any damages arising out of or related to this document or the information contained herein,
even if Digital Networks North America has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
This document is intended for informational and instructional purposes only. Digital Networks
North America, Inc. reserves the right to make changes in the specifications and other information contained in this document without prior notification. Digital Networks North America,
Inc. disclaims any obligation to update the information contained herein. Rio
trademark of Digital Networks North America, Inc.
®
is a registered
Table of Contents Index
Microsoft, Windows Media and the Windows Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. iTunes is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Mac
and the Mac logo are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. registered in the United States and
other countries.
All other product names may be trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.
P/N 75550250-003
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Table of Contents
• Package Contents.......................................... ii
• Copyright/Trademarks.................................. ii
Thank you for purchasing the Rio Forge. The Rio Forge is a portable digital audio player that provides many hours
of MP3 and WMA playback. The Rio Forge features a lighted LCD, a memory expansion slot, a stopwatch, and an
FM radio tuner.
Learning More
•Refer to the Quick Start poster for the basics on how to set up and start using the Rio Forge.
•Visit the Rio website at www.rioaudio.com.
Rio Forge
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:: Tour of the Rio Forge
Table of Contents Index
MENU
In Player mode, press to enter
Menu mode.
In Menu mode, press to return
to Player mode.
POWER
Press to power the Rio Forge
on.
Press and hold to power the Rio
Forge off.
LOCK/UNLOCK
Slide into the LOCK position to
disable buttons and prevent
accidental operation.
VOLUME + and -
Press to adjust volume
level.
PLAY/PAUSE
Press to play or pause
playback.
CENTER
In Menu mode, press to select
options.
In Player mode press to cycle
through Tim e Code View, Track
Format View, and Date View.
Press and hold to quickly set
Bookmarks.
Rio Forge
STOP
Press to stop playback.
FORWARD and
REVERSE
Press to skip to the next or
previous track.
Press and hold to scan forward
or reverse.
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LOCK/UNLOCK
Slide into the LOCK position to disable buttons and
prevent accidental operation.
POWER
Press to turn the Rio Forge on. Press and hold
to turn the Rio Forge off.
VOLUME + and -
Press to adjust volume level.
EARPHONES
Connects to earphones,
headphones, or auxiliary
connections.
Rio Forge
USB
Connects to the USB cable.
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Optional Memory Card
The Rio Forge supports optional SD and
MMC memory sizes of 8MB - 1GB.
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Rio Forge
AAA Battery
Insert AAA-battery. The Rio Forge supports
both alkaline and NiMH batteries.
Battery Compartment Cover
Remove to access the battery compartment.
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:: LCD Overview
Player Mode
Volume Level
Artist
Album
Track
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Repeat Playback Indicator
Shuffle Playback Indicator
Lock Indicator
Power Indicator
Track Position Bar
Track Time
Menu Mode
Rio Forge
Track Number/Total
Number of Tracks
Play Indicator
Menu Title
Selected Option
Options
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Time Code View
Track Time
Track Number/Total
Number of Tracks
Date View
Time
Track Format View
Play Screens
Press CENTER to cycle through
Time Code, Date, and Track
Format, and EQ setting views.
Preset Stations
Preset Scroll Indicator
Current Frequency
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Chapter 2Connections
:: Basic Connections
This chapter describes how to connect the Rio Forge to earphones, mini USB cables, and alternate devices. Basic
connections include:
Battery
The Rio Forge uses a single AAA-battery that can provide many hours of use. The Battery
Compartment Cover must be removed before a battery can be installed.
Earphones
Connect the supplied earphones to the EARPHONES jack on the bottom of the Rio Forge.
USB
The Rio Forge must be connected using the included USB cable to the USB port on your computer
before music or files can be transferred to and from the Rio Forge and your computer.
USB Detection with the Windows Device Driver
USB connectivity works immediately. Installation of device driver software is not required
unless your computer uses the Windows 98 SE operating system.
If using Windows 98 SE the Windows Device Driver Wizard will be displayed after the USB
cable has been plugged into both the Rio F org e and the co mputer. Please follow these steps:
1Confirm the Rio installation CD is in the computer’s CD-ROM drive.
2Check the CD-ROM Drives box when the Windows Device Driver Wizard requests the
location of the Rio Forge drivers.
3Click Next and follow the Windows Device Driver Wizard instructions.
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Additional Accessories
Get the most out of your Rio Forge with additional accessories available online at the Rio website. Some of the
most popular accessories include the following:
Rio Approved External Memory Cards
•
Add an external memory card to your Rio Forge and significantly increase the number of tracks
that can be loaded onto the Rio Forge.
•
Rio Forge Sports Case and Armband
Replace sports cases and armbands that have been worn down by extreme sports and intensel y
active lifestyles.
•Rio Car Stereo Adapter
Upgrade your car stereo for hundreds of dollars less than buying a new MP3 CD player. The Rio
car stereo adapter connects to the earphone jack on the Rio Forge and lets you play your
favorite music in any vehicle equipped with a standard cassette deck.
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Chapter 3Software Setup
Software Setup
Software found on the Rio installation disc should be installed on a computer before using the Rio F orge. Rio Music
Manager should be installed on computers that use the Windows operating systems. iTunes and the Rio iTunes
plug-in should be installed on computers that use a Mac operating system.
Windows
Mac
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:: Windows
Follow these instructions to load Rio Music Manager onto your PC.
1Place the installation CD label-side up into the computer’s CD-ROM drive.
The Rio installation software launches automatically.
2Click Rio Music Manager INSTALL NOW (required) and follow the on-screen instructions.
3If prompted, reboot the computer when the installation is complete.
• If Rio installation software does not display automatically, follow these steps to begin the installation
manually:
4Double-click the My Computer icon, , on the Windows desktop.
5Double-click the CD-ROM icon, .
6Double-click the Install icon, .
7Go to Step 2.
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Rio Music Manager
Rio Music Manager is an all-in-one solution that can rip, encode, and manage entire collections of digital audio
tracks. Rio Music Manager provides the following capabilities:
•Save (Rip and Encode) audio
CDs into compressed digital
audio formats. Rio Music
Manager encodes WMA files by
default and MP3 via an
optional upgrade pack.
•Automatically Synchronize the
music collection on your
computer with your Rio Forge.
•Edit ID3 T ags and WMA tags on
digital audio tracks.
•Organize and manage digital
audio tracks on your computer
and your Rio Forge.
•Search for tracks on your
computer and your Rio Forge.
•Create customPlaylists.
•Transfer tracks from your
computer to your Rio Forge.
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:: Mac
iTunes
Rio Forge is compatible with Macintosh OS X v10.2 systems using Apple’s iTunes 4.2 or greater. iTunes is free and
available online. Support for iTunes can be found here.
Follow these instructions to load the software that enables your Macintosh to recognize the Rio Forge:
1Place the software CD label-side up into the computer’s CD-ROM drive.
2Double-click the Rio icon on your computer’s desktop.
3Double-click the Install icon.
The Rio Installation Screen will display.
4Click iTunes Plug-in.
The Plug-in Installation Screen will display.
5Click Install.
6Click Done.
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Chapter 4Basic Operations
:: Basic Operations
Enjoying music on the Rio Forge is easy. Basic operations of the Rio Forge include:
Copy Tracks
Transfer Tracks
Control the Player
Play Music
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:: Copy Tracks
Copying Tracks with Rio Music Manager
Copying tracks from Audio CDs involves two steps commonly known as ripping and encoding. Ripping and encoding refers to the process of ripping (copying) audio from a CD and encoding (saving) the audio content into a compressed digital audio format like MP3 or WMA.
1Launch the Rio Music Manager.
2Insert an Audio CD into your CD-ROM drive.
3Click the CD-ROM icon on the Rio Music Manager Device List.
4Use any of the following techniques to select tracks:
Track TypeTechnique
Single track.
Multiple tracks.• Press SHIFT+Click or CTRL+Click.
All tracks.
No tracks.
Every track except for the currently selected
tracks.
5Click to begin copying tracks to your computer.
Rio Forge
• Click the track.
• Press CTRL+A.
• Press CTRL+N.
• Select Edit, Invert Selection.
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:: Transfer Tracks
Rio Music Manager
Transferring tracks from the PC to the Rio Forge with the Rio Music Manager involves selecting tracks, then transferring them to the Rio Forge.
1Launch the Rio Music Manager.
2Click My Music i n the left frame to access tracks. Rio Music Manager will scan the computer’s hard drives for
digital audio files that are compatible with the Rio F orge. Files are automati cally categorized by album title and
displayed in the Track List.
3Select tracks within a category of tracks. Categories include Albums, Artists, Genres, Songs, and Playlists.
For example, if you wish to copy all tracks from a favorite artist onto the Rio Forge, click the Artists tab and
then use any of the techniques in Step 4 to select the desire d t racks.
4Use any of the following techniques to select files:
File typeTechnique
Single track, album, or artist.
Multiple tracks, albums, and/or artists.• Press SHIFT+Click or CTRL+Click.
All tracks, albums, and artists.
No tracks, albums, or artists.
Every track except for the currently selected
tracks.
5After the tracks have been selected they can be copied to the Rio Forge by clicking .
Rio Forge
• Click the track, album, or artist.
• Press CTRL+A.
• Press CTRL+N.
• Select Edit, Invert Selection.
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Transferring Tracks using Windows Explorer
Transferring tracks from the PC to the Rio Forge using Windows Explorer is as easy as Copy and Paste.
1Connect the Rio Forge to a computer using the supplied USB cable.
2Double-click My Computer on the Windows Desktop or in the Start Menu.
3Locate MP3 or WMA audio files on the computer.
4Highlight files and/or folders to transfer to the Rio Forge.
5Click Edit.
6Click Copy.
7Double-click My Computer on the Windows Desktop or in the Start Menu to open another window.
8In the new window, locate the Rio Forge (X:) icon that is associated with the Rio Forge. (X equals the drive
letter assigned to the Rio Forge.)
• A Removable Disk (X:) icon will also be displayed if your pla y er sup ports exp ansion memory cards-even if no expansion memory card is present.
• If no expansion memory card is present, double-clicking the associated Removable Disk (X:) icon
will generate a message that reads: Please insert a disk into drive “X”:.
9Double-click Rio Forge (X:) or Removable Disk (X:).
10 Click Edit.
11 Click Paste.
Any type of file can be transferred using this method but to assure full functionality, Playlists and copy protected
music using Digital Rights Management (DRM) should be transferred to Rio players using Rio Music Manager.
• Files and folders can also transferred to the Rio Forge using drag-and-drop techniques.
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iTunes
1Launch iTunes.
2Connect the Rio Forge to a USB port on the computer.
3Power the Rio Forge on.
4Click Library in the iTunes Source frame.
5Select tracks to transfer.
6Drag and drop selected tracks to the Rio Forge Player in the iTunes Source frame.
• iTunes will only refresh the audio contents located on the Rio Forge after all selected tracks ha ve been
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transferred.
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:: Control the Player
The controls on the Rio Forge work as follows:
•POWER
Press and hold to power the Rio Forge on or off.
•MENU
In Player mode, press to enter Menu mode. In Menu mode, press to return to
Player mode.
•CENTER
In Player mode, press to cycle through Play Screens. In Menu mode, press to
select menu options.
•PLAY/PAUSE
In Player mode, press to play or pause playback. In Menu mode, press to control
menu navigation.
•FORWARD and REVERSE
In Player mode, press to skip to the next or previous track. Press and hold to
scan forward or reverse through a track. In Menu mode, press to control menu
navigation.
•STOP
In Player mode, press to stop playback. In Menu mode, press to control menu
navigation.
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Controls
Locations of all controls can
be found on pages 2 and 3.
•VOLUME + and Press to adjust volume level.
•LOCK/UNLOCK
Slide into the LOCK position to disable buttons and prevent accidental operation.
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:: Play Music
The Rio Forge plays digital audio tracks in Player mode and FM radio in FM Tuner mode. Modes can be changed at
anytime through the Main Menu.
Play Music
FM Tuner
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:: Play Music
In Player mode (the default mode), any track or preset customized Playlist can be played within a matter of seconds so you can spend more time enjoying tracks and less time finding them.
Play All
Album
Artist
Genre
Track
Year
New Music
Playlist
Spoken Word
FM Recordings (Rio Forge 256 and 512 Only)
• If the Rio Forge does not power on after POWER has been pressed, check the LOCK/UNLOCK switch
Rio Forge
and confirm it is in the UNLOCK position.
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Play All
Follow these steps to play all tracks on the Rio Forge:
1Press MENU.
2Select Play Music.
3Select Play All.
Album
To play tracks from specific albums please follow these steps:
1Press MENU.
2Select Play Music.
3Select Album.
4Select Play All or a specific album.
5If a specific album is selected, select Play All or a specific track.
Artist
To play tracks from a specific artist please follow these steps:
1Press MENU.
2Select Play Music.
3Select Artist.
4Select Play All or a specific album.
5If a specific album is selected, select Play All or a specific track.
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Genre
To play tracks from a specific genre please follow these steps:
1Press MENU.
2Select Play Music.
3Select Genre.
4Select Play All, a specific genre, or [none].
5If a specific genre is selected, select Play All or a specific track.
Track
To play a specific track please follow these steps:
1Press MENU.
2Select Play Music.
3Select Track.
4Select Play All or a specific track.
Year
To play tracks from a specific year please follow these steps:
1Press MENU.
2Select Play Music.
3Select Year.
4Select Play All, a specific year, or [none].
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New Music
Select to compose a running order composed of the tracks that have most recently been added to the Rio Forge
during a set amount of time. The most recently played tracks are played first. To play tracks using New Music
please follow these steps:
1Press MENU.
2Select Play Music.
3Select New Music.
4Select 1 day (the default setting), 2 days, 1 week, or 1 month.
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Playlist
To play tracks from playlists created in Rio Music Manager please follow these steps:
1Press MENU.
2Select Play Music.
3Select Playlist.
4Select Play All or a specific playlist.
Spoken Word
Select to play tracks formatted using the Audible #2 and #3 formats. To play spoken word tracks please follow
these steps:
1Press MENU.
2Select Play Music.
3Select Spoken Word.
4Select an Audible track.
• When in spoken word mode, the Rio Forge display’s the following icon: .
• When in spoken word mode, press FORWARD or REVERSE to skip from one section of the track to
another.
FM Recordings (Rio Forge 256 and 512 Only)
To play FM recordings created using FM Record, please follow these steps:
1Press MENU.
2Select Play Music.
3Select Recording.
4Select Play All or a specific recording.
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:: FM Tuner
To access FM Tuner mode:
1Press MENU.
2Select FM Tuner.
FM Control
Manual
Preset
Store Preset
FM Control
When in Tuner mode, the following controls function differently:
•CENTER
Press to enter Preset mode. Press and hold to enter Store Preset mode.
•PLAY/PAUSE
Press and release to mute the FM radio. Press and hold to start or stop FM
Record (Rio Forge 256 and 512 Only).
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•FORWARD and REVERSE
In Manual mode, press to tune up or down the frequency range. In Manual
mode, press and hold to search up or down the frequency range for particularly
strong signals.
•STOP
Press and hold to turn off the Manual mode strong signal search. When turned
off, no search is displayed and selecting and holding FORWARD or REVERSE
will scan up or down the frequency range manually.
• When in Tuner mode, the earphone wire acts as the antenna for the FM radio. For best reception, keep
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Controls
Locations of all controls can
be found on pages 2 and 3.
the earphones plugged into the EARPHONE jack whenever the FM radio is in use.
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Manual
Follow these steps to enter the manual Tuner mode:
1Press MENU.
2Select Tuner.
3Press CENTER.
Store Preset
The Rio Forge allows programming of up to 8 FM preset slots.
1When in Manual mode, tune to a frequency you wish to store to a preset slot.
2Press and hold CENTER to enter Store Preset mode.
3Press FORWARD or REVERSE to cyc le to the desired preset station slot.
4Press CENTER to store the frequency to the selected FM preset slot. After a frequency
has been stored to a slot the Rio Forge will enter Preset mode.
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Preset
FM preset slots can be accessed within seconds using Preset mode.
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1When in Manual mode, press CENTER to enter Preset mode.
2Press FORWARD or REVERSE to cycle to the desired preset station slot.
3Press CENTER to return to Manual mode.
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Chapter 5Advanced Features
:: Advanced Features
Advanced features of the Rio Forge include:
Bookmarks
Settings
FM Record (Rio Forge 256 and 512 Only)
Stopwatch
About
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:: Bookmarks
Bookmarks store specific player settings, including the current running order, the current track, the current time
position of the track, and the Playback settings. Users can save these settings in a bookmark and restore them
whenever they use the Rio Forge. Bookmarks are great for:
•Placing digital bookmarks in digital audio books or other extended length tracks.
•Maintaining positions in long term running orders.
•Sharing your player with others without losing personal settings.
1Press MENU.
2Select Bookmarks.
3Select a Bookmark option.
Bookmark options include:
•Select
Select a bookmark. Press CENTER to restore the selected bookmark settings.
•Set
Select a bookmark. Press CENTER to save the current settings to a bookmark.
•Delete
Select a bookmark. Press CENTER to delete the selected bookmark.
• In Player mode, press and hold CENTER to quickly bookmark the current settings.
• The Rio Forge automatically saves user settings when it is turned off. These settings are automatical ly
Rio Forge
restored when the Rio Forge is turned on. Settings saved automatically are not saved as a bookmarks.
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:: Settings
Rio Forge settings include:
Playback
Equalizer
Power
Resume
Display
Time
Language
FM Tuner
Lock Setup
Tags
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Playback
Various playback settings can be set to modify the way the Rio Forge plays tracks. Tracks can be shuffled at random and/or repeated continuously.
1Press MENU.
2Select Settings.
3Select Playback.
4Select Playback options.
5Press CENTER to apply settings.
Plackback options include:
•Shuffle
Set selected tracks to play in standard or random order. Settings include Off (the default setting) and On.
•Repeat
Set selected tracks to repeat playback of all tracks or the current track. Settings include Off (the default
setting), All, and One.
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Equalizer
The sound of tracks played on the Rio F orge can b e adjusted using v arious preset and f ully cust omizable equali zer
options. Equalizer settings include:
Custom
Custom mode allows the Rio Forge’s settings to be adjusted according to personal preferences.
1Press MENU.
2Select Settings.
3Select Equalizer.
4Select Custom.
5Adjust 5-band equalizer. Press FORWARD or REVERSE to navigate between frequen-
cies. Press PLAY/PAUSE or STOP to boost or cut the Gain of the frequency.
6Press CENTER to save settings and return to Player mode.
Normal
Select the EQ Off equalizer option to apply no equalizer adjustments to audio content on the Rio Forge.
1Press MENU.
2Select Settings.
3Select Equalizer.
4Select EQ Off.
5Press CENTER to set the EQ Off equalizer option and return to Player mode.
Preset
Select a Rock, Jazz, Classical, Pop, or Trance equalizer option to change the sound of tracks according to the
selected preset settings.
1Press MENU.
2Select Settings.
3Select Equalizer.
4Select Rock, Jazz, Classical, Pop, or Trance.
5Press CENTER to set the selected equalizer option and return to Player mode.
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Power
By adjusting the Power settings the Rio Forge can conserve energy and extend the amount of playback time during each battery charge.
1Press MENU.
2Select Settings.
3Select Power.
4Select Power options.
5Press CENTER to apply settings and return to Player mode.
Power options include:
•Battery
Although the Rio Forge ships with an Alkaline battery, it can also use rechargeable Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH)
batteries. The Battery option must be set to the same battery type that is being used or the battery indicator
will not display the correct amount of battery life. Settings include Alkaline (the default setting) and NiMH.
•Pwr Save
Set the Rio Forge to enter shutdown after being idle for a specific number of minutes. Settings inc lude 1m, 5m
(the default setting), 10m, 30m, and Never.
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Resume
Use the options in the Resume menu to set the track that the Rio Forge will play whenever it is powered on.
1Press MENU.
2Select Settings.
3Select Resume.
4Select Resume options.
5Press CENTER to apply settings and return to Player mode.
Resume options include:
•Track
Set the Rio Forge to begin playback of the last track played before shutdown or the first track in the running
order when the Rio Forge is powered on. Settings include Current (the default setting) and First.
•Timecode
Set the Rio Forge to begin playback of the last track play ed at the point the tr ack was at during shutdown or at
the start of the track. Settings include Current (the default setting) and Start.
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Display
Use the Display menu to adjust backlight and contrast settings.
1Press MENU.
2Select Settings.
3Select Display.
4Adjust Backlight options and Contrast settings.
5Press CENTER to apply settings and return to Player mode.
Display options include:
•Backlight
Set the backlight on the Rio Forge to shut itself off after a specific number of seconds. Settings include Off, 2s, 5s, (the default setting) 10s, 20s, and On. On sets the backlight to remain lit constantly.
• To conserve battery life, the On setting should rarely be used.
•Contrast
Press FORWARD and REVERSE to control the contrast slider. Use the contrast slider to set how light or dark
the images on the LCD will appear. Setting the contrast too high will result in washed out images. Settin g the
contrast too dark will result in images that are too dark to read.
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Time
Use the options in the Time menu to set the Rio Forge’s internal clock. Time is set automatically ev ery time tr acks
are transferred to the Rio Forge using Rio Music Manager.
1Press MENU.
2Select Settings.
3Select Time.
4Select Set Time, Set Date, or Time Mode options.
5Press CENTER to apply settings and return to Player mode.
Time settings include:
•Set Time
Options include Hour, Minute, and AM / PM.
•Set Date
Options include Month, Day, and Year.
•Time Mode
Options include 12 hour (the default setting) and 24-hour time formats and USA (the default setting),
Europe, and Japan date formats.
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Language
The Rio Forge menus can be set to display in one of five languages.
1Press MENU.
2Select Settings.
3Select Language.
4Select a Language setting.
Language settings include:
•English (the default setting)
Set the display language to English.
•
Set the display language to Japanese.
•Deutsch
Set the display language to German.
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•Français
Set the display language to French.
•Español
Set the display language to Spanish.
• To return to the language menu from any langauge setting, press MENU, select the third option, select
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the seventh option.
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FM Tuner
Use the options in the FM Tuner menu to set the Rio Forge’s FM radio settings.
1Press MENU.
2Select Settings.
3Select FM Tuner.
4Select Options.
5Adjust FM Stereo Mode and/or Region options.
6Press CENTER to apply settings and return to Player mode.
FM Tuner options include:
•FM Stereo Mode
Options include On (the default setting), and Off. Selecting Off will place the tuner in mono mode.
•Region
Options include USA (tunes by .2MHz, the default setting), and Europe (tunes by .05MHz), and Japan (tunes
by .05MHz).
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Lock Setup
Use the options in the Lock Setup menu to enable various controls when the lock is enabled.
1Press MENU.
2Select Settings.
3Select Lock Setup.
4Select Lock Setup options.
5Press CENTER to apply settings and return to Player mode.
Lock Setup settings include:
•Volume
Options include Lock (the default setting) and Off. When set to Off, the volume level can be adjusted even
when the Rio Forge has been locked.
•Center
Options include Lock (the default setting) and Off. When set to Off, pressing CENTER will scroll through Time
Code View, Track Format View, and Date Views even when the Rio Forge has been locked.
•Pad
Options include Lock and / (PLAY/PAUSE). When set to /, any CONTROL PAD movement will be
interpreted as the / control.
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Tags
Adjust Tags menu settings if the Rio Forge displays random alphabet characters instead of the correct ID3 Tags.
The Rio Forge supports Latin- and Japanese-based languages. If ID3 tags are displayed properly then Tags menu
settings do not need to be changed.
Rio Music Manager encodes tracks tags using the Unicode method. Properly tagged (Unicode) tracks are unaffected by changes to the Tags menu settings. All WMA tracks are Unicode.
1Press MENU.
2Select Settings.
3Select Tags.
4Select ASCII (the default setting), UTF-8, or Shift-JIS.
5Press CENTER to apply settings and return to Player mode.
Tags settings include:
•ASCII
Select to read ID3 tags that are encoded using the ASCII Latin alphabet. ASCII is an acronym for American
Standard Code for Information Interchange.
•UTF-8
Select to read ID3 tags that are encoded using the UTF-8/Unicode format. UTF-8 is backw ards compatible with
ASCII. UTF is an acronym for Unicode Transformation Format
•Shift-JIS
Select to read ID3 tags that are encoded using the Shift-JIS format. Shift-JIS is a character encoding format
created by Microsoft that is based on the Japanese Industri al Standard format.
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:: FM Record (Rio Forge 256 and 512 Only)
Select to create, playback, or delete FM recordings on the Rio F orge 256 or 512. R ecording ID3 Tags can be edited
using Rio Music Manager.
1Press MENU.
2Select FM Record.
3Select Start (or Stop), Playback, or Delete.
FM Record options include:
•Start (Only available when in FM Tuner mode)
Select to begin recording. After recording has started, return to the FM Record menu and select the Stop
option to stop recording.
•Playback
Select an FM recording and press CENTER to play the selected recording.
•Delete
Select an FM recording and press CENTER to delete the selected recording.
• When in Tuner mode, the earphone wire acts as the antenna for the FM radio. For best reception, keep
Rio Forge
the earphones plugged into the EARPHONE jack whenever the FM radio is in use.
40
Page 45
:: Stopwatch
Use the stopwatch to keep track of time-sensitive events while listeni ng to music.
1Press MENU.
2Select Stopwatch.
Lap statistics are displayed at the bottom of the Stopwatch screen. When a new lap
is set, the difference, either faster (-) or slower (+) between new lap times and the
average laptime is displayed for a few moments.
When in Stopwatch mode, the controls work in the following ways:
•MENU
Press to return to the Main Menu.
Table of Contents Index
• Pressing MENU and using other player functions will not t urn the timer off.
•PLAY/PAUSE
Press to start and stop the timer.
•CENTER
Press to set a lap time. Press and hold to return to single lap display. Multiple
laps and lap averages will be lost .
•STOP
Press to reset timer.
Rio Forge
Average Lap Time
The timer will continue to run until PLAY/PAUSE is pressed while in Stop-
watch mode.
Lap Difference
41
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Table of Contents Index
:: About
The about screen displays information about the Rio Forge. Information includes the total amount of memory on
the Rio Forge, the amount of free memory, the number of tracks on the Rio Forge, and the Firmware version.
1Press MENU.
2Select About.
3Select Player or Storage.
About options include:
•Player
Displays firmware version, copyright, and Rio website information.
•Storage
Press CENTER to cycle through displays of memory usage graphic bar and memory usage (MB used/MB
capacity), the total number of tracks, the total duration of all tracks, the number of playlists, and the number
of personal files for both internal and external player memory on the Rio Forge.
Rio Forge
42
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Table of Contents Index
Chapter 6Help
:: Troubleshooting
Customer Service Information
The FAQs below will help you solve common issues with your player. If you do not find the answers you need here,
you can contact our Customer Service Department via any of the following methods:
Web: www.rioaudio.com/support
Technical Support Telephone (United States): (254) 299-2759
Technical Support Telephone (United Kingdom): 0207-744-0802
Technical Support Telephone (Canada): (905) 305-6565
Customer Service (United States): (254) 299-2759
Customer Service (United Kingdom): 0207-744-0802
With every Rio product you receive the following support services:
•Unlimited access to the Rio web-based technical information resources, available 24 hours a day every day at
http://www.rioaudio.com/support. Here you will find FAQ f iles, product updates, and other useful information.
•Unlimited e-mail support for the duration of your Rio product hardware warranty period.
•Access to the latest software updates and enhancements for Rio products via our website.
Rio Forge
43
Page 48
Frequently Asked Questions
QuestionAnswer
Table of Contents Index
What size and type of
external memory cards
can my Rio Forge use?
How do I install an
external memory card?
How do I remove an
external memory card?
What type of files can I
play with the Rio Forge?
Can I add MP3 and WMA
files to the player at the
same time?
• The Rio Forge currently supports SD and MMC memory sizes of 8MB - 1GB.
Please visit the Rio support site at www.rioaudio.com/support for more
information on external memory cards.
1Turn the Rio Forge off.
2Remove the battery compartment cover on the back of the player.
3Remove the battery.
4Gently insert the memory card with the label side up and the notch in the upper
right corner into the memory card slot next to the battery compartment. The
memory card spring will slightly click when the memory card is in place.
5Replace the battery.
6Replace the battery compartment cover.
7Turn the Rio Forge on.
1Turn the Rio Forge off.
2Remove the battery compartment cover on the back of the player.
3Remove the battery.
4Gently push the memory card until you hear the memory card spring slightly
clicks and releases the memory card.
• The Rio Forge can play MP3, WMA, and Audible #2 and #3 format files.
• Yes. You can play MP3 and WMA audio content. They can be mixed together.
What are the differences
between MP3 and WMA
files?
Rio Forge
• Because WMA’s use a lower bitrate than equivalent MP3’s they are generally half
as large as MP3 files and you can store more music in less space on CDs, hard
drives, or the Rio Forge. The WMA format is exclusive to Windows-based
computers.
44
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Table of Contents Index
Will the Rio Forge play
Variable Bitrate (VBR)
files?
What kind of batteries can
I use with the Rio Forge?
Where is the battery
indicator on my Rio
Forge?
What kind of skip
protection does the Rio
Forg e have?
What should I do if my
Rio Forge is not detected
as a removable drive?
• Yes. Because there are many standards for VBR files, it cannot be guaranteed
that every encoding software package will properly function with the Rio Forge.
VBR files that do not comply to standards may lack track time, fast forward, and/
or rewind capabilities.
• The Rio Forge can use either alkaline or Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries.
The Power setting Battery option must be set to the same battery type that is
being used or the battery indicator will not display the correct amount of battery
life.
• The battery indicator on the Rio Forge is located in the top-right corner of the
display. The segments in the battery icon show the remaining battery power. The
illumination of all segments indicates a fully charged battery. Non-illuminated
segments indicate a run down battery. The battery indicator blinks when less
than 20% of the charge on the battery remains.
• Because the Rio Forge uses no moving parts it will never skip or stutter during
audio playback due to physical shock.
• It is possible that a network drive is preventing the Rio Forge from being mapped
properly. This is a known Microsoft problem and has been documented in their
knowledge base as KB297694. To resolve this issue and detect the Rio Forge as a
removable drive:
1Click the Start Bar.
2Right-click My Computer on the Windows Desktop or taskbar.
3Click Manage.
4Locate Computer Management (Local) and click Disk Management.
5Right-click the new drive.
6Click Change Drive Letter and Path(s).
7Click Change.
8Use the drop-down box to select a drive letter for the new drive that is not
assigned to a mapped network drive.
9Click OK.
10 Click OK.
Rio Forge
45
Page 50
Table of Contents Index
What should I do if my
Rio Forge is not detected
by Rio Music Manager?
What should I do if my
Rio Forge is not detected
by my computer?
How much music can I
store on the Rio Forge?
• Your Rio Forge was designed to work with the version of Rio Music Manager that
was included on the Installation CD. Previous versions of Rio Music Manager may
not be able to detect your Rio Forge.
• Verify that the USB cable is securely inserted into the USB port on both the Rio
Forge and your computer.
• Connect the USB cable to a USB port on the back of your computer rather than to
a USB port on the front of your computer.
• If using a USB hub, connect to a powered USB hub. Unpowered USB hubs may
not work.
• Connect the USB cable directl y to your PC, bypassing any USB hubs.
• Remove USB extension cables from the connection path.
• Disconnect other USB devices.
• The amount of music that can be stored on the Rio Forge depends on the bitrate
of the files stored.
Bitrate
64 kbps
96 kbps
128 kbps
164 kbps
192 kbps
Approximate amount of space required per
minute of audio content
0.5 MB
0.75 MB
1 MB
1.25 MB
1.75 MB
Why will the Rio Forge not
turn on?
Rio Forge
• The Rio Forge will not power on if LOCK/UNLOCK is in the lock position. Confirm
the LOCK/UNLOCK switch on the Rio Forge is not in the lock position and press
POWER to turn the Rio Forge on.
46
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Table of Contents Index
Why would I ever want to
reformat my Rio Forge?
Why won’t the Rio Forge
play secure, dated, or
other DRM (digital rights
management) encoded
files?
• If for any reason you suspect that your Rio player's file system has been
corrupted, reformatting the player will restore the file system to its original state.
Use Windows Explorer to format Mass Storage Class compatible Rio players.
1Double-click My Computer on the Windows Desktop or in the Start Menu.
2Locate the Removable Disk (X:) or Player (X:) icon that is associated with
the player. (X: equals the drive letter assigned to the Rio player.)
3Right-click the Removable Disk (X:) or Player (X:) icon.
4Click Format....
Reformatting your Rio play er wi ll result in the deletion of all tracks and settings
on the Rio player and any attached Memory Cards (if any). Reformatting your
Rio player will immediately cancel any transfers currently in progress.
5If you are sure you wan t to reformat your player, cl ick Start.
• DRM files may not work properly if th e Ri o Forge’s internal clock is no longer
accurate. This can happen if the battery loses all charge for more than a few
minutes. Make sure the battery is fully charged, then follow these steps:
1Connect the Rio Forge to the computer using the USB cable.
2Transfer any track to the player using Rio Music Manager.
• Connect to the secure service where the DRM encoded files came from.
The Rio Forge’s clock should now be in sync with your computer’s clock.
DRM files should now play correctly.
Rio Forge
47
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Table of Contents Index
Why does my Rio Forge
experience errors after I
unplug the USB cable?
•Removing a Mass Storage Class (MSC) compatible Rio player from a USB
connection prior to ejecting, stopping, or otherwise closing communication
between the player and the computer may result in a corrupting the player's file
system.
e.g. All tracks, although different, are assigned the same name; the player will
not power off; etc.
To eject or stop an MSC compatible Rio player please follow the instructions
applicable to your computer's operating system:
Windows 98 SE
1Double-click My Computer on the Windows Desktop.
2Locate the Removable Disk (X:) or Player (X:) icon that is associated with
the player. (X: equals the drive letter assigned to the Rio player.)
3Right-click the Removable Disk (X:) or Player (X:) icon.
4Click Eject.
Windows ME
1Double-click the Unplug or Eject Hardware icon on the Windows taskbar.
2Select USB Disk.
3Click Stop.
4Select the Removable Disk (X:) or Player (X:) icon.
5Click OK.
Windows 2000
1Double-click the Unplug or Eject Hardware icon on the Windows taskbar.
2Select USB Mass Storage Device.
3Click Stop.
4Select the Player USB Device icon.
5Click OK.
Rio Forge
Windows XP
1Double-click the Safely Remove Hardware icon on the Windows taskbar.
2
Select USB Mass Storage Device.
3Click Stop.
4Select the Player MSC USB Device icon.
5Click OK.
48
Page 53
Table of Contents Index
Can I update the firmware
on the Rio Forge?
• Yes. If available, firmware for your Rio can be downloaded online.
Note: Quit all applications before running the firmware update. While running the
firmware update, do not close the progr am, turn off the play er, or unplug the USB
cable.
Downloading the update
1Click on the following link: Firmware Upgrade.
2Click on the link to the Rio Forge.
3Locate UPDATES and click Firmware.
Select and download the latest software. Download the software that is specific
to the operating system you use on your PC:
*.exe (Windows)
*.hqx (Mac)
*.zip (Windows)
*.txt (All operating systems—a text fi le including update information and
instructions.)
Installing the update (PC)
1Connect the player to your computer with the USB cable.
2Wait for Idle to be displayed on the player screen.
3Double-click the file that you downloaded from the Rio website.
The update should take approximately 30 seconds to load.
Installing the update (Mac)
1Connect the player to your computer with the USB cable.
2Wait for Idle to be displayed on the player screen.
3Double-click the Rio Update you downloaded.
4Follow the instructions to complete the update.
Rio Forge
49
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Table of Contents Index
:: Glossary of Digital Audio Terms
Bass
Bass is the particular low-range area of the sound spectrum where low musical notes and sounds are located.
Increasing the bass value will make the low vocals and drums more prominent in your music. You can select the
amount of bass in your music by selecting various Equalizer options.
Bitrate
Bitrate denotes the number of bits per second used by a digital music file. The size and quality of a compressed
digital audio file is determined by the bitrate used when encoding the file. Generally, the higher the bitrate used,
the higher the sound quality , and the larg er the file size. For example, a bitr ate of 96kbps (96,000 bits per second)
is generally thought of as “CD quality” for WMA audio files, and takes up about 0.75 megabytes (MB) per minute of
music. At a 64kbps bitrate, t he sound quality of WMA is simi lar to that of an FM radi o signal, but approximately two
minutes of music will fit in 1MB of space.
Codec
Depending on the context and kind of technology inv olved, codec can b e defined as a compressed digit al audio file
format (like MP3, WMA, etc.) , a “coding/decodi ng” chip us ed to tr anslate between digital and analog tr ansmissions
(used in modems), or a compression/decompression algorithm. Codecs compress audio data into a file, often for
efficient transmission over a network, and then decode it for playback. While all the codecs perform similar
compression of digital audio, there are differences in the technology.
The Rio Forge supports the following digital audio codecs:
•MP3
•WMA
•Audible
DRM
Digital rights management (DRM) is a type of encryption that is intended to protect copyrighted tracks and is
added to many commercially purchased music files during the encoding process. DRM encryption frequently
restricts the number of times a file can be downloaded, transferred to portable devices, or burned to CD. Copy
protected music using DRM should be transferred to the Rio Forge using Rio Music Manager.
Rio Forge
50
Page 55
Table of Contents Index
Firmware
Firmware is the read-only software that is installed on the player. Like software it can be updated, but unlike
software it can never be deleted from the player.
Gain
Gain is a measurement of the amplitude of frequency ranges. Gain adjustments boost or reduce frequencies to
provide a more desirable audio output.
ID3 Tags
The ID3 tag is the part of the encoded MP3 or WMA file that contains information about the digital music file such
as song title, artist, album title, encoding bitrate, track time duration, and so on. ID3 tag information is displayed
on the Album/Artist/Track title line on the player’s LCD.
Mass Storage Class
Mass Storage Class (MSC) is a transfer protocol that uses USB drivers that are common to many operating
systems and devices. No additional software needs to be installed for the MSC transfer protocol to work because
MSC uses drivers are already on a computer's operating system. Because MSC compatible Rio players are treated
as removable drives, any type of file can be transferred to MSC compatible Rio players using Windows Explorer.
Although any type of file can be transferred, to assure full functionality, playlists and copy protected music using
Digital Rights Management (DRM) should be transferred to Rio players using Rio Music Manager.
MP3
MP3 is short for Moving Pictures Experts Group Audio Layer 3. MP3 is the most well known compressed digital
audio file format. This format allows for near “CD quality” sound, but at a fraction of the size of normal audio files.
MP3 conversion of an audio track from CD-ROM can reduce the file size by approximately a 12:1 r atio with virtually
no perceptible loss in quality. MP3 compression removes the redundant and irrelevant parts of a sound signal that
the human ear doesn't hear. This digital sound encoding and compression process was developed by the
Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits and Thomson Multimedia.
Playlist
A playlist is a custom grouping of tracks t hat has been saved for later use. Rather than playing every track on the
player playlists can be used to play specific tracks in specific orders. Rio Forge supports .asx, .m3u, and .pls
formatted playlists. Tracks that are referenced by a playlist must be present on the Rio Forge. Tracks stored on
external memory cannot be played by a playlist. Playlists that are transferred to a Rio player by an application
other than Rio Music Manager may not function properly on Rio players.
Rio Forge
51
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Table of Contents Index
Rip and Encode
Rip and encode refers to the process of extracting audio from a music CD (ripping) and encoding it into a
compressed digital audio format like MP3 or WMA.
Synchronize
Rio Music Manager can automatically (or manually) delete old content, transfer new audio content, and keep the
content on your Rio Forge fresh and dynamic. Rio Music Manager must be open for synchronization to occur.
Treble
Treble notes occupy the higher portion of the sound spectrum. Increasing the treble value will raise the levels of
the high sounds in your music files. You can select the amount of treble in your music by selecting various
Equalizer options.
VBR
Variable Bitrate (VBR) encoding converts tracks at a v ariable rate, using higher bitrate encoding for complex
portions and lower bitrate encoding for pauses in songs.
WMA
Windows Media Audio (WMA) is a compressed audio format created by Microsoft as an alternative to MP3. The
WMA codec offers greater file compression than the MP3 codec, enabling storage of more digital audio tr acks in the
same amount of space when compared to MP3s at the same level of quality.
Rio Forge
52
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Table of Contents Index
:: ECC, FCC, and Industry Canada Compliance
Statement of Compliance
This product complies with Council Directive 89/336/EEC and Council Directive 72/23/EEC.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. O p eration is subject to the following two conditions:
1This device may not cause harmful interference, and
2This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part
15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
•Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
•Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Industry Canada
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
Rio Forge
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Page 58
Table of Contents Index
:: Safety
Warning
TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF SHOCK OR INJURY, DO NOT USE or OPERATE THIS DEVICE IN OR NEAR WATER OR
WET LOCATIONS.
CAUTION
RISK OF EXPLOSION, DAMAGE OR BATTERY LEAKAGE IS POSSIBLE IF BATTERY IS REPLACED INCORRECTLY OR
BY AN INCORRECT TYPE. NEVER ATTEMPT TO CHARGE A NON-RECHARGEABLE ALKALINE BATTERY. DISPOSE OF
USED BATTERIES ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS OR LOCAL LAWS.
Use of headphones while operating a vehicle is not recommended and is unlawful in some states and areas. Be
careful and attentive while driving. Stop operation of the player if you find it disruptive or distracting while
operating any type of equipment. Listening to music at full power ov er extended period s of time can be damaging
to the hearing of the user.
Rio Forge
54
Page 59
Table of Contents Index
Index
Symbols
+/- Control 19
A
About 42
Accessories 9
Advanced Features 27
Album 22
Artist 22
B
Backlight 34
Basic Operations 14
Bass
definition
Battery
indicator
Installation 4
Bitrate
definition
Bookmarks 28
Buttons and Controls 19
50
45
50
C
Codec
definition
MP3 51
WMA 52
Contrast 34
Controls 19
Copy tracks 15
50
Customer Service
Information
43
D
Date View 6
Display 34
DRM 50
E
Earphones 8
Encoding 15
Equalizer 31
F
Firmware 51
FM 24
FM Control 25
FM Recordings 24
FM Tuner 37
FM Tuner mode 25
Forward 2, 19
Frequently Asked
Questions
44
G
Genre 23
Getting Started 1
Glossary 50
H
Help 43
I
ID3 Tag
definition
iTunes 13
51
L
Language 36
Liquid Crystal Display
LCD
5
Lock Setup 38
M
MP3 51
MSC 51
N
New Music 23
P
Play All 22
Play/Pause 2, 19
Playback 30
Playlist 24
Playlists 51
Power button 2
Power settings 32
Preset Mode 26
R
Recording (Rio Forge
256 and 512 Only)
Resume 33
Reverse 2, 19
Rio Music Manager 12
Ripping and Encoding 52
24
S
Settings 29
Spoken Word 24
Stop 2, 19
Stopwatch 41
Store Preset 26
T
Tags 39
Technical Support 43
Time 35
Time Code View 6
Track 23
Track Format View 6
Transferring tracks
iTunes
Rio Music Manager
18
16
Treble
definition
Troubleshooting 43
U
Upgrading Firmware 49
USB 8
52
Rio Forge
55
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Table of Contents Index
V
Variable Bitrate (VBR)
52
Volume +/- 2, 19
W
WMA 44, 52
Y
Year 23
Rio Forge
56
Page 61
2600 San Tomas Expy.
Santa Clara, CA 95051-0953
USA
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