Most Dell computers come with a CD/DVD player/recorder, which can be used for data, music or videos. Depending on the computer, you can also connect other media devices, such as digital cameras, projectors, MP3 Players, and TVs. You can view and print digital photos, play CDs and DVDs, create your own CDs, listen to radio stations, and copy files to a laptop media device, such as an MP3 player.
Some computers may come equipped with media buttons for:
Playing various media
Transferring and backing up data
Entertainment
For instructions on using these buttons see the documentation that came with your computer.
Playing a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc Media
For Drives With Spindles and/or Trays
Press the eject button on the drive.
Place the media, label side up, in the center of the tray and snap it onto
the spindle, or place it on the tray if there is no spindle.
Push the tray back into the drive.
For those computers equipped with multimedia buttons, press the Play
button.
Some computers launch an auto-play selection window. Select the
function for the task you are attempting to accomplish such as open for
viewing or open for direct data transfer.
For Drives With a Slot
NOTICE: Do not use non-standard-size or shape discs (including mini-CDs and mini-DVDs) as you will damage the drive.
NOTE: Do not move the computer while playing or recording CDs and DVDs.
Press the eject button to remove a pre-installed cd. For the location of the
eject button, see the documentation shipped with your computer.
Slide the disc, label side up, in the drive slot.
For those computers equipped with multimedia buttons, press the Play
button.
Some computers launch an auto-play selection window. Select the
function for the task you are attempting to accomplish such as open for
viewing or open for direct data transfer.
To format media for storing or copying data, see the media software that came with your computer.
NOTE: Ensure that you follow all copyright laws when copying media.
Ensure that the settings are correct, and then follow the instructions
online.
The computer reads your source disk and copies the data to a temporary folder on your hard drive.
When prompted, insert a blank disk into the drive and click OK. The
computer copies the data from the temporary folder to the blank disk.
With Dual Disk Drives:
Select the drive for the source disk (and insert the disk).
Then insert a blank disk into the second disk drive, and follow the
instructions to copy a disk
The computer copies the data from the source disk to the blank disk. When you have finished copying the source disk, it automatically ejects.
HINT: Use Microsoft® Windows® Explorer to drag and drop files to a disk only after you start your CD/DVD creation software and open a <create CD/DVD> project.
Use a blank disk to practice recording.
You may not be able to create audio DVDs with your CD/DVD software. See the manufacturer's instructions on the website for the media software installed in your computer.
If you have Roxio software, see the Roxio website at www.sonic.com or the Blu-ray Disc™ Association website at blu-raydisc.com for additional information.
5.1 Audio
NOTE: 5.1 Audio may not be supported on all computers.
5.1 refers to the number of audio channels in most surround-sound configurations. The 5 refers to the five main audio channels: left front, center front, right front, left surround and right surround; while the 1 refers to the low frequency effects channel (LFE).
A 5.1 signal can be provided by the optical media or a satellite TV channel.
Setting up the 5.1 Audio Connections
To set up the 5.1 audio connections:
Click Start®Control Panel®Additional Options. Run IDT Audio Control Panel. In the Jacks tab, there are three connector icons. Follow the instructions to finish the setup.
Click the microphone icon, select Device: Rear Speakers, and plug your
rear speaker cable to the audio in/microphone connector.
Click the middle headphone icon, select Device: Center/LFE Speaker,
and plug your center/woofer speaker cable to the middle audio
out/headphone connector.
Click the right headphone icon, select Device: Front Speaker, and plug
your front speaker cable to the right audio out/headphone connector.
Laptop Media Devices (MP3 Players)
FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about connecting your laptop media device to your computer and for playing your laptop media device (MP3 Player), see the documentation that came with the device. Also, see "Using Windows Media Player" in Windows Help and Support: click Startor ® Help and Support.
Connecting a Laptop Media Device (MP3 Player) to Your Computer
Follow the instructions that came with your media device to connect it to your computer.
To determine if your laptop media device is compatible with Media Player, see the instructions that came with your media device. Also, see the windowsmedia.com website.
Setting up the Laptop Media Device to Sync in Windows Media Player
Use Windows Media Player to sync digital media files from your media library to the laptop media device.
If your laptop media device has sufficient capacity to hold the files you want to copy, Media Player automatically syncs your media library. Then, when you connect the laptop media device to your computer in the future, Media Player updates the device.
If the storage capacity of the laptop media device is not large enough to handle the files you want to copy, Media Player defaults to manual sync. At this point, you must manually remove files from the device or alter your selection of files to copy.
Media Player allows you to switch between automatic and manual sync operations.
Setting up the Laptop Media Device the First Time
When you connect a media device for the first time, Media Player selects the sync method that works best for your device, depending on its storage capacity.
Start the laptop media device, and then connect the device to your
computer. If prompted, select the option to sync the device using
Windows Media Player.
Do one of the following:
If Media Player has selected to sync your device automatically, click Finish. When you click Finish, Media Player syncs your entire library to the laptop media device. Then, your laptop media device syncs automatically every time you connect it to your computer.
If Media Player has selected to sync your device manually, click Finish. Then, in the Sync tab, select the files and play lists you want to sync.
Copying Audio and Video Files to Your Laptop Media Device
Use the Copy to CD or Device feature to copy audio and video files from Media Library to your laptop media device or storage card.
You can also copy licensed files that you download from the Internet or that you copied from CDs to your laptop media device. To copy a licensed file, your laptop media device may require a hardware serial number. The content provider decides the ownership and play rights for a file, and not all files will play after you have copied them to a laptop device.
When you copy files to your laptop media device, the Status column in the Items to Copy window displays status information, such as Inspecting, Converting/Converted, Copying, and Complete.
Playing Media Using the Dell Travel Remote
The Dell Travel Remote is designed to control Windows Vista Media Center and is available only for specified computers.
Install a coin-cell battery into the remote control.
Launch the Windows Vista Media Center.
Use the remote control buttons to play media.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about Dell Travel Remote, see the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. Also, see the instructions that came with the Dell Travel Remote.
Adjusting the Volume on Your Computer
Right-click the Volume icon in the taskbar.
Click Open Volume Mixer.
Click and drag the slide bar up or down to increase or decrease the volume.
Enabling S/PDIF Digital Audio Through the Media
Software
If your computer has a DVD drive and supports digital audio (S/PDIF), you can enable digital audio for DVD playback.
Click Start®AllPrograms, and click the link for the DVD player.
Insert a DVD into the DVD drive.
If the DVD begins playing, click the stop button.
Click Settings®DVD®DVD Audio Setting.
Click the arrows beside the Speaker Configuration setting to scroll
through the options, and select the SPDIF option.
Click the Back button once, and then click the Back button again to
return to the main menu screen.
Enabling S/PDIF Digital Audio in the Windows
Audio Driver
Double-click the Volume icon in the taskbar.
From the Volume Control window, click Options®Advanced Controls®Advanced.
Click the check box to enable S/PDIF Interface.
Click Close®OK.
Setting up the Cyberlink (CL) Headphones
NOTE: The CL headphone feature is available only if your computer has a DVD drive.
If your computer has a DVD drive, you can enable digital audio through headphones for DVD playback.
Click Start® All Programs, and click the option for the DVD player for
your computer.
Insert a DVD into the DVD drive.
If the DVD begins playing, click the stop button.
Click Settings®DVD® DVD Audio Setting.
Click the arrows beside the Speaker Configuration setting to scroll
through the options, and click Headphones.
Click the arrows beside the Audio listening mode setting to scroll through
the options, and click CL Headphone.
Click the arrows beside the Dynamic range compression option to select
the most suitable option.
Click the Back button once, and then click the Back button again to
return to the main menu screen.
Using a Digital Camera With Your Computer
When you use a digital camera with your computer, you can perform one or more of the following tasks:
View and download pictures on your camera.
Modify pictures and add special effects.
Print pictures.
Organize your picture collection.
Create slide shows.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about using a digital camera with your computer, see the documentation that came with your camera. Also, search for topics on digital cameras in Windows Help and Support: click Startor ® Help and Support.
Using Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player is Microsoft's native software for playing, recording, and organizing your multimedia files. You can use Windows Media Player for a variety of activities, including:
Playing digital media files, including audio and video files, CDs and DVDs, and other media files and formats
Burning (creating) your own CDs and DVDs as well as copying music from CDs
Listening to radio stations
Searching and organizing your digital media files
Copying and syncing files to laptop devices
Shopping for digital media online
FOR MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about using the Windows Media Player, see Windows Help and Support: click Startor ® Help and Support.
