*HP HDX DRAGON Owners Lounge, Part 1*

Forecast Update August 18 - 25, 2008 - New HDX with Centrino 2 Chipset

HP released the dv5 and dv7 Centrino 2 on July 14, 2008.
I am forecasting that the 'NEW HDX 20”' (not sure of the exact name) and possibly other 17 inchers all with the new Centrino-2 Chipset will be released on August 18 or August 25, 2008 - the date is an estimate. Options will soon thereafter include Intel’s X9100 Penryn Processor. It is probable that a Blu Ray Writer will also be an option, among others.

HP’s last year scandal called pre-texting is when certain individuals in upper management were releasing dates and secrets through certain channels. Since that time HP has been very hush-hush and internal about its upcoming products.

THE RELEASE OF THE NEW 20" HDX CENTRINO-2 IS COMING UP VERY SOON - CONFIDENCE IS HIGH!

 

For Canadians looking for a bag:

http://www.mostlydigital.ca/detail.php?recordID=H75821

Targus has this new bag coming in a week or two.

 

Z-Man-360 Wrote

Question is if they will last that long. B&H has sold out of that model already!!!

 

Hey guys,
HI, my name is hcforde and I am an addict. I am a wannabe HP HDX owner and I need help. I have daily perused these now 100 pages since I found them about 2 weeks ago looking for a fix but find none . What ever I do just makes it worse.

2.0, ValmonNR , Black Knight: your post have helped make my tenuous condition worse(LOL) I appreciate you insight and I thank you. But I need MORE, EverMORE information so I can pacify my condition.
I trade foreign currency(FOREX) and at home I have 14 active monitors that I watch (yes I admit I am an LCD addict also). When I travel I need something that I can monitor my trades on and play an occasional game. I like tactical shooters and RTS games. One delimma I have is whether to get 1680*1050 or the 1920*1200 screen. For gaming, the larger screen would put more strain on the GPU but I would have more chart information available to me. Question is would the dot pitch be too small for me to see well in a 20” form factor. Does anyone know what the dot pitch is on these as wsxga and wuxga?. Would a 1920*1200 on a 20” screen equate to a 1440*900 on a 14” screen? That would be one way I could judge.

Another problem I have is whether to buy now or wait for the next iteration of the HDX. The possibility of PUMA is exciting. Also the faster video possibility with ATI is another positive for waiting. The HDX 9494NR though as a retail machine continues to tempt me(B&H has sold out, temporarily they say, but HP is also out of stock-so the HDX9494NR may just be a one-time liquidation run). Its (HDX9494NR)only limitation is the screen, “BUT” if someone could give me some info on how I might fare with 1680*1050 it would be appreciated. Has anyone here seen them side-by-side?

I have also looked at the Acer Aspire AS8920-6746 Intel Core 2 Duo T9300(2.50GHz) 18.4" Wide UXGA 4GB Memory 320GB HDD Blu-ray Disc / Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce 9500M GS NoteBook - Retail $1800

Seems like the HDX has forced ACER to cut its price. I sniffed out their retail model going for 1799 that is pretty tricked out. But my nose belongs to the HDX. Even if the new 18.4 is the old 20.1 I think I prefer the HDX if I need to wait.

Any thoughts???

Thanks

hcforde

 

Hi 2.0,

Took my time, gathered SP1 and HP files on a USB memory stick and gave it a shot ( kept the machine off the net and away from MS update). Unfortunately, the remote still doesn't work. Symptoms are exactly the same.

Thought about uninstalling Quickplay thinking it may be causing a conflict. And Device Manager lists two devices: " ITECIR infrared receiver" and "microsoft ehome infrared transceiver". Don't know if those two are conflicting...?? or if that's even a reasonable line of thought.

Anyway HP finally contacted me yesterday and are offering a replacement machine so will probably have the faulty item for another week or so.

Thanks again for your time and help. Fantastic.

Best Regards

 

Dunno about "plenty of other things" but if I had to ride a bike I would definitely get the Alienware (assuming it fits, I'll be able to tell you that, next week when it gets here) Dragon is BIG MONSTA, and that backpack can be secured like a parachute. But it you fall it will stay on your back, so if monsta crushes your back, don't come back here waving a vertebra in your hand and complaining.

(Looks like Asuhoru Ilugger is pretty big as well, maybe a little bigger, but probably feels less stable when worn as a backpack.)

 

Hi guys!
I recently purchased a HEHDX9494NR and I'm just wandering if anyone knows why I have such disturbance when I try to watch TV on my computer? The cables are connected as they should be, as far as I can see.

Thnx!

 

Nice work Black Knight on page 100. The... GO TO page. Thanks.

 

Haven't brought it out in public. They just sit on their respective desks.

But when peeps come over, it's shock and awe.

 

Perfect setup. Go for it.

 

Sorry that didn't work out for you. But since HP's sending you a new one, that's sure to fix the problem. Well, 99% sure it will.

 

To current owners of Dragons...specifically those that have a model in ANY way better than the HDX9494 (preferably aT9300 or better plus any HDD of 7200rpm). --do you want to UPGRADE???

here is 9494 build:
Operating System Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit
CPU Type Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 2.1G
Screen 20.1" WSXGA+ 1680x1050
Memory Size 4GB DDR2
Hard Disk 320GB
Optical Drive Blu-ray Disc / Super Multi
Graphics Card NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTS
Video Memory 512MB GDDR3 dedicated


I have been on the phone numerous times with HP and though they have a 21 day no questions asked return at no cost policy they can not get an equivalent build to the 9494 model at same price as Newegg. If they would just get the equivalent build to the pre-built price I would pay for Processor and HDD upgrade plus tax NO PROBLEM. But they can not add any type of discount to the $500 off coupon.

So if someone has invested in a decent build and would like to upgrade and get something back on original machine or maybe a contest winner, post a reply then we can hopefully find a way for both of us to win!!!

Thanks for any replies.

 

Could someone please direct me to the page that explains how to connect a console to the hdx. I can get the s-video but where do i plug the audio?

 

Cool thanks for your input!! I talked to one of their reps and they have quite a few left in stock, so within the next week I will be buying it!! Love all the information I can get about it on this site too, if any problems should arise.

 

Thanks, I was thinking I should maybe update it with other insights about the most common problems... Shouldn't be a problem for the administrators if I edit over and over an old post, right?

 

dam, i hate aussie prices.... For 3600, we get the exact same config except without the 8800 GTS and with only 3 GB of RAM

 

Hey 2.0 what does it feel to be a notebook deity... ehm ...AMEN.

 

Well I thought I got off scot-free after the Customs sting but I have noticed two problems.

Firstly my power adpator makes a sound like arcing electricity but I can't smell any electrical burn. It's not constant but it seems to pick up more when the batery is charging or when the computer is doing some work. So it seems that any time there is a load on it, it makes a noise.
Just a note, it's a US adaptor running on Aus 240V but it's a smart adaptor so I assumed there would not be a problem. Any idea? Or just replace?

Second problem is that I have dual Segate 160GB HDs (I opened it up and they are both there) but I only have a "C Drive" with 150 GB of space. When I look at Hardware Properties is shows 2 hard drives of exactly the same size, same settings except one is channel 2 and the other is channel 0.
Is one HD just direct imaging the other? What would I need to do to gain the other 150GB of space I paid for?

 

Kind of, sort of, lofty.

 

Issue 1: Call and email HP, they'll send you a new one.

Issue 2: Control panel>administrative tools>Computer management>disk Management. What does it say for Disk1?

If it says other than (healthy primary partition) that means it's unpartitioned and unformatted. Right click it and partition it then format it.

 

It's right next to the S-Video connector. But you'll need a "Y" adapter plug like the following:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...igkw=y+adapter&kw=y+adapter&parentPage=search

 

Consider that 1680x1050 is the standard resolution for 20" monitors. And the font size (dot pitch) will be ~30% larger than 1920x1200. But, your needs are somewhat specialized considering that you trade currencies. But I think you'd still get by with 1680x1050. I'm assuming that you use Java charts. Most of the ones I've seen can be minimized with their title bar showing current bid/ask and price. You can keep your DOM up for the thing you're currently trading and click to maximize any particular chart of interest that has conditions that might currently meet a possible trade criteria.

Then again, you're only going to be "watching" and not trading the market actively using the HDX so you'd be fine without all the extra screen real estate.

As for whether or not a 1440 x 900 = the same dot pitch of a 1920 x 1200, the answer is...

HDX screen size

17" x 10.75' = 182.75 in sq. 3
pixels = 1920 x 1200= 2,280,000

Pixels per sq in = 12,475

17" screen with 1440 x 900 reso

14" x 9" =126 sq in.
pixels = 1440 x 900 =1,296,000

Pixels per sq in = 10,368.


While the HDX with a 1680 x 1050 reso would have 9652 pixels/sq in.

 

Hey 2.0 thanks for your reply.

I was mainly interested in the size of the dot pitch and how it would look with my trading screens. "I usually have more than one screen up." I found some info but it was confusing or just wrong. The HDX manual had .171 listed as the dotpitch size for both the wsxga and the wuxga. Definately wrong for wsxga as that is .258 on a 20inch monitor. Then I found some info via Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot_pitch

17" = 0.191 dot pitch
23" = 0.258 dot pitch

This being true then a 20" should yield a dot pitch of about (.191+.258/2) = .225. I verified this by looking at the WUXGA 24" 25.5" and 27" dot pitches and using the same procedure with the 24" and 27" got the same dot pitch that they had for the 25.5". Then I did some math magic

.225*1200 = 270
.255*1050 = 275

These 2 products can be considered equal and equals the heights of a 20.1" wide lcd screen

Using this info I went back to the WIKI page and found out what type of size/resolution lcd I should be looking for for a comparison on what the .225 dot pitch would actually look like. I happen to have a couple of DEell 20.1" Ultrasharps that have a resolution of .255 so that is .030 off.

So there are a few smaller commercial laptops that I can find at retail stores that will give me the reference point that I need for that part of the puzzle from .211 - .237 dot pitches.

I may have been a little misleading when I said "monitor trades." I will be making trades but more of the no-brainer types and not the riskier ones that I use all of the extra monitors for. I also can be with the family while they/we are watching TV and still monitor trades I would not have been able to do so before.

I appreciate all your post, your knowledge is not only deep, but wide. Thanks

hcforde

 

BTW a few more tidbits. As far as gaming goes I am currently running an ATI X1900xtx with a Q6600 OC'd to 3.0 Ghz in my gaming machine. How does the 8800M GTS in the HDX stack up against it. Any ideas?

I plan to get the 4870 X2 when they come out for my home game machine. so most of my gaming will be done on it so not a lot of gaming will be done on the HDX. I may use it to push bluray out to a 37" sharp TV. That being said do these bluray players upconvert?

Also the Currency market is 24/7 from Sunday afternoon at 5:00PM EST to Friday afternoon at 4:00PM EST.



BTW anyone know of a small portable lcd that is traveler friendly?

 

Speaking as someone who has bought used two hardside cases (tote along type) , one original HP tag along, and now a Dicota Multigiant I have to recomend hands down the HP case. It was the best backpack I've ever had on. Cushioned hideable rugged straps, rugged, plenty of extra space. I even added some foam rubber on my own, best case going but it was tooge for just carrying it around but as a backpack it was the best. Hard to find now but not impossible as HP no longer carries them. Check ebay, I sold mine there for a lot more than I paid for it because "AS A BACKPACK" it is simply the best. Really,....David G

 

Got my HDX last week and am loving it so far. Have been reading through all these posts and want to try updating the nvidia drivers to the 174.74 drivers, but the link listed above goes to a page that states the .inf is for vista 32bit only and I'm running 64bit...can anyone advise on how to proceed...am pretty new at this.

Many thanks for any help!

 

Evening chaps - this is my first post on this very informative site so be gentle.

Basically I'm thinking of buying an HDX 9320 but we don't appear to have the 1920*1080 screens that you guys in the States enjoy.

My first question is - is this right? or is there a seller in the UK that will sell these full HD screens?

Secondly, if there isn't and a buy a rig with the 1650 screen, would I really notice the difference if I see a friend's laptop with the full 1920? I would be using it for games, photos and editing movies.

I've never bought or owned a laptop before so I've no idea!

Thanks in advance for any help.

HB

 

Hey all, soon to be Dragon owner here. I've had my eye on this machine since last year but the price and Vista as the only OS option kept me from pulling the trigger on what would be a notebook replacement for my desktop.

I am still not thrilled about the lack of XP support but it looks like Vista is the future for Windows whether we like it or not (Windows 7); so I might as well take the plunge now while the price is good. I have an MSDN subscription so if Vista 64 doesn't pan out, I'll put Vista 32 on it.

Here's what I ordered:

HP Pavilion HDX Entertainment Series CTO
Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo Processor T8300 (2.40GHz)
20.1" diagonal WSXGA+ High-Definition HP Ultra Brightview Widescreen Display (1680 x 1050)
4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTS
240GB 5400RPM SATA Dual Hard Drive (120GB x 2)
LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support

HP wanted way too much for the 7200 RPM drives so I'll buy a a couple from Newegg later, otherwise, $1540 with free shipping seems like a pretty good deal.

I've followed most of this (insanely long) thread and thanks to the incredible amount of knowledge here I know what to expect and what to look for when my Dragon arrives. Hopefully it won't have any dead or stuck pixels or it goes back for an exchange (fingers crossed).

I can hardly wait for this bad boy to arrive which should be right around my birthday, and that's what it is, my birthday present

 

You can't go any further unfortunately. With 64bit Vista SP1, not only must the driver be signed, but the .inf must list the exact chip. None of the laptop video 2 go drivers will work. Pre-SP1, this wasn't a problem as there were workarounds.

The workaround for SP1 is Cumbersome and defeats system security.

 

Congrats and happy birthday!

I haven't had any problems with Vista 64. Works great on this machine. Looks good too.

 

Hi-

Thanks for the quickly reply. So I am stuck with what driver came on the machine? Am experiencing some blacked-out boxes on some pull down menus and some intermitent video stuttering, and while Age of Conan will play ok, it won't display the intro movie at all.

 

I have 174.77 running on x64 SP1 from L2G. The modded inf's should work if you get the x64 drivers.

 

Yep stuck. But Nvidia is set to drop new drivers soon that adds physX.

One thing you can try if you haven't already is to navigate to the game's .exe file. right click it and choose properties. Then click compatibility tab. Then choose run in XP sp2. That ususally clears up probs.

If that doesn't work, right click your desktop and select the Nvidia control panel. make sure you're in advanced settings. Choose manage 3d settings. Then choose the program settings tab.

Next you want to add a custom profile for the game. So click ADD. Navigate to the game's .exe file. Now you have a custom profile for the game. Make sure that most things are set to application control. One thing of note is to set the extension limit to on. Other things set to on or allow whichever they present as a choice.

Those two things should clear up your trouble.

I went through this process trying to get MOHAA to run. runs like a champ. Just have to adjust the aspect ratio.

 

No kiddin'? Missed that one. Was that the one in the forum? It's not listed in the main list.My brother mentioned something like that. does the control panel on that one work?

Edit: yep, it's in the Nvision forum. Here's a link for otter: http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=18051

 

Wow, this site is the best and you guys are great! I'm printing these out and will try both of your suggestions...here's hoping I don't blow my baby up

Thanks again!

 

Hello,

I have a question regarding how good is the display on hdx wsxga. I was at BestBuy and saw the sony all in one desktop 22" wsxga
VGC-LT35E , it is bright and beautiful doesn't strain my eyes. I can see myself watching tv and movie for hours on that display and I won't be buying a standalone hdtv.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665430244

Does anyone of you have seen both hdx and VGC-LT35E? If hdx wsxga have that kind of contrast and brightness, I will pull the trigger soon on hdx..

Big Thanks,
Noform

PS, I also look at 17" hp notebook and display
17" and 19", it just don't have the contrast of the sony display.

 

Yep, I saw that Sony too. And I saw it before i bought the HDX hoping it would be something like it.

Turns out it is. Just as clear and even lighting as the Sony. Just smaller.

Can't compare the 15 and 17" displays. HDX has a dual lamp display so the colors are "thick and rich."

 

@johnnyflash, what sort of improvement have you had with that driver?

Any bugs that you can tell?

 

Thanks for the link 2.0-
On that page, all I need is the drive and the modded inf files at the tip top of the page? Was a little confused because under the Comments section it says "You need to check our Reference List of NVIDIA's ODM/OEM INF naming scheme to figure out which of the original INFs supports your video card"...which threw me a little. Also, if I am understanding correctly, it looks like using these I won't have to do the F8 work-around during boot-ups?

Thanks again-

 

Thanks 2.0, That is great to hear...!!!!

I may just get the WSXGA instead of WUXGA to save some money. How is your blu-ray experience on your display?

I assume all new/current
17",18" notebooks anywhere don't have the double lamps.. is that correct?

Dicota case still out of stock everywhere, bummer!

I am gonna start to work out on my biceps and forearm to carry this baby around. I travel out of town twice a month.

Thanks again!!
Just few more paychecks and I am ready..

 

Don't have blu-ray on my setup. But it would be fine considering the screen size, you wouldn't notice the difference.

HP used to offer dual lamp on their 15" and 17" notebooks. I forget the name it used to go under. They were pretty good. But none match the HDX's.

There was another manufacturer who offered it too. I can't remember who it was. Toshiba perhaps?

The nice thing about the HDX's screen is it's right up there with the Sony and iMac screens. It "wows" everyone that sees it.

 

The main improvement is I can finally OC with nTune without getting a BSOD. Stock runs 50 points more in 06 and the only other thing i noticed is shuttering is SupCom is gone.

 

Good question. It appears that our 8800M GTS is in the "original" inf. D/L and try it. If it's the wrong inf, it'll say something like hardware not found and fail to install. I haven't tried it yet so I can't comment.

I'll let my bro guinea pig it since this particular HDX that I'm using is quasi mission critical. And he can't do it until tomorrow or Tuesday.

 

By original, do you mean the inf link at the top of the page should be the one that would work? Or do you mean we only need the driver and not the modded inf file at all? Think I'll wait for your guinea pig to try too although I am itching to try it.

Sorry for all the questions & many thanks for your help!

 

Thanks a million 2.0. Drive is formated and ready to go. I'll give HP a buz tomorrow to arrange for another power brick too. Thanks again for the help.

 

@otter88

Wrong link. Sorry. That was for XP 64.

Here's the Vista 64bit link:

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=18052

 

@otter88,

Here's another one. It's 175.80...

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=18825

 

Also, laptopvideo2go has posted a new HP specific INF to go with it's 177.66 driver.

It can be found here:
http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19636

This driver/INF seems to work really well for me.

*Edited

 

Very nice find hovercraftdriver.

 

Hey 2.0, when do you think nvidia's driver will be coming out. Like a week or 2 or a month. Also, i cant get any sound in my Supreme Commander. I already reinstalled the audio driver and i cant think of anything else. Looks great though. Better than on my friends xps with the 7900gtx.