Product Description

HP Pavilion M8430F Media Center Desktop PC. The HP Pavilion Media Center desktop PC is designed and built for your digital life. Take control of your digital entertainment with a PC that helps you consolidate, organize, and play your favorite TV shows, movies, music, photos and videos. The HP Media Center Remote Control provides access to your digital music, photos, and videos from across the room. The front panel 15-in-1 memory card reader makes it easy to transfer photos, music, and other files to and from your digital camera and other peripheral devices. The SuperMulti DVD burner with LightScribe technology lets you create custom, silkscreen quality labels and artwork directly onto LightScribe enabled CD and DVD discs. NVIDIA GeForce 8500 graphics processors are essential for accelerating the Microsoft Windows Vista experience, powering Microsoft DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 games. A built in drive bay fits an optional HP Personal Media Drive, for up to 500GB of additional storage that you can carry with you when you go. The built in TV tuner and personal video recorder/ PVR, let you watch, pause, rewind, and record live television on your Media Center PC with no monthly fee. A free online Electronic Program Guide/ EPG, lets you review the TV schedule and choose a single episode or an entire series, so you can watch your favorite shows on your own time, at your own convenience. You can store many hours of digital video on the ultra large hard drive. HP computers are designed to perform and built to last, that is why we are the world leader in consumer PCs. HP has sold more than 60 million consumer PCs since 1998 more than any competitor and won more PC Magazine Editors¿ Choice Awards than any other company. The 64-bit edition of Windows Vista Home Premium with service pack 1 is for serious computer users who have advanced high performance needs.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1238 in Personal Computers
• Color: Black/ Silver
• Brand: Hewlett-Packard
• Model: M8430F
• Dimensions: 10.75" h x 15.16" w x 7.60" l, 35.00 pounds
• CPU: Intel Core Duo 2.4 GHz
• Memory: 4000MB DDR2 SDRAM
• Hard Disk: 750GB
• Processors: 4

Features

• Powerful multimedia desktop with TV tuner (NTSC/ATSC), personal video recording functionality, and programming guide
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 processor, 750 GB hard drive, 4 GB RAM (8 GB max), 16x LightScribe DVD drive, 54g Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
• NVidia GeForce 8500 GT graphics with up to 1535 MB total available memory; Gigabit Ethernet; open bay for optional HP Personal Media Drive
• Connectivity: 6 USB, 2 FireWire, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 DVI, 1 S-Video, 1 composite A/V, digital audio output, surround sound speaker output, 15-in-1 memory card reader
• Pre-installed with the 64-bit version of Windows Vista Home Premium (Service Pack 1); includes remote control and wired keyboard/mouse

Amazon.com Product Description
The easy-to-use HP m8430n Media Center PC is the complete home PC system that delivers more entertainment choices, and brings them together in one place with easy access from anywhere in the room. You can watch, record, and pause live TV programming as well as schedule the PC to record upcoming episodes or entire series. The built-in TV tuner (providing both standard NTSC and high-def ATSC transmission) and personal video recorder (PVR) let you watch, pause, rewind, and record live television--up to 460 hours on a single 750 GB hard drive. An online Electronic Program Guide (EPG) lets you review the TV schedule and 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 and home video to DVD for friends and family with the dual-layer, multi-format LightScribe DVD/CD burner (16x for DVD±R), which enables you to store up to 8.5 GB of data on a DL disc. LightScribe technology burns custom, silkscreen-quality labels and artwork directly onto LightScribe-enabled discs, right inside the drive.

It's powered by Intel's 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700, which delivers four complete execution cores within a single processor for unprecedented performance and responsiveness in multi-threaded and multi-tasking business/home environments. You can also go wireless and clutter-free with wireless keyboard, mouse, and remote control, and it includes the next step in Wi-Fi networking with a 54g wireless LAN (802.11b/g). It also features 4 GB of installed RAM (800 MHz; 8 GB maximum), NVidia GeForce 8500 GT video card (with 512 MB of dedicated video memory), 15-in-1 memory card reader, up to 8 channels of surround sound output, and a remote control with up to 16 feet of range. A built-in drive bay fits an optional HP Personal Media Drive (PMD), for up to 500 GB of additional storage that you can carry away with you when you go (PMD not included).

This PC also comes preinstalled with the 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (Service Pack 1), which includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition to easily playing your DVD movies and managing your digital audio library, you'll be able to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, and offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

The Basics

• Processor: With four execution cores, the 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6600 blows through processor-intensive tasks in demanding multitasking environments and 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 Q6600 has a top-of-the-class 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB) and dual 4 MB L2 caches (for a whopping huge 8 MB shared L2 cache). (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and 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 and applications deliver additional performance that enhance multi-tasking and multi-threaded performance across many types of applications and work loads. The Smart Memory Access feature improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth to provide data to the processor when and where it is needed. The Advanced Digital Media Boost feature effectively doubles the execution speed for instructions used widely in multimedia and graphics applications. And with the Intel 64 Architecture, the processor can access larger amounts of memory. With appropriate 64-bit hardware and software, platforms based on an Intel processor supporting Intel 64 Architecture can allow the use of extended virtual and physical memory.

• Hard Drive: The ginormous 750 GB Serial ATA hard drive (7200 RPM) provides more than enough capacity for storing a large audio and video library, as well as extra space required for video editing. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.

• Memory: The 4 GB of installed RAM (PC26400, 4 x 1 GB) will get you moving, but this desktop has room enough for 8 GB of RAM (4 x 2 GB) to speed along your multimedia and 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 and clockspeed.

• DVD/CD Drive: This multiformat DVD/CD drive is compatible with writing both DVD+ and DVD- disc formats as well as dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can store up to 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 and 40x CD-ROM, and 16x DVD-ROM read speeds.

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

• Keyboard & Mouse: It comes with an HP multimedia keyboard and scroller mouse (both with PS/2 connections).

Video & Audio
Video is powered by the integrated NVidia GeForce 8500 GT graphics/video card with 512 MB of dedicated graphics memory. Windows Vista can also allocate up to 1535 MB of total graphics memory from the system memory. With support for Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0 and High Dynamic-Range Lighting (HDR), it lets you rip through all of today's most advanced and cutting-edge games and applications. Power through games at record speeds with vividly realistic, sun-up to sun-down HDR lighting effects, and crank up 16x full-screen anti-aliasing without missing a beat. The fully unified shader core dynamically allocates processing power to geometry, vertex, physics, or pixel shading operations, delivering up to 2x the gaming performance of prior generation GPUs.

The video card includes composite TV out, DVI video out and HDMI audio/video out options. This PC also offers an integrated audio card that can produce high definition surround sound configurable to 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, this desktop features a drive bay that fits an optional HP Personal Media Drive--which enables you to add 500 GB of storage for your video and music libraries. It has one PCI expansion slot (occupied), two PCI x1 Express slots (one available), one PCI x16 Express slot (occupied), two 5.25-inch bays (one available), three 3.5-inch bays (two available), and the following external ports:

• 6 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players (2 in front, 4 in rear)
• 2 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals (1 in front, 1 in rear)
• Video in: Composite video, S-Video
• Video out: S-Video, DVI, HDMI, and VGA
• Headphone and microphone jacks
• Audio: Digital SPDIF audio input/output, analog input/output
• Surround sound speakers--rear, side, center (subwoofer)
• 2 PS/2 ports for connecting keyboards and mice
• 15-in-1 media card reader on the front, compatible with CompactFlash (Type I and II), MicroDrive, SmartMedia, Memory Stick/Pro/Duo/Pro Duo, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital, XD Picture Card, RSMMC, MMC Mobile, MMC+
• 10/100 Fast Ethernet
• 56K modem (V.90)

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit version) is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to 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 to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.

Preloaded Software
Includes Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office 2007 Student and Teacher Edition (60-day trial), Muvee Autoproducer, Cyberlink DVD Suite, PC Recovery, HP PhotoSmart Essentials, and Symantec Norton Internet Security 2008 (with 60 days of Live Update).

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

What's in the Box
This package contains the HP Pavilion m8430f desktop PC, remote control, power cable, keyboard, and mouse. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase as well as technical telephone assistance for one year. Software is also covered for 90 days from date of purchase.

Note: Monitor not included.

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Customer Reviews

Amazingly Fast, Best price for a Quad-Core.
The biggest seller of this PC to me was the price of a quad-core and that it is scary quiet. The only noise you will ever hear from this PC is the CD drive and maybe the hard drive if you're in a very very quiet room.

Multitasking is amazing. I've never used a computer as fast as this.

I've had Dell's, Alienware's, and Gateway's. This blows them all away. Dell has great customer service, but HP's CS isn't bad at all. Everyone else is asking so much more and offering less than what HP is offering. Dell was offering a computer simular to this one without a TV Tuner and a smaller hard drive for over $500 dollers more. That's just crazy.

HP honestly is a little more cheap when it comes to parts than Dell. But if you take good care of your PC you shouldn't have any problems. I had to return the first one of these computers I bought due to a broken front power button. Besides that, I haven't had any trouble at all.

I'm a huge multitasker. I have had 7 Mp3's downloading, Playing Crysis and Listening to music (WMP) and this computer didn't even think about slowing down at all. Also all of the office 2007 (not included) programs run amazingly quick and very very smoothly.

Vista is awesome. I've had Vista on three computers so far, and Vista on this computer runs the best. I have had a few little problems with the 64-Bit OS. Over-all it works great, but there are a few seperate folders for 32-bit programs and 64-bit programs. There are two Internet Explorers (32-bit and 64-bit). Not all web pages work in 64-bit. But all in all, what works in 64-bit runs much smoother and a bit quicker. None of the little tiny problems I've had with the 64-bit OS are worth talking about and would never stop me from buying this PC again.

There are way more than enough ports for me. Lots of USB and the media card reader in the front is great. An optical audio port would have been really nice, but I picked up a cheap external optical sound card and it works great. The HDMI output is a nice touch, but I found the DVI to VGA adaptor to hook it up to my 52'' LCD worked much better.

All in all, this is a perfect machine. Fast and super super quiet. A must buy if you are looking for the perfect media machine.

Great computer!!!
So, I buy a new desktop every five years or so, and my old XP with 1G was running pretty slow, so I figured time to switch machines. I looked around at the 'build your own' part of the HP and Dell sites, and they were a little expensive for what I wanted (quad processor, 4G RAM), and was prepared to plunk down $1300+ for the HP m9160f. Then I noticed this machine at Best Buy for $400 less, went on-line, checked out the reviews and made my purchase on Amazon (which was about $100 less than Best Buy).

This is a fantastic computer, fast and quiet. I'm not a gamer, but do like to download/play music and videos I find online while listening to radio, surf around, use business applications, etc. I've had this for three weeks, and it's done it all without breaking a sweat. Vista takes a little getting used to, but the transition wasn't as painful as I feared. Nor was transferring my files over, I just put them on my external hard drive and copied them back onto this machine. All XP hardware for the old computer (wireless keyboard and mouse, old Canon MP390 printer) hooked up fine, I just plugged the stuff in, along with my broadband cable, and it was ready to go. I also picked up a new HP w2207 monitor with the deal for $250.

This is simply an incredible upgrade for an incredible price, I'd recommend anyone looking for a state-of-the-art machine pick this up.

Best choice for a Media Desktop
I am an IT professional, so I usually tend to prefer building my own machines. Nothing I could build could come close to touching this box. It is silent, fast, feature-rich, and very affordable considering the specs. Most importantly, everything works the way it should.

The one negative is the inevitable crap-ware they load up on it. It's going to take you some time to remove all the garbage (Wild Tangent games, etc...). Uggh. But this is easy to do even for a non-technical person, and every manufacturer loads this garbage up on their machines.

Specific features that shine:
-Digital TV Tuner works great... I didn't think I would use it but I am.
-750 GB Removable HD option is fantastic (go ahead and spring for it, worth every penny)
-Case is a little cheesy-looking but is DEAD SILENT
-Remote actually useful in living room situation
-Wireless configured in seconds
-Vista is ACTUALLY WORKING WELL AND IS EASY TO USE

I highly recommend this system for anyone but the most demanding user, and you really can't beat the price for what you're getting.

Enjoy!