dv5000z blue lights a deal killer!

Just as I was starting to enjoy the laptop, I notice that my eyes hurt as heck after about 30 minutes. Then I notice these insane blue lights right under the monitor that constantly shine at me. How does anyone use the laptop for long periods with these lights? I called HP support and was told that there is no way to turn these lights off. I have to basically put a heavy cardboard paper over the lights to use this thing - totally criminal on hp's part. I've decided that I have to return my laptop, even though it was a great deal.
The brightness of the blue led lights are a major design flaw in my opinion. I do not recommend this laptop to anyone wanting to spend a long period of time with the laptop.

I understand that gamers think these lights are cool, but this isn't really a gaming machine is it?

 

Couldn't you just put electrical tape on the lights?

 

The buttons are too small to put any tape on them, plus the brightest light is the wireless one right on the hinge underneath the monitor. That one is the worst offender.

I really tried to tolerate it, but it's something that you really can't tell at the store. Spend an hour looking at your monitor and keyboard and see how you feel. I felt like my eyes just got burned out! For now I'm using the laptop with a cardboard paper covering all the lights.

 

I have the dv5000 too...and the blue lights are kinda like a dead pixel to me. If you think about them and pay more attention to them...the will bug the crap out of you. Otherwise I forget about them and dont even notice them.....just my 2 cents (and thank God I dont have any dead pixels!!)

 

Now i will notice them when I get my dv5000 lol

 

Don't use it in a dark room? Turn on a light?

 

Ah! I'm sick of dead pixels!

Anyway, I just finished entering data on my dv5000 for over an hour ad never noticed the lights (even with wifi on). My eyes are more tired than they'd be on a nice desktop, but I attribute it to the screen. Anyway, I bet you can put electrical tape on these. Just cut it into thin slithers. I think you could wrap tape through the small gap under the wifi light too and cover that too. Not great options, but better than a restocking fee!

Let us know as soon as someone finds an app to turn these off though.

 

I agree, blue lights r terrible.
I covered with an ugly sticker.

 

I've heard that these lights can be turned off. For example, I have L2000 and the wireless button shines reddish. If I download the latest drivers from Broadcom and set the options of the Wifi card to max powersaving (Devices Manager), the light from the button goes off. If this light can be turned off, then probably the other ones can too.
Just a suggestion.

 

Hmm... would that be the Broadcom driver that's available via Windows Update? Using the Update-provided drivers on notebooks makes me nervous, it broke things on my zv5000z. I should probably try it again, that was a long time ago.

Using the latest HP-provided Broadcom driver appears to be insufficient to turn off the WiFi light on the dv8000z, unless I need to reboot.

 

Just spent about an hour talking with hp support again. No way to turn off the lights right now without disabling functionality.

At least they are sending fedex to pickup on Monday with a full refund. I'll be out about 15 bucks from the ram that I have to return, but oh well.

The support guy agreed with me that the led lights were way too bright for being right under the monitor. But appearently it looks nice in a retail setting, so go figure.

I'm a programmer, where I have to look at the monitor for hours at a time, so it's a deal breaker. I would call hp and complain if you don't like the led lights as well. I suggested a setting in the bios to turn off the led lights, so hopefully they'll follow my suggestion at some time in the future. Other than the lights, a nice laptop.

 

So you do not have to pay for a restocking fee?

 

If you really like your laptop, and want to keep it. You can follow the procedure in service manual to access the LED board( single PCB with all these stupid leds). Jusy put tape on those leds and assemble it again. No tapes on top, works as usual, but without all those lights. Ofcourse it is very complex procedure, and may void your warranty.

 

I think I should avoid this site until I get my dv5000z. All these complaints are making me paranoid!

 

Indeed, this site does make me paranoid. First I worried about the DV8000z's GPU (only after that did I realize that I didn't game). Then, I worried about the glossy screen being too reflective. Now, I'm worrying about all these pretty blue lights emanating from the computer, espescially after seeing the pic on the Mobilityguru review with all of the lights on. You guys are driving me crazy!

 

HP is not charging a restocking fee. The customer support was pretty good on the whole.

I really like the laptop, just not enough to take it apart and put tape on it.

The light's annoyance is subjective, some are sensitive to it, some aren't - so I definitely wouldn't worry unless it actually does bother you. Good luck.

 

Yeah seriously, I am very close to getting a dv5000z with an ML-40 and then aftermarket upgrading to a 7200RPM 80GB drive and 1GB of RAM. But after reading so many things on here, I'm so paranoid. The main reasons I want to get a different notebook is because I hate the silver color of my current one, and it doesn't have a DVD burner.

These blue lights can't really be that bright... can they?

 

HD upgrade'll void your warranty, so be SURE you want to keep it before you do that.

You do know the outside is silver, right?

I don't know about the lights on the dv5000z, but the lights on my dv4000 are not overly bright. The WiFi light that seems to be the worst culprit here is behind a frosted cover on my dv4000, so it isn't bright at all. I guess they brightened them on the dv5000 series or maybe I'm just not as sensitive.

 

Yes I know the outside is silver, but I don't care about the outside. The outside could be bright pink for all I care. It's the inside that I look at, and my Inspiron 6000 is silver and white -- the ugliest scheme of all time. I hate staring at it.

 

I agree with you there - Dell chose the most wretched color scheme with the "white bumpers"....

 

I went to best buy yesterday to check out possible laptops. I noticed the blue lights on the dv8000z on display weren't quite as bright as my dv5000z, still annoying, but maybe it was at a level that I could live with. Strange that only the hp's had lights right below the monitor, all the other brands(toshiba, ibm, dell) had lights on the side or no lights. My wireless blue led was especially bright, kinda like looking at a blue christmas light constantly. This is the last I'm gonna write about this subject, as I need to find another laptop now.

Good luck and enjoy your laptop.

 

Just got my dv5000z, and noticed the blue lights - was a bit worried after reading this thread. But, they don't annoy me at all. I've used it in both dim and light environments... no big deal to me. BTW, I love this notebook - awesome screen, nice keyboard, it's a keeper as far as I'm concerned.

 

Oh man my dv5000z is going to be getting here in like 2 weeks (sooo long ) I noticed the lights in the pictures online and I really hate lights on my computers. I was just going to cut some strips of electrical tape to cover them up.

 

"Awesone screen" ?
Why does everyone keep saying this? AHH! The screen sux! I've been to 3 stores selling this laptop, and the DV5000 has the worst gradient-effect of any laptop >$500 I've seen.
Sorry - off the topic - but I really am confused as to why everyone keeps praising this poor screen. It's bad enough to make me return it, but I can't afford a $150 CC restocking fee


Anyway...tape will work fine. The only light that's really an issue is the Wifi. The other lights are quite dim, and further from the screen. At least that's my opinion. For thoes of you who don't have the laptop; all the lights are bright enough to easily shire through a single sheet or more of standard printer paper in a light room, but the WiFi seems worse. The only time I think they'll give me trouble is watching movies in a dark room; so then I'll turn off the Wifi. I haven't put tape on myself yet, but I think it will work fine.

 

I have seen the Compaq version's screen and I think it is nice. Comparied to some dells and toshiba's I have seen...

 

I for one, am in favour of these blue lights, i have a thing about the colour blue! lol and i think they really look cool, it brightens up the look of the dv5000 and dv8000 - not that they are bad looking macines anyway:hp: :hp: :hp:

 

Well i have a v4000 and i think the blue wifi light if just fine. It really depends on the user. I used it as my development machine so i usually use it more than 8 hrs a day. Better rest your eyes by looking at the farthest thing you can see every 30 minutes and strech.

 

i know this may be a bit out there but if you thicken black paint and use a detail brush for modelling it dims the lights dramatically and doesnt spill around like tape. Also you can still see the LEDs for functionality but you have to look at them to notice if they are on. I did it with an averec and a toshiba. Just a thought

 

The blue lights are cool looking and they do not bother me...

 

I just bought the DV 6000 and i'm sending it back because of the blue lights! On mine the startup button is so f**kin bright you cant help but notice it. The whole slew of blue lights is also annoying not as bright as the start button. Basically they built a decent computer and screwed it with all these VERY BRIGHT blue lights.

One other thing that needs to be mentioned is that it does not have a hinge lock clasp which may be a problem for some people who are really on the go. I thought about the electrical tape and feel that's probably the best workaround. Having to paint all the blue lights black is a little over the top and may just invalidate the warranty.

I suggest anyone buying an HP to go to a retail store first and really check to see what i'm talking about NEVER in my life have i seen a start button that is so annoying it actually had me seeing little dots for about 5 minutes and that was only after 30 minutes of use. Watching a movie or gaming =actually anything is impossible on this machine.

DEAL BREAKER ALL THE WAY

HP should have a way to shut them off if they did i wouldn't be sending it back.....I'm totally depressed about the whole situation.

 

Ttt................................................................................................