About the GX640's optional TV tuner...

As some of you may know, the GX640 is sold throughout the great country of Asia with an optional TV tuner. For us occidental infidels, that option is not offered by MSI and the hole at the back has been plugged with a rubber cap. Behold, visual proofs:

Asian version:


Baka gaijin version:


So, from my extensive research (5 minutes on Google), I've found out that the TV tuner is a half-height mini PCI-E card with unknown capabilities, but my money's on a DVB-T/ATSC hybrid.

Why should you care? Well, I haven't looked, but if there's really an empty PCI-E slot under the shell, it means that one could possibly install a small SSD in there. Yeah boy. Samsung, OCZ and others have come out with small SSDs up to 64GB that fit on a mini-PCIe card.

Another solution would be to install a third-party TV tuner (eBay has tons of them) and possibly gain a video input!

I'm wondering what else is possible, because I'd hate to leave that mini PCIe port unused. Expert opinions, anyone?

 

Well there may well be a mini PCI-E slot down there suitable for a SSD, being able to boot from it is a different story

 

Hey I of course have the Asian version but the manual doesnt state any use of that socket. Does the asian version ship with the tv-tuner or there is the option of putting one in?

 

As far as I know, it's a factory upgrade. Looks like there are two derivations: one with an analog tuner and one with a digital tuner.

 

Did anyone get any further with this investigation?

Cheers
Chumby

 

I'm not game to disassemble the laptop completely. Sorry.

I need a proper disassembly guide and the assurance that I won't break any plastic pins or clips that would prevent a proper reassembly.

 

OK ... will see if I can find out anything from msi hq

Cheers
chumby

 

The mini PCIe slot should be there, I've also got one in my GT627.
All you would have to do is take of the bottom panel.
And I do have the pigtail that connects the antenna to the mini PCIe tuner already in there.

 

Do you have a picture?

 

I didn't take one myself (I can if you want), but here are some from google:
Google Image Result for http://www.rjtech.com/images/MS-165610.jpg

Google Image Result for http://www.msiwhitebook.com/product/notebook/MS1651MB001.jpg

 

Thanks bro, I was wondering what that white port was for. I got my answer. It still looks like you need to take the thing apart to connect the wire to the antenna port.

 

Nice thread, Dakins
I don't know much about GX640, but back in the time when there were GT/GX 620/720 they were pretty the same. So I think that the upgrade in 640/740 is only the architecture, nothing else, which means that they should even have a 3 PCIe slot inside.
Also it wasn't possible to use that one for mini PCIe SSDs - you can't boot from that one.
More info - Here.

 

I don't think so, if you look at my attached images you can see that the wire is already there and connected. All looks setup for you to just plug in your TV tuner and connect the grey wire with the pigtail to it.

 

That's right, I can see the PCI-E slot. It was right in my face the whole time! But unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a wire for a TV tuner antenna or anything. The wire on the right side is for the Agere modem and the one on the left side is the optional third antenna for the wireless N adapter. There is, however, a wire on the right side that connect to a mysterious device that's hidden to the far right. I can't see what it is, but I'm guessing it's the bluetooth adapter.

Edit: Yup, that's the cable for the bluetooth adapter. I disconnected it by mistake, woops.

 

For those more in the know than me... does the following help at all? Does it give us anything?

Can a PCI-express SSD be installed on...

Cheers
Chumby