HP Pavilion Media Center M8000N Desktop PC (AMD Athlon 64 X2 Processor 5200 Plus, 2 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, SuperMulti DVD Drive, Vista Premium)

I bought this computer in a desperate act because my old one conked in the middle of a project (I work from home) & I had 2 have one by Monday. It is chock full of useless programs, runs slow, & uses Vista, the worst operating system ever. It seems as if Microsoft was unhappy with the way people had actually learned 2 use their computers & weren't making enough use of the help staff in some country where English must be the third language or fifth, or who knows? Soooo they invented Vista & called it an improvement. I was warned not 2 buy anything but Win XP or a MacIntosh, but didn't listen, 2 my regret.
The only way 2 get most programs 2 work on this machine is 2 use the "COMPATIBILITY WIZARD" & set them 2 work under XP or WIN2000, because Vista is basically NOT COMPATIBLE WITH ANYTHING. It is particularly not compatible with the Norton Symantec Security that comes installed on it, & if you buy the Norton Security program it will crash the computer & you need 2 spend a good four hours on the phone with someone halfway around the world who must take over your computer from there 2 actually make the whole thing run again.
SPECIAL NOTE: You cannot run TurboTax on VISTA! Intuit will not tell you that but the program is simply not EVER going 2 work.
All the loaded in programs seem 2 boot with startup, I mean everything, so it moves with the speed of a glacier. I can't find the old way of turning them off so startup takes a good 10 minutes. Push the button & then go make your coffee & read the paper; when you get done the computer will be started. So will the "help Center" which is slow 2 load & useless.
Good luck finding the "add or remove program" process, & you can't remove all the slugs anyway because they aren't listed there as possible 2 remove. You can't remove the hundred games, either.
If you need a workhorse, get something else.

Overall I am very pleased with this package. Setup & use were a breeze. However I then encountered that dreaded Vista bug with Live OnceCare. It affects copying of files & uploading of Photos. Bottom line, wait 4 a Vista SP.

See post below.
http://forums.microsoft.com/WindowsOneCare/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2266871&SiteID=2&pageid=0

Just want 2 watch TV, DVDs & your old collection of VHS tapes using a nice big monitor connected 2 your PC? Fuggetdaboutit.

Don't buy this. It's a royal pain 2 setup the TV signals, you need a separate application 2 watch DVDs & you just can NOT watch your VHS tapes.

I tried connecting the RF output of the VCR 2 the analog RF input & it doesn't work. I then tried 2 connect 2 the audio & video inputs on the front of the unit. There is no application 4 using them!

When I tried tech support, they suggested I buy an upgraded Roxio application (see chat below). Isn't that 4 printing text on a DVD?

After spending $1000 4 this computer, & several agravating hours searching 4 a way 2 view my tapes, I'm left very very disappointed, 2 say the least.
-----chat session below-------------------

Rugin P: Welcome 2 HP Total Care 4 Desktop PCs.My name is Rugin P. How may I assist you today?
Rugin P: Hi Marc.
Rugin P: How are you doing today?
marc desmarais: i connected my VCR 2 the front audio & video inputs. How do I just view the vcr tape on my monitor?
Rugin P: Not 2 worry I will let you know.
Rugin P: May I know the operating system you are using?
marc desmarais: vista
Rugin P: In this case you have 2 upgrade the roxio software which is installed in your PC.
marc desmarais: what are the audio & video inputs on the front of my computer 4 then? Was I sold something I can not use!?!
Rugin P: In Vista you default you can capture Digital Video, if you want 2 capture analog video you have 2 upgrade the Roxio software installed in your PC
marc desmarais: that's not my question. What are the audio & video input in the front panel for?
Rugin P: Yes it is 2 capture video itself.
marc desmarais: how do I capture video using the video input that came with the computer I paid $1000 4 ?
Rugin P: As I told earlier that in vista you can default capture Digital video, in order 2 capture analog video you have 2 upgrade the Roxio software.

Overall, this computer is fine; however, the machine ships with Vista, so you think it would be designed with Vista compatibility in mind. Instead, there is an HP program that runs in the background from time 2 time, called HPAsset - it's supposed 2 check your PC's health. It cannot be disabled. It crashes every time, with error message "HPAsset has stopped working" due 2 its incompatibility with Vista. HP customer support acknowledges the problem, but says there is no solution (they allege they are working on one, but this PC has been out 4 months, & none is forthcoming, so I wouldn't hold your breath 4 one). 'Helpful' reminders 2 buy HP extended service plan also pop up from time 2 time - customer service's suggested disable methods (which, instead of a simple, 'don't ask me again' button involve digging into the run on startup menu - OK 4 me, but not 4 the typical purchaser of this computer, I would suspect) don't work. Very poor. Cannot recommend any HP product based on this; will try DELL next time.

For a new computer, HP came highly recommended by a techie co-worker. But we've been sorely disappointed. We crashed during the first start-up. The CPU fan is very loud at times, whirring at an irritatingly high volume. Customer Service said that was normal, but no computer I've had before was that loud (and between home & work I've had many). The biggest issue, however, is when we had trouble using the windows media center, Customer service told us we need an updated graphics card! Why would they put together & sell a software/hardware package that isn't compatible!? But I asked twice, & the rep kept telling us we needed 2 upgrade 4 the installed software 2 work. Very disappointed.

The HP Pavilion Media Center TV Desktop PC is designed & built 4 your digital life. Take control of your digital entertainment with a PC that helps you consolidate, organize, & play your favorite TV shows, movies, music, photos & videos. The built-in TV tuner & personal video recorder (PVR) lets you watch, pause, rewind, & record live television on your Media Center PC. 500GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive Optional HP Personal Media Expandable Drive Bay Optical Drive - SuperMulti DVD Burner with LightScribe Technology 16x DVD+-R, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD+R DL, 8x DVD-R DL, 12x DVD-RAM, 16x DVD-ROM, DVD-ROM, 40x CDR, 32x CDRW & 40x CD-ROM 10/100Base-T Network Interface Personal Video Recorder - NTSC TV tuner, over-the-air ATSC high-definition television tuner, & FM tuner Expansion Slots - 2 PCI slots (occupied), 1 PCI-E x16 slot (available), & 1 PCI-E x1 slot (available) Expansion Bays - 2 external 5.25-inch (one available), 1 external 3.5-inch (one available), & 1 internal 3.5-inch (occupied) External Ports - 6 USB 2.0 port(s) (2 Front, 4 back), 2 FireWire (IEEE 1394) ports (1 Front, 1 back), Microphone/Headphone, S-Video, Composite Video, Audio inputs (L & R) (FRONT), 2 PS/2, Digital Audio-out, LAN, Rear speaker-out/Side speaker-out/Center (subwoofer), VGA-out, Microphone/Line-in/Line-out Front panel 15-in-1 memory card reader - Supports SmartMedia, xD, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital (SD), Compact Flash I, Compact Flash II, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro Duo, RSMMC, MMC Mobile, MMC+, Mini Secure Digital, IBM Microdrive Operating System - Windows Vista Home Premium Dimensions - Length 15.16 x Width 7.60 x Depth 16.54 inches Weight - 32 pounds

The easy-to-use HP m8000n Media Center PC is the complete home PC system that delivers more entertainment choices, & brings them together in one place with easy access from anywhere in the room. You can watch, record, & pause live TV programming as well as schedule the PC 2 record upcoming episodes or entire series. The built-in TV tuner (providing both standard NTSC & high-def ATSC transmission) & personal video recorder (PVR) let you watch, pause, rewind, & record live television--up 2 305 hours on this 500 GB hard drive. An online Electronic Program Guide (EPG) lets you review the TV schedule & select individual episodes or entire series, so you can watch your favorite shows on your own time, at your own convenience. And you can easily burn TV shows & home video 2 DVD 4 friends & family with the dual-layer, multi-format LightScribe DVD/CD burner, which enables you 2 store up 2 8.5 GB of data on a DL disc. LightScribe technology burns custom, silkscreen-quality labels & artwork directly onto LightScribe-enabled discs, right inside the drive.

This desktop is powered by the 2.6 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ dual-core processor, which increases the efficiency & speed of the PC while running multiple programs & the latest multi-threaded software. A built-in drive bay fits an optional HP Personal Media Drive (PMD), 4 up 2 500 GB of additional storage that you can carry away with you when you go (PMD not included). It also features 2 GB of installed RAM (8 GB maximum), Nvidia GeForce 6150 LE video card (with up 2 256 MB of shared video memory), 15-in-1 memory card reader, up 2 8 channels of surround sound output, & a remote control with up 2 16 feet of range.

This PC also comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, which includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities 4 turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition 2 easily playing your DVD movies & managing your digital audio library, you'll be able 2 record & watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, & offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

The Basics

• Processor: AMD's Athlon 64 X2 5200+ dual-core processor is built 4 tomorrow's 64-bit applications, which will require a processor with significant power. It outperforms the highest-performing AMD Athlon 64 4000+ single-core processor on multi-tasking benchmarks by up 2 30 percent. Dual-core technology is like having two processors working together, each one taking care of different applications, so power-users actually experience greater performance when multiple applications are running. Digital media enthusiasts will appreciate the enhancements while simultaneously working in high-definition video & photo editing & audio mixing programs. It includes such AMD features as HyperTransport Technology (which increases the communication between integrated circuits) & Enhanced Virus Protection.

  This 2.6 GHz processor offers a system bus with speeds up 2 a blazing 2000 MHz & each core offers a 1 MB L2 cache--for a 2 MB total. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; & a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU & RAM, & a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

• Hard Drive: The incredibly huge 500 GB Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive (7200 RPM) offers a wealth of storage space--enough 4 storing up 2 305 hours of television programming, a vast multimedia collection, or 4 editing digital video. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin 2 FireWire & USB 2.0.

• Memory: The 2 GB of built-in memory (2 x 1024 MB, PC4200, DDR2 SDRAM) is a good start right out of the box, & it offers a very fast 533 MHz speed. This desktop has a 8 GB maximum RAM capacity (8 x 1 GB), perfect 4 high-def video & 3-D gaming.

• DVD/CD Drive: This multiformat DVD/CD drive is compatible with writing both DVD+ & DVD- disc formats as well as dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can store up 2 8.5 GB of data. It features 4x DVD-R DL Write Once, 8x DVD+R DL Write Once, 16x DVD+R, 8x DVD+RW, 16x DVD-R, 6x DVD-RW, 5x DVD-RAM, 40x CD-R, 32x CD-RW write speeds & 40x CD-ROM, & 16x DVD-ROM read speeds.

  This LightScribe DVD+/-RW drive lets you laser-etch silkscreen quality text & images on 2 CDs & DVDs . Your software, PC & discs work together 4 a no-hassle way 2 burn just the labels you want. After you burn content, just flip the disc over, reinsert & burn your label--anything from a simple title 2 a full-disc work of art.

• Keyboard & Mouse: This desktop comes with an HP multimedia keyboard & optical mouse (both PS/2) & remote control.

Video & Audio
This desktop features an integrated Nvidia GeForce 6150LE graphics/video card with up 2 288 MB of shared video memory (allocated from the system RAM). Nvidia's exclusive TurboCache technology allows direct rendering from the GPU 2 system memory by leveraging the bi-directional PCI Express bandwidth. The TurboCache Manager dynamically allocates memory 4 maximum system performance while intelligent software algorithms maximize application performance. It also offers an integrated audio card that can produce high definition surround sound configurable 2 8 speakers.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
For expansion, this desktop features a drive bay that fits an optional HP Personal Media Drive--which enables you 2 add 500 GB of storage 4 your video & music libraries. It has three PCI expansion slots (one available), one PCI x16 Express slot (available), & the following external ports:

• 6 USB 2.0 ports 4 connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras 2 MP3 players (2 in front, 4 in rear)
• 2 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port 4 connecting digital video camcorders & other peripherals (1 in front, 1 in rear)
• Composite video, S-Video, & analog audio inputs
• Headphone & microphone jacks
• Audio output: digital audio out, surround sound speakers--rear, side, center
• 2 PS/2 ports 4 connecting keyboards & mice
• 15-in-1 media card reader on the front, compatible with CompactFlash (Type I & II), MicroDrive, SmartMedia, Memory Stick/Pro/Duo/Pro Duo, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital, XD Picture Card, RSMMC, MMC Mobile, MMC+

It includes an integrated 56K modem (V.90) & an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection 2 networks & DSL/cable modems).

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium is the operating system 4 users with advanced computer needs, & it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities 4 turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center 4 watching DVD movies & accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center 2 record & watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) & 2 access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium & an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you 2 access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever 2 share files between other PCs in your household & 2 manage your laptop computer settings 2 more securely connect via Wi-Fi.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools & technologies 2 help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting 2 a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you 2 manage & monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, & other activities.

Preloaded Software
Includes Microsoft Works 8, Microsoft Office Home & Student Edition 2007 Trial, Symantec Norton Internet Security 2007 (with 60 days of Live Update), Roxio Creator/MyDVD (with LightScribe technology), Muvee autoProducer (for creating professional-looking home videos & burning 2 DVD), HP Photosmart Essential, & HP Total Care Advisor.

What's in the Box
This package contains the HP Media Center m8000n desktop PC, keyboard, mouse, remote control, & power cord. It is backed by a limited warranty 4 parts & labor 4 one year from date of purchase as well as technical telephone assistance 4 one year. Software is also covered 4 90 days from date of purchase.