Need New VPC-Z1 Keyboard-Motherboard Ribbon Cable!

--Resolved!!--
The replacement part for the motherboard-keyboard connection arrived early and resolved the problem.

If you have dug inside your Sony Z11 too much and damaged the motherboard-keyboard ribbon cable that attaches the entire front keyboard assembly to the rest of the computer, you need to order part A1769469A from Sony parts. This part replaces the entire cable and completes the connection.

Many thanks to everyone to helped me out!!

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I need to replace the keyboard-motherboard ribbon cable on my Sony VPC-Z1. Any ideas where I can get one? The cable is a FPC-199 part number 1-881-489-11 . I don't seem to be able to find it in the sony parts database and there aren't any parts/scrap notebooks on ebay yet. Any ideas? I have the extended warranty but I would prefer not to send the computer off due to time and since I've modded my BIOS etc. If I can get it serviced at home would a technician carry parts like the ribbon cable? Since these notebooks are being churned out, I would hope Sony would have a few of these cables lying about--I would pay good money for them!!

By the way this is what happened..might help someone out. Somehow I managed to damage the cable connecting the keyboard to the motherboard on my sony VPCZ1. There's no obvious damage to the cable, but I believe after lifting up the keyboard and disconnecting the ribbon to the motherboard several times, the cable has generally become damaged--these cables appear quite delicate. The problem is resolved when pressing down on the ribbon close to where it connects to the motherboard--everything connects firmly and there was no damage to the socket, but it would seem the ribbon is kinked a bit before going into the socket. The problem goes away by re-assembling the notebook, and the pressure applied by the casing nudges the kink back into the correct position.

 

I'm a bit confused, you mentioned you need a change of cable, but the last sentence says that the problem went away

I read a number of horror stories about how home service technicians completely messed up the laptop, don't know about sending it in. But if I were to go for home service, like a member here, I would take the spare part from the technician and do the swap myself...

 

Ah sorry for the confusion. You are totally correct in understanding that the problem is 'fixed' by the pressure applied through re-assembling the notebook, but I'm aware that I'm still running a notebook with a faulty cable. If it were to give out when I'm travelling, I would be a bit stuck. I'm unaware of the motherboard having a testing on/off switch and due to the custom Sony SSD system, I'm not sure how I would get the SSD into an enclosure. Ultimately, my data would be trapped until the laptop could be serviced

I do back-up regularly locally and off-site so I could always work something out, but replacing that little cable with a new one would provide an amazing peace of mind!

I agree, I've heard all sorts of horror stories about the home service techs being less experienced than the service center guys. I think I may have to bribe the home tech guy for the cable...knowing Sony it won't be cheap

Thanks for the advice!

 

Yeah the SSDs having a proprietary interface is a bit of a pain... Did you try calling Sony and asking if they could supply the cable? Since that's also proprietary, I don't think there's any other way to get it...

 

So I made a little more progress today The basic tech people at consumer Sony parts were more like standard salespeople--I think I scared them with the terminology! I had quite a bit more success with Sony professional and had a very helpful lady go through the service manuals/parts catalogue looking for the cable. Nothing obvious, but she is going to ask the higher-level tech people tomorrow about the part..fingers crossed!

She did mentioned that she had a 30 pin cable...close? She mentioned she had coaxial and lcd cables...but those didn't really sound quite right.

 

Try asking for a "ribbon cable". I once ripped the hard disk ribbon cable on my old TT, and was able to order a replacement for $20 or so. Unfortunately, the keyboard ribbon cable may actually be part of the entire keyboard assembly, which is a very expensive replacement part ($300+). Let us know what you find out from them.

 

Hey guys, thanks for the suggestions. Made some progress today. Essentially, the people at Sony Professional tracked down the right part from their schematic of the new Z. Turns out that the printed numbers on the cables, although they were the same format as Sony product parts, were actually the product numbers of other manufacturers.

So it would appear that the correct part number for that ribbon cable is A1769469A. I went ahead and it ordered it, but it is on back-order until the 14th so I'll have to wait a little bit to see if we got it right!

I did go to try and double check with the Sony Pro people whether that part number covered the entire connecting cable (Hopefully it does but they even have part numbers for the restraining tape and cushioning pads!).

Unfortunately, they had kinda deduced that I wasn't a 'broadcast customer' or professional authorized center etc...Probably someone got reprimanded after sending me a few 'Sony Confidential' schematics for the new Z so I could work out the part Ultimately, I was abruptly sent back to the consumer sony services who tried to sell me an external keyboard.....again! Shame the quality of service varies so much!

Hopefully this is the only part I need. If not...there's always the extended 'accidental' damage warranty

Has the service manual been released for the VPC-Z11's yet? I see all the VGNs are released, but no luck so far with a complete manual for the new ones

 

I know about this guy eBay My World - aminirads has a service manual for new Z11. Contact with him for more details.

 

Thanks Agabi--I emailed aminirads to see if he had the service manual for the new VPCs. Haven't heard anything yet, but I'm quite confident that the ribbon cable should be covered by just one part number. I don't think sony can really divide that cable into separate pieces--it appears as if its one continuous printed flexible cable.

 

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update: i just ordered it from global electronics, will take 2-3 weeks to get to them then probably a week to get to me. cost less than the link above. 28 CAD with tax, plus 10-12 cad estimate for shipping.
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hey all,

unfortunately i damaged my cable as well.

i hope i can find it here as i live in canada. through sony's part ordering website, they would not ship to canada. after calling them they told me the same thing. I then called sony canada, they would transfer me to sony parts (which is located in the states apparently) and the circle repeats itself. i am currently talking to global electronics here in canada, they are the parts providers for sony here. when talking to them, the guy was hinting that i might not be able to get the part as it is not available in canada and only the US. i think this is complete BS but hopefully ill figure it out.

anyone willing to order it and ship it up north for me if i can' find it ???

here is the link
https://www.servicesplus.sel.sony.co...A1769469A.aspx

on a side note, both global electronics and sony freaked out when i gave them the part number. they were asking where i got the part number from. they must have instructions to not give customers info about this stuff or something.


thanks again