Sony VGC-RA840G Guide de l'utilisateur

Welcome Thank you for purchasing a Sony VAIO® computer! Your new computer is a superb blend of high technology and easy-to-usefunctionality. The infor

13 Secure Digital (SD)/MultiMediaCard (MMC) slot Reads and writes data from and to a Secure Digital (SD) or MultiMediaCard (MMC). 14 Media acces

Playing a DVD You can play DVDs and control playback using the remote control to fast forward, rewind, stop, or pause playback. If you play your D

Playing a DVD 1.Open Media Center by pressing the Start button on the remote control or by clicking Media Center from theStart menu. 2.Insert the DVD

Stopping DVD playback 1.Press the Stop button on the remote control, to stop playing the movie. The Stopped menu appears. Stopped Menu 2.Press the a

Controlling DVD Playback You can use certain buttons on your remote control to control DVD playback. You can also use your Media Center keyboardto con

Remote control commands The following list identifies the remote control buttons that control DVD playback. Button DVD Action DVD MENU Displays the

Keyboard commands The arrow keys on your keyboard function like the arrow buttons on the remote control. See the About the Keyboardsection of your onl

Media Center — My Pictures Your VAIO® Media Center computer enables you to showcase your favorite digital pictures in an animated slide show withmusic

About My Pictures My Pictures displays your digital image files individually or as a slide show. You can use digital image files from manysources, suc

Organizing picture files for use in My Pictures This Media Center feature uses specific folders and folder locations to store your pictures for access

About supported images My Pictures can only display image files that are in a supported format. Image formats that are not supported, do notappear in

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Viewing Pictures After organizing your pictures in the My Pictures or Shared Pictures folders, you can use Media Center to view them. 1.Press the My P

Sorting pictures You can rearrange your pictures by name or by date. 1.Press My Pictures on the remote control or keyboard. The My Pictures window app

Adding pictures Each time you open My Pictures, a message appears enabling you to add new pictures. If you want to add pictures fromCDs or from the In

4.Select the location(s) that contain the pictures you wish to add and click Finish. Media Center returns to the My Pictures window, displaying the ad

Playing Pictures in a Slide Show 1.Press the My Pictures button on the remote control or the keyboard. The My Pictures window appears. 2.Select the fo

Adding music to a slide show You can play music from your Media Library during your slide show. 1.Press the MY MUSIC button on your remote control or

Changing picture and slide show settings Each Windows® user account can set their own picture and slide show settings. 1.Press the More button on the

About PictureGear Studio Software PictureGear Studio software has easy-to-use features that enable you to quickly import image files from a digital

Starting PictureGear Studio software 1.Click Start on the Windows® taskbar and point to All Programs. 2.Point to PictureGear Studio, and click Picture

Importing images Capture pictures with a digital camera or camcorder and import them to your computer by using an i.LINK cable, USB cable,or storage d

About the Back Panel The back panel of your computer contains the ports for supplied and optional accessories. The icons on the back panellocate and i

3.Select an import category and type in a name for the new category. Click Start Importing. The Capture Pictures from Video window appears. Capture

For detailed information about using PictureGear Studio software, see the software Help. 1.Click Start on the Windows® taskbar, and point to All Pro

Media Center — My Videos Play digital videos using your Media Center remote control or computer keyboard. You can store your videos in folders foryour

About My Videos My Videos enables you to play your home movies and digital videos using the Media Center remote control or the keyboard.You can organi

Organizing video files (My Videos) This Media Center feature uses specific folders and folder locations to store contents for easy access by the Media

Playing Videos After placing your videos in the My Videos or Shared Video folders, you can play them from the Media Center (My Videos)window. 1.Press

About DVgate Plus Software The DVgate Plus software program enables you to import video from an external device or from recorded TV contentscreated

Accessing DVgate Plus software Help The information provided in this section is intended to highlight a few features of the DVgate Plus software progr

Capturing digital video from a connected digital video device 1.Click Start on the Windows® taskbar, and point to All Programs. 2.Point to DVgate Plus

Transcoding/editing video content 1.After starting the DVgate Plus software program, click Cancel to close the Mode Select Guide. 2.Confirm that the

Back panel The location of certain ports and jacks may vary from the illustration, based on the computer model purchased. Back panel 1 Mouse port C

Editing recorded TV programs You can edit your recorded TV programs with DVgate Plus software. The software's editing features enable you to ch

Changing the recording format If the recording format is set to PAL, the Add Video Recorded with Media Center feature is not available. To change reco

Selecting a Format for Saving Video Files When you select a format from the File Output Settings window, each setting is preset to a recommended value

Media Center — My TV You can use Media Center to watch TV, using the remote control to play, pause, fast forward, or rewind your TV program.The conven

About My TV My TV enables you to watch, play, and record your favorite TV programs. Use the remote control to pause, play, rewind, fastforward, stop,

Setting up your computer for My TV Your VAIO® computer, TV monitor or display, and TV signal access must be properly connected before you can watch or

Starting My TV You can open the My TV window by pressing My TV on the remote control or keyboard. You can also select My TV or one ofthe shortcut icon

Using the remote control Use the following list of remote control button functions for quick reference. Remote Control Button TV Action GUIDE Displa

Watching Live TV 1.Press and select My TV. 2.Select the Live TV shortcut. Current TV programming appears in full-screen mode. You can also use the My

About the time shift feature When you watch a live TV program and pause the program, a time shift status bar appears at the bottom of screen. As youwa

6 Microphone jack Connection for a microphone (optional). Front/Headphones jack Connection for the supplied speakers (2-channel), front speakers (5.1

Searching for a specific TV program You can search for a specific TV program by title, category, or keyword. 1.Press the My TV button on the remote co

3.Press OK to play your selection. Page 141

About the TV Program Guide You can download a listing of current television programming from your local television service provider. Set Media Center

Viewing the TV Program Guide 1.Press the GUIDE button on your remote control or keyboard. From the Media Center Start window, select My TV, and then s

Setting TV Program Guide preferences 1.Press the Guide button on your remote control or keyboard. The Guide window appears. 2.Press More on the remot

Recording TV Programs The My TV feature enables you to record individual or recurring episodes of TV programs. You can also schedule futurerecording s

Recording while watching a TV program You can record live TV programs while you are watching and save for future viewing. Media Center records a TV pr

Verifying a recording session The Record icon appears on the Taskbar Notification area. Move the pointer over the icon to display the title ofthe TV

Stopping or interrupting a recording session Press the Stop button on the remote control or keyboard. Use the mouse to click the Stop button on the

Scheduling a TV Recording (Single Or Series) To enable a scheduled TV recording, your computer must be turned on, in Stand by mode, or in Hibernate mo

Connection for a 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX/1000BASE-T Ethernet. (The port marked with (Network) is for LAN connections only.) 12 Speaker DC Out jack Conne

Scheduling a single TV program recording 1.Press GUIDE on your remote control or keyboard. 2.Press the right arrow button to view the programs that ar

Scheduling a TV program series recording 1.Press GUIDE on your remote control or keyboard. 2.Press the right arrow button to view the programs that ar

Cancelling a scheduled recording 1.Press GUIDE on your remote control or keyboard. 2.Use the arrow buttons to locate and select the scheduled TV progr

Resolving a recording conflict A conflict message window appears if you attempt to schedule a single or series recording that is in conflict with apre

Setting Up Recording Preferences You can configure recording preferences for programs that are broadcast at a later date or time. 1.Press GUIDE on you

Playing Previously Recorded TV Programs Your recorded TV programs are saved to your hard disk drive and displayed as thumbnails in the Recorded TV win

Options for Recorded TV programs View recently recorded TV programs Search for a recorded TV program by sorting by date or title Schedule a TV prog

Media Center — My Music This Media Center feature enables you to manage your digital music files. Use the Media Center remote control to browseyour mu

About My Music My Music is compatible with SonicStage and Windows® Media Player software programs. Use SonicStage software torecord songs from CDs i

Using My Music This Media Center feature uses specific software programs, file formats, and folder locations to store music contents foreasy access by

About the Keyboard This section describes the special and standard functions available for your keyboard. A wireless or PS/2®1 keyboard may besupplied

Playing Albums 1.Press the MY MUSIC button on the remote control or the keyboard. The MY MUSIC window appears, displaying Albums in the Media Library.

Add to Queue — Set up several songs or albums to play continuously, shuffle, and repeat. Create CD/DVD — Burn your music files to a recordable CD. 

Adding new music When you open My Music for the first time, a message appears enabling you to add new music to the Media Library. If youwant to add mu

Organizing playlists for Media Center When using Windows® Media Player software for the first time, a brief setup wizard appears. Follow the instructi

The new playlist appears. Page 164

About SonicStage Software SonicStage software1 is a digital music management system in which you can play music on your computer, create customaudio

Starting SonicStage software Use SonicStage software to copy music from CDs or other sources into a music playlist that can be played with My Music(

Recording music (from a CD) You can record an entire album or single tracks from audio CDs, using SonicStage software. You can play this music using

Selecting Compatible CD Media It is important to use compatible CD1 media with your DVD±RW drive, by selecting the correct type of blank recording med

Compatible CD media for music recording CD-R — CD Recordable media can be written to once and cannot be erased. CD-R media is appropriate for bothmus

About the wireless keyboard Set up your wireless keyboard and insert the batteries before attempting to establish communication between thekeyboard an

Incompatible media Do not use the following media for recording data or music: CD-ROM (compact disc read-only media) DVD-R for Authoring DVD-RAM D

Media Center — Create DVD Your DVD±RW drive combined with the Sony® Click to DVD software program makes it easy to burn your own DVDs. Afterrecordin

About Create DVD You can copy your recorded TV programs onto recordable DVD media using Click to DVD software. Turn your favorite TVprogram recordin

Copying a recorded TV program 1.Press the Start button on your remote control. The Media Center Start menu appears. 2.Use the arrow buttons on the re

Do not connect or disconnect any cables or devices during the recording session. Do not attempt to access the Internet, watch other TV programs, or

Selecting Appropriate DVD Media It is important that you use the appropriate DVD media with your computer's DVD±RW drive1. Use care when selectin

About recordable DVD media DVD-R for General — DVD Recordable media for general use, also known as DVD-R(G), can be written to once andcannot be eras

Incompatible DVD media The following types of DVD media are not compatible for recording with your DVD±RW drive: DVD-R for Authoring DVD-RAM DVD-RO

Media Center — More Programs More Programs enables you to start other music and video software programs. You can burn CDs or DVDs, start an onlineinst

About More Programs The software programs listed in the My Programs window are also available through other Media Center features ormenus. 1.Press the

KEY DESCRIPTION Function The 12 function keys along the top of the keyboard are used to perform certain tasks. The task associatedwith each function

Create CD/DVD You can burn music, video, pictures, and previously recorded TV program files to a recordable CD or DVD. Creating a CD or DVD 1.Insert a

2.Select View DVD, and press OK. The View DVD window appears. 3.Select Create DVD, and press OK. 3.Use the Add More option to place more data on the D

9.Select View DVD, and then press OK, to review the files and perform edits, if desired. 10.Select Create DVD, and then press OK. 11.An inquiry messag

Create DVD You can go directly to a listing of your previously recorded TV programs and burn them to a recordable DVD, using the Clickto DVD softwar

InterVideo You can customize the Media Center video and audio setup using the InterVideo® WinDVD 5 for VAIO software program. Media Center — More Pr

Video Setup with Windows Media Center PCs Page 185

Messenger You can log on to the Internet and have online instant messaging conversations with other messaging service subscribers.You can enjoy text m

Movielink You have direct access to current-release movies through your Internet connection. This pay-to-view service enables you todownload movies to

Sync to Device You can synchronize music, pictures, videos, or recorded TV programs to compatible portable devices. Use the Media CenterHelp for more

Media Center — Settings You can customize all of the settings for Media Center features. About Windows User Accounts About General Settings Changin

About the keyboard (wired) Your VAIO® keyboard uses a standard key arrangement with additional keys that perform specific functions. VAIO keyboard K

About Windows User Accounts Microsoft® Windows® uses Computer administrator and Limited user accounts to control changes to your operating systemand s

About General Settings Changes to the general settings affect all user accounts. The Windows® computer administrator is the only account that hasthe s

Viewing the general settings 1.Press the Start button on the remote control. The Media Center Start menu appears. When you go to Settings, shortcut i

Changing General Settings From the General Settings window, select an option and then change the settings. Media Center — Settings: Startup and Wind

Visual and Sound Effects — Select options for transition animation, Media Center sound effects, and videobackground color. 1.Use the arrow buttons on

More Program Options — Enable or disable the Media Center ability to control or access media characteristics orinformation. You can also enable or di

Media Center Setup — Return to the set up options that were available through the Media Center Setup wizard.Update or change your setting choices for

1.The first time you select Parental Controls, you are prompted to enter a 4-digit access code. Type in yourcode1 and press OK. An options menu appear

2.Select Save and then press OK. Media Center — Settings: About Media Center About Media Center — View information about Media Center software and

Privacy — View the Media Center and TV Program Guide privacy statements. You can also enable or disable yoursystem's privacy settings. To change

Getting Started Congratulations on your purchase of the Sony VAIO® computer! Your new, high-performance, multimedia computer combinesstate-of-the-art

About the Wireless Mouse Your VAIO® computer may be supplied with a wireless optical mouse1. Before attempting to use the wireless optical mousewith y

Changing TV Recorder Settings You can change your TV recording priorities and options. 1.Press the Start button on the remote control. The Media Cent

Managing storage space for recorded TV programs The amount of storage space available for TV recording is based on your hard disk dive size, allocatio

Locating Help and Support Options 1.Press the Start button on the remote control. The Media Center Start menu appears. 2.Use the arrow buttons on the

VAIO Media Software VAIO Media software expands digital entertainment possibilities by delivering your music, video, and still image files toany com

VAIO Media Software Overview VAIO Media software makes it possible to share music, video, and photos with other VAIO® computers on your wired orwire

VAIO Media Software System Requirements You can open VAIO Media software on the server computer(s), register client computers to the server(s), and

Setting Up a Client Computer From the server, copy and distribute the VAIO Media installer file to the client computers. To copy and distribute the

6.Sony recommends selecting the option, Automatically register devices when connected to thenetwork. Click Next. Registration requests from network cl

Preparing Your Multimedia Content You can use preinstalled Sony® software programs to prepare your multimedia content for sharing across the network u

Starting VAIO Media Console VAIO Media Console software manages all of the Media Servers, enabling you to register and grant access to the clientcompu

To set up the wireless mouse Insert two AA batteries (supplied) into the wireless mouse as shown. You can check the battery power level for your mouse

After creating additional playlists, recorded TV programs, or other video content, you can make them available to clientcomputers on your network. 1.C

Using VAIO Media VAIO Media uses your network servers to view images and video or listen to music. 1.Click Start in the Windows® taskbar, and then poi

Using an Analog Device for Video Playback You can stream video content from an analog device, such as a VCR, using the VAIO Media TV server software,

Channel Input Location 0 S-Video 1 The S-video In jack on the back panel of the computer. 1 Composite Video 1 The Composite video In jack on the

Troubleshooting This section describes how to solve common problems and provides helpful information about using your computer'shardware features

About VAIO Computer Functions My computer does not start. Verify that the computer is plugged into a power source and that it is turned on. Check tha

About VAIO Computer Functions My computer does not start. Verify that the computer is plugged into a power source and that it is turned on. Check tha

What can I do if my computer or software stop responding? You can try to locate and close the software program that has stopped responding. 1.Press th

Why does the Windows operating system stop responding during shutdown? The Windows operating system may not shut down properly for many reasons, inclu

Why is my computer running slowly? The computer's responsiveness varies depending with the number of software programs that are open and running

About the Remote Control The Media Center remote control is supplied with VAIO Digital Studio® computers that are equipped with the Microsoft®Windows®

How do I change the video resolution of my display? 1.Click Start in the Windows taskbar, and then select Control Panel. 2.Select Appearance and Theme

Why doesn't my computer resume normal operation from Stand by mode? If your keyboard has a Stand by key , press it briefly to resume normal ope

About System Security This section provides information about keeping your computer operating smoothly and protecting against potential threatsto your

How can I protect my computer against security threats, such as viruses? The Microsoft® Windows® operating system is preinstalled on your computer. Th

How do I keep my preinstalled antivirus software updated? You can keep the preinstalled Norton Internet Security software program current with the l

About Media Center The Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center Edition operating system is not installed on all VAIO Digital Studio® computers.See your on

Why doesn't the REW button on the remote control work when I use My Music? The REW button does not "rewind" music files. Instead, press

Why aren't my song information edits visible in My Music? If you record a song in OpenMG ATRAC format and make edits, such as title, artist, or g

Why do my song information edits revert to the original content when I use My Music? When you record songs with SonicStage software, and then use Wind

Why do my optimized music files take so long to appear in My Music? When you use SonicStage software to optimize music files to ATRAC3 or ATRAC3+ form

Remote control The remote control can start and stop video recording, playback, select channels, and set viewing preferences. This sectiondescribes th

Why do I get the error message, "The input media is invalid" when I try to play an MP3 file in My Music? If you have added cover art to the

Why won't My Music show the albums (playlists) I recorded with SonicStage software? Playlists (albums) recorded with SonicStage software may no

Why did my Click to DVD software recording session capture television instead of video? If Media Center starts a scheduled TV recording while you are

Why can't I view or record a movie when my computer is connected to an external device, such as a VCR orDVD player, or when I am using an analog

Why can't I fast forward or rewind a video? The rewind and fast forward features are not supported by all video formats. Try using the Skip or Re

How do I use the Media Center software or remote control to adjust my monitor when viewing TVprograms? Media Center software and remote control do not

What can I do if my computer freezes and restarts while I'm watching a DVD or live TV? Verify that the monitor refresh rate is set to 60 Hz, usin

About the Mouse and Keyboard Why doesn't my mouse work properly? Confirm that the mouse is plugged securely into the mouse port. If you are usin

Do not mix old (used) and new batteries when replacing batteries in the wireless mouse. Always use the sametype and manufacture of battery — do no

About the Mouse and Keyboard Why doesn't my mouse work properly? Confirm that the mouse is plugged securely into the mouse port. If you are usin

Press to fast-forward media at three speeds. SKIP button Press to move media forward, for example, one audio track, one DVD chapter, and 30 seconds of

Do not mix old (used) and new batteries when replacing batteries in the wireless mouse. Always use the sametype and manufacture of battery — do no

How do I set up my mouse for left-hand use? 1.Click Start in the Windows taskbar, then click Control Panel. 2.Click Printers and Other Hardware, then

Why doesn't my keyboard work properly? Check that the keyboard1 is securely plugged into the keyboard port. Save and close all open software pr

About the Modem Why is my modem connection slow? Many factors can influence modem connection speed, such as: Telephone line noise. Incompatibility w

About the Modem Why is my modem connection slow? Many factors can influence modem connection speed, such as: Telephone line noise. Incompatibility w

Why doesn't my modem work properly? Your modem may be experiencing equipment or software conflicts. If your modem is not functioning properly, ch

How do I change my modem to rotary or touch-tone dialing? 1.Click Start in the Windows taskbar, then click Control Panel. 2.Click Printers and Other H

How do I set up a dial-up connection? After you have connected your computer's modem to a telephone wall jack, follow these steps to set up your

About the Speakers Why is there no sound in any software program? Check that the speakers are plugged into the Headphones jack. If your speakers hav

About the Speakers Why is there no sound in any software program? Check that the speakers are plugged into the Headphones jack. If your speakers hav

10 STANDBY button Press to place the computer in Stand by mode to reduce power consumption. 11 MY PICTURES button Press to view pictures or a slide

Why is the S/PDIF option disabled in the Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center software program? S/PDIF is enabled in Media Center1 by changing the DVD

Why can't I hear dialogue during DVD movie playback, using my 5.1 channel1 speaker system? Verify that your speaker system is connected correctl

About Using a Microphone Why doesn't my microphone work properly? Check that the microphone is plugged into the Microphone jack. Page 252

About Using a Microphone Why doesn't my microphone work properly? Check that the microphone is plugged into the Microphone jack. Page 253

Why is my microphone so sensitive to background noise? If you find there is too much background noise when you record sound, you should adjust the mic

About Using Peripheral Equipment How do I install a printer? Connect your USB or IEEE 1284 printer to the appropriate port on your computer's fr

About Using Peripheral Equipment How do I install a printer? Connect your USB or IEEE 1284 printer to the appropriate port on your computer's fr

The connected printer does not function properly when the computer resumes from a power saving mode. Clear the printer memory by turning the printer

Notes On Use The information in this section provides basic procedures for handling your computer and common peripheral devices, andusing storage medi

About the Power Source Before opening your computer, turn the computer off and let it cool down for 10 minutes. This protects you against internalcomp

Press to activate feature or action, such as channel selection or return to previous channel. (This button's actions aresimilar to using the OK b

About Handling the Computer Your computer uses high-frequency radio signals and may cause interference to radio or TV reception. If this occurs,reloca

Use the CONNECT buttons on the wireless device and your computer, if available, to establish communicationbetween the equipment. Avoid using radio-c

About Using a Monitor (Display) DVD playback and certain video-related software may not function correctly when your monitor is set to a highrefresh

About Disposing of the Lithium Battery Dispose of the lithium battery properly. In some areas, the disposal of lithium batteries in household or busin

About Recording and Data Storage Media Handling CD or DVD media Do not touch the surface of the disc. Do not drop or bend the disc. Do not use adhe

Support Options Sony provides several options to help solve common problems or to locate support for your VAIO® computer. This sectiondescribes all av

Immediate Help and Support You can locate helpful information immediately by consulting your hard copy guides and supplements, or by accessing theonli

Software Help and Support Technical support information for the preinstalled software on your computer is located in this section. Sony softwaresuppor

Web site http://www.support.microsoft.com Microsoft® Windows Media® Player Microsoft Corp. Web site http://www.support.microsoft.com Microsoft® Wind

RecordNow!® Sonic Solutions Web site http://support.sonic.com SonicStage Sony Electronics Inc. The SonicStage software program gives you all the to

Setting up the remote control 1.Turn the remote control over. 2.Press in the tab and lift the battery cover up. 3.Insert two AA batteries (supplied) i

VAIO Media Sony Electronics Inc. VAIO Media software brings multimedia to your network, enabling you to share music, video, and picture files betw

Resources for Additional Help and Support If the information provided with your VAIO® computer does not offer an immediate solution, or you would like

About the i.LINK Port Your VAIO® computer is equipped with a 4-pin and a 6-pin i.LINK® port. A 4-pin i.LINK port cannot supply power to aconnected i.L

Connecting an i.LINK (IEEE 1394) device 1.Use the symbol to locate the i.LINK port on your compatible i.LINK device and on your computer. Plug the i.

Unpacking Your Computer Your computer may not be supplied with all of the accessories shown, depending on the computer configuration purchased.For det

Setting Up Your Computer Your computer may not be equipped with all of the hardware features described in the section. The location of the controls,po

Connecting a Display (Monitor) 1.Plug the display's cable into the appropriate monitor port. 2.If necessary, plug the display's cable into t

Connecting the Radio Frequency Receiver The radio frequency receiver enables your VAIO® computer to communicate with the wireless keyboard and mouse1.

To connect the Radio frequency receiver 1.Plug the radio frequency receiver unit to a USB port located on either the front or back panel of your compu

Connecting a Wireless Keyboard Your VAIO® computer may be supplied with a wireless keyboard. Before attempting to use the wireless keyboard, you muste

To connect the wireless keyboard 1.Press the CONNECT button, located on the bottom of the radio frequency receiver. 2.Turn the wireless keyboard over.

Connecting the Wireless Optical Mouse Your VAIO® computer may be supplied with a wireless mouse. Before attempting to use the wireless mouse, you must

Connecting a Keyboard and Mouse Your VAIO® computer may be supplied with a PS/2® keyboard and mouse. For details on the accessories supplied with your

Connecting 5.1 (6-Channel) Speaker Systems Certain VAIO® computers are supplied with a 5.1 channel speaker system, or you may wish to use your own 5.1

Configuring Software for Your Speaker System When using 5.1 channel (digital or analog) speaker systems, certain software programs require setting cha

Specifications — The online specifications sheet describes the hardware and software configuration of your VAIOcomputer. To view the online specifica

To configure WinDVD software 1.Click Start in the Windows® taskbar, and point to All Programs. 2.Point to InterVideo WindDVD 5, and the click on Inter

Connecting the Telephone and Modem Your computer is equipped with a single modem line jack to connect your installed modem with your telephone wall ja

Connecting the Power Cords 1.Plug the power cord into the back of the computer. 2.Plug both the display and computer power cords into a grounded AC wa

Turning On Your Computer When you start your computer for the first time, your computer may detect new equipment and display a dialog box thatprompts

Setting Up Media Center Your VAIO Digital Studio® computer has the Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center Edition operating system to enhance yourcomputi

Setting Up TV Connections The best method of connecting your computer, TV monitor or display, and TV programming access is determined by the typeof ca

Connecting to standard cable access (CATV) Option 1 1.Connect one end of the TV coaxial cable (optional) to your cable service access. 2.Connect the o

Connecting to a standard antenna (air) system You can connect your computer to an indoor/outdoor antenna system using Option 1 or 2 from the previous

Connecting a Cable or Satellite Set-top Box You can connect your computer to cable or satellite service that requires a set-top box. Option 1 1.Connec

You can connect your computer to a set-top box using an S-video cable (optional) and an audio cable (optional)instead of a stereo A/V dubbing cabl

Planning an Ergonomic Work Space Before you set up your new computer, find the best location for your new computer and plan your work space. There are

Connecting the Remote Sensor and Remote Sensor Control The remote sensor communicates with the Media Center remote control, enabling you to change cha

To connect the remote sensor 1.Connect the remote sensor unit to a USB port located on either the front or back panel of your computer. 2.Position the

To connect the remote sensor control 1.Plug the remote sensor control's cable into either jack (1 or 2) located on the back of the remote sensor.

Connecting Other Devices This section illustrates how to connect other devices to your VAIO Digital Studio® computer. Your computer has both audioand

Connecting a TV monitor (display) 1.Connect the video connector end of the video cable adapter (optional) to the TV Out (S-video/video) jack on thebac

Registering Your Computer Register your computer and take advantage of Sony's commitment to quality customer support1. About the benefits of regi

Turning Off Your Computer Follow these steps when you are ready to turn off your computer for an extended period of time. To avoid loss of data, d

Using Memory Cards and Memory Card Readers This section provides basic information about using your computer's installed memory card readers. Ab

About Your Memory Card Readers Your VAIO® computer is equipped with memory card readers that are compatible with many popular types of memory cards.Yo

Inserting a Memory Card Your memory card reader(s) may be located behind a protective cover on the front of the computer. The style and locationof fro

Locating Controls And Ports This section is intended to familiarize you with the controls, ports, and jacks on your computer and supplied accessories.

Removing a Memory Card The correct way to remove a memory card from a memory card reader varies, depending upon the media, reader, orcomputer model. U

About Memory Stick Media Memory Stick® media are a compact, portable, and versatile data storage media designed for exchanging and sharing digitaldata

Sharing Memory Cards If you plan to share your memory card between your VAIO® computer and devices such as a digital camera or music player,the card m

Upgrading and Maintaining your VAIO Computer In the future you may want to increase the functionality of your VAIO computer. This section describes ho

Overview The upgrading procedures described in this section assume that you are familiar with the general terminology associatedwith personal computer

About Opening the Computer Removing the top cover 1.Shut down your computer and turn off all peripheral devices, such as your printer. 2.Unplug your c

About Opening the Computer Removing the top cover 1.Shut down your computer and turn off all peripheral devices, such as your printer. 2.Unplug your c

Removing the side panel 1.Shut down your computer and turn off all peripheral devices, such as your printer. 2.Unplug your computer and disconnect any

About Closing the Computer Replacing the side panel 1.Align the tabs on the bottom of the side panel to the tracks on the edge of the chassis frame. 2

About Closing the Computer Replacing the side panel 1.Align the tabs on the bottom of the side panel to the tracks on the edge of the chassis frame. 2

About the Front Panel The front panel of your VAIO® Computer enables access to drives, memory card readers, ports and jacks that enable you toconnect

Replacing the top cover 1.Align the tracks on the top cover to the tracks on the chassis frame. 2.Gently slide the top cover forward onto the chassis

About Add-on Card Installation Your computer may have one or more open expansion slots depending on the model configuration. An expansion slotenables

Installing an add-on card 1.Shut down your computer and turn off all peripheral devices, such as your printer. 2.Unplug your computer and any peripher

6.Attach any internal cables that the card requires. See the instructions supplied with the add-on card. 7.Replace the side panel. See About Closing t

Installing Memory The amount of preinstalled memory may vary depending on the computer purchased. Your computer may ship with allavailable memory slot

Removing a memory module 1.Shut down your computer and turn off all peripheral devices, such as your printer. 2.Unplug your computer and all periphera

Installing a memory module 1.Shut down your computer and turn off all peripheral devices, such as your printer. 2.Unplug your computer and any periphe

About the Lithium Battery The lithium battery starts to weaken after several years and the system settings, such as the date and time stored inCMOS RA

Replacing the lithium battery 1.Write down any changes you may have made to the settings in the BIOS Setup utility. 2.Shut down your computer and turn

Resetting the computer's date and time To reset your computer's date and time: 1.Double-click the time readout displayed in the Windows® Tas

Front panel Your computer may not be equipped with all of these hardware features or accessories. The location of the controls, ports,and jacks may va

About Hard Disk Drive Installation Your computer may be equipped with open internal bays to hold additional 3.5-inch hard disk drives. When you instal

Replacing the original hard disk drive If you replace the original, factory-installed hard disk drive, you may need to correct your drive mapping, and

Installing an additional hard disk drive 1.Shut down your computer and turn off all peripheral devices, such as your printer. 2.Unplug your computer a

10.Push the drive holder handle down to lock the drive into position. Replacing the drive holder 11.Reconnect the SATA and power connectors to the o

Identifying the additional hard disk space When you initialize the new hard disk, it must be configured as an extended partition in Windows NT file sy

About Media Center Your Sony® VAIO Digital Studio® computer and the Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center Edition (Media Center) bring all ofyour entert

Bringing Excitement to Home Entertainment Your VAIO Digital Studio® computer compliments the Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center Edition operating sys

Getting Started with Media Center There are several tasks to complete before you are ready to use Media Center features. Read this checklist before yo

Starting Media Center software You can instantly open Media Center features using the My Videos, My Pictures, My TV, or My Music buttons on your Media

About the Media Center Start menu Media Center — Start 1 Media Center Start Returns Media Center to the Start menu. 2 Back Returns Media Center to

6 Optical drive access indicator Light is amber while reading and writing data from and to the optical drives. 7 Hard disk drive access indicator Li

My Videos Plays and sorts home videos. My Pictures Displays and sorts digital images and slide shows. My TV Plays and records TV programs. My Music Pl

The media playback control toolbar auto-hides when it is not in active use. Use your mouse or keyboard to select andactivate the buttons on this toolb

Using the Media Center Setup Wizard The setup wizard requires you to provide certain information about your equipment and home computing environment.

Starting the setup wizard The first time you start the Media Center software program, the setup wizard appears and helps you to properly activateand c

Changing Views You can view the desktop without closing the Media Center software program. 1.Select the Minimize button with your remote control or m

Enlarging the view to full screen 1.Move the pointer over the current view to display the Maximize icon . 2.Click the Maximize icon. The current view

Shrinking the view 1.Move the pointer over the current view to display the Restore Down icon . 2.Click the Restore Down icon. The current view decrea

Switching from full screen mode to inset view Click on the remote control while the DVD or TV program is playing, to view the movie in an inset windo

Switching from inset view to full screen mode 1.Use the arrow keys on the remote control to navigate to the inset window. 2.Select the inset window, a

Media Center — Play DVD Media Center enables you to play your DVDs from your computer and control the playback from your favorite chair. Playing a DV