Sony PCG-C1MW, PCG-C1MWP User Guide

Welcome.......................................................9

Using Your VAIO PictureBook Computer ... 11

Using the Keyboard...................................................12

Functions of the keyboard keys .........................................13

Combinations and functions with the Windows key .........14

Indicators ...........................................................................15

Indicator lights ...................................................................16

Combinations and functions with the Fn key ....................16

Using the MOTION EYE Camera ............................19

To capture a still image......................................................19

To set the image quality and mode of MOTION EYE camera 21

Notes on using the MOTION EYE camera .......................23

Using the Pointing Device.........................................24

To replace the pointing device cover.................................25

Using the Jog Dial Control........................................26

To use the Jog Dial Control ...............................................26

Using the Indicate Window ...............................................27

Selecting a mode................................................................28

Selecting a menu item........................................................29

To change the Jog Dial settings .........................................29

Using the Jog Dial Navigator with Sony software ............29

Using Memory Stick Media ......................................31

Types of Memory Stick media...........................................31

Notes on using Memory Stick media.................................33

Using PC Cards .........................................................34

To insert PC card ...............................................................34

To remove a PC Card.........................................................35

Notes on PC Cards.............................................................36

VAIO® Computer User Guide

Using Power Saving Modes...................................... 37

Normal mode..................................................................... 37

Standby mode.................................................................... 37

Hibernate mode................................................................. 37

Notes on power saving modes .......................................... 38

Connecting a Telephone Cable ................................ 39

How to connect a telephone cable..................................... 39

Connecting to a Local Area Network ....................... 41

To set up your ethernet connection ................................... 41

Connecting Peripheral Devices ...............43

Connecting the Port Replicator................................. 44

To connect a port replicator .............................................. 44

Connecting a Floppy Disk Drive .............................. 46

To connect the floppy disk drive....................................... 46

To insert a floppy disk ...................................................... 46

To remove a floppy disk ................................................... 47

To remove the floppy disk drive when the computer is on47

To carry the floppy disk drive........................................... 48

Notes on handling floppy disks......................................... 48

Connecting a PC Card Bus Drive ............................. 49

To connect a PC Card Bus drive....................................... 49

To insert a disc .................................................................. 50

To remove the drive .......................................................... 51

Notes on CD and DVD discs ............................................ 51

Connecting an i.LINK Optical Disc Drive................53

To connect an i.LINK optical disc drive............................53

To disconnect an i.LINK optical disc drive.......................54

To play a DVD...................................................................55

To play an audio CD..........................................................56

Notes on CD and DVD discs .............................................56

To write data to a CD-RW or CD-R disc...........................57

Notes on using i.LINK optical disc drives.........................58

Connecting a USB Mouse .........................................59

To connect a USB mouse...................................................59

Connecting VAIO Computers...................................60

Connecting with i.LINK ....................................................60

To connect two VAIO computers......................................60

Connecting an i.LINK Device...................................62

Connecting an External Display................................65

To connect a computer display ..........................................65

To connect a projector .......................................................66

To connect a TV ................................................................67

Connecting a USB Printer .........................................68

To connect a printer ...........................................................68

Connecting an External Microphone.........................69

To connect an external microphone...................................69

To record from a microphone or audio equipment ............69

To switch the microphone jack functionality ....................69

To adjust sound volume in the Recording Control window .. 70

To increase the sound of the microphone ..........................70

To adjust sound device volume .........................................70

To set the microphone to echo...........................................72

To modify the MIDI sound................................................72

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Connecting External Speakers .................................. 74

To connect external speakers ............................................ 74

Notes on using external speakers ...................................... 74

Expanding Your Computer’s Capabilities................ 75

Personal Digital Assistant ................................................. 75

The Wireless LAN Access Point ...................................... 75

The Wireless LAN PC Card.............................................. 76

Customizing Your VAIO Computer..........77

Displaying the Sony Notebook Setup Screen ........... 78

Sony Notebook Setup tabs ................................................ 79

Controlling Power Management............................... 80

To view the Power Management status icons................... 80

Power Management profiles ............................................. 81

Power Management commands ........................................ 83

Conserving battery power ................................................. 84

Displaying Battery Information ................................ 85

Battery icon descriptions................................................... 86

Displaying detailed battery information ........................... 86

Selecting the Display Mode...................................... 88

Changing the window design of Sony software................ 89

Using the Multilingual User Interface Language

Option .......................................................................91

To Change the Language Option ...................................... 91

To Change Numbers, Currency, Time, and Date Formats 92

Adding Memory .........................................93

Precautions and Procedures ...................................... 94

Typical expansion memory configuration ........................ 94

Removing a Memory Module................................... 95

Installing a Memory Module.....................................97

Confirming Added Memory Capacity.......................99

About the Software on Your Computer.101

Software Overview..................................................102

DVgate application notes ........................................107

Digital video captures ......................................................107

Adjusting image resolution..............................................107

Exporting images to a digital video device......................107

Hard disk drive partition ..................................................107

Software Support Information.................................109

Sony Service Center.........................................................111

Using the Recovery CDs.........................113

Application and System Recovery CDs ..................114

Using Your Recovery CDs......................................115

Using the Application Recovery CD(s) ...........................115

Using the System Recovery CD(s) ..................................117

Troubleshooting ......................................121

Troubleshooting Your Computer ............................122

My computer does not start. ............................................122

My computer starts, but a BIOS error appears. ...............122

My computer starts, but the message “Operating system not

found” appears and Windows does not start....................123

My computer stops responding or does not shut down. ..124

The Power Management setting is not responding..........124

The sound of my computer’s fan is too loud. ..................125

Why does the System Properties dialog box display a slower

CPU speed than advertised? ............................................125

VAIO® Computer User Guide

Troubleshooting the LCD Screen ........................... 126

My LCD screen is blank. ................................................ 126

The image on my connected external display is not centered

or sized properly.............................................................. 126

I cannot simultaneously display movies, DVD video, or the Smart Capture (Finder) window on the LCD display and an

external display. .............................................................. 126

I want to change the video resolution of my display. ..... 126

Troubleshooting the Mouse and Pointing Device... 127

My mouse does not work. ............................................... 127

My pointing device does not work properly. .................. 127

The pointer does not move (while using the pointing device

or mouse)......................................................................... 127

Troubleshooting Drives, PC Cards and Peripheral

Devices.................................................................... 129

My floppy disk drive icon doesn’t appear even though it is

connected. ....................................................................... 129

My optical drive is not playing my disc properly. .......... 129

My optical disc drive tray does not open. ....................... 130

I cannot use digital video (DV) devices. The message “DV equipment seems to be disconnected or turned off” appears. 130

My PC Card is not working. ........................................... 130

Troubleshooting i.LINK devices ............................131

I cannot establish a connection between two VAIO

computers when using an i.LINK cable.......................... 131

I cannot export images to a digital video (DV) device. .. 131

Troubleshooting Software....................................... 132

My software program stops responding or crashes......... 132

When I click an application icon, the message “You must insert the application CD into your CD-ROM (DVD-ROM)

drive” appears, and the software does not start................132

I cannot use the DVgate software. ...................................132

My computer’s start-up time seems longer after I have

installed AOL. What can I do? ........................................132

What software do I use for CD-R/CD-RW software

functions?.........................................................................133

Troubleshooting the Modem ...................................134

My modem does not work. ..............................................134

My modem connection is slow. .......................................134

Troubleshooting Audio ...........................................135

My speakers have no sound. ............................................135

There is noise distortion while listening to music with

speakers or headphones. ..................................................135

My microphone does not work. .......................................136

Troubleshooting Memory Stick Media ...................137

I cannot open image files. ................................................137

Memory Stick media does not work. I cannot access the

removable drive. ..............................................................137

Getting Help .............................................139

Support Options.......................................................139

Index .........................................................141

VAIO® Computer User Guide

Welcome

Congratulations on your purchase of this Sony VAIO® computer, and welcome to the online VAIO® Computer User Guide. This user guide provides detailed information on all aspects of using your new VAIO computer, from keyboard functions to preinstalled software applications. In the left navigation window, click the topics you want to learn more about, and that information will be displayed in this main window.

✍ Click here to find the latest updates and supplemental information about your

computer.

Click here to view your computer's hardware specifications and software information.

VAIO® Computer User Guide

Using Your VAIO PictureBook Computer

This section describes the following aspects of your new computer:

❑ Using the Keyboard

❑ Using the MOTION EYE Camera

❑ Using the Pointing Device

❑ Using the Jog Dial Control

❑ Using Memory Stick Media

❑ Using PC Cards

❑ Using Power Saving Modes

❑ Connecting a Telephone Cable

❑ Connecting to a Local Area Network

VAIO® Computer User Guide

Using the Keyboard

Your keyboard is very similar to a typewriter’s, but your computer keyboard has additional keys that perform specific computer-related tasks.

Keyboard

Shift key

Ctrl key

Fn key

Escape key

Windows

Alt key

® key

Function keys

Numeric keypad area

Print Screen key

Applications key

Correction keys

Shift key

Navigation keys

Using the Keyboard

Functions of the keyboard keys

Key Description

Numeric keypad area Contains the keys found on a typical calculator. Use the

numeric keypad area to type numbers or to perform mathematical calculations such as addition and subtraction. Numbers appear on the front beveled edge of the numeric keys. Note that you must press the Num Lock key to activate the numeric keypad. (When you do so, the Num Lock light will be on.)

Navigation keys Several keys are devoted to moving the cursor on the

screen (the four arrow keys which also function as the Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys).

Correction keys The Insert, Backspace, and Delete keys enable you to

make corrections in your documents.

Function keys The twelve function keys along the top of the keyboard

are used to perform designated tasks. For example, in many applications, F1 is the Help key. The task associated with each function key may vary from one application to the next.

Escape key The Esc (Escape) key is used to cancel commands.

Print Screen key The Print Screen key takes an electronic snapshot of the

screen and places it in the Windows® Clipboard. You can then paste the screen shot into a document and print it.

VAIO® Computer User Guide

Key Description

Operator keys (Shift, Ctrl, Alt keys)

Windows® key The key with the Windows® logo displays the

Fn key The Fn key is used in combination with other keys to

Applications key The Applications key displays a shortcut menu of

Several keys are always used with at least one other key: Ctrl, Alt, and Shift. When held down with another key, the Ctrl (Control) and Alt (Alternate) keys offer another way to give commands. For example, in many applications, instead of choosing the Save command from a menu, you can hold down Ctrl and press the S key (referred to as Ctrl+S). The Shift key operates the same way as on a typewriter; it is used to produce capital letters or special symbols, such as @ and $.

Windows® Start menu; it’s the equivalent of clicking the Start button on the taskbar. See “Combinations and functions with the Windows key” for more information.

issue commands. The Fn keys at the left and right sides both work the same. See “Combinations and functions with the Fn key” for more information.

context-sensitive choices. Pressing this key is the equivalent of clicking the right mouse button.

Combinations and functions with the Windows key

Combination Function

+ F1 Displays VAIO® Help and Support Center window.

+ Tab Switches the selected button on the taskbar.

+ E Displays the My Computer window.

Using the Keyboard

Combination Function

+ F Displays the Search window to find a file or folder. This

is the equivalent of selecting Search from the Start menu.

+ Ctrl + F Displays the Search Results: Computers window where

you can locate other computers. This is the equivalent of selecting Search and then Computers from the Start menu.

+ M Minimizes all displayed windows (with Num Lock off).

Shift + +M Returns all minimized windows to their previous size.

+ R Displays the Run window. This is the equivalent of

selecting Run from the Start menu.

Fn + + Insert Displays the System Properties window. This is the

equivalent of selecting Control Panel and then System from the Start menu.

Indicators

Indicator Function

Power Light is green when the power to the computer is turned on,

flashes amber in Standby mode, and turns off when the computer is in Hibernate mode or powered off.

Battery

Hard disk Lights when data is read from or written to the hard disk drive. Do

Indicates the status of the battery inserted in the computer.

not enter Standby mode or turn off the computer when this indicator light is on.

VAIO® Computer User Guide

Indicator lights

Light On Off

Memory Stick®

Num Lock The number keys area in the

Caps Lock The letters appear in uppercase

Scroll Lock The screen scrolls differently.

Data is read from or written to the Memory Stick media. (Do not enter Standby mode or turn off the computer when this indicator light is on.)

numeric keypad are active.

as you type. The Shift key lowers the case of typed letters when Caps Lock is on.

(Exactly how it scrolls depends on the specific application. This function does not work with all applications.)

The Memory Stick media is not being accessed.

The alphanumeric character keys in the keypad area are active.

The letters appear in lower case as you type (unless you hold down the Shift key).

Information moves across the display normally.

Combinations and functions with the Fn key

✍ If you switch user identities during a computing session, the Fn+F7 and Fn+F8 key

functionality (if available on your computer) will be interrupted. To switch to an external display or monitor, see “Selecting the Display Mode” for more information.

Combinations/ Feature Functions

Using the Keyboard

Fn+ (ESC) Standby

Fn+ (F3) Speaker switch

Fn+ (F4) Speaker volume

Fn+ (F5) Brightness control

Fn+ (F7) Switch to the external display

Puts the system into Standby mode, a power management state. To return the system to the active state, press any key on your computer.

Toggles the built-in speaker off and on.

Adjusts the built-in speaker volume. To increase volume, press Fn+F4, then or . To decrease volume, press Fn+F4, then or .

Adjusts the brightness of the LCD. To increase light intensity, press Fn+F5 and then or . To decrease light intensity, press Fn+F5 and then

or .

Toggles between the LCD, external display (connected to the Monitor port), and both LCD and external display modes.

Only LCD

LCD and external display

Only external display

VAIO® Computer User Guide

Combinations/ Feature Functions

Fn+ only/ (F8) Control AV Out

Toggles between LCD-only and dual LCD/TV display modes.

Only LCD

LCD and external display

Only external display

Select one display at a time to playback DVDs. Connect the cable before you turn on the computer, otherwise Fn+F8 will not work. You cannot use the Fn+F8 function to switch between LCD and TV once a DVD is inserted into the optical disc drive.

Fn+ (F12) Hibernate

Provides for the lowest level of power consumption. When you execute this command, the state of the system and state of the peripheral devices are written to the hard disk and the system power is turned off. To return the system to the original state, press the power button briefly to turn on the power.

Fn+B Bass Boost

Toggles the bass-boost function off and on. This feature is available only while using headphones.

✍ Some functions are not available until Windows® launches.

Using the MOTION EYE Camera

Your computer includes a built-in MOTION EYE™ camera. You can use the camera to shoot still images and record video clips.

To capture a still image

1 Press the CAPTURE button to start the Smart Capture Premium application.

CAPTURE Button

2 Select Still Viewer/Long Movie Player/Net Movie Player from the

application list.

3 Choose Still by clicking the on-screen Capture Mode button. To switch to

Motion, click the on-screen Change Capture Mode button. (You can also use Jog Dial Control for this function.)

4 The Finder window appears. Turn the MOTION EYE camera lens toward

the subject you want to photograph.

VAIO® Computer User Guide

Turning MOTION EYE

5 Adjust the focusing ring.

Adjusting the Focusing Ring

6 Half-press the CAPTURE button on the computer. The image remains still

for a few seconds. To display another image, release the CAPTURE button and press again.

7 Fully press the CAPTURE button. The still viewer window opens and the

captured still image appears in the still viewer window.

8 For more detailed information about the capture software, refer to the online

Help for Smart Capture Premium. To access the online help file, click Start on the Windows® taskbar, select All Programs, select Smart Capture Premium, and click Smart Capture Premium Online Help.

Using the MOTION EYE Camera

If you turn the lens toward you, Smart Capture Premium goes into mirror mode. You can use the mirror mode to take a still image of yourself. A mirror-image appears in the finder window of the display while shooting; after capturing, however, a normal image appears.

✍ You can capture still images in the following sizes: 640 × 480, 320 × 240, 160 × 120,

and 80 × 60 pixels.

Using the self-timer

You can take a still image 10 seconds after clicking the CAPTURE button by using the self-timer.

1 Click Still Viewer/Movie Player from the switch applications list.

2 Select Still mode.

3 Click the Options button. The Still Image Options dialog box appears.

4 Click Self-timer capture on the Capturing mode tab.

5 Click OK.

After Self-timer capture is complete, the capturing mode changes automatically to single image (Normal Capture).

To display the remaining time before the picture is taken, turn on the capture information display. The capture information display can be turned on and off by selecting Displaying Capture Information from the shortcut menu.

✍ To stop the self-timer, click the CAPTURE button.

To set the image quality and mode of MOTION EYE camera

You can change the settings of image quality or mode of MOTION EYE camera.

1 Click the Start button, then click Control Panel and Printers and Other

Hardware.

2 Double-click the MOTION EYE™ camera icon. The Camera Control Utility

dialog box appears.

✍ You can also activate the camera control utility using the Jog Dial™ control. The

camera control utility is available even while using other software applications that use the MOTION EYE camera.

VAIO® Computer User Guide

3 Click the Image tab and drag the slider to the left or the right. The level

settings increase as the slider is moved to the right, and decrease as it is moved to the left.

4 Click the Mode tab, and then click the item you want to set.

Features Description

Brightness Adjust the brightness

Contrast Adjust the contrast of the light part and the dark part

Hue Adjust the hue of the color

Color Adjust the coloring

Sharpness Adjust the sharpness

White balance Adjust the colors to be more natural.

Auto: Adjust automatically to natural colors. Indoor: Suitable for indoor capturing. Outdoor: Suitable for outdoor capturing. Hold: Suspend the proximate settings of the white balance, so that settings do not change automatically.

Shutter speed Set the shutter speed:

Auto: Adjust the shutter speed automatically.

----50

: This speed is suitable for capturing images under fluorescent light. Hold: Suspend the proximate settings of the shutter speed, so that settings do not change automatically.

The appropriate mode will vary depending on the situation or subject. Switching between outdoor and indoor environments while setting the White Balance to Hold may cause colors to appear incorrectly. To correct color discrepancies, set White Balance to Auto and pture something white, and then wait approximately 10 seconds. The image should now display with the correct color.

5 Click OK.

Using the MOTION EYE Camera

✍ Click the Default button, and then click OK to return all settings to the default settings.

Notes on using the MOTION EYE camera

❑ Do not touch the camera lens, as dirt may accumulate and degrade picture

quality.

❑ Do not point the camera toward the sun.

❑ You cannot detach the camera.

❑ Smart Capture Premium is unavailable while other software that uses the

built-in camera is in use. Close all software that uses the built-in camera before you use Smart Capture Premium.

❑ You cannot transfer still images or video clips from the built-in camera while

transferring to connected i.LINK® devices.

❑ Take an initial shot before taking a final shot to ensure sound and picture

quality.

❑ You can adjust the sound quality for different sound environments. Click

Start, point to Settings, and then point to Control Panel. Click Sounds and Multimedia and then Audio tab. Click Volume under the Sound Recording category. Adjust the volume level with the microphone slider.

❑ Your recording is not guaranteed.

❑ If your recording fails due to conditions unfavorable to the camera, the

contents of your recording cannot be guaranteed.

❑ Clean the lens regularly. Picture quality is adversely affected when the lens

is dirty. Use a non-abrasive lens cleaning cloth and approved lens cleaning fluid.

✍ MOTION EYE™ camera can also be used with the Microsoft® NetMeeting®

application. For more information about the Microsoft® NetMeeting® application, open the Start menu, select All Programs, Accessories, Communications, and then click NetMeeting.

VAIO® Computer User Guide

Using the Pointing Device

The pointing device on the keyboard enables you to point to, select, drag, and scroll objects on the screen.

Using the Pointing Device

Pointing

device

Left button

Center button

Right button

Action Description

Point Press the pointing device in a direction to place the pointer on an

item or object.

Click Press the left button once.

Double-click Press the left button twice.

Using the Pointing Device

Action Description

Right-click Press the right button once. In many applications, this action

displays a shortcut menu of context-sensitive choices.

Drag Press the pointing device in a direction to place the pointer on an

item or object. While holding the left button, press the pointing device in a direction, and then release it at the desired point.

Scroll Press the pointing device while pressing the center button.

✍ The scroll function is available only with applications that support a scroll pointing device

feature. Pressing the pointing device too hard may damage it.

To replace the pointing device cover

You can take off the pointing device cover and replace it with the additional cover supplied with your computer.

Replacing the Pointing Device Cover

Pointing device cover (supplied)

✍ Make sure the cover is tightly secured to prevent damage to the screen when you

close the computer.

VAIO® Computer User Guide

Using the Jog Dial Control

Your computer is equipped with a Jog Dial™ Control and Jog Dial Navigator software, which enables you to scroll through applications, folders, and documents from a predefined list. The Jog Dial Control and Jog Dial Navigator are only compatible with preinstalled Sony software.

Using the Jog Dial Control

Jog Dial Control

Jog Dial Navigator

To use the Jog Dial Control

1 Select a mode in which to navigate from the Indicate Window. See “Using

the Indicate Window.”

2 Rotate the center Jog Dial™ Control to scroll up and down a selected menu.

3 Press the Jog Dial Control to select a menu item listed between the two

arrows on the Jog Dial Launcher.

4 If necessary, press the Back button to return to the previous menu.

Using the Jog Dial Control

Using the Indicate Window

To scroll through applications, folders, and documents on your computer, you must first select a mode: Scroll or Application. The Indicate Window enables you to quickly select a mode:

❑ Scroll mode navigates through the menu items or functions of an active

application.

❑ Application mode navigates through a menu of applications, which are

compatible with the Jog Dial Navigator software.

As a default setting, the Indicate Window always appears as a floating window on your desktop unless you:

❑ Store it on your computer’s taskbar by right-clicking the taskbar and

selecting Jog Dial from the Toolbar menu. To make the Indicate Window reappear, right-click the taskbar and select Jog Dial from the Toolbar menu.

❑ Hide it by right-clicking anywhere on the Indicate Window and selecting

Hide Indicate Window from the menu. To make the Indicate Window reappear, right-click the Jog Dial Navigator icon on the taskbar, and select Display Indicate Window.

❑ Move it by clicking on the window and dragging it to another location.

Indicate Window

Features Function

1 Launcher button Opens the Jog Dial Launcher.

2 Mode buttons Offers mode options.

VAIO® Computer User Guide

3 LCD area Shows the current mode, and then the active

application.

4 Close button Closes the Indicate Window.

5 Jog icon Opens the Application mode.

Selecting a mode

To select the Scroll mode

1 Click SCROLL on the Indicate Window.

2 Click the Launcher button. The Jog Dial Launcher window appears.

Jog Dial Launcher

To select the Application mode

1 Click APPS on the Indicate Window.

2 Click the Jog icon. The Jog Dial Navigator or the Jog Dial Guide windows

appears, depending on the application you are using.

Using the Jog Dial Control

Jog Dial Guide Jog Dial Navigator

Selecting a menu item

To select a menu item in either Scroll or Application mode

1 Rotate the Jog Dial™ Control until the menu item you want to select appears

between the two center arrows or is highlighted.

2 Press the Jog Dial Control. Pressing the Jog Dial Control is the equivalent of

pressing Enter.

To change the Jog Dial settings

1 Right-click the Jog Dial Navigator icon on the taskbar. A pop-up menu

appears.

2 Select Jog Dial Setting. The Jog Dial Setting window appears.

3 Make your changes, and click OK.

For information about Jog Dial settings, right-click the Jog Dial Navigator icon on the taskbar, and click Help.

Using the Jog Dial Navigator with Sony software

If Sony software that supports the Jog Dial™ Control is active, you can use the Jog Dial’s functions that are allocated to that software functions allocated to software, see the software application’s online Help.

* Some software applications do not support these functions.

. For more information on

VAIO® Computer User Guide

For more information about Jog Dial Navigator, right-click the Jog Dial Navigator icon on the taskbar, and click Help.

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