VGN-Z590UAB Blue Ray Possible ????

I just ordered the VGN-Z590UAB and there was no option for the Blu-ray to be added when using the 128GB SSD. Is it possible to add the Blue Ray after the order and swap it out with the standard DVD.

From what I understand, the Blu-ray is SATA while the SSD is ULTRA ATA. If this is possible, do I need a new drive controller or are both controllers built in?

The new TT model comes with a 256GB SSD and Blu-ray , both being SATA so I am sure this option is coming to the Z line

 

The Bluray drive in the Z series is M/A/T/S/U/S/H/I/T/A (Panasonic) UJ-832A drive. Incidentally this same drive is used in the new TT series as well. This optical drive is ATAPI/ATA drive, and not SATA. You can put both SSD and BluRay in the same machine. The new configurations (already available in Japan and coming up in the US) with 256GB SSD (128x2 in RAID 0) are offered with Bluray. Internally the 2 hard drives and optical drive are connected to the 4-port Intel ICH9M-E SATA RAID controller, one port unused.

 

So that being said, Can I swap out a larger SATA hard drive or the new 256 SSD for my current 128GB SSD and can I add the Blu-ray as a plug and play option?

Do you know the part number for the Blu-ray Drive?
UJ-832 is the regular DVD writer

I cant find the Mat****a® UJ-832 DVD A

 

Actually I cut and pasted this from the Sony webside:

The Z has:

Solid State Drive
Capacity : 128GB2 (64GBx2)

Interface : Ultra ATA with RAID technology

The TT has:

Capacity : 256GB (128GBx2) with RAID technology

Interface : SATA

Can you confirm the Z also has SATA?

 

Yes, you can swap 2x128GB SSD drives (or new Intel 80GB SSD drives, etc.) for the 2x64 SSDs you have in your Z. But: you will have to remove the new SSDs from their housing, to fit them in the Z. For more details and photos see:
http://kunkoku.livedoor.biz/archives/51485330.html and
http://kunkoku.livedoor.biz/archives/51485813.html

The second link shows specifically how the two SSDs are fit into place.

All hard drives (SSD and HDD) in the Z and TT series are SATA generation 2.
There are a number of misleading typos and errors on SONY websites.
For example, they claim on their US site (sonystyle.com) that Bluray optical drive in Z and TT supports writing to dual layer DVD+R and DVD-R, which is not true. Moreover, this is clearly stated on their Japanese site (see http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/Z1/spec_vom1.html, in the notes section on the bottom of the page, note 25).

Regarding the BluRay optical drive, not all drives are available seperately.
The DVD/CD drive in Z is UJ862A (shows in the device manager as UJ862AS), the Bluray drive is UJ232A (shows as UJ232AS in the Device Manager).
I have not seen these drives offered in the retail.

 

Thats great news.

My final question is: Since it appears the Blu-ray is not available as a stand alone purchase option, if i get one of the Z versions with Blu-ray ie the new VGN-Z590NJB VAIO Z Series as listed below:


Features: 13.1" widescreen display, 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, Blu-ray Disc™ playback/recording, Hybrid Graphics System with 256MB dedicated video RAM, WWAN through Sprint® Mobile Broadband, HDMI™ out, Fingerprint sensor and TPM, built-in camera/microphone and Bluetooth® technology.


Can the 320 GB hard drive be replaced by the 256 GB Raid SSD? and do I need to get a second flat cable for use with the RAID SSD

 

VGN-Z590NJB is as "new" as Z590 CTO - you could make up the same configuration for the same price. All Z540 and Z590 series (whether CTO or not) are assembled in San Diego, CA.

With regard to your question: you cannot just replace the HDD with two SSDs, or vice versa: a single HHD is attached with a different ribbon and bracket than two SSDs.

The easiest thing to do is swap the optical drive: both bluray and DVD-RAM/CD drive use the same connector.

 

got it thanks for the clarification ... now to find the replacement blu-ray

 

I think Panasonic (Matsu----ta) are the ONLY current manufacturer of 9.5mm Blu Ray drives.
Cant see any other manufacturer on google....

And I reckon Sony bought them all :-(