Sony VAIO VGX-TP1 Living Room PC (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5600, 2 GB RAM, 300 GB Hard Drive, DVD±RW/±R Drive, Vista Premium)

This is a very awesome computer, & cool looking. We are using our LCD as a monitor & it looks great. The only problem that you might encounter when using a TV 4 the monitor is that the print on some of the websites might be too small 2 see & you will have 2 sit a little closer 2 the TV set. Other than that, it's a great product, & most people don't even know what it is!

I can't give you an accurate review of this product as far as the features go if you can get it working, but I can give you an insight into how I feel their production units are not ready 4 prime time.

After receiving this item, I was quite excited 2 get it hooked up. Was surprised at how small the unit actually was - - the online pictures make you think it will be a bit larger but it's quite compact. The setup directions were OK, but it's more of the pict-o-graph format. There is NO owners manual, you have 2 print it out, which is a bummer.

After hooking it up 2 my Plasma I booted it up & the unit would not start up. It kept coming up with a Windows Error. I tried multiple restarts & power cycles 2 no avail. I called their tech support & they asked me 2 put in the restore disc. I was already a little uneasy that I would have 2 do this with something I just bought. After searching with the tech support on the phone 4 several minutes we determined that there is no system restore disc included with the item. Apparently the system restore is *ON* the disc itself, so it does no good 4 a system that won't boot up. I don't know if later production models will include the CD but mine surely did not.

Sony sent me a CD of the system restore but they mailed it 2 the wrong address (the tech support is in another country--and was not able 2 properly get my address due 2 language barriers). After a second call 2 them another disk arrived 2 weeks later. I put in the new disk & started the system restore. After 10 minutes of running, a blue screen came up & said "Fatal Error....". I tried this one more time but the same message. The unit now had no O/S on it at all, because it locked up during restore. At this point I just gave up & sent it back.

I was really looking forward 2 this unit, & had researched it online 4 months before release. I hope your experience will be a little better (the unit will actually work) but I've sort of lost faith in Sony PC division & in Vista / HTPC arena all together 4 now. I considered the more expensive Sony XL2 system but I'm uneasy with a Sony purchase right now. I'm looking into an Alienware Hanger 18 unit instead once it's released with Bluray in 2008.

Good luck 2 you should you choose 2 purchase this item. If it works, I bet it would be nice.

First, 2 be fair, I had 2 return this largely because I discovered my 5 year old plasma screen just doesn't support computer video well.

That said, there were other problems directly related 2 the product itself. For one thing, it is NOT as small & light as the pictures would have you believe. I took 4 granted the idea it would be something similar 2 Mac Mini. Boy was I wrong when I pulled it out of the box. I even compared it 2 my Mini & the Sony overwhelms it. The Mini is a practical portable device if you need 2 move it around. The TP1 definitely is not.

For reasons I will never be able 2 figure out, Sony requires that you connect two antennas 2 the back of the device. One 4 wifi, the other 4 the keyboard. Again, comparing it 2 the Mini, that was really strange 4 such an expensive & supposedly design-minded item. Clutter like that is a big disappointment.

I had problems with the keyboard connection. There was a funky procedure I had 2 use including pressing a button on the keyboard & pressing a button on the console at the right time. And 4 some reason, the touchpad button on it would "click" by itself with no action from me. So I would be moving the pointer around & accidentally open a program or something without even hitting the button.(Btw, I've had that problem on a HP laptop as well)

I didn't keep it long enough 2 test the television or disc burning capabilities. The above items irritated me enough 2 pack it up & ship it back right away. Amazon gets 5 stars 4 the prompt full refund.

I bought this PC the day it came in & I really dont understand how can someone review any item without owning or using it just because its running with a new OS system & give it 2 out of 5 just becaus it has vista on it??? So here is reviwe from someone who has this item 4 more than 2 monts. First, it looks amazing, solid built & the Circular white shape gives it an edge above all other Multi Media PCs. Second, performance is solid & running window vista smoothly without any problems, third, you will have a verity of outputs, HDM,VGA,optical out & SV,AV 4 inputs 4 TV recording which works like a charm. I'm hooking it with the 70" Class Grand WEGA(tm) XBR(tm) series SXRD(tm) Rear Projection Full HD tv using HDMI through the Sony DG1000 Receiver & the Video(setting it at 720P) & Audio is just amazing. I got another one in my office hooked with the White LCD Samsung & it works smothly 4 all my office work.

This PC would be nice 2 have only if SONY tested it more than just 4 basic functionality, a lot of problems out of a box. I'm still running it since July 2007 (for 5 months) & yes it would fo it job of being media PC & recording basic TV. Vista is the worst part of this PC. No wounder Dell allowed it customers 2 return 2 Win XP pro - make me think even MSoft & Dell agreed on Vista - not ready 4 general public even as of now December 2007. May be after Vista SP1( Feb-March 2008) this Sony PC will work the way it should be. From design stand point very well build media PC - best on a market 4 price/design/look/size. I would think that SOny will improve with new updates/patches within next 3-4 months.

With the presence of high-def TV screens capable of displaying 1080p HDTV resolutions (1920x1080, typically), the home desktop PC is no longer restricted to, well, the desk. It can be connected 2 a your living room widescreen TV if it has an HDMI port. Imagine browsing the web on a 40 2 60 inch TV screen, & also streaming (and downloading) audio & video files straight from the web. That's the concept of the Sony VGX-TP1 VAIO(R) Living Room PC, Windows Vista Home Premium. Easy 2 use & setup, the TP1 PC is packed with the latest hardware technology including an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, Windows Vista Home Premium operating system & a massive 300GB hard drive. Enjoy your favorite live & recorded TV & movies or surf the web from your couch with the immersive Windows Media Center experience that lets you navigate your content on screen, all controlled by a matching keyboard & remote control. The (approximate) 10.6" diameter chassis is designed 2 fit most home-theater component cabinets so it's a sure fit 4 your lifestyle. It even has a built-in High Definition digital cable tuner with ATSC & NTSC support. It's the future of PC ready 4 today. HDMI out (High Definition Multimedia Interface), DVI-D (through HDMI 2 DVI-D adapter), VGA out 802.11b/g wifi compatible RJ45 Ethernet port / Modem with RJ11 port 4 USB & 1 iLink port Memory Stick Media Slot (Supports Memory Stick(R) PRO & Memory Stick(R) Duo ); Secure Digital Slot Software included - Operating System - Windows Vista Home Premium; Internet Services - AOL 90-Day Risk Free Trial - For new users only; Microsoft Works 8.5; Microsoft Office 2007 60-Day Trial; Sony Original Software - Click 2 DVD - DVD Creation; Norton Internet Security 2007 60-Day Trial with spyware protection Unit Dimensions - 10.63 Diameter x 3.58 Height; Weighs about 8 pounds Supplied Accessories - Remote Control; Wireless Keyboard; HDMI Cable; HDMI-D

Minimalist in design though loaded with all the multimedia & connectivity features a modern living room requires, the Sony VIAO VGX-TP1 brings PC power 2 your TV while invigorating your interior design. Designed 2 blend with your modern home decor, the round, white VGX-TP1 comes equipped with a matching wireless keyboard & remote control, freeing you from the restraint of cables & tangled cords. But the VGX-TP1 is not just about form factor. With more & more television programs & movies becoming available 4 download--as well as videos from friends & family uploaded 2 sharing sites--the TP1 Living Room PC is a great way 2 enjoy an evening of video entertainment without having 2 huddle around a PC monitor.

You can also use the integrated NTSC (standard) & ATSC (digital) TV tuners in conjunction with Windows Vista Home Premium's Media Center capabilities 2 record programming (even in HDTV) directly 2 the VGX-TP1's hard drive. Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, & offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

Frequently accessed features such as the optical drive, USB ports & multi-card reader are located on the front of the unit, hidden behind a curved slide-away panel, while constantly-connected terminals are hidden from sight on the back of the unit. For optimized video output 2 your LCD or plasma HDTV, it provides an HDMI connection that can transmit uncompressed 1080p video & 5.1-channel surround sound via a single cable.

Under the hood, VGX-TP1 s powered by the 1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 processor, which provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture 4 improved gaming & multitasking performance. It also features an extra-large 300 GB hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM (maximizing capacity), Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with up 2 224 MB of shared video memory, 8x multi-format/dual-layer DVD±R/RW drive, 54g wireless networking (802.11b/g), multi-format Memory Stick reader, & a Secure Digital memory card slot.

The Basics

• Processor: The Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 processor has a 1.83 GHz processor speed, super-fast 667 MHz front-side bus (FSB), & large 2 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; & a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU & RAM, & a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

  The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized 4 multitasking & is ready 2 support the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. Some of the advanced Intel innovations of the Core 2 Duo processor include:

  • Smart Memory Access: Improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth 2 provide data 2 the processor when & where it is needed.
  • Advanced Digital Media Boost: Effectively doubles the execution speed 4 instructions used widely in multimedia & graphics applications.
  • Dynamic Power Coordination: Coordinates Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology & idle power-management state (C-states) transitions independently per core 2 help save power.
  • Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing: Saves power by flushing cache data 2 system memory during periods of inactivity 2 lower CPU voltage.

• Hard Drive: The huge 300 GB Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive (7200 RPM) offers a wealth of storage space--enough 4 storing up 2 180 hours of television programming, a vast multimedia collection, or 4 editing digital video. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin 2 FireWire & USB 2.0.

• Memory: The 2 GB of built-in memory (PC5300, DDR2 SDRAM, 2 x 1 GB) maximizes the capacity 4 this machine, enabling you 2 effortlessly handle a wide variety of multimedia tasks right out of the box. It also offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed.

• DVD/CD Drive: The dual-layer DVD drive is compatible with a wide range of formats, including both DVD+RW & DVD-RW discs, CD-RW discs, & dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can hold up 2 8.5 GB of data--great 4 backing up your MP3 collection or your most important documents. It features the following speeds: 4x 4 DVD+R DL, 4x 4 DVD-R DL, 8x 4 both single layer DVD+R/-R, 8x 4 single layer DVD+RW, 6x 4 single layer DVD-RW, & 24x/16x 4 CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x & CD-ROMs at 24x.

• Keyboard & Mouse: Ergonomically designed 2 fit comfortably on your lap, the lightweight wireless keyboard with built-in touchpad also boasts a series of hot buttons including a web browser launch key, zoom in/out buttons & two additional programmable keys.

Video & Audio
Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, which uses Intel Dynamic Video Memory Technology (DVMT) & provides up 2 224 MB of shared video memory. The integrated audio card is compatible with Intel High Definition Audio, & an S/PDIF digital audio output is included. It also includes a high-definition digital cable tuner with NTSC (standard) & ATSC (HD) support.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
This desktop has an integrated 54g wireless LAN that's fully compatible with 802.11b/g wireless networks, enabling you 2 access the Internet & other computers on your home LAN without having 2 connect via Ethernet (though a 10/100 Ethernet port is also provided). It offers the following multimedia & I/O ports:

• 4 USB 2.0 ports 4 connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras 2 MP3 players
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port 4 connecting digital video camcorders & other peripherals (4-pin connector on front)
• 1 HDMI output (for connecting 2 a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver 4 uncompressed digital audio & video via a single cable)
• 1 composite audio/video input (RCA jacks)
• 1 VGA monitor out
• 1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
• 1 S/PDIF digital audio out (for connecting 2 a home theater receiver 4 5.1-channel surround sound)
• 1 ExpressCard/54 slot
• 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type II, PCMCIA R2.01, PC Card16, CardBus)
• Memory Stick slot (supports optional Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, & Memory Stick DUO media)
• Secure Digital memory card slot (also compatible with MMC cards)

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium is the operating system 4 users with advanced computer needs, & it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities 4 turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center 4 watching DVD movies & accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center 2 record & watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) & 2 access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium & an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you 2 access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever 2 share files between other PCs in your household & 2 manage your laptop computer settings 2 more securely connect via Wi-Fi.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools & technologies 2 help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting 2 a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you 2 manage & monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, & other activities.

Preloaded Software
Includes Sony Click 2 DVD (for easy DVD creation), Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office 2007 Student & Teacher Edition (60-day trial), Symantec Norton Internet Security 2007 (with 60 days of Live Update).

Dimensions & Weight
This PC measures 10.63 inches in diameter & 3.58 inches high, & it weighs 8.16 pounds.

Power
The VGX-TP1 has a power consumption rating of 130 watts (maximum).

What's in the Box
This package contains the VGX-TP1 Living Room PC, remote control (with batteries), wireless keyboard, HDMI cable, HDMI-DVI adapter, wireless antenna, AV cable adapter, RF cable, AC adapter, & operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty, & Sony offers 1-year of toll-free telephone technical assistance.