ViDock 4G for Light Peak (Z21) - POSSIBLE.

Good to hear some progress there and good to see Villagetronic consider the inputs and outputs of such a project and willing to establishing a partnership with non-profit communities.

Just a bit more info about Mikjoa's working mPCIe_Sony Z2_eGPU_implementation.

MikjoA originally proposed modifying the laptop to give a convenient specialized port for eGPU connectivity. His final solution didn't do such modifications ratherhe resorted to just using the wifi slot. Now I'm not familiar with the Sony Z2 hardware or access panels but if the wifi slot is accessible then it's simply a matter of plugging in the PM3 in place of the wifi card. There should be no warranty issues in doing that.

Furthermore, since Mikjoa's original implementation, a x1 2.0 sample has been made available by BPlus (PE4L-PM060A V2.1b) gaining doubling of bandwidth BUT loosing a detachable cable.

x1 2.0 Opt (pci-compressed) is approx the same performance as x2 2.0 when used on an external LCD, or half of what the Lightpeak solution would offer. We've had reports of great gaming performance with that bandwidth in the http://forum.notebookreview.com/gaming-software-graphics-cards/418851-diy-egpu-experiences.html . The best news is that solution could be implemented now at a very low cost.

 

Mmmmh.. sounds really good! The only problem is that just using mPCIe slot in everyway or you have the laptop open to not modify the layout... or if you want the laptop closed, the only option is to kill the vga port (goodbye warranty). I don't like these 2. But I understand that a LightPeak-TB translator would be quite difficult.

Just to let you know, i tried osx on Z21 and it sees exactely a TB port (since the chipset are the same, the only difference is the transmittance way)

PS. since I ordered my laptop WITHOUT WWAN module I don't have any slot there... so if I'd use the mPCIe slot of wifi, I wouldn't be able to have any wi-fi card.

 

Did you verify there is no empty slot which would normally accomodate the WWAN card? I can't imagein Sony producing an extra board without the slots just for those not ordering the card.

 

I didn't do it.. but I saw photos of people who didn't ordered it and there was no slot dolered on the board (where it was supposed to be)

 

That happens when the manufacturer skips on providing the header + antennas for the non-3G model to save cost. There may be pads for the header so it might be possible to solder one on to gain the 3G functionality. It's really just USB (pin 36, 38) + SIM lines + power so not much to it.

 

^ here you can see the wwan place ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

The point is that that's a "low cost" Z21, a pre-ordered. Maybe the custom have it in any case.

 

Yeah.. no pads, so no WWAN retrofit. Still there would be USB pins that could be tapped to host USB-type wifi internally if you needed the wifi (pci-e) slot for a DIY eGPU. Just need to find and then hijaak them.

 

I'd open it to seek them but since I cracked a little part of the chassis around the ethernet port, I cannot open it since it would break completely. So I'm seeking a replacement part for the bottom part of the chassis.

By the way, VillageTronic seems to be ok to build something smaller to be plugged in there...

and they added this:

" The cable would be only 2.8 mm thin. Usually most notebooks have feet, so you could have the Notebook standing on its feet and the cable could fit between bottom of notebook and table top.
As for the lid, there seems to be 3 choices:
a) keep the lid open
b) Modify the lid slightly to have the cable break out
c) We would fabricate a new lid with the proper break out.

Once the solution is working, we could make a second version to make this break out permanently mounted so that a C² slot is permanently mounted to your Notebook so you do not need to unmount the mPCIe cable every time you move your Notebook. The permanent mount could be done with 3M sponge double faced tape, which could be removed cleanly if needed. Say you combine this method with c) and then there is no modification done to the Notebook which would void warranty.

Let me know if this would be an acceptable solution or of course improve it "

 

Additional post from Village Tronic:

"I think I have good news for you. There has been a new development. We received additional requests to provide such a mPCIe to C² Translator.

a) Please see my new post on that topic
b) Please post how long is the existing mPCIe module inserted in the Sony Notebook.

The mPCIe to C² Translator would be sold as an Engineering tool. We would provide technical support on the hardware, but not on how to configure a particular notebook model. It seems your forum would be already perfectly suited for this purpose and we will also offer new forum on our upcoming C² website.

This way it will allow us to offer it at lowest cost, which we hope is in everybody's interest. It also would simplify the relationship, as no joint project would be necessary. Who things this cable is a fair offer can simply buy it. We plan a price of 29 USD."

 

NEWS:

Village Tronic is aiming to set out a sort of petition to Sony (with signature for example by email, using "like" on facebook posts or something like this) to request Light Peak specifications and be able to build a Light Peak translator to their new open standard C^2.

What's your opinion?

 

FYI: The Series-7 chipset that hosts Ivy Bridge CPUS has had the TB/Lightpeak uprated from pci-e 2.0 to pci-e 3.0. Means double bandwidth, equivalent to x16 1.0. See details.

Will be interesting to see if Sony upgrade their Lightpeak controller to one that can deliver that doubling of bandwidth.

As an aside, Mikjoa has elabortated on his mPCIe Z2 DIY eGPU implementation here. There's a solution that anyone with common domestic tools can do but gives a professional result. BPlus will be providing a x1 2.0 compliant mPCIe kit elaborated on here, doubling the bandwidth Mikjoa is seeing now. (approx x2 2.0 with pci-e compression, or half of the max Z2 Lightpeak port bandwidth).

 

Very interesting!

And I do really like the Mikjoa mod.. really good. But there's always that problem (for me) that there's no mPCIe slot on my laptop (but still I haven't opened it yet, so I'm not sure). In addition, not everybody likes to mod the laptop when there's a "beatiful" light peak port there which would be perfect for eGPU. It's even like a matter of principle

 

The Mikjoa eGPU mod would be lowest cost path to getting a high performance eGPU on your Z2 that would convincingly outbench the HD6650M. Best of all you could do it now and reverse it if a Lightpeak solution somehow become available down the track.

Your dilemmas can easily solved:

1. The Z2 definitely has the same mPCIe port for wifi that Mikjoa is using to attach the eGPU.

2. I'd suggest find the price of the spare base enclosure from pchub or sony and then consider doing the cutout mod on it. Then you can always put back the original base enclosure if want to resell.

 

That's for sure. I had found out some pieces of the bottom case but there are 2 parts with same description (and 3 colours - so 6 parts ) and they cost around 70$ and 200$. The problem is to understand which is the difference between them

The other problem is, who wants to cut off the WiFi adapter (without having the mPCIe slot WWAN as a replacement) in an ultraportable laptop?? It would be stupid for me to use a wifi usb adaptor for example.

 

I can help you in finding the bottom plate, I bought a new one for my eGPU setup.
I bought this one : Sony,Laptop,Part,X25809373.aspx but this one would have fit better : X-2580-935-3 - Sony Laptop Miscellaneous Parts it's not the same black color.

They are very expensive and I do not really understand what is the difference with this one for example : X-2580-935-3 - Sony Laptop Miscellaneous Parts

I contacted http://www.sparepartswarehouse.com, and asked what was the difference between X-2581-288-2 and X-2580-937-3
they told me it was the same but one is Carbon Black and the other one is Flat Black.
(ehm? so what is then the difference with X-2580-935-3 which stands for black/blue finish, not carbon premium...)

 

As far as I know, and from what Sony retailers told me, the ONLY difference between Premium Black and Black is the upper part which cover the display. Nothing else. So, theoretically, there's no difference.

 

Well, they were wrong, the color is different from black to premium black even for the bottom plate, just look at the picture of my eGPU setup the battery looks black/blue while the rest is deep black.

 

Damn... so having the premium one, If I order the black the color would be different..

 

Yes, but it is only visible when you look under the laptop, 95% of the time it's not noticeable I think.

 

^Yes, the non premium has a slightly bluish or purpleish tin. Very subtle but it's there.