Sony PCV-LX900 - Manuals

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 8 DISPOSAL OF LITHIUM BATTERY You can return your unwanted lithium batteries to your nearest Sony Service Center or Factory Service Center. For the Sony Service Center nearest you, call 1-888-476-6972 in the United States or 1-800-961-7669 in Canada. ✍ In some a...

11 Contents Welcome ............................................................... 13 Choosing an Ergonomic Location for Your Computer .... 13Front Panel Overview ....................................................... 14Back Panel Overview........................................................ 17...

13 Welcome Thank you for purchasing your Sony VAIO Slimtop™ LCD computer! Your new computer is a superb blend of high technology and easy-to-use functionality. This User Guide contains information about the applications included with your system, contact information for software vendors, and the spe...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 14 level. Use the display’s tilting feature to find the best position. You can reduce eye strain and muscle fatigue by placing the display in the proper position. ❑ Lighting — Choose a location where windows and lights do not create glare and reflection on the d...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 16 Front Panel (cont.) 8 PC Card slot A PC card (also called a PCMCIA card) can be installed in this slot. PC cards enable you to add functionality to your system. 9 MEMORY STICK® media slot Insert a Sony MEMORY STICK media into this slot. 10 Universal Serial Bu...

Back Panel Overview 17 Back Panel Overview The back panel of your computer contains the ports for supplied and optional accessories. The icons on the back panel help locate and identify the ports on your computer. Locating Ports Back Panel 1 AC Input port Connection for the supplied power cord. 2 T-...

Sony Pen Tablet Overview 19 Sony Pen Tablet Overview Your VAIO Slimtop™ Computer is supplied with a Sony Pen Tablet display (TA-15A), a VAIO Pen and accessories. The Sony Pen Tablet is a graphic interface that provides a pressure-sensitive work area. The VAIO Pen is a cordless input device that cont...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 20 Sony Pen Tablet Display (Shown in an upright position) 1 Power indicator light Light is green while the power is on. When the computer enters standby mode, this indicator light turns amber. 2 Information LED light Light turns red to alert the user to activiti...

Sony Pen Tablet Overview 21 Adjusting the Sony Pen Tablet display (TA-15A) 1 Holding both sides of the display, push the display panel out and up. 2 Set the display height so that it covers the keyboard, and adjust the screen for a viewing angle that allows you to work with the tablet and VAIO pen c...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 22 VAIO Pen Overview The VAIO Pen controls the cursor movements on the Sony Pen Tablet screen. Hold the pen in the same manner as a pen or pencil, making sure that the rocker switch on the side is within reach of your thumb or forefinger, but cannot be accidenta...

VAIO Pen Overview 23 Your VAIO Pen, eraser, and the upper/lower switch positions are programmable. By default, the basic functions performed by the VAIO Pen are: ❑ Pointing — Place the tip of the pen anywhere on the pen tablet screen and the screen cursor will automatically correspond to that point....

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 24 Configuring the VAIO Pen To change the pen tip, eraser and upper/lower switch functions 1 From the Start menu, point to Settings, and then click on Control Panel. 2 Click on Sony Tablet. The Sony Tablet Properties window appears. 3 From the Tool Buttons tab, ...

VAIO Pen Overview 25 To calibrate your pen to your tablet screen 1 From the Sony Tablet Properties screen, click on the Calibration tab. 2 Click on the “Calibrate...” button. Follow the onscreen instructions to align your pen’s cursor positioning to the tablet screen coordinates. Pressure Hold Keeps...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 26 3 Click Apply. The onscreen cursor location is adjusted to correspond to the pen tip. To adjust the pen tip pressure and feel 1 From the Sony Tablet Properties screen, click on the Tip Feel tab. 2 Test the pen tip feel by drawing lines in the “Draw here” Test...

VAIO Pen Overview 27 To adjust the pen’s double-click speed and distance 1 From the Sony Tablet Properties screen, click on the Double-Click tab. 2 To allow the Sony Tablet software to automatically adjust the double-click speed and distance, place a check mark in the box located next to Double-Clic...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 28 6 Click Apply. The new double-click speed and distance settings are applied to the pen. To adjust the eraser pressure and feel 1 From the Sony Table Properties screen, click on the Eraser Feel tab. 2 To check the current erase pressure feel, erase the phrase ...

VAIO Pen Overview 29 6 Click Apply. The new eraser pressure feel settings are applied to the pen. Configuring the Pop-up menu The Sony Tablet Properties window has a Pop-up Menu tab that can be used to configure onscreen pop-up menus. (The Pop-up Menu function can be assigned to the VAIO Pen.) If yo...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 30 Customizing the pen settings for specific software applications You can customize your pen settings for a specific software application. When you use different software, the associated pen settings are applied automatically, enabling you to take full advantag...

Using Memory Stick® Media 31 Using Memory Stick® Media Your VAIO Slimtop™ computer is designed to support the new Memory Stick storage media. The Memory Stick media is a compact, portable, and versatile device designed for exchanging and sharing digital data with compatible products. You can use VAI...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 32 To change the way the computer responds when a Memory Stick media is inserted You can change the way your system responds by changing the options on the Memory Stick tab in the PPK Setup utility. Locking the Memory Stick Media LOCK LOCK LOCK To unlock To lock

Using PC Cards 33 Using PC Cards Your computer has a card bus PC card slot that supports a Type I or Type II PC card. To insert a PC card 1 Slide front panel cover in the direction of arrow as shown in picture, to open it. 2 Insert the PC card into the PC card slot until it clicks into position. ✍ Y...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 34 To eject a PC card 1 From the Start menu, point to Settings, point to Control Panel, and then click on the PC card icon. 2 Click the name of the card that you want to eject, and then click Stop. 3 When the message “You may safely remove this device” appears, ...

VAIO® Action Setup 37 VAIO® Action Setup VAIO Action Setup manages the settings for your computer's Programmable Power Keys (PPK), internal timer, i.LINK® interface, and Memory Stick® media. For more information on changing these settings using VAIO Action Setup, see the online VAIO Action Setup Hel...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 38 To change the settings of the PPKs 1 From the Start menu, point to Programs, point to VAIO Action Setup, and then click VAIO Action Setup. 2 Click the PPK you want to change. 3 From the Select Application dialog box, click the option for the desired function....

Presetting i.LINK® devices 39 Presetting i.LINK® devices You can preset your i.LINK-equipped devices to perform desired functions, such as automatically starting DVgate™ software or connecting two VAIO® computers. To preset your i.LINK device to perform a desired function 1 From the Start menu, poin...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 40 12 Click Next to confirm the application name. The Input Application Name dialog box appears. You may change the name and description of the application you want to launch. 13 Click Finish to complete this step. The next time the device is connected and turne...

AutoAler t™ E-mail Notification System 41 AutoAlert™ E-mail Notification System The VAIO® Action Setup utility enables you to program your computer to notify you when new mail arrives in your e-mail mailbox. The Information LED turns red to indicate that new e-mail has arrived. For the AutoAlert E-m...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 42 If you are using Microsoft ® Outlook ® Express When using the AutoAlert E-mail Notification System with Microsoft Outlook Express, select the “Dial automatically” setting in your Microsoft Outlook Express software. To adjust this setting: 1 Start Outlook Expr...

Configuring your VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer 43 Configuring your VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer Hard Disk Drive Partition In order to improve the performance of the DVgate™ software, the hard disk drive on your computer has been formatted with two partitions, C and D. The DVgate™ software saves files to ...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 44 i.LINK® (IEEE1394) Compatibility Your VAIO computer includes a 4-pin i.LINK port on the front of the system and a 6-pin i.LINK port on the back of the system. A 4-pin i.LINK port cannot supply power to a connected device. A 6-pin i.LINK port can: ❑ supply pow...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 46 Enabling Ethernet Your computer comes with a preinstalled Ethernet interface. Your computer may ship with the Ethernet function disabled. You can enable Ethernet connectivity by following the instructions below. To enable the Ethernet connection 1 Right-click...

VAIO® AV Applications 47 VAIO® AV Applications Your VAIO computer comes with a collection of audio and video (AV) applications that make it easy to use advanced multimedia formats. This section describes these VAIO AV applications. DVgate™ Sony Electronics, Inc. DVgate software makes it easy to edit...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 48 PictureGear™ Sony Electronics, Inc. PictureGear is a digital image management application that allows you to see all the images stored in any directory on your computer. Thumbnail views provide quick reminders of your pictures. Brighten, contrast, enhance, re...

VAIO® AV Applications 49 MovieShaker™ This application can be used to create fun and innovative movies without any knowledge of film editing. In a few simple steps, motion pictures can be combined with special effects, still images, and music files, and then saved in a format compatible with most co...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 50 Create a Movie using Shaker After adding clip(s) to the Clip tray, you can create a short movie using the Shaker feature. Shaker randomly selects clips from the Clip tray to create a 30-second scene. 1 Click the Shaker tab. 2 Select a mood by clicking a face ...

VAIO® AV Applications 51 Editing Clips and Scenes You can edit your movie by adding effects and text, adjusting the color and contrast, and modifying the length of clips. Adding effects to a scene or a clip 1 Double-click the clip or scene to move it to the Working Panel. 2 Select the Effects tab fr...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 52 Saving a Movie 1 Verify that the clip(s) you want to save is on the Product tray. See Help for more details on saving movies. 2 Click Export. 3 Select the format in which you want the document to be saved. 4 Click Next. 5 Locate the folder to which you want t...

VAIO® AV Applications 53 PictureGear™ PictureGear is a digital image management application that allows you to see all the images stored in any directory on your computer. Thumbnail views provide quick reminders of your pictures. Brighten, contrast, enhance, resize, crop, and color-correct your pict...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 54 Using Panorama Maker Panorama Maker stitches a group of still images into a 360 degree panoramic picture. The source images should be the same size and overlap 20%. How to stitch a panoramic picture: 1 Gather the source images into the same folder or collecti...

VAIO® AV Applications 55 OpenMG™ Jukebox 2.0 OpenMG Jukebox is a software application that utilizes Sony Corporation’s copyright protection technology. OpenMG Jukebox maintains the holder’s copyrights by preventing unauthorized distribution of digital audio files. OpenMG Jukebox software lets you pl...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 56 Starting OpenMG Jukebox 2.0 1 From the Start button on the Windows taskbar, point to Programs, point to OpenMG Jukebox, and then click on OpenMG Jukebox. The CDDB® Music Recognition Service Registration wizard appears. Follow the onscreen instructions to comp...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 58 Recording a CD You can record songs from audio CDs and import them to playlists in OpenMG Jukebox. 1 Insert an audio CD into your system’s CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive. 2 Click the CD tab. 3 Use the drop-down lists to select the Bit Rate, CD drive, and Record To desti...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 60 3 Select the playlist that has the song that you want to check out. The songs in the playlist are shown in the Playlist view panel located in the center of the Check-In/Out tab window. 4 From the Playlist view panel, select the song to be checked out. To chec...

VAIO® AV Applications 61 For more information about using OpenMG Jukebox 2.0 software, go to the online OpenMG Jukebox Help. You can access the online help file using either of the following instructions: ❑ Click the Start button on the Windows taskbar, point to Programs, point to OpenMG Jukebox, an...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 62 Smart Capture™ Smart Capture is a Sony-designed application that manages the i.LINK connection between your computer and an i.LINK-compatible digital camera or camcorder. You can capture and enhance video or still images to share with your family and friends ...

VAIO® AV Applications 63 Using Still mode 1 From the Start button, point to Programs, point to Smart Capture, and then click on Smart Capture. The Smart Capture main window appears. 2 Connect your i.LINK-compatible digital camera or camcorder to your computer with an i.LINK cable. An image appears i...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 66 Capturing a picture in Still mode 1 Use your digital camera or camcorder to locate the image you want to capture. When you see the desired image in the Smart Capture window, click on the Capture button. The Still Viewer window appears. You can capture one pic...

VAIO® AV Applications 67 ❑ Upload — Send your still images online to the ImageStation Web site to share with your family and friends. ImageStation stores your still images online when you register for this free service. See “Using ImageStation™.” ❑ Mail — E-mail your still images to your family and ...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 68 4 Click on the Options button to view the available options for your movie capture. The Recording Options window appears. The Recording Options window has three tabs: ❑ Format: — You can adjust the compression rate for your movies in MPEG1 format or choose th...

VAIO® AV Applications 69 Capturing a movie in Net Movie mode 1 Use your digital camcorder to locate the view(s) you want to capture. When you see the desired view in either the Smart Capture window or your camcorder’s viewfinder, press the Capture button to begin recording your movie. The Movie Play...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 70 Managing your movie in Net Movie mode From the Movie Player window, you can perform various functions using the task buttons: ❑ Delete — Discard any frame or the entire movie by clicking on the Delete button. The frame or movie is removed from the Movie Playe...

VAIO® AV Applications 71 2 Select the compression rate and press the Start Compression button. The ImageStation Login window appears. See steps 2 - 4 in the next section, “Uploading with Still Viewer” for further uploading information. Uploading with Still Viewer 1 Click on the Upload button in Stil...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 72 2 For first time users, the ImageStation registration wizard guides you through the initial registration process. Follow the onscreen instructions. If you are already a registered member, provide your login name and password. The Image Uploader window appears...

VAIO® AV Applications 73 VisualFlow™ VisualFlow is a Sony state-of-the-art multimedia browser designed specifically for Memory Stick media. It displays any still picture, movie or sound files stored in a Memory Stick media in a visually pleasing, artistic manner. VisualFlow plays a selected movie or...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 74 DVGate™ Connecting a digital video camera recorder Before connecting a digital video camera recorder to your computer, turn off the power on the camera. After connecting the camera, turn the power back on. You do not need to turn off the computer when connect...

VAIO® AV Applications 75 When recording AVI files to tape ❑ Do not use DVgate software when the connected digital video device is in Timer Recording mode, as this could produce a malfunction in the device. ❑ To avoid recording problems, such as a single frame appearing in multiple frames, close othe...

System, Application and Driver Recovery CD(s) 77 System, Application and Driver Recovery CD(s) System Recovery CD(s) Sony Electronics The System Recovery CD program allows you to restore the software titles that shipped with your computer if they become corrupted or are erased. It can be used only t...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 78 To use the System Recovery CD(s) 1 Insert the Sony System Recovery CD in the CD-RW drive. 2 Shut down your computer. 3 Wait 30 seconds and turn on your computer. 4 Click OK to signify you have read and accepted the Microsoft End-User License Agreement. 5 When...

System, Application and Driver Recovery CD(s) 79 You must be in Windows to run the Application Recovery CD utility. If you have any questions on using the Application Recovery CD(s), contact Sony Customer Support. To use the Application Recovery CD(s) 1 Turn on your computer. If your computer is alr...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 80 To reinstall drivers with the Driver Recovery CD 1 Turn on your computer. If your computer is already on, close all applications. 2 When the Windows desktop appears, insert the Driver Recovery CD in the CD-RW drive. Use My Computer or Windows Explorer to view...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 82 Using the Quick Fix Wizard The Quick Fix Wizard automatically checks your system when a problem occurs and brings your software back to a previous working state. 1 Click the Quick Fix Wizard button. 2 When the Welcome screen appears, click Next. 3 If you know...

Using the VAIO Suppor t Agent 83 Using Common Solutions Common Solutions offers automated, One-Click Fixes to repair common software problems. These solutions can integrate information such as knowledge base articles and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). You can run One-Click Fixes directly from VA...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 84 Using Support Central Support Central uses Internet resources to help you self-service your software. Support Central searches the Internet for answers to your questions, additional information from knowledge-based systems, and the latest software updates for...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 88 Software Applications protected by VAIO Support Agent In addition to the software listed below, your system’s drivers, basic network settings and modem settings are protected by the VAIO Support Agent utility. Utilities ❑ VAIO Action Setup Applications ❑ Adob...

89 Troubleshooting This section describes how to solve common problems you may encounter when using your computer. Many problems have simple solutions, so try these suggestions before you call Sony Customer Support. Topics Topic: My computer does not start ❑ Check that the computer is plugged into a...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 90 ❑ If the above steps fail to “unlock” your computer, try the following steps: 1 Save any unsaved work, if possible. 2 Press Alt+F4. 3 Select Restart. 4 Click OK. ❑ If you cannot restart as described in the preceding steps, you can restart the computer by pres...

Topics 91 2 Right-click the CD-RW icon. 3 Select the Eject option from the pop-up menu. Topic: I cannot play a CD ❑ After inserting your CD, wait a few seconds for it to be detected before trying to access it. ❑ Make sure you place the disc in the tray with the label side facing up. ❑ Make sure the ...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 92 Topic: Why doesn't my CD-RW drive record at the highest speed? You must use 8x CD-R or 4x CD-RW media to achieve optimum performance. If you must use other media and are having difficulty formatting non-4x CD-RW media, change the write speed from 4x to a lowe...

Topics 93 Topic: Why doesn’t my mouse resume operation as my input device when I stop using the VAIO Pen? A conflict occurs between the pen and another input device while the pen is in contact with the Sony Pen Tablet display screen. When you are finished using your VAIO pen, do not leave it on the ...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 94 ❑ If the program you are using has its own volume control, check that the volume is turned up. ❑ Check the volume controls in the application, in the audio mixer, and in Windows. There is a volume control on the Windows ® taskbar. Click the icon and slide the...

Topics 95 ❑ If you suspect your modem is not functioning, you can perform a simple test to find out. 1 Click the My Computer icon on your desktop. 2 Click Control Panel. 3 Click Modems. 4 Click the Diagnostics tab. 5 Select COM3. 6 Click More Info. If your modem is functioning, a More Info dialog bo...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 96 4 Change the setting for “Adjust volume for” from Playback to Recording, then click OK. 5 Decrease the microphone level. 6 If available, click the Advanced button under Microphone Balance. The Advanced Controls for Microphone screen appears. 7 Deselect the ch...

Topics 97 Topic: I cannot find the Windows ® taskbar ❑ Check that the taskbar is not hidden or shrunken. ❑ Use the mouse to point to the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the screen. Topic: Why is my system running slowly? ❑ The system responsiveness varies depending on the number of application...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 98 4 Click on the Network Adapters category, and then select “SiS 900 PCI Fast Ethernet”. 5 Click the Properties button. 6 Remove the checkmark from the option “Disable in this hardware profile.” 7 Click OK. 8 Close the Control Panel window. Topic: How do I inst...

Topics 99 7 Click Yes to have Windows-based programs use this as the default printer. 8 Click Next. 9 Click No and then click Finish. To Reach Sony For Sony PC Support, call 1-888-4SONYPC (1-888-476-6972) or access the Web site at: http://www.sony.com/pcsupport. ✍ If prompted for a path to the windo...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 100 Notes on Use On the Power Source ❑ Your computer operates on 100–120 V AC 50/60 Hz only. ❑ The total power draw of installed add-on cards must not exceed the specifications for the power supply. Do not overload the system by installing add-on cards that draw...

Notes on Use 101 ❑ Unplug your computer from the wall outlet if you will not be using the computer for a long time. ❑ Before touching anything inside the computer, turn the system off and let it cool for ten minutes. This will ensure that the processor heat sink will not be hot. ❑ Do not attempt to ...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 102 ❑ Provide adequate air circulation to prevent internal heat build-up. Attach the stand to your system to prevent overheating. Do not place your computer on loose surfaces (such as rugs or blankets) or near materials (such as curtains or draperies) that may b...

Notes on Use 103 On Moisture Condensation If your computer is brought directly from a cold location to a warm one, moisture may condense inside your computer. In this case, allow at least an hour before turning on your computer. If any problem occurs, unplug your computer, and contact your Sony Serv...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 104 ❑ Using the computer in low temperature conditions may produce a residual image on the screen. This is not a malfunction. When the computer returns to normal temperature, the screen returns to normal. ❑ A residual image may appear on the screen if the same i...

For Answers to Your Software Questions 105 On Handling CD Media ❑ Do not touch the surface of the disc. ❑ Do not drop or bend the disc. ❑ Do not use adhesive labels to identify the disc. The label may come off while the disc is in use in the optical drive. On Cleaning CD Media ❑ Fingerprints and dus...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 106 America Online® (America Online) CompuServe® 2000 (CompuServe Interactive Services) DirectCD, Easy CD Creator™ (Adaptec, Inc.) EarthLink TotalAccess™(EarthLink Network, Inc.) McAfee VirusScan® (Network Associates, Inc.) Netscape Communicator® (Netscape Commu...

VAIO Slimtop™ LCD Computer User Guide 108 Resources Sony provides several support options for your Sony computer. When you have questions about your computer and the preinstalled software, check these sources for answers, in the following sequence: Quick Start Contains information on how to set up y...

Resources 109 Sony Fax-on-Demand This service provides you with answers to commonly asked questions. You can use this automated service to request a list of available topics and then select the topics that you want to receive. To contact the Sony fax-on-demand service, call 1-888-4SONYPC (1-888-476-...

Specifications 111 Specifications Model PCV-LX900 Processor 1B GHz * Intel® Pentium® III Hard Disk DriveC / D Partition 40 GB ATA-66 C = 16GB / D = 24GB Standard SDRAM 128 † MB PC-133 SDRAM, expandable to 512MB Video RAM Shared with system memory Graphics SiS 630 graphics hardware acceleration Sound...

113 Index A AC input port 17adding additional hardware precaution 101 adjusting voltage settings 100air circulation 102Application Recovery CD 77,78applications launching problems with 91 AutoAlert™ 41 B battery disposing 101 brightness control, on LCD 20 C cables 102CD tray opening problems with 90...