HP's QuickPlay v2.0

[billcsho]

Well, almost true. It can play DVD, video clips, or music files without booting up Windows, but the laptop still needs to be TURNED ON.

[Ericko]

Originally Posted by billcsho

Well, almost true. It can play DVD, video clips, or music files without booting up Windows, but the laptop still needs to be TURNED ON.

But since it doesn't boot to Windows it takes less time to get ready to play DVDs or Music and QuickPlay is supposed to give us more battery time.

[billcsho]

It does take less time to start QuickPlay than Windows, but I have reservation on the battery life claim. It has been suggested QuickPlay runs the machine at full power and therefore run for a shorter time than Windows for the same function.

[Ericko]

Originally Posted by billcsho

It does take less time to start QuickPlay than Windows, but I have reservation on the battery life claim. It has been suggested QuickPlay runs the machine at full power and therefore run for a shorter time than Windows for the same function.

That's interesting...

[billcsho]

I read that a couple times from other threads, but I also notice QP consumes ~50% battery (12-cell at 6% wear) after watching a 100min movie which is consistent with other's reports.

Edit:
I just did a simple test. I am playing a DVD and then unplug the power to see the battery time remain. It shows around 4 hours with a fully charge (11% wear) battery when it is running mostly at 800MHz (6x) with undervolting to 0.78V. So with power management, it saves a little bit power in Windows than QP without power saving.

[proffeecom]

Guys,
I've been readin your comments on QP2. I just got my dv1000t, nicely equipped, but... Here we go again. HP has made the whole thing untouchable for us. First of all, I have decided to get rid of the OS/ trial versions-game and stuff I didn't need, by reformatting and installing XP ProSP2. No way to install QP2 afterwords! Tried so many things - 1gb unpartitioned space; 1GB FAT; FAT32; NTFS... nothing. Called HP tech supp, 2nd level. The guy goes back and forth with somebody else only to conclude QP2 is not possible to install, unless...check this one out, " ... you send us back your laptop and we reinstall everything from scratch..". Yes, but that one I can do myself, right? Aparently I underestimated the "geniouses" @ HP, who would not provide ANY constructive solution, as far as soft support. I tell them I own a legit copy of XP Pro SP2 and therre is no reason for me to buy it from then. They respond that in order for QP2 to work, the system must be installed by them, along with the rest of the trial crapp!!! How about that! Nevertheless, I decided to keep my laptop untill dey come up with solution. Something I really doubt to happen. What I want to say is - forget about QP@, if you're installing anything, but their "original" OEM version, along with the trial(unwanted) crap! They made a shallow prommice to think about this problem and eventualy to come up with solution. It is a shame for such a company to have made those weird-a..s decisions. The novice users would really appreciate the newer implementation of the backup/reinstall method. It is really simple and no-brainer. I would say - genious. But for the advanced guys, this is a nightmare! Really. I wasted so much time and almost gave it up on them. The only reason I didn't go with Dell, was their utterly restrictive "promotion" policy! What can you do?! But wasn't it on the HP's slogan, saying something about the "... TOTAL SATISFACTION..."?!
If they keep up with that level of service, they'll definitely loose grownd to Dell and everybody else. Thanks and regards to all

[whomung]

Originally Posted by billcsho

Well, almost true. It can play DVD, video clips, or music files without booting up Windows, but the laptop still needs to be TURNED ON.

And (at least in my experience) it has to go through the initial boot phase of of the machine --into the Windows Pre Environment..... The "Time Savings" between having to boot the machine all the way into Windows to play a CD, versus using the "Quickplay" option... are basically trivial....

AND.... (again in my opinion) QP player kinda sucks....

I'm running QP v2.1xxxxx

[WeAreNotAlone]

Originally Posted by Ericko

I've been searching and I can't find any info about when is HP going to release QuickPlay v2.0. They have already released a bios update for the dv4000 wich is supposed to support QuickPlay v2.0.

I want to know when is it going to be available for download!

Someone told me that it is going to have some nice improvements, and I would like to confirm that, but I just can't find any info.

Thanks!

Off-Topic post here... Hey, I noticed in your sig while reading about QuickPlay v2.0 you're running 1.25GB DDR2 SDRAM PC4200 533MHz

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you do know when your not running a matched pair of DDR2 it doesn't do dual channel.

[Ericko]

Originally Posted by WeAreNotAlone

Off-Topic post here... Hey, I noticed in your sig while reading about QuickPlay v2.0 you're running 1.25GB DDR2 SDRAM PC4200 533MHz

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you do know when your not running a matched pair of DDR2 it doesn't do dual channel.

Yes, you are right, but it is a lot better to have a 1.25GB Non Dual Channel memory configuration than my original 2x256 Dual Channel.

There are some benchmarks that show that having much Non DC memory will perform better than having little Dual Channel memory. Of course, much DC will do better than little DC. But I couldn't afford to buy two 1GB sticks of ram

[WeAreNotAlone]

Originally Posted by Ericko

Yes, you are right, but it is a lot better to have a 1.25GB Non Dual Channel memory configuration than my original 2x256 Dual Channel.

There are some benchmarks that show that having much Non DC memory will perform better than having little Dual Channel memory. Of course, much DC will do better than little DC. But I couldn't afford to buy two 1GB sticks of ram

I can understand that.. More memory, even if it doesn't use both channels will greatly improve a machine, make it faster, plus increase battery life by a large amount since Windows isn't using the swap file as much :-)

With memory as cheap as it is, it's really not an option not to do so! I remember one laptop I bought a 16 or 32 mb chip for something like $600...

[WeAreNotAlone]

Here's something that may help: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

I used it before to snoop for info

[WeAreNotAlone]

Here's some interesting info...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/show....php?p=1318531

Look about 2/3 the way down... If not related to your needs, the link I'm sure will prove useful to those wanting to format their hard drive and do a fresh install.


If you choose to reinstall your own copy of Windows XP then beware for the task ahead of you. You need to make your own XP install CD using NLITE. You also need to backup the c:swsetup folder to a DVD. HP.com doesn't provide you with anything! You also need UAA drivers, which is nowhere to be found on any of the recovery DVDs orin swsetup folder.

http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/fi...reg_R1002_USEN

[billcsho]

After reading several of your post in a row, I thought you are probably alone.
I did install a clean WinXP Pro in my DV4000 but I did not remove the original one. So I can switch back and forth with dual boot until I found there is no problem. QuickPlay is running on Linux and is not a Windows program. You'll not find anything in processes.
If you've added a partition (like my case), the QuickPlay and Recovery partitions will have 1 increased in their partition number and may not function anymore. I have to re-install QuickPlay (1.1) to the same location in order to update the partition number in the setting to make it functional again. It is not a big deal to add or replace the OS IF you have all the recovery disk on hand. As far as I know, there is still no QP2.0 CD available. That makes me believe there is no QP image in the disk recovery directory either. So if you change the partitioning of you hard drive, you are taking the risk of losing QP.

[xtremetoyz]

FWIW,
when I formatted the drive I *never* found anything on my harddrive, even in the partition, that looked like it could help mr erecover quickplay. Also, pressing F11 to access the recovery partition during boot-up was also ineffective. I haven't read the links a few posts above on backing up the HP crap before you do a clean install, but I would certainly look into it. Also, if I could do it again (blow away the drive and lose quickplay) I would do it in a heartbeat. I'll trade 30 seconds to finish booting the harddrive to windows before I sit there and keep some nifty program and the absolutely MISERABLE performing copy of windows and all the crap HP put's on the computer.

EDIT: FYI, I ended up returning the laptop anyways. The processor was messed up and would get stuck in power-save (800mhz) mode regardless of pc-load as well as ac power or not.

Shawn

[WeAreNotAlone]

Originally Posted by xtremetoyz

FWIW,
when I formatted the drive I *never* found anything on my harddrive, even in the partition, that looked like it could help mr erecover quickplay. Also, pressing F11 to access the recovery partition during boot-up was also ineffective. I haven't read the links a few posts above on backing up the HP crap before you do a clean install, but I would certainly look into it. Also, if I could do it again (blow away the drive and lose quickplay) I would do it in a heartbeat. I'll trade 30 seconds to finish booting the harddrive to windows before I sit there and keep some nifty program and the absolutely MISERABLE performing copy of windows and all the crap HP put's on the computer.

EDIT: FYI, I ended up returning the laptop anyways. The processor was messed up and would get stuck in power-save (800mhz) mode regardless of pc-load as well as ac power or not.

Shawn

RE: Wiped HD clean, Did fresh install, lost QP -returned the HP dv8000us because processor was messed up -would get stuck in power-save (800mhz) mode regardless of pc-load as well as ac power or not.


Got to ask, was this after the "fresh" install?

What OS did you install and at what SP level? XP PRO?
What OS was on it orginally? XP Home?
Did you slipstream SP2 into the install disc?

OR did you use the install disc that you pay $10 extra for from HP that supposedly contains the complete OS ? Talked with HP yesterday, was told it contained the OS, none of the bloatware... Rep did not know if it contained the "extras" such as QP. I would assume this disc would contain all the device drivers, the apps...

Not that I care too much about QP, like you I'd rather have a fresh install of XP PRO.... Just want to line up all the drivers, the apps that ARE needed to make it function correctly after the fresh install while I'm waiting on my dv8000t to arrive....

Do you think the real reason that the processor would not come out of power saving mode may be due to something "missing"... Something that HP adds, that is not put back during a fresh install? I'm thinking that HP has added some code /app or whatever you want to call it and wiping the hd clean wipes that program... Using a non-supplied copy of XP PRO of course not having that extra code, the extra programs.