Sony VGF-AP1 v2 Operating Instructions

Portable Music Player

VGF-AP1 Series

Operating Instructions

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Trademarks VAIO, , SonicStage, VAIO music transfer, ATRAC, ATRAC3, ATRAC3plus

and the associated logos are trademarks of Sony Corporation. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States

and/or other countries. Other system names and product names appearing in this document are generally registered

trademarks or trademarks of their manufacturers. and marks are not shown in this document.

Portions of this software are based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG group.

In this manual, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition is referred to as Windows 98 Second Edition.

In this manual, Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional is referred to as Windows 2000. In this manual, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition is referred to as Windows Me. In this manual, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP

Professional, and Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition* are referred to as Windows XP.

* Support for Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition is provided only in U.S.A. and Canada.

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Table of Contents

Introduction What you can do with the portable music

player ............................................... 4 System requirements ........................... 5 Names of parts ..................................... 6

Portable music player ................... 6 Cradle ............................................ 7 Reading the display ....................... 9

G-sense pad buttons ........................... 10 Basic playback buttons ............... 10 Navigation buttons ...................... 11 Advanced operation buttons ....... 12 Advanced playback buttons ........ 13

Operation Listening to music ............................. 15 Finding songs .................................... 18

Searching by album genre, artist name, album title, and song title .................................. 18

Searching among previously played songs ....................................... 19

Searching by group or group jacket ............................ 19

Using playlists ................................... 20 Registering a playlist .................. 20 Playing songs from a playlist ...... 20 Removing songs from

a playlist .................................. 21 Viewing still images .......................... 21

Transferring still images from a digital camera .......................... 21

Before using this manual, read the separate Quick Start Guide, which provides information necessary prior to using the player, from unpacking to hardware preparation and software installation.

Viewing the transferred still images ..................................... 23

Using the portable music player as a hard disk drive ............................... 24

Deleting music files ........................... 24

Other Information Setup items and settings .................... 25 About the internal battery .................. 27 Precautions ........................................ 28

Usage and storage ....................... 28 Overheating ................................. 28 Condensation .............................. 28 Disk handling .............................. 28 Hard disk precautions ................. 29 Removing the internal battery .... 29

Maintenance ...................................... 30 Cleaning the cabinet ................... 30 Disc cleaning .............................. 30

Getting help ....................................... 30 Sony support options .................. 30

Specifications .................................... 31 Troubleshooting ................................. 32

Power .......................................... 32 Operation .................................... 32 G-sense pad ................................. 34 SonicStage software ................ 34 VAIO music transfer

software ................................... 35 Other problems ........................... 36

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Introduction

What you can do with the portable music player The Portable Music Player VGF-AP1 / AP1L incorporates a 20 GB* or 40 GB* hard disk, and allows you to carry an entire music library wherever you go. * Some portion of hard disk capacity is reserved for application / data management function.

Portable music player Easy-to-carry player with built-in 20 GB / 40 GB hard disk. The player also serves as an

external hard disk for your computer. 2.2 inch high-resolution LCD panel and unique G-sense touchpad (subsequently referred

to as the G-sense pad) make it a breeze to operate the player and find the songs you want.

Simply placing the player on its cradle when not in use recharges the battery. By connecting the player to a digital still camera (subsequently referred to as digital

camera) by using the cradle, the player can be used as a storage device for digital photos (JPEG images). You can also view a slide show of pictures while listening to music.

Supplied software for transferring music from a computer SonicStage software

This software lets you control the entire process from saving songs from music CDs to transferring them to the player. The application also supports net-based electronic music distribution (EMD) services, letting you purchase and download songs from the Internet for use on your player.

VAIO music transfer software Drag and drop MP3 files, WMA files, or other music files already on your computer to transfer them to the player.

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System requirements To use the player, the following hardware and software requirements must be met.

Computer IBM PC/AT compatible

CPU Pentium II processor, 400 MHz or above (Pentium III, 450 MHz or above recommended)

Free hard disk space 200 MB or more (1.5 GB recommended) Depending on the Windows version and the number of music files, more space may be required.

RAM 64 MB or more (128 MB or more recommended)

Operating system Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Media Center Edition 1), Windows 2000 Professional (Service Pack 3 or higher), Windows Millennium Edition, or Windows 98 Second Edition

Display 16-bit color or higher, 800 600 resolution or higher (1024 768 or higher recommended)

Other requirements Internet connection (for obtaining song data from CDDB or using net-based music distribution

services EMD) Windows Media Player 7.0 or higher (for playback of WMA files) CD-ROM drive (supporting WDM digital playback) Sound support USB port 2)

1) Support for Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition is provided only in U.S.A. and Canada. 2) Hi-Speed support is not mandatory, but if the connected computer does not support USB 2.0, file

transfer will occur at a lower speed and take longer.

Notes

Even if the above requirements are met, the player will not work with every computer. Operation of the player is not assured in the following environments:

Operating system not listed above Operating system not factory-installed (upgraded later to a different version) Multi-boot environment Multi-monitor environment

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Names of parts

Portable music player

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1Display (page 9)

2POWER/HOLD switch When you slide this control in the arrow direction, operation of the player is disabled.

3Headphone connector (page 15)

4G-sense pad (page 10)

5Carrying strap ring

6Reset button If the player has ceased to operate normally, try pressing this button with a pointed object (such as a bent paper clip). The player's display turns white, and the settings such as G-sense sensitivity, language, and clock are returned to the factory default values. It takes several tens of seconds for the player to finish resetting.

7Cradle connector

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Cradle

1 2 3 4

1 Support bracket Supports the cradle when in use. When the cradle is not in use, the bracket can be folded.

2 LINE OUT connector Lets you connect external speakers to the player. When a cable is plugged in here, the headphone output is cut off. To use the LINE OUT connector, disconnect the USB cable from the cradle. While a USB cable is plugged in, the player automatically is in Data Transfer Mode and no sound will be heard from the external speakers.

3USB ports Left side: Mini-B connector (for connecting the player to a computer)

Right side: Type A connector (for connecting the player to a digital camera)

4DC IN connector

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Remote control

1Basic operation button

: Play/Stop

. : Rewind/Skip back > : Fast forward/Skip ahead

2Display

3Selector button v : Scroll cursor up

ENTER: Select item on menu V : Scroll cursor down

4Headphone connector

5Volume button

6Hold switch Sliding this switch in the direction of the arrow until the yellow marker is visible disables the remote control.

7BACK button Moves up one menu level.

8Clip

Using the remote control clip To make it easy to fasten the remote control anywhere and still keep the display oriented for easy viewing, the clip can be reversed.

1 Remove the clip. 2 Reattach it in the opposite direction.

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4 5 6 7 8

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Reading the display

Display on the player

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2

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1 Play status icon

2 Song title

3 Playback time

4 Equalizer setting

5 Battery charge icon

6 Timer icon

7 Time

Remote control display

Main menu screen Play screen

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2 3

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qa qs09

1Cursor

2 Timer icon

3 Equalizer icon

4 Volume indicator

5 AVLS icon

6 Battery charge icon

7 Song icon/song title

8 Artist icon/album icon/artist name/

album title

9 Play status icon

0Repeat mode icon

qa Shuffle mode icon

qs Play time

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G-sense pad buttons Various features of the player are controlled by on-screen buttons accessed by using the G-sense pad. These buttons are hidden until you choose to display them. The following types of operation buttons are available: Basic playback buttons (this page) Navigation buttons (page 11) Advanced operation buttons (page 12) Advanced playback buttons (page 13)

Basic playback buttons

Use the basic playback buttons to control basic music playback, such as starting or stopping songs, jumping to the next song, or changing the volume. The basic playback buttons are always available while music is playing, even if the buttons are not displayed on the screen. To display the basic playback buttons, touch any button in the right column on the G-sense pad.

z Hint Whenever the basic playback buttons of the G-sense pad are active, the selector button on the remote control can also be used.

Move your finger up or down on right column of buttons on the G-sense pad to select a button. Press to activate the selected button.

Button Function

Start playback

Jump to the start of the current song

Jump to the start of the next song

(keep pressing) Fast reverse

(keep pressing) Fast forward

Raise the volume

Lower the volume

Stop playback

Touch here

Basic playback buttons

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Navigation buttons

Use the navigation buttons to move between display screens and change the sort order of lists. To display the navigation buttons, touch any button in the left column on the G-sense pad.

Move your finger up or down on left column of buttons on the G-sense pad to select a button. Press to activate the selected button.

Note

Available buttons differ on for different screens.

Button Function Remarks

Return to the main menu screen

Move up one menu level

Scroll up one page

Show the play screen for the song being played

Sort the currently displayed list

Scroll down one page

With each push, the sort order changes. The current sort order is indicated by an icon at the top right of the screen.

Alphabetical order (ascending)

Alphabetical order (descending)

Rating order (ascending)

Rating order (descending)

Track order

When sort based on rating is selected, songs will be listed based on frequency of play and on playback status.

Navigation buttons

Touch here

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Advanced operation buttons

Use the advanced operation buttons to modify the displayed list. To display the advanced operation buttons, move the cursor to the appropriate item in the displayed list by sliding your finger up and down the middle three columns of buttons on the G-sense pad. When the cursor is on the desired item, press and hold the current button until the advanced operation buttons appear.

When the advanced operation buttons appear, move your finger up or down on the right column of buttons on the G-sense pad to select a button. Press to activate the selected button.

Note

Available buttons differ on for different screens.

Button Function

Close the advanced operation button display

Add the currently selected song or album to the playlist

Play the selected song

Move the selected song up in the list

Move the selected song down the in list

Remove all songs from the playlist

Remove the selected songs from the playlist

Press and hold here

Advanced operation buttons

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Advanced playback buttons

Use the advanced playback buttons available on the play screen to access advanced playback features, such as repeat play, shuffle play, and equalizer settings. The advanced playback buttons are assigned to the second column from the right on the G-sense pad.

Move your finger up or down this column of buttons to select a button on the display. Press to activate the selected button.

Note

Available buttons differ on for different screens.

Button Function Remarks

AtB repeat

Enable/disable song repeat play

Enable/disable shuffle play

Change equalizer settings

Touch here

Advanced playback buttons

Press the button once to set point A. The next time sets point B and begins repeated playback of the passage between A and B.

Press the button to switch the repeat mode. The current repeat mode is shown on the play screen.

All-title repeat

1-title repeat

No display Repeat off

Press the button to change the equalizer settings. The current setting is shown by the equalizer icon on the play screen.

Bass emphasis (strong)

Bass emphasis (light)

Bass + treble emphasis (strong)

Bass + treble emphasis (light)

Treble emphasis (strong)

Treble emphasis (light)

No display Flat response (equalizer off)

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Button Function Remarks

Add the currently playing song to playlist

Show the next image

Show the previous image

Start slide show

Switch display mode

Assign as jacket image (album cover) to the currently playing song

To stop a slide show, press any button on the G-sense pad.

There are two display modes: Speed Priority Mode ( ) and High Quality Mode ( ). The Speed Priority Mode enables quick displaying of large images copied from a digital camera.

An image assigned to a song is displayed next to the album name.

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Operation

Listening to music

Note

Avoid shaking the player or subjecting it to shocks or vibration while music is playing. Such conditions may interrupt playback and cause a clicking sound. This behavior is normal and not cause for concern.

1 Connect the remote control.

2 Turn the power on.

zHints You can also turn on the player by pressing any of the buttons on the remote control. For details about turning the power off, refer to the Quick Start Guide.

Note

The first time the player is turned on, set up automatically begins for the G-sense sensitivity, language, and clock settings. Follow the instructions that appear on the display.

3 Select a song. Use the selector button on the remote control to control the items shown on the display of the remote control.

Plug in firmly Headphone connector

Remote control (supplied)

Headphones (supplied)

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1 Press the v or V side of the selector button to move the cursor to the appropriate item.

2 Press the ENTER section of the selector button.

Use the same principle to select other items and bring up a list of songs. The menu configuration may differ depending on the type of stored songs and the available information. (You can move back in the menu structure by pressing the BACK button on the remote control.)

Genre: Genre name t Artist name t Album name t Song Artist: Artist name t Album name t Song Album: Album name t Song All songs: Song

Move the cursor to the appropriate song, and press the ENTER section of the selector button. The play screen for the song appears on the display of the remote control.

z Hints If you press any part of the selector button while the play screen is shown, the display returns to

the main menu. When the player is controlled from the remote control, the player display shows Remote

controller under operation. Touch any button on the G-sense pad to reactivate the player display. The play screen appears after a while if you do not operate the controls.

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4 Play the song. The basic operation button and the volume button work as follows:

Operation Button action (on remote control)

Start playback Press on the basic operation button

Jump to start of current song Press . on the basic operation button

Jump to start of next song Press > on the basic operation button

Rewind Hold down . on the basic operation button

Fast forward Hold down > on the basic operation button

Stop playback Press on the basic operation button

Raise volume Press + side of volume button

Lower volume Press side of volume button

Move up one menu level Press the BACK button

Volume button

Basic operation button

BACK button

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Finding songs

You can search for songs in the following ways: Genre, Artist, Album, All songs

Music files are transferred to the player together with information about album genre, artist name, album title and all songs. Search for a desired music file by specifying such information (this page).

My History My History lists all songs played in the past, making it easy to return to a favorite song. If the songs are still on the player, you can start playback from the My History list (page 19).

Group and Jacket SonicStage track groups transferred to the player retain their group information, enabling you to select music by group name. If an image has been registered as the jacket for a group, moreover, you can search for tracks by the group jacket (page 19).

My Playlist By adding songs stored on the player to playlists, you create sets of music that you can easily switch between. The player can store up to five playlists at a time (page 20).

Searching by album genre, artist name, album title, and song title

You can search for songs by selecting Genre, Artist, or Album, or All songs on the main menu screen.

Note

Avoid shaking the player or subjecting it to shocks or vibration while music is playing. Such conditions may interrupt playback and cause a clicking sound. This behavior is normal and not cause for concern.

z Hint When the player is in any mode other than the play screen, Device under operation is displayed on the remote control. Press any part of the selector button to activate the remote control display.

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Searching among previously played songs

1 Select My History, and press the button.

2 Select the year, month, and day. The song selection screen appears.

3 Move your finger up and down on the G-sense pad to move the cursor to the song, and press the button. The play screen for the selected song appears, and the song begins playing.

Note

Songs on the player will no longer display in My History if you use the SonicStage software to remove them or transfer them to a computer.

Searching by group or group jacket

You can search for a track by group name if it has been added to a group in the SonicStage software. Display the main menu screen, and select Group.

If an image has been registered in the SonicStage software as the jacket for a group, you can select tracks by the group jacket. Select Jacket from the main menu screen to display a thumbnail list of the group jackets that have been transferred to the player. When you select a jacket thumbnail, the tracks for the corresponding group appear, and then you can select the track that you want to listen to.

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Using playlists By adding songs stored on the player to playlists, you create sets of music that you can switch between. The player can store up to five playlists at a time.

Registering a playlist

There are two methods for registering a song to a playlist:

Registering the currently playing song to a playlist Display the advanced playback buttons during play, move the cursor to the position, and then press the button.

Registering songs to a playlist from a list of songs or albums Display the advanced operation buttons while a list of songs or albums is displayed, move the cursor to the position, and then press the button. The currently selected song or album on the list is added to the playlist.

z Hint The number shown in the advanced operation button symbol indicates the number of the currently selected playlist. To add the song to a different playlist, you must first switch playlists.

Playing songs from a playlist

1 On the main menu screen, select My Playlist, and press the G-sense pad button. The selection screen appears.

2 Select the cursor to the song and press the button. The play screen for the selected song appears.

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Removing songs from a playlist

1 On the main menu screen, select My Playlist.

2 Move the cursor to the song you want to remove.

3 Display the advanced operation buttons, move the cursor to the position, and then press the button. A confirmation message asking whether to remove the song from the playlist appears.

4 Select Remove, and then press the button. The selected song is removed from the playlist.

Viewing still images

You can connect the player to the digital camera and copy images from the digital camera to the player.

The transferred images can be viewed on the player display.

As of September 2004, the player is compatible with most USB mass storage class digital still cameras, and supports Cyber-shot cameras, excluding models DSC-F1, DSC-F2, DSC-F3, DSC- F55, DSC-F55K, DSC-D700, and DSC-D770.

Note

The player is not guaranteed to work with all USB mass storage class digital still cameras.

Transferring still images from a digital camera

Note

Always use the AC adapter when connecting the player to a digital camera.

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1 Remove the supplied USB cable from the computer and the cradle.

2 Connect the cable removed in step 1 to the digital camera and cradle, as shown below.

Notes

Do not disconnect the USB cable from the digital camera or the cradle before the still image file copy is complete.

To connect to a digital camera without Mini-B connector, use the USB cable supplied with the digital camera.

Do not connect any other kind of device except a supported digital camera to the Type-A USB connector of the cradle.

3 Turn on the player.

4 Turn on the digital camera.

5 On the main menu screen, select Photo Storage. A screen appears, indicating the number of image files on the digital camera that are available for transfer to the player.

6 Select Copy, and then press the button. The transfer of images from the digital camera starts.

Notes

When you select Photo Storage from the main menu, music playback stops and the remote control is disabled.

Do not disconnect the USB cable before the transfer is completed. While still images are being transferred, do not turn off the player.

z Hint The copied still image files are saved in the folder VAIO Photo on the hard disk of the player.

Small plug (Mini-B) plugs into digital camera

Large plug (Type A) plugs into cradle

Move the sliding cover to the left

USB cable (supplied)

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Viewing the transferred still images

This function is used to view still images copied from a digital camera.

Note

Avoid shaking the player or subjecting it to shocks or vibration while images are being displayed. Such conditions may interrupt slide show playback, cause images to display incorrectly, and cause a clicking sound. This behavior is normal and not cause for concern.

z Hint You can also use the player to view JPEG images transferred from a personal computer. To transfer images from a computer, connect the player to the computer as an external hard disk drive, and copy the image files from the computer's hard disk drive to the player. For details, see "Using the portable music player as a hard disk drive" (page 24).

1 On the main menu screen, select Photo Viewer.

2 Select the item and press the button.

3 Select the image file, and press the button. The JPEG file is displayed on the entire screen. For details, see Viewing still images (page 21).

z Hint The Photo Viewer function on the player can display any JPEG files stored in a USER_xxx folder (xxx is a number) in the VAIO Photo folder on the internal hard disk drive. This means that you can connect the player to a computer as an external hard drive, create a USER_xxx folder in the VAIO Photo folder, and manually copy JPEG files to the player.

By touching the second row of G-sense pad buttons from the right, you can bring up advanced playback buttons for various image viewing functions. When the advanced playback buttons are displayed, move your finger up and down to move the cursor. For details about the advanced playback buttons, refer to page 13.

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Using the portable music player as a hard disk drive The player can be used as an external USB hard disk for your personal computer, increasing the available data storage capacity and serving as portable media.

When the player is connected to a computer using the USB cable, it is recognized by the computer as a removable hard disk, allowing data read and write. (For details on how to connect the player to a computer, see the Quick Start Guide.)

Notes

If you use Windows Explorer or similar software to transfer music files directly from the computer to the player, the player will not be able to play these files. (They will be handled as data.) In order for music files to be playable on the player, you must use the SonicStage or VAIO music transfer software.

When the player is used an external hard disk for a computer, the space available for transferring music files will be reduced by the amount of computer data transferred to the player. If you need more space for music files, you must delete saved computer data or use the SonicStage software to delete transferred music files.

Before disconnecting the player, always right-click the Safely Remove Hardware (or Remove) icon in the notification area of the task bar on the computer.

Deleting music files Music files transferred to the player can be deleted using the SonicStage software. For detailed instructions, refer to the SonicStage online help.

Note

Always use the SonicStage software to delete music files, even if they were transferred to the player using the VAIO music transfer software.

1 Connect the player to the computer. For details, refer to the Quick Start Guide.

2 Start the SonicStage software. Click Start - All Programs (or Programs) - SonicStage - SonicStage.

3 Delete the music files. Click the Transfer tab to display the screen for transferring music to the player, and then use the list display in the right side of the screen to delete your desired music files.

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Other Information

Setup items and settings To adjust settings for the display and operation functions of the player, select Setting on the Main Menu screen.

Setup item Setting and description

My Playlist The player can store up to five playlists.

This setting specifies which is currently active.

Display Setting The following display-related settings can be adjusted.

Backlight setting Sets the time delay for automatically turning off the display backlight when no operation is carried out. You can also set the backlight to be Always ON or Always OFF.

Sound Setting The following sound-related settings can be adjusted.

Beep Selects whether a sound is heard when the G-sense pad and the remote control are pressed. AVLS When this is set to ON, loud sounds above a certain threshold level are automatically reduced in volume. This lets you listen to music at an agreeable volume while reducing the risk of sound leakage, possible hearing damage, and danger from masking of external sounds.

Clock Setting The following time-related settings can be adjusted.

Clock Setting Clock setting

Sets the date and time shown on the display. You can also select 24h or 12h for the time display.

Format Changes the order in which the year, month, and day appear.

Timer Setting You can select one of the following functions. Power off

Automatically puts the player into power off mode after a certain amount of time.

Playback start Automatically starts audio playback at a pre-selected time or after a set time interval.

Beep Automatically plays a beep tone at a pre-selected time or after a set time interval.

Off All alarm-related functions are turned off.

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Setup item Setting and description

Language Selects the language for the menus and commands.

G-sense setting Adjust G-sense pad parameters for optimum efficiency.

Sensing Area Setting Select one of the following: Thumb operation

This setting works best when holding the unit with one hand and operating it with your thumb.

Flat Response is evenly distributed over the button area.

Sensitivity Setting Move the cursor to Start and press a G-sense pad button. Sensitivity compensation is automatically set according to the G-sense pad condition.

Remote device contrast Adjusts the contrast of the remote control display.

System Information Displays various information about the player, such as hard disk used/ free space, number of transferred songs, and firmware version.

Initialize Setting Returns the unit to the factory default condition. When you select OK, all settings are returned to the default condition, except for My History, time, and rating data.

Initialize My History Clears the saved My History data of songs that were played.

Initialize Rating Clears the saved song rating data based on play frequency and play status.

Restore Music Info Restores the music information.

Firmware Update Lets you update the firmware of the player. For details, visit the Web site described on Getting Help(page 30).

HDD Format Formats the internal hard disk drive of the player.

Notes When you format the internal hard disk, all data are removed.

You should back up the data if you use the player as an external USB hard disk.

If you format the internal hard disk with NTFS, the player will become unable to play music.

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About the internal battery When the player is operated on the internal battery, the battery charge gradually decreases. The battery icon on the display indicates the current state of the battery's charge.

Icon Meaning

Battery charge of 75% or more

Battery charge of 50 - 75%

Battery charge of 25 - 50%

Battery charge of 5 - 25%

Battery charge of less than 5%

Player is powered by AC adapter (battery is charging)

Player is powered by AC adapter (battery is fully charged)

Notes

The numbers given for remaining battery capacity are only approximate. The actual operation time with the battery will depend on the usage environment, number of charged, and various other factors.

When discarding the player, follow the instructions on page 29 to remove the battery properly.

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Precautions

Usage and storage

Use only the specified AC adapter. Never short-circuit any of the connectors. Do not leave the unit in locations that can

become hot (over 60C), such as in a closed car or exposed to direct sunlight.

Protect the player from water and moisture.

Overheating

If the unit seems to be running hotter than normal, turn off power to the player and disconnect the AC adapter. Then contact the Web site described on Getting Help (page 30).

Condensation

If the unit is brought from a cold to a warm location, or if ambient temperature suddenly rises, moisture condensation may occur on the outer surface and in the interior of the unit. Do not use the unit in such a condition, as this can cause damage. If condensation has occurred, leave the unit for about an hour without turning the power on.

Disk handling

To protect the data on the supplied CD-ROM, observe the following precautions. Do not attach paper stickers or similar to

the disc, and do not scratch or otherwise damage the disc.

A disc label may come off while the disc is inserted in the CD-ROM drive of the computer, causing serious damage. To prevent this, make sure that any label is properly attached before using the disc. Sony Corporation does not accept any liability for damage caused by improper labels or by media damage. Carefully follow the instructions of any label-printing software and label products. Use of such products occurs entirely at the risk of the user.

Do not touch the data side of the disc (opposite the label).

Do not store the disc in locations subject to high humidity, high temperatures, direct sunlight, or high levels of dust.

Take care not to spill any liquid on the disc. Return the disc to its case when not in use

in order to prevent data damage.

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Hard disk precautions

Never disconnect a cable or turn the computer or the player off while data are being written to or read from the hard disk. Otherwise data may be corrupted or lost. Sony Corporation does not accept any liability for damage caused by data loss.

Hard disks can hold a vast amount of data, but damage or malfunction can lead to sudden and irreplaceable data loss. It is highly recommended that you regularly back up the contents of the hard disk. Sony Corporation does not accept any liability for damage caused by data loss.

Removing the internal battery

When discarding the unit, follow the instructions below to remove the battery properly.

1 Use a phillips screwdriver to remove the four screws from the side of the player.

2 Detach the internal battery.

3 Disconnect the internal battery cable from the connector on the player.

Notes

The interior of the unit may become hot during operation. Before removing the battery, make sure that the unit has cooled down.

Take care that no foreign object enters the unit while the battery is removed.

Before removing the battery, you should discharge it fully, for example by performing continuous playback.

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Maintenance

Cleaning the cabinet

Wipe the outside of the unit with a soft, dry cloth. To remove stubborn stains, moisten the cloth with a mild, neutral detergent. Do not use solvents, cleaning alcohol, benzene or other substances that may damage the finish.

Disc cleaning

Fingerprints and other contamination on the disc surface can lead to read errors. Always keep the disc clean.

To clean the disc, lightly wipe it from the center outwards.

To remove stubborn stains, lightly moisten the cloth before wiping the disc, and use a dry cloth afterwards.

Do not use benzene, record cleaning liquid, antistatic fluids or other substances that may damage the surface of the disc.

Getting help This section provides information on how to get help and support from Sony, and troubleshooting tips for your unit.

Sony support options

Sony provides several support options for your unit. When you have questions about your unit or the software, refer to the following: This guide explains how to use your unit.

For customers in the United States and Canada Sony Online Support provides instant

access to infomation on commonly encountered problems. Type a description of the problem and the Knowledge Database searches for the corresponding solutions online. You can visit the Sony Online Support at: http://www.sony.com/pcsupport .

The Sony Customer Information Service Center offers information about your portable music player and other Sony products that work with your portable music player. To contact Sony Customer Information Service Center, call 1-888-4SONYPC (1-888-476-6972).

For customers in Europe VAIO-Link. For addresses and numbers, refer

to http://www.vaio-link.com/

For customers in other regions VAIO Website provides Frequently Asked

Questions and solutions. http://vaio-online.sony.com/

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Specifications Ambient conditions Operating temperature 41F to 95 F (5C to 35C) (temperature gradient less than 18F (10C)/hour)

Operating humidity 20% to 80% (no condensation), provided that humidity is less than 65% at 95 F (35C) (hygrometer reading of less than 18 F (10C))

Storage temperature 4F to 100 F (20C to 60C) (temperature gradient less than 50F (10C)/hour)

Storage humidity 10% to 90% (no condensation), provided that humidity is less than 20% at 140 F (60C) (hygrometer reading of less than 95 F (35C))

AC adapter (VGP-AC5V1) Power requirements 100 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz

Output voltage and current 5.2 V, max. 2.9 A

Software SonicStage ver. 2.1 Supported file formats 3) ATRAC3plus, ATRAC3, MP3, WMA, WAV

VAIO music transfer Supported file formats 4) MP3, WMA, WAV

Supplied accessories Cradle, USB cable, remote control, headphones, AC adapter, power cord, software CD-ROM, Quick Start Guide, warranty card

1) Some portion of hard disk capacity is reserved for application / data management function.

2) If the connected computer does not support Hi-speed, data transfer will take longer.

3) MP3 and WAV files will be converted to ATRAC3 or ATRAC3plus.

4) All supported file formats are converted to ATRAC3 or ATRAC3plus.

Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Main unit Display 2.2 inch TFT color display (320 H 256 V dots)

Hard disk capacity 1)

20 GB / 40 GB

Supported playback file formats ATRAC3plus, ATRAC3, JPEG

External connectivity Headphone connector: stereo mini phone jack Cradle connector

Power source Lithium-ion rechargeable battery or AC adapter

Playback time Approx. 20 hours

Dimensions 40GB model: Approx. 4.6 2.5 0.8 inches (115.2 63.3 20.4 mm) (widest part 1.1 inches (27 mm)) (w/h/ d), not including protruding parts

20GB model: Approx. 4.6 2.5 0.7 inches (115.2 63.3 17.2 mm) (widest part 1.1 inches (27 mm)) (w/h/d), not including protruding parts

Mass 40GB model: Approx. 7.4 oz. (210 g) 20GB model: Approx. 6.9 oz. (195 g)

Cradle External connectivity PC interface: USB 2.0 2) (High-speed/Full-speed) Digital camera interface: USB DC IN LINE OUT connector: stereo mini phone jack

Dimensions 40GB model: Folded: Approx. 4.8 3.0 1.7 inches (120 76 42 mm) (w/h/d) In use: Approx. 4.8 2.1 3.2 inches (120 52 80 mm) (w/h/d)

20GB model: Folded: Approx. 4.8 3.0 1.7 inches (121 75 41 mm) (w/h/d) In use: Approx. 4.8 2.0 3.1 inches (121 51 78 mm) (w/h/d)

Mass 40GB model: Approx. 3.6 oz. (100 g) 20GB model: Approx. 3.5 oz. (98 g)

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Troubleshooting If a problem occurs during operation of the unit, please check the points listed in this troubleshooting guide. For contact information, see Getting Help on page 30. You should also consult the printed and electronic documentation of the computer.

Power

Symptom Cause/remedy

Power does not come on.

Power goes off.

Power comes on briefly, but then shuts off again.

Operation

Symptom Cause/remedy

Cannot play music.

c The internal battery may be fully discharged. Charge the battery as described in the Quick Start Guide.

c Press the reset button (page 6). After pressing the reset button, it takes about 10 seconds for the unit to become operative.

c If the backlight timer setting is enabled, the power is automatically shut off when the player or the remote control has been operated for a set time period. Press the POWER/HOLD switch to turn the player back on.

c If the player has not been used for a while, the battery may have gradually lost its charge. Charge the battery before using the player again.

c The player is shipped from the factory with a partial battery charge that may have been l