), leaving me with the option to reformat and and reinstall JUST the OS and basic drivers, if I wanted to, and leave all the other stuff of, if, say, it CONFLICTED with some new software that maybe I payed BIG DOLLARS FOR and had already opened and therefore COULD NOT take back.

Both of the two HP Media Centers I bought came with ZERO disks and ONLY the option to backup and RESTORE the system to exactly as shipped, so if something that shipped with the system in ADDITION to the OS and drivers CONFLICTS with some expensive program I've bought and I can't completely UNINSTALL IT using that feature in Windows (because hidden files hang around in the Registry), then I'm JUST SCREWED.

NOW do you see what the issue is?
Jeff

 

Jeff, I assume that you did not get an Anytime Upgrade dvd with your unit? You are correct, as the Recovery discs are useless for anything other than a factory install.

 

Well, no, I DIDN'T get an "anytime upgrade" disk... Of course the last HP I bought was a Media Center from Sam's last September, and it was a DISPLAY MODEL that had been "on the floor" since January, lol (hence a really good price, but also worn out, which is mostly why I ended up taking it back -- held me until the free Vista upgrades were available in November, though, lol -- and Sam's club has a SIX-MONTH RETURN POLICY on computers -- CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!?)

The one before that was in-the-box, but that was Black Friday, 2003, and I don't know if they did that then (I'm thinking they just started offering that with Vista???)

At any rate, does is an "Anytime Upgrade Disk" a bootable Vista installation disk that can be used to boot the system in case it crashes and won't boot properly, where you can boot from it and run the "fix Vista boot" utility? If not, it's virtually useless unless you plan to upgrade to Ultimate.

And speaking of Ultimate, there are a couple of HP laptops that come with the HD DVD drives in them, and they also come with Vista Ultimate pre-installed (one slightly outdated system is on sale right now at Best Buy at a DELICIOUS PRICE -- the local store's price is $300 lower than what the website is claiming, and the website is claiming $200 off the original price!)... BUT the version of Vista Ultimate HP has installed in all these HD DVD systems is the 64-bit version (which I TOTALLY can't understand, as the ONLY benefit I can see to that is if you have 4 GB of RAM installed, and they all come with 2 GB)... Considering that they don't come with a Vista installation disk (unless that "Anytime Upgrade disk" suffices), that means you're STUCK WITH a 64-bit Vista system, and there's VERY LITTLE SOFTWARE currently available that will run on 64-bit Vista (none that I already own)... So that's sort of a NON-STARTER for me unless the system has everything I need already, and I don't think it does.

Any thoughts on THAT? And answers on exactly WHAT that "Anytime Upgrade disk" is???
Jeff

 

YES! That's what I'm trying to tell you.

Jeff, The license keys for 64 bit and 32 bit are the same. If you can find a 32 bit copy then you can go 32 bit. I would assume that if an upgrade anytime DVD is included with your computer it would be 64 bit, so you would have to find another source for a 32 bit disk. I may be wrong on this. I don't have that information right now.

 

Ah, good to know about the upgrade disc being able to fix a corrupted bootloader (as I was not sure).

I tried exploring the disc for that info last nite and nearly fubared my XP installation. What was I thinking?? lol

 

Really the recovery disks, and even OS disk is over rated. Once you've got it set up as you like use Acronis True Image to image the drive. It will save you a ton of time, if you do have to recover. Then once a week make a new complete image, but never delete the first one. The ultimate backup!

 

Jeff,

You clearly have strong feelings about certain issues, but you are also clearly ASSUMING many things here. The idea that ANY system today will come with reinstall disks is flawed. Most systems do not come with any discs. If Dell does, they are the exception, not the rule.

HP does NOT monitor your computer the whole time you are online. That's just ridiculous. They have an update program that will check once in a while if there are updates available, that's it. Just like any other updater program out there today (Microsoft, Adobe, Quicktime, etc...). You make it sound like they are recording your every move. Plus, that's optional, and you can turn it off if you like. HP also has a download location on their site, so if you prefer to use that method, it's available to you.

For recovery discs, HP would rather not have more inventory to worry about, so they let you burn the recovery disks when you get the system. It's really not that big of a deal, and will cost you 2 DVDs at about $0.50 each. It's not ideal, but it's not a big issues either. Also, it's a good way to test that the DVD burner is working correctly, which is something you should do anyway.

There will be no "reasoning" with HP to give you Install disks, they simply don't have them. I think you have a picture of the build process where some guy is sitting there with the laptop on a bench and going through with install disks, etc... That's not the case. They have a bunch of laptop drives with images preinstalled, and they just slap them into the laptops. At no point will there be somebody "building your laptop", giving you the chance to talk to them or whatever you envision.

As has already been said, the Anytime Upgrade disk that should come with your system is a full Vista install disk. If your systems doesn't come with it, you can get them (legally) for less than $10 from places like amazon. I can say that the Anytime Upgrade disc is IDENTICAL to the 32bit Vista install disk. You will have to download updated drivers from HP, and save the software in c:\swsetup before you reinstall, but you should always be downloading the newest drivers anyway, and not relying on a CD that was made 6 months ago for the drivers.

The 64bit editions of Vista WORK JUST FINE with 32bit programs. You seem to have the idea that you will need every single program that's made specifically for 64bit. THAT IS NOT THE CASE, and another big assumption you're making. There are some situations where this can be an issue, and it's certainly not perfect, but MANY people are using the 64bit version of Vista, and are doing just fine with it, running 32bit applications with no problem.

You don't even HAVE a laptop yet, and you're talking to a bunch of people who DO have them. So instead of assuming that people are wrong, you should listen because they already know the reality of the situation (and the reality changes with each major Windows release, so anything you thought you knew when you bought Windows 95 does not apply now).

 

Thanks, much, Orev.

I wasn't exactly sure HOW the HP automatic updates worked, but I figured the program just checked periodically, just didn't know when, and I didn't mean to be SCARING anyone that HP is watching their system like some BIG BROTHER, lol.

I also didn't have any vision of some guy at a workbench individually installing each system. I just figured HP had access to installation software disks and COULD provide them if pressured to (the $19 upcharge System Backup disks they offer with the system purchase I ASSUME are the same disks you can make yourself for less than a buck? If that's the case, I'd never buy those, since, as you said, that's also a good first way to test the DVD burner).

HOWEVER, now armed with the info that the systems DO come with a Windows Anytime Upgrade disk that WILL suffice to re-install Vista should I have the need or wish to do a clean install (as I see you have a link to just above your SIG), that's really my sole concern... I really think I like the HP system better than the Dell system, and the price is a bit better, as well... Plus, I have many similar HP systems with which I can PLAY in stores to get the feel of them.

As for the 64-bit/32-bit issue, I was just going by things I had read at the ZDNet and CNet websites. I subscribe to their daily emails and had read a few columns about which version of Vista to install, and some that said things about why NOT to install Vista 64-bit, but this WAS a few months back, so perhaps things have changed. You seem VERY knowledgeable, so maybe things have "come around" since then.

Thanks again,
Jeff

P.S. I was in MacLand all through Win95, Win98, Win2000 and WinME, so my Windows experience jumps from 3.3 to XP, lol.

 

That was a big jump! You missed out on all the really FUN crap we had to put up with

Yes, the Restore discs you buy from them are the same that you can make yourself. I guess some people don't want to deal with it, or are not paying attention to it and HP makes another $20.

As for 64bit, there will be some compatibility issues, but it's not like nothing will run on it. My plan is to have VMware on my system, and I can run XP or anything else inside of that if I really need it (like for my palm pilot probably ). I'm not a gamer, so vmware is fine for anything else I need to do.

 

You're NOT A GAMER?!?!? I'm liking you more all the time, orev (even if you DID kindasorta attack me in your previous post -- I didn't take it at all personally, since I HAD been making some pretty big issues out of some things, but I WAS trying to "get to the bottom" of those issues, and thanks to you and deputy, I feel my toes finally tingling in the cool waters at the bottom of that well, lol).

So you're just running the 64-bit version so you can use all 4 GB of your RAM, I reckon? Wanna read a funny? I didn't KNOW about that limitation... Got my XPS 410 with the fairly standard 2 GB in November, then when I finally caught what looked like a GREAT deal on 2 GB of PC 5300 RAM at NewEgg in February ($139), I jumped it to 4 GB, only to discover the system would recognize only 3 GB of it (in either XP OR 32-bit Vista), and WORSE YET, for reasons still unknown to me, the system refuses to implement more than 2 GB... And to add insult to injury, about the time I finally figured all that out, the BOTTOM dropped out of the memory price market, and now you can get 2 GB sometimes as low as $50!

Geesh... I could have just burned 7 $20 bills and had the same result!

Live and learn...
Jeff

P.S. NOW do ya see why I'm so, um, "picky" with the questions?

 

Well Jeff, at least you're back from the "Dark Side"!

Get a DV9500... Be Happy Don't make me sing it!

 

So I shouldn't "go cheap" and just pick up that dv9535 at Best Buy for $1,399? Or maybe get that HUGE DISCOUNT they have in my local store on the "slightly obsolete" dv9260 (which includes the HD-DVD drive {it's "slightly obsolete" because it came out before the 8600 did, so it has the 7600 in it, which has the SAME graphics score, but a lower GAMING graphics score, which I DON'T care about... also probably doesn't have the Santa Rosa chipset; has a 2.0 Ghz Core 2 Duo, I think} -- both lappies have 240 GB of Hard Drive), which they have for $1,799, even though the Best Buy WEBSITE claims the sale price is $2,099???

Of course BOTH are missing bluetooth and fingerprint readers, features I want.

So are you a tenor, a baritone, or a bass?
Jeff

 

You have to get what YOU will be happy with. I will tell you that HP should match best buy's price on current laptops, just call.

 

I don't think either of those systems is available directly from HP... I believe the 9535 is one built just for Best Buy, and the 9260 is a discontinued series, I THINK (although I haven't done SERIOUS research on either of those issues).
Jeff

 

Any model number less than 9500 is an older system, probably discontinued. HP launched the Santa Rosa chipset in models with 9500 and above (this also applies to the 2500 and 6500 series). The actual benefits of Santa Rosa are debatable, but it is a newer platform.

 

That's what I thought (about the 9500 -- and other *500 series, Orev)... although I DON'T think that applies if you're looking at AMD-based systems, which none of us obviously are (I BELIEVE the latest model numbers for those in the 17" models run 94**)...

As for the "Santa Rosa" chipset, I'm not even sure what that means, just that it's supposed to be better... I ASSUME that's the latest Centrino processor; other than that, I have NO IDEA, but since you say "the benefits are debateable," perhaps you know a bit more than some of us...

In fact, you seem to know a good deal... Although I've been aplayin' wid da 'puters since 1985, and this will be my 11th 'puter purchase for personal use (if you count the one Media Center I took back to Sam's, and NOT counting the one Radio Shack model my brother bought back when you still hooked them up to TVs -- TI 99A, I think -- had 48K RAM, but actually had a VERY RARE 16-bit architecture for those days), and I've actually installed SOMETHING on MOST of the computers I've had, and been PAID by a few people for helping them with their computers, including a friend just recently, for adding some RAM to her 5-year-old HP notebook -- I told her just to reimburse me for the cost of the RAM, but she insisted on giving me a bonus for all my time, and I DID spend QUITE A FEW HOURS researching to make sure I found the right module to max it from 256 to 512 MB (module was $55 with shipping, and she gave me a $100 bill and insisted I keep the change -- of course I told her she gets any more help for free, because I DON'T claim to be a computer tech, lol, and I was by there this morning for a checkup).

Anyway, I'm SOMEWHERE between "intermediate" and "advanced," but I can tell I don't hold a candle to folks like YOU, Orev, although I'm always trying to learn more... I was on the Mac for a number of years because I was in the publishing business, but it doesn't seem to matter too much these days, plus I'm not really writing much these days, and FRANKLY, I finally decided all the folks who said Apple was just charging way too much for similar hardware were RIGHT... In fact, when I first started looking for a 17" laptop, the first place I looked was the Best Buy website, and when I clicked on their 17" link, the top of their list was the Apple 17" laptop -- at $2,799 -- it was FAR LESS "decked out" than most of us are talking about with 9500s at $1,700, or thereabouts, and now that it sports an Intel processor like all the rest, it's a HECK OF A LOT EASIER to compare the hardware dollar for dollar, and I JUST REALLY CAN'T SEE IT!

YES, the OS is still superior in some ways and Windoze, is still a complicated attempt to continue to play "catch-up" (although sometimes Windows passes the Mac OS for brief periods)... but it's JUST NOT WORTH IT... A little more than a year ago, my local branch of the Men's Garden Club (largest local branch in the nation, by the way -- not bad for a city of 40,000) hosted the national convention for the Gardeners of America/Men's Garden Clubs of America (funny name for us to still have, since our particular club is roughly half female membership now and our current president is a woman, lol)... Anyway, as a former weekly newspaper editor and publisher/writer/photographer -- and YOUNAMEIT during its decline to DEATH, LOL, I volunteered to produce a daily 4-page newspaper for the three-day convention...

In the past, I would have done this on a Mac, using something like Pagemaker, but I was NOW using an HP m376n and all I had was Microsoft Office 2003 (which I HADN'T REALLY USED that much)... Now there was a time when I was practically an EXPERT USER of MS Word -- on the Mac, 9 years earlier... or on Windows 3.3 4 years prior to THAT... But things had changed, and although I was PRETTY SURE I could produce a simple 4-page newsletter using MS-Word in Office 2003, I had NO IDEA how -- steep learning curve -- and the ONLY person in our club with the publishing know-how was our now-president, the too-busy-at-the-time-to-help convention director, who was Mac-only and NOT interested in my Windoze problems.

Well, already-too-long-story shortened, I figured it out, I did it, I had to manually tweak a few things here and there, but I published it, with full-color photos (most of which I took), and the finished product looked DAMNED FINE if I do say so myself -- as good as or better than any newspaper I ever put out!

So WHO NEEDS A MAC any more? When and IF I have the money for a THIRD computer, I MIGHT get a low-end Mac just for some cross-compatibility -- MAYBE... if it costs less than an iPhone (which I ALSO have no use for)!
Jeff

 

You can find information about Santa Rosa here. The "platform" is composed of the chipset, the processor, the wireless card, and probably a few other chips. Since that's intel based, it does not apply to the AMD laptops.

 

Thanks for the Wikipedia link, Orev... Looks like those of us who could hold our breath another year would get even far better laptops... but then technology DOES always march forward, and you have to get the best you can get TODAY.... I don't NEED ONE a year from now; I need one this September, lol, and I'm on a 2-week countdown to a purchase/order date (just awaiting SC's sales tax holiday, lol). ASSUMING HP WILL honor that online, I'm almost certain to go with the 9500, UNLESS all the current specials on it expire between now and then (and from what I've seen on their website, they're good longer than that).

I have to say, however, that IF that 9535 had a fingerprint reader and bluetooth, I'd probably settle for the 1.5 Ghz processor and save a few bucks and buy locally, so I didn't have to ALWAYS deal with a website and toll-free number... Then again, IF I get the extended warranty, I BELIEVE Best Buy's "Geek Squad" is who handles all that, so I'd be dealing with them, anyway (I periodically go in the store and pump those guys for free technical info, lol).

The more I read over at the much longer official 1720 owners' thread, the more I think I want the 9500, lol (but PLEASE don't tell those folks I said that!)
Jeff

P.S. Now watch me go and do something TOTALLY off-the-wall, like get a GATEWAY!

 

Geeksquad. Technical support. I just blew coffee out my nose. That's funny!

Jeff, why don't you check out Costco? You can configure through their website, their price will be better, and they up the warranty to 2 yrs.

 

No Costco in my city (one in a city 30 miles away, though)... But I've also read a few nasty reports on here about people trying to do returns to them for faulty computers and such and getting POOR service, so I don't know...

Don't get over to that OTHER city very often... not sure if it's worth the trouble, but I'll look into it.
Jeff

 

How many of you (other than Lupin, the 3rd, who has posted some of what I'm replying to here), have read the thread in this HP area titled "How Hot is Too Hot?" http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=139991?

It refers to questions on several HP laptops, but a good number of them are directed at the dv9500, and how HOT it seems to get, and there are also a number of pretty good-looking links for downloads to assess how hot your laptop's innards are at any given time... Several folks are reporting laptops getting almost too hot to touch, and some have tested hard drives and found them exceeding 50 degrees C...

Lupin posted that anything above 40 C is detrimental to a hard drive's life, and that the MTBF on a hard drive running at 50 C is less than HALF what it is of one running at 40 C or lower! Well, this makes SENSE TO ME, since I just recently had TWO external drives fail on me on my home system -- one only 1.5 years old, although giving it a bit of rest seems to have brought it back around and I copied everything from it to a larger drive, just for safe measure... The OTHER, one of those Western Digital "My Book" drives I bought JUST JUNE of 2006 APPEARS TO BE FRIED... It makes "clicking sounds" when it tries to power up, like the reading arm is hanging, or something (unfortunately, this was the drive I was using for my most current storage of things like photos and while the OLDER ONES were backed up to DVD and also to other hard drives, the newer stuff may JUST BE LOST)...

Also, while on the subject, when I originally BOUGHT this drive and registered for my one-year warranty online, it came back 45 days SHORTER than a year... Well I've taken off the cover and see a drive manufacture date of March 9... If memory serves me, when I counted back the days they shorted me, it took me back to APRIL 9... So apparently, Western Digital figures they'll take "a hit" on the first 30 days AFTER manufacture date of the drive, and after that, it's the customer's responsibility, REGARDLESS of when they actually PURCHASE AND TAKE POSSESSION of the drive (MAXTOR is doing this too, now, by the way!).

Two less hard drive brands that'll be getting MY business... Guess I'm about down to Seagate, since my sole Lacie purchase was a MAJOR disappointment!

Seriously, though, y'all might wanna look into that heat issue... The one person who said they found their hard drive was running at 53 C said they called HP and HP said to send it back PRONTO!
Jeff

 

Jeff,

I still think you're reading into this too much. Mostly people post on boards when there is a problem. The posts on this board, and any other, are a VERY small percentage of the total number of 9500's out there. They are usually to blow off steam and ask for help (and usually get it).

My last laptop was an HP ZD7000 series with a desktop processor in it. I can truly say that the 9500 feels like a luke warm washcloth compared to it. it was hot!

Neither the drive or processor run hot in mine. In fact it's a pleasure to use!

A good way lengthen a drives life is to set the power settings so it spins down after 20 or 30 minutes without activity. Remember, drives are cheap. For an external drive I always disconnect it from the power source and computer to prevent any damage caused by lightning or other electrical anomalies when not in use.

 

I think I neglected to mention that the "My Book" drive I said is likely FRIED was HOT every time I touched it, and while it DID "sleep" when not in use, it was always ON when the computer wasn't in sleep mode (it had autosleep).

It also had a bad habit the past few months that periodically it would just disappear from the drives list and the only way to bring it back was to unplug it and plug it back in... I guess I SHOULD HAVE taken a hint from that to quit using it as a DOCUMENTS drive.

Live and learn!
Jeff

 

OK, I flipped and flopped enough, and essentially hijacked this thread (pretty much after the original poster had his questions addressed, though, I think), so I think it's ONLY FAIR to tell anyone who still cares I HAVE decided to go with the dv9500t, and all I'm waiting for now is another 7 days until South Carolina has its Aug. 3-5 annual "Sales Tax Holiday" for all items considered "back-to-school" purchases...

You don't have to PROVE you're in school, or using it for school; if it's a computer, or any kind of school supply, or a number of other items that are school-related, there's no sales tax on it those three days, and since they raised sales tax to 6% this year, that will save me an extra $120+ (assuming they ALSO normally charge sales tax on extended warranties)... Of course this ALSO assumes the current discounts and specials on my "build" don't expire in the next week and nullify my savings, in which case I'll be PISSED, but I DID call HP's sales department tonight and ask them about this, and was ASSURED they'd participate in the Sales Tax Holiday, but that there's no guarantee my specials will last another week (some of the specials have already "denigrated" during the past couple of weeks -- like the $200 off dropped to $150 off -- and the "free upgrade" to 2 GB RAM went to a $50 upgrade, and the free upgrade to lightscribe went away, but I WON'T pay extra for lightscribe, as I never use that feature, anyway, and if I need it, can burn lightscribe disks with my OTHER lightscribe drive).

I just hope the deal doesn't get ENOUGH WORSE in the next week to negate the sales tax savings... I'm not THRILLED that HP has no "at-home" option on their extended warranty, but other than that the price is comparable with everyone else, and NOBODY ELSE can even COME CLOSE as far as customizing a system like I want it -- especially at anything RESEMBLING a similar price.

Thanks for all your help, folks!
Jeff

 

Glad to hear that Jeff, and a little pissed. Indiana is taxing me faster than I can make it. If it keeps up I'm buying a good scanner and a better printer!

Oh yeah, flipping and flopping are both against the TOS of the forum!

 

You a little pissed at ME, or at Indianna for NOT having a "Tax Holiday???"

By the way, SC REALLY OUTDID ITSELF this past Black Friday Weekend 2006 by abolishing ALL SALES TAX ON EVERYTHING, STATEWIDE that Friday-Sunday... I didn't even have to pay sales tax on the $3 crickets I bought to feed my bullfrogs I keep in an indoor aquarium that Saturday, lol!

As for "flipping and flopping" both being against the TOS of the forum, you ARE just joshing with me, aren't you???

Finally, that link at the end of your post, is that a link to YOU??? If so, I'll click on it... If it's somebody else, maybe I still will, but if it's YOU, I'll wanna go see!!!

By the way, I just got TWO of those Seagate Free-Agent 500 GB external drives that are on sale at both OfficeMax AND Best Buy for $129.99 through the end of the day tomorrow (bought one from Best Buy and one from OfficeMax, although they had to order theirs, since they had sold out -- Best Buy almost was)... Gonna use these IDENTICAL drives, one as a backup for the other... One for my primary storage for documents, and backup everything to the other EVERY DAY, since I THINK I just COMPLETELY LOST irreplaceable photos and probably some other documents, as well!

These are 7200 RPM SATA drives with a 5-year warranty, so anyone who HASN'T gotten one yet, there's only ONE SHOPPING DAY LEFT... I'd get MINE... Don't know if Best Buy will let you do a Rain Check or order it at that price, but OfficeMax did.

Happy Computing!
Jeff
Jeff

 

Jeff,

As far as I know, HP or even Costco.com (if you buy it from them) do not charge you until the computer actually ships. Would that cause a problem with that three day window?

 

Jeff,

The whole post was in jest.

And to answer your question, yup... It's me and my poor attempt at spreading information over the internet

 

I don't THINK SO, SP Forsythe... That was PART OF MY concern about the three-day window, and why I called HP's sales support a last night (or was it the night before? one night blends into another, lol), and asked the guy... He said as soon as I place the order, THAT'S when the sales tax will be levied, and if it's during that window, they'll honor it. I just think they don't actually PLACE the charge on your credit card until it ships, WHICH THEY REALLY SHOULDN'T, but since you MADE the PURCHASE during a period of no sales tax, even though the actual BILLING isn't done until shipment is made, the sales tax should still be unbillable, I would think...

In the event it DOESN'T work that way, my MANY contacts in the online world will know about it, lol... I'll get my $120 back in frustration venting, lol!

But I DON'T think that will happen, and frankly, since I'm going to attempt this on DAY ONE of the Sales Tax holiday, if the HP website WON'T do what the guy on the phone said they would, I'll bite the bullet and buy something not configured exactly to my specs direct from Best Buy or Circuit City, or Office Depot or OfficeMax -- all of which are within 1.5 miles of my home...

I'll NOT let a manufacturer take advantage of me by telling me one thing and doing another!
Jeff

 

Nice website, DeputyDave, but Oh, I'm sooooo disappointed in you in ONE RESPECT... you SOLD OUT, dude...

I mean, here you are in the HP section, one of the TWO MAIN FOLKS who helped convince me to buy the HP laptop, yet in the HARDWARE recommendations section of your website, the only manufacturer you have listed there (along with a slick-looking AD, I might note), is DELL!

For SHAME Is there NO ONE not "for sale" any more?!?
Jeff

 

Jeff, I have a ton of experience with dell. The consumer support difference between hp and dell is nonexistant, though neither are as good as they can/should be. My last personal laptop was an HP because it was the only one I could find that had a numpad AND the features I wanted at the price I was willing to pay. I found the same to be true again this time around. At the moment I don't think HP can be beat from a value standpoint, and I plan on updating the site to reflect this. I have no problem recommending the best value, and tend to "flip flop" (that's for you Jeff) as the tides change!

 

Yaknow, I NEVER wear those things any more... not since I stepped on a pop top and blew one out... had to limp my way all the way back home!

 

I bought from HP 2 years ago on a tax free weekend . . . the day of my order counted as the purchase date.

They charged me the tax anyway; but one follow-up phone call and they took it off. Our state limited tax-free computer purchase that weekend to $1500.

 

Yeah, rhetor, that's EXACTLY the kind of one-hand-doesn't-know-what-the-other-is-doing thing I'd EXPECT from one of the big companies, like HP, or Dell, but I'm happy to read your report that they DID at least take the tax charge off after one phone call...

In MY CASE, although I will be building the system online, I'll be finalizing the sale on the phone, and RECORDING the phone call and telling them so while I'm at it to hold them to the tax-free pledge, lol.

I'm not quite paranoid, but my level of caution when it comes to making big purchases online or over the phone (and this will be my biggest yet) is probably as close as you can get within the bounds of sanity, lol.

I don't play when there's that much to PAY
Jeff

 

Anyone have any idea when better discounts will REgenerate? A $300 off any configuration over $1299 would be really nice...

 

Hmmmmm, I'm hoping BEFORE FRIDAY, Durmat, ALTHOUGH Circuit City DID through a rather INTERESTING WRENCH into the works just today... Up until TODAY, the only place I'd seen the "Velocity Micro" brand available for sale was at Tiger Direct, and they were usually budget "power systems," but like still sporting XP or something... I'm on CC's email list, however, and last night just after midnight I got their latest weekly email, with a link to "save hundreds" on laptops, so I clicked and the first thing it said was "Introducing Velocity Micro."

Although they're only two 15.4" laptops, and they don't come with TV tuners, other than that (and the fact that they have a 667 Mhz front-side Bus), these are two REAL power systems, from what I can tell (except I DON'T believe they're using the Centrino chips, but the same ones that go in the desktop systems, instead...

Yet for $1549 for a 2.4 Ghz system or $1899 for a 2.66 Ghz system, both complete with 200 GB, 7200 RPM hard drives, 2 GB of RAM, bluetooth and fingerprint reader -- and BOTH have the 512 MB VERSION of the 8600 Video Card -- it's STILL a tempting deal!

I have to say, CC's WAY overpriced extended warranty with accident protection (two options 2 years and 4 years -- and 2 years with accident protection is $500!!!) is the ONLY THING keeping me from seriously reconsidering my dv9500t (I can get a Hauppage external USB HD tuner for $59 if I were to get a laptop without built-in TV tuner)... But since I've decided not to risk a system without the extended warranty and accident protection, and theirs is just WAY too expensive, I'm still on course for the dv9500t.

I'd still go to the CC website and take a look at those new Velocity Micro systems, if I were you guys, though... Pretty impressive 15.4" laptops, unless there's a REAL PROBLEM with putting the desktop chip in a laptop (they're also 1.7" thick, which I think is partly because they DO appear to be built in part with parts made for desktop PCs).

Happy Computing!
Jeff

 

Quick reply- don't let the warranty be the deciding factor; you can always purchase a third-party warranty for less.

Desktop chips in a laptop, on the other hand...great to have that kind of power, but kills battery life and gives off tons of heat. Still, I don't know anything about VM laptops in particular.

 

Well here's the link, if you want to look for yourself, Durmat (or anyone else, for that matter)... The only OTHER issue I have with these computers is that at least for now they're not available IN-STORE, only by shipping from CircuitCity.com... With something this NEW and DIFFERENT, I'd REALLY like to be able to look and touch and play with it a bit before I plunked down $1,500 or more for it.

Anyway, here's the link directly to CC's webpage with the two VM laptops highlighted on it...

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Notebook-Computers/sem/rpsm/catOid/-12963/N/20012961+20012963+40000326/link/ref/rpem/ccd/categorylist.do

Happy Browsing!
Jeff

 

This doesn't help with finding a way to see them in person, but there are other desktop ("Conroe") processor notebooks out there- the Sager NP9260, and the Asus C90, for example, are discussed extensively in these boards. Perhaps looking at some of those threads would be helpful to you.

 

Ahhhhh, yes... the Sager NP9260... After I was encouraged by one of the moderators in ANOTHER THREAD to post a new thread in the "What Laptop Should I Buy" section, I did, SAYING I wanted a 17" screen, and STILL the ONLY person who posted a suggestion pretty much insisted that the computer for me was a 15.4" Sager model, which was MORE EXPENSIVE than the dv9500t and available only from online sellers I'd never even heard of (I believe it WAS the 9260, in fact).

Frankly, if I could get one pre-built with everything I want on it, I'd buy from a local retailer... Unfortunately, at the present time I can't find any like that. My guess, however, is that by the time I get mine broken in they'll be available like I wanted at either Best Buy, Circuit City or BOTH, lol... That's USUALLY the way things work.
Jeff

 

No, I'm guessing they recommended you the Sager 2090- no matter what you post on the WLSIB? board, SOMEONE will come back to you with the suggestion for the 2090, which is a 15.4" notebook (that, it's worth mentioning, is apparently backordered for 2 months or so).

The 9260 is 17", but it uses the nVidia 7950 card, which is the most powerful GPU out there but is not DirectX compatible. I worry enough about future-proofing without going out and buying something that, while the best of the previous generation, is already of the previous generation.

 

Yeah... kind of like all the JUNK Tiger Direct keeps sending in the TOP of their email ads... brand new "systems" for low dollars -- either using YESTERDAY'S technology and/or software, or SO UNDERPOWERED (Vista with 1 GB or less, for instance), that you'd wonder what the HECK you had as soon as you turned it on...

To me that's just POOR BUSINESS SENSE!
Jeff