deprogrammed
Active Member
LGR did a video on Sony's multimedia PC from 2000. Remote and Amp. Pretty cool retro tech.
Would have loved to have had one at the time.
Would have loved to have had one at the time.
-
WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
Sony's $3,000 MiniDisc PC from Japan – Vaio PCV-MX2
- Thread starter deprogrammed
- Start date
Saidera
Senior Member
Vaio was great.
Yes. It is ultra rare to see English reviews of VAIO, in the modern age. And it's so detailed about the audio/hardware! There are plenty of Japanese VAIO fans who were happy to pay 5-6k for useless but cool features. But no way overseas.
I once dreamed of going back to Japan and buying off online auctions any junk VAIO laptops and desktops I could find.
But VAIO is better as a dream rather than reality.
The pics and vids look better than having it in front of you.
'childhood vaio' - mine was PCG-V505 from my dad when I was 4 years or so.
I abandoned it in 2010, and my cousins' family used it as a toy, with the AC adapter cord for hanging cucumber plants...
I regretted between 2010-17 having abandoned it.
The old vaios full of quirks - random 3D games, battery meter that speaks on reaching 100% charge, XGStudio, SAPARi, nice wallpaper (which I still use today) (Mr B's collection online is very comprehensive) and so on.
Anyway, the Azumino factory displays both VGN-TX and PCG-505
Both laptops were handed to me from my dad. So he'd chosen the legendary displayable models, without really thinking
VAIO retro fans like this exist too: https://blog.joshinweb.jp/oga/2012/03/vaio-3fea.html As for the question of Theseus, I think the motherboard was upgraded in 2011, but so long as the external appearance is the same, why isn't it the same computer?
Meanwhile my favourite VAIOs were the Vista ones, with DSD audio, and I sincerely believe that VAIO (including the most legendary models anyway) is timeless in a similar way to ThinkPad. There's no going further than VAIO type R master or the massive type A, or the VPCL series. To add value, Sony always tried to differentiate their products from a bland stock installation of Windows. Whether through hardware (screens, speakers, S-Master amp tech, DSD - CXD9872 or ALC889DSD) or software (ClearAudio+, DSD). Notably it could digitise miniDVs via i.LINK firewire cables. Some Sony CSL stuff also got put into VAIO, though not worth mentioning. SAPARi (さぱりミレニアム shown at the 28 minute mark) was one of those, discussed on ASR by myself in a new thread: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ty-sapari-さぱり-on-sonys-community-place.25798/
All brands except Sony VAIO have deleted their promo webpages/specs pages. Sony VAIO kept them and still have them today.
Grab any Let's Note, FMV, Dell or hp from the early days, and the odd design will look outdated.
Only VAIO and Thinkpad don't look outdated.
So I only use VAIOs, Thinkpads and one acer.
I converted the acer to a VAIO too. Other brands tended to copy VAIO design. Chiclet keyboards for example.
ThinkPad 7 row keyboard intrigued me for a while, until it became clear to me that it's actually no better.
It just looks better.
I have X220, it just looks fun, messy, not streamlined and metro like today.
In regards to audio, this VAIO MX (with its SonicStage Premium special playback software) has a Class-T amplifier, explained on wikipedia to be a variant of the Class-D amp. I hadn't heard of the Class-T amp before this video.
Yes. It is ultra rare to see English reviews of VAIO, in the modern age. And it's so detailed about the audio/hardware! There are plenty of Japanese VAIO fans who were happy to pay 5-6k for useless but cool features. But no way overseas.
I once dreamed of going back to Japan and buying off online auctions any junk VAIO laptops and desktops I could find.
But VAIO is better as a dream rather than reality.
The pics and vids look better than having it in front of you.
'childhood vaio' - mine was PCG-V505 from my dad when I was 4 years or so.
I abandoned it in 2010, and my cousins' family used it as a toy, with the AC adapter cord for hanging cucumber plants...
I regretted between 2010-17 having abandoned it.
The old vaios full of quirks - random 3D games, battery meter that speaks on reaching 100% charge, XGStudio, SAPARi, nice wallpaper (which I still use today) (Mr B's collection online is very comprehensive) and so on.
Anyway, the Azumino factory displays both VGN-TX and PCG-505
Both laptops were handed to me from my dad. So he'd chosen the legendary displayable models, without really thinking
VAIO retro fans like this exist too: https://blog.joshinweb.jp/oga/2012/03/vaio-3fea.html As for the question of Theseus, I think the motherboard was upgraded in 2011, but so long as the external appearance is the same, why isn't it the same computer?
Meanwhile my favourite VAIOs were the Vista ones, with DSD audio, and I sincerely believe that VAIO (including the most legendary models anyway) is timeless in a similar way to ThinkPad. There's no going further than VAIO type R master or the massive type A, or the VPCL series. To add value, Sony always tried to differentiate their products from a bland stock installation of Windows. Whether through hardware (screens, speakers, S-Master amp tech, DSD - CXD9872 or ALC889DSD) or software (ClearAudio+, DSD). Notably it could digitise miniDVs via i.LINK firewire cables. Some Sony CSL stuff also got put into VAIO, though not worth mentioning. SAPARi (さぱりミレニアム shown at the 28 minute mark) was one of those, discussed on ASR by myself in a new thread: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ty-sapari-さぱり-on-sonys-community-place.25798/
All brands except Sony VAIO have deleted their promo webpages/specs pages. Sony VAIO kept them and still have them today.
Grab any Let's Note, FMV, Dell or hp from the early days, and the odd design will look outdated.
Only VAIO and Thinkpad don't look outdated.
So I only use VAIOs, Thinkpads and one acer.
I converted the acer to a VAIO too. Other brands tended to copy VAIO design. Chiclet keyboards for example.
ThinkPad 7 row keyboard intrigued me for a while, until it became clear to me that it's actually no better.
It just looks better.
I have X220, it just looks fun, messy, not streamlined and metro like today.
In regards to audio, this VAIO MX (with its SonicStage Premium special playback software) has a Class-T amplifier, explained on wikipedia to be a variant of the Class-D amp. I hadn't heard of the Class-T amp before this video.
Last edited:
Saidera
Senior Member
There's actually a whole community around SAPARi. They were able to update the evaluation version of the server software to remove its limitations. By editing the URL in the various .wrl files one can still use SAPARi today, and they have a very active and ongoing Discord server.
LGR again showcases a VAIO.
LGR again showcases a VAIO.
Similar threads
