Sony VAIO VGC-RC310G Digital Studio Desktop PC (Intel Pentium D Processor 940, 2 GB RAM, 300 GB Hard Drive, DVD+/-RW Drive) | List Price: $2,250.00
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Brand: Sony
Binding: Personal Computers
Features: - Professional-grade multimedia desktop with Blu-ray Disc capability, integrated TV tuner, and Windows XP Media Center
- Dual-core 3.2 GHz Intel Pentium D 940 processor, 300 GB hard drive, 2 GB RAM (max capacity)
- Seven USB 2.0, two FireWire, one parallel, one VGA, one 9-in-1 memory card reader, two DVI outputs, S-Video/composite video inputs
- Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT video/graphics card with 256 MB GDDR3 SDRAM (shared); 10/100/1000 Ethernet
- Includes wireless keyboard/mouse, 5.1-channel surround sound speakers, remote control
Correction to specifications above [Posted on 2007-06-26]
Um, there is no VGA input. Sorry, but it's DVI all the way. At the moment I'm pulling my hair out trying to discover if there's any way to connect a VGA display. Bought a DVI-VGA adapter but no luck - there seems to be something about DVI-I and DVI-D and I'm confused as heck. I'm going to keep trying but this just goes to show that you're probably best sticking with a DVI monitor/display if you pick up one of these up used.
Not able to play Blue-Ray movies smoothly. [Posted on 2008-02-05]
I have worked and tested this product the past nine months. It was bought in May 2007. The computer, at that time, was offered in a very good price. It came with a blue-ray drive that, alone, still worths more than 400 dollars. It has a pretty good number of USB ports, firewire input, RCA inputs for AV, S-video input, a multicard reader and a bunch of interesting softwares. The major problem I had was the BD-DVD player software provided by Sony. It is made actually by Intervideo (WinDVD), but an special edition for VAIO desktops. In spite of a dual core processor, the 3.2 GHz clock and 2 GB of RAM, this desktop is not able to play BD smoothly without hardware decoding. I bought a new graphic board featured with a H.264 hardware decoder, a GeForce 8500GT. However, BD-WinDVD was not able to use its decoding feature. Just last month, January 2008, Intervideo released an update for its software (available at Sony/Vaio website). Now, I can play the movies nicely. I didn`t try with the original graphic board (GeForce 7600).
****************WARNING************************* [Posted on 2008-02-05]
System or Application Recovery Disks are not provided with this PC.
What this means is that you are placing you data (your life's work) in the hands of SONY's Recovery software that is hardware dependent.
Sony has a habit of not providing Operating Sytems disks. Which is stupid beyond belief. It saves them money, and allows them to force a bunch of useless garbage software down your throat if you are successful in using their Recovery Software.
But you may not be successful. Their "Recovery Center" is your only means of recovery when things turn sour. But, say for example you want a bigger hard drive. Install it and, even if you carefully clone your software from one drive to the other, the Recovery Center WILL NOT WORK. This is unlike installing any other software which is not hardware dependent.
What this means is you will have to purchase the operating system all over again. If you purchase an OEM copy, you will have to install on a bare "empty" drive, and lose all the other software SONY provided. Otherwise you will have to purchase the full version of windows. Factor that cost--an extra $300+ into your purchase decision.
Any other software that SONY provided that you might use like DVD burning software will have to be re-purchased. You can't pick and chose what you want to reinstall off the recovery disk. It is set up so that it is all or nothing, and if it's nothing, as it was in my case, you basically bought SONY hardware, and everything software will have to be replaced and paid for again.
My advice is to buy an iMac. It is the same amount of money and you get a reliable computer. And you won't find yourself furious at SONY when you realize the recovery software was a time-bomb waiting to blow up after your warantee has expired.
I'll never buy another SONY computer. I'm in the market for a laptop. I would not even consider SONY. I'll look at HP and Apple.
Sony Vaio Desktop [Posted on 2008-03-25]
Lousy Customer service - I'll never buy a Sony again ... the machine was built for Vista - and then when installed it killed the machine and then it wasn't supported by Sony. - Nice eh?
Returned [Posted on 2008-05-29]
It didnt work as it promise, wasnt compatible with my monitor either, called Sony and they werent helpful, had to eturned it
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