dv6000 Display Adjustments & Video Card Upgrade

I just purchased this notebook and have a question regarding adjustment of the display. I am able to so a side-by-side comparision between this notebook and a dv5000. [side note: my new system has an AUO panel; the dv5000 has an LPL. The AUO is significantly brighter than the LPL panel on the dv5000 at the highest settings...] BUT: The display on the new
dv6000 seems more "grainy" when running the videos that come with MS media center and the colors are not as rich or saturated as on the dv5000. You can see that "patchy" effect especially on the people's faces in the videos. It almost seems like the display is -too- sharp on the dv6000. Any ideas? I can live with it, especially given the big difference in the brightness of the AUO screen. I have checked all the settings on the card and they are matched on both systems. Thanks

 

I have an AUO screen on my dv2000, but haven't noticed the problems you mention.

It could be a video card problem. Perhaps the drivers need updating?

If not, the video card could have a problem, or maybe the screen. Not entirely sure. I'll let another user who has more info on the screen and video cards to inform you on the fact.



Hope what I provided helps.

 

I just received my new dv6000t and have the problem you describe. At first I thought it was driver related, but I've had several versions of the Nvidia driver installed.

I also installed Linux and see the same display weirdness. In the background of drop-down menus I can see a distinct pattern, even though the color is solid. I've seen similar issues in the past when a vid card is going bad or there are other hardware problems.

This sucks because I just waited 3 weeks to get the thing via CTO, and now I'm looking at sending it in for service... Anyone know how long warranty repairs take?

PS: Don't live with it..it's not normal.

 

Thanks to all who replied with their ideas. My DV5000 was replaced under warranty due to a bad DVD drive (part was back logged with a minimum of a 30-day wait for the replacement) and I also waited almost 3 weeks for this
DV6000 replacement. I'll start with tech support and go from there but this is very disappointing. It's a shame because this AUO screen is clearly superior to the LPL screen on the 5000 in all aspects.... Please post any solution or fix and I'll do the same.... Thanks again....

 

Can anyone tell me what's involved in a R&R of the video card? Since they are the same in both units I was thinking I could try swapping them and see if that would fix the issue (I still have the DV5000)

 

My DV6000t came with the standard Intel video card/chip. I would like to upgrade the video card in the near future. Is it possible to upgrade the card to the optional Nvidia (or other) and install it myself? I have done this in the past with the desktop system I have. Thanks

 

No...the integrated use a different motherboard anyway, so you don't even have an accessible PCIe slot (which mind you would only take a GPU made specifically for that HP notebook).

Even then, you can't upgrade most laptops (some Dells and MXM notebooks are the exception). Notebooks aren't like desktops, not even close...most can upgrade the RAM, HDD, and CPU (that last one will void the warranty), but that is it.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. I appreciate it. I'm going to stop by Staples and see if any of the units on display with AUO screens are showing the same patchy video symtoms I'm seeing on my dv6000. If they are, I'll chock it up to a normal characteristic of this screen. If that's the case, I can live with it given the vastly superior appearance (especially the brightness: it is much better than the LPL screen on the dv5000) of this LCD.

 

Follow-up: Intel has a newer driver for this video chipset so I downloaded and installed it: It made no noticable difference. To get good idea of what I'm talking about, run the Alanis Morrisette sample video that comes with Media Center. You'll see this patchy/uneven skin tone in her face right at the beginning. You will also see it in other close-ups of peoples faces later in the video.

 

Next time I'm at BB I'll see what the display model shows...should be going there tonight.

 

I ran that video on all the HP laptops they had over there and the all showed the same grainy/patchy symptoms. It was less noticeable on the one with the LPL panel, but it was also dimmer than the one with the AUO. That alone may be the reason it is more pronounced on my unit (brighter display). I'm not seeing the other symptoms described here (issues seen on drop-down menus) so it looks like this is a normal condition on these units and LCD's. (Maybe it's just a poor copy of that particular video....) Whatever it is, the dv5000 doesn't exhibit it at all.... Thanks again for the feedback.... I'll watch for your report on the BB units....

 

For: Night 2004: Did you get a chance to check out the HP laptops at BB for this issue? I'm hoping the units had LCD from a couple of different vendors so you could compare what the videos looked like on them.

 

Not yet...I got out of work too late to get there before it closed...yes, I was working that late. I'm going tomorrow, cause I need to return a DVD Repair Kit.

 

I didn't get the chance to check the screen manufacturer for the notebooks, but I looked at both the dv2000 & dv6000 model they had at the store. Both had the glossy screen and a decent resolution. The only problem I noticed was that when I maximized the screen the video looked well...pixelated. But that was probably because I expanded that video far above it's native resolution. That might be the problem you're referring to?

But no one's face or skin was patchy with regards to color. Maybe one or two didn't have what should have been the right tone (at little too much of one color, but not enough to make someone look like they were green skinned or anything), it didn't look uneven...

I definitely saw some worse screens that those two HPs at BB tonight, but I forget what models they were (and who make them).

 

Thanks for the follow-up. I have concluded that the phenomenon I'm seeing is a product of that particular video and not necessarily the screen. I played a few other DVD's and the picture quality is outstanding from the AUO panel. For a real treat try running the "fish tank" screen saver. Step back a little and except for the fish being a little too "animated" it looks like a real high $$$ tank set up. That would be a good test to compare screens in the store and againg, the LPL screen is a lot dimmer when both are on full-bright.

 

Sweet...nice to hear that everything is okay. Maybe that video was corrupted...