NOTICE: Do not press down on the optical drive tray when you open or close it. Keep the tray closed when you are not using the drive.
NOTICE: Do not move the computer while playing media.
Press the eject button on the front of the drive.
Place the disc, label side up, in the center of the tray and snap the disc
onto the spindle.
Push the tray back into the drive.
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.
A CD player includes the following basic buttons:
Play.
Move backward within the current track.
Pause.
Move forward within the current track.
Stop.
Go to the previous track.
Eject.
Go to the next track.
A DVD player includes the following basic buttons:
Stop.
Restart the current chapter.
Play.
Fast forward.
Pause.
Fast reverse.
Advance a single frame while in pause mode.
Go to the next title or chapter.
Continuously play the current title or chapter.
Go to the previous title or chapter.
Eject.
For more information on playing media, click Help on the media player (if available).
Playing Media Using Dell Express Card
Remote Control (Optional)
The Dell Express Card remote control is designed to control Dell Media Direct and Windows Vista™ Media Center. It can work only with specified computers. For more details, refer to the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.
To play media using Dell Express Card remote control:
Install a coin-cell battery into your Express Card remote control.
Launch Windows Vista™ Media Center from Start® Programs.
Use the remote control buttons to play media.
1
Infrared Transmitter
2
Arrow Up
3
OK/Enter/Select
4
Arrow Right
5
Arrow Down
6
Play/Pause
7
Forward
8
Skip Forward
9
Stop
10
Skip Back
11
Reverse
12
Back
13
Arrow Left
14
Mute
15
Volume Down
16
Page Down
17
Volume Up
18
Page Up
Copying CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) Media
NOTE: Ensure that you observe all copyright laws while copying media.
NOTE: The types of optical drives offered by Dell may vary by country.
This section applies only to computers that have a DVD+/-RW, Combo, or BD-RE drive.
The following instructions explain how to make an exact copy of a CD, DVD or BD using Roxio Creator. You can also use Roxio Creator for other purposes, such as creating music CDs from audio files stored on your computer or backing up important data. For help, open Roxio Creator, and then press <F1>.
The DVD drives and BD drives installed in Dell computers do not support HD-DVD media. For a list of supported media formats, see Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media.
How to Copy a CD, DVD or BD
NOTE: Most commercial DVDs and BDs have copyright protection and cannot be copied using Roxio Creator Plus.
NOTE: BD media can only be copied to other BD media.
NOTE: Copying a BD-R to BD-RE does not produce an exact copy.
If you have one optical drive, insert the source disc into the drive, ensure that the settings are correct, and then click the Copy Disc button to continue. The computer reads your source disc and copies the data to a temporary folder on your computer hard drive.
When prompted, insert a blank disc into the drive and click OK.
If you have two optical drives, select the drive into which you have inserted your source disc and click the Copy Disc button to continue. The computer copies the data from the source disc to the blank disc.
Once you have finished copying the source disc, the disc that you have created automatically ejects.
Using Blank CD, DVD, and BD Media
DVD-writable drives can write to both CD and DVD recording media. BD-writable drives can write to CD, DVD and BD recording media.
Use blank CD-Rs to record music or permanently store data files. After creating a CD-R, you cannot write to that CD-R again (see the Sonic documentation for more information). Use a blank CD-RW if you plan to erase, rewrite, or update information on that disc later.
Blank DVD+/-R or BD-R media can be used to permanently store large amounts of information. After you create a DVD+/-R or BD-R, you may not be able to write to that disc again if the disc is finalized or closed during the final stage of the disc creation process. Use blank DVD+/-RW or BD-RE media if you plan to erase, rewrite, or update information on that disc later.
DVD-Writable and Combo Drives
Media Type
Read
Write
Rewritable
CD-R
Yes
Yes
No
CD-RW
Yes
Yes
Yes
DVD+R
Yes
Yes
No
DVD-R
Yes
Yes
No
DVD+RW
Yes
Yes
Yes
DVD-RW
Yes
Yes
Yes
DVD+R DL
Yes
Yes
No
DVD-R DL
Yes
Yes
No
Blu-Ray Drives
Media Type
Read
Write
Rewritable
CD-R
Yes
Yes
No
CD-RW
Yes
Yes
Yes
DVD+R
Yes
Yes
No
DVD-R
Yes
Yes
No
DVD+RW
Yes
Yes
Yes
DVD-RW
Yes
Yes
Yes
DVD+R DL
Yes
Yes
No
DVD-R DL
Yes
No
No
BD-R
Yes
Yes
No
BD-RE
Yes
Yes
Yes
Helpful Tips
Use Microsoft® Windows® Explorer to drag and drop files to a CD-R or CD-RW only after you start Roxio Creator and open a Creator project.
Do not burn a blank CD-R or CD-RW to its maximum capacity; for example, do not copy a 650-MB file to a blank 650-MB CD. The CD-RW drive needs 1–2 MB of the blank space to finalize the recording.
Use CD-Rs to burn music CDs that you want to play in regular stereos. CD-RWs do not play in most home or car stereos.
Music MP3 files can be played only on MP3 players or on computers that have MP3 software installed.
Use a blank CD-RW to practice CD recording until you are familiar with CD recording techniques. If you make a mistake, you can erase the data on the CD-RW and try again. You can also use blank CD-RWs to test music file projects before you record the project permanently to a blank CD-R.
You cannot create audio DVDs with Roxio Creator.
Commercially available DVD players used in home theater systems may not support all available DVD formats. For a list of formats supported by your DVD player, see the documentation provided with your DVD player or contact the manufacturer.
Commercially available BD players used in home theater systems may not support all available BD formats. For a list of formats supported by your BD player, see the documentation provided with your BD player or contact the manufacturer.
See the Roxio website at www.sonic.com.
Adjusting the Volume
NOTE: When the speakers are muted, you do not hear the media playing.
Right-click the volume icon in the notification area.
Click Open Volume Mixer.
Click and drag the bar to slide it up or down to increase or decrease the volume.
For more information on volume control options, click Help in the Volume Mixer window.
The Volume Meter displays the current volume level, including mute, on your computer. Either click the QuickSet icon in the notification area and select or deselect Disable On Screen Volume Meter, or press the volume control buttons to enable or disable the Volume Meter on the screen.
You can also use the media control buttons on the front of the computer to adjust the volume (see Media control buttons).
Adjusting the Picture
If an error message notifies you that the current resolution and color depth are using too much memory and preventing media playback, adjust the display properties:
Windows XP
Click Start®Control Panel® Appearance and Themes.
Under Pick a task..., click Change the screen resolution.
Under Screen resolution, click and drag the bar to reduce the
resolution setting.
In the drop-down menu under Color quality, click Medium (16 bit) and
click OK.
Windows Vista™
Click the Windows Vista Start button ,click Control Panel, and then
click Appearance and Personalization.
Under Personalization, click Adjust Screen Resolution.
The Display Properties window appears.
Under Resolution: click and drag the bar to reduce the resolution setting.
In the drop-down menu under Colors:, click Medium (16 bit).
Click OK.
Using Dell MediaDirect™
Dell MediaDirect is an instant-on multimedia playback mode for digital media. Press the Dell MediaDirect button, located on the hinge cover, to launch Dell MediaDirect.
If the computer is turned on or in standby or sleep mode
If you press the Dell MediaDirect button while the computer is turned on or in standby (Windows XP) or sleep (Windows Vista) mode, either Windows Media Center Manager or Dell Media Experience launches, depending on your system setup. If both applications are present, Windows Media Center Manager launches.
If the computer is turned off or in hibernate mode
When your computer is turned off or in hibernate mode, you can press the Dell MediaDirect button to start the computer and automatically launch the Dell MediaDirect application.
1
Dell MediaDirect button
NOTE: If you voluntarily reformat the hard drive, reinstall Dell MediaDirect using the MediaDirect re-installation media that was shipped with your computer. For more information, see the Reinstalling Dell MediaDirect techsheet that accompanied your computer.
For more information on using Dell MediaDirect, use the Help menu in the Dell MediaDirect application.
Connecting Your Computer to a TV or
Audio Device
NOTE: Video and audio cables for connecting your computer to a TV or other audio device may not be included with your computer. Cables and TV/digital audio adapter cables are available for purchase from Dell.
Your computer has an S-video TV-out and DVI-I connector that, together with a standard S-video cable, a composite video adapter cable, a component video adapter cable (available from Dell), or a DVI to HDMI adaptor cable (available from Dell), enable you to connect the computer to a TV.
Your TV has either an S-video input connector, a composite video-input connector, a component video-input connector, or an HDMI connector. Depending on what type of connector is available on your TV, you can use a commercially available S-video cable, composite video cable, component video cable, or DVI to HDMI adaptor cable to connect your computer to your TV.
1
S-video TV-out connector
2
S-video connector
1
S-video TV-out connector
2
composite video adapter
3
S/PDIF digital audio connector
4
composite video-output connector
5
S-video connector
1
S-video TV-out connector
2
component video adapter
3
S/PDIF digital audio connector
4
Pr (red) component video-output connector
5
Pb (blue) component video-output connector
6
Y (green) component video-output connector
If you want to connect your computer to a TV or audio device, it is recommended that you connect video and audio cables to your computer in one of the following combinations:
NOTE: See the diagrams at the beginning of each subsection to help you determine which method of connection you should use.
When you finish connecting the video and audio cables between your computer and your TV, you must enable your computer to work with the TV. See Enabling the Display Settings for a TV to ensure that the computer recognizes and works properly with the TV. Additionally, if you are using S/PDIF digital audio, see Enabling S/PDIF Digital Audio.
S-Video and Standard Audio
1
audio connector
2
S-video TV-out connector
1
standard S-video cable
2
standard audio cable
Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to
connect.
NOTE: If your TV or audio device supports S-video but not S/PDIF digital audio, you can connect an S-video cable directly to the S-video TV-out connector on the computer (without the TV/digital audio adapter cable).
Plug one end of the S-video cable into the S-video output connector on
the computer.
Plug the other end of the S-video cable into the S-video input connector
on your TV.
Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone
connector on your computer.
Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the
audio input connectors on your TV or other audio device.
Turn on the TV and any audio device that you connected (if applicable),
and then turn on the computer.
Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to
connect.
Connect the component video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on
your computer.
Plug all three ends of the component video cable into the component
video-output connectors on the component video adapter. Make sure that
the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the corresponding
adapter ports.
1
component video adapter
2
component video cable
Plug all three connectors from the other end of the component video cable
into the component video-input connectors on the TV. Make sure that the
red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the colors of the TV input
connectors.
Plug the single-connector end of the audio cable into the headphone
connector on the computer.
Plug the two RCA connectors on the other end of the audio cable into the
audio input connectors on your TV or audio device.
Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable),
and then turn on the computer.
Turn off the computer and the TV and/or audio device that you want to
connect.
Connect the component video adapter to the S-video TV-out connector on
the computer.
Plug all three ends of the component video cable into the component
video-output connectors on the component video adapter. Make sure that the
red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the corresponding adapter ports.
1
component video adapter
2
component video-output connectors
3
component video cable
Plug all three connectors from the other end of the component video cable
into the component video-input connectors on the TV. Make sure that
the red, green, and blue colors of the cable match the colors of the
TV input connectors.
Plug one end of the S/PDIF digital audio cable into the S/PDIF audio
connector on the component video adapter.
1
component video adapter
2
S/PDIF digital audio cable
Plug the other end of the digital audio cable into the S/PDIF input
connector on your TV or other audio device.
Turn on the TV, turn on any audio device that you connected (if applicable),
and then turn on the computer.
To ensure that the display options appear correctly, connect the TV to the computer before you enable the display settings.
Windows XP
Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click Display and click the Settings tab.
Click Advanced.
Click the tab for your video card.
NOTE: To determine the type of video card installed in your computer, see the Windows Help and Support Center. To access the Help and Support Center, click Start®Help and Support. Under Pick a Task, click Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems. Then, under My Computer Information, select Hardware.
In the display devices section, select the appropriate option for using
either a single display or multiple displays, ensuring that the display
settings are correct for your selection.
Windows Vista
Click the Windows Vista Start button ,click Control Panel, and then
click Appearance and Personalization.
Under Personalization, click Adjust Screen Resolution.
The Display Properties window appears.
Click Advanced.
Click the tab for your video card.
NOTE: To determine the type of video card installed in your computer, see the Windows Help and Support Center. To access the Help and Support Center in Windows Vista, click the Windows Vista Start button ® Help and Support. Under Pick a Task, click Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems. Then, under My Computer Information, select Hardware.
In the display devices section, select the appropriate option for using
either a single display or multiple displays, ensuring that the display
settings are correct for your selection.
