HP Pavilion DV1000 Entertainment Notebook PC - Multimedia Notebook A Breed Apart

Construction - Build, Appearance, Size (cont.)

The display lid of the notebook is secured to the base by two female security tabs, which can be released by a single clip located in the center of the notebook.

Front (left to right):

• power status (blue when active)
• hard drive activity (blue when active)
• battery (blue when charging)
• microphone port
• headphone port 1
• headphone port 2

No matter what combination of headphone ports you plug in or don't (for that matter), the audio will cut out from the main speakers once the first headphone is plugged in.

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Unlike many notebook designs, however, the lip of this notebook is angled up, which provides the user with better than average multimedia audio experience from their Harmon/Kardon speakers. While the brand of the speaker is supposed to tell you a lot, the implementation of speakers on a notebook is nevertheless an obstacle when you want to develop a good audio source. That being said, these speakers were up to par with our expectations, surpassing the quality of other multimedia notebooks. We would probably compare them to the quality of mid-range desktop speakers.

We used them in our entertainment room with our TV running at mid-level volume, so that you could clearly hear the TV volume from 15ft while sitting on the couch. With our DV1000 about 5ft away and set to a volume setting of 16 (the max), two of us could pay attention to Matrix Reloaded well and follow the storyline without losing ourselves in the TV audio. Though, we could actually switch and pay attention to what was on TV when there weren't too many explosions going off from the DVD.

Other notebooks that we have seen from IBM and Dell are angle down toward whatever surface the notebook will be sitting on. The problem with a downward angle approach is that the sound isn't directly meeting your ears. Instead, it is dubbed a bit when it bounces off the surface first. We have to say that for a multimedia notebook, HP definitely has the audio design down the way we prefer it, in terms of practically, end results, and general design.

Otherwise, layout comes as expected with a few minor differences than what we are use to seeing. For one, there are two headphone ports, as opposed to one. This becomes useful when you want to watch a movie with someone else. With one headphone port, the only way to share the audio experience is to pipe it through the speakers, thereby disturbing others around you. While you can get a Y-splitter for the one headphone jack, it isn't the same as having two available jacks. The design of an additional jack actually doesn't take up any degree of real estate, so this wasn't a design hurdle.

The other big difference from other notebooks is the implementation of a high-density pin connector for the expansion base, which we will get to in the latter part of the review. The main difference here is that most notebooks have their docking connection on the bottom.

Left (left to right):

• VGA out port
• Expansion base connector
• Ethernet jack
• Modem jack
• USB 2.0 port
• PCMCIA port
• Kensington lock port

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Back (left to right):

• Exhaust vent
• Power port

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Back (left to right):

• USB 2.0 port
• Flash media reader (SD/MS/MS Pro/MMC/SM/XD)
• 4-pin mini IEEE1394 port
• Flash media LED (blinking blue when active)
• NEC DVD+RW ND-5100A
• S-video out port
• USB 2.0 port

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The size of the DV1000's charger is fairly similar to ones for other notebooks, like Acer's Aspire 2020, and is the same model as the charger for HP's own NC6000 business notebook.

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While the DV1000 doesn't implement a modular bay design like their NC6000 and other similar notebooks, it does offer extended battery life via a larger battery pack (10.8V 8.8AH Lithium-Ion). Note that its use isn't in combination with the standard battery pack (10.8V 4.4AH Lithium-Ion). The only noticeable physical difference is that the laptop will tilt on a further angle because the battery pack protrudes out a bit with its somewhat "S" shape.

We don't currently know the price for the purchase of the extended battery, but apparently, HP is going to offer shoppers the ability to upgrade from the standard battery to the extended battery for $25 dollars extra when they place an order. As a separate purchase, we aren't quite sure what the list price is.

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The two vents on the bottom seem to be intake vents for the system.

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Measuring in at 9.1" x 13.1" x 1.3" thick, the DV1000 is one of the smaller multimedia notebooks that we have seen. While it is only slightly shorter than Dell's Inspiron 8600 in width, the shorter display cuts down the length dimensions noticeably. Marking its weight at slightly over 5 pounds (~5.26 lbs. give-and-take, depending on what is loaded on the notebook), it puts it on the heavier end of many mainstream notebooks, but in our opinion, it isn't too heavy that you can't take it on your trips. Far from it, this is one of the most mobile multimedia notebooks that we have seen this year.