Sony Vaio Z i5/i7 Official Owners Thread

It is hardware/software controlled. Realtek chip has "impedance sensing" feature (essentially monitoring impedance change and value on input/output connectors). There should be Realtek service or a separate application running that monitors this and switches output as necessary.

 

Sorry for my english... I'm just wondering that the resolution change when i switch between speed vs. stamina mode (native resolution in speed mode and 1400x900 [a personalized resolution] in stamina mode)...

 

I don't believe that is possible without manually switching the resolution.

 

Ha that's funny, my laptop is having the headphone / speaker issue too. I was on a train (in Japan) watching a movie and this Japanese guy started yelling at me because it was playing the sound on the speakers (and through my headphones simultaneously). I didn't do it on purpose.

Anyone know how to fix it? I've used different pairs too.

 

@Oscar2 mind your own business man, I was just asking and got SOME answers, why do you care basically?

@SurferJon:

Have you Clean Installed Win 7, I think the culprit must be the Drivers for sound board, and maybe it has sth. to do with Sony Utilities etc.

As some one said before the REALTEK has some sort of impedance sensing algorithm, and this is done through a Service that's always running in the background.

 

Has anyone had a problem with their hinge 'clicking' when they open the lid? After the click there is a clear gap on the right hinge (see pic) which is not visible on the left one.



Right hinge with clicking noise upon opening



Good hinge

Now I'm guess this is a job for the warrenty but was wondering if anyone else had this problem before I go to them and no I've never dropped it and it has a Sony carry case.

Thanks,

Nick

 

I contacted Sony and they told me to reinstall the audio driver, but it didn't change anything. In my case it seems to be a hardware problem, because if I insert the jack halfway through, it works (but I can't leave it that way, sadly). Does anybody know of a way to deactivate the speaker? I'm not planning on using it anyway. I tried the BIOS but there's nothing there...

 

Whoa, you need to chill out. You just spammed up the thread with a bunch of posts in bold red letters without any explanation as to why you're interested in this seemingly useless information. And then someone who just helped you out asks you why and you freak out on him? If your bold red posts didn't paint you as a spaz, your post to Oscar2 sure did.

 

Okay guys so I did something to my Z(unintentionally deleted or deactivated something) and right now, I cant use the switch to switch between stamina or speed... i'm stuck on integrated graphics atm... The light by the speed and stamina are off... and yeah, it's weird. Does anyone know which sony utility works that switch? If push comes to shove, i'll just reformat and clear out the recovery partition to get some more space.

Hmm was yours USA CTO? I've attached an image from SonyStyleUSA that says "custom units manufactured with 100% renewable energy(San Diego, CA)" which i assume means they make it in San Diego.

Mines says "Made in USA with foreign components" and see the image below

 

Anyway, I was just trying to get an answer, becuase of this:

Sometimes NON-(Made In Japan) Zs gets a low reselling prices vs. Made in Japan ones, that's all.

Sometimes you explain to plp that its JAPANESE fully, but they don't see beyond the printed label on the bottom, Like as if US is low grade or sth.

I faced this very problem several times when selling my laptops (please see signature).

and I was just wishing that this time I get a MADE in JAPAN model.

I'm sorry if I asked more than once, though it happened here through the 600+ several times.

 

It's happened here through the 600+ several times, though I never saw anyone repost questions in bold red text. Thanks for your explanation. I would have flipped my Z over and told you what mine said if you'd have given a viable reason.



This is a community, so please be respectful. If you want answers to your questions, ask nicely and explain. But don't expect people to see bold red text in multiple posts and not feel like you're not respecting the forum. I have a question a few pages back that hasn't been answerd, but I'm not plastering it all over the thread with colorful letters. If you'd like to take a stab at answering my question, please do, as I'd appreciate it.

 

@Achusaysblessyou:

Thanks again mate that you took the effort and answered my question, truly appreciate it.

@JP$:

Sorry again that those RED BOLD letters made you feels the way you do, I never meant to, it just was an urgent inquiry that is simple to get answer for, I wasn't asking like to open the machine or sth.

and now, please ask your questions again, I would try to help you as a member of this sweet community, which w/o it, we'd be .... Pulling head hair

 

Thanks. http://forum.notebookreview.com/6555479-post6687.html

 

Well, lets look at the ExpressCard /34 that is out in the market now, with USB 3.0 Support, you can get one with 2 USB 3.0 Ports I guess, Which DELIVERS the same Power the USB 2.0 Delivers, i.e.: 5 volts x 2 for each port

this means that the ExpressCard withdraw power from the bus its being connected to, and you can always TRY!

 

A well-crafted deduction. My enclosure, hard drive, and eSata cable will be shipped soon, so I will certainly try. And your response makes me feel better about the likelihood that the expresscard slot will power the HDD. Thank you.

 

If it had been assembled in the US with foreign parts it would also say "made in the USA". But the reality of today's electronics business is that its extremely unlikely that all the components in that laptop came from Japan. The LCD screen for example is almost certainly made in Korea. And if you look at Sony's MO, much like any other computer maker there's going to be A LOT of internal components that they outsourced to china.

You might get more Japanese components in say a Panasonic Toughbook, but even that is NOT going to be comprised of 100% Japanese parts. Just not happening in this day and age.

 

@Willy330Ci - my vpcz 1290X CTO is also labeled "made in Japan"

 

@sonyzuser:

I LOVE YOU MAN , AND YES, IN RED BOLD!

 

@sonyzuser:

Before I die from Disappointments later, have you ordered yours from SonyStyle US site?

can you share the specs as well?

thanks in advance

 

Hello everyone. I just pulled the trigger on a Z1290X CTO last night. Looking forward to the beauty coming to my door!

A coule quick questions for the people who ordered a CTO with 4gb of ram recently..

1. Was it really 2gb x2, or one stick of 4gb?
2. Was it DDR3 1066mhz or was 1333mhz, I've been reading that some have received 1333mhz pc3 10600?

Thanks all!

 

My USA CTO VPC-Z11 came with 1x4gb stick of RAM. It's 1333mhz. However, I think since the update to VPC-Z12 they've been giving out 2x2gb? From SonyStyleUSA VPC-Z129 CTO page: "4GB (2GBx2) DDR3-SDRAM-1066"


and can anyone help me with my problem?

EDIT: NVM fixed it... took 30 seconds too... blah

 

I have the same problem!!! I hear a strange click too...

 

@Willy330Ci -
Ordered mine on the phone with SonyStyle USA.
Specs - i7-620M processor; 256GB SSD; 6GB RAM; HD screen; large capacity battery; silver

 

@sonyzuser:

Thank you thank thank you man. I really really appreciate it!

 

Beware of that when it comes to ExpressCard adapters, the difference in performance can be significant.

I did some testing using three ExpressCard adapters on my T61p.

1. A NEC-based USB3 ExpressCard
2. A Power over eSATA ExpressCard
3. A regular eSata ExpressCard (non-Powered).

I connected an Intel G1 SSD externally and ran CrystalDiskMark to test the performance. See attached image for the outcome.

The biggest surprise was that support for NCQ did not work on one of the eSATA-adapters (as well as the USB3 adapter).

All test performed on a Windows 7 X64 installation and drivers were natively provided by Windows 7.

 

well it seems you are the only one who likes it. Most reviews say something about a small notebook->power adapter cable. Is it possible to use the old power adapter (VGP-AC19V32) with the Z11/Z12?

here is the link for the sonystyle reviews on the new adapter (bad bad bad):

VGP-AC19V30 | AC Adapter | Sony | Sony Style USA

 

I got my Vaio Z with a 128GB HDD. I know sony uses proprietary drivers, so is it possible to order new ones from Sony?

 

I have a similar issue - it's not making noise or clicking when opening - but when I close the lid the hinge on right seems to come loose from the screen, leaving the same gap in your pics. (EDIT: actually it's the opposite to your pics, mine has come lose from the back side, not the front)

It creates some 'drag' on the screen, which causes some discolouration. I am worried that over time it will permanently damage the screen.

I also have nt dropped or otherwise mistreated my Z. Indeed I spent a lot on protection for it.

I am in China and bought it in Hong Kong ... not sure where to go for warrenty

seems we are gradually discovering an 'issue' with the hinges on the Z ?

 

Mine is a CTO ordered from SonyStyle USA and says Made in Japan. And it was shipped from there.

 

Hello to everyone. I'm a new member in this forum and would like to help out with this loose hinge issue.

@karlopolo | @nicktabs

I experienced this issue 2 days before with my 4 month old Z11.

The reason for this is, that there are 3 screws fixing the right hinge in the lid (lower right corner of the bezel).

2 of them became loose over time while opening and closing the lid causing the clicking/cracking and the growing gap.

So I decided to open the notebook to get to those screws and tighten them.

There is a YouTube video on disassembling the Z11 by ZoinksS2K under the following link:

YouTube - Sony Z11 Disassembly

All you need is a screwdriver, silence, concentration and ... courage

(Be aware that opening the notebook will invalidate your guarantee!)

If you don't want to open the device than the only option for you will be to send your notebook to Sony or go to a local Sony store to let them fix it for you.

Good luck to you!

 

My Z11 bought in Europe says "Made in Japan". An employee in a big store told me, its the only Sony notebook, which is not produced/assembled in China, because the body wasn't able to be produced in China, its made in Japan, in a company which has experience producing Samurai-swords.
Memory is Micron Made in Chaina.

 

I fully agree, I am very satisfied with this second charger.

 

Hey guys,

Just picked up the Z from Fry's electronics as a graduation present. I feel really bad at how pricy it was, so I've got to make it up to my parents soon :/ I did personally bargain for an hour and got 95 bucks off though.

But anyway, awesome laptop. It's the only 13 inch on the market that can run AutoCAD which I'll be using extensively in college. I'm extremely happy (and guilty) with it.

Couple things:

- Very good temps. I had to return a CTO HP dv6t because of overheating.
- No IE lag so far
- Lid seems prone to scratches, so I'll look for a protective case
- No diagonal lines (1600 x 900)
- I'm seeing 4.5 hours of battery life

I hope this thing lasts for the next five years.

 

My girlfriend's SZ developed the same problem. The audio jack has 3 thin metal plates that change their relative position when you insert the plug. All I did to fix it was to realign them properly using a very thin needle. You need to disassemble the laptop to reach the back of the jack though.
Check out this article:
Jack plug - eNotes.com Reference
Read especially point C/D here:
Jack plug - eNotes.com Reference

Good luck

 

do all the Z series come with a backlit keyboard?

 

Good Question, because it seems that some NBR Members got ones w/o the Back-lit KB, although a SonyStyle rep and Scott from P1, said that ALL VAIO VPCZ comes with it as a Standard.

confirmation is required though from NBR members.

 

There are 2 versions in the Canadian sonystyle store:

VPC-Z1190
and
VPC-Z1290

also, the 1290 comes with the 1920x1080 screen but it doesn't say the GPU, i assume it's still the 1GB GT330M? The 1190 version says it has the GT330 with the 1600x900 display.

Can anyone clear up the keyboard+GPU info between the 2 versions?

 

Nothing is different between the Z1190 & Z1290, same GPU, with the same 1GB onboard Memory. and you can get the 1290 with 1600x900 LCD too, mine is.

Now, regarding the keyboard, I'm sure that I have seen the 1190 with Backlit KB, and currently I ordered the Z1290 which also has the backlit KB.

So its really confusing wither all vpc-z comes with it or not (Backlit KB).

 

Thanks, ghrh. I'll keep it in mind but for now I'm still hesitant in disassembling my new laptop I'm still trying to find a way to deactivate the speakers without muting the headphone jack. Anybody has an idea?

 

Actually that's the way it's done, there is (at least was in SZ and any other audio equipment) no software involved.

Still, I've made a little test and I'm able to mute the speakers and have sound on headphones using Linux So maybe there's hope for you yet.

Why don't you just send the laptop to Sony to get it fixed?

 

There must be a way, when I mute the sound, the headphones still work for a second or 2, so it seems to be two different things.
I could just send it to Sony but I'm going on a trip next weekend and I'd like to be able to watch a movie without pissing off the other passengers Plus, as I said in my first post, I bought it off an American seller on eBay, and I'm in Canada, I'm not sure how complicated it will be if I decide to send it back.

 

@karlopolo & @Stonehinge <<< (ironic username given the topic!)

Glad I'm not the only one with this probelm. I'm going to give sony a ring later and see what they will do about it. I'll report back later and let you all know what they suggest in case anyone else runs into this.

Also, I'll put my name down as someone who is experiencing the faded palm rest.

 

Would this help: right-click on the volume icon in the notifications area, click 'Playback Devices', disable 'Speaker/HP'.

Edit: Ah, looks like the headphone jack and the speakers are the same device. I think the Realtek Audio Manager needs to be hacked...

 

Thanks but nah, I had tried that, and it disables the jack as well...

 

This issue creeps back every few weeks. See this post: http://forum.notebookreview.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=6557916. Zoinks offered tips on how to fix this. The link is in this post.

 

Now I'm entering 'What the h3ll?' territory, if anyone tries this, please backup your registry



Poking around the registry (search term 'Realtek'), I found a number of configuration items. I'm wondering what will happen if we delete the relevant ones. If anyone has in-depth knowledge of how the driver makes use of these registry entries, I'll be interested to hear about it

 

Sounds interesting, I might have a look in there, thanks for the help!

 

Interesting. So it looks like the power over eSata adpater showed slightly slower read and write speeds than the non-powered. But not significant. I doubt one would notice much difference between 2 and 3 in real world usage, just in benchmarks. Have you noticed a difference?

Do you have a power over eSata expresscard adapter you'd recommend? A local Best Buy has one, but they don't carry it online, so I don't know what make it is.

 

JP$ are you sure that link is right? Just takes me back to this thread.

Btw, my laptop is heading back to Sony on Tuesday to be fixed along with hopefully a replacement palm rest. No way that should fade after 3 months use. They are estimating a 5 working day turn around if anyone is interested. Which means my old Vaio will be coming to meetings once more!

 

Realtek HD Changing Jack output reassignments ( FIX ) - Page 12 - Windows 7 Forums

Here's a thread about how a bunch of people are working around similar issues. There's talk of altering registry values, which is a better solution than deleting the key-value pair completely. I would imagine assigning for instance the front speakers to invalid pins might effectively disable them.

There's also talk of the Realtek Audio Manager, which, to me is a better solution. I don't have that app in my machine though, not sure if I have to download it. Looks like with that app we don't have to mess with the registry