Confused Newbie - Blu-ray Forum

bgg30 · 11-27-2007, 03:00 AM

I bought a Sony AR520e laptop some time ago with a regular DVD combo drive installed. Specs are briefly core 2 duo 7100, 2 Gigs Ram 200 Gig HD, nvidia geforce 8400m gt graphics etc. The specs are very similar to the AR630 which is being sold with a Blu-ray drive installed. After getting conflicting information whether I could install a Blu-ray drive in my computer I contacted Sony via Live Chat. After long periods of waiting while the person on the other end was checking he finally decided I could not install a Blu-ray drive in my machine. Can someone tell me if this is true or did I just get a no because the person on the other end had no idea what the answer was. If it is no can someone explain to this newbie the reason for this. Is it a driver issue? Hardware issue? Can a Blu-ray drive only be installed on certain computers that have been specially built to except it? I'm sure my rambling is humorous to many on this forum but I am totally confused and could use some help. It would seem that I would have a computer that could handle the drive. Thanks.

xtop · 11-27-2007, 03:30 AM

i honestly dont know, so i'll reach and ask this. how much better is the cpu and the gpu in the one with the blu-ray vs the one you have

quetzalcoatl · 11-27-2007, 03:36 AM

Not sure myself. I will try to find out about the video card since that is where the problem might be.
And welcome to the forums.

Looks to me like it should be able to do it accoring to NVidia.

bgg30 · 11-27-2007, 04:07 AM

The CPU in the 630 is a 7250 at 2 Ghz. Mine is a 7100 at 1.8. Both core 2 duos not much difference. The GPU in both is the same. The memory dedicated to the GPU in the 630 is 256 Megs and their is nothing listed for the 520 but I can't imagine this would make it impossible to run a Blu-Ray drive on my 520. It should, I believe get the memory it needs from available memory- not nearly as good as dedicated but it should still work I think. The 520 is also HD 1080 compatible and has everything in that regard that the 630 does. If it is a software, or firmware problem it seems something should be able to be done to make my 520 work. If it is a hardware difference- which seems unlikely to me but I suppose is possible, then I can understand. I have put in many DVD drives and always just installed them, installed the drivers, got any updates etc and they worked fine. If you can't do the same with Blu-ray on a Sony that is less than 2 months old then it is going to be hard for it to gain exceptance. Granted it was being cleared out for the new models but it is very up to date in the hardware department and a very close match spec wise to the new models at least in the specs that are available. Thanks for the replies and I appreciate all input.

ESUNintel · 11-27-2007, 04:17 AM

I have the FZ with an 8400gt Nvidia GPU and a T7700 Centrino Duo (2.4GHz) w/4GB of RAM, your specs are close. You have the same graphics card, a good CPU and RAM is aways upgradeable, you should be fine installing a BD drive,just be sure to purchase software that reads/lays BD's, Sony uses InterVideo WinDVD BD and Click to DVD BD. You really should be fine.

ESUNintel · 11-27-2007, 04:19 AM

...and also, I originally had the 2.0GHz CPU, worked perfectly with Blu-rays, so your ok with your CPU I think, I just ended up upgrading the CPU for other reasons.

xtop · 11-27-2007, 10:14 AM

maybe the slot is a different size for the drive. or they had no idea what they were talking about

11-27-2007, 03:00 AM	#1
bgg30 New Member Member since:Nov 2007	Confused Newbie I bought a Sony AR520e laptop some time ago with a regular DVD combo drive installed. Specs are briefly core 2 duo 7100, 2 Gigs Ram 200 Gig HD, nvidia geforce 8400m gt graphics etc. The specs are very similar to the AR630 which is being sold with a Blu-ray drive installed. After getting conflicting information whether I could install a Blu-ray drive in my computer I contacted Sony via Live Chat. After long periods of waiting while the person on the other end was checking he finally decided I could not install a Blu-ray drive in my machine. Can someone tell me if this is true or did I just get a no because the person on the other end had no idea what the answer was. If it is no can someone explain to this newbie the reason for this. Is it a driver issue? Hardware issue? Can a Blu-ray drive only be installed on certain computers that have been specially built to except it? I'm sure my rambling is humorous to many on this forum but I am totally confused and could use some help. It would seem that I would have a computer that could handle the drive. Thanks.

11-27-2007, 03:36 AM	#3
quetzalcoatl Special Member Member since:Sep 2007 Location:Grants Pass, OR	Not sure myself. I will try to find out about the video card since that is where the problem might be. And welcome to the forums. Looks to me like it should be able to do it accoring to NVidia. Last edited by quetzalcoatl; 11-27-2007 at 03:41 AM. Reason: did some checking

11-27-2007, 04:07 AM	#4
bgg30 New Member Member since:Nov 2007	CPU and GPU The CPU in the 630 is a 7250 at 2 Ghz. Mine is a 7100 at 1.8. Both core 2 duos not much difference. The GPU in both is the same. The memory dedicated to the GPU in the 630 is 256 Megs and their is nothing listed for the 520 but I can't imagine this would make it impossible to run a Blu-Ray drive on my 520. It should, I believe get the memory it needs from available memory- not nearly as good as dedicated but it should still work I think. The 520 is also HD 1080 compatible and has everything in that regard that the 630 does. If it is a software, or firmware problem it seems something should be able to be done to make my 520 work. If it is a hardware difference- which seems unlikely to me but I suppose is possible, then I can understand. I have put in many DVD drives and always just installed them, installed the drivers, got any updates etc and they worked fine. If you can't do the same with Blu-ray on a Sony that is less than 2 months old then it is going to be hard for it to gain exceptance. Granted it was being cleared out for the new models but it is very up to date in the hardware department and a very close match spec wise to the new models at least in the specs that are available. Thanks for the replies and I appreciate all input.

11-27-2007, 04:17 AM	#5
ESUNintel Senior Member Member since:Aug 2007 Location:Colorado	I think it'll work I have the FZ with an 8400gt Nvidia GPU and a T7700 Centrino Duo (2.4GHz) w/4GB of RAM, your specs are close. You have the same graphics card, a good CPU and RAM is aways upgradeable, you should be fine installing a BD drive,just be sure to purchase software that reads/lays BD's, Sony uses InterVideo WinDVD BD and Click to DVD BD. You really should be fine.

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11-27-2007, 03:30 AM	#2
xtop Blu-ray Count Member since:Oct 2007 Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- Digital collection:- Trading Score:3	i honestly dont know, so i'll reach and ask this. how much better is the cpu and the gpu in the one with the blu-ray vs the one you have

11-27-2007, 04:19 AM	#6
ESUNintel Senior Member Member since:Aug 2007 Location:Colorado	...and also, I originally had the 2.0GHz CPU, worked perfectly with Blu-rays, so your ok with your CPU I think, I just ended up upgrading the CPU for other reasons.

11-27-2007, 10:14 AM	#7
xtop Blu-ray Count Member since:Oct 2007 Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- Digital collection:- Trading Score:3	maybe the slot is a different size for the drive. or they had no idea what they were talking about

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