Sony VGX-XL2 manual

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ii VGX-XL2 Disclaimers, Notes, W arnings NOTICE © 2006 Sony Electronics Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without written per mission is prohi bited. All rights reserved. Th is manual and the software described herein, in whole or in part, may not be reproduced, translated, or reduced to any machine- readable form without prior written app rov[...]

iii Important information for Canadian customers: Y our new Media Changer/Reco rder includes certain sof tware versions or upgrades, and Internet services o r offers that are available to U.S. c ustomers only . Sony , V AIO, the V AIO logo, V AIO Digit al S t udio, V AIO Media, V AIO Media Music Serv er, V AIO Media Photo Server , V AIO Media Video[...]

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v Contents Overview Welcome ................ ............. ................ ............. ............. ................ ............. ................ ... ....................... .. 1 What is VGX-XL2? .............. ............. ............. ................ ............. ............. ................ ............ ........... ........ 2 Benefit[...]

vi Set Up Your Speakers .............. ................ ............. ................ ............. ................ ............ 40 Configure Your TV or Monitor ...................... ................ ............. ................ ............. ......... 41 Set Up Remote Desktop ....... ....... ................ ............. ............. ......[...]

vii DVD Audio ............ ............. ................ ............. ................ ............. ............. ................ ..... ........ 71 Closed Captioning .... .... ... ... ............. ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ............ .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ............. ... ... .... . ..... 72 Remote Control Options .. ...........[...]

viii My TV . ............. ................ ............. ............. ................ ............. ............. ................ ........ ............... ....... 104 My TV Features ..... ............. ............. ................ ............. ................ ............. ................ ....... .......... 105 Watch Live TV ..............[...]

1 Welcome to the VGX-XL2: So ny’s Digital Livi ng System ™ VAIO ® PC VGX-XL2 Welcome The VGX-XL2 is both a powerful computer and a state-of-the-art home entertainment system. Let VGX-XL2 lead you into the exciting world of V AIO wher e new standards are established for digit al content management. The design of VGX-XL2 allows it to easily fit [...]

2 What is VGX-XL2? The VGX-XL2 is composed of two products combined to bring you the ultimate experience in digital home entertainment. VGX-XL2 works just like any other computer , EXCEPT IT OFFERS MORE! More of the latest technology and excellence you have come to expect from Sony . XL2A XL1B • Controls the combined products • 200 disc Media C[...]

3 Sony establishes new st andards in video and audio home entertai nment, and digital content management with the VGX-XL2 Digital Living System™. Playback and manage y our entire media library through your home theatre, using a remote control or wireless keyboard. V iew it all on your TV or monitor for the optimal entertainment experience. • Pa[...]

4 The XL2A is equipped with the following addi tional features: The XL2A is a technologically advanced and powerful computer t hat will be right at home in your living r oom or den. Surf the Internet, download music and movies, record TV , watch videos, make copies of media files, and more— all managed using the wireless keyboard w/intragrated po[...]

5 The VGP-XL1B is equipped with the follow ing additional features: Note : Sony supports connecting or daisy-chaining up to five (5) Sony VGP- XL1B Changers/ Recorders. For additional information about daisy- cha ining, see the VGP-XL1B User Guide that was included with the Sony CD/DVD Ch anger/Reco rder packaging. The VGP-XL1B is a disc media chan[...]

6 VGX-XL2 uses the Microsoft ® Windows ® XP Media Center Ed ition operating system (MCE). This version ha s all of the features and capabili ties of other XP operating systems, with one major difference— Media Center . This group of ad vanced features takes you into the world of digit al hom e entertainment, brin ging all of your entertainment [...]

7 Using the Remote Control Press a Remote Control bu tton to do the following: St a r t MY TV , MY MUSIC , MY PICTURE S , MY VIDEO in Media Center . Press ST ANDBY to place your computer in S tandby mode. Control the playback fo r TV , MUSIC , VIDEOS , and ends a slide show . Buttons includ e: STOP , P AUSE , FWD , SKIP , REPLA Y , REW , and RECORD[...]

8 Below is a picture of your wireless ke yboard and built-in touc h pad (mouse) with specialized functions identified. Before using the keyboard, you must activate communic ation between the computer and the keyboard. Please complete the fo llowing steps for ke yboard inst allation. Step 1: Insert the batteries S tep 2: Activate Communication • T[...]

9 From inside Media Center: Select this... T o do this... St a r t Media Center and return to Star t menu. Close Media Center . Options for close include Media Center , Log Off, Shut Down , Restart, and S tandby . Open Media Center Help . Press an arrow to move to a specific command or option. Then press OK to make your selection. Highlighted comma[...]

10 Y ou can add media files to recogn ized folders in the following ways: • Copy files or folders directly to re cognized folders usi ng Windows Explorer . • Download media files (Inter net, Music CD’s , V i deo) directly to recognized folders. • Add additional folders, or shared folders fo r Media Center to recognize by pressing the MORE b[...]

11 Each time you press a butto n on the numeric keypad on the remote, you scroll through the characters that ar e available for that button. Press a number repeatedly to scr oll through the choices that are available for that number . With each repeated press of a num ber , a different character appears. When entering text, you can al so do the fol[...]

12 Note : Y ou must be connected to the In ternet to access some of the V AIO Support Central features. VA I O ® Support Central provides you with a single location for all of your support needs and allows you to easily access valuable support and technical information from Sony and Microsof t . Keep your V AIO computer ’s system software and op[...]

13 Welcome to Sony VAIO and Mic r os of t Wind ow s XP Media Center With V AIO and Media Center , you ca n bring all of y our entertainment sources— TV , Recording , Music , Pictures , CD/DVD Player , Internet — together in a single location. This guide will assist you in setting up Medi a Center for your distinct entertainment needs, and then [...]

14 Start Menu | Settings Settings Once you have set up your computer and have connected the Media Changer/Recorder and any additional hardware device s, you are ready to set up your Media Center preferences. The first time you star t Media Center , a setup “ wizard ” (a series of setup screens) opens. T o enjoy the full benefit of Medi a Center[...]

15 Start Menu | Settings | General General The General settings are a series of options that effect Media Center and some general preferences for your computer . Y ou might want to take the time to review all of the General settings options to see what might improve your entertainment experience. St art Up and Window Behavior ... 16 Visual and Soun[...]

16 Start Menu | Settings | General Use the arrow keys on your remote control to move to the buttons for each option. Press the OK button to select (add a check mark) or deselect (remove a check mark). When finished, select Save . St art Up and Window Behavior Decide how Media Center st arts and reacts to y our environment. Y o u can determine if Me[...]

17 Start Menu | Settings | General Use the arrow keys on your remo te control to move to t he buttons for each option. Press the OK button to select (add a check mark) or deselect (remove a check mark). T o change the video backgro und color , select the ( + ) or ( - ) button and press the OK button. When finished, select Save . V isual and Sound E[...]

18 Start Menu | Settings | General Use the arrow keys on your remote control to move to the buttons for each option. Press the OK button to select (add a check mark) or deselect (remove a check mark). When finished, select Save . More Programs Option s Media Center has teamed with other applications and Internet sites to not onl y make your enterta[...]

19 Start Menu | Settings | General Media Center Setup The first time yo u open Media Center , you are presented with a setup wizard (a series of screens) that will help you set up preferences in Media Center so you could control y our entertainment experience. It is bes t if you complete each screen as it is presented to you. The topics in this sec[...]

20 Start Menu | Settings | Gene ral | Media Center Setup Set Up Internet Connection Media Center ma kes it easy to set up your Inter net connection. Just read the on-screen information and answer a few questions—Media Center does the rest! The first thing you need to know is if your Internet connection is “always on”. If it is, select Ye s an[...]

21 Start Menu | Settings | Gene ral | Media Center Setup Import ant Notes about your TV connection and TV signal. • If you are a cable user and do not have a set top box, connect the cable from your wall to the NTSC analog tuner on the X L2 computer . Y ou can watch and/or record TV directly from Media C enter and take advant age of the Media Cen[...]

22 • High-Definition Note : Media Center currently supports free A TSC over-the-air hi gh-definition television signals only for high-definit ion viewing. It does not s upport subscription-based (digital cable or satellite) high-definition service. If you have high-definition service and wish to view high-definition programmi ng, you should watc [...]

23 Media Center Setup This screen informs you that there are two separate sections that must be completed to set up your TV signal. Y ou will now start Section 1: Required Setup 2 Select Next to continue. Media Center Privacy Policy This screen allows you to access and read Microsoft’ s Media Center Privacy Policy statement. 3 Read the po licy st[...]

24 Help Improve Media Center This screen gives you the opportunity to join Microsoft’ s Customer Experience Improvement Program for Media Center . 4 Select Ye s or No , and then select Next to continue. Enhanced Playback From this screen you make the selection to downl oad additional music and movie information, and TV Guide list ings from the In[...]

25 Join Wireless Network From this screen, select whether or not you would like the XL2 computer to be a part of an existing network. 6 Select Ye s or No , and then select Next to continue. Internet Connection From this screen, you let the Setup Wizard know that you have an “always on” Internet connection. 7 Select Ye s , and then select Next t[...]

26 T est Y our Internet Connection This screen allows Media Center to test your Internet connection for proper operation. 8 Select T est . When the test is complete, select Next to continue. Required Component s set up This screen confirms that the Required Components have been set up correctly . Make sure the screen displays Enhanced Playback and [...]

27 Optional Setup IMPORT AN T : When the Option al Setup screen appears, make sure you select the I am finished option. 10 Select the option I am finished and then select Next to continue. Y ou Are Done! This completes Section 1: Required Setup. Y ou are now ready to continue to Section 2: Optional Setup to set up your TV . 1 1 Click Finish to retu[...]

28 Using Media Center t o set up Y our TV After setting up the required component s (see the pr evious steps 1 through 1 1), you are now ready to cont inue to the next section and set up your TV and Guide settings. 1 S tart Media Center . From the Windows toolbar , select Start , and then select From the Media Center S tart menu, select Settings . [...]

29 TV Settings menu 3 From the TV Settings menu screen, select Set Up TV Signal . TV Signal Setup This screen displays a TV Signal Setup message. Please read this important message in it s entirely . 4 Select Ye s to continue.[...]

30 Set Up Y our TV Signal Y o u are now ready to begin configuring your TV signal to work with Media Center . 5 Select Next to continue. Confirm Y our Region On this screen, make sure that United St ates displays as th e current region. 6 Select Y es, use this region to configure TV services , and then select Next to continue.[...]

31 Automatic TV Signal Setup This screen lets you choose to automatically or manually configure your TV signal. IMPORT ANT STEP 7 Select I will manually configure my TV signal and then select Next to continue. Select Y our TV Signal On this screen, you tell the Setup Wizard what type of TV signal you have. Al so note that if you have a standard TV [...]

32 Do Y ou Have a Set-top Box? From this scre en, you tell the Setup Wizard if you are using a set-top box supplied by your provider . 9 Select Ye s / No , and then select Next to continue. Connect Y our Digital TV Antenna This screen allows you to confirm whether or not y ou have installed a digital TV antenna. 10 Select Ye s / No , and then selec[...]

33 Y ou Are Done! Y ou have completed the configuration of your TV signal. Now you can configure your TV Program Guide listings settings. 11 S e l e c t Set Up Guide listings , and then select Next to continue. Set Up Y our TV Program Gui de 12 Select Next to set up to download and view your TV Program Guide listings from the XL2 computer .[...]

34 Guide Privacy From this screen, you can access the Guide Privacy statement, and indicate if you want to use the TV Guide. 13 Select Ye s , and then select Next to continue. Guide T erms of Service This screen lets you read, and agree to, the Guide T erms of Service. 14 Select I agree , and then select Next to continue.[...]

35 Enter Y our ZIP Code Y our ZIP Code is used to determine the correct Guide listings for your area. 15 Enter your Zi p Code in the box as indicated by the example, and select Next to continue. Download Provider Information Information about your local TV signal provider is now needed. 16 The Setup Wizard will automatically connect to the Internet[...]

36 Download Prov ider Information When the requir ed information about your local TV signal provider has been downloaded, a Download complete message appears. 17 Select Next to continue. Select TV Signal Provider This screen displays a list of local providers in your area. 18 Select your provider from the list, and then select Next to continue.[...]

37 Download TV P rogram Guide Information This screen displays a status bar showing the prog ress of the TV Program Guide download. Download TV P rogram Guide Information When all TV Program Guide listings have been downloaded, a Download complete message appears. 19 Select Next to continue.[...]

38 Digit al TV Antenna Signal Strength If you previously indicated you installed an over-the-air digit al antenna, the Se tup Wizard will now test the signal strength. 20 Select Next to continue. Adjust Digit al TV Antenna and Choose Channels This screen shows available digital TV channels and their associated signal strength. 21 Clear (select) a c[...]

39 Y ou Are Done! When you are sati sfied with your digital channel selections and associated signal strengths, you are done. 22 Select Finish to exit the Setup Wizard.[...]

40 Start Menu | Settings | Media Center Setup After the test, select whethe r or not you heard sound comi ng from all your speakers and select Next to continue. If the test was su ccessful, you’re d one! If not, Media Center will provide you wi th additional setting options. Inst allation Note: For the best possible sound, us e the HDMI cabl e (i[...]

41 Start Menu | Settings | Media Center Setup Configure Y our TV or Monitor Settings Media Center ma kes it easy to configure your TV / monitor . Ju st read the on-screen information and answer a few questions— Media Center does the rest! Select W atch Video or Next to continue. A video is provided that contains additional information on setting [...]

42 Start Menu | Settings | Media Center Setup Set Up Remote Desktop Media Center ma kes it easy for you to access your Media Center personal computer remotely . Just follow the on-screen information and answer a few questions— Media Center does the rest! Select Next to Continue. Set Up Remote Desktop[...]

43 Start Menu | Settings | Media Center Setup . Automatic Up dates Media Center can help you keep your computer secure and running efficiently by automatically downloading and installing critical updates from Microsoft. Y ou should also continue to check for additional software and driver updates on a regular basis by selecting Windows Up date from[...]

44 Start Menu | Settings | Media Center Y ou must already have a wo rking wireless local area netwo rk to use this feature. Selections made on these screens may ov erwrite your existing wireless network settings. Please follow the on- screen instructions carefully . Note : For additional information about connecting to yo ur existing home network, [...]

45 Start Menu | Settings | Media Center Setup Run Media Center Setup Again The first time you started Media Center , you were guided through a series of screens that helped you set up preferences in Media Center so you could control your entertainment experience. T o go through the entire set up of Media Center again—screen by screen, select Ye s[...]

46 Start Menu | Settings | Media Center Setup Selecting Ye s or No is the only action availabl e for this option. Selecting Ye s will automatically restore your Star t page to it s default settings. Restore S t art Page Default s During the course of working with various software programs and many different types of entertainment component s, you m[...]

47 Start Menu | Settings | General Parent al Controls Media Center provides a pr ocess by which selected pr ograms can be blocked from viewing. The first time you enter Parental C ontrol, you will be asked to enter , and then confirm a new four digit access code. Once complete, you will be given access to the following parent al controls: Use the a[...]

48 Start Menu | Settings | General Media Changer/Recorder Note : Make sure you select the Retrieve media information... option for proper functi oning of the Media Changer/Recorder . This option must be selected to download and vi ew additional CD and DVD information. Automatic Download Options With Media Center and your Internet connection, you ca[...]

49 Start Menu | Settings | General Y ou might want to set the Optimization schedule to run when yo u are certain you will not need to access Media Center . Fo r additional information about the Optimization feature, go to Media Center help. Optimization The Optimization feature is designed help you keep your system running efficiently and smoothly [...]

50 Start Menu | Settings | General Use the arrow keys on your remote control to move to the About Media Center menu button of your choice. Press the OK button to view your se lection. When finished, select Save/Done or the Back button. About Media Center About Media Center provides you with information concerning the version of Media Center that yo[...]

51 Start Menu | Settings | General Use the arrow keys on your remo te control to move to the Privacy menu button of your choice. Press the OK button to view your select ion. When finished, select Save/ Done or the Back button. Privacy Settings Y our privacy is very important to Sony . Y ou can view Media Center and Guide privacy statement s in deta[...]

52 Start Menu | Settings | TV TV Note : For additiona l information on setting up your TV , please refer to the VGX-XL2 User Guide located in V AIO Support Central. Go to Sta rt | Al l Programs | V AIO Support Central and select V AIO Documentation . Note : An A TSC digital antenna connected to the A TSC tuner in the XL2 computer is required for hi[...]

53 Start Menu | Settings | TV Y ou can record standard definition TV programming and high-definition TV programming. Recording high -definition TV programming requires a digital antenna be installed to the A TSC digi tal tuner in the XL2 computer and be properly configured through Media Center . Y ou can record high-definiti on channels/programs th[...]

54 Start Menu | Settings | TV | Recorder Use the arrows on your remote contro l to move to the menu options and each recorded program in the history list. Press the OK button to per form a menu command or to view status info rmation about the selected show . History Media Center stores a complete history of all recorded programing. Information such[...]

55 Start Menu | Setting s | TV | Recorder Use the arrow keys on your remote control to move to the ( + ) or ( - ) buttons associated with the option of your choice. Press the OK button to chan ge the option. When finished, select Save . Recorder Storage Media Center provides you with complete information about where and how your recorded programs a[...]

56 Start Menu | Settings | TV | Recorder Use the arrow ke ys on your remote contro l to move to the ( + ) or ( - ) buttons associated with th e option of your choice. Press the OK button to change the option. When finished, select Save . Recording Defaults Media Center le ts you create a list of defaults or conditions that determine the actions Med[...]

57 Start Menu | Settings | TV If you have installed a digi t al antenna to the A TSC digital tuner in the XL2 computer , you can download TV Guide pr ogram information for availa ble digital high-definition channels in your local area. Digital high-defin ition channels display in the TV Guide in the following format: [Channel No., S tation name-DT [...]

58 Start Menu | Settings | TV | Guide Use the arrow keys on your remote control to move to the buttons for each option. Press the OK button to select (add a check mark ) or deselect (remove a check mark) a channel. Use the keypad to change the channel number , if necessary . When finished, select Save . Edit Channels With Media Center , you can con[...]

59 Start Menu | Settings | TV | Guide Use the arrows on your remote control to move to a menu option and press the OK button to make your selection. Use the numeric ke ypad to enter a channel name and number . When finished, select Do ne . Add Missing Channels If for any reason you need to add a channel to your list of available channels, you can d[...]

60 Start Menu | Settings | TV | Guide Set Up Guide Listings Media Center ma kes it easy to set up to download and view your TV Program Guide . Just read the on-screen information and answer a few questions—Media Center does the rest! Media Center will ask you: • If you want to use the Guide • if you agree with the Guide T erms of Service • [...]

61 Start Menu | Settings | TV | Guide Use the arrow key on your remo te control to move to a menu option and press the OK button to select the option. T o immediately download TV Program Guide listings, select T o download and view Guide T erms of Service , select T o download and view About Guide Listings , select Additional Guide Information[...]

62 Start Menu | Settings | TV For complete instructions on setting up your standard resolu tion (analog) TV signal and your over-the-air high-definition re solution (digital) TV signal, go to Set Up TV Signal located in Media Center Setup on page 21. Notes : • High-definition TV programming re quires an external digit al antenna be inst alled to [...]

63 Start Menu | Settings | TV As you answer the questions and progress through the scre ens, you are required to Identify Y our Display T ype , identify your Connection T ype , decide how to Optimize Media Center for your Display , and Adjust your Display Settings . From here, select Adjust Display Controls , then select Next to view the screen Dis[...]

64 S tart Menu | Settings | TV Use the arrow ke ys on your remote cont rol to move to the Audio , Captioning , or Caption Display ( + ) or ( - ) buttons. Press the OK button to change the TV audio selection. When finished, select Save . Audio With Media Center , you can set up options, such as Audio (S tereo,SAP), Captioning (CC1, CC2) and Caption [...]

65 Start Menu | Settings Once you decide how you want to view your pictures, select th e appropriate buttons. Use the arrows on your remote control to move to the desired op tion, then press th e OK button. When fi nished, select Save . Pictures Gain complete control over how you view your di gital pictures. • Choose to view your pictures in orde[...]

66 Start Menu | Settings To e n j o y Visualizations while you are listeni ng to your favorite mu sic, select one or more viewing samples from the Visualizations p age, and then make your selections from the Visualization Options p age. Music With Media Center , you can add a visual component to your listening pleasure with Visualizations. Visualiz[...]

67 Start Menu | Settings | Music V isualizations T o enhance your music enjoym ent, Media Center provides eight different visual interpretations of t he musical performance. Alchemy Ambience Bars and W aves Battery Particle Plenoptic Spikes Musical Colors Visualizations[...]

68 Start Menu | Settings | Music Once you decide on your visualizations and how they are viewed, select the appropriate buttons. Use the ar rows on your remote contro l to move to the desired option, then press the OK button. When fi nished, select Save . Visualizations Options Media Center “Visualizations” are visual interpretations of an arti[...]

69 Start Menu | Settings | DVD DVD Media Center gives you the control to determine how best to create your cinematic experience. Enhance your experience by selecting from these four topics that allow you to choose and define how to view your DVD movies. DVD Language........ ........... .......... 70 DVD Audio............. ............ ........... 7[...]

70 Start Menu | Settings | DVD Use the arrow ke ys on your remote cont rol to move to the Subtile , Audio track , or Menu ( + ) or ( - ) buttons. Press the OK button to change the la nguage selection. When finished, select Save . DVD Language When viewing a DVD movie, Media Center gives you the option of changing the language for subtitles, the aud[...]

71 Start Menu | Settings | DVD Select Configuration to set up your speakers and channel mode, and select Environment to choose your li stening experience ( Theatre , Normal , Late Night ). DVD Audio Imagine yourself fully immersed in rich Dolby ® Digital surround sound—not in a theatre—but in your home. Sony , InterVideo, and your Dolby Digi t[...]

72 Start Menu | Settings | DVD Use the arrow ke ys on your remote cont rol to move to the Captioning or Caption Display ( + ) or ( - ) buttons. Press the OK button to change t he selection. When finished, select Save . Closed Captioning Media Center gives you the option of adding closed captioning to yo ur DVD viewing. Enjoy DVD movies with those w[...]

73 Main Menu | Settings | DVD Once you decide on your remo te control options, select the appropriate buttons. Use the arrows on your remote control to move to the de sired optio n, then press the OK button. When finished, select Save . Note : For additional information on using your remote control, go to the chapter titled Gett ing S t arted . Rem[...]

74 Start Menu | Settings Once you decide your options, select the appropriate buttons . Use the arrows on your remote control to move to th e desired option, then press the OK button. Messenger and Caller ID Settings Enjoy Media Center and keep in contact with frie nds and family . Y o u can sign in or sign out of Messenger at any time while in Med[...]

75 Start Menu | Settings Help Windows Media Center is very easy to use when you follow the on-screen instructions. However , when you do need additional information, Media Center provides you with four areas of assistance. Media Center Help Community Forums Latest Tip s Help with your Hardware Please visit each of t hese areas and experience the qu[...]

76 Start Menu | Settings | Help Y ou can access Media’s Center ’s He lp areas by the following methods: • Remote Control - Press the More button, select Settings , then Help . • Remote Mouse - Move the Mouse to activate the Media Center tool bar , which appears at top of the screen. Then click the Help icon. VA I O ® Support Central provid[...]

77 Helpful Hints Windows® Up dates Remember to che ck regularly for Windows updates to keep the operating system u pdated with the latest software releases and security updates. T o start the Window s Update utility , connect to the Internet, click Star t , All Programs , then click Windows Up date . The Windows Update Web site opens. Follow the o[...]

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79 Start Menu Media Center Features V AIO personal computers equipped with Microsoft ® Windows ® XP Media Center Edition 2005 lets you experience the new and exciting world of digital home entert ainment. Experience movies, TV , music, and photos like never before. Combine the easy to use, yet powerful features of V AIO, an d you can enjoy an eve[...]

80 Review the following list for a high-level over view of the exciting features in Media Center . For in-depth information about each feature, go to the specific topic in this book or to the Media Center help file. V iew all the DVDs in your m edia library . Select a DVD to view programing information or to watch. The Online S potlight provides In[...]

81 Y ou can categorize your pictur es in as many folders as you wish. Then, select a group to view a single picture or a slide of all pictur es in the folder . T ake control of your TV vi ewing experience. W atch live TV or record your favori te show for later viewing. Enjoy access to all the music stored on your hard drive. Organize, locate, and p[...]

82 Start Menu | My DVD My DVDs W atching DVD movies in Media Center lets you take control of your movie experience. Sit back and use the remote control to play , pause, rewind, fast forward, stop, and even eject your DVD movie. The Sony ® Changer/Recorder lets you create your own movie library where you can store and manage up to 200 discs in a si[...]

83 Start Menu | My DVD Loading discs in the Sony ® Changer/Recorder allows you to create your own personal media library that you can access from Window s Media Center with the touch of a button. Y our library can c ontain the following types of media: DVDs S tore DVDs that you buy or create CDs S tore CDs that you buy or create Dat a Discs S tore[...]

84 Note : Loading Media Note: It may t ake up to 60 seconds for Media Center to scan each disc. It is recommended to insert each disc into the changer , an d then let them all scan one after the other . For additional information, go to the Manage Discs topic in My Change r . Loading Media Changer Unloading Media Changer 1 Make sure the Changer/Rec[...]

85 Start Menu | My DVD Once you have lo aded your DVD movies into the VGP-XL1B Changer/Recorder , and they have been identified by Media Center , you can view any movie in My DVDs wi th your remote control. Sort the movie list by title, year , or genre and th en select a movie. The Changer/Recorder will locate the movie and place it in the drive fo[...]

86 Start Menu | My DVD Media Center offers you the flexibility of using the remo te control, or keyboard and mouse commands to simplify your DVD movie watching experience. If you are enjoying the TV , Vi deo, or Music options in Medi a Center and wish to view a DVD movie, simply insert t he DVD and the following image appears. If you stop your movi[...]

87 Helpful Hints Resize the Viewing Screen Y ou can watch your DVD movie in a small viewport screen, which allows you access to other areas of Media Center , by pressing the Windows button on your remote control. If you want to work and watch your DVD movie and the same time, move your mouse for the Windows resize buttons to appear . Select the Res[...]

88 Start Menu | Online Spotl i ght Online S p otl ight Media Center and Online S potlight provide you direct access to various Internet entertainment sites. Y ou can view the sites by category by selecting a menu option. Use the arrows on your remote control to move to a site button. Information ab out the site displays below the list. T o select t[...]

89 Start Menu | My Videos My V ideos W atch your home movies and digital videos stored on your hard disk drive using the Media Center remote control or your keyboard and mouse. View the videos in full scre en mode, within a window , or from a viewport window . Organize, store, and play videos stored on your hard drive that you have created, down lo[...]

90 Start Menu | My Videos With Media Center , it’s ea sy to store and organi ze videos that you have created with your digital camera, digit al recor der , or downloaded fr om the Internet. For you to view your videos in Media Center , the files must be stored in a location that Medi a Center looks in. T o view videos in My Videos , first copy an[...]

91 Start Menu | My Videos With Media Center , it is easy to select an d play a video stored anywhere on your hard drive. Y ou can view your videos in full screen, window ed, or in a viewport window . Viewing from an viewport window gives you a ccess to your computer or the Internet outside of Media Center . When the video is finished playi ng, the [...]

92 Start Menu | My Videos In Media Center , it’s easy to find out more information about any digital video in your library . It doesn’t matter if yo u just want to see the information before you watch it, or if you’re already watching the video. Use the arrow keys on your remote control to move to a video icon button. Press the OK button to s[...]

93 Start Menu | My Videos With Media Center , its easy to copy your digital videos to a CD or DVD for safe keeping or to share with family and fri ends. Select a video, and then select Create CD / DVD . Media Center will then take you through a series of screens, which contain simple instructions to assist you in performing such tasks as: Note : In[...]

94 Start Menu | My Videos Y our computer comes equipped with DVgate Plus™ software, which allows you to import and edit videos from an external device or from recorded TV programs created with Media Center's My TV feature. Y ou can edit the video and export it into specific folders to play back with My Videos . For details on how to connect [...]

95 Helpful Hints Resize the Viewing Screen Y ou can watch your DVD movie in an viewport screen, which allows you access to other areas of Media Cen- ter , by pressing the Windows button on your remote control. If you want to work and watch your DVD movie at the same time, move your mouse for the Windows resize buttons to appear . Select the Resize [...]

96 Start Menu | My Pictures My Pictures Media Center makes it easy and fun to look at your digital photos. From My Photos you can: • V iew your pictures individually or as a slide show . • Edit, organize and so rt your pictures by name or date. • Share your pictures with others • Create CDs or DVDs • Print your pictures • Protect your d[...]

97 Start Menu | My Pictures Using My Pictures in Media Center , it is easy to st ore and organize pictures that you have created with your digital came ra or downloaded from the Internet. Note : Pictures stored on media in the Changer will not have access to thes e features. For you to view your pictures in Media Center , the files mu st be stored [...]

98 Start Menu | My Pictures Press OK to open a folder an d view thumbnails of your pi ctures. Move to the picture you want to view and press OK again. Press BACK to return to the list of thumbnails. With Media Center , it is easy to select and view digital images stored in My Pictures or anywhere else on your hard drive. Before opening Media Center[...]

99 Start Menu | My Pictures Picture Det ails: Edit Y our Pictures It’s easy to edit y our pictures directly in Media C enter ’s My Pictures. Use the arrow keys on the remote control and move to a picture. Press MORE INFO and then select Picture Det ails . From here you can: Rotates picture 45 degrees. If you select T ouch Up , you can then choo[...]

100 Start Menu | My Pictures Press the OK button to select your option. F or more information , see Help ful Hints . Instead of viewi ng your digital pictures indivi dually , why not add some fun. It’s easy to create a slide show and even add background music. From Settings | Pictures , you can customize the settings for picture and song captions[...]

101 Start Menu | My Pictures With Media Center , its easy to copy your digita l pictures to a CD or DVD for safe keeping or to share with family and friends. Simply select or open a picture folder , and then select Create CD / DVD . Media Center will then take you through a series of screens, which contain simple instructions to assist you in perfo[...]

102 Start Menu | My Pictures In Media Center , it’s easy to find out more information about any digital picture in your library . Use the arrow keys on your remote control to move to a picture icon button. Press the OK button to select the picture. From here, you can press the OK button again, or press MORE and select View Det ails . If are alrea[...]

103 Helpful Hints Picture Zooming and Panning Select a picture from My Pictures . Press OK once to magnify 150%. Press OK again to magnify 225%. Now you can use the arrows to pan around the picture. Press OK again to return the picture to its original size Adding Music to a Slide Show Select music from yo ur Media Library . Play a CD or se lect a P[...]

104 Start Menu | My TV My TV W atching your favorite TV program or movie in Media Center puts you in complete control of your viewing experience. What do you want to do? Media Center makes it easy to locate, watch, or record your favorite TV program, sporting event, or movie. And best of all, you can do all of this directly from your VGX-XL2 Digita[...]

105 Live TV W atch your favorite TV show or movie LIVE . Use the Media Center buffer feature to p ause, re wind, fa st forwar d, or continue viewing your live program in pr ogress. Use the MORE INFO button on the remote control to display TV show informati on. Recorded TV Record any TV show or program for later viewing . Plus, view a list of record[...]

106 Start | My TV Note : Y ou can watch TV in full screen, windowed, or in an viewport window . W atch live TV or record your favorite shows to view later . Use the Guide to find the show you want to watch or record. When you watch li ve TV , Media Center continuously captures 30 minute increments of the program. This enables you to rewind, replay [...]

107 Start Menu | My TV Y ou can view the Guide listings at any time by pressing the Guide button on your remote control. Use t he arrows to move to a show time, and use the CHAN/P AGE ( +/- ) buttons to move to any available channel. Press the OK button to select a program. Press the MORE button to view program det ai ls or record the program. The [...]

108 Import ant Information Guide data may not be available in all countries or regions. Please consult your local TV signal provider . Make sure you ar e connected to the Internet and check your TV signal and guide settings in the Settings menu. Removing Channels from Guide From Media Center , select Settings , TV , Guide , and then Edit Channels .[...]

109 Main Menu | My TV • Record the program you ar e watching by pressing REC on the remote control. • Record from the Guide by sele cting a program, then select Record . • Record from the Search menu, which allows you to define search criteria. • Record manually by selecting Add Recording , then select Channel and Time . The Add Recording b[...]

110 St andby Mode and Scheduled Recordings Media Center will continue to record your scheduled TV shows even if you place the computer in standby or in hibernation state. T he recording of TV shows will also continue even if Media Center is closed. Set Up Recording Preferences From Media Center , select Settings , General , TV , and then Recorder .[...]

111 Start | My TV | Recorded TV Recorded TV is the storage place for all your reco rded programs. In the Recorded TV window , you can sort your pr ograms by name, date, or category . Y ou can also delete a recorded program or series of programs. T o watch a recorded program, simply locate and select the program, and then select Play . After you hav[...]

112 Start Menu | My TV Use the arrows on your remote to move to a menu opt ion and press the OK button to make your selection. Us e the keypad to enter a Tit le or keyword . Results show on screen automatically . Media Center My TV has an easy to use search feat ure that lets you quickly locate the program you want to watch or record. Y ou can sear[...]

113 Start | My TV | Movies When you select the Movies menu option, Media Center searches your entire TV Guide listing for movies based on your input for what you want to see. Once you make a movie selection, you can watch the movie, view additional information about the movie, or record the movie. Note : Access to vi ew restricted channels must be [...]

114 Start Menu | My Music Note : Y ou can also use the Windows Media Player to play music and add, delete, categor ize, and organize your music file s. However , if you use Windows Media Center ’s My Music for your listening entertainment needs, you will have the added benefits of Sony’ s V A IO enhanc ed features. Please see Windows Media Play[...]

115 Start | My Music With Media Center , it is ea sy to store and organize music files that you have added from your favorite CD’s or hav e downloaded from the Internet. For you to listen to music in Media Center , the files mu st be stored in a location that Media Center looks in. First, add and organi ze the music files into the My Music or Sha[...]

116 Start | My Music T o listen to your music, use the arrows on the remote control t o move to a menu option or music selection such as an album , artist, playlist, or song and press the OK button. Then select the Play menu option. Note : Y ou can also listen to yo ur music from the Windows M edia Player . Once you’ve placed your music files in [...]

117 Start | My Music Remember , the Queue is temporary and will go away if y ou do any of the following: • Select Play instead of Add to Queue for another song or album in My Music • Play media in My TV or My V ideos . • Close Media Center (This includes logging off, turning of f or restarting the Media Center computer , or put ting the compu[...]

118 Start | My Music From a CD 1 Press the Media Center Sta rt button on the remote control, and then select My Music . 2 Insert a CD i nto the CD drive of the personal computer . 3 Select the Albums category . 4 Select the Album or CD you want to add to your music library . 5 Select Copy CD . The first time you copy a music CD, you must select you[...]

119 Start | My Music A Playlist is a customized list of songs you can keep to play at a later time or record to CD. Using Playlists, you ca n group your favorite digita l music files together and determine the order in which you want the files to play . Y ou can create a Playlist that includes several tracks from various CDs or even a Playli st tha[...]

120 Selecting a Visualization From Media Center , select Settings , and then to Music . Go to Visualizations Options to choose when and how the visualizations display . Then go to V isualizations to choose from eight different graphical p atterns. Add/Edit Queue Met a Dat a From Media Center ’s My Music, select an album, artist, song, or playlist[...]

121 Start Menu | Create DVDPlease note the following: Create DVD Y our DLS computer provides you with various methods of creating your own DVDs. Create DVD , unique to V A IO ® PCs with MCE, is the only method where you can control the entire process with your remote control. For additional meth ods for creating DVDs, go to More Programs . IMPORT [...]

122 Start Menu | Create DVD Once you have selected the recording, you can do the following from the menu: Note : Insert a blank CD/DVD disc into the changer or host computer befo re starting Create CD/DVD . The Create DVD main screen shows you a list of all of your TV show recordings. T o create a DVD, select the desired recordings from the list. W[...]

123 Start Menu | My Changer The advanced features of My Changer let you: • Play your music discs di rectly from the Me dia Changer/Recorder . • Copy multiple discs from the Media Changer to your har d drive (Auto-ripping). • Create (Burn) multiple DVDs of your fa vorite TV Series with intervention. • Access a Help file unique to the VGX- XL[...]

124 Start Menu | My Changer My Changer Music (Media Changer/R ecorder) and My Music (Media Center) are distinct areas in your entertainment system and of fer separate features. My Changer Music does not display music discs or file s that have been copied to the My Music or Shared Music folders on the hard disk drive. The only Media Changer/Recorder[...]

125 Start Menu | My Changer Select albums/discs to copy by selecting them indivi dually , or by choosing the Select All button. When comp lete, select the Copy Music command. The Copy Music screen shows only those albums selected for yo u to review . Select St art Copying to begin the copying process. As each disc is copied, a check mark will appea[...]

126 Playing Copied Music Even though you can play your music from My Changer , it is recommended that you take advant age of the Copy Music feature, which allows you to rip your music CDs to your hard disk, where you can take full advant age of the many My Music features in Media Center . Eject Copied Discs Once you have ripped your selected music [...]

127 Start Menu | My Changer Note : After you select Start , it is recommended that you do not leave the Arch ive TV screen once the archiving process has st arted. Leaving the screen could affect th e archiving process. However , you can access other areas out side of Media Center . Archive TV The Archive TV feature is used to create DVDs of an ent[...]

128 Note : For addional information ab out Archiving TV , see the VGP-XL1B Changer/Record er User Guide that was included with your packaging materials. Before Y ou Archive In order not to hav e your archiving process interrupted, insert the required number of blank DVDs into the changer befor e you begin and then go to My DVDs or More Programs >[...]

129 Start | More Programs More Programs From More Programs , Sony’ s advanced features of fers you direct access to various programs that can enhance your entertainment experience. Create CD/DVD Burn pictures for slide show s, video files, and recorded TV . Create DVD V AIO added value program to archive recorded TV shows. Internet Explorer Opens[...]

130 Start Menu | My Changer Manage Discs T ools : • Scan and identify new discs in the ch anger and update disc dat a in the library . • Sort the changer librar y by name or type. T ype allows you to verify the number of discs in the changer for each ty pe of media. This is us eful when archiving a TV series or creating other DV Ds to determine[...]

131 The “T ypes” of media that can be stored in the changer include: Note : For a ddional informa tion about the VGP-XL1B Chang er/Recorder , see the User Guide that was in cluded with your packaging materials. Select this type... T o do this... Audio CD Plays CDs. For additional features, links directly to Media Center ’ s My Music by select[...]

132 Note : For addion al information about the VGP- XL1B Changer /Recorder , se e the User Guide that was included wi th your packaging materials. Loading Media Changer Unloading Media Changer 1 Make sure the Changer/Recorder is properly connected to the Personal Computer and is turned on. Note : When loading discs, make sure that the label is faci[...]

133 Each of the programs that More Programs offers you access to, cont ains a Help file to provide you with the assi stance you need to complete your desired t a sks. Please review the help informati on to find out more about each of these programs. Internet Explorer Y our VGX-XL2A personal computer allows you to search the Internet from the comfor[...]