Help me make sure my insurance gets me the right replacement for my media centre

[Abby99]

Help me choose a replacement for HP media centre that I just killed!

Ok, here's the thing, I'm an eejit and I dropped my hp media centre m1250 down the stairs and its obliterated! Hopefully my insurance are going to replace it without hassle but they tell me that their people will look for an appropriate alternative. You can't buy the m1250 anymore (I bought it about 3 years ago for £660 base only) and I dont know where to start looking for a fair replacement instead of getting something inferior. I dont want to lose my card reader slots or front ports or if I'm honest anything else. Can anyone please help me out with one that is available with a similar spec as the one I just killed? It would really help when I am talking to the insurance boffin so that I'm not fobbed off! Thanks

Here is the spec of the one I killed...
General

MPN: PS261AA
Type: PC
Recommended Use: Home use
Product Form Factor: Tower
Width: 19 cm
Depth: 42 cm
Height: 38.5 cm
Weight: 13.2 kg
Processor

Type: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ / 2 GHz - 64-bit
Installed Qty: 1
Max Supported Qty: 1
Chipset Type: ATI RADEON XPRESS 200P
Cache memory

Type: L2 Cache
Installed Size: 512 KB
Cache Per Processor: 512 KB
Ram

Installed Size: 512 MB
Technology: DDR SDRAM
Form Factor: DIMM 184-PIN
Storage controller

Type: 1 x Serial ATA - integrated
Controller Interface Type: Serial ATA-150
Storage controller (2nd)

Type: 1 x IDE - integrated
Storage

Hard Drive: 1 x 200 GB - standard - Serial ATA-150 - 7200 rpm
Optical storage

Type: DVD±RW (+R double layer) - IDE
Optical storage (2nd)

Type: DVD-ROM
Read Speed: 16x
Card reader

Type: 9 in 1 card reader
Monitor

Monitor Type: None
Graphics controller

Type: PCI Express x16 - plug-in card
Graphics Processor / Vendor: ATI RADEON X300 SE
Installed Size: 128 MB
Video input

Type: TV tuner
Audio output

Type: Sound card - plug-in card
Audio Adaptor: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS
Sound Output Mode: 7.1 channel surround

Speaker(s):

• 2 x right / left channel
• 1 x subwoofer

Input device

Type: Mouse, keyboard

Keyboard

Connectivity: Wireless
Mouse

Connectivity: Wireless
Audio input

Type: FM tuner
Networking

Networking: Network adapter - integrated
Data Link Protocol: Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
Compliant Standards: IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
Expansion / connectivity


Expansion Bays Total (Free):

• 2 ( 0 ) x front accessible - 5.25" x 1/2H
• 1 ( 0 ) x internal - 3.5" x 1/3H
• 1 ( 1 ) x hot-swap

Expansion Slots Total (Free):

• 1 ( 0 ) x processor
• 3 PCI
• 1 ( 0 ) x PCI Express x16
• 4 memory - DIMM 184-PIN

Interfaces:

• 6 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 PIN USB Type A
• 2 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire)
• 1 x parallel - IEEE 1284 (EPP/ECP) - 25 pin D-Sub (DB-25)
• 1 x network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45
• Display / video
• Audio

Miscellaneous

Included Accessories: Remote control
Power

Device Type: Power supply
Operating system / software

OS Provided: Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Software: Microsoft Outlook Express, Microsoft Windows Media Player, Intervideo WinDVD, Apple iTunes, Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0, Norton Personal Firewall, Sonic RecordNow, Microsoft Windows Movie Maker 2, InterVideo WinDVD Creator, HP Image Zone, Adobe Reader 6.0, Microsoft Works Suite 2005, Norton AntiVirus 2005

 

[Anon_F]

Your insurance company is unlikely to offer like-for-like due to the age of the PC.
You are more likely going to get an amount of cash that you can then put towards a new system.

 

[Abby99]

Your insurance company is unlikely to offer like-for-like due to the age of the PC.
You are more likely going to get an amount of cash that you can then put towards a new system.

I expected the same thing, to be given a paltry sum and expected to figure it out but apparently they say they will replace "new for old" and their pc people will attempt to match the spec. They also give me the option if we cant agree on a match to choose my own and then haggle it out. Actually they seem pretty fair but I cant pretend to know whats available with a similar spec to mine. I dont want to end up with something less than I had through stupidity

 

[Anon_F]

Have a look at Novatech

 

[Abby99]

I have spoken with the insurers today and this is what they have offered.....
HP Pavilion a6455.uk

The spec is below and they have promised to fit a wireless card too as it doesnt have that capability

Processor type
AMD Phenom™ processor 9500

Operating system installed
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium 32-bit

Platform
With AMD Live!™

Chipset
NVIDIA® nForce™ 430 chipset

Standard memory
3 GB

Memory type
DDR2-SDRAM

Memory slots
4 DIMM sockets

Internal drives
Internal hard disk drive
500 GB

Hard disk controller
SATA 3G Hard Disk Drive

Hard disk drive speed
(7200 rpm)

External hard disk drive
HP Pocket Media Drive sold separately

Optical drive type
DVD writer SATA DVD RAM and Double Layer supporting LightScribe technology

System features
Memory card device
15in1 memory card reader

Network interface
Ethernet 10/100BT integrated network interface

Video capture interface
IEEE 1394 FireWire® Interface

Video adapter
NVIDIA® GeForce™ 8400 HD TurboCache with PureVideo technology

Video RAM
256 MB dedicated memory, up to 1535 MB total available graphics memory as allocated by Windows Vista®

Internal audio
High Definition Audio 7.1

Audio connectors
2 front audio ports, 6 rear analog audio ports & 1 rear digital audio port

Keyboard
PS/2 keyboard and optical mouse

External drive bays
2 external optical drive bays, 2 internal HDD bays, 1 Pocket Media Drive bay

External I/O ports
6 USB 2.0 ports (2 in front); 1 FireWire®-IEEE-1394 ports

Expansion slots
1 PCI (1 free) and 2 PCI-Express 1x (2 free)

Software
Software - Productivity & finance
Microsoft® Works and Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2007 60-Day Trial Version

Pre-installed software
Microsoft® Internet Explorer 7.0; Windows Mail; Adobe® Reader 8.0

Optical drive driver software
HP Total Care Advisor ; Photosmart Essential, Windows Photo Gallery ; Windows Media Player ; Windows Movie Maker, Windows DVD Maker ; CyberLink Power2Go 5.5 ; Muvee AutoProducer

Software - education / reference / entertainment
Windows Media Center

Software included
Recovery partition (including possibility to recover system, applications and drivers separately); Optional re-allocation of recovery partition; Recovery CD/DVD creation tool; Symantec™ Norton Internet Security™ 2008 (60 days live update)


I THINK that overall its a better machine, would really appreciate some opinions though?!

Thanks!

 

[Madxgraphics]

For a replacement rig thats not to bad going, and they seem to have been quite quick in making you some kind of offer...

 

[Abby99]

For a replacement rig thats not to bad going, and they seem to have been quite quick in making you some kind of offer...

Its missing a tv tuner card but I have never ever used that on the old one anyway so I won't stress that particularly. Generally it seems quicker and shinier so I prob should smile and take it! The insurers are 'more than' and they have been pretty good so far. I guess i depends on how long it takes them to actually deliver in the end because using my laptop is driving me crazy! There is an excess of £50 but thats pretty usual I think. That said I have been paying it for a few years and have never claimed for anything from them so this will be the acid test. So long as the general opinion isnt that it is a poor substitute I will smile and accept it and look forward to its arrival! Thanks

 

[Waynos_Face]

Thats a much better model than the one you had previous.

Just one example why, the new one has 4 processors your old one had one!

Definetly take it.

 

[Abby99]

Thats a much better model than the one you had previous.

Just one example why, the new one has 4 processors your old one had one!

Definetly take it.

I did a quick look at processor, hard drive, graphics and they all looked better (to my simpletons eye!) so I am glad to hear you agree that this a good deal from them. I tried to find some user reviews of it online but didnt have much luck. Thanks for your help!

 

[Abby99]

Well, here I am again, just thought I would update the situation. Not to go into dull detail but they had 2 different departments confusing each other on this one and in the end they sent me a credit note/card for £799.00 to spend at PC World which is much more than the previously described replacement would have cost?!?! So, finding myself with more than I expected I spent £699 buying the one detailed below with a 20" monitor. It left me another £100 for bits n bobs so its all good news. The whole thing, even with their messing about was settled from claim to replacement in 13 days complete with a bank holiday. Pretty good going I think!



Processor type
AMD Phenom™ processor 9550

Operating system installed
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium 64-bit

Platform
With AMD Live!™

Chipset
NVIDIA® nForce™ 430 chipset

Standard memory
4 GB

Memory type
DDR2-SDRAM

Memory slots
4 DIMM sockets

Internal drives
Internal hard disk drive
1 TB (2 x 500 GB)

Hard disk controller
SATA 3G Hard Disk Drive

Hard disk drive speed
(7200 rpm)

External hard disk drive
HP Personal Media Drive and HP Pocket Media Drive sold separately

Optical drive type
DVD writer SATA DVD RAM and Double Layer supporting LightScribe technology

System features
Memory card device
15in1 memory card reader

Network interface
Ethernet 10/100BT integrated network interface

Video capture interface
IEEE 1394 FireWire® Interface

Video adapter
ATI Radeon® HD 3650, with Avivo

Video RAM
512 MB dedicated memory, up to 2303 MB total available graphics memory as allocated by Windows Vista®

Internal audio
High Definition Audio 7.1

Audio connectors
2 front audio ports, 6 rear analog audio ports & 1 rear digital audio port

Keyboard
PS/2 keyboard and optical mouse

External drive bays
2 external optical drive bays, 2 internal HDD bays, 1 Pocket Media Drive bay

External I/O ports
6 USB 2.0 ports (2 in front); 1 FireWire®-IEEE-1394 ports

Expansion slots
1 PCI (1 free) and 2 PCI-Express 1x (2 free)

Software
Software - Productivity & finance
Microsoft® Works and Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2007 60-Day Trial Version

Pre-installed software
Microsoft® Internet Explorer 7.0; Windows Mail; Adobe® Reader 8.0

Optical drive driver software
Windows Photo Gallery ; Windows Media Player ; Windows Movie Maker, Windows DVD Maker ; Cyberlink DVDSuite Deluxe; Muvee AutoProducer; EasyBits Magic Desktop

Software - education / reference / entertainment
Windows Media Center

Software included
Recovery partition (including possibility to recover system, applications and drivers separately); Optional re-allocation of recovery partition; Recovery CD/DVD creation tool; Symantec™ Norton Internet Security™ 2008 (60 days live update)

So... I am perplexed by their logic but it turns out I have ended up with better than their original offer simply because they didnt seem to know their arse from their elbow! Am looking forward to setting things up tmrw and finding everything lightning fast.

 

[Madxgraphics]

Pretty good going I think!

Ferking good going I'd say..Is there any chance you can come sorrt my insurance out, need a faulty wash machine replaced soonish lol

 

[floppybootstomp]

Nice result but......... why oh why oh why do people insist on messing up an otherwise fine system by installing Nortons?

 

[webworker]

Dropping Your PC Down the Stairs - Good Move!

Wow, dropping that Media Center PC down the stairs is looking like a stroke of genius on your part. You got upgrades for just about everything - including better software. I'm a big fan of the muvee autoProducer software you got - so be sure to check it out. Don't assume that just because it came pre-loaded on your system that it's worthless. Also, if you want more Edited for spam - fbs help with making videos, sign up for the free tutorials at Edited for spam - fbs

Enjoy your new system!
Dave