PCG-SRX: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 21:00, 12 August 2024

PCG-SRX next to its external CD-ROM

Overview

The Sony VAIO PCG-SRX is a mid-to-high-end subnotebook computer series released by Sony in 2001, intended for users that needed a small machine for advanced portability.

They came in a silver-purple finish. it's footprint is actually less than a sheet of A4 paper, and the build quality, as you would expect from a high-end Sony VAIO, is outstanding.

Johnny English using the PCG-SRX

The laptop was featured in 2003's Johnny English, with which Johnny uses to plan an attack on Sauvage's HQ.

An Intel Pentium III Low Voltage CPU with Intel 815EM Chipset was included with these laptops along with Windows XP Pro.

They had the iconic Jog Dial under the trackpad, which can also be found on other Sony devices of that period, was used as an app launcher of sorts with Sony's proprietary software.

Detailed Specs

Processor: Intel Pentium III 800-850MHz, or 650MHz Celeron, Low Voltage SpeedStep, 512K L2 Cache

Graphics: Intel 815EM Chipset IGP

RAM: 256MB RAM Sony MicroDIMM

Display: 10.4" 1024x768 XGA TFT

Storage: 2.5" IDE HDD

Wireless: Integrated Bluetooth, Integrated Wireless LAN (Orinoco Wi-Fi, 802.11)

OS: Windows XP Home Edition or Pro

Media: 1 X USB Port, VGA out via Sony dongle, Sony Memory Stick Slot

Additional: Integrated iLink IEE1394, Microphone in and sound out, Integrated 10/100 LAN (Wired), Touchpad with scroll wheel

Daily Usage Today

These laptops are still usable today for very light modern office tasks like text editing, however, they are perfectly suitable for retro tasks, with very limited but present retrogaming capabilities. The Pentium III is not very fast, clocking at 800MHz, and it is recommended that one replaces the HDD with a SSD. Retro games are not playable on this device.

Resources

Recovery Discs

PCG-SRX Series recovery discs are available on the Internet Archive (VAIO Library upload), or on our servers (for faster downloads).

These discs are not compatible with SVRP, but we are working on a patcher for Windows XP recoveries.

Manuals and Useful Links

Sony JP VAIO PCG-SRX Presentation Web Pages

Sony VAIO PCG-SRX Series User Manual 1

Sony VAIO PCG-SRX Series User Manual 2

Sony VAIO PCG-SRX Series Software Manual

Sony VAIO PCG-SRX87 Specifications Sheet

Sony VAIO PCG-SRX Series Service Manual

This Does Not Compute, a very good YouTuber that focuses on retro computing and gaming, made a very good, detailed video about the PCG-SRX, available here.

Disassembly Guide

Sony VAIO PCG-SRX Disassembly Guide - alternative guide (hinge repair)

If a link is broken, please input the URL in the Wayback Machine.

Sources

Sony, Automated Home and Starring the Computer

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:Sony VAIO SRX next to its CD-ROM Drive.jpg|alt=Sony VAIO SRX next to its CD-ROM Drive|thumb|PCG-SRX next to its external CD-ROM]]
 == Overview ==
-The Sony VAIO VGN-SRX is a mid-to-high-end subnotebook computer series released by Sony in 2001, intended for users that needed a small machine for advanced portability.
+The Sony VAIO PCG-SRX is a mid-to-high-end subnotebook computer series released by Sony in 2001, intended for users that needed a small machine for advanced portability.
-They came in a silver-purple finish. it's footprint is actually less than a sheet of A4 paper, and the build quality, as you would expect from a high-end Sony VAIO, is outstanding. More details about the build quality coming soon.
+They came in a silver-purple finish. it's footprint is actually less than a sheet of A4 paper, and the build quality, as you would expect from a high-end Sony VAIO, is outstanding.
 [[File:Johnny English using the VAIO SRX.jpg|thumb|Johnny English using the PCG-SRX]]
 The laptop was featured in 2003's Johnny English, with which Johnny uses to plan an attack on Sauvage's HQ.
@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 An Intel Pentium III Low Voltage CPU with Intel 815EM Chipset was included with these laptops along with Windows XP Pro.
-They had the iconic VAIO scroll wheel under the trackpad, which was used as an app launcher of sorts, with Sony's proprietary software, of course.
+They had the iconic Jog Dial under the trackpad, which can also be found on other Sony devices of that period, was used as an app launcher of sorts with Sony's proprietary software.
 == Detailed Specs ==
@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 '''Graphics''': Intel 815EM Chipset IGP
-'''RAM''': 256MB RAM
+'''RAM''': 256MB RAM Sony MicroDIMM
-'''Display''': 10.4" XGA TFT Screen, 1024x768 resolution
+'''Display''': 10.4" 1024x768 XGA TFT
 '''Storage''': 2.5" IDE HDD
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 '''OS''': Windows XP Home Edition or Pro
-'''Media''': 1 X CF Type II slot, 1 X USB Port, VGA out, via Sony dongle, Sony Memory Stick Slot
+'''Media''': 1 X USB Port, VGA out via Sony dongle, Sony Memory Stick Slot
 '''Additional''': Integrated iLink IEE1394, Microphone in and sound out, Integrated 10/100 LAN (Wired), Touchpad with scroll wheel
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 These laptops are still usable today for very light modern office tasks like text editing, however, they are perfectly suitable for retro tasks, with very limited but present retrogaming capabilities. The Pentium III is not very fast, clocking at 800MHz, and it is recommended that one replaces the HDD with a SSD. Retro games are not playable on this device.
-== Downloads ==
+== Resources ==
+===== Recovery Discs =====
 PCG-SRX Series recovery discs are available on the [https://archive.org/details/pcg-srx Internet Archive (VAIO Library upload)], or on [https://download.vaiolibrary.com/recoverydiscs/pcg-srx/ our servers] (for faster downloads).
-They do not seem to be model locked. See Compatibility Problems section in the [[Recovery Discs]] page.
+These discs are not compatible with [[Sony VAIO Recovery Patcher (SVRP)|SVRP]], but we are working on a patcher for Windows XP recoveries.
-== Resources ==
+===== Manuals and Useful Links =====
-[https://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/PCOM/PCG-SRX7/ Sony JP VAIO PCG-SRX Presentation Web Pages] (it's awesome)
+[https://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/PCOM/PCG-SRX7/ Sony JP VAIO PCG-SRX Presentation Web Pages]
 [https://download.vaiolibrary.com/manuals/pcg-srx/pcg-srx_usermanual1.pdf Sony VAIO PCG-SRX Series User Manual 1]
@@ Line 53: / Line 55: @@
 This Does Not Compute, a very good YouTuber that focuses on retro computing and gaming, made a very good, detailed video about the PCG-SRX, available [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi-MdfQyJQM here].
+===== Disassembly Guide =====
+[http://cmaniac.blog11.fc2.com/blog-entry-54.html Sony VAIO PCG-SRX Disassembly Guide] - [https://www.ne.jp/asahi/do/ta/images/hinge/hinge_1.htm alternative guide (hinge repair)]
+If a link is broken, please input the URL in the [http://web.archive.org Wayback Machine].
 ==Sources==
 [https://sony.com Sony], [https://www.automatedhome.co.uk/reviews/sony-vaio-pcg-srx41p-review.html Automated Home] and [http://www.starringthecomputer.com/computer.html?c=103 Starring the Computer]