dv6000t Current/ Prospective Owners Lounge

Thanks for the info Airman. Your system specs mention XP pro/ Vista RC1 so that threw me off. If I wanted to connect RCAs or Component cables to the laptop to watch DVDs on a TV, what options are available? So far all I have seen is the docking station which isn't very portable.

thanks

Pat

 

Just want to know is it worth it to upgrade dv6000t's RAM to 2GB? What is the original brand that HP used for their RAM? Kingston?

Please help, thank you.

 

Thanks wrahn

The DVDs probably won't play because you might not have a DVD Decoder program installed. Most store bought DVDs need to be decoded by such a program to be viewable, they can be downloaded pretty easily just do a search for them, and I'm sure you can find them on torrents aswell.

Pat, you can hook your laptop right up to a TV or a VCR, all you need is a S-Video cable and a headphone jack (male end) to a standard input (also male end). Unfortunatly the dv6000, and 2000 series don't have the HDMI inputs.
MCE 2005 is MS Pro basically only with the Media Center program embedded into it and maybe with a couple features stripped. If you go to system information it's listed as MS Pro which is funny, anyways thats why I listed it here as pro lol.

FireWolf, it is definitly worth the upgrade to 2GB if you will be installing Vista or will need the extra boost, it's much cheaper to select it as an option from HP when you are configuring the notebook then it will be after to upgrade it.
The brand of memory that I and most others have is Nanya and it is 667 MHZ.
I've heard of people upgrading their RAM after to save a couple bucks and buying 533 MHZ instead so if you do choose to do this be aware of this.

HP's CTO Return policy is basically if you want to return it, they will haggle with you for alittle and probably offer you $50-$75 to keep it. If you still want to return it then they will send you a prepaid FedEx sticker, slap it on the box and send it out, they will refund your money, though I think they can't refund the state sales tax.

Hope this helps, take care everyone

-Aaron

 

Thanks Airman.

Now my spec will be as:
1.83MHz Core 2 Duo
2GB RAM, 120GB HD
Media Centre Edition
GeForce 7400

Hope this is enough to upgrade to Vista once it come out next year

 

mine is mce and its listed as microsoft xp media center edition version 2002

 

More Information

Not sure any of this input has value to owners and prospective ownwers, but for what it's worth:

I checked my computer using ASTRA32 and it has merom installed. The optical drive is listed as Mat****a and the hard drive is listed as Fujitsu. The display is SEC -Samsung and as I've indicated before it's manufacture date is Jan 2004.

On Sunday, I checked out the displays on hp laptops at Circuit City, Office Depot and Best Buy. All but one of the displays were LGL displays. The lone exception was an AUO. Because of the difficulty in doing any side-by-side comparason, I'm not sure if my SEC is any worse or better then any other display. They all (including other brands) appear to suffer from being washed-out when viewed from the side or from above. I think I'm used to my non-glare matte desktop LCD monitor rather than the "bright screen".

As far as needing to download a decoder to view store bought videos, I think that sucks. The laptop adverts lists the ability to play DVDs and never mentions needing additional programs. So much for the quick play of DVDs.

Since I'm doing a little *****in', let me also state the quick start manual is worthless. Someone who knows nothing about computers, would have a very difficult time using the laptop. I sure hope their help support is better than their manual.

Wes

 

i had an AUO display before, I thought it wasnt that bad. I got my new dv6000 today, shipped 5 days early, with a QDS and it is amazing. It looks awesome. The biggest difference is when it is running on battery or it is plugged in. I did call HP customer service and request that they put a note for a LG phillips or QDS quantas display.

 

I feel you pain Indian2007. I was so looking forward to a dv6000t with atleast a T7200, but being an Australian, we are screwed over with two versions: dv6113tx which has a C2D T5500, and dv6129tx which has a CD 1.6.

 

I posted this in hardware, but thought it was relevant here as well:

Over the weekend I installed a 7200 RPM Seagate ST910021AS in my HP
DV6000t. It came with a Fujitsu 5400 RPM MHV2120BH PL. I cloned the Fujitsu drive to the Seagate drive, including D: recovery partition and the other partition that is used for the multimedia stuff (so I could make a fair comparison). I defragged each then benchmarked both. Results were similar from HD tach, Sandra, and HD Tune. Here are the results:

-------------------- Seagate Fujitsu

Drive temp------------47-49 c 44-46c

Burst----------------117MB/s 107MB/s

Seq. Read low--------25.2MB/s 20.1MB/s
Seq. read hi----------45.8 43.1
Seq read av.---------37.6 33.4

Time to boot to--------34 sec 40 sec
win XP logon

Time to load all---------24 sec 26 sec
prog after logon

Access time------------15.1 ms 18.5 ms

HP doesn't offer a 7200 drive in the 6000 series. The Seagate cost me $160, plus a $40 for the hardware and software to do the cloning. I think the investment was worth it.

No I am going to reformat the Seagate, and do a clean install.

 

Thanks wrahn! So they do ship them with the merom. go figure that I got the conroe and they just flat out lied to me. I thing I will be sending this beauty back and moving over to asus.

 

Final Obsevation On New hp Laptop

When I contacted hp to exchance my new laptop because I didn't want a laptop with a SEC display that had a manufacture built date of Jan 2004 and that had a DVD drive with problems, I was told I had to talk to technical support and they would be able to advise me on how to fix it. I told them to refund my money. I didn't need to talk to tech support to fix a computer I was not happy owning.

Looks like I'll need to resign from this thread.

Wes

 

^ as long as your within the 21 day return period they will return it for no reason.

 

my 6000t is stuck in AK for 3 days -- clearance delay

 

Great, thanks for your response. I custom-ordered my dv2000t yesterday. I asked for a panel of any but SEC make. The sales associate told me that they (the HP) have no control over what components are used during the assembly. I did tell him that I would return the PC if the panel is SEC. I’ll, probably, call the customer service to see if they care at all about incurring the potential return expenses for something they can prevent in the first place.

 

Thanks bgeiger, I have been waiting awhile for someone to post that.

Do you notice a big difference while playing games and browsing or is it only marginal?

 

You are 100% correct.

They didn't want to exchange my laptop for one that had the display I wanted and a DVD that worked correctly and I have no intentions of accepting a laptop with a display installed that has a manufacture date of Jan 2004 and a DVD player with problems. So I'm sending my laptop back for a refund. It will be pickup on Thursday.

Wes

 

Sorry, but I don't play games, so I can't help you there. However, the loading time of some of my business software programs is noticably faster. Next chance I get I am going to try some real world testing with writing and reading large files on each drive. I'm looking for a program that perhaps uses some type of a database read, reorganize, and write as a benchmark. I also am going to try some battery life testing, but I doubt it will be different given the little difference in drive temps. Additionally, I could hear virtually no noise from either drive, so noise was not an issue. I tried to do a sound test, but neither drive made over 60 db, and that is as low as my meter goes. Oh well. I'll follow up soon with more results.

 

Hey i gott my 6000t
Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor T5600 (1.83 GHz)
- FREE Upgrade to 15.4" WXGA BrightView Widescreen!!
- 256MB NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) Go 7400
- HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
- 1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)

screen LPL = LG?
dvd = hl-dt = ?
hd = fujitsu
whre can i update disply drivers?

 

Hello I just got my laptop from HP. Its really nice. i checked what screen i got and it is the SEC screen. What is wrong with the SEC screen, it seems decent. What were peoples problems with it? I bought it from costco so I have a 6 month return period on it.

 

can some1 tell me wot does fn+F4 do?

 

Its to toggle between the laptop & an external monitor(if you have one attached to the laptop)

 

I'm planning on ordering one soon. Was wondering about the performance difference between the 5500 and 5600 Core 2 Duo. Is it worth upping it? Or is the performance that much better?

 

Spoke to customer service about making a request to use a non-Samsung screen. The rep told me that she’s the person that handles the returns and that she’s never had a return due to the unsatisfactory SEC screen. She also added that since there’re no recalls there’s nothing she can do for me at this time. Guess I’ll have to wait and see what screen I get.

Also, since the return period is only 21 days from the date of purchase, has anyone had a problem with the SEC screen that wasn’t there from the beginning but rather started happening after a while?

 

Brands and models of some components like the processor, network card, and video cards are specified as part of their marketing. The screen however is not probably because they use different brands depending on availability, price, assembly plant location, etc.

So, I'm not sure if HP or any mfr would entertain returns based on the discovery that the screen is not the brand the customer prefers.

If there is no hard and fast rule corporate policy on it, then return success will probably depend on how nice or accommodating the rep you reach on any given day.

Thanks,
eagle07

 

Today I'm returning my dv6000t with a SEC screen. I had requested the "QDS" and although they didn't promise to honor my request, I hoped they would. When I received my laptop I determined which display I had and after I ran ASTRA32, I also discovered I had a Samsung display screen which was manufactured in Jan 2004. The display appeared to me to wash-out when viewed at a slight change of the viewing angle. I then went to Circuit City, Office Depot and Best Buy to check out the differnt laptop displays. All the hp displays were "LGL" except for one "AUO". In truth, I thought they all had the same wash-out problem. Of course it's difficult to do a side-by-side comparison in a store. Even the Sony and Toshbia laptops seemed to have the same wash-out. I concluded that maybe my problem was that I was used to my desktop matte non-reflection screen and was not used to the "bright screen" display.

However, based on the "SEC" being almost three years old and a problem with my CD/DVD drive, I still wanted to exchange my laptop for a different one. The hp customer sevice people told me they would not exchange the computer, but rather I would have to talk to tech service about my laptop problem. They based their decision on my past record of cancelling orders which I have in fact done.

My first order was canceled because I ordered a bigger battery and found out it would hang down and I also had an aministration problem with the name of the shipping to person. Their solution was to cancel, so I did. I then ordered a laptop with the normal battery and with a duo. After thinking about the duo, I decided to upgrade to the duo 2. The next day I went on to the web site to determine the increased cost of the upgrade and I learned I missed the Vista coupon by one day, so I cancelled and re-ordered with the duo 2 and Vista coupon. So I once again had to cancel that one and order another. In all cases, I never actually recieved any of the cancelled laptops. The only one I received is the current one which goes back this afternoon. The customer service person indicated that cancelling order raises a red flag and that's why they wouldn't do an exchange.

I believe they have a distribution communication problem with China. If I can't modify an order within 24 hours or change the name the of shipping to person in today's tech environment, someone has a problem. For goodness sake they're selling computers not china.

Wes

 

Hey
Why theres no pictures ?
is there a difference HP IMPRINT Finish and Standard Finish ?

 

I have a jan 2004 samsung screen, and I dont see what your talking about. The screen seems fine to me. i dont see a washout when looking at it from a different angle. The brightview is what makes it glossy and you see a reflection if theres windows or lights behind you. Otherwise I dont have a problem with my new dv6000t. I dont feel like going through the hassle of sending my laptop back to HP just to probably get another SEC display. not worth it to me, as this samsung seems to be a pretty good screen.

 

Question: Why is everyone upgrading to Windows Media Center if the laptop dosen't come with a TV Tuner or remote?

 

One reason is that the Vista upgrade path(Vista Express upgrade program) for Win XP MCE is to the Vista Home Premium. If you buy Win XP Home you get Vista Home Basic which is just the bare version and doesnt have the new GUI - Aero.

More Info...
http://h20219.www2.hp.com/services/cache/416458-0-0-225-121.html?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

 

Are there any downsides to selecting Windows Media Center instead of Home? Such as decreased memory for games or something?

 

Nope, its just Wiindows XP Pro with the additional Media center addon. In all other aspects it is the same as Windows XP Pro except without the ability to join a domain.

 

I am getting a mouse i want to know if its compatible witj my 6000t bluetooth laptop

http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=AMB02US

It says i shud have any of 1 software stack (protocol) standards: WIDCOMM, Toshiba, and Microsoft

How do i know which is mine?

 

Well, the problem I posted about a while ago has gotten a bit worse. My keyboard is messed up. At times it doesn't type a letter unless I hammer hard on the keys. The shift key also fails to produce uppercase letters about 10% of the time, which can get very annoying. They had me reinstall the keyboard driver, and then try using an external keyboard. All signs pointed to a problem with the keyboard on my dv6000t. So, sadly, I have to send it in. Is anyone else experiencing anything like this?

Also - why do they have to wipe my hard drive when I send it in for a problem like this? They said I'll have to reinstall all of my software!

 

Since you've had dealings with tech support, could you give us your opinion on how well they responded to your problem. Those of us who may want to purchase a hp laptop would benefit from knowing what type of support we can expect.

If anyone else has had experience with tech support and wants to share it with us, I would greatly appreciate it. I guess the question would be, how do you rate hp technical support?

Thanks,
Wes

 

I've had 2 experiences with hp tech support, and both times I opted to make contact via their "hp email support" service. Both time, I received an confirmation email within a minute or so, and an email from a support technician within 30 minutes. More detail on each issue:

1. I stupidly didn't realize that you have "click" the power cord into the computer. My old Dell was very different. So I thought something was wrong with the power cord port on my computer. I just wasn't getting the cord in there. The tech support person emailed a few suggestions, but never suggested pushing it in really hard (someone here ended up helping me with that suggestion). I emailed back to say that the "problem" was still there, and they emailed back quickly with the steps I needed to take to send in my computer for repairs. In this case, I might have benefited from phone support; a support person on the phone could have done a bit more real-time problem solving with me. The email support person probably should have recommended that I (a) push really hard on the cord, or (b) call in for support before they asked me to send in my computer. Here I'd give them an A for response time and courtesy, but a D for helpfulness.

2. As mentioned, my keyboard has had problems from day 1. The shift key sometimes fails to produce uppercase letters, and a few other keys require a very hard smack before they work. I again used email support, and their response time was again very quick. This time their suggestions made good sense. When nothing worked, they quickly arranged for me to send it in for repair. All responses came within 1/2 hour of my emails. Here I give them an A for both responsiveness and helpfulness.

I think, as others have noted, that sometimes the rating will depend on who you get as your support person. It's sort of a roll of the dice.

Hope this helps,
Craig

 

Hi, I just ordered this notebook with following specs:

Core 2 Duo t5600 1,83 GHz
1024MB RAM
Windows Media Center Edition 2005
120GB S-ATA Harddrive
6-cells battery
Nvidia GeForce Go 7400 256MB Turbocache (128MB dedicated/128 from memory)
Dual layer DVD-burner with lightscribe technology
15,4” WXGA High Definition Brightview Widescreen 1280x800


Has anyone tried playing oblivion or fear on this machine with the same cpu and graphic card? is it playable? I had an Asus A6Jc with t2300 cpu and the go 7300 card and it was lagging a bit, 20 fps indoor and really bad outdoor. Maybe it was because I only had 512MB ram. Not expecting top notch quality, just need it to play smoothly with acceptable framerates. Hope it's gonna be a bit better with this machine, cuz I don't have the budget to buy one with a better GPU (student). And how is the battery life on this notebook with 6-cells battery, can I get 3 hours with light applications? Anyone?

 

How can i make a clean install without a mce cd?

 

Just checked out Dv6152ea version in the UK and the keyboard seem a bit dodgy. It flexes quite a lot? I'm currently looking at the HP DV6152ea or the Sony BX396XP. Anyone care to comment on the keyboard comment and the HP/Sony I'm looking to buy?

NOTE: I'd like to buy voa HP Online and get a CTO model, but CTO is not available in the UK, unless someone can tell me otherwise or how to get around it?

 

My display is LP, not SAM. What is that mean? I just bought it yesterday & follow the step on how to check the screen manufacturer.

 

Based on input to this thread, the "LPL" is manufactured by LG-Philips and is considered to be a great display. You should be happy they sent your laptop with that display.

 

Graig

Thanks for the input.

Wes

 

hi often does your fan run? I just got one today and the fan runs every 2min or so, it's "#¤ "#/¤#) annoying. any way to fix this?? my last asus was way better

 

My fan runs a lot, which I found to be a little disappointing. However, I was using a Dell Inspiron 5100 before this, and that computer's fan was VERY loud. The fan on my dv6000 is so much quieter that I really don't mind. But, I could see how it could be annoying if you had been using a really quiet, cool (temp, not style) computer.

 

I solve mine by using a cooling fan, or use my notebook in a colder environment like in an air-condition room. That way, the fan dont run that often.

 

I recieved my DV6000t in late September, and applied for the rebate that day. I have not recieved it yet. Has anyone recieved their rebate yet??

 

I tried to search for an answer, but was not successful. I just ordered a dv6000t and was wondering about the card reader. I have read conflicting stuff saying it is either 5 in 1 or 3 in 1? I bought it for my brother, and he uses the little xD cards....

And on an unrelated note.... Is anyone not happy with their 12 cell battery and the way it props the computer up? I took a chance and went with it, but am sort of unsure about the decision.

Thanks!

 

the fan is almost as loud as the dvd-burner! is that normal? I had the asus a6jc, it ran VERY cool and the fan was never annoying, I cant' say the same about this notebook! I returned the asus because I thought this was a better deal, with better CPU (t5600) and GPU (Go 7400) and it only cost me about 100usd more, but now i'm not so sure. I might think of returning this one too...

There's no way to fix this? some special software I can use?

 

Xerxess,
U keep on returning your notebook, u won't find satisfied in it. Even they let u try all the notebook in their store

 

has anyone tried installing two 1gb ram 667? I have a 512mb ram right now. I'm looking forward to upgrade soon. any ram stick recommendations or deals out there?

 

I bought the notebooks from two different webshops though. I might have to look at Dell's i6400. haven't seen anyone complaining about heat and noise on that one.