Sony VAIO PCV-RZ14G Desktop (2.53 GHz Pentium 4, 512 MB DDR RAM, 120 GB hard drivePlatform: Windows XP Home Edition
Brand: Sony
Binding: Personal Computers
Release Date: 2002-10-08
Warranty: 1 year warranty
Sony Did its Name Justice [Posted on 2002-11-30]
This is the top of the top of the line. It is a rather impressive machine. The features are nothing short of top shelf. Go down the list; optical sound output, DVD-R/RW drive, TV capture ability (forget about Tivo), video editing, it goes on and on. You can do just about anything you want with this machine. Almost anything you would ever need is on board. I do wish that they used the "TI" video card series from NVIDIA as opposed to the "MX," but that would add at least another hundred dollars to the price tag (Oh well). The included software is pretty nice; Adobe Premier and Giga Pocket are both pretty sweet. The DVD creation features and software are easy and rather nice. You can edit home movies right on the PC. You can even digitize you favorite TV show and save it to the huge 120 gigabyte hard drive, or you can save a couple episodes of whatever show and then burn them to a DVD. It is remarkably slow at rewriting DVDs when you have a RW in the drive. But, there are few DVD-RW that rewrite at more than 1x or 2x. You might have some sound-related bugs, XP is notorious for sound related issues. There are needed XP patches, and perhaps some Sony patches too (I can't remember, I had a coworker deal with the minor bugs). All are free from the respective manufacturers. For the Sony buffs out there with Sony digital cameras or Clie palm organizers, this machine has a memory stick reader right on the front to make your lives a bit easier. It is nice for all things that use Sony Memory Stick. You can save a battery cycle in your camera if you use the reader as opposed to the USB.
There is USB 2.0, Firewire (1394), and multiple other ways to get information to and from this machine. It is, in my opinion, one of the finest pieces of equipment that Sony has ever released in its Vaio series. It is a pricey computer, but realize, you are getting the top of the line kind of machine. epc
Sony RZ14G and Poor Power [Posted on 2002-12-21]
Bummer- I love and use Sony products all day long (in TV Production- cameras, DVCAM decks, VAIO laptops, etc.) and was excited to get the new PCV RZ14G. I set it up as my primary desktop editing station. After 3 weeks, the power supply smoked. After talking to Sony (after a 1 hour hold) they said I could send it to them and get it back in 10 business days. Deciding I could not take a 2 week vacation from my computer, I took it back to Circuit City and they replaced it (very cool.) Three weeks later, a puff of smoke again and adios to number 2 box. I looked at the power supply in the computer and found it to be rated at just 295 Watts! Wow- a computer with a 2.5GHz P4, CD, DVD-RW, Hard drive, 6 USB Ports, Firewire, TV Encoder card, even a place to plug in the speakers on the back of the computer- etc. (they all take power, by the way) and Sony cheesed out with [an inexpensive]PS. Again- all of my work is on this box, so I replace the power supply myself (yes, I bought one.) Next day, I get an email from Sony that started like this:
"The issue involves the possible loss of power and the inability to restart your PC. We want to assure you that we have taken a number of steps to correct the problem. The satisfaction of our customers is our number one concern ...." Guess enough people had this problem so.... I call again, this time hold was 1.5 hours- and again, they want my computer. I ask them to just send me the power supply and I will be happy to replace it. No dice. No deal. I have to send it away. I asked for a replacement machine so I would not be down while my machine is in a box somewhere. Nope- can't do that either. Basically, they made a poor product and I have to shut down for a week while they fix it. So what's the moral of the story? Never buy a computer for mission critical work from a company that will not send parts or a replacement machine. An ...computer for playing MP3s or for the family room maybe, but if you will use it for work, think again. A company really shows their worth in support, and Sony has fallen short.
OK, I Fell in Love with Its Look but Great Customer Service [Posted on 2003-01-30]
I bought this computer on impulse-- stupid, huh? But I thought it looked really sharp on display so I got the last one on the shelf and toted it home. Two months later the power source died. I went to the Sony website in a far from concilatory mood. By the time I finished with the CS rep I was almost happy. Ok, I was a lot less unhappy. It was a known problem. They sent me a box to mail it back in (postage paid). I had my computer back in four days. They extended the warranty for two years and I got a free handheld in the mail about a week later. (Oh, yeah, and I could have got a refund of the total price.) Nice job, Sony.
FIRE!!!!!!!! [Posted on 2003-09-26]
This computer started burning out of the power box! After that It crashed and would not turn back on. Good thing I was home at the time. It could have set my house on FIRE. I sent it back to sony and they sent it back to me in a short time with a free hand held computer(that I never use). The computer has never ran the same since. Anytime I work on large programs It crashes. I sent It back and they did some work on it. But, it wasn't long after that I was having more crashing and burning odors. I would like Sony to just give ME A NEW COMPUTER!!!!
terrible. [Posted on 2004-03-03]
man i thought this computer was good times when my father first bought one... for about 4 months. then i became technicaly competent and discovered that the power supply is a TURD, the graphics card was an easy replacement (on the grounds that it blows), and the dvd-rw is god awful. save a few hundred and buy sonys 21" crt and make a custom from tigerdirect... i wish i could rate 0.
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