topic Re: VGX series and Windows 7 in PCs & Accessories

VGX series and Windows 7

rockgatherer — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:06:29 GMT

Hi,

Does anyone know if Sony are planning on providing Windows 7 drivers for the VGX series of machines?

I did an upgrade to Windows 7 RTM on my 2 month old VGX-TP3Z/B and all was OK except that I couldn't get any sound out via the HDMI port despite quite a lot of playing around with sound and graphics drivers. This appears to be quite a common problem with Windows 7 across a whole range of machines (Google it and see what I mean).

Anybody done a successful upgrade to W7 on a VGX box and got everything working? I've had to restore back to Vista...

Thanks in advance

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

Dr_Stuart — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:43:28 GMT


I did an upgrade to Windows 7 RTM on my 2 month old VGX-TP3Z/B and all was OK except that I couldn't get any sound out via the HDMI port despite quite a lot of playing around with sound and graphics drivers. This appears to be quite a common problem with Windows 7 across a whole range of machines (Google it and see what I mean).

Almost sorted it.

Good news : I've sorted out the sound problem. Once you've upgraded go into Control Panel>'Programs and Features' and from there remove 'IDT Audio'. Then go into Computer>Device Manager and into the "Sound,Video and blah . . " and if you can see it unistall the SigmalTel Codec.Still within Device Manager scan for hardware changes - the SigmaTel should return as a Hig Definition Audio Device. Finally go to Control Panel> Sound and you should now have a 'High Definition Audio Device' and a 'RealTek Blah'. Right click on the High Def one and make it the default, and then test it. You should now have sound

The bad news : I can't get the Blu-ray player to work - any advice anyone?

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

rockgatherer — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:26:23 GMT

Thanks very much, I'll give that a go and report back to confirm (W7 media center seems significantly faster and more stable than Vista with the TV Pack installed).

My Blu-Ray player seemed to work OK - what are the symptoms you are seeing? Did you try it before tinkering with the HDMI drivers?

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

Dr_Stuart — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:58:10 GMT

It doesn't play Blu-Ray disks any more - (Normal DVD's are fine).
It switches over to Intervideo WinDVD OK, changes the colour scheme as normal, the disk spins for a while and then nothing else happens.

Please let me know how you get on.

I think its something to do with BluRay hardware (BC-5500A) I've also tried the latest demo version of WinDVD (on a different partition).

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

Bountydublin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:09:00 GMT

Hello,
if someone could help me because I have big trouble with my Vaio vgx xl 202...
Indeed, with windows 7..it doesn't work properly.
I would like to upgrade my motherboard but I have no answers...
no sound, aero, ..what's to be done?
Thank you
Bounty

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

rockgatherer — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:50:22 GMT

Dr_Stuart, soz for the delay had to prize the missus away from the TV long enough to do the upgrade back to W7!

Confirmed - the fix that Dr_Stuart put up does indeed work for W7 and this VGX box. You can also do it without doing an uninstall by going into the playback devices, select the HDMI sound device go through the 'Properties', select 'Upgrade Device Drivers' and then select from a list rather than letting W7 do an automatic scan. The non-Sigmatel driver will be on the list and you can install this instead. Sound via HDMI will then work.

One thing I do note is that it says this other driver (rather than the Sigmatel one) is not HDCP compatible. Perhaps this is the cause of the lack of Blu-Ray problem for you? I now use the Vaio's optical output rather than the HDMI (just got a home cinema system - nice) for sound most of the time. Perhaps that is the reason it won't play Blu-Ray (note I'm using the latest WinDVD download from the Vaio support page - 20/10/2009)? I'll try playing a Blu-Ray with sound via HDMI myself later this week when I have a moment to spare.

With this in mind, the Cyberlink BluRay adviser may be able to diagnose the problem (http://www.cyberlink.com/prog/bd-support/diagnosis.do). My system comes up as all clear (except for the Player because this little tool only checks for the right PowerDVD version) - how does yours fare? Again, I'll change my setup to use the HDMI sound (now that it works) and see what this tool reports.

Hope this helps

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

rockgatherer — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:11:26 GMT

Looks like my initial optimism was unfounded. I get exactly the same as Dr_Stuart when trying to play blu-rays under W7. Am now trying a combination of graphics drivers and trial versions of blu-ray players to see if I can get it working - no joy so far.

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

rockgatherer — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:20:34 GMT

Further to my previous post, the only combination of graphics card driver and blu ray player I have found so far which works on this Win 7 upgraded VGX box is Arcsoft TotalMedia Theatre 3 Platinum with the standard Vista graphics drivers.

PowerDVD9, and the OEM WinDVD8 both don't work with (apparently) any combination of drivers. I haven't tried the later versions of WinDVD yet - I'll have a play this weekend.

Would really like to use the OEM WinDVD and not have to shell out £60...

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

rockgatherer — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:20:50 GMT

Further to my previous post, the only combination of graphics card driver and blu ray player I have found so far which works on this Win 7 upgraded VGX box is Arcsoft TotalMedia Theatre 3 Platinum with the standard Vista graphics drivers.

PowerDVD9, and the OEM WinDVD8 both don't work with (apparently) any combination of drivers.  I haven't tried the later versions of WinDVD yet - I'll have a play this weekend.

Would really like to use the OEM WinDVD and not have to shell out £60...

WinDVD 9 also works fine...

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

Bountydublin — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:00:22 GMT

Hi,

that's better now...ok for aero, motherboard upgrade and so on...
But I always have 2 troubles :
- during the first screen for windows 7...on the right, there is a colored bar and the logo windows 7 I don't see it...after all is ok.
- If I wish use the button restart for win7..there is a pb..it doesn't work

thank you for your help

Bounty

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

Wheeker — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:59:21 GMT

If I wish use the button restart for win7..there is a pb..it doesn't work  Bounty

I had this same issue & following-up on some posts in the AVS Forums managed to solve it by disabling the Firewire in the BIOS. :smileygrin:

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

hanaboua — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:26:07 GMT

So, any luck with w7 & vgx tp3z/b? Wanting to upgrade, but held back by your frustrations.

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

k-strider — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 23:46:52 GMT

I got it to play with the WinDVD BD that came with the VAIO by installing these video drivers
Nvidia 181.72_win7x32
which can be found here http://laptopvideo2go.com/drivers/win7x32/181.72

it was trial and error with me untill i got a video driver that worked. Note you need to Download the INF file (to overwrite the original) as well as the Driver since its a mobile GPU not a standard one.

Otherwise everything went well i did an inplace upgrade to win7 home premium if your thinking of upgrading make sure you make the Backup DVDs first so you can restore back to base should you need to... i originally tried a clean install but couldn't get TV card drivers.

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

Dr_Stuart — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:08:55 GMT

I got it to play with the WinDVD BD that came with the VAIO by installing these video drivers
Nvidia 181.72_win7x32
which can be found here  http://laptopvideo2go.com/drivers/win7x32/181.72

Great - Will try this tonight.
Does this fix the issues with sound too?

Thanks

S

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

k-strider — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 21:30:32 GMT

I never got the sound issue as far as i can recall... it was ages ago i upgraded when W7 was RTM.. back in Aug (the joys of VL subscriptions 🙂 )... you will have to try some of the other suggestions re sound.

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

Dr_Stuart — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:14:21 GMT

Cool, I managed to get WinDVD and Blu-Ray working using the driver above - so thanks for that.

I still have problems with the sound over HDMI though (Sound over optical has no problems).

I reverted to the original IDT drivers and the HDMI-out insists that the HDMI cable is unplugged. As a consequence there is no sound and it can not be configured.

When using the MS HDMI driver only stereo speakers are defined, there is no option for DTS 5.1 - so although WinDVD now works it only outputs 2.0 sound.

My home setup favours sound via the HDMI cable.

Has anyone got 5.1 working via HDMI?

Cheers

S.

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

hanaboua — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:46:32 GMT

So everything well now? All issues solved early adopters/ pioneers?
Another question, honestly was it worth it to upgrade to 7?

Re: VGX series and Windows 7

Dr_Stuart — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:36:19 GMT

Actually 100% yes.

Put quite simply the media centre that comes with Windows 7 really is that much better than that which came with Vista both in terms of functionality and stability. So much so that I would have even said 'yes' when we'd not sorted out BluRay support. (BluRay has always worked if you wanted to buy and install an updated package)

In terms of DTS – you’ll only notice this if you have a home theatre system and only affects DTS via HDMI, 2 channel sound via HDMI works fine.

All sound (2 channel and DTS) works fine via optical out – its just awkward for me to use.

Cheers

S.

VGX series and Windows 7

jbo176 — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:51:54 GMT

I am the unfortunate owner of a vgx tp3z unit which has just been upgraded to wondow7.

I cant get any of the players to work with a blu ray divd (windvd/cyberlink/arcsoft)

Have updated drivers on the sony website bt still no luck.

Just wondering if you have any tips on how I might resolve this issue or do I just accepts that it it no longer an HD capable unit?