HP Pavilion Media Center M8100N Desktop PC (AMD Athlon 64 Processor, 3 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium)

I have had this m8100n 4 over 1 year now & have loved every minute of it. I have just recently replaced the video card with & ATI upgrade 4 its 1080p upscale with HDMI connection & WOW. Using my LCD big screen as a secondary monitor it as added a whole new level 2 my media collection. I have yet 2 upgrade my RAM from 3gb 2 6gb or even 8gb but so far the speed has remained awesome with the assistance of Norton 360 2 help with the tuning & protection of my PC - a MUST. My next project is 2 hook up a killer surround sound through my PC 2 use its abililties 2 improve my setup even more. I HIGHLY RECOMEND THIS PC!!!

Have been using this 4 8 months now. HP makes a great machine. Would purchase again if I had 2 do it over. The TV tuner is awesome, the machine is fast & I haven't noticed any of the crashes or lags that so many Vista users complain about...perhaps that's b/c Microsoft has put out the 1st Service Pack 4 Vista or perhaps the complainers weren't using a proper hardware configuration (i.e. not enough RAM or Video memory).

so far so good. i haven't had a chance 2 use it too much, i have been on vacation 4 two weeks, but i have had no problems. it works fast & is easy 2 understand. it really is not that different than my last computer.

First of all, I read the specs before buying this PC, so will not leave a bad review based on my own lack of research. I was bummed 2 find out that it does not have a DVI port, the one thing I forgot 2 check out before buying.
This computer will work wonderfully 4 most users. It has plenty of speed, RAM & hard drive space 4 the average video & photo buff. If you intend 2 download a ton of movies, use it as you entertainment system & want the best video output options, I would look elsewhere.
I do watch TV on mine & it was VERY easy 2 setup with my cable. The picture quality is OK while watching TV & much better when watching an actual DVD movie. Remember that your monitor & cable will make a huge difference as well. Windows Media Center works great too. It comes with built-in movies 2 teach you step by step how 2 get the best sound & picture quality.
I bought mine 4 the price & the amount of ports on the front. Vista works great in my opinion. Some people may have issues, but it usually a driver issue & is typically the fault of the manufacturer of the device you are having an issue with & not Vista itself.
It runs very quiet, looks nice, has two PCI expansion slots 2 add whatever (maybe more USB ports) & all the front AV ports I needed 4 a very low price. It has one extra bay in the front 2 add a second CD or DVD drive, which I have already done on mine 4 faster CD & DVD copying. This computer was exactly what I expected.
I think this PC should have a few more USB ports & a DVI output 4 sure. I am reviewing the m8100n. I am seeing some people posting reviews under the wrong area.
My advice is 2 think on your own & pick what specs you need first & then read the reviews. Not everyone wants the same thing & many people have unreasonable expectations. If this computer meets your needs as far as specs go, then buy it. You will love it!

Great service. Best CPU buy ever! Killer machine. Great bargain. Software needed several upgrades though.

The Pavilion Media Center TV is designed 2 make it easier, & more convenient, 4 you 2 enjoy your digital entertainment. This desktop features an NTSC TV tuner & an over-the-air ATSC tuner, giving you the ability 2 receive both standard & high definition TV broadcasts. The Pavilion Media Center TV also has DVR functionality. Pause, record, & rewind live TV using the built-in 500GB hard drive, or if that's still not enough room 4 you, you can purchase an optional HP Personal Media Drive 4 up 2 an additional 500GB of storage space. 500GB 7200RPM SATA HDD HP Personal Media Drive Bay SuperMulti DVD Drive - (write speeds) up 2 12x DVD-RAM, 8x DL DVD-R, 8x DL DVD+R, 16x DVD-R, 16x DVD+R, 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD+RW, 40x CD-R,&32x CD-RW SuperMulti DVD Drive - (read speeds) up 2 16x DVD-ROM&40x CD-ROM NVIDIA GeForce 6150 SE Graphics with TurboCache with 128MB of dedicated graphics - up 2 623MB of total memory using shared memory (memory is taken from the main system's RAM) Personal Video Recorder (PVR) - NTSC TV Tuner, over-the-air ATSC high-definition television tuner, & FM Tuner (antenna included) High Definition Audio (8 speaker configurable) Ports - 10/100 Ethernet, 6 USB 2.0 (2 front), 2 FireWire (1 front), Microphone, Headphone, S-Video, Composite Video, Audio (L/R), 2 PS/2, Digital Audio Out, 1 VGA Out,&Rear Speaker/Subwoofer/Center Speaker Out Slots - 2 PCI (occupied)&1 PCI-E x16 (occupied) Bays - 2 External 5.25 (1 available)&2 Internal 3.5 (1 available) Front Panel 15-in-1 Memory Card Reader - supports SmartMedia, xD Picture Cards, MMC, SD, Compact Flash I/II, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro Duo, RSMMC, MMC Mobile, MMC+, Mini SD,&IBM Microdrive Unit Dimensions - 15.16 (l) x 7.60 (w) x 16.54 (h/d) Unit Weight - 32 lbs. Monitor is not included

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 2.8 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ 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 3 GB of installed RAM (8 GB maximum), Nvidia GeForce 6150 LE video card (with 128 MB of dedicated 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 5600+ 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 2.8 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 3 GB of installed RAM (PC5300, 2 x 1 GB, 2 x 512 MB) is a good start, but you'll want 2 add more RAM 2 handle today's demanding multimedia & gaming software. It also offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed. This desktop has an enormous 8 GB maximum RAM capacity (4 x 2 GB). To receive the faster data transfer benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity & clockspeed.

• 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 8x DVD-R DL Write Once, 8x DVD+R DL Write Once, 16x DVD+R, 8x DVD+RW, 16x DVD-R, 6x DVD-RW, 12x 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 & scroller mouse (both PS/2) & remote control.

Video & Audio
This desktop features an integrated Nvidia GeForce 6150 SE graphics/video card with 128 MB of dedicated graphics memory. Windows Vista can also allocate up 2 623 MB of total graphics memory from the system memory. It features NVidia's PureVideo technology--which provides great picture clarity, smooth video, accurate color, & precise image scaling 4 video content--and full support 4 Microsoft DirectX 9.0 4 stunningly realistic cinematic effects 4 all DirectX-compatible applications. 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 two PCI expansion slots (none available), one PCI x16 Express slot (available), one PCI x1 Express slot (available), two 5.25-inch bays (one available), three 3.5-inch bays (two 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
• VGA video out
• Headphone & microphone jacks
• Digital SPDIF audio output
• 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.

Dimensions & Weight
This desktop measures 15.16 x 7.6 x 16.54 inches (LxWxD) & weighs approximately 32 pounds.

What's in the Box
This package contains the HP Media Center m8100n 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.