Would it be easy to add an internal bluetooth card to the Vazio FZ?

I was thinking of buying the preconfigured VGNFZ180U/B model. It has everything I want with the exception of bluetooth. I notice that the VGNFZ190N5 model does come with bluetooth but it comes preconfigured w/o Vista Ultimate and is out of stock just about everywhere. My question is since the FZ supports internal bluetooth, would it be an easy install? Has anyone done this yet? Thanks in advance

 

w/o Vista??? All the FZ190's have Vista installed. RE: the bluetooth, I don't think there are any internal bluetooth options for the FZ series.

Gary

 

as far as i know, the bluetooth is actually built in with the intel wifi, on the chip. so i dont believe there are any options do add it later, at least internally.

 

I meant to say Vista Ultimate. The FZ190N5 ships from the factory with bluetooth so it is available, just no one has it in stock yet!

 

Here are the specs directly from the Sony website:

VAIO® FZ Series Notebook PC

VGN-FZ190N5

Weight: 5.75 lbs.1
Dimensions: 14"(W) x 0.98-1.4"(H) x 10.02"(D)1

The VAIO® FZ is a thin-and-light entertainment notebook featuring a 15.4” widescreen LCD2 with XBRITE HiColor™ technology. With a built-in camera and microphone for video messaging5 and CD/DVD/Blu-Ray burner4, this lightning-fast, super-powerful PC is slim, lightweight, and packed with entertainment features.

Add to My Products

Features Specifications Accessories

Key Features
More display for your dollar : The thin-and-light VAIO® FZ notebook packs big power and even bigger entertainment into a small, portable package. This unique 5.75 pound1 PC combines all the benefits of a 15.4” widescreen display2 with the dimensions or “footprint” of a much smaller notebook. The VAIO FZ is designed to maximize LCD space with advanced space-saving engineering techniques implemented throughout the chassis, including a reconfigured battery and motherboard design. The result is a brilliant, 15.4” widescreen display2 in the body of a portable, thin-and-light notebook.
Elegance and sophistication : With subtle sophistication and undeniable elegance, the lightweight VAIO® FZ notebook is crafted with an aesthetic touch and careful attention to detail. From its exciting entertainment functions to its brilliant XBRITE-ECO™ or XBRITE HiColor™ display, the VAIO FZ is a beautifully designed, thin-and-light mobile entertainment center.



Audio
Sound System : Sony® Sound Reality™ - Audio Enhancer

Display
Screen or Display Technology : WXGA LCD
Screen Size : 15.4”2
Resolution : 1280 x 800
XBRITE-HiColor™ Technology : Yes

Expansion Slots
Multimedia Card Reader : One Memory Stick Duo™ media with MagicGate® functionality
One ExpressCard™ /34 Slot
One Secure Digital Media (SD)

General
Computer Type : Notebook
Type of Use : Portable
Action Buttons : S1, (programmable), Volume, AV Mode15, Play/Pause, and Stop
Pointing Device : Electro-Static touch pad

Graphics
Processor : NVIDIA® GeForce® 8400M GT GPU
Video RAM : 895MB Total Available Graphics Memory11
Chipset : Intel® 965GM
Interface : HDMI, VGA and S-Video Out with Smart Display Sensor

Hard Drive
Capacity : 160GB9
Speed : 5400rpm
Interface : Serial ATA

Hardware
Keyboard : QWERTY, 82 keys with 2mm stroke and 19.05mm pitch
Camera : Built-in camera and microphone

Inputs and Outputs
Memory Stick® Media Slot : 1
Secure Digital Slot : 1
Express Card™ Slot : 1 type /34
Headphone Jack : 1
Microphone Input : 1
S-Video Output(s) : 1
USB Port(s) : 3 (2.0 compliant)
VGA Output(s) : 1
Modem Jack : 1
Ethernet Port : 1
i.LINK® Connection : 1(4-pin) interface7
DC-In : 1
HDMI™ Connection Output(s) : 1

Memory
Type : DDR2
Installed : 2GB PC2-5300 (1GB x 2)
Maximum : 4GB
Speed : 667MHz

Networking/Modem
Ethernet Protocol : Fast Ethernet (RJ-45)
Ethernet Speed : 10Base-T/100Base-TX
Modem Type : Integrated V.92/V.90 Modem (RJ-11)
Wireless LAN : Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection (802.11a/b/g/n)3
Bluetooth® Technology : Integrated Bluetooth® Technology16

Optical Drive #1
Blu-Ray Disc® Support : Yes14, 4 (BD-RE/DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/DVD-RAM)
DVD+R DL Write : 4x max.
DVD-R DL Write : 4x max.
DVD+R Write : 8x max.
DVD+RW Write : 8x max.
DVD-R Write : 8x max.
DVD-RW Write : 6x max.
CD-R Write : 24x max.
CD-RW Write : 16x max.
CD Read : 24x max.
DVD Read : 8x max.
DVD-RAM Read : 5x max.
DVD-RAM Write : 5x max.
BD-ROM Read : 2x max. (Blu-ray Disc™ only)
BD-R Read : 2x max. (Blu-ray Disc™ only)
BD-R DL Read : 1.6x max. (Blu-ray Disc™ only)
BD-RE Read : 2x max. (Blu-ray Disc™ only)
BD-RE DL Read : 1.6x max. (Blu-ray Disc™ only)
BD-R Write : 2x max. (Blu-ray Disc™ only)
BD-R DL Write : 1x max. (Blu-ray Disc™ only)
BD-RE Write : 2x max. (Blu-ray Disc™ only)
BD-RE DL Write : 1x max. (Blu-ray Disc™ only)

Power
Battery Type : Standard Lithium-ion Battery (VGP-BPS2B)
Estimated Battery Life : 2 to 4 hrs6
Power Requirements : 110W+10%

Processor
Type : Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7500
Speed : 2.2GHz8
Front Side Bus Speed : 800MHz
L2 Cache : 4MB Advanced Smart Cache
Technology : Intel® Centrino® Duo processor Technology

Service and Warranty Information
Limited Warranty and Onsite Service : 1 Year Limited Warranty with Onsite Service12
Telephone Support : 1 year toll-free technical telephone assistance, available 24/713
Online and Email Support : Support available from http://www.esupport.sony.com/EN/VAIO

Software
Operating System : Windows Vista™ Business
Internet Services : AOL® 90-Day Risk Free Trial - New Users Only
Security and Anti-Virus Software : Norton® Internet Security™ 2007 60-Day trial with spyware protection
Supplied Software : Microsoft® Works 8.5
60-Day Trial Version of Microsoft® Office 200710
Sony® Original Software : Click to DVD® - DVD Creation, LocationFree® Player
*Please access VAIO® Help and Support from your PC for a complete list of software applications and trials.

 

Yes I know it is available. I have it on my FZ-190 . What I meant to say was it is not available as an AFTER MARKET option. You have to get it at the time you order the machine. If I remember correctly its bundled with the Intel Wireless option. You order one of the wireless options and there is no bluetooth, if you order the other you automatically get bluetooth. The REAL question is then, is the wireless stuff on a pci card OR is it a part of the motherboard. I don't know of anyone who has opened up thier FZ190 yet to find out.

Gary

 

Thanks ScuderiaConchiglia. I would have to guess that the wireless is a daughtercard. I can't imagine them building multiple motherboards for each option. Now I just need to find someone that has opened it up. Care to volunteer?

 

I would have thought the same thing, UNTIL I talked to a tech (not a customer service person a REAL tech) about the Nvidia video option. I was curious if I could order the Intel video and upgrade latter to the Nvidia. At first he thought it would be possible, until he pulled up the system drawings, only to find out that it would require a motherboard swap to change. There was no daughter-board for either video card! So who knows, it might also be true for the two Intel Wireless options.

As for me taking mine apart, contact me 24 hours AFTER my warranty runs out. We can talk then! ...big ol' grin...

Gary

 

That's because the Intel video card is integrated (i.e., not removable), while the NVIDIA is a dedicated graphics card.

 

According to the tech, both are integrated and that there are two different mother boards because of this. I was astonished, as was the tech, from a supply cahin point of veiw that just doesn't make any sense.

Now I am real curious, I want to pop this sucker open. But not until the warranty runs out. ...grin...

Gary

 

Are you in too much of a rush to just order a 190 CTO? They're getting them out the door pretty quickly, so if you order express shipping you could probably have it inside a week.

 

I could do that but it would cost me about $700 more than buying it through my wholesaler.

 

I personally find it quite pathetic and inexcusable that bluetooth isn't a standard feature on a computer of this price range and quality. I was shocked when I discovered a friend's didn't have bluetooth. I just could not believe it and just kept searching for it on his computer thinking maybe drivers weren't installed or something. He was within his return policy, but decided he didn't want to go through that trouble. Had he realized it to begin with he certainly would have chosen the bluetooth, but he just assumed (as did i) that the top preconfigured 180 with blu-ray would have it... I mean come on--blu ray is brand new, but it's there. bluetooth has been around for years but is missing? give me a break. it's a huge disappointment...

 

Yeah I'm not sure I believe that. I would love to be the guinea pig but I have the integrated intel graphics (and there's no way I'm cracking mine open at this point!)

And I agree that all models of the FZ should have bluetooth standard...not a huge deal for me though.

 

I wasn't sure I believed it either, but I was talking to a tech (not a customer support person) who was also VERY curious. He spent fifteen minutes with me on the phone and knew I hadn't even ordered the machine yet. His source for this info was the tech drawings he had in front of him. He said there were actually two different part numbers for the two flavors of the motherboard. One for the Intel graphics and another for the Nvidia.

Gary

 

Actually the idea of two different motherboards is not surprising, with the integrated Intel card being permanently attached to the motherboard, and the NVIDIA being able to attach via a daughtercard.

 

Good point. With real estate at a premium on a laptop motherboard anyway they probably used the space for the daughterboard connector. That is assuming the daughterboard IS on a connector and not surface mounted in some way. If it IS on a daughterboard it would bode well for those of us who might want to upgrade the video latter in the products life-cycle.

Gary

P.S. Damn, now I REALLY want to take this sucker apart. "OK Gary, put the screwdriver down and no one has to get hurt!!!"