Sony VGX-XL100 User manual

XL Series
Entertainment Guide
Click on the guide you would like to read:
User Guide

N
User Guide
Personal Computer
VGC-XL Series(PCV-H21M)

VGX-XL100 Living Room Entertainment Computer 2
Before Use
Congratulations on your purchase of this Sony VAIO computer, and welcome
to the on-screen User Guide. Sony has combined leading-edge technology in
audio, video, computing, and communications to provide state-of-the-art
personal computing.
Notice
© 2005 Sony Corporation. All rights reserved.
This 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 approval.
Sony Corporation provides no warranty with regard to this manual, the
software, or other information contained herein and hereby expressly
disclaims any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any
particular purpose with regard to this manual, the software or such other
information. In no event shall Sony Corporation be liable for any incidental,
consequential, or special damages, whether based on tort, contract, or
otherwise, arising out of or in connection with this manual, the software, or
other information contained herein or the use thereof.
In the manual, the ™ or ® marks are not specified.
Sony Corporation reserves the right to make any modification to this manual
or the information contained herein at any time without notice. The software
described herein is governed by the terms of a separate user license
agreement.
Documentation
Your documentation includes printed information and user guides to read on
your VAIO computer.
Guides are provided in PDF format, which you can easily browse through and
print out.
The My Club VAIO portal is a perfect starting point to use your computer — a
comprehensive collection of everything you need to get the most from your
computer.
The user guides are collected under Documentation, which can be shown as
follows:

3 VGX-XL100 Living Room Entertainment Computer
1Click Start and then the My Club VAIO icon .
2Click Documentation.
3Select the guide you want to read.
✍
You can manually browse to the user guides by going to My Computer > VAIO (C:)
(your C drive) > Documentation > Documentation and opening the folder for your
language.
Printed Documentation
•A Setting Up Poster — Describes the process from unpacking to starting
up your VAIO.
•Troubleshooting Guide — Contains solutions to common problems.
•Recovery Guide — Contains an explanation of how to recover your
computer's system if you need to.
• Booklets containing the following information: Sony Guarantee
conditions, Safety Regulations, Modem Regulations and Wireless LAN
Regulations.
Non-printed Documentation
•User Guide (this manual) — Contains features of your computer. It also
includes information about the software programs included with your
computer, as well as information on solving common problems.
•Specifications — The online Specifications describe the hardware and
software configuration of your VAIO computer.
• To view the online Specifications:
• Connect to the Internet.
• Go to the Sony VAIO-Link online support Web site at http://www.vaio-
link.com
•VAIO Recovery Guide — Provides information about restoring individual
software programs, software drivers, and drive partition(s) or your entire
hard disk drive to the original factory installed settings.
•MCE guide — Provides information about using the Windows XP Media
Center Edition operating system.
My Club VAIO
In My Club VAIO you can find:

VGX-XL100 Living Room Entertainment Computer 4
Documentation, which gives you:
• Access to the User Guide. This manual explains the features of your
computer in detail, how to use these features confidently and safely,
connect peripheral devices and more.
• Access to Help and Training. This is the portal of VAIO Help and
Support Center.
• Important information about your computer, in the form of notices and
announcements.
•InMy Club VAIO you can also find:
•Accessories
Want to expand the capabilities of your computer? Click on this icon and
have a look at your compatible accessories.
•Software
Feeling creative? Click this icon for an overview of your software and
check out our upgrade options.
•Wallpapers
Click this icon and check out our most popular Sony and Club VAIO
wallpapers.
•Links
Click this icon and check out our most popular Sony and Club VAIO web
sites.
Help and Support Center
Help and Support Center is a comprehensive resource for practical advice,
tutorials, and demonstrations to help you learn to use Microsoft Windows XP
and your computer.
Use the Search feature, Index, or table of contents to view all Windows Help
resources, including those that are on the Internet.
To access Help and Support Center, click Start and then Help and Support.
Or go to the Help and Support Center by pressing the Microsoft Windows
key and the F1 key.
Further Sources
Consult the Online Help files of the software you are using for detailed
information on features and troubleshooting.
Go to www.club-vaio.com to find online tutorials about your favorite VAIO
software.

5 VGX-XL100 Living Room Entertainment Computer
Ergonomic Considerations
Whenever possible, you should attempt to take account of the following
ergonomic considerations:
•Position of your computer – Place the display directly in front of you .
Keep your forearms horizontal, with your wrists in a neutral, comfortable
position while using the keyboard, pointing device, or external mouse. Let
your upper arms hang naturally at your sides. Have breaks during
sessions with your computer. Excessive use of the computer may strain
muscles or tendons.
•Furniture and posture – Sit in a chair with good back support. Adjust the
level of the chair so your feet are flat on the floor. A footrest may make you
more comfortable. Sit in a relaxed, upright posture and avoid slouching
forward or leaning far backwards.
•Viewing angle of the display – Set the display at a confortable viewing
distance. Make sure the display screen is at eye or slightly lower. Use the
display tilting feature, if available, to find the best position. You can reduce
eye strain and muscle fatigue by adjusting the tilt of the display to the
proper position. Adjust the brightness setting of the display as well.
•
•Lighting – Choose a location where windows and lights do not create
glare and reflection on the display. Use indirect lighting to avoid bright
spots on the display. You can also purchase accessories for your display
that help reduce glare. Proper lighting adds to your comfort and work
effectiveness.
•Ventilation – Make sure you leave at least 5 cm of space behind and on
each side of the main unit.

VGX-XL100 Living Room Entertainment Computer 6
Chapter 1:
Getting Started
Introduction
Welcome to the VGX-XL100 Living Room Entertainment Computer User
Guide. This guide contains the following information:
• Chapter 1: Getting Started
• Chapter 2: Setting Up Your VGX-XL100 computer
• Chapter 3: Hardware Upgrades & Maintenance
• Appendix A: Wireless Local Area Networks
• Appendix B: Troubleshooting
What is the VGX-XL100 Living Room Entertainment
Computer?
The VGX-XL100 is both a powerful computer and a state of the art home
entertainment system. Let VGX-XL100 lead you into the exciting world of
VAIO where new standards are established for digital content management.
• Leverages the latest Intel
components
• Uses the latest Microsoft®
Windows®XP Media Center
operating system
• Offers High Definition
connectivity for Sony HD
Camcorders

7 VGX-XL100 Living Room Entertainment Computer
Operating System Software
The operating system for the VGX-XL100 Living Room Entertainment
Computer is Microsoft®Windows®XP Media Center Edition 2005. VAIO
value-added software provides you with additional features and capabilities
and when teamed with Media Center, provides you with an even greater
entertainment value.
Even though the digital entertainment features of the VGX-XL100 is designed
to work through Media Center, the features can also be accessed through
independent software applications pre-installed on the computer.

VGX-XL100 Living Room Entertainment Computer 8
Media Center Edition 2005
The following list contains a high-level overview of the features available to
you in Media Center. For in-depth information about each feature, go to the
specific topic in the VGX-XL100 Living Room Entertainment Guide.
Feature Description
Online Spotlight The Online Spotlight provides Internet access to the
latest entertainment news and events.
My Pictures Categorize your pictures in as many folders as you
wish. Then, select a group to view a single picture or
a slide of all pictures in the folder.
My TV Take control of your TV viewing experience. Watch
live TV or record your favorite show for later viewing.
My Music Enjoy access to all the music stored on your hard
drive. Organize, locate, and play your favorite music
files in Media Center.
Create DVD Create DVDs from your favorite recorded TV series.
Select only the episodes you want to burn to DVD.
More Programs To enhance you entertainment experience, links have
been included to additional programs for your
enjoyment.
Settings Set your personal preferences for your digital
entertainment experience. Review this section
carefully to get the most out of your digital
entertainment experience.

9 VGX-XL100 Living Room Entertainment Computer
Getting to know the VGX-XL100
Unpacking the VAIO VGX-XL100 Personal
Computer
Make sure you have the following items:
VGX-XL100 PC Wireless Keyboard w/Integrated Pointing Device
WLAN Antenna Power Cord Infrared Blaster Cable
HDMI Cable Optical S/PDIF Cable Keyboard Batteries (4)
Remote Batteries (2) HDMI to DVI-D Adapter Remote Control
8cm disc adapter