HP DV3T hits the HP site!

It looks like mine is about a day away, too. It's sitting in Newark, NJ somewhere since 1:30am, which is about an hour away from where I am having it shipped. I am so excited!

 

I may be a day late, but it looks like the option of a backlit keyboard just popped back up which is awesome as far as I'm concerned.

 

Sweet! It's up there.

 

This may be a silly question, but what is the difference between the HP Color Matching Keyboard and the Full Size Backlit Keyboard? Is the full size backlit keyboard the same size as the HP Color Matching keyboard? Are they the same color? Is the only difference one lights up and the other does not?

Thanks!

 

Yes, the only difference is that the backlit lights up, the color matching is a normal keyboard the matches the color of your system.

 

aww... that's frustrating. i already ordered my dv3t and now they offer backlit keyboard. why was it not available earlier? i really wanted the backlight! guess i'll have to do without.

 

yes the HP logo on the back is glowing kinda like the apple logo does.

 

My computer is on the Fedex Truck en route to my house. Expect pictures sometime tonight or tomorrow.

 

My HP dv3t was delivered early this morning, so on my lunch break I went home and took it out of the box. I was going to do an unboxing video but my digital camera was acting fussy at first, so I decided to do some unboxing pictures. I was able to get my camera to do a video once everything was out of the box.

I made sure to take pics of the 9cell battery. You can be the judge if you think it's too obtrusive, but I like how it gives the bottom of the laptop some air to breathe. It doesn't seem to add that much weight to the pc, either.

Some other things I've noticed:

• The moonlight white looks great, and the HP logo does glow when it is powered on.
• I read reviews about the touchpad being glossy and tricky to use, and from my first impression that may in fact be correct. Maybe I'm just used to the touchpad on my dell inspiron (aged 4 years) but it definitely was more difficult to use than my old laptop.
• The build quality seems great to me. There were no wobbles or uneven surfaces. I love the hinge.
• The keyboard is well done, and feels good to the touch but I am definitely not accustomed to it. The little divets on the f and j keys are not as prominent as other computers I use, so I found myself blindly feeling for big ridges on those keys that didn't exist.
  
  I'll post more observations when I get a chance.

If anyone wants to know anything, let me know. Here are my specs, if you're curious:
- Moonlight White
- Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
- Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor P7450 (2.13GHz)
- FREE Upgrade to 4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm) from 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
- FREE Upgrade to 320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
- Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
- 13.3" diagonal WXGA High-Definition HP LED BrightView Widescreen Display (1280 x 800)
- LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
- Webcam
- Wireless-G Card
- HP Color Matching Keyboard
- 9 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

Here are the pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csoccerw2/sets/72157618917470632/

And the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW6N1bby7Zw

 

I'm jealous. Fedex said mine was on a truck that's been roaming since 8:01 am. 5 hours later, I'm still waiting.

 

thanks csoccerw2!

 

I just got mine. It's a lot bigger than your normal 13.3. The screen is very wide.

 

@pqi8: dont be so jealous man! you will get yours too.

 

Thannnk you my good sir.

 

correction: i'm a MA'AM...

 

@csoccerw2:
in one of your flickr photos, there is a remote. but i can't find any remote option during customization!

@all: does anybody know how to change the text below the username? mine says 'notebook enthusiast', which i am certainly not!

 

The names below are just titles based off the number of posts you have.

The remote is automatically included with the laptop. There's no option per se. It's very nice, as it fits into the ExpressCard slot for storage.

 

As for a couple of quick first impressions.

-The screen is 1366x768, not the 1200x800 listed on the website.
-Windows 7 RC works perfectly on the machine. I've already trashed Vista and by doing so, saved a lot of time removing a lot of bloatware that came pre-installed.
-The screen isn't very bright on anything but the highest setting. Consequently, even when using the 9 cell battery, I wouldn't expect more than 3-4 hours per charge with most things on. I haven't tried the 6 cell yet, but I wouldn't hold my breath for anything more than 2 hours. I'm sure by dimming the screen and turning off wi-fi and what not will net you more hours, but you'd be using a severely crippled machine. (Note: I have the 105m which has a much higher power draw than the 4500)
-soccer is very much correct in that the grooves for the letters F and J are nearly non-existent. Aside from that, the keyboard is very roomy and is enjoyable to type on.
-Trackpad is basically a mirror. It's coated in something pretty sticky, so expect some resistance when dragging your finger across.
-Speakers are moderate. Not the loudest things in the world, but the Altec Lansings are an upgrade from most generic laptops.
-Laptop runs extremely cool, the only discernible heat comes from the top right corner where the vent is. This is a good thing as the computer has very good airflow throughout the system and the vents and fans do there job very well.
-I do want to say something about the 9 cell battery. Most likely it'll prevent users from using a tightly snug neoprene sleeve, but like soccer said, the elevation does make for a more comfortable typing experience. It's actually a very smart design point and I've felt no issues with the stability of the laptop, even though one would think it would cause everything to wobble.
-105m is not a very powerful card. I've played a little TF2 and to get playable framerates, most of the settings needed to be turned down.
-The laptop looks beautiful. I also got the moonlight white and it's a stunner. Like I mentioned earlier, the size kind of takes you by surprise. I would have to say the width of the laptop makes it almost feel like a 14.1 or 15.6 inch. So if you're main concern is portability, I would do a little more research. I do have to say, that I'm somewhat biased considering I've been using a 10.1" Samsung NC10 for the last six months.


I'll post more as I continue to play with it.

 

omg sorry! lol, thank you ma'am then . lol i was really itching for some real consumer taken photos. thanks again!

 

I've installed Win7 RC x64 and have two unknown devices but I can't find the folder where the protectsmart is supposed to be. What can the other device be? Please help!

//R

 

Ooh! Thanks, I didn't notice that. I did notice that it works with iTunes. Just received mine yesterday. I got the P8600 2.4 Ghz, 4MB, 500GB, 9 cell. Still getting things set up but am very happy so far. Not having a problem with the trackpad. I didn't upgrade the graphics card but then I don't play games. All said, for $713 with the coupon code it's one heck of a deal.

Iris

 

pqi8, I have to agree with most of your first impressions.
i haven't put windows 7 on mine yet, but when i get my hands on some dvdrs (im fresh out) i will issue my verdict (i can't imagine i will disagree).
i also agree about the portability of the laptop. The laptop is a lot bigger than you might expect, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in all circumstances but if youre looking for an UTLRAportable i suggest going for something smaller.
After one day of use, I LOVE IT. But, this is only the honeymoon so we'll have to wait and see.

 

Which coupon did you use? I didn't see any that were active. Ordered mine last night with slightly different specs and it came out to $947.

 

The coupons we used expired early last week. I think it was the instant 150 off, which is still available + another 250 off.

 

alright guys i finally got my video completed i will be uploading to youtube asap and i will post a link to view it. stay tuned

 

I know that the chances are slim, but does anybody know where I can buy a dv3t backlit keyboard? According to the dv3t manual, the part number is 530646-001 (found on the bottom of page 3-3).

It is not orderable from HP Parts shop http://h20141.www2.hp.com/hpparts/S...23C84D7A8B246CB1FE3299CF&SearchInc=PartNumber

 

I used NB4517, I believe it said at the time that it was limited to 2500 uses. Of course I applied all the free upgrades.

HP Pavilion dv3t Entertainment PC
- Espresso Black
- Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
- Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.4 GHz)
- FREE Upgrade to 4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm) from 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
- 500GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
- Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
- 13.3" diagonal WXGA High-Definition HP LED BrightView Widescreen Display (1280 x 800)
- LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
- Webcam Only
- Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card
- No Included Mobile Broadband
- HP Color Matching Keyboard
- 9 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
- Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
- HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope



Product description
Product #

Qty

Your
extended
price
HP Pavilion dv3t Entertainment PC eligible for free shipping NH680AV

1


$713.99
Summary of discounts for order XXXXXXXXX:

Instant discounts you received:
$250.00 Coupon NB4517
$150.00 Notebook instant rebate

 

:sigh: I'm always late on the draw.

 

here you go guys i uploaded a video

part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AXhqQIKcGk

part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rvLtF1YAZ0

 

GREAT video man! Props!

 

thanks a lot man, trying to upload the remainder of the video to youtube.

 

got the second part up and running.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rvLtF1YAZ0

 

thx man

 

nice video man. Does anyone know why the dv3z was discontinued on the hp website? i wont be able to order my dv3t for a while yet but i dont want the dv3t to follow the same path and myself to lose the opportunity to buy a dv3t customized the way i want it...

 

Because AMDs suck. Basically.

lol

Well, I think AMD is going to be releasing new CPUs shortly...

You don't have to worry about the DV3T going anywhere for a long while...

 

Another question: Earlier one of the buyers (forgot the name) said that the dv3t came with a 2 year warranty? Can any of the newer customers comment on this?

 

My DV3 has 2-year warranty, I bought it 27th May

 

some pages earlier in the thread, people wanted to know about the two unknown devices in win7. i found out! one is 3d driveguard. the other is quick launch buttons. just go to hp.com. click on support and drivers. enter dv3t in the search box. select vista ultimate 32/64 bit and download the appropriate drivers for quick launch. but for some reason, driveguard drivers are not listed.
at least one unknown device is gone.
hope this helps.

 

Does anyone know if there is a way to get the LCD screen to dim more? Sometimes I like to use it among crowds, like a church service, but don't want to distract people. I'm also thinking of putting anti-glare film on this thing. I really don't like how it's like a mirror.

There's also a MAC article of how to remove the front portion of an LCD screen to remove the glossy part. Anyone know if this would be possible for this lappy?

 

can anybody tell me about the sound quality thru headphones? on my present toshiba, sound is very crappy. i hear disturbances when there's a lot of cpu activity!

 

quick question what color is the backlit keyboard? and can u turn it off/on or is it always going to glow?

 

did you do a clean install of vista? if you didn't the driver you are looking for is the protectsmart driver. it is in the swsetup folder on the c: drive in a folder called ProtSHD

 

sounds great there is no inteference from cpu activity

it is white since the backlight is LED and yes it can be turned on and off. the key combination is Fn+SpaceBar.

 

i mean the backlite keyboard thingy not the led thing. like wat color does it glow (ie. blue, green, red, ornage, or etc)

 

the backlight keyboard USES led bulbs to create the backlight; and as he mentioned, along with others in this thread, the BACKLIGHT for the KEYBOARD is WHITE

 

@kloves2fly:
i'm talking about win7, not vista. and its a dv4, which i will sell when my dv3 gets here. i want to make sure win7 will support all the devices. but all the same, i installed the driver from the folder you mentioned and it works, no more unknown devices.
btw, protectsmart is just another name from driveguard?

 

Decent looking machine! Any reason you guys aren't looking at something like the Asus F6Ve?

 

I ordered the dv3t without the backlit keyboard, and while it was in the mail I discovered that they began offering the backlit option. I called and they told me that the only way to get the backlit keyboard was to order a new one, and return the previous one when I received it. I went ahead, and for reasons I won't get into here, the total actually came out to be $50 less than the original, and with a backlit keyboard. I received the original one yesterday and unboxed it for a test drive before mailing it off today. My first impression is that this is a hell of a nice little computer. My primary computer is a 24" iMac, so I am comparing it to a pretty stellar machine. I was very pleasantly surprised with the performance, size, and weight. I don't know about some of the previous comments about bulk. I feel that this computer is very portable, and I purchased it for school, so that is my primary concern (although the 9-cell does add considerable weight). My only two concerns are the display and the touchpad. The display is just okay, and you really can't see anything unless you are looking at the screen head-on, but for an $800 machine I don't expect the display to be outstanding. The trackpad, as other people have mentioned is not the greatest surface, and I noticed while browsing the internet, suddenly the resize arrow would inexplicably appear and the page would shrink or enlarge to ridiculous levels (anybody know how to prevent this?). All told, after one night of use, I am pretty pleased, and for the price this computer exceeded my expectations. Here are the specs for the new one (only difference is the backlit keyboard):

- Espresso Black
• Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
• Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor P7450 (2.13GHz)
• FREE Upgrade to 4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm) from 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• FREE Upgrade to 320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• 13.3" diagonal WXGA High-Definition HP LED BrightView Infinity Widescreen Display (1280 x 800)
• Blu-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW Double Layer
• [For BrightView Infinity Display] Webcam Only
• Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card with Bluetooth
• No Included Mobile Broadband
• Full Size Backlit Keyboard
• 50% OFF!! One 6 Cell and One 9 Cell Lithium Ion Batteries
• Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
• HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

The whole thing came to just over $820, which is really a heck of a deal. I was weighing canceling this one and waiting to reorder after July 1st to get the free upgrade to Windows 7, but I don't think it is worth the trouble.

 

Hi Guys,

I just ordered an anti-glare film from http://www.radtech.us/Products/ClearCal-Displays.aspx which is made for 13.3 Macbooks. If anyone is interested, I am getting this by Friday and can post pics and a brief review of how it comes out. I get literally blinded by the glare from this glossy display when near sunlight or a window. It hurt my eyes pretty bad when I was just surfing the net yesterday. I've resolved that I am done with this glossy screen.

 

I'd love to see pics and a review. Sometimes the glare gets to me too.