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I'm not a big fan of TV these days, what with all the silly reality shows cluttering the airwaves. (Though I must admit I do like watching The OC) Perhaps I would be more inclined to tune in to more than just the weekly adventures of my favorite Southern California teens if I had HP's latest Media Center notebook, the Pavilion ZD8000, which comes ready to satisfy any and all entertainment desires, including TV viewing.

The only problem with the ZD8000: If I buy a notebook, I want one that I can tote from place to place--and this laptop is so big and heavy that I probably wouldn't want to lug it around very much.

Media Center to Go

I looked at a preproduction version of the recently announced ZD8000, and it was pretty impressive. My unit came configured with the latest iteration of Microsoft's entertainment-oriented operating system, Windows XP Media Center 2005, 1GB of system memory, and ATI's Mobility X600 graphics chip with 256MB of graphics memory.

The ZD8000 also comes with a separate USB Dual TV Tuner/Digital Video Recorder unit that holds the two TV-tuners, an FM tuner, an infrared port for communicating with the included remote control, and composite-in and S-Video-in ports.

HP provides meticulous instructions for hooking up the USB to the notebook and then the device to your satellite dish or cable service. Once you're connected, the Media Center OS walks you through the process of setting up the notebook's entertainment features. With two TV tuners, you can use the ZD8000 to watch one show while recording another (or simultaneously record two shows). With a DVD+RW drive and an 80GB hard drive, you should have enough storage space on the ZD8000 to save plenty of shows for watching at a later date.

Placing all the TV and entertainment-related connections on a separate unit frees the notebook from the clutter of extra ports. But that doesn't mean it's exactly portable. Quite the opposite, really: It weighs 9.6 pounds on its own, 12.2 pounds with its huge AC adapter, and a back-rending 13.5 pounds with the USB box.

The ZD8000's girth does offer advantages: Housed within is a big, pretty 17-inch wide-screen display. HP leaves off the antiglare coating, which results in colors that appear richer and more vibrant. However, if you ever expect to use the unit outdoors, its lack of glare coating could be a problem.

All The Ports You'll Need

You'll never go wanting for connectivity options with the ZD8000. All of the notebook's ports--including four USB ports, a six-in-one media card reader, and a FireWire port--are well laid out along the sides and identified with easy-to-see white icons that stand out against the black of the notebook's keyboard. That makes it simple for you to hook up peripherals without having to hunt for the right connection.

The notebook's Harman/Kardon speakers are located along the front--sound was loud and rich, with discernible nuance. But you might find that, while listening to music or watching TV, you'll be distracted by the loud whirr of the notebook's fans kicking into gear to cool the 3.6-GHz desktop Pentium 4 processor. Over time, the fans' drone can be fairly annoying.

That quibble aside, you do get a lot with the ZD8000. You'll just have to be prepared for sticker shock. Pricing starts at $1400, but you'll have to shell out $2549 (before rebates) for a model like the one I tested. HP plans to make the notebook available starting December 15.

So for entertainment hounds who want a Media Center system and don't mind paying for it, the Pavilion ZD8000--decked out with all the trimmings--is definitely worth the extra cost. But if you're looking for a notebook you can carry with you, this laptop might not be the best choice.