Product Description

HP M8000N Pavilion Media Center TV/Desktop PC. The HP Pavilion Media Center TV 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. 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 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. The built in TV tuner and personal video recorder, PVR, lets 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. The Windows Vista Home Premium operating system is the preferred edition for home desktop PCs. With extensive digital entertainment features, expanded search capabilities. and the fluid, three dimensional Windows Aero user interface, it provides a truly extraordinary user experience.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1813 in Personal Computers
• Brand: Hewlett-Packard
• Model: M8000N
• Dimensions: 15.16" h x 10.75" w x 7.60" l,
• CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 2.6 GHz
• Memory: 2000MB DDR2 SDRAM
• Hard Disk: 500GB
• Processors: 2

Features

• Powerful multimedia desktop with TV tuner (NTSC/ATSC), personal video recording functionality, and programming guide
• 2.6 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ dual-core processor, 500 GB SATA hard drive, 2 GB RAM (8 GB max), 16x LightScribe DVD drive
• Connectivity: 6 USB, 2 FireWire, 1 VGA, 1 S-Video, 1 composite A/V digital audio output, surround sound speaker output, 15-in-1 memory card reader
• NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 video card with up to 288 MB shared memory, 10/100 Ethernet
• Pre-installed with Windows Vista Home Premium (with Media Center capabilities)

Amazon.com Product Description
The easy-to-use HP m8000n 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 305 hours on this 500 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, 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.

This desktop is powered by the 2.6 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ dual-core processor, which increases the efficiency and speed of the PC while running multiple programs and the latest multi-threaded software. 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). It also features 2 GB of installed RAM (8 GB maximum), Nvidia GeForce 6150 LE video card (with up to 256 MB of shared 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.

This PC also comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, 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: AMD's Athlon 64 X2 5200+ dual-core processor is built for 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 to 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 and photo editing and audio mixing programs. It includes such AMD features as HyperTransport Technology (which increases the communication between integrated circuits) and Enhanced Virus Protection.

  This 2.6 GHz processor offers a system bus with speeds up to a blazing 2000 MHz and each core offers a 1 MB L2 cache--for a 2 MB total. (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.)

• Hard Drive: The incredibly huge 500 GB Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive (7200 RPM) offers a wealth of storage space--enough for storing up to 305 hours of television programming, a vast multimedia collection, or for editing digital video. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and 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, and it offers a very fast 533 MHz speed. This desktop has a 8 GB maximum RAM capacity (8 x 1 GB), perfect for high-def video and 3-D gaming.

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

Video & Audio
This desktop features an integrated Nvidia GeForce 6150LE graphics/video card with up to 288 MB of shared video memory (allocated from the system RAM). Nvidia's exclusive TurboCache technology allows direct rendering from the GPU to system memory by leveraging the bi-directional PCI Express bandwidth. The TurboCache Manager dynamically allocates memory for 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 to 8 speakers.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
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 three PCI expansion slots (one available), one PCI x16 Express slot (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)
• Composite video, S-Video, and analog audio inputs
• Headphone and microphone jacks
• Audio output: digital audio out, surround sound speakers--rear, side, center
• 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+

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

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium 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 8, Microsoft Office Home and 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 and burning to DVD), HP Photosmart Essential, and HP Total Care Advisor.

What's in the Box
This package contains the HP Media Center m8000n desktop PC, keyboard, mouse, remote control, and power cord. 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.

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Customer Reviews

5 Star Product - 1 Star HP Support = 3 Star Average
Great PC, but heaven help you if you need any support. I was transfered 13 times trying to reach the right department. I think they were trying to make me talk to everyone in India. If you want to take the risk of having no issues - It is an awesome PC for the price. I feel for you if you have to call them. I am a PC Tech and they wasted 2 hours of my life and did NOT solve the problem when I did reach the right dept. Hope this helps.

High expectations, unfortunate result
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 and 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 and sell a software/hardware package that isn't compatible!? But I asked twice, and the rep kept telling us we needed to upgrade for the installed software to work. Very disappointed.

HPAsset has stopped working error
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 to time, called HPAsset - it's supposed to check your PC's health. It cannot be disabled. It crashes every time, with error message "HPAsset has stopped working" due to 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 for months, and none is forthcoming, so I wouldn't hold your breath for one). 'Helpful' reminders to buy HP extended service plan also pop up from time to 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 for me, but not for 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.