HP Pavilion DV7-1240US keyboard letters & numbers...invisible???

[EdVR4]

I just received my very cool HP Pavilion DV7-1240US, but I can't see the letters & numbers on the keyboard. The whole laptop is bronze, including the keyboard, and the keyboard letters & numbers appear to be gray. I tried moving my reading lamp as close as possible to the laptop & I still can't make out the letters & numbers properly. I have to keep moving my head around from different angles just to see. I can't believe HP would release a product with this obvious problem...... If only the keyboard letters & numbers were white, this laptop would get 5 stars.

Anyone out there with this issue, and if so is there any solution?

[WeimsGuy]

I bought the exact laptop and have the same problems with seeing the keyboard.  I too cannot believe the laptop made it into production; does anyone at hp try to use these laptops before the final design is adopted?  I thought the visibility problem was due to the lighting in the store, but it was worse when I got it home.  The lower the light level, the more the key labels become invisible.

The color of the keys would not be as bad if it had a matte finish, but the choice of tiny thin black/gray key labels just does not work for me.  Unless I can find an alternate replacement keyboard, I will be taking the laptop back and waiting for a better layout.  I really like the laptop, it has nice features for the price, but I cannot live with the keyboard.

I purchased the predecessor to this laptop only to find the right shift key was the size of a regular key.  I did not notice at the store because I was concentrating on the other features; besides in 30yrs of working with computers, I have never seen a keyboard with shift keys the same size as regular keys.  I took that laptop back because I could not touch type on it without hitting the Up Arrow key, which was directly adjacent to the Shift key, 8 out of 10 times. 

Taking an hp laptop back because of an unacceptable keyboard; as the great Yogi Berra would say, “It is déjà vu all over again”.

[KazooTom]

I also have a dv7 that I ordered direct from HP. Mine is black with a silver keyboard and black lettering on the keys. I did notice in the store that the keys on the bronze model seemed hard to read, on mine there is no problem. Good contrast between the black lettering and the silver (gray) keys.

[WeimsGuy]

I wonder if the silver (matte) keyboard you mentioned is compatible with the DV7-1240us.  I did see one in the store, but they were sold out; there was a $150 off on that model.  I agree with you about the visibility of that keyboard; it would work for me as well.  I guess I could open a “chat” to find out if the keyboard would work; I would pay a little extra to keep the laptop.  If I find out anything, I'll come back and post the information.

[KazooTom]

On the same model computer I would think the keyboard would fit. After all the only difference is the color. It would definately make your machine unique.

[WeimsGuy]

I did contact HP about the keyboard, but the answers were not very helpful.  The first one was the suggestion to use a USB light.  I replied that I have a USB light and use it on other laptops, but it only makes things worse on this laptop.  The second message addressed the “shiny” key issue.  Their reply was that the keys were specially coated to reduce the effect of fingerprint wear.  I replied that I was more interested in seeing and using the keys than I was concerned about how fast the key labels would wear out.  I guess the theory is if you can not see the keys you will not use them as much so they will last longer.

I looked into buying the silver OEM keyboard on the Internet and found a couple ranging in price from $50 to $125.  HP would not swap out keyboards or sell me one directly.  It was with much ambivalence that I returned the laptop; I just could not reward hp for producing such a bad keyboard.  Bold white letters on the keys would make this an excellent laptop; a matte finish with the white letters would be even better.

I have been a loyal hp customer since 1972 and I am hoping that the consumer laptop people will go talk with the business laptop people to get some better ideas on keyboard functionality.

[WeimsGuy]

I went back to the same store where I bought the DV7-1240US to look for a different brand, but I saw an hp DV7-1175NR.  It was very close to same configuration except the burner is also a BlueRay player AND the key labels are White.  The white key labels make all the difference, you can actually see the keys.  The surface is shiny, but not as much; its acceptable (bold white with matte would be much better).  This unit was factory refurbished, so the price was the same as I paid for the 1240.  The warranty was only 90 days, so I added a 3yr store warranty for about $150 more.  The overall package was under what I would have paid adding 2yr hp warranty for the 1240.  I am happy with this laptop.

 

[Beljevina]

I purchased a (bronze throughout) dv5 on the weekend, and am awestruck by the silliness of building a machine on which keyboard keys can't clearly be seen much of the time. You need a good level of light to see them; I like to work in evening and low light conditions and one can't see any of the key letters in that type of an environment. I was going to forage out for a USB neck/lamp, but will have to temper my expectations based on the comments above. I supposed I could find white keyboard key stickers but that reeks of cheesiness. Shame on HP for choosing color/styling over usability and functionality - white keyboard lettering could have been nicelie integrated to match the white LEDs I see throughout the PC. Not to go overboard, but the keyboard key layout is also unusual. And, I am quickly despising the x64 load of Vista for numerous reasons, and will have to join the ranks of many others who've gone back to XP. I guess I never knew how good I had it with my T61 ThinkPad. I am on the whole disappointed with this machine.

[CreativeOne]

I purchased an DV7-1285dx  this past Saturday.  Looked Ok in the store with their gazillion watts of sodium halide illumination.  But guess what (or watt) ... the keyboard visibility is terrible (the worst!!).  If you tilt the keyboard at about a 35-degree angle, it's not so bad.  But that's not how I used a laptop.  I had to take it back and return it ... it's totally useless to me.  Two of the store employees commented that it was a common response they heard from people.  I was likely not the first person to have returned an HP for this reason.  I looked at their other models (suitable for my use/needs) and they all had that terrible keyboard color combination.  WHO CAME UP WITH THAT!!

I am actually a big fan "this brand".  We operate with their server, numerous desktops, a plotter, several printers, etc.  My old laptop (an nc6120) was fine, easy to use ... although it did give up the ghost ... even after two factory repairs.  So although disappointed with the recent the service history of my nc6120 (and their farmed out customer service), I am still loyal to "this brand" ... but who knows given this latest debacle.

[rmgumbo]

I just received my HP dv7-1240us which I ordered online.  Absolutely, the bronze keyboard w/ black letters is impossible to see in most light conditions.  I contacted HP about this problem and HP is going to replace the keyboard w/ a silver keyboard w/ black letters.