Official Sony VAIO AW Series 18.4" Owners thread

Do you know anything specific about the AW335J/H?

A TV tuner isn't priority, but I noticed that it is listed in the specifications of other AW models, but it isn't listed for the 335. Also, do they all have the same lcd panel?

 

I personally do not. Only that the specs haven't changed much since the last iteration of AWs.

And as far as I'm aware, all of the new generation AW's have the same panel. the RGB LED-based panel has been phased out.

(someone correct me if I'm wrong)

 

I'm still a little confused by a couple of things and I apologize for asking similar questions, but the following items are still a concern of mine.

#1 - The AW335J/H that I mentioned above is listed as having a resolution of 1680x945, whereas the AW350J/B is listed as having a full HD resolution of 1920x1080. This is why I was asking about the panels.

#2 - Sony's website says the AW series includes a TV tuner and then they note that this does not apply for the AW310. However, a TV tuner is not listed in the spec sheet for either of the models in which I'm interested. (links below) Can someone confirm if either of these models have a TV tuner?

#3 - The AW335J/H is only offered in titanium gray from Newegg. If any of you have a titanium gray AW, have you noticed any wear on the palm rests? I've always tried to get unpainted black palm rests such as those on my FZ to avoid those nasty looking worn paint spots.

Here are the pros and cons that I can come up with for compairing the models I'm considering:

AW335J/H
-Pro - $1369.99
-Pro - P8700 (2.53GHz)
-Pro - 7200rpm HDD
-Con - Gray Palm Rests
-Con - 320GB HDD Space
-Con - 1680x945 Resolution

AW350J/B
-Con - $1549.99
-Con - P7350 (2.00GHz)
-Con - 5400rpm HDD
-Pro - Black Palm Rests
-Pro - 500GB HDD Space
-Pro - 1920x1080 Resolution

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834117937

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834117935

 

Assuming the US sonystyles still allow custom AW you could configure it there however you please. You pay more I guess is the only con.

 

Well I disagree really, because I´m playing all the main title games and this card along with the c2d is a nutcracker! No stopping it!

 

A resolution of 1680x945 is extremely low (large font) for a 18.4" notebook unless you have vision issues. That would eliminate this model immediately for me.

 

laptodd5,

I can only order from Newegg because I plan to use my Newegg credit card.



tbNB,

If it is confirmed, it will be a dealbreaker for me as well. Honestly though, it doesn't make sense for that laptop to be limited to that resolution. I'm hoping it's just an error in the spec sheet.

 

yea man. I didn't realize they even made a panel lower than 1920x1080.

get an AW with a 1920x1080 screen or get nothing at all.

Call to confirm. I've never heard of a panel with that resolution coming on an AW. Maybe it's a new thing...and hell...maybe it doesn't look bad at all. If you have a Sony store near you, go and see it for yourself. then decide.

For example, I've seen some of the high-powered Gateway FX models at best buy. They're 17" laptops and sport a 1440x900 resolution, if I recall correctly. they look fine. this is a higher resolution than that, so it probably looks equally fine. but see for yourself before making a decision.

 

esupport.sony.com lists the 335 as having the higher resolution Full HD screen: http://www.docs.sony.com/release/SPECS/VGNAW335JH_mksp.pdf

But esupport doesn't have a specs sheet for the 350: http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-documents.pl?mdl=VGNAW350JB&LOC=3

Either email [email protected] or call Sony tech support to have someone check a Sony internal specs sheet for both models.

Good luck!

 

Thanks Derrida. The spec sheet at least cleared up the resolution concern. I guess I'll contact Sony about the TV tuner.

 

When you have Sony on the line, ask about the screens, too, for confirmation. There have been some errors in Sony specs sheets in the past.

Good luck!

 

I'll be sure to do so when I call them on Monday. I'll report back with my findings. Thanks for your help!

 

collectively, we have the mind of Sherlock Holmes!

 

It looks like Sony does, in fact, have a 1680x945 panel that is available on the AW310.

http://compreviews.about.com/od/deskreplace/gr/SonyVGNAW310JH.htm

 

welp. either pass on that or call a local Sony Style Store and see if they have that model (with that display) in stock so that you can inspect it for yourself.

Might not be an issue at all.

 

The AW310 wasn't in the running anyway. I just wanted to verify whether or not the 1680x945 panel existed.

I wish it was as simple as visiting my "local SonyStyle Store", but there aren't even any in my state. In fact, I believe the closest one is nearly 300 miles away.

 

You are quite correct, the AW11/21/31 M/H in the UK has a 1680x945, as I tried to get a refurb lower model before I went for the all singing all dancing top spec.

That resolution was the reason for the instant return I made.

 

From what I've seen, it's not the lowered resolution of 1680x945 but the lower quality display type of XBRITE-ECO that's the great dealbreaker for me. I had one in a titanium FW & it was, as I've posted before, horrific. Never sawa screen so dim in my life. Then when that degree of dimness is combined with an ultra-shiny finish (I guess that finish is an effort to compensate for lower quality display) - well, it's just not a good thing, that's all. Needless to add, that FW went back & 2 mos later, my AW came along. Cannot possibly emphasize how vast the difference between this screen & the ECO....truly apples vs oranges (or cherries & broccoli;-).

1st times I came across AW's w/the lowered res, it was in the AW100 series & they were invariably of the XBRITE-ECO display type (Sony's lowest end display). Each time, the price was a dead giveaway. One strong clue, you'll see the ECO screen in Sony's $799 FW's. The ECO often (tho not always!) comes w/integrated gfx (Intel 4500HD for BD support). And new for the low-end AW300 models I've been seeing "Now with HD Boost!" As said earlier, sounds like it's compensating for something missing.

Also, can't emphasize enough how subjective video & audio w/be for each of us. For me, after this RGB-LED display, I can't go back to anything less. Even a real good LED w/out the Adobe RGB color correction, it's still superior. Plus there's additional benefit of this display type---like lower power consumption, super-bright backlighting, & the anti-glare/anti-reflective finish (love it!). So far, the only competition for the AW might be HP's 17" anodized aluminum EliteBook 8730w w/DreamColor (engineered for or in conjunction w/DreamWorks Studio). After many months of reading a zillion consumer reviews, I've never yet read a single sour word @ the AW's standard (non-LED) XBRITE-FullHD display, only rave reviews. Not so for the ECO however.

 

Kind People, please tell me...
Is it absolutely certain beyond a doubt that there will be no AW300's with an RGB-LED display---or even just an LED sans AdobeRGB color compatibility? All gone, for reals? If so then that means the only LEDs available ever are whatever's still out there in the form of AW100's & 200s.

One more display-related question:
Did any of the AW's with an LED ever come with a high-gloss finish panel/screen? Just saw a couple of AW190's at EBay I hadn't seen any w/ that description at all---but I could be mistaken. For sure, getting solid facts on the AW display-types (which model has which screen type) has been arduous---& still, can't be sure till you have the machine in your own hands.

 

I love Sony, but I question some of their decisions. LED is the future of laptops.

I don't want to shift the conversation too much, but for those of you that have titanium gray AWs, do you notice any palm rest wear? I try to avoid silver/gray mice, keyboards, et cetera because the color always seems to wear off and leave a nasty whitish yellow bare plastic in its path.

 

Okay, this is a guess for the American market (the European market still has the RGB LED available for the AW series): The next refresh of the AW, probably in about two months time, will have the RGB LED back as an option.

The most popular Sonys right now are the AW and the FW and we have seen that there have been quarterly refreshes with juggled CPU and GPU offerings. Sony probably is planning an upgrade of the video card in the AW for this next refresh so twinning that with the RGB LED makes more sense, does it not? Right now, arguably, the FW line has a better video card than the AW line, so why put an RGB LED out there in the AW3 when you can wait for the AW4 in the States.

Also, the changes in the advertizing of the AW in Europe (the re-introduction of that 100% color purity/fidelity for all FullHD screens) as well as this strange lower resolution screen that exists on some AW3 pre-configured models in the States (despite the Sony spec sheets which, we see, do have errors from time to time) -- coupled with the fact that Sony and Sharp now own a screen factory together (I put the link out there in an earlier post somewhere at NBR) -- leads me to believe that Sony's AW4 line is going to have the RGB LED and a better video card. Sony's likely clearing out old screen stocks right now with its screen partner, Sharp.

That's just my two cents. We'll know for sure around October.

 

Indeed, notebookjournal.de testing does bear out the subjectivity of many a screen comment. Take the "brightness of an LED" as "superior" -- well, the former FZ and FW's HiColor screens' brightness far exceed (like by about 100 cd/m2!) the brightness of the AW's RGB LED screen in notebookjournal.de testing. And yes, matte finishes do provide anti-glare that exceeds that of the usual X-Brite coatings but matte has its price in crispness.

So, it's an ever-evolving, ever-nuanced continuum and beauty is often in the eye of the beholder.

 

Screen brightness was high on my list of things that I wanted when I was looking for a new notebook. But, I gotta tell you that I almost never peer into my AW at full brightness. Usually it's at about half brightness. The image is very good by my standards. Better than anything that I've seen.

 

I don't think we'll see RGB LEDs return for a couple of years, to be quite honest. Sure, the TELEVISION market is going in that direction, but Sony's implementation in the LAPTOP market meant a $400-$500 premium on the laptop. A $1200 AW with the normal screen (which looks very good) vs. $1700 AW with the RGB screen. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand which one most people would go with or be willing to pay for in this economic climate.

Chances are, they looked at their sales data in search of what they could cut (as you all should know, Sony hasn't been doing very well recently) and probably found that they weren't getting the return on the expensive AWs. Simple business decision in the backdrop of netbooks damn near taking over the entire market.

At some point, I expect the market to recover and I expect niche products (like the RGB LED) to make a strong comeback. I don't expect that to be now...but soon.

 

Brighter does not aways mean better, quite frankly a LCD with light bulb lamp like brightness is bad not good, it screws up the colors and makes dark colors washed out. My plasma display has a torch mode but using it is a bad idea.

BTW the FW GPU, are talking about a ATI version?

 

Yes, the FW190's HiColor is with an ATI HD3470. Here are its test results at notebookjournal.de:
http://www.notebookjournal.de/tests/inspection/notebook-review-sony-vaio-fw31zj-860

Side by side with a FullHD non-RGB-LED FW screen, the colors of the HiColor's brighter screen seemed crisper and brighter, even though the contrast values for the FullHD were a bit better.

The ideal is to have color fidelity AND high brightness -- so you can yourself be in charge of everything!

 

Well I cannot read German and if there's an english version I cannot find it. I am curious if the new ATI mobility GPUs have the HD Audio chipset like the new ATI desktop GPUs have.

 

anyone know if the AW can support the Q9000 processor?

 

Here you go -- almost everything you could want to know about a notebook GPU: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Comparison-of-Graphic-Cards.130.0.html and in English! Note the additional links to ranked listings with benchmarks and gaming....

Enjoy!

 

News flash on the AW350JB: IT CONTAINS NO MERCURY IN THE LIGHT SOURCE! It has a Gold EPEAT rating, just registered two days ago on July 31st, 2009:

http://www.epeat.net/ProductDisplay.aspx?action=print&productID=3092&epeatcountryid=

THAT MEANS IT HAS AN LED SCREEN, no matter what its resolution is ;-).

The only other AW with the Gold EPEAT is the AW360JB. Only three other models passed with Silver (and with low levels of mercury in the light source, i.e., CCFL screen): AW 310, 330 and 210, all of the JH subset.

Some Sony lines are entirely Energy Star 4.0 compliant: Z, SR, BZ, TZ( http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...oryId=8198552921644540854&XID=F:vaioeco:sony). But now Energy Star is at 5.0 standards and evolving, and EPEAT coordinates with Energy Star.

More at the links above.

 

I have not owned nor used a titanium gray AW, but have definitely owned an FW w/that finish. And yes, the palmrest soon showed small surface scratches, Next the palmrest's flexible plastic surface gradually wore off within the 2-1/2 mos before I parted with it. Once the process started, the wristrest quickly lost it's "titanium" paint/coating revealing ivory-yellowy color beneath (yuck). That was my 1st Sony VAIO (Jan '09) & when I 1st got it, I was so wow'd by not only its good looks, but how solid/durable it felt. I wonder if some cut-to-fit protective material like InvisibleShield (by Zagg) could've saved that from happening. Grateful this AW came w/the leather-oid padded palmrest which has been so far so good (fingers crossed;-) Aside from the obvious size difference, the FW & AW look identical with cases closed which is how I've seen them. Tho I haven't yet inspected the inside bottom surface of the matte gray AW, its hard to imagine that's constructed of different materials than its little bro, the FW---but still possible, I suppose. From some of the posts here, it seems clear that at least one model AW sold in Europe has a Metal palmrest. Wow, wish we had that available here!

 

Well, that's exciting! I'm actually considering getting a 2nd AW (always need a backup) & tho I hear great reviews @ the standard FullHD display, I absolutely prefer another LED. So what you're reporting here could be good news for me, thanks!

 

Just loaded windows 7 RTM on my AW21XY

Stock install, Windows Update to install drivers left:

Nvidia Card
The VAIO control driver and
TV Card to Installed

Used the x64 sony drivers from the sony website for the control driver and the tv card and they both work well.

Got the latest 190 series driver for the NVIDIA card from laptopvideo2go.com and it went it well, HDMI works with audio out fine.

All in all 99.6% as some of the sony buttons dont work. But to be honest to be free of Sony utilities is a gift.

Running far better than vista did!

 

What worries me is the blu-ray playing and third-party tuner software. Only recently did third-party tuner software finally get their products working on Vista and Arcsoft blu-ray player finally released a version that runs on Vista.

 

Real-Eyes, that's what I was afraid of with the palm rests. Why companies still offer a painted surface for a high wear area is beyond me. I have the the Vaio BMS33 bluetooth mouse and the silver around it is wearing where my fingers barely touch.

Does anyone have any information on the upcoming refresh or even new models that are scheduled for release in late 2009 or early 2010. After thinking about it, I'm going to wait it out a little longer in hopes of getting something that more closely matches my desired specs. I'll be dropping $1500-$2000, so I'm being extra picky this time around. I bought my FZ340N about a month before the FWs came out and I kicked myself for doing so. I'd really like to see Sony offer a laptop with at least the 9800m GT. In fact, I would heavily consider purchasing one of their all-in-one desktops if it was decently equipped and then keep my FZ for trips and such, but for the kind of money they ask for their current desktops with the 8400m GT and 9300m GS cards, I could build a much more powerful GTX 2xx desktop. I think I'll be content beefing up my home theater system for now. I still have a few months before CoD Modern Warfare 2 comes out and nobody knows for sure about Diablo 3, but I'm hopeful that my 8400m GT can at least run it on low settings... Blizzard has been pretty good about scalability in the past.

 

I agree that waiting for an AW series refresh is a good idea. Remember: Sony and Sharp now own a screen-producing factory together. I'm betting it produces lovely LEDs. And it's about time for a GPU upgrade as well....

 

Tomcom2k, this inspires me! Grateful for the details & progress report & hopefully you'll continue to keep us informed. As for the specialty/shortcut buttons, how's your brightness adjust buttons (Fn+F6/F7)? I use those more than anything & would miss 'em a lot if I had to give them up---but I'd survive somehow (sigh) considering the other benefits. Which ones aren't yet functioning? (note the word "yet" as I'm very optimistic about this). As I posted the other day, there are local Sony store techs who have been insisting Windows 7 absolutely & w/out a doubt Will Not Work in any systems released prior to the uppermost AW300 models, that Sony Will Not be providing any Win7 device drivers for those models (like mine, too). Me thinks they need to read @ your experience along w/ posts by Derrida, tbNB, ajreynol, aleicgrant. Heck, I'm now thinking it would be helpful if I print these posts & mail them to the South Coast Plaza store in Costa Mesa, CA. EDIT: After submitting this post, it occurred to me that it's possible the company that butters the bread of those in-store techs wants them to pass this misinfo along to customers. Just a thought.

 

Yea, know what you mean...I waited, hoping the AW300s might come out w/ at least a metal wristrest. Actually, the entire piece that surrounds the keyboard (what's that part called?), I could just see it as a nice (thin) layer of anodized aluminum for the black AWs & brushed aluminum for the grays. Dreaming, huh? The flexible black silicon (I'm told) material I have here has developed a shiny spot where my thumbs naturally rest just in front of the spacebar (between spacebar & padded palmrest). I figure if not for the padding, the palmrest might also become partially shiny instead of the matte finish it came with. This is definitely not from eating nachos while at the computer;-) Well, unlike the yellow-ivory color under the gray, at least the black appears to be black beneath the surface even tho the texture appears changed from wear. About gray mice tho... As much as I like the exceptional look of Sony's mice, I still use my 3-yr old Logitech "G7". In fact, every mouse I've ever owned has been gray/silver & not one has ever developed a worn-out surface (they still look new after yrs). Why would Sony do that? Maybe to 'encourage' customers to buy new, buy more...

 

?

from where and how?

 

Know what you mean...I waited, hoping the AW300s might come out w/ at least a metal wristrest. Actually, the entire piece that surrounds the keyboard (what's that part called?), I could just see it as a nice (thin) layer of anodized aluminum for the black AWs & brushed aluminum for the grays. Dreaming, huh? The flexible black silicon (I'm told) material I have here has developed a shiny spot where my thumbs naturally rest just in front of the spacebar (between spacebar & padded palmrest). I figure if not for the padding, the palmrest might also become partially shiny instead of the matte finish it came with. This is definitely not from eating nachos while at the computer;-) Well, unlike the yellow-ivory color under the gray, at least the black appears to be black beneath the surface even tho the texture appears changed from wear. About gray mice tho... As much as I like the exceptional look of Sony's mice, I still use my 3-yr old Logitech "G7". As I think of it now, every mouse I've ever owned has been gray/silver & not one has ever developed a worn-out surface w/regular use (still look new).

 

I can't help but think, since these palmrest issues vary from country to country, that there is a refresh in the offing addressing this across the series.

And I also can't help but think that these materials differences might correspond to some of the variation in the EPEAT ratings of the machines. Since Sony is committed to an enviromentally sound profile, it makes sense that metals are going to be surfacing (pun intended) because of the higher recyclability of metals over many plastics.

If you're not in a rush, hold off till the next refresh would be my advice. There are bound to be better materials and more LEDs all the way around.

I cannot say enough times that Sony and Sharp own the world's most advanced screen factory together and the deal involves having lines of HDTV screens with the Sony name on them: http://www.pcworld.com/article/169316/sony_sharp_partner_for_worlds_most_advanced_lcd_plant.html

So, who knows what side-deals concerning other screens may be concurrent with this deal?

 

ISV (Independent software vendor) and IHV (Independent hardware vendor) Partners will be able to download Windows 7 RTM from Microsoft Connect or MSDN on August 6th.

But it has been leaked already... running it on the 30 day grace before serial needs to be entered. I know its the real RTM build... Don't ask how but it wasn't a torrent or p2p leak.

Other questions that were asked:

Bluray support... I use http://www.cyberlink.com/products/powerdvd/overview_en_GB.html

TV - Whats wrong with windows media centre otherwise you have http://www.chris-tv.com/ and many other windows 7 compatible programs

Button Issues

Please note I haven't even tried to install any sony utilites at all

Working: PlayPause Stop Back Forward Mute VolumeUp VolumeDown

Brightness.. I right click on the power icon and click Adjust screen brightness.

S1 S2 - I dont use

Eject - It was pointless anyway

Switch Video Source FN+f7, windows 7 does this with simplicity but the button doesn't work.

General Notes

The system runs much quicker than under windows vista, I have to say I never tried vista sony utility free.

Everything else that was listed about ie buttons works fine, I enjoyed a film out of the HDMI port with sound no problems, card readers work, tv etc.

Obviously without the sony utilites I do not have the option to switch the display mode from rgb to game mode etc but I have a screen calibrator and windows 7 has a visual screen calibrator for those without the hardware. I never really used that utility anyway and havent tried it on windows 7

Conclusion

Windows 7 seems stable and better than vista for what I use. The CPU usage is lower and that un-benchmarkable value "feel" its more snappy and responsive.

Boot time is less and shutdown is about 3 seconds rather than the chug that was shutting down vista.

It definately worth an install to see if you can live with the small sacrifices of a couple of buttons not working and a couple of other sony utility benefits.

End of Ramble

 

Hello everyone! I purchased a Sony Vaio VGN-AW290jfq few days ago from ebay. When i opened my computer, i was surprised, the disk C: was 920GB. On sony website is specified that it contains 2 * 500GB hdd. Is possible mine to have 1TB HDD inside?

 

I just discovered the AW LED RGB displays are available in Canada again. It was taken off the sony styles site a while back but has returned with a few more options like 3 Gig Dual Core and ATSC tuner. Still costs a hell of a lot thou.

 

The 1TB is before it's formatted.

 

The Vista installation and others are also on the drive by default.

 

I have a questions, my VGN-AW290JFQ has Pioneer BD-RW BDR-TD01. After I installed a fresh windows, Vista Sp1 Ultimate, i can't find driver to get it working. it isn't show in my computer, also in device manager on it's proprietis is wrote: "Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. (Code 19)

Click 'Check for solutions' to send data about this device to Microsoft and to see if there is a solution available." Anyone can help me?

 

I made some tests in HD Tune Pro
Sony Vaio VGN-AW21Z/B


[ SAMSUNG MMCRE64GFMPP-MVA (SE843A3680) ]

ATA Device Properties:
Model ID SAMSUNG MMCRE64GFMPP-MVA
World Wide Name 5-0000F0-056415331
Device Type SATA-II
Parameters 124053 cylinders, 16 heads, 63 sectors per track, 512 bytes per sector
LBA Sectors 125045424
Buffer Unknown
Multiple Sectors 16
ECC Bytes 4
Unformatted Capacity 61057 MB

ATA Device Features:
48-bit LBA Supported
Advanced Power Management Not Supported
Automatic Acoustic Management Not Supported
Device Configuration Overlay Supported
DMA Setup Auto-Activate Not Supported
General Purpose Logging Supported
Host Protected Area Supported, Enabled
In-Order Data Delivery Not Supported
Native Command Queuing Not Supported
Phy Event Counters Supported
Power Management Supported, Enabled
Power-Up In Standby Not Supported
Read Look-Ahead Supported, Enabled
Release Interrupt Not Supported
Security Mode Supported, Disabled
SMART Supported, Enabled
SMART Error Logging Supported
SMART Self-Test Supported
Software Settings Preservation Supported, Enabled
Streaming Not Supported
Tagged Command Queuing Not Supported
Write Cache Supported, Enabled






[ FUJITSU MHZ2500BT G1 (K70CT8C26E86) ]

ATA Device Properties:
Model ID FUJITSU MHZ2500BT G1
World Wide Name 5-00000E-04339413F
Device Type SATA
Parameters 969021 cylinders, 16 heads, 63 sectors per track, 512 bytes per sector
LBA Sectors 976773168
Buffer 8 MB (Dual Ported, Read Ahead)
Multiple Sectors 16
ECC Bytes 0
Unformatted Capacity 476940 MB

ATA Device Features:
48-bit LBA Supported
Advanced Power Management Supported, Enabled
Automatic Acoustic Management Supported, Enabled
Device Configuration Overlay Supported
DMA Setup Auto-Activate Supported, Enabled
General Purpose Logging Supported
Host Protected Area Supported, Disabled
In-Order Data Delivery Not Supported
Native Command Queuing Supported
Phy Event Counters Supported
Power Management Supported, Enabled
Power-Up In Standby Not Supported
Read Look-Ahead Supported, Enabled
Release Interrupt Not Supported
Security Mode Supported, Disabled
SMART Supported, Enabled
SMART Error Logging Supported
SMART Self-Test Supported
Software Settings Preservation Supported, Enabled
Streaming Not Supported
Tagged Command Queuing Not Supported
Write Cache Supported, Enabled

ATA Device Physical Info:
Manufacturer Fujitsu
Form Factor 2.5"
Formatted Capacity 500 GB
Disks 3
Recording Surfaces 6
Physical Dimensions 100 x 70 x 12.5 mm
Max. Weight 135 g
Average Rotational Latency 7.14 ms
Rotational Speed 4200 RPM
Average Seek 12 ms
Track-To-Track Seek 1.5 ms
Full Seek 22 ms
Interface SATA-II
Buffer-to-Host Data Rate 300 MB/s
Buffer Size 8 MB








HD Tune Pro is full trial. Could you test your drives? So we can compare drives...

 

I have the same hard drive configuration. The 1TB configuration is made up of 2 500GB drives. They operate as 1TB which is your C: drive. The only way you can change it to be read as separate drives is to re-format everything.

 

Whoop! Just ordered my AW earlier today. Can't wait. Quick question: for people who watch Blu-ray movies on it, how comfortable are you with the sound? Should I get a sound system or is the Dolby tech. in the AW good enough?