Sony PCLink User manual

3-232-310-12(1)
PCLink
Operating Instructions
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Mode d’emploi _______________________________
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Manual de instrucciones
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Manual de instruções
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FR
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©2001 Sony Corporation

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Table of contents
What is included ......................................................................... 3
System Requirements ................................................................ 3
Getting Started ............................................................................ 4
Windows 98/Me(Millennium edition)/2000 Users .................................... 4
Windows Installation ........................................................................... 4
Windows 98 installation .............................................................. 4
Windows Me installation ............................................................ 5
Windows 2000 installation .......................................................... 6
Checking that the PCLink is selected as preferred device ................... 7
Windows 98 ................................................................................ 7
Windows Me ............................................................................... 8
Windows 2000 ............................................................................ 8
Controlling the output and volume levels ............................................ 9
MacOS 9.04 Users ..................................................................................... 9
MacOS 9.04 Installation ....................................................................... 9
Recording to MiniDisc ............................................................................. 11
Connecting the MiniDisc recorder ..................................................... 11
Monitoring the audio .......................................................................... 12
Setting the proper recording level ...................................................... 12
Disconnecting the PCLink ................................................................. 14
Troubleshooting Guide ............................................................ 15
Regulatory Information ............................................................ 19
For the customers in the United States ...................................... 19

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What is included
•PCLink (1)
•USB Cable (1)
•Line Cable (1)
•Operating Instructions (1)
System Requirements
•Computer running Windows 98/Windows Me/Windows 2000/
MacOS 9.04
•Primary USB port
•Standard Windows Multimedia/Audio Player Application
GB

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Getting Started
Getting your PCLink going is as simple as plugging it into a primary
USB port of any computer running Windows 98, Windows Me,
Windows 2000, or MacOS 9.04. There is no need to load any special
software, but you will have to follow a few simple steps. After you
have finished these steps, make sure to read our tips on recording
before launching into a full session.
Windows 98/Me(Millennium edition)/
2000 Users
Windows Installation
Windows 98 installation
Note
Some computer systems ship with an OEM version of Windows 98 that does
not contain the entire generic USB driver and audio platform. If you
experience any trouble loading the USB drivers, please refer to the
troubleshooting section at the end of this user manual for further instructions.
1There is no need to turn your computer off when plugging the
PCLink in for the first time. Locate your computer’s USB port
and plug the supplied USB cable in. Now plug the PCLink into
the other end of the USB cable.
2Windows 98 will open an Add New Hardware Wizard and let
you know it’s found the PCLink. It will then start loading drivers
for a USB Composite Device, USB Human Interface Device, or
USB Audio Device, depending on what components have
previously been installed on your system. Click Next.
3Check the option Search for the best driver for your
device (Recommended) and click Next.

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4Windows 98 should already have the various USB components
installed and will automatically default to the location of those
drivers on your hard drive. Click Next. If Windows 98 does not
have the various USB components loaded, it will tell you that the
files could not be found and will request the Windows 98 CD. In
this case, put your Windows 98 CD into the CD-ROM drive and
place a check next to CD-ROM drive, then click Next.
5The Wizard will now let you know it has located drivers for a
USB Composite Device, USB Human Interface Device, or USB
Audio Device and will identify these drivers under the heading
Location of Driver. This location may be your hard drive, or
CD-ROM drive, depending on what drivers your system has had
installed in the past. Click Next.
6The first set of drivers will now install.
7Once the first set of drivers finishes installing, Windows 98 may
require the other two USB drivers to also be installed. This will
depend on what USB audio devices have previously been used on
your system. Simply follow the procedure outlined above until
all the required USB drivers have been loaded.
8Once all of the required drivers have been installed, Windows 98
will start. We recommend rebooting your computer to ensure all
changes take effect. Your driver installation for the PCLink is
now complete.
Windows Me installation
1There is no need to turn your computer off when plugging the
PCLink in for the first time. Locate your computer’s USB port
and plug the supplied USB cable in. Now plug the PCLink into
the other end of the USB cable.
2Windows Me will open a New Hardware Found window and
let you know it’s found the PCLink. It will then start loading
drivers for a USB Composite Device, USB Human Interface
Device, or USB Audio Device, depending on what components
have previously been installed on your system. Click Next.
continued

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3In the Add New Hardware Wizard, place a check next to the
option Automatic Search for a Better Driver
(Recommended) and click Next.
4The Add New Hardware Wizard will load a Windows Driver
folder. When it has completed loading the drivers from this
folder, the Add New Hardware Wizard will let you know it has
finished installing the new hardware device. Click on Finish. If
during this process, Windows Me notifies you that there is a
version conflict and that a file being copied is older than a file
currently on your computer, click Yes to keep the existing file.
5Once the first set of drivers has finished installing, Windows Me
may require the other two USB drivers to also be installed. This
will depend on what USB audio devices have previously been
used on your system. Simply follow the procedure outlined
above until all the required USB drivers have been installed.
6Once all of the required drivers have been installed, Windows Me
will start. We recommend rebooting your computer to ensure all
changes take effect. Your driver installation for the PCLink is
now complete.
Windows 2000 installation
1With USB technology, there is no need to turn your computer off
when plugging the PCLink in for the first time. Locate your
computer’s USB port and plug the supplied USB cable in. Now
plug the PCLink into the other end of the USB cable.
2Windows 2000 will automatically detect the addition of a new
USB interface. It will automatically update your USB drivers,
including USB Composite Device, USB Human Interface
Device, and USB Audio Device.
3Once Windows 2000 has completed updating the USB drivers, it
will automatically set the PCLink as your preferred multimedia
device.

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4We recommend rebooting your computer to ensure all changes
take effect. Your driver installation for the PCLink is now
complete.
Checking that the PCLink is selected as
preferred device
With USB technology, there is never any need to turn your computer
off when unplugging or plugging in the PCLink. When you want to
use the PCLink, simply close any running programs and plug it into
the USB port. Your system will automatically configure itself. When
you’re done, you can unplug the PCLink and your computer will
automatically configure for whatever soundcard is installed. In both
cases, it does not matter if the system is on or off. For smooth
automatic loading, please ensure all audio programs are closed before
plugging in, or unplugging the PCLink.
Note
When the PCLink is selected as your system’s preferred audio device, no
sound will come out of any speakers plugged into your soundcard. If you wish
to use your soundcard instead of the PCLink, either unplug the PCLink from
the USB cable, or select your soundcard as preferred audio device in the
Multimedia Properties control panel for Windows 98, or Sounds and
Multimedia control panel for Windows Me and Windows 2000. It is not
possible to use a soundcard and the PCLink at the same time.
Windows 98
Once Windows 98 starts and the appropriate drivers have been
loaded, the PCLink will automatically be set as your system’s
preferred audio device. To verify this, open the Multimedia Control
Panel and make sure that USB Audio Device appears in the Sound
Playback section under Preferred Device. To get to the Multimedia
Control Panel hit Start, then go to Settings, then Control Panel.
The multimedia icon will be in the Control Panel window. Double
click on the icon to open the Multimedia Properties window. In the
Audio tab, under the heading Sound Playback Preferred Device,
make sure that USB Audio Device appears. If it does not, use the
scroll arrow to the right and choose USB Audio Device. You are
now fully loaded.

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Note
Some computer systems ship with an OEM version of Windows 98 that does
not contain the entire generic USB driver and audio platform. If you cannot
select USB Audio Device in the Preferred Device window, please refer to
the troubleshooting section at the end of this user manual for further
instructions. In this situation you may not be able to select USB Audio
Device even though the USB drivers seemed to install fine when you first
plugged in the PCLink.
Windows Me
Once Windows Me starts and the appropriate drivers have been
loaded, the PCLink should automatically be set as your system’s
preferred audio device. To verify this, open the Sounds and
Multimedia Properties control panel and make sure that USB
Audio Device appears in the Sound Playback section under
Preferred Device. To get to the Sounds and Multimedia
Properties control panel hit Start, then go to Settings, then
Control Panel. The multimedia icon will be in the Control Panel
window. Double click on the icon to open the Sounds and
Multimedia Properties window. In the Audio tab, under the heading
Sound Playback Preferred Device, make sure that USB Audio
Device appears. If it does not, use the scroll arrow to the right and
choose USB Audio Device. You are now fully loaded.
Windows 2000
Once Windows 2000 starts and the appropriate drivers have been
loaded, the PCLink will automatically be set as your system’s
preferred audio device. To verify this, open the Sounds and
Multimedia panel and make sure that USB Audio Device appears in
the Playback section under the Audio tab. To get to the Sounds and
Multimedia panel hit Start, then go to Settings, then Control
Panel. The Sounds and Multimedia icon will be in the Control
Panel window. Double click on the icon. In the Audio tab, make sure
that USB Audio Device appears in the Sound Playback section
under Preferred Device. If it does not, use the scroll arrow to the
right and choose USB Audio Device. You are now fully loaded.

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Controlling the output and volume levels
The PCLink’s volume and output controls can be accessed by double
clicking the standard volume control icon. Depending on what media
player you are using, for most of the PCLink’s operations the volume
will be set either by the Wave Balance slider or the Speaker
Balance slider. To activate the Wave Balance and Speaker
Balance sliders, go to Options and then Properties. In the bottom
section of the Properties window, make sure a check appears next to
Wave Balance and Speaker Balance. Click OK once you are
done.
MacOS 9.04 Users
MacOS 9.04 Installation
1Before plugging in the PCLink for the first time, you will need to
ensure that your computer is running the necessary operating
system and apple audio extensions.
2To verify that your computer is running the correct operating
system, close all open applications. Click on the apple icon in the
top right had corner of the screen. Scroll down to the first item in
the pop up menu called About This Computer and click on it. A
window with details of the operating system currently running on
your computer will now open. Verify that in the version line, a
number 9.04 or higher appears. If this, or a higher number
appears, you are running an operating system that is compatible
with the PCLink. If you are running an earlier version of the Mac
operating system, your PCLink may not operate.
continued

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3To verify that your computer is running the necessary Apple
Audio Extensions, close all open applications. On the desktop,
find the icon that corresponds with your Mac hard drive. Double
click on it. A window will open listing all the files and folders on
your hard drive. Scroll down and find the System Folder icon.
Click on the arrow to the left of the System Folder icon so that all
the folders contained in the System Folder become visible.
Scroll down until you find the Extensions folder and click on
the arrow to the left of the folder icon. In the files that are listed
in the Extensions folder, scroll down and verify that a file Apple
Audio Extension appears. Check that the version of this file is
1.0.5 or higher. If a version column does not appear, go to View
in the top navigation bar and select View Options. Place a
check next to Version in the Show Columns section. Click OK.
A version column will now appear and let you check the version
of the Apple Audio Extension file running on your computer. If
your system is not running Apple Audio Extension 1.0.5 or
higher, the PCLink may not operate.
4After verifying that your computer has the necessary operating
system and audio extensions, close all applications. Plug the
supplied USB cable into a USB port on your computer. Now plug
the PCLink into the other end of the USB cable. Do not plug the
PCLink into a USB hub, as other devices on the hub may effect
the digital audio data running to the PCLink, causing unwanted
pops and clicks in your recordings.
5Your computer will now automatically initiate the PCLink and
set it as the preferred playback device. After a few seconds, you
should notice that no audio will come out of your computer
speakers. If you can still hear sound coming out your computer
speakers, verify that you are running the minimum operating
system and Apple Audio Extensions requirements. The
installation of your PCLink is now complete. Please proceed to
the next section, “Recording to MiniDisc”(page 11).

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Recording to MiniDisc
The PCLink allows you to record music to your MiniDisc by simply
playing back the file using the Windows Media Player or your
favorite Audio Player application. The music is not downloaded but
is recorded in real time as the file is being played back. The PCLink
converts the digital audio file into an analog signal that the MiniDisc
can record. (Please refer to the operating instructions for your
Portable MiniDisc recorder.)
To record the file to MiniDisc you simply perform the following
steps:
1Using your media player application, simply load the selection of
audio (WAV, MP3, etc.) to be recorded.
2Connect the PCLink to the MiniDisc recorder using the Stereo
Mini Cable.
3Press and slide REC (record) on the MiniDisc recorder.
4Press Play on media player application.
5When the audio is finished playing, press x(stop) on the
MiniDisc recorder.
Please read the following sections for further details on recording to
the MiniDisc recorder.
Connecting the MiniDisc recorder
To connect the PCLink to the MiniDisc recorder you will need to use
the Line Cable supplied. Insert one end of the cable to the Stereo
Mini jack of the PCLink and the other end to the LINE IN
(OPTICAL) jack of the MiniDisc recorder.

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Monitoring the audio
When the PCLink is connected to the computer via the USB cable,
Windows will automatically assign it as your system’s preferred
audio device, therefore no sound will come out of your computer’s
speakers or the speakers plugged into your soundcard. In order to
monitor the playback of the music file while you are recording, you
must connect the supplied headphones or your speakers to the
headphone jack of the MiniDisc recorder.
Setting the proper recording level
The PCLink is capable of outputting a loud signal. To ensure you get
the cleanest possible recording, follow these steps:
1Before starting, make sure that both the PCLink volume sliders
are set to a minimum. You can access the PCLink’s volume
sliders by double clicking on the speaker icon at the bottom right
hand side of the Windows task bar.
2Plug the supplied headphones or your monitor speakers into your
MiniDisc recorder’s headphone jack.
3With the Line Cable, connect the PCLink to your MiniDisc
recorder.
4In your media player load the selection of audio files (WAV,
MP3, etc.) to be recorded.

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5Press play on your media player and open the PCLink volume
control panel by double clicking on the speaker icon down in the
Windows task bar at the bottom right had corner of your screen.
Move the volume control up and down on the media player and
watch which slider this controls in the PCLink volume control
panel. In the PCLink volume control panel set the volume level
of the slider that the media player did not control all the way up.
So, for example, if moving the media player volume control
caused the Wave Balance slider in the PCLink volume control
panel to move, you would set the volume of the Speaker
Balance control all the way up. Close the PCLink volume
control panel. Press stop on your media player.
6Set the volume of your media player to minimum. Press record
on your MiniDisc recorder. Press play on your media player.
Your MiniDisc recorder should now start recording.
7Using the headphones connected to the MiniDisc recorder, start
to slowly raise the media player volume control in Windows. You
will now start to hear the volume increase through the
headphones.
8Make sure that you raise the media player volume control only to
an appropriate level for your MiniDisc recorder. If you increase
the volume past the signal level that the MiniDisc recorder can
tolerate, it will cause distortion in your recording. Many
MiniDisc recorders have a level display that lets you monitor the
input signal strength.
9You have set the levels of your the PCLink for recording. You
can now load a fully playlist and start a recording session. During
recording it not advisable to use other applications on your
system, or to adjust the volume levels. Most MP3 players require
large amounts of resources to ensure flawless MP3 decoding and
playback. If you interfere with the computer during recording, it
can effect MP3 decoding, which can in turn effect the quality of
your recording.

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Disconnecting the PCLink
After the recording session is complete it is recommended that you
disconnect the USB cable from the PCLink. This process is necessary
for audio to once again be played through your computer speakers.
Once the PCLink is disconnected from the computer, Windows will
automatically reassign your soundcard as the preferred audio device.
With MacOS, the PCLink is automatically selected as the preferred
device when you connect it via USB. When disconnecting, you
simply pull the plug out of your Macintosh computer and it will
return to its original configuration.

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Troubleshooting Guide
In this section are various suggestions for problems or issues you
may encounter using the PCLink including:
1 My computer does not seem to have all the right drivers
in Windows
Problem: After plugging in your PCLink for the first time, Windows
does not seem to automatically default to where the drivers should be
and you cannot seem to find them on the Windows CD either.
Fix: A lot of the large branded computer manufacturers ship their
systems with a cutdown OEM version of Windows that does not
always include all the USB audio components. Because this is
specific to each manufacturer, you will need to contact the one who
built your system and ask them to send you a USB audio upgrade to
bring your version of Windows up to the same standard as the retail
version. The PCLink does not need any special device drivers, using
only the following generic Windows ones that are usually stored in
the listed directories for each USB component:
C:\win\inf\usb.inf –driver location for USB Composite Device
C:\win\inf\hiddev.inf –driver location for USB Human Interface
Device
C:\win\inf\wdma_usb.inf –driver location for USB Audio Device
These drivers are all that is needed to operate the PCLink.
2 My PCLink looked to install fine, but I cannot select it as
preferred device
Problem: Your PCLink went through most of the driver install or all
of the driver installation fine, but now when you try to select it in the
Playback section of the Multimedia control panel, there does not
appear to be any option for USB audio device.
continued

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Fix: The symptom occurs where large branded computer
manufacturers ship their systems with a cutdown OEM version of
Windows that does not always include all the USB audio
components. Because this is specific to each manufacturer, you will
need to contact the one who built your system and ask them to send
you a USB audio upgrade to bring your version of Windows up to the
same standard as the retail version. The PCLink does not need any
special device drivers, using only the following generic Windows
ones that are usually stared in the listed directions for each USB
component:
C:\win\inf\usb.inf –driver location for USB Composite Device
C:\win\inf\hiddev.inf –driver location for USB Human Interface
Device
C:\win\inf\wdma_usb.inf –driver location for USB Audio Device
Even though these drivers may be present on your system, if the
OEM version of Windows you are running does not contain all the
underlying USB audio components, you will not be able to select
USB Audio Device as the preferred playback device in the
Multimedia Window. You will need to contact the supplier of your
system to obtain an upgrade patch that brings your entire USB audio
system up to the minimum specification of the retail version of
Windows.
3 My PCLink fails to set itself as preferred audio device
automatically
Problem: When you plug in the PCLink, it is not automatically being
configured as preferred audio device.

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Fix: This occurs if a system’s soundcard is ISA based —common
for standard on board audio solutions (since Windows cannot
automatically take a setting away from an ISA soundcard and give it
to the PCLink). It will also occur if you are running an audio program
when you plug in or unplug the PCLink. Make sure to therefore close
all audio programs before doing this. You may need to configure your
computer manually by selecting USB Audio Device in the
Multimedia Control Panel or the Sounds and Multimedia
Properties control panel. See the section “Checking that the PCLink
is selected as preferred device”(page 7) earlier in this manual for
further details.
4 My PCLink seems to be introducing pops and clicks
Problem: You have installed the PCLink and it seems to be recording
fine, except there are pops and clicks every now and then.
Fix: Some USB host controllers do not function within USB
specification. Also Windows, in conjunction with other hardware in
your system, may be consuming all the isochronous bandwidth of the
USB bus. Both of these interfere with the data flowing to the PCLink,
causing it to randomly add pops and clicks. The main instances
where this occurs is if:
•USB frame rates are out of specification –isochronous data transfer
(required for audio) is not possible via USB with a frame rate that is
too fast or too slow.
•Controllers do not enumerate devices correctly –some controllers
do not send USB resets at the appropriate times or may enumerate
one part of a composite device.
•Corrupting audio data –some USB controllers introduce artifacts
into sound data (i.e. CATC traces of USB data have shown non-zero
vales in data that should be all zeros).
continued

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To solve this problem, make sure you are not running any other
programs in the background when trying to record with the PCLink -
anything that causes a lot of hard disk access can effect the data
flowing down the USB bus. Virus checking programs that continually
run in the background are particularly bad. Some drastically effect
the isochronous data flow down the USB bus and starve the PCLink
of data. It is therefore important to disable all virus checking
programs. Also, make sure that you are running the most up to date
drivers for your graphics cards and modems. If you are on a network,
it is advisable to log off.
Note
If you are using a laptop or notebook computer, the data flowing to the PCLink
can be severely effected by the processing power management of the CPU.
Ensure that in the System control panel your computer is set to Desktop. To
verify this, go to Start, then Settings, then Control Panel. Click on
System and go to the Performance Tab. In Performance, click on File
System and make sure your laptop is set to Desktop and not Server. Some
laptops are not suitable for the decoding and recording of MP3 via USB due to
the variable operating speed of their CPU and other power management
features. Check with your laptop manufacturer to ensure that the USB
environment on your system supports USB audio applications.
5 System hangs when booting up with the PCLink
installed
Problem: You have the PCLink plugged in and your system hangs
every time on start up.
Fix: Some computers using a Phoenix BIOS hang during bootup
when encountering a USB device with a configuration descriptor
longer than 0xf8 in length. The USB Legacy BIOS interprets this to
be a legacy USB device resulting in a BIOS hang. Phoenix has
already written a fix for this problem and is available upon request
from them.

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Regulatory Information
For the customers in the United States
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits
for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
•Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
•Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that
to which the receiver is connected.
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly
approved in this manual could void your authority to operate this
equipment.
Declaration of Conformity
Trade Name: XITEL
Model No.: MD-Port AN1
Responsible Party: Xitel Pty. Ltd.
Address: 73 Hefferman St. Mitchell Act. 2911 Australia
Telephone No.: [phone]
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not
cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.

2-FR
Table des matières
Contenu ....................................................................................... 3
Configuration requise ................................................................ 3
Mise en service ........................................................................... 4
Utilisateurs de Windows 98/Me (Millennium edition)/2000 ..................... 4
Installation sous Windows ................................................................... 4
Installation sous Windows 98 ..................................................... 4
Installation sous Windows Me .................................................... 5
Installation sous Windows 2000 ................................................. 6
Vérification de la sélection de PCLink comme périphérique par
défaut ..................................................................................... 7
Windows 98 ................................................................................ 8
Windows Me ............................................................................... 9
Windows 2000 ............................................................................ 9
Réglage des niveaux sonores et de sortie ........................................... 10
Utilisateurs de MacOS 9.04 ..................................................................... 10
Installation sous MacOS 9.04 ............................................................ 10
Enregistrement sur un MiniDisc .............................................................. 12
Raccordement de l’enregistreur MiniDisc ......................................... 12
Contrôle des données audio ............................................................... 13
Réglage du niveau d’enregistrement approprié .................................. 13
Débranchement de PCLink ................................................................ 15
Guide de dépannage ................................................................ 16