HP Pavilion Elite M9250F Desktop PC (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 1 TB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium)

hi, anyone having trouble playing the Blue-Ray AND HD dvd player? it keeps telling me "content protected" the content is not allowed 2 play in the current display mode. When I put in ANY regular DVD & it plays without any problems. The advertising is SO misleading! I really regret HP Pavilion Elite M9280f. There is NOTHING ELITE about it.

I bout this about 5 months ago, I've download songs off the internet, & other games.

But some of the game it has problems with Like "Age Of Empires 3" I even download that patch from www.agecommunity.com this only worked 4 1 day. Then I had problem starting my computer up, & i had 2 restore it, now It's not accepting DVD'S. I don't know what is wrong with it, but it has a problem with software. Also it was making funny click type noises after I downloaded "Age of Empires 3".

Typing on this awesome computer right now. Purchased it 4 $1100 & it was a real steal. Listed now 4 between 1600 & 1990, I definitely recommend buying this item. DO NOT BUY THE DESKTOP SERVICE PLAN!! I cancelled after getting the warranty information & it about gave me a heart attack trying 2 get the refund. This has been a super computer with absolutely NO problems & the picture on the combined HP monitor, HP w2207h, 4 an additonal 300 bucks is fantastic. I definitely recommend this!! Good luck.

I would have 2 say it's one of the best purchases I've made in awhile. System runs great & I've had no problems running any of my legacy 32bit programs.

After many years as a computer programmer one thing I know is that software developers will use all available hardware resources as they design new systems(as they should). This means that you need a computer that will anticipate future 'heavy duty' software. With the HP m9260f you get massive amount of disk storage (two 500gb drives) & a fairly large main memory 4gb. The first thing I did was buy another 4gb main memeory, making a total of 8gb. Note that you are replacing 4 x 1gb with 4 x 2gb so you actually need 2 buy 2 pairs of memory, a little over $200. Then I bought the HP 500gb personal drive 4 $160 which ups the total hard drive capacity 2 1.5 tb. I hope this much hardware will last 4 awhile.

Another major plus factor of this computer is the Vista 64 bit operating system, which some view a big negative, is actually required 2 take advantage of the large RAM (look 4 most future software 2 be written 4 the 64 bit operating system). Much of the sofwtware I was running would not load or download because it wasn't compatable. Most vendors are modifying ther systems 2 run under Vista 64bit but there are still plenty that are not. My Epson scanner software isn't available, I had 2 upgrade my photoshop 2 a new version. This is all painful & somewhat expensive but I think in the long run it will payoff.

Last thing, you don't need 2 buy the model with the Blu Ray but it is kind of nice 2 watch the HI Def movies with the computer. I did buy the HP w2408h 24" LCD monitor at $450 2 take advantage of the Blu Ray -- it is really good.

The HP Pavilion Elite M9250F delivers an amazing high-end home entertainment experience, DX10 3D Mainstream gaming, & power 4 the most demanding PC tasks. The Intel Core 2 Quad processor is the latest in cutting edge processor technology 4 the desktop PC. The Intel Core 2 Quad processor delivers four complete execution cores within a single processor, delivering unprecedented performance & responsiveness in multi-threaded & multi-tasking business & home use environments. The built-in ATSC TV tuner & personal video recorder let you watch, pause, rewind & record live television - with no monthly fee. The free online Electronic Program Guide lets you review the TV schedule & choose a single episode or an entire series. And always be connected 2 the Internet wherever you decide 2 place the desktop in your home with the built-in 802.11G Wireless card. NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT with 512MB dedicated with up 2 1791MB Shared Graphics Memory NTSC TV tuner over-the-air ATSC high-definition television tuner, & FM tuner LightScribe SuperMulti DVD+-R/RW with Double Layer High Definition Audio, 8 speaker configurable Built-in 802.11B/G Wireless 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet LAN 15-in-1 card reader Front ports - 2 x USB, IEEE 1394, Composite video-in (Front) Back ports - 4 x USB, IEEE 1394, 2 x PS2 ports (keyboard, mouse), Audio left/right-in, S-Video-in, Digital Audio In/Out, Microphone/Line-in/Line-out, Rear speaker-out, Side speaker out, Center (subwoofer), RJ-45 (LAN), RJ-11 (Modem), TV-out, DVI-I out, HDMI out Expansion slots - 1 x PCI (occupied), 2 x PCI Express x1 (one available), 1 x PCI Express x16 (occupied) Drive bays - 2 x external 5.25 (one available), 1 x external 3.5 (occupied), 2 x internal 3.5 (occupied) Monitor is not included

The updated chassis with sleek piano black paneling & components is far from the most significant improvements in the multimedia powerhouse HP Pavilion Elite m9250f desktop PC. It's powered by Intel's 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700, which delivers four complete execution cores within a single processor 4 unprecedented performance & responsiveness in multi-threaded & multi-tasking business/home environments. You can also go wireless & clutter-free with wireless keyboard, mouse, & remote control, & it includes the next step in Wi-Fi networking with a 54g wireless LAN (802.11b/g).

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 2 635 hours on the dual 500 GB hard drives (for 1 TB of total built-in storage). 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 (16x 4 DVD±R).

Built-in drive bays fit optional HP Personal Media Drives & Pocket Media Drives, 4 up 2 660 GB of additional storage that you can carry away with you when you go (media drives not included). Other features include 4 GB of installed RAM (800 MHz; 8 GB maximum), Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT graphics (with 512 MB of dedicated video memory), Gigabit Ethernet, 15-in-1 memory card reader, up 2 8 channels of surround sound output, FM tuner, & a remote control with up 2 16 feet of range.

The pre-installed 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (Service Pack 1) 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: With four execution cores, the 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6700 blows through processor-intensive tasks in demanding multitasking environments & makes the most of highly threaded applications. Whether you're creating multimedia, annihilating your gaming enemies, or running compute-intensive applications at one time, new quad-core processing will change the way you do everything. The Q6700 has a top-of-the-class 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB) & dual 4 MB L2 caches (for a whopping huge 8 MB shared L2 cache). (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.)

  With four complete execution cores in a single processor, you get four dedicated, physical threads help operating systems & applications deliver additional performance that enhance multi-tasking & multi-threaded performance across many types of applications & work loads. The Smart Memory Access feature improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth 2 provide data 2 the processor when & where it is needed. The Advanced Digital Media Boost feature effectively doubles the execution speed 4 instructions used widely in multimedia & graphics applications. And with the Intel 64 Architecture, the processor can access larger amounts of memory. With appropriate 64-bit hardware & software, platforms based on an Intel processor supporting Intel 64 Architecture can allow the use of extended virtual & physical memory.

• Hard Drive: The incredibly huge 1000 GB (1 TB) capacity from the dual 500 GB Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives (7200 RPM) offers a wealth of storage space--enough 4 storing up 2 600 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 4 GB of installed RAM (PC2-6400, 4 x 1 GB) will get you moving, but this desktop has room enough 4 8 GB of RAM (4 x 2 GB) 2 speed along your multimedia & gaming applications. It also offers a top-of-the-line 800 MHz speed. 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 a wireless HP keyboard with extended range (up 2 16 feet) & a wireless optical mouse.

Video & Audio
Video is powered by the integrated, SLI-ready NVidia GeForce 8600 GT graphics/video card with 512 MB of dedicated DDR2 graphics memory. Windows Vista can also allocate up 2 1791 MB of total graphics memory from the system memory. With support 4 Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0 & High Dynamic-Range Lighting (HDR), it lets you rip through all of today's most advanced & cutting-edge games & applications. Power through games at record speeds with vividly realistic, sun-up 2 sun-down HDR lighting effects, & crank up 16x full-screen anti-aliasing without missing a beat. The fully unified shader core dynamically allocates processing power 2 geometry, vertex, physics, or pixel shading operations, delivering up 2 2x the gaming performance of prior generation GPUs. And NVidia's SLI technology delivers up 2 2x the performance of a single graphics card configuration 4 unequaled gaming experiences by allowing two graphics cards 2 run in parallel.

The video card includes composite TV out, DVI video out & HDMI audio/video out options. This PC also offers an integrated audio card that can produce high definition surround sound configurable 2 8 speakers.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
This desktop can be wirelessly networked with the integrated 54g Wi-Fi LAN (802.11b/g). You also get super-fast wired connectivity via the Gigabit Ethernet port (10/100/1000). For expansion, it includes drive bays that fit an optional HP Personal Media Drive (for adding 500 GB of storage) or an optional HP Pocket Media Drive (for adding 160 GB of storage)--for a total of up 2 660 GB of extra storage. For expansion slots, it has one PCI (occupied), two PCI Express x1 (one available), one PCI x16 Express slot (occupied), two 5.25-inch bays (one available), three 3.5-inch bays (occupied), & 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)
• Video in: Composite video, S-Video
• Video out: S-Video, DVI, HDMI, & VGA
• Headphone & microphone jacks
• Audio: Digital SPDIF audio input/output, analog input/output
• Surround sound speakers--rear, side, center (subwoofer)
• 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+
• 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
• 56K modem

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit version) 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, Microsoft Office 2007 Student & Teacher Edition (60-day trial), Muvee Autoproducer, Cyberlink DVD Suite, PC Recovery, HP PhotoSmart Essentials, & Symantec Norton Internet Security 2008 (with 60 days of Live Update).

Dimensions & Weight
This desktop measures 16.61 x 7.0 x 15.51 inches (LxWxD) & weighs approximately 24.25 pounds.

What's in the Box
This package contains the HP Media Center m9250f desktop PC, wireless keyboard, wireless 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.

Note: Monitor not included.