*HP dv6t & dv7t Select Edition / Quad Edition (6XXX series) Owners Lounge*

Yes. +Rep to anyone who can find any.

 

on page 11 of the DV7 Maintenance and Service Guide it lists the following wireless info:

Support for the following WLAN formats:
● Broadcom 4313 802.11B/G/N 1×1 WiFi Adapter
● Broadcom 4313 802.11B/G/N 1×1 WiFi and 2070 Bluetooth 2.1+EDR Combo adapter
(BT3.0HS ready)
● Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230
● Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000 WLAN module
● Intel Centrino Wireless-N + WiMAX 6150
● Ralink RT3090BC4 802.11B/G/N 1×1 WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR Combo adapter
(BT3.0HS ready)
● Ralink 5390GN 802.11B/G/N 1×1 WiFi Adapter

Here is a current listing of Intel's cards:
Wireless Products - Intel

I will more than likely order Intel's 6230 wireless card and put it in myself.
You can pick the card up for around $25
http://www.provantage.com/intel-62230an-hmwg~7ITE90Q4.htm

Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6230 – Overview:
http://www.intel.com/products/wireless/adapters/6230/index.htm

looking at the HP Service manual:
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02718431.pdf

It looks like the bluetooth module is not integrated onto the wireless adapter, and is separate. Can anyone confirm this??

 

dv7t review time!

Build Quality/First Impression
First thing I noticed was obviously the color, as others have said it's nearly black and you can only really see the brown undertones in direct sunlight. It's very sleek and professional looking and as much as I wanted the silver aluminum of the last model I have to say I think the silver has been played out. The brushed look also helps deter scratches and fingerprints however oils from your skin will still show up on the machine. Layout of ports and curved edges really make it both attractive and functional. Overall build quality is sturdy, no noticeable flex in any major areas, hinges are strong.
Grade: A-

Screen
Let me preface by saying I was disappointed by the lack of a 1080p option. The screen is satisfactory, doesn't blow me away but once you find the sweet spot the colors are crisp and clear. Haven't played any blu-ray yet but I don't expect anything too terrible. I plan on doing quite a bit of gaming, most notably Diablo 3 when it comes out and at the very least the lower native resolution will help with performance. Also, 2 hours after first turning it on I noticed a dead pixel in the bottom right corner. It's enough out of the way that I don't feel the need to return it, I just hope it's more a result of really bad luck and not indicative of the build quality. The bezel around the screen is a fingerprint magnet, any adjusting of the screen will invariably leave marks on the surrounding edges, again I would have very much enjoyed a "Infinity" option on the screen but alas.
Grade: B

Speakers
As expected "Beats Audio" is more of a marketing gimmick than anything else. Regardless, they still sound above average when compared to the majority of other laptops I've listened to. The sub on the bottom of the laptop really doesn't add any depth but it's better than nothing. The equalizer software that comes with beats is handy and that alone makes me satisfied since I generally use headphones or external speakers.
Grade: A-

Keyboard
As with many others I would have loved the option to have a backlit keyboard, and regardless if HP wanted to differentiate this product from the Envy, any premium laptop costing more then $1000 should at the very least have it as an option. Moving on, the keys have a very nice feel to them, soft with just the right amount of resistance. The finish on the keys have also deterred the oil from my fingers from sticking which is a nice addition when compared to my dv2000 that constantly looked like I dumped a bag of potato chips on it. No flex worth noting.
Grade: B+ (Would be a solid A with backlit option)

Touchpad
Nice and big, it took me a little time to get used to the multi-gesture support. I would say it's comparable to my roommates MacBook Pro (but clearly not as refined). The light surrounding the edges is cool, in no way does it make up for the keyboard but it's nice nonetheless. The light change when toggling the pad on and off is also a fun feature. Clicks are audible, would have preferred they be quieter but it's not that big of a deal.
Grade: A-

Performance
This thing is fast and so far has destroyed any task I give it. Really nothing else to say.
Grade: A

Heat/Temperatures
I haven't really pushed this thing to the limit but last night I was installing programs, updating others, browsing the web, listening to music, transferring files and the laptop never got more than lukewarm. The fan ramped up occasionally and when it does you will notice but it keeps the machine very cool. So far I'm impressed.
Grade: A

That is all I can think of for now, I'll update this review as I start to use the laptop more. I plan on playing Crysis 2 tomorrow so I'll post my opinion on gaming then.

Do I recommend you buy this machine? Very resounding yes.
Overall Grade: B+ or A- depending on my mood and how picky you want me to be.

 

^Too long to quote.

BEST REVIEW BY FAR! Thanks for the in depth thoughts man.

Ew What? Can we get a picture?

 

...and if you live in Massachusetts, you can ship to New Hamsphire (to avoid taxes) and when you receive your tracking number call FedEx and change the destination or tell them to leave at the closest FedEx facility.

 

Right above the M and H in your sig.

 

Have you tried PixelTuneup? Or does that only work on LCD's?

EDIT: Try the following:

(from Wikihow)
Sources and Citations

JScreenFix – A web-based Java Applet that randomly turns on and off each pixel at up to 60 times a second to fix stuck pixels.
DPT 2.20 – A Windows application to help locate and identify dead/stuck pixels. Also has a pixel exerciser built in to possibly get lazy pixels working again.
UDPixel 2.1 – A free windows application which help you to locate and fix 1 or more stuck pixels.
PixelRepairer - A free windows application with stuck pixels localization and repair functionality and multiple screens support.

 

Grabbing some food now, I'll try those when I get back and post the results. Mucho thanks for the programs.

 

EEewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

 

Hello all,
First off thanks for all the incredibe info, I just wish I had found this forum before I ordered my HP dv7 (ordered on 4/1, received on 4/8). I thought I was getting one of the latest models but after reading this forum I think I got duped and certainly paid too much

My specs:

• HP Pavillion dv7-4295us Entertainment Notebook PC
• 2nd Gen Intel Core i7-2630QM, 2GHz w/ Turbo Boost up to 2.90GHz
• 8GB DDR RAM
• ATI Radeon HD 6570 with 1GB GDDR5
• 1TB 5400rpm SATA drive
• Brushed Aluminum finish, stream design in argento
• HP TrueVision Webcam with mic
• HP SimplePass with fingerprint reader (version 5.20, not newer simplePass 2011)
• LightScribe Blu-ray ROM SuperMulti
• 17.3" HD BrightView LED display (1600 x 900)
• 10/100/1000 LAN
• Wireless LAN 802.11b/g/n & Bluetooth
• 5-in-1 digital mediaa reader
• Beats Audio with subwoofer
• standard keyboard with num pad
• 4 USB 2.0, 4th port shared wih eSATA (never noticed this does NOT have USB 3.0)
• HDMI, VGA, Mic & headphone
• 9 cell 93WHr Lithium-Ion battery (up to 5 hours).
• I see newer dv7's show a 6 cell with estimaed 5.5 hours
• 1 year warranty (newer models show 2 year)

All this for the overpaid price of $1,129 plus $94.64 in CA taxes. Now of course I find coupon codes all over the web.

Questions:
1) How do I tell if I have the fixed B3 chipset and not the flawed B2? I have read all the past posts and the tear down by ripwind. I am confused how I find the chipset info short of doing my own tear down:
Originally Posted by ripwind
Chipset:
BD82HM65
SLJ4P
J107A858
The CPU-Z shows B2 stepping but Chipset Rev 09
See attached please

2) Device Manager shows only 2 PCI Express Ports? Before this HP I purchased a Toshiba that was identified by Toshiba as being flawed so I returned it. The Toshiba showed 4 PCI Express Ports. Did HP just disable the ports that may potentially be affected by the chipset flaw?
See attached please

I specifically wanted a laptop with the option for dual hard drives since I use Virtual PC and VMware a lot. I have been using external USB drives to run virtual machines but it's inconvenient to always need my USB drive(s) with me. When I nboxed this HP, the first thing I did was check if this machine included the mounting hardware and SATA cable for the 2nd drive - and of course it does not. Another $50 I need to spend.

So, did I get duped or am I just plain stupid?

 

You have the 5xxx series dv7, which has the defective B2 chipset. I would return it and order the new 6xxx series ones ASAP while there are still good coupons out. Easy way to tell yours is the old version is the video card, the new ones don't have the option for a radeon 6570.

edit: and yes you'll have to purchase the mounting kit from HP to put in a second hard drive in the dv7

 

Deleted thread

 

Well you're not stupid and you will no long be duped if you return the laptop now for a refund, and order the new 6XXX models. Do it now!

 

Sounds like you got the recalled model. Hard to tell whether it's been 'fixed' or not. Somewhere in this thread is a link to an HP web page that describes the affected serial numbers.

The 6770m (optional video card in the newest ones) is about 50% stronger than the card in yours.

On the one hand, you didn't wait a month for your computer.
On the other hand, you got the one that has been the 'old model' since March 13th.

 

I am guessing you have your dates mixed up and you MEAN 3/1 rcv'd 3/8, which was exactly the same situation I was. Yes, you got the 5000 series but there is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON to believe you don't have the B3 chip set. It has been proven that utilities still report B2 EVEN though B3 are installed. HP resumed shipping the QE in late Feb WITH the new B3 chip set. I am pretty sure you are fine. The real issue is that you are PAST the 21 day return period, so exchanging for the new model is probably out of the question.. You miss out on some of the new model niceties, but your laptop SHOULD be fine as far as defective chips are concerned.

 

Nope, my dates are as stated: order on Friday 4/1/2011 and received Friday 4/8/2011 (yesterday).
I realize software tools like CPU-Z may be incorrect which is was I was asking how to tell for sure. Another way I have seen on many sites is to run the following at a command prompt:
wmic idecontroller get deviceid
If it shows REV_04 then it's flawed (supposedly). My HP does show REV_04

 

Actually I don't think anyone took apart an older model and see if it's really the b3 chipset yet. He should use this excuse to try to exchange/return the laptop.

 

Did you order from HP???? It seems strange that people who ordered in Mid-March are still waiting. There is NO SURE way other than looking at the chip as far as I know ... Is this a SE model or something??? Where did you order this configuration FROM??? ... or some kind of prebuilt config. I am missing some part of this story... because after 3/13, the HP web site only listed the 6000 series are far as I know

 

maybe its one of the quick ship models...
Or from a reseller

 

25% Coupon: MU6192 ... is not better than my 30% but is something

 

Does anyone know what models the 750 gb 5400 RPM and the 640 GB 7200 RPM HDD are?

I ordered the 750 GB HD not knowing I could get the 7200 RPM HD for the same price. Will the performance difference be significant?

I'm planning to use the laptop for light video editing, gaming (aion/lotr online/Black Ops).

I talked to a rep and they said once I received the laptop, I could exchange the HD for free under their exchange policy, but is it worth it? The damn ship date is April 28th (ridiculous IMO).

 

I would also like to know if the blu tooth and wifi are seperate. What about the bluray drive. Is there an affordable afatermarket option? Ebay? I ordered the dv6 on 3/21 and had an estimated ship date of 4/4 which was pushed to 4/15.

 

I went to HP.com and browsed for notebooks under the Home & Home Office section. This was one of their Quick-Ship models.

 

I would get it switched when given the chance... the 5400 should be noticeably slower

 

the chances that HP sent out bad chip sets in April is about ZERO... I have no idea what the return policy is for quick-ship. You WILL wait if you order a CTO model.

 

Newegg.com - SAMSUNG Spinpoint MP4 HM640JJ 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache 2.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Notebook Hard Drive -Bare Drive

I believe the 750GB is also Samsung.

 

Which means you have a 21 day return period?

You ordered it this month and it's the silver version?
Or does it have a backlit trackpad and the aluminum around the trackpad and keyboard are very dark umber, nearly black?

 

Hp is quick selling the new dv6 for $1,050 with no cupons! Well, at least we know now the have a new shipment of b3's in.

 

Ohhh that's great news!

 

It's the silver aluminum, not the umber brown/black. Here's the link on HP's site. The demo link below the picture shows the newer umber version and USB 3. Mine does not have USB 3.
HP Pavilion dv7-4295us Entertainment Notebook PC (aluminum) | HP® Official Store

Pic of mine attached.

 

That's the old version yes. Return it and order the umber version.

 

I got a ready-to-ship email last night. Ordered on 3/13.

 

To all those who have dealt with HP's customer service and returned policies, any tips for me? Can I claim some false advertising considering this laptop was branded as "New" ?

 

I would just say that you are unsure if you have the correct chipset, and state that you want to return it. then once it is confirmed go ahead and order the new one. you dont need to let the rep know that you plan on turning around and ordering the new one, because if you do it might make him less inclined to process your return request.

 

If I were to cancel my order, could I still us the 15% off coupon that they gave me for the delay?

 

Holy crap, this keeps getting better. I went to HP's support site to look for info and drivers. My Pavillion dv7-4295us is not even listed
I tried searching for various forms of my product number, then browsed for it. The list goes from "Pavillion dv7-4290us" to dv7-4293nr to dv7-4297cl - no dv7-4295us anywhere to be found!

I also tried the "detect your product" option and it could not find it.

 

You should be able to. It's yours.

 

Looking for this??? All I did was type the model number in the search. First link.
HP Pavilion dv7-4295us Entertainment Notebook PC

The way we define "new" as in never been used or box never opened.

 

HP pulled a fast one on you. Like stated earlier, call them to say that you are suspicious of a defective Sandy Bridge chip, return it, and then buy the new one.

 

Ordered dv6tqe on March 22
Ship Date April 5th
Delay1 April 12th

Called HP today after getting my first delay. Here is my experience:

First guy (Jim) very helpful, understood my problem. I ordered my laptop in March 22nd where it was a free upgrade to 6gb. Starting last week you can get 8gb free on the dv6tqe. Right now I can buy the same computer at the same price with 8gb of ram. I was looking for a free upgrade or something. Anyways he put me on hold and I got disconnected. Called back and got a woman who either had a broken telephone or had smoked WAY to much. She was very inaudible. It was without a doubt the worst customer experience rep I had. I kept asking for another rep since i couldn't understand her...so ended up just having to hang up and call back.

Last girl was great. Explained something along the lines of 'blah blah blah sorry for the delay and we can't add 8gb of ram since it has already been placed'. They ended up giving me 40$ off my order ($822 pretax) <5%. TBH I am happy with it. I really just wish I get my laptop this month.

 

Wow i had 3 different attempts and they didn't give me anything. What were your exact words that lead to the discount?

 

At first it felt like the third girl wasn't going to give me anything. They couldn't upgrade the ram and I would just have to 'try to cancel' the current order and reordered which would push the build date to May 2nd. Which disappointed me. I told her how I could have canceled my order last week and got 8gb of ram at the same price but I had a April 5th shipdate so canceling near my build didn't make sense. I need a laptop for school and just wanted it to come.

So I said something along the lines of 'I really just need a laptop for school and I been without one for three weeks now. I would have paid for the laptop to ship on time. Now there is a better build out and would like any compensation for that and the delay.'

Really I dont care about the RAM all that much. 6gb is a lot and I will upgrade to 8gb if I do find it necessary, just it was a bit annoying how I could have gotten 8gb of ram last week. Now if only my laptop would ship. I know its a lot about my specific problem but thats about all I said hope that helps at all.

 

You just have to be assertive when asking. I said something along the lines of: "I saw that the 8gb is now a free upgrade. Is it possible I get a refund for the difference?". I did this using the online chat and they just gave it to me. They might try to give you the refund as store credit so say no to that and they'll give you another option which is a refund to your account after the laptop ships.

 

Attempting that right now. I'll post the transcript.

 

They are using the excuse that I already used a ~$466 discount, and yet, so has everyone else... help me out here

 

21:05:47 Betty
How much is the price difference?
21:06:23 Me
$60 if i remember correctly
21:07:03 Me
because that was how much it originally costed to upgrade from the Free 6GB to 8GB configuration, before HP decided that they wanted to change the deal.
21:07:21 Me
feel free to correct me if i'm wrong.
21:10:58 Betty
I am still checking on it.
21:11:15 Me
Thank you. That'd be great if you could.
21:18:07 Me
hello?
21:18:17 Me
Are you still assisting me Betty?
21:18:55 Betty
Yes.
21:19:00 Betty
I am still checking on it.
21:19:37 Me
Okay. I hope it isn't too difficult to verify.
21:22:00 Betty
You have received $466.50 worth of coupon code discount already.
21:23:03 Me
I know but that discount could have been more, had i ordered the 8GB
21:23:10 Betty
There is no price drop. However, we have changed the promotion on free upgrade lately.
21:23:21 Me
it doesnt change the fact that i was not able to take advantage of the offer
21:23:40 Betty
What is your decision now?
21:24:05 Me
Is it possible I get a refund for the difference, had i gotten the 8GB?
21:25:51 Betty
Actually, there is no basis of price difference considering both options are free of charge. I am sorry.
21:26:11 Betty
What is your decision now?
21:26:41 Me
Whatever. At this price, i'd better be receiving my laptop on time.
21:26:56 Me
As many of my cohorts have been having 1+ months of a delay.
21:27:11 Betty
I am sorry for that.
21:27:36 Betty
It will take two to three weeks to build a notebook.
21:28:07 Me
I know, but the many horror stories that i have head
21:28:09 Me
heard*
21:28:20 Me
include orders placed from day 1 these laptops were available
21:28:30 Me
and they have been delayed to dates that are even further than mine.
21:29:00 Me
It was also brought to my attention that a transcript from another sales rep said mentioned
21:29:14 Me
any early april orders will not be fulfilled on time, and that the dates were only place holders until further notice.
21:29:18 Me
is this true?
21:29:26 Betty
Let me share this information to you.
21:29:31 Betty
*Please add one day for Custom clearance to the estimated build date of your notebook.
*Then add the days of your preferred shipping method.
*Please do not include weekend and holidays.
21:29:41 Betty
That is the formula to determine when to receive your notebook.
21:30:15 Betty
Here at HP, we earn customer respect and loyalty by consistently providing the highest quality and value. We always strive for excellence in all we do; each person's contribution is critical to our success.
21:30:24 Me
But the fact is that there were delays for this notebook: i have read the emails that have been sent out, and I understand because it is demanded at such high volume, but i was wondering if i am affected?
21:31:31 Me
I have the chat transcript on hand right now
21:31:36 Me
would you like to see it?
21:32:11 Betty
Sure.
21:32:46 Me
please note that this is from another customer
21:33:01 Me
Me: "Do you know if any dv7t quad editions have been shipped out this week? And/or if they have resumed production? Or received a shipment of parts that were needed?"
Agent (Marge A.): "To those orders made earlier, they have been delivered."
Agent (Marge A.): "The peak on this model started before mid-march."
Me: "So any orders placed in April will not be fulfilled by the quoted dates?"
Agent (Marge A.): "Yes."
Me: "Has production stopped entirely then as HP waits for the necessary parts to come in? On that specific model."
Agent (Marge A.): "No."
Agent (Marge A.): "There are an expected particular quantity in every production stage."
21:33:14 Me
Agent (Marge A.): "For example, there are 200 orders expected for this week but the demand is higher."
Agent (Marge A.): "These may cause the delay with your order."
21:33:23 Betty
The estimated delivery date of your notebook falls on April 23, 26, and 27, 2011.
21:34:23 Betty
Thank you for that information.
21:34:53 Betty
We need to wait for the date I stated above.
21:35:38 Betty
We do not deliver on Sunday, Monday, and Holidays.
21:35:54 Betty
Here at HP, we earn customer respect and loyalty by consistently providing the highest quality and value. We always strive for excellence in all we do; each person's contribution is critical to our success.
21:36:08 Betty
Do you have any other question that I can help you with? I want to make sure that I have completely addressed your concern today and are satisfied with my service.
21:36:21 Me
Sure i think that is sufficient
21:36:22 Me
thank you. <--- At this point i was just like F*ck it.

WHAT DID I DO WRONG? I was unable to get any kind of answer out of her. Someone help me out i want that money >_>

 

None of those programs helped with dead pixel, thanks for the ideas though Bag3l.

 

Just ordered my dv6tqe:

• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• 2nd generation Intel(R) Quad Core(TM) i7-2630QM (2.0 GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) w/Turbo Boost up to 2.9 GHz
• 1GB GDDR5 Radeon(TM) HD 6770M Graphics [HDMI, VGA]
• FREE Upgrade to 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• No Additional Office Software
• FREE Upgrade to Norton Internet Security(TM) 2011 - 15 Month Subscription (activation required)
• 6-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery (standard) - Up to 5.5 hours of battery life +++
• 15.6" diagonal High Definition HP BrightView LED Display (1366x768)
• SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam with Integrated Digital Microphone and HP SimplePass Fingerprint Reader
• Intel 802.11b/g/n WLAN
• Standard Keyboard
• HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

Estimated build date: May 2, 2011
Grand total $866.24

I'm so exited

 

Congrats! Welcome to the waiting room D:

 

Just a quick question: are Intel graphics good enough to watch 720p movies? Or is it better to switch the graphics to ATI?