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General discussion

Opinions on HP Media Center computers?

Jul 26, 2005 6:08AM PDT

Are they good deals? overpriced?

Discussion is locked

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(NT) (NT) have a look at those two ^^^
Jul 26, 2005 8:28AM PDT
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Media Center PCs
Jul 27, 2005 8:52PM PDT

Those are two computers that I am currently looking at, but they lack remotes and TV/FM tuner cards. So, are they truely media center PCs?

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Media Center computers?
Jul 26, 2005 7:06AM PDT

XP MCE 2005 is more hype than anything else.
If you buy media center pc make sure you get with a TV tuner card, adding one later may not be easy. john

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I'd reccommend...
Jul 26, 2005 7:28AM PDT
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don't buy anything HP!!!
Jul 27, 2005 6:02AM PDT

I have 3 HP computers, and three HP printers. I WILL NEVER BY ANOTHER HP PRODUCT AS LONG AS I LIVE!!!!

It is now July 2005 ? my problems began in April 2005 ? so we are taking about a period of 4 months!!!

Problem 1: Computer will not turn on (it is less than 2 months old). They say owe well we?ll send you a box pack it up and ship it to us. So I did. They send it back, claiming that they tested it, and I get a computer back that is missing the memory card (therefore, it will not boot at all). So I call and of course they can?t just send me my memory chip they have to have me send the computer back to them again. So I do. And they send it back (supposedly testing it first) and I again get a non-working computer. So I send it back again, and they send it back again, and you guessed it, it still doesn?t work. So then I get to talk to the Sr. Quality Manager, HP Executive Customer Relations Management who guarantees me that I will get a working computer. So again I send it and finally they send me a working computer. But now they had the computer as long as I did. So I continue to use the products as I have already paid for them and one of the other computers dies?.it has a CPU fan that failed and will not boot up because of it.

So I call?and again I am told that they can?t send me the part (even though I told them I could easily install a CPU fan myself). So I wait for the box, send the computer back?.AND GET THE WRONG COMPUTER BACK!!!!! Then when I call I am told they have no idea where my computer is but they will have someone call me back. When they never called back I called them. They then claim my computer was at their service center the entire time (BULL) and that they haven?t fixed it yet (BULL) and that I need to send the computer I got back before they can send mine to me. Then the ?Service Manager? tells me he can?t guarantee my computer is coming back to me?WHAT THE F***!!!! He refused to give me anything in writing stating I will even get any computer at all back!!!! Since I am doing the right thing and sending the wrong computer back I guess I can only hope and pray that I get something in return?BUT NO GUARENTEE? AS THE ?SERVICE MANAGER? told me THERE IS NO GUARENTEES IN LIFE!!!

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My HP died in one day too!
Aug 7, 2005 4:49AM PDT

Sorry to hear about your ordeal penncountrygirl. I had an HP motherboard burn up in less than 12hrs and dealing with their tech support was less than comforting if not frustrating. They wanted to send me a new motherboard for free but charge me $29.99 for the technician to come and install it! F-that I told her. I just opened the computer last night and you expect me to pay anything to fix an obviously defective motherboard?! She tried to get me to send it back to be fixed but I ended up sending it back to hpshopping.com for a refund.

I've also had an HP Inkjet printer for a few years and it's had it's share of problems, especially in recent months. I'm waiting to buy another computer (an E-Machines or a Gateway) and they come with free Canon printers so as soon as that happens I will rid myself of HP products forever!

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my m7070n got fried too
Aug 8, 2005 5:21AM PDT

My wife bought me computer for father's day, it is great, i came from work and sit infront of it watching tv and playing multiplayers games on line it runs perfectly, i love it.
BUT suddenly all icons on the desktop got erased and had to restart the computer, and to my surprise it wouldn't and had to go into "last known configuration" and nothing so I had to reload all again.
It worked good until i had to turn it off and then again all the waltz of reinstalling.
I called Customer Service and was hard to understand the Indian accent, asked to talk to someone else and the repply "we all have accents, i will speak slower"..anyways they said it was the HD so they shipped a new one, waited 4 days and 10 minutes after signing for it i got a call to schedule for a tech to came and fix my computer the next day. It wasnt the HD but the Mother board, he ordered a new one.
I called Customer Service to see when the ETA was and i was not given a day, and requested a new one, they say no because it is still on warranty and they have to repair it or at least try 3 times if not then they will exchange it, so I called corportate and they told me that the Store manager could exchange it, called him and he said yes.
Next day the mother board arrived, left it in the box, got a call and the rep got upset with me for exchanging the computer, so I told him politely ****OFF!!
3 days later, the same problem.
And now I requested a new one and they have placed the order.
The techs at the retailer's repair shop tell me that HP has been having problems with Pentium D, and that they had to exchange many of them, or even exhange it for other computer brands. They think that the Dual processors overheat and that the fan/cooling system is not the adecuate, that HP has not done a full test before releasing the computer.
Is it just me or others have encountered the same problems?

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I like this model HP for the price
Jul 27, 2005 9:11PM PDT

Others have certainly suggested I shop elsewhere, but I still have not found a total package that I like for under $1000 more than I like this one. It comes with a 19" LCD, a remote, tv/fm tuner, a free printer (which sux, but it is free). If you don't mind waiting for rebates, it is a great deal in my mind. I am still looking, however, and if you find something better, feel free to post it for me. I am, however, looking intently at the eMachines model posted above as well. I don't see that it has an FM tuner (I wouldn't mind knowing if I can purchase an FM only tuner to go with it) or remote and I would have to purchase an LCD monitor with it, which puts it in the HPs target. Here is the configured HP below.

$1249 including shipping and tax before rebates ($280)
$ 969 including shipping and tax after rebates (280)
***again, this includes a 19" LCD and a printer***


HP Pavilion m7100y customizable Desktop PC
PX189AV#ABA
? Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Media Center Edition
? Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 521 w/HT Technology, 2.8GHz
? 512MB DDR2-400MHz dual channel SDRAM (2x256)
? 80GB 7200 rpm SATA Hard Drive
? Double Layer 16X DVD +/-R/RW drive
? 9-in-1 card reader, 2 USB 2.0, 1 Firewire + WinDVD
? Single NTSC TV Tuner with PVR and FM Tuner
? Integrated Intel(R) Graphics Accelerator,no TV-Out
? Integrated Intel(R) High Definition Audio
? HP Multimedia Keyboard, HP Optical Mouse
? Microsoft(R) Works 8.0/Money/MSN Encarta Plus
? hpshopping in-box envelope

HP vs19c 19" LCD Flat-Panel Monitor
P8726A7#ABA

HP Deskjet 5740 Printer
C9016A#B1H

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If going with the m7100y
Jul 28, 2005 1:52AM PDT

I would suggest the dual core processor Pent D 2.8GHZ with EM64T for only $110 more with your same configurations.

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Where did you find this deal?
Jul 28, 2005 3:50AM PDT

??

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HPz website
Jul 28, 2005 5:01AM PDT

I was going site to site, configuring computers. And yeah, the Pentium D is a better buy. I just don't know if I can squeeze out the extra cash for it. I will certainly do that if I can though.

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What about this Gateway package for $999?
Aug 7, 2005 4:59AM PDT
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(NT) (NT) yah dats a good computer
Aug 7, 2005 5:13AM PDT