Sony Vaio Duo 13 Owners Thread

Thanks much,

Why did you return the first one?

 

Hi, I recently updated my Sony Vaio Duo 13 to Windows 8.1. I just noticed that I cannot print any document to Windows Journal. Is there a way to reinstall the Windows Journal Printer driver? Is there another solution? Is anybody else experiencing this problem. Thanks

 

Has anyone been able to use a Bluetooth headphones on a Duo 13 with Windows 8.1?

Whatever I try, I am unable to get it to work. I am able to pair my LG Tone headphones but as soon as the pairing is done, it states the headphone is "not connected."

 

I did install Windows 8.1 already when it was available as RTM without official support from Sony. At that time I had issues with the Bluetooth driver they provided (Windows 8 version) so I tried without any additional driver. It worked out of the box with my Logitech stereo headset.

 

Waiting for I7 4650U version in France, we only have 4500U

That's not only for the better graphic card (that will not change anything since the 4500U processor is not always in turbo due to TDP limits), but it has Vpro, VT-D and new TSX-NI
For the future, if you are a programmer or using virtualization or being in entreprise, it could be lots better !

I would have enjoyed 16Go ram, even if unusefull, i had it on my G74SX and i'll miss them...

 

For all those with this annoying "buzz-sound" coming out from the back (during standby) of the device (since "Raid-Controller-Update | 130619"): Go back to the "old" Raid-Controller-Settings (20130510 | Sony eSupport - SVD13213CXB - Drivers & Software) and it will stop "dancing on your nerves".
Here Sony has to do something up, to find a good compromise between Sleep-mode-battery-drain and (non)low-channel-buzzing.

 

If someone can confirm that this eliminates the buzzing (that originally had buzzing of course), i will up and go buy back my Duo 13 and join the Win8.1 problems bandwagon.

 

The first one (Cosmos) was actually really nice, well padded with almost a memory foam type feel. My only issue is that is was slightly wider than the Duo 13, and I was looking for a snug fit all around. Only maybe 1.5-2 inches wider, but since my laptop backpack is a very snug fit, the extra play in the sleeve kind of bunched up on the sides.

I don't want the OEM Sony case, because of the metallic zipper and side entry. The darned carbon fiber on the back of the Duo scratches so easily, I need a case that is soft all the way.

 

Considering purchase... Are there any issues of fan noise or flex with the Duo?

Also, any recommendations on a tablet stand to use?

Thanks!

 

I tried the OEM Sony case but i agree with you, i don't like side entry or the zipper.

Currently i'm using my old Sony Z2 Case (VGPCKZ3), it fits perfectly, obviously no space for pen, but this is not a problem for me.

 

Answer for number 5: My duo 13 didn't come with the Synaptics trackpad driver installed. I installed it from the site, and now there's a button at the bottom of the screen that i can touch to disable and enable the track pad.

 

Thanks again. My backpack is actually a fairly loose fit, probably able to facilitate up to 16" of notebook, so a wider fit actually sounds like a non-issue in this case. I think I'll get it--how did it work with the pen?

 

This high frequency sound has been driving me nuts. Thanks for letting us know the cause of this is the RAID software update...

 

There is no designated pen holder, on the case. However, since it is a "vertical" sleeve, I didn't have any issue with the pen detaching. It really had more of a quality feel than your typical neoprene sleeve. Also ships with a velcro cable tie, and a plastic case which could be used to waterproof the whole affair if you are concerned about that.

 

Amazon has a good deal on 4 screen protectors, 2x matte and 2x clear for $13 shipped. Honestly, they are just as good as the Sony OEM. No decrease in sensitivity of the nTrig Pen either.

I had the same idea as you for the vinyl on the back Once again, for about $10 you can get some nice looking black carbon fiber looking vinyl from amazon. I'm waiting on mine to arrive, and hopefully I can get it to look natural. It's a bummer how much the carbon fiber scratches from just normal light usage.

 

It's not carbon. It's magnesium (probably, though outside chance it could be aluminium). The slightly shiny bits are all metal. The matte / matte-with-glitter bits are plastic (or should I say carbon-reinforced thermoplastic, which is not 'carbon' as you know it).

The bottom panel is simply anodised, so it's basically as scratch resistant as e.g. a Barbiebook (i.e. not very much).

And BTW when Sony uses carbon-fibre-reinforced-thermoplastic, they do so that they can use less plastic and save weight, not to use the same amount of plastic and get better strength. Using less plastic with enhanced properties also has a secondary factor, in that thinner parts can bend more and absorb impact energy better than using more 'regular' plastic. The downside as people complain with the Pro's for example is that the machines are flexy and feel less well constructed (why the Duo doesn't feel that way is because there's more metal in the casing). And in terms of abrasion resistance, what they use is actually less abrasion resistant than the thicker plastic casings found on cheap machines.

Bottom line is that while many of their machines can take a beating above and beyond their weight class and remain functional, Sony's carbon + magnesium / aluminium mix is, in cosmetic durability terms, one of the more delicate on the market - i.e. right there along with the Barbiebooks. It's just the way it has been with them for years, ever since they switched to "carbon".

 

Yeah I meant in terms of the pen being on the Vaio, so that's good. Sounds great. Ordered. One review said the quality of it was crap, but the other reviews were fine and I trust your word.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

 

Since doing the Windows 8.1 installation I have had issues with the power button. Often the computer won't come back from sleep, and the screen stays black after pushing the power button. Sometimes the screen turns on but never allows me to swipe to get to the desktop. Sometimes I can swipe but the screen freezes.

I've tried to install various drivers from sony's support website but the problem continues.

Also, I have not been able to get Vaio Update or Vaio Care Utility to install so it is hard to even check if my drivers are up to date.

Anyone with a similar experience?

 

Did you upgrade to 8.1 through the store? If you have not uninstalled the Vaio Care software, it should still be present with the upgrade. There was 1 set of updates (the 2nd post 8.1) that I had to install manually, as the update utility would give an error prompt. Did you install the 2 key updates necessary to upgrade to Win 8.1 prior to installation of 8.1? One was an update to Vaio Care, the other was a firmware update.

It's important that Win 8 is fully up to date, and you have installed the aforementioned pre-requisite updates from Sony prior to upgrading to Windows 8.1. If you have uninstalled Vaio Care Software pre 8.1, and cannot install the utilities manually, I would suggest a refresh back to the stock Win 8, update everything fully, then reinstall 8.1. I actually had to do that myself to remedy some issues unrelated to yours.

Here is the Sony product page containing all updates for the Duo. You can change your specific model at the top of the page.

http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=SVD13215PXB&LOC=3#/downloadTab

 

I think I screwed up my recovery partition when I did a refresh a couple months ago as my recovery is missing and my recovery media is not being recognised, does anyone know how I can revert back to windows 8 ?

 

I actually purchased a Brenthaven BX2 plus
BX2 Sleeve Plus - White | Brenthaven.com

Its made for a mac pro 13 but fits the duo 13 perfectly snug and protected. The plus has the advantage of carrying charger external drive and other stuff. The non plus only has room for the duo. Its available in 3 colors and very stylish. What I like the most is the slip strap which holds the case amazingly. Check it out.

 

Just to be sure--it doesn't fit the Duo 13 well when the pen is attached? I fear the answer is no, because otherwise the non-plus (I carry everything else in my backpack) looks amazing.

 

I believe you could order the correct media from Sony in case the media is faulty. Just tell them that you created it but it cant be read not that they charge for it. Basically it should not matter if you completely screw up the partitions as thats what the recovery media is for. There should be no problem with recognition.

 

I have been waiting to order the Duo 13 for awhile, but was hoping that the Wifi problem would be resolved. It is very frustrating since some people have the problem and others don't. I am now considering ordering the Red edition from Sony Japan since I have someone who is travelling there. It isn't as outrageous in price as it was in the US (sold out now) or in the EU. I also noticed a spec sheet that says the 512Gb SSD is PCIe. In Japan you can also order the Red with i74650 and 256Gb SSD. Does anyone know if it is PCIe? Also, has anyone ordered a machine from Japan? Is it simple to switch the interface to English? I see that you can get an English keyboard for about $50 extra. Anyone know if it is US layout? Is the extra s/w the same as the US model? Any Red owners out there that can vouch for whether the wifi is or isn't a problem? Also, does anyone know if Sony will ship to a hotel address if it is prepaid? Thanks for any info you can add.

 

You know, if anything I think it's (wifi) worse with the 8.1 drivers. Unless this Red thing is a new model I doubt it'd be any different.

 

Today, VaioCare's Update downloaded two drivers, one was for the WiFi.

Not had a chance to test it yet, surely it can't be worse

 

After being told that they wanted to see my duo in the workshop, then. Being told that no, they didn't as their engineers were still investigating, I received my free usb wifi adapter. No thanks, it's huge....well, it's not huge, but it's gonna stick out, and there is no way it could be leftin with damage. Guess I will still wait for a proper driver fox.....

 

2 issues just noticed with 8.1

Vaio Update no longer installs updates automatically. I get an error "Please wait a while, then try again". Windows 8 was fully up to date prior to 8.1 upgrade, Sony's mandatory pre-requisite updates were installed prior to the upgrade.

Anyone else getting this error?

Also, when I connect the Duo to my flatscreen TV via HDMI I have no sound output. Checked volume devices, mixer etc, and I'm not seeing any audio options for the HDMI out. Anyone else experiencing this post 8.1?

 

Hmmm. After doing all the driver updates manually (Jaaaaaaaaaaaaysus) I have the dreaded 'unknown device' entry in Device Manager. Any obvious hints from anyone?

 

Please check these links as they should fix the unknown device problem:

Sony eSupport - SVD13215PXB - Drivers & Software

Sony eSupport - SVD13215PXB - Drivers & Software

 

Unfortunately I cannot help you with your first question as my computer has not been able to recognze any updates except Sony Vaio Update program , however I recall vaguely about a driver either at sony.co.uk or sony usa support site. You might wanna check them out.

Regarding the problem with the sound there is a solution:

Please check PLAYBACK in control Panel/Sound and make sure it does detect the brand of amp that is connected to unit using hdmi like the picture below. Make sure to set it as default when right click on it. Also, restart your computer after plugging in the HDMI cable on both ends.



I hope these will ease your problems

 

You could insert it while the pen is attached, but I personally do not recommend it. You would have to pay special attention while inserting in and out. And risk damaging the holder or the pen. The pen location on the duo is not the greatest on the side.

However since I took the plus version of the BX2 case, I have room for the pen, the charger and an external sony hard drive and it doesnt bulk out that much. I did check alot of cases but for me this one seems to offer the best of everything. Style, protection and ease of use.

 

Hello,

Just thought I'd add a small contribution to the thread (I've certainly gotten a lot from reading it).

Regarding cases/bags for the Duo 13:

I just purchased a Covert 13 from Ogio and am pretty happy with it.

http://ogio.com/13-covert-shoulder-bag

It comes in black or gray and is very understated and clean looking. It fits the Duo 13 nicely though not form fitting (about an inch taller and wider), but I don't mind that too much. There is a separate compartment that is very well appointed with organization (I keep the Duo 13s stylus in there), and is large enough to accommodate additional accessories if needed/desired (I also keep the power supply, network cable, Logitech Anywhere Mouse, and the Duo 13s tiny little wireless access point in there as well). There is also a Walkman/iPhone pocket on the front... but I haven't really found a use for it yet.

The only question mark I have is in regards to the protection provided by the laptop/tablet compartment. It is thinner than I am accustomed to (being used to the burly, thick, robust padding afforded by things like backpacks designed for photographers), but to be fair it's probably no less substantial than the protection afforded by a padded sleeve. Also the bottom of the bag seems to be well padded.

The quality of materials and workmanship is surprisingly good and I feel like the Covert 13 will stand up to a fair amount of use and abuse over its life.

I also have the Duo 11 sleeve on order (with its built in pen silo), will let you know how that goes when it arrives.

Another recent purchase was the VGP-WAR100, the tiny little wireless access point that was made to accompany the Duo 13.

http://www.sony-asia.com/product/vgp-war100



Setup is super simple. It snaps into the Duo 13s power brick, plugging into the USB port found there, though I have read that it can be plugged into any USB power source. After plugging a network cable into the war-100, all you need do is push the WPS connection button on the war-100 and then connect to the war-100 on the Duo 13 via WPS. A secure connection without having to enter any SSIDs or lengthy WPA keys. Easy peasy (everything Sony designs should be so easy/user friendly).

Additional settings can be had by browsing to the war-100 using a standard IP address (like you would when administering any router/access point) or by entering http://VGP-WAR100 into the address field of a browser... again super easy, super user friendly. Kudos.

As far as performance goes... I haven't done any scientific tests... but it works? I use it in the farthest room of our home where all of our devices have a hard time maintaining a decent wifi signal (not just the Duo 13), and I am gratified to see maxed out signal strength bars on the Duo 13 and no appreciable difference in online experience (compared to connecting to the main router at full strength).

The only unfortunate thing about the war-100 is that, for whatever reason (probably FCC issues), Sony does not sell it in the United States. So, if you would like to have one, you will need to import one from Japan for yourself. Not a big deal (especially since things like the settings pages are multilingual). Just may be a minor inconvenience for some.

In summary, is good. I happy.

 

Worked for me (the latter) I guess I forgot one.

 

Has anyone heard if the Duo 13 will ever get an IGZO screen?

I came across a Japanese article about the development the Duo that mentions something about IGZO. However, I cannot understand Google's translation of it so would appreciate any Japanese readers shedding some light on it. Did the Duo in the article actually have an IGZO screen? If so was it just just a one-off prototype, or is Sony actually planning to offer this as an option? Any other juicy tidbits in this "secret" development story?

Original article in Japanese:
VAIOŠ®‘S•ª‰ð•ŠJ””é˜bi‘O•ÒjFuVAIO Duo 13v‚́gÅæ’[ƒXƒ‰ƒCƒhƒ{ƒfƒBh‚ðŠÛ—‡‚É‚·‚é (5/6) - ITmedia PC USER

Google translation:
Google Translate

 

From the charms bar, I use the power button to shutdown

 

shutdown on desktop: alt + f4

 

Was about to purchase one of these beauties as it ticks all the right boxes for me.
However, read about the dreaded and abysmal wifi range this device has amongst other sony devices and have decided to hold on the purchase as I am uncertain with Sony as a notebook/tablet builder. Also had shocking service in the past with sony discman and the issues were never fixed until I contacted Sony HQ and then I got a refund but it was painstakingly exhausting.

The real q is.... to what extent/range is it affecting users? i.e. I am about 12 m upstairs through solid walls and on my alienware I get about 120mbps connection with my wireless router. I gather the sony duo 13 will have issues with this range making internet use basically useless?
Also to what extent has Sony addressed this issue i.e. are current users happy with the support offered by Sony?
Curious on users responses.

 

You have got to be kidding that you have to restart every time you plug in a HDMI device. Sony will shut down if that is the best its engineers can do with their hardware. Very weak. I will really reconsider buying Sony products if they can't do better than this.

 

WiFi is still a problem and worse yet it seems Sony is in denial. Recently we purchased two Sony Dou 13's to put them through the paces for consideration of a large scale purchase. Unfortunately, we axed them from our short list because the WiFi was a mess. It dropped out even at short range (1-3 meters) even when it connects and from 10 meters we often could not even get a line-of-sight connection. We have some ASUS Transformers and notebooks that pick up a three or four bar signal from this distance. Sony has provided two 'fix's' but neither of them worked. Don't know if we will bother to negotiate refund for two machines, but we will not buy from them again for some time.

I might add that it is a shame as Sony had some good graphics and service in the past, but it seems to have list its touch.

Please do let me know if you hear different or have feedback on my post.

 

Honestly, I've not found any issues with the WiFi, only very specific instances. I have a 28mbps bandwidth, and speedtest clocks 28 on my desktop, and only slightly less on the Duo (26-28mbps).

From all indications it seems like it may be a crapshoot. I feel lucky that I seem to have a unit that works just fine. Upon purchase, I was aware of the WiFi issue, and had purchased a small USB wifi antennae. I basically figured the units wifi would be crap, and I would always use the USB antennae, and I was fine with that. Checked the antennae versus the Duo's wifi, and they consistently clock the same DL/UL speeds. As a reference, I have a 3 story home with my SBG6580 router on the third floor and I do not see any drop off in reception more marked than any of my other wireless devices. There are plenty of reviews online for the Duo, I've only seen one or two that the WiFi issue was really present in. Maybe the issue seems more widespread because disgruntled people are more vocal? Hundreds of thousands (probably millions) of these have been manufactured and being used, so a couple hundred people raging on Sony's forums is not necessarily an indication of the overall prevalence of the issue. Sony has a pretty good return policy, basically zero risk. No restocking fee on open box as long as everything is repackaged, and unit is not visibly damaged.

I've also chatted at length with Sony reps while registering my purchase, and their current fix (at least as of 3 weeks ago) is to send out a USB WiFi antennae for free. Also if you are having problems, there are some settings that can be modified within windows that have fixed the issues for others. According to Sony, the sporadic nature of the WiFi problems is what is making it difficult to determine the actual cause. I was on the phone for almost an hour moving about my house and testing the WiFi under various circumstances to provide some feedback.

What is of greater annoyance is the situation with the HDMI output. Having to restart once connected? That is annoying, but luckily Duo literally restarts in about 10 seconds.

Ultimately I rolled the dice knowing I could be in for a semi-ordeal. It paid off. I commonly forget to charge the Duo at night, and it takes me through 2 days of light business use. Running excel and engineering programs with internet use nets me 12 hours easy. Insane battery life, digitizer pen, 13" screen, slim form factor, no fan noise, runs cool, I really have no complaints.

 

Glad you don't have any Wi-Fi problems. Not sure I could get over having to reset every time to connect hdmi, though. This type of device is meant to go everywhere with you, away from the desk and back again constantly.

I am very impressed with your battery run time. What cpu do you have btw?

 

Same problem. Tried two fixes neither helped. Sony says it is working on it...for past four months!

 

You are right to point out the many good points of the Duo 13, but, in my opinion, wrong to downplay the poor WiFi issue. Sony just did not do a good enough job of testing this computer before they sent it out. When I called support they told me try a patch fix. When that did not work they told me try another patch fix. When that did not work they have for about two weeks ignored me. They say I can call a US number but I am working in Sudan and almost always traveling. Calling a US number and speaking to a technician for an hour will cost me about 600 USD. When I buy a computer I expect it to work and I epect Sony to assume that if I buy a laptop I will travel with it. When I pay top dollar, as one does for the Duo 13, I expect it to have been well-tested and if there is a fault I expect Sony to do an international recall and fix it...if none of their patch fixes work. Sony did not do that. Instead Sony tried to ignore a client. In my case it cost them quite a large order, but if they do this more regularly, it may cost them much more. I hope that Sony will end this irresponsible behaviour towards Duo 13 owners and get this otherwise top end machine fixed. The cost of recalling and fixing the one's that are broken (assuming you are correct that it is only a couple hundred people) is minimal compared to the damage done to Sony's reputation by people like me telling people around the world how poorly Sony has acted and how the Duo 13 is not usable if you use the internet. I do hope I can tell people instead that Sony is a responsible, quality company, but first Sony has to earn this trust.

 

i74500U processor 8 GB ram. Long usage days don't typically involve anything graphically intensive. Light web browsing for email and obtaining engineering data, lots of excl/word, use of polymath, and using bluetooth mouse. Once you start any type of media streaming or graphics processing, that figure drops. The instances that my battery has carried me through 2 days have been days of sporadic use. It shouldn't be expected as a norm. That said, I've had plenty of other laptops that don't last that long under similar conditions. Finally, I often carry my laptop in a backpack, so I'm pretty OCD about turning the Duo off every time it goes in the bag, because I don't like the idea of heat buildup.

I'm not trying to plug Sony here, because in all reality they probably knew of the issue and simply rushed production to produce the first Haswell in this form factor. The way engineering and QC is these days, I would be shocked if the issue legitimately 'slipped though the cracks'. I don't agree with either possibility regarding the wifi, and I would take business elsewhere if there happened to be anything that could even slightly compete with what the Duo currently offers. Closest bet would be the Acer R7 w/Haswell refresh, but that's not even out yet. If you don't need active digitizer support the XPS 12 Haswell is just as capable, with similar battery life. The YogaPro2 is in the midst of some rollout issues, and to be honest the sacrifice on battery life to run such a high res display on a 13" screen doesn't seem worth it to me. Surface Pro 2 is very well appointed, and I owned a Surface Pro 1, but found 10" to be too small of a screen for such a well spec'd machine.

No matter how many or few are experiencing the issue, Sony should be doing something more to right those that have been inconvenienced by this. These aren't budget entry level laptops by any means, and I do agree that when you pay $1400+ USD that you expect a machine to work flawlessly. More and more I feel lucky that I'm not impacted, and the way they are handling the issue for those that are isn't really appropriate. If you have an affected unit, and don't like the idea of a small USB antennae to solve the problem, I'd say better return it. If you are beyond the return window, I'd open a dispute with your creditor, usually they will side with you if Sony is being unreasonable.

 

That was the reply I received when I requested help from sony support site.

I had not tried the solution myself. However I did try it just now, but for my surprise the problem did not occur. My AV-Receiver was recognized normally and the sound came from the speakers which concludes me to think that it might be a driver related incident. I have downloaded all the updates available for the 8.1.

 

I suspect it's a hardware issue - though the Air isn't much better and the Surface Pro 2 for me has quite similar problems, but once again not quite as bad.

And the new drivers actually seem a little worse to me. Though in the situation of the above poster's (slow) Internet-only use you might not notice. I copy files to and fro, there's automatic backup and my Internet connection is 100Mbit up/down (for a single sustained transfer. Link is actually 200Mbits up/down), so I do definitely notice if the connection is flaky.

 

Thnx for the honest replies guys.
I am holding off on this purchase. Ideally I would like to try before I buy to see if the WiFi works in my place. Unfortunately I doubt Sony offers this policy and it's ridiculous to think in 2013 Sony can't get WiFi properly working.

Yup just went in store to play with one and couldn't connect to in store WiFi yet my phone could. Just terrible even salesperson was shocked...also noticed the screen is not white but greyish well compared to surface pro 2. I am going with Microsoft on this one guys thnx for the replies.

 

I had discussed this with someone in this thread. I ordered a customized Duo 13, and found about the WiFi issues afterward. A person in that thread also ordered a customized unit around the same time, and we were able to figure out that our Duo 13s were in the same exact batch. Considering many people would not know about the WiFi issue unless (1) they experience themselves or (2) do a good bit of research, we figured it would be an interesting experiment to see how our units did once we received them. I bought a USB WiFi antenna just in case. Much to our satisfaction, the WiFi on our units worked as well as anything else would. In fact, I have gotten 60Mbps at some points. Were our units just lucky? I'm not sure.

It's worthwhile to mention, however, that before I updated all of the software and drivers, the WiFi was abysmal. I was losing connection and barely able to do anything. Once I finished updating, it was smooth sailing across all routers, including obscure ones on my college campus.

I love my Duo 13. I use the battery care thing, so I'm at 80%, which lasts about eight hours depending on my usage, more if I am just web browsing with a low to medium brightness setting, less if I'm multitasking a lot and watching videos.
I am really disappointed with the keyboard and pen holder though. The keyboard compromise was a large one, as typing is very important to me. I manage 90-100 wpm though, so although it may not be that comfortable and sometimes frustrating, it's more than serviceable and, in my opinion, worth the form factor, pen, and everything else. I wish it was a bit less expensive, but it's worth it. It wouldn't have been if the WiFi sucked.