*HP HDX DRAGON Owners Lounge, Part 1*

No, it's not entirely true about SP2. The situation is this:

Users with the 5511 driver were unable to download SP1 via windows update. Or it wouldn't show up in windows update. It listed the driver as incompatible. There's a knowledge base article from Microsoft about it. Those who downloaded SP1 manually from Microsoft's website or installed Vista w/SP1 integrated had no problems whatsoever.

So when it comes time to download SP2 you have two options:

1. When SP2 is released, uninstall the driver and manually go to windows update to check for latest updates. Install SP2. Reinstall the driver.

2. Download SP2 directly from Microsoft. Install it.

 

dayum, old son. Believe it or not, I sort of know the feeling. 6 herniated discs meself. 3 cervical, 3 lumbar. 6 injection surgeries. Hit by a car while cycling in '06. Prior to that, two broken legs (tib/fib), right shoulder blade, right big toe in an auto accident in '95. 7 surgeries. Was riding shotgun. Suppose you could say it went off then.

Yet I still weight train, run and cycle. Madman, yeah? Yeah.

Right, so I empathize and sympathize. I got off Perco spring '07. Parting was such sweet sorrow. Now, I just bite down, suck it up, and/or gnash a bit of teeth occasionally.

Here's to wishing you better health and more bearable days.

 

Right, so give us the scoop on what Santa does during the off season. Do the reindeer topple over the garbage cans at night?

 

If the recovery partition was kept it can be accessed via f11 at boot. Or if recovery discs were made, it'd be all good also.

Also, if the original SWsetup folder was kept, one could go to town that way.

 

True. But what's special about HP's recommend plan that cannot be duplicated with Vista's default balanced plan through advanced options?

 

I know, but what's special or unique about it that can't be done manually? You almost made the program sound like it was the second coming.

Like if one didn't have it, they were going straight to hell. No penance accepted.

 

Tough call. Figure on what you actually need a laptop for. You may not need a 15". You could probably get away with something smaller or less powerful.

For instance, I have in one area an HDX, a TX2500 tablet and a Dell Axim x50v. They each have different missions. HDX, sits on a desk and never leaves. It's 15 bloody pounds man. But it's used for everything. (work, music, games, etc.). The tablet sits on a stand on the "L" side of the desk during the day. Part of my personal paperwork reduction act. Most notes and research done on it. At night, the tablet sits by my bed so in the morning I can catch news, look up market info, ect. The PDA goes everywhere with me. It's my map, shopping list, browser, etc.

See what I'm saying?

Your XPS can be upgraded with a new video card, new processor (assuming socket 775), or new motherboard (assuming BTX, though you're limited as far as options go). A 15" or so sized notebook could be used for when you're not at your desk, out at the cafe or what have you - wherever there's wifi, on the kitchen table in the morning, in bed.

 

You're both correct. Only difference is the XPS M2010 used 1st gen Merom 65nm CPUs and the HDX( as of Jan '08) uses cooler 45nm Penryn CPUs.

The CPU heatsinks for both are pretty much the same configuration. The GPU heatsinks are a little different. The HDX has a more robust heatspreader with raised radiating spikes then leads out the center with a heat pipe to the radiator that sits in front of the fan. Whereas the XPS's is just flat then leads out via heat pipe to the radiator fins that go in front of the fan.

Also that ATI card in the XPS is a 90nm part I believe. The HDX's Nvidia GPU is a 65nm part.

 

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Having owned both, I'd have to say going to a Penryn or newer 65nm nvidia parts is nothing short of miraculous! I have to say, when I'd get inside the M2010, those heatpipes were HOT! Too hot to touch. Of course, a lot of that heat goes into the chassis..not all out the exhaust (although a lot did, as was evidenced by the fans running constantly and heat always coming out).

Either way, no matter what kind of cooling system you use, whatever heat is generated needs to be expelled. From what I can tell, the HDX generates much less heat.

 

Well I shouldn't have said it would be nice to take it with me. Occasionally it really is necessary to have my computer with me. I can squeak by using a borrowed computer, but it really isn't the best solution.

Another reason I would like a laptop is the space it would save under my desk. Plus that XPS throws off a lot of heat!

Well I don't want to get to OT in this forum, particularly since I'm shying away from the HDX right now. Perhaps I'll wait to see what the 18.4" looks like and prices out.

Thanks guys!

 

Yup in order to still be using speedstep with RightMark you got to be using the PERFORMANCE ON DEMAND option. You are probably using the MAXIMAL PERFORMANCE OPTION. Just read this thread: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=235824

The guy sets it up with speedstep. JUst change all your voltages to 0.9500V

Cheers!

 

No, I believe you. Your ambient temps added a lot to the discussion. (Though I don't think Cyb's CPU util is 30-40% at the time he took that snapshot.)

Funny thing is, my temps are just as good. Granted, I've got Arctic Silver 5 applied.

Here's my temps of the day since the HDX's been on. Watching video news, some youtube (as you can see) and emailing.

sensor/current/min/max

core1 28/22/36
core2 28/21/43
GPU 44/36/52

TZ4 25/25/25

Ambient temp 25

BIOS f39.

CPU Util @ time of snapshot 8-20%

T9300 2.5ghz CPU

 

I don't understand this post. I use a HP 24 inch monitor in #2 position on my HDX....David

 

No posts all day? Wa' happened?

 

I think we're running out of things we don't know. lol

 

Not here lol. I did a search regarding a Harmony One remote and I couldn't find the answer I was looking for. Wondering if anyone has gotten this to work without manually setting it up? Apparently the Harmony software doesn't recognize the HDX model #'s. Is there another configuration/device that will give the same functionality as the stock remote? Thanks in advance..

 

I have a harmony remote. While I don't have my HDX yet, as long as the HDX remote is IR, you can train the harmony by pointing them eye to eye and configure the buttons that way. I'm pretty sure you'd want to set up the harmony manually to customize the buttons to your liking. It's a tedious initial setup, but well worth it once you're done.

 

Wasn't there about 270 pages in this thread? Looks like we lost a couple of dozen. What happened?

 

I think they were running out of room, so they removed all of "2.0's" posts to save space!

 

FYI...I found out today that HDX's that were ordered during the Great Free Blu-ray Weekend Blowout Deal (the day before they were discontinued), are now facing an extra MONTH (yes, 30 days) delay due to some unnamed component constraint.

Fortunately, for HP, customers credit cards have already been charged and the bills will probably arrive before the customers actually get their computers!

They are giving a $50 credit for use at hp.com as a "bone" to keep you from cancelling...

Nice going, HP.

 

wow, went from 271 pages to 248 pages. We are losing value info.

 

I ordered three days before the blu-ray deal and experienced no delay. I'm posting on my new Dragon now.


Quickie review -- this beast is awesome. Just played some Bioshock, and performance and graphics were unbelievable. The speakers, as noted by
many, are fantastic for a notebook. Performance is spiffy. The screen is gorgeous, except as noted below. No problems with Vista.

Cons: There's some light leakage at the bottom of the screen. The keyboard is really taking a lot of getting used to.
it's a bit cramped and I keep hitting the wrong keys. The TV tuner is virtually worthless. I'm only getting two channels well enough to watch anything and they are both choppy. Most disappointing is the blu-ray performance. I've got the HD screen, but there's a lot of noise in the picture and the details are not as sharp as I expected. Maybe there's a setting or two I need to work with?

 

Question on HD configs.

2 drives, one with a 'c' and 'd' drive containing OS and backup image? The second drive containing an 'e' for just data?

If so could I image my 'c' and 'd' with Acronis to the 'e', then pop in a new primary drive, a 7200 rpm drive, then restore the 'c' and 'd' to that and start running? Just trying to catch a virgin image.

Or should I just boot the beast up, then after going through the install create a backup image?

Thanks,
Scott

 

OK couldn't wait...

The HDX was delivered 3 days ago, and I was on the road with work, so just got it in my greedy little hands tonight.

WOW.

So I did just boot it up. Only added forefox, then the windows updates. Now will reboot and try to clone the primary HD, both partitions to the other drive. From there hopefully I can swap out drive 1 and restore the partitions from the back clone image on drive 2.....

Will let you all know how it goes...

ST

 

hi guys!

so what happened to the HDX on the hp website? i went there and i cant find one that i can customize.....so where can i get an HDX from?

 

I'd agree with that - it takes a lot just to get the X9000 to go above 10%, much less approach 30%. But I'll try and take another snapshot just so you can see it.....

 

You missed out dude - sorry. HP removed our favorite notebook from the US site earlier this week. I figure it must be either a Communist, Muslim or Liberal (or a Liberal Communist Muslim) conspiracy to keep good hardware away from the American public... .

The only ones we've been able to find are at Amazon, Newegg, and some of the other HP global english sites, like Canada, Hong Kong, etc. and those are pre-configured units. Too bad too - they had a mean discount before they pulled it. So far there's no indication they're going to put it back up, although there was a rumor posted yesterday that it was a site problem and a mistake. So far we've seen no notice that it's been discontinued. Still, to be sure, call HP and find out. If they say it was a mistake, let us know.

Canada HDX page:
http://tinyurl.com/4kb7xn

The Hong Kong site is a this link:
http://tinyurl.com/5oq4oe


They're pre-configured units by the looks of it though, nothing like the HP configuration options that were on the US site. I'm going to check other english sites as well and put up a list of links later.

Again, if you can find a site that has a full configuration workup, let us know,

 

Hi I did my first post a few days ago, sorry for not introducing myself. I'm Dominick, like my user name says, and I've been following this thread for a while as I've been SLOWLY saving up my money for a top of the notch HDX.. I've looked at the website like every day if not every other day and called many times, and I've heard 3 different things to my question about why the HDX isn't on the site anymore..


1) I don't know they don't tell us much
2) Its a glitch
3) An HP tech/licensed assembler/reseller told me they took it off only because a part of two were on back order
4) Other people have said its discontinued because they're very likely going to make a new version with better components

Seems like higher ups at HP don't want to say what they're doing and won't tell their reps either.. While I can understand not telling reps EXACTLY WHEN a new device was coming so they won't be held accountable for when it doesn't come out leading to customer anger and disappointment...but why not say SOMETHING..? What trouble could come from giving SOMETHING solid information wise.. Ill be pretty pissed if it doesn't come back on the site..I'm thinking (notice 2 and 3 are not mutually exclusive to each other) they've tested the old Blue Ray/HD Combo driver which had problems and got replaced by the BR ROM instead, and now that its fixed they need to make sure they have enough before they post it on the site..that's at least what I'm hoping for But no one I talked to is really saying it has been officially discontinued, but since Ive seen them do this with other notebooks, and accessories I'm hopeful it will be back on the site...soon? Anyone hear anything new?

 

Seriously though, if you look back, it appears that all of rumba's posts are gone. I don't know if he did it or the mods did it. All that's left is where rumba is quoted but not the original posts.

 

I did a search by username, and there are still 4 of his posts that are original. But, that is odd, though that the rest are gone.

Rumba? You out there?

 

Now that we are finally starting to run out of things to say, maybe we should make a new post which would sort of resume the main stuff, someting like a list of latest drivers for vista and XP ... Actually I haven't followed this thread too well for about a month, so maybe someone else should do it...

 

Howdy!

I'm a new user currently based in the UK. The HP HDX has been pulled off in the UK a week or two before it happened in the US. I've called support and the rather unpleasant fellow told me they have indeed been discontinued. But what could he really know? What are Your guesses? Is it better to buy the HDX while it's still available in some stores or wait and see what HP replaces it with? There haven't been any announcements, so I'm not even sure if it's worthwhile to wait. How long could it take for HP to introduce something new You reckon?

There are still some rather overpriced units on eBay (could buy one with the best possible configuration for $3000 not a long while ago - now they're over $3500). Seeing as the most expensive component is the CPU, I've been considering getting an HDX with the best possible configuration except for the CPU and buying the CPU separately. I've been looking at the Intel Centrino 2 X9100 (a save of almost $400 against the X9000 stock fitted!). It's where You, dear members, again come into play. I'd like to confirm my expectations that the HP HDX supports the X9100. The key here are the chipsets: "If your Chipset are GM965 or PM965, please choose X9000 QS Q174 , if it's GM45 or PM45, please choose X9100 QS QBDW."
I'm sure a lot of You hardcore users know of this already (and I realize the information I request has probably been posted in this thread before, but wading through a 250+ pages-long topic is not what I would love to do right now), but you can check the specs using the CPU-Z application: http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php. So can You please help out and post the CPU specifications here?
And is there anything I should know about replacing the CPU in the HDX that could hamper my plan?

 

You don't have to look very far back in the thread (or do a search so you don't have to "wade"), but the new X9100 CPU's are 1066Mhz FSB, whereas the HDX only supports 800Mhz FSB. So, the X9100 will work, but not at it's rated speed. It will run at it's multiplier x 800Mhz instead of 1066Mhz. I'd stick with the X9000 and keep an eye out for a good deal. Occasionally, ebay has real X9000's (non-ES) for less than $400.

 

Please include this in your update for those like me who need more instructions:

Originally Posted by 2.0
That's good news.

As for what to do in Vista to uninstall:

1. Start menu>Control panel>Programs>unistall a program.

2. Just like in XP you'll see a list of programs.

3. Uninstall by right clicking on each of the following and selecting uninstall.



HP Quick Launch buttons
HP Quickplay
HP quick touch buttons.

Then reboot. If any of them say reboot, choose not now until all 3 are uninstalled.


When it boots up again, Install the file Black Knight linked to, then install Quickplay found in swsetup\QPW.

Then install the quicktouch buttons also found in SWsetup. Qtouch folder. Make sure you run it out of the 64 sub folder.

Thanks to all for the knowledge.

JoeNeil

 

I wouldn't expect anything new until perhaps Jan 2009 @ CES show.

Lancorp addressed the x9100 already and one of the best places to find a x9000. So I'll just add from experience, in order to access the CPU, you have to disassemble the entire HDX. The whole process from start to finish takes about 4 hours. And you need the service manual as disassembly in not intuitive.

Service manual: http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01279508.pdf


But you could find an HDX with a T9300 2.5ghz and be more than happy. X9000 doesn't give you all that much of a boost (~10% avg) and it is NOT overclockable in the HDX. It'll hold you over until such time as you can find the x9000 cheap.

 

As indicated in my post last night, my two issues are quality of tv tuner signal and blu-ray playback. Two questions:

-- Would a better/different antenna than the supplied one help with the tv tuner?

-- Are there specific monitor or video card settings that might make the blu-ray image better? There's a lot of graininess and noise, particularly in low-light scenes. I'm pretty sure there's nothing wrong with the screen, because Bioshock looked amazing.

Thanks.

 

No need. It's was obvious that you'd take the snapshot @ idle. rumba arbitrarily choose 30-40% in order to attempt to support his argument that the X9000 is more thermally efficient than the rest of the Penryns. It's untrue and there's no supporting documentation which corroborates his contention. The X9000 is simply more powerful. The most powerful Penryn of the series.

His cold ambient temps is what makes all the difference. My T9300 isn't that far away from his temps and I'm sure that if my ambient temps were the same as his, I'd be reporting the same temps. My ambient temp this morning was 25. CPU low temp was 21. Currently 27/28 steady.

 

If one were to get an "ES" X9000, could one play with the multiplier in something like RMClock (Rightmark CPU Clock utility) and get faster speeds out of the X9000?

 

Yes. I tried a cheap "bowtie" antenna from Radio Shack and faired much better. I'd imagine that an amplified antenna would do even better.

Dunno. I don't have bluray so I couldn't advise with any surety on what to do.

 

RMclock controls voltage. BIOS would control the multiplier. Or a program like SETFSB which would clock the FSB higher or lower which in turn changes the frequency of the CPU. Peeps use RMClock in conjucntion with overclocking to peel back some of the voltage which in turn scales back some of the heat generated from overclocking. It's what's called undervolting.

The other problem with the ES x9000s is that some sold are first run ES that don't have stepping. So they run full speed all the time. Some have B1 stepping. Some C0 stepping(which are as good as retail X9000s). Consumes less power than no stepping but more than standard retail X9000's with M0 stepping.

 

Well for a fact the heatsink is the same. Significant gap in performance? Depends on what Penryn CPU you're talking about. 2.1ghz? Yes. 2.4ghz? Meh. 2.5Ghz, 2.6ghz? No, not at all.

The GPU is 65nm. 9 series starts the use of 55nm.

If you can, post CPU-z first page. I want to see if HP is undervolting some x9000's. Also post a picture of your temps like cybervision did.

 

I'm still awaiting my HDX, and have been reading this forum as assiduously as I've been following the politics of this campaign season.

One thing that makes me a little nervous are posts showing some problems with Blu-Ray playback. Should I be concerned?

Also, is the tuner only for off the air hdtv? Will I be able to connect cable to the Dragon?

Lastly, hasn't it been established that the 20 inch Dragon is gone forever, possibly to be replaced by an 18.4 inch model?
Recently I watched a video review of the HDX and the Acer 8920 (sorry, I forget the link) and the HDX screen looks quite a bit larger.

 

Really, what happened? He didn't do anything I'd say is not allowed.

 

It might be problems with individual discs.

You may get the tuner with the QAM tuner. It's the A321 tuner. when you get it, just ask on the forum about how to find out which it is using the control panel. If you have it, then you can receive HDTV clear QAM broadcasts via cable.

Pretty much established as far as it being discontinued. Even without knowing for sure, it's a Santa Rosa based notebook. How long can they possibly sell it without a refresh to Montevina?

And yep, the 20.1 is larger because the aspect ratio is larger. So it's angle of diagonal measurement is greater than on a 16:9 screen of similiar size. cut the diagonal to 18.4, it's height and width based on shallower diagonal angle will be even smaller.

 

No idea what could have happened. But I think the mods did it. Think I'll ask one of the mods of this section.

 

2.0

You're certainly quick. You must be using speech recognition and direct brain control of your computer.

I remember that you pointed to the article in Digitimes regarding the drop off or discontinuance of 20.1 displays, and the ascendancy of 16 inch and 18.4. My attraction to the HDX, like many, is the notion of having that large screen wherever I move the computer.

Is the matter of tuners a random luck of the draw? I would hope that a just-built machine would have the better tuner. If not, do I have any recourse? I pretty much assumed (never assume!) that having an HDTV tuner meant that I could connect cable.

Thanks

 

LOL. Yeah, the HDX and I are one. It's all Zen on this end.

As for the tuner, it's the luck of the draw. The tuner you ordered is an ATSC tuner that receives OTA HTDV. Model A312. There were a few posters who ordered that only to find the A321 ATSC/QAM tuner. Me? I got the ATSC A312 in both HDX's I bought. figures, don't it? It's all good though.

 

I'm fed up with how clunky and slow HP's Quickplay program is. I'm thinking of getting Windvd9 plus blu-ray. I can get it for 69 bucks (usually 99), should I pull the trigger, or should I shell out extra cash for PowerDVD ultra? I'm sure some of you guys have had experience with them.

 

2.0

Thanks for the lightning quick responses. Is the tuner replaceable? Or is there another way to connect cable?

I think, that even with certain questions about HP technical that it's more reliable than Acer.

Hail to the 20.1 screen!