Sony ICD-SX20 User manual

3-259-112-11(1)
IC Recorder
©2004 Sony Corporation
ICD-SX20/SX30/SX40
Operating Instructions

2GB
Notice for users
Program © 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Sony Corporation
Documentation ©2004 Sony Corporation
All rights reserved. This manual or 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 from Sony Corporation.
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.
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 may also be governed by the terms of a separate user
license agreement.
• This software is for Windows and cannot be used for Macintosh.
• The supplied connecting cable is for the IC recorder ICD-SX20/SX30/SX40.
You cannot connect other IC recorders.
Information
I N NO EVENT SHALL SELLER BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY NATURE, OR LOSSES OR EXPENSES
RESULTING FROM ANY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT OR THE USE OF ANY PRODUCT.

3GB
Trademarks
•“LPEC” and are the trademarks of Sony Corporation.
•IBM and PC/AT are registered trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation.
•Microsoft, Windows and Outlook are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation,
registered in the U.S.A. and other countries.
Copyright ©1995 Microsoft Corporation.
All rights reserved.
Portion Copyright ©1995 Microsoft Corporation
•Apple and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc., registered in the
U.S.A. and other countries.
•Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
•NaturallySpeaking, Dragon Systems are trademarks owned by ScanSoft, Inc. and
are registered in the United States and/or other countries.
•All other trademarks and registered trademarks are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders. Furthermore, “™” and “®” are not
mentioned in each case in this manual.
The “Digital Voice Editor” uses software modules as shown below:
Microsoft®DirectX®
©2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

4GB
Table of Contents
Getting Started
Step 1: Installing the Batteries ............................................................................. 6
Replacing the Batteries ................................................................................. 7
Step 2: Setting the Clock ...................................................................................... 8
Basic Operations
Recording Messages ............................................................................................ 10
Tips for Using the Built-in Microphone ................................................... 13
Using Convenient Functions while Recording ....................................... 14
Recording with an External Microphone or Other Equipment .................... 16
Recording with an External Microphone................................................. 16
Recording from Other Equipment ............................................................ 16
Recording with Other Equipment ............................................................ 17
Playing Back Messages ....................................................................................... 18
Using the Display Window ................................................................................ 23
Selecting the Display Mode ............................................................................... 26
Turning off the Display............................................................................... 28
Various Ways of Playback
Adjusting the playback sound by amplifying inaudible sound
— Digital Voice Up function ..................................................................... 29
Adjusting the Playback Speed
— DPC (Digital Pitch Control) ................................................................. 30
Adding a Bookmark ............................................................................................ 32
Playing Back the Specified Section Repeatedly — A-B Repeat .................... 33

5GB
Editing Messages
Adding a Recording ............................................................................................ 34
Adding a Recording to a Previously Recorded Message ...................... 34
Adding an Overwrite Recording during Playback ................................ 35
Erasing Messages ................................................................................................ 36
Erasing Messages one by one .................................................................... 36
Erasing All Messages in a Folder .............................................................. 38
Dividing a Message into Two/Combining Messages .................................... 39
Dividing a Message ..................................................................................... 39
Combining Messages .................................................................................. 41
Moving Messages to a Different Folder ........................................................... 42
Adding Priority Mark(s)
— Priority Mark Function .......................................................................... 43
Adding Priority Mark(s) in the Stop Mode ............................................. 43
Adding Priority Mark(s) during Playback .............................................. 44
Other Functions
Playing Back a Message at a Desired Time with an Alarm ........................... 45
Turning off the OPR Indicator (LED) ............................................................... 49
Preventing Accidental Operation — HOLD Function ................................... 50
Using an Adding Recording .............................................................................. 51
Changing the Settings — MENU ...................................................................... 52
Using the ”Digital Voice Editor“ Software ...................................................... 55
Additional Information
Precautions ........................................................................................................... 57
Troubleshooting ................................................................................................... 58
Error Messages of the IC Recorder ........................................................... 61
System Limitations ...................................................................................... 63
Specifications ....................................................................................................... 64
Index to Parts and Controls ............................................................................... 65
Index ...................................................................................................................... 67

6GB
BGetting Started
Step 1: Installing the Batteries
1Slide and lift the battery compartment lid.
2Insert two LR03 (size AAA) alkaline batteries with correct
polarity, and close the lid.
If the battery compartment lid is
accidentally detached, attach it
as illustrated.
Clock setting display appears when you insert batteries for the first time,
or when you insert batteries after the unit has been without batteries for a
certain period of time. Please refer to steps 3 to 6 in “Step 2: Setting the
Clock” on pages 8 and 9 to set the date and time.
Using on house current (excluding the Korean and the
People’s Republic of China models)
Connect the AC power adaptor AC-E30HG (not
supplied) to the DC IN 3V jack of the unit and to
the wall outlet. Do not use any other AC power
adaptor. Polarity of the plug

7GB
Getting Started
Replacing the Batteries
The battery indicator on the display window shows the battery condition.
Notes
•Do not use manganese batteries for this unit.
•When you replace the batteries, insert the new ones within 3 minutes after you
remove the exhausted ones. Otherwise, the display may show the clock setting
display or incorrect date and time when you re-insert the batteries. In this
case, set the date and time again. The recorded messages and alarm setting,
however, will remain.
•Do not charge dry batteries.
•When you are not going to use the unit for a long time, remove the batteries to
prevent damage from battery leakage and corrosion.
Battery remain indication
:Replace both of the two batteries with new ones.
m
: The unit will stop operation.
Battery life (Using Sony alkaline batteries LR03 (SG))
(Recording mode:) ST (Stereo) SP LP
In continuous recording: Approx. 11 hours Approx. 14 hours Approx. 16.5 hours
In continuous playback: Approx. 9.5 hours Approx. 13.5 hours Approx. 15 hours
*When playing back through the internal speaker with the medium volume
level
*The battery life may shorten depending on the operation of the unit.
Note on the “ACCESS” message
The unit is accessing data while
“ACCESS“ appears in the display
window or the OPR indicator flashes in
orange. While accessing, do not remove
the batteries or AC adaptor (excluding
the Korean and the People’s Republic of
China models). Doing so may damage
the data.
Note
If the unit is required to process excessive amount of data, “ACCESS” may be
displayed for an extended period of time. This is not a malfunction of the unit.
Wait until the message disappears before starting operation.

8GB
Step 2: Setting the Clock
You need to set the clock to use the alarm function or record the date and
time.
Clock setting display appears when you insert batteries for the first time,
or when you insert batteries after the unit has been without batteries for a
certain period of time. In this case, proceed from step 4.
1Turn the jog lever toward
MENU.
The menu mode will be displayed in
the display window.
2 Press the jog lever up or down
(>/.) to select “SET DATE”.
3Press the jog lever (x•B).
The date and time setting window is
displayed. The year digits will flash.
4Set the date.
1Press the jog lever up or down
(>/.) to select the digits of
the year.
Jog lever
Press the center
(x•B).
Press up (>).
Press down (.).
Turn toward MENU.

9GB
Getting Started
2Press the jog lever (x•B).
The month digits will flash.
3Set the month and day in
sequence, then press the jog lever
(x•B).
The hour digits will flash.
5Set the time.
1Press the jog lever up or down
(>/.) to select the digits of
the hour.
2Press the jog lever (x•B).
The minute digits will flash.
3Set the minute.
4Press the jog lever (x•B).
The menu mode will be
displayed again.
Note
If you do not press the jog lever
(x•B) for more than one minute,
the clock setting mode is cancelled
and the window will return to
normal display.
6Turn the jog lever toward
MENU.
The window will return to normal
display.
1 If the unit is left unused for more than 3
seconds in the stop mode after the clock
is set, the display will show the current
time (page 26).
v

10GB
BBasic Operations
Recording Messages
You can record the maximum of 99 messages in each of the three (A, B,
and C) folders. You can record messages in the following three ways:
•Add a recording behind the last recorded message
•Add a recording to a previously recorded message (page 34)
• Add an overwrite recording (page 35)
This section explains how to add a recording behind the last recorded
message.
Meet Mr. Brown at
2 p.m. tomorrow.
11:30, November 1 12:00, November 1 10:00, November 2
Don’t forget
to call Mary
Make remittance
at ABC bank
9:00, November 4
Send a card to
Miss Smith
Message 3 Message 4
Recorded after the last
recorded message
Maximum recording time
The maximum recording time of all the folders is as follows. You can
record messages for the maximum recording time in a single folder.
Recording mode: ST* SP** LP***
ICD-SX20 1hr 25 min. 4 hr 20 min. 11 hr 35 min.
ICD-SX30 2 hr 50 min. 8 hr 50 min. 23 hr 40 min.
ICD-SX40 5 hr 50 min. 17 hr 50 min. 47 hr 35 min.
* ST: Stereo recording mode (hr: hours/min.: minutes)
** SP: Standard play recording mode (monaural sound)
***LP: Long play recording mode (monaural sound)
Notes
•To record in better sound quality, select the ST mode. For switching the
recording mode, see page 53.
•
Before making a long recording, be sure to check the battery indicator (page 7).
•The maximum recording time and the number of messages you can make
varies depending on the conditions of use.
•To avoid replacing batteries during long time recording, use the AC power
adaptor (not supplied) (excluding the Korean and the People’s Republic of
China models).
•Depending on the areas, available models may differ.
Message 1 Message 2 Message 3 Blank space
Message 1 Message 2

Basic Operations
11GB
Selected folder
Select the folder.
1
Turn the jog lever toward FOLDER
repeatedly to display the folder (A, B, or C) in
which you wish to record messages.
Start recording.
21Press zREC/REC PAUSE button.
You do not need to keep pressing
zz
zz
zREC/REC PAUSE while recording.
2Speak into the built-in microphone.
OPR indicator
(lights in red during
recording**)
Used memory indication
Recording mode
Counter display*
Current message
number
Built-in
microphone
Microphone
sensitivity
* The display selected with the DISP in the menu (page 26) appears.
**
When the LED in the menu is set to “OFF”, the OPR indicator turns off (page 49).
Notes
•While the OPR indicator flashes or turns in orange, do not remove the
batteries or the AC adaptor (excluding the Korean and the People’s Republic
of China models). Doing so may damage the data.
•Noise may be recorded if an object, such as your finger, etc., accidentally rubs
or scratches the unit during recording. Continued

12GB
Other operations
To Do this
pause recording* Press zREC/REC PAUSE.
During recording pause, the OPR indicator
flashes in red and “PAUSE” flashes in the
display window.
release pause and Press zREC/REC PAUSE again.
resume recording Recording resumes from that point.
(To stop recording after pausing
recording, press xSTOP.)
review the current Press the jog lever (x•B).
recording instantly Recording stops and playback starts from
the beginning of the message just recorded.
review during recording Keep pressing the jog lever down (.)
during recording or recording pause.
Recording stops and you can search
backwards while listening to fast playback
sound. After you release the jog lever,
playback starts from that point. You can
add an overwrite recording from that point.
* 1 hour after you pause recording, recording pause is automatically released
and the unit goes into the stop mode.
Press xx
xx
xSTOP.
The unit stops at the beginning of the current
recording.
If you do not change the folder after you stop
recording, the next time you record you will
record in the same folder.
Stop recording.
3
Recording Messages (continued)

Basic Operations
13GB
DIRECTNL
Tips for Using the Built-in Microphone
To record a sound centering on a specific direction
To record a sound centering on a specific
direction, slide the DIRECTNL switch to
“ON” position. When you record a
sound at a conference/meeting or in a
spacious place etc., use this setting.
Note
The DIRECTNL switch functions only in the “SP” or
“LP” recording mode. In the ST mode where the
high-performance sound reproduction is important,
sound is recorded in the stereo mode without regard
to the DIRECTNL switch “ON”/“OFF” position. For
details of recording modes, see page 53.
To record a sound not centering on a specific direction (all-
directional recording)
Slide the DIRECTNL switch to “OFF” position.
To select the sensitivity of the built-in microphone
You can select the microphone sensitivity by setting the SENS (page 53) in
the menu according to the recording conditions:
•H(high): To record a small sound at a meeting or in a quiet and/or
spacious place.
•L(low): To record for dictation or in a noisy place.
You can change the SENS setting with the menu during recording.

14GB
Recording Messages (continued)
Using Convenient Functions while Recording
To monitor the recording
When recording from the built-in microphone, you connect an ear receiver
supplied or not supplied to the i (headphones) jack and monitor the
recording from the connected ear receiver. You can adjust the volume with
VOL +/–, but the recording level is fixed.
Note
If you turn up the volume excessively or place the ear receiver near the
microphone while monitoring recording, the microphone may pick up the
sound from the ear receiver, causing acoustic feedback (howling sound).
Starting recording automatically in response to the sound
— Advanced VOR function
You can set the VOR (voice operated recording) function in the menu.
With VOR set to “on”, recording starts when the recorder detects sound,
and “VOR” appears in the display window. The recording pauses when
no sound is detected, and “VOR PAUSE” appears. You can change the
VOR setting with the menu during recording (page 53).
Note
VOR function is affected by the sound around you. Set the SENS (page 53)
according to the recording conditions. If recording is not satisfactory after you
have changed the microphone sensitivity, or for important recording, set the
VOR to “OFF”.

Basic Operations
15GB
Used memory indication
During recording, the used memory indicator decreases one by one.
When the remaining recording time reaches 5 minutes, the used memory
indication flashes.
When the remaining time reaches 1 minute, the used memory indication
will flash in the display window regardless of the display mode (page 26).
When the memory is full, recording automatically stops and “FULL” will
be displayed with an alarm sound. To continue recording, first erase some
of the messages (page 36).
Note
When you set the BEEP (page 54) to “OFF”, an alarm sound (beep) does not
sound.

16GB
Recording with an External Microphone
or Other Equipment
You can record sound of an external microphone or other equipment (tape
recorder, MiniDisc player, or etc.) with the IC recorder. Depending on the
device you use, connect the IC recorder as follows. For available
accessories, consult with your nearest Sony dealer.
Recording with an External Microphone
Connect an external microphone to
the m (microphone) jack.
When you connect an external
microphone, the built-in
microphone is automatically cut off.
When a plug in power type
microphone is connected, power is
automatically supplied to the
microphone from the IC recorder.
1 Recommended types of microphones
You can use the ECM-CS10 Sony electret condenser microphone (not supplied).
Recording from Other Equipment
To record sound of other equipment with the IC recorder, connect the m
(microphone) jack of the IC recorder to the earphone jack of other
equipment (tape recorder etc.) by using a resistance audio connecting
cable.
Before you start recording, set the microphone sensitivity by setting the
SENS (page 53) in the menu to “H” (high).
Note
If you use an audio connecting cable without a resistor, sound may be recorded
interrupted. Make sure to use a resistance audio connecting cable.
Stereo
microphone
mini-plug (stereo)

Basic Operations
17GB
Recording with Other Equipment
To record the sound of the IC recorder with other equipment, connect the
i (headphones) jack of the IC recorder to the audio input connector
(minijack, stereo) of other equipment.
Tape recorder, etc.
mini-plug (stereo)
mini-plug (stereo)

18GB
Playing Back Messages
When playing back a previously recorded message, start from step 1.
When playing back a message you have just finished recording, start from
step 3.
Select the folder.
1
Turn the jog lever toward FOLDER
repeatedly to display the folder (A, B, or
C) in which you wish to play messages.
Select the message number.
Selected message number
The number of messages in a folder
2
Selected folder
Press the jog lever up or down (>/.) to display
the desired message number.
•Press up (>): for next message number.
•Press down (.): for previous message number.
*The display selected with the DISP in the menu (page
26) appears.
Counter display*

Basic Operations
19GB
Start playback.
3
1Press the jog lever (x•B).
2Adjust the volume with VOL +/– .
*The display selected with the DISP in the menu
(page 26) appears.
**When the LED in the menu is set to “OFF”, the OPR
indicator turns off (page 49).
After playing back one message, the unit stops at the beginning of the next
message.
When the last message in a folder has been played back, the unit stops at
the beginning of the last message.
Listening in better sound quality
You can enjoy better sound quality as follows:
•To listen from an ear receiver
Connect the stereo ear receiver supplied or a stereo ear receiver (not
supplied) mentioned in the “Specifications” (page 64) as optional
accessories to the i (headphones) jack. The built-in speaker will be
automatically disconnected.
•To listen from an external speaker
Connect an active or passive speaker (not supplied) to the i
(headphones) jack.
OPR indicator
(lights in green during
playback**)
i (headphones) jack
Counter display*
Continued

20GB
Playing Back Messages (continued)
Other operations
To Do this
stop at the current position Press xSTOP or the jog lever (x•B).
(Playback Pause function) To resume playback from that point,
press the jog lever (x•B) again.
go back to the beginning Press the jog lever down (.)
of the current message* once.**
go back to previous Press the jog lever down (.)
messages repeatedly. (During stop mode, keep the
jog lever pressed to go back the
messages continuously.)
skip to the next message* Press the jog lever up (>) once.**
skip to the succeeding messages Press the jog lever up (>) repeatedly.
(During stop mode, keep the jog lever
pressed to skip the messages
continuously.)
*If you have set a bookmark on the message, the unit stops at the bookmark.
** These operations are for when EASY-S is set to “OFF”. For operations when
EASY-S is set to “on”, see page 54.
Adjusting the playback sound by amplifying inaudible
sound–Digital Voice Up function
When you slide the VOICE UP switch to “ON”, low-level part of a
recorded message is amplified, allowing you to hear even small voices
more easily. By adjusting the overall recording to its optimum level, you
can make playback sound well-balanced and more audible (page 29).
Note
Depending on the area you purchased the unit, the Digital Voice Up switch
name shown on the unit may differ.
Playing back a message rapidly or slowly — DPC (Digital
Pitch Control)
When you adjust the playback speed with the DPC in the menu (page 30),
you can play back a message rapidly or slowly by sliding the DPC switch
to “ON”. When you set the playback speed faster or slower of the normal
speed, “FAST” or “SLOW” appears. You can change the setting during
playback.