Transferring data to your WALKMAN

About this tutorial

You can store computer data into the built-in flash memory of the player by transferring the data from your computer using Windows Explorer, or another transfer capable software. If the player is connected to the computer, the built-in flash memory appears in Windows Explorer as [WALKMAN.]

Data can directly be transferred by dragging and dropping using Windows Explorer or Windows Media Player 11. You can use Windows Media Player 11 to rip songs from your CDs to your computer so that they become files on your computer. After that, you can sync the ripped songs with your WALKMAN; burn a customized music CD for enjoying at a party or in your car; or play the songs anytime from your computer without the hassle of having to find the original CD. Not only songs can be transferred to your walkman but also videos and photos.

Getting Started

Check your computer software before connecting the player

Before connecting the Walkman to your computer, please make sure that:

The Operating System (OS) is Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or later) or Windows Vista.
The installed Windows Media Player on your computer is version 10 or 11. Please note that Windows Media Player 11 is needed for transferring video and Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) files.

(Please Click on the sign to expand the relevant section)
How to check which version of the Windows Operating System is installed on your computer
On the taskbar at the bottom of your screen, click Start, and then click Run.

In the Run dialog box, type: winver

Click OK.

A dialog box displays the version of Windows that is running on your PC.

In this example, the computer is running:
- Windows XP
- Service Pack 3
How to check which version of Windows Media Player is installed on your computer
Start Windows Media Player. On the taskbar at the bottom of your screen, click Start, and then click All Programs. Next, click on Windows Media Player from the list of programs that appears.

Right click on a blank area of the menu bar.

From the drop down menu that appears, click on Help and then click on About Windows Media Player.

A dialog box displays the version of Windows Media Player that is running on your computer.

In this example, the computer is running:
- Windows Media Player Version 11

If the Windows Media Player on your computer is earlier than version 11, you will need to upgrade the software from the supplied CD-ROM. (If version 11 is already installed, you do not need to do anything as your computer is ready to use with your Walkman).
Installing Windows Media Player 11
Insert the supplied CD-ROM into your computer. The install wizard will start automatically as shown below. Read the messages displayed on the screen carefully, and follow the on-screen instructions by clicking Yes if you agree with the terms of the license agreement.

When the install menu appears on the screen, click on Windows Media Player 11 and then click Install.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation of Windows Media Player 11.

Transferring data to your walkman

Transferring Videos:

Transferring videos to your walkman using Windows explorer:
Drag and drop files or folders into the "VIDEO" folder. On the 1st level, the "VIDEO" folder will recognize either a file or a folder. Files on the 2nd level will be recognized. However, folders beyond the 2nd level and files beyond 3rd level will not be recognized.

Note: The "MP_ROOT" folder is used only when the player connects using certain dedicated software, or device. When you transfer data by dragging and dropping, use the "VIDEO" folder.

On the player the folders are displayed in the folder name order first, then files are displayed in the file name order.

Tip: You can set JPEG files as thumbnails of video files, by placing JPEG files in the corresponding video folders. When you display the video list, you can see the thumbnails (small pictures to display on the menu) for the video files on the player. To display a thumbnail for a video file, create a JPEG file (horizontal 160 x vertical 120 dots, extension: .jpg) and name it the same as the desired video file, then store it in the video file folder.

Transferring photos:

Transferring photos to your walkman using Windows Explorer:
Drag and drop files or folders into the "PICTURE" or "DCIM" folder. On the 1st level, the "PICTURE" folder will recognize either a file or a folder. The "DCIM" folder will only recognize a folder. Only files on the 2nd level will be recognized by both "DCIM" and "PICTURE" folders. However, beyond the 2nd level, neither files nor folders will be recognized. On the player the folders under the "PICTURE" and "DCIM" folders are displayed in alphabetical order. Files in the 1st level of the "PICTURE" folder are stored in the PICTURE folder.

Notes:

Do not disconnect the USB cable while "Do not disconnect." appears on the player or the data being transferred may be damaged.

You cannot change folder names or delete the "MUSIC", "MP_ROOT", "VIDEO", "PICTURES", "PICTURE" and "DCIM" folders.

Do not change folder or file names directly under the "MP_ROOT" folder. Otherwise, they will not be displayed on the player.

Transferring songs:

There are three main tasks you need to learn before you can play your music on your Walkman. First learn how to rip (copy) music from a CD on to your computer that you want to sync (copy) to your Walkman. Second, learn how to connect to your Walkman, and third, sync (copy) the songs on your computer that you want to listen to on the Walkman.

Step 1: Ripping (copying) songs from a CD to your computer

Start Windows Media Player. On the taskbar at the bottom of your screen, click Start, and then click All Programs. Next, click on Windows Media Player from the list of programs that appears.

Insert an audio CD into the CD drive, and then click the Rip tab, as shown in the following screen shot.

Note: When you are connected to the Internet, Windows Media Player attempts to retrieve media information such as the album and artist name about the tracks being ripped from a Windows Media database that is maintained by Microsoft. Windows Media Player then adds the information to the files during ripping. If media information is incorrect or missing, you can add or edit it after ripping. For information about adding or editing media information, see Windows Media Player Help.

Tip: By default, Windows Media Player begins ripping the CD automatically when you are in the Rip tab or when you first switch to it after the CD was inserted. You can also choose to have ripping begin immediately upon inserting the CD, or you can turn off automatic ripping from the Rip Music tab of the Options dialog box. For information about changing these settings, see Windows Media Player Help.

Note that all songs are selected to be ripped if you have not previously ripped them.

(Optional) As Windows Media Player begins to rip the CD, clear the check boxes next to any songs that you don't want to rip. Or, you can temporarily stop the rip process to make your selections. To do this, at the bottom of the List pane, click Stop Rip . (Partially ripped songs are not saved.) Select the songs you want to rip, and then, at the bottom of the List pane, click Start Rip to restart ripping.
(Optional) In some instances, you may be prompted to manually add missing media information after ripping has completed. For information about adding or editing media information, see Windows Media Player Help.

After the songs have been ripped, you can find and play them in your library.

Tip: If you want to improve the quality of your ripped files, or if you want to have smaller files, check the advanced section below in order to learn how to do so.

Step 2: Connecting your WALKMAN to your computer

Step 3 : Synchronising (copying) music to your WALKMAN

Using Windows Media Player

When your Walkman is connected to your computer, Windows Media Player adds your Walkman to the Navigation pane with all of the default categories found in the library on the Walkman listed, as shown in the following screen shot.

The Sync window is used to select and copy the music you want on your Walkman.

To select items to sync (copy) manually

On the Sync tab, drag items such as files, albums, and playlists to the List pane to add them to the list of items to sync, as shown in the following screen shot.

Note: To select multiple adjacent items, press and hold the SHIFT key while selecting. To select nonadjacent items, press and hold the CTRL key while selecting each individual item.
In the List pane, verify that the items you have selected to sync will all fit on the Walkman, as shown in the following screen shot. If necessary, remove items from the list.
Synchronization will start when you click the Start Sync as highlighted in the following screen shot.
When Synchronization is complete, you will get this message "You can now disconnect WALKMAN" . Once the Sync process has finished, the music you selected will now be on your Walkman. You can now disconnect the USB cable, attach the headphones and enjoy the sound!

Note: When you connect a Walkman for the first time, Windows Media Player selects the sync method (automatic or manual) that works best for your Walkman, depending on the Walkman's storage capacity and the size of your library. If the storage capacity of your Walkman is more than 4 gigabytes (GB) and your entire library can fit into the Walkman, the Player automatically syncs your entire library to your Walkman. Then, every time you connect your Walkman to your computer in the future, the Player updates the Walkman to mirror your library.

If Windows Media Player has selected to sync your Walkman automatically, when you click Finish the Player will sync your entire library to your Walkman. After that, your Walkman will sync every time you connect it to your computer.

If Windows Media Player has selected to sync your Walkman manually, when you click Finish Windows Media Player will open to the Sync tab where you can select the files and playlists you want to sync manually.

Switching between automatic and manual sync

Once you have set up a Walkman for the first time, you can switch between automatic or manual sync for the Walkman, depending on your preference. To switch between automatic and manual sync

Click the arrow below the Sync tab, point to the WALKMAN, and then click Set Up Sync.
Select or clear the Sync this device automatically check box.

For more information about sync options, check the advanced options section below.

Using Windows Explorer:

Drag and drop files or folders into the "MUSIC" folder. However, beyond the 8th level, neither files nor folders will be recognized. On the player the folders are displayed in the folder name order first, then files are displayed in the file name order.

Advanced Options

The following sections will tell you in detail how you can create and transfer Playlists containing your favourite tracks, and how you can search and organize your music library. It will also offer alternative options for ripping and syncing music files.

Changing the bit rate (quality) or format.

More ways to sync (copy) music to your WALKMAN

Set up Your WALKMAN
- Automatic. If your WALKMAN storage capacity is more than 4 gigabytes (GB) and your entire library can fit on it, Media Player automatically syncs your entire library. You can also choose what syncs automatically by selecting the playlists you want to sync. With this option, Media Player syncs your digital media files to the WALKMAN to mirror your library when you connect it to your computer or when you change sync settings.
- Manual. With this option, you pick specific files or playlists you want to sync each time you want to make changes to the digital media files on your WALKMAN, and you manually remove files from your WALKMAN.
After your WALKMAN is set up the first time, if you want to, you can switch between automatic and manual sync.
1. Start Media Player, turn on your WALKMAN, and then connect it to your computer. If prompted, select the option to sync the WALKMAN using Windows Media Player.
2. Do one of the following:
  - If Media Player has selected to sync your WALKMAN automatically, click Finish. When you do so, Media Player will sync your entire library to your WALKMAN. After that, your WALKMAN will sync every time you connect it to your computer
  - If Media Player has selected to sync your WALKMAN manually, click Finish. Then, in the Sync tab, you must select the files and playlists you want to sync manually.
  Media Player adds the WALKMAN to the Navigation pane with all of the default categories found in the library, as shown in the following screen shot.
Choose and prioritize what syncs automatically

If your WALKMAN syncs automatically, you don't have to sync your entire library. Instead, you can choose from existing playlists or create new playlists of files that you want to sync. The playlists you select will then sync to your WALKMAN every time you connect it to your computer.
1. Click the arrow below the Sync tab, point to the name of your WALKMAN, and then click Set Up Sync, as shown in the following screen shot.
2. The Device Setup dialog box appears, as shown in the following screen shot.
3. In the Available playlists list, select the existing playlists you want to sync and then click Add.
4. To create a playlist, click New Auto Playlist and follow the steps on the screen to specify criteria for files in the auto playlist.
5. To remove a playlist, click the playlist in the Playlists to sync list, and then click Remove.
6. Do one of the following:
  - In the Playlists to sync list, select a playlist, one at a time, and click the Priority arrows to arrange them in the order that you want them to sync, as shown in the following screen shot. If your WALKMAN fills up before sync is complete, files and playlists that are lower in priority on the list may not sync. You can also monitor how much remaining space is available on your WALKMAN from this list.
  - Select the Shuffle what syncs check box if you want Media Player to shuffle the files that are in the playlists you have selected to sync. With this option, every time you connect your WALKMAN, the files on the WALKMAN are removed and a new set of files (from the playlists in the Playlists to sync list) are added to the WALKMAN. This option is useful if you like to rotate through your music, or if your library has grown too large to fit on your device.
Select and Shuffle Items with Manual Sync

If you sync manually, you must create a list of files and playlists you want to sync each time you want to make changes to the files on your WALKMAN, and you must manually remove files from your WALKMAN. You can also use Media Player to shuffle which songs from your playlists sync to your WALKMAN.
- To select items to sync manually
  1. Start Media Player, turn on and connect your WALKMAN to your computer, and then click the Sync tab.
  2. If you need to clear the List pane before beginning, click the Clear List pane button .
  3. If more than one device is connected, in the Navigation pane, click the name corresponding to your WALKMAN in order to sync.
  4. Drag items such as files, albums, and playlists to the List pane to add them to the list of items to sync, as shown in the following screen shot.
    
    To select multiple adjacent items, press and hold the SHIFT key while selecting. To select nonadjacent items, press and hold the CTRL key while selecting.
  5. To remove items, select one or more items in the List pane, and then click Remove from List, as shown in the following screen shot.
  6. In the List pane, verify that the items you have selected to sync will all fit on the WALKMAN, as shown in the following screen shot. If necessary, remove items from the list.
  7. Click Start Sync
- To shuffle manual sync items on your WALKMAN
  1. Start Media Player, turn on and connect your WALKMAN to your computer, and then click the Sync tab.
  2. Click the arrow below the Sync tab, point the name of your WALKMAN, and then click Shuffle, as shown in the following screen shot.
    
    In the List pane, click Shuffle music to have Media Player automatically add a shuffled set of songs from your library to the List pane, as shown in the following screen shot.
  3. Add or remove any songs you want, and then click Shuffle Now.
Switching Between Automatic and Manual Sync

Once you have set up your WALKMAN for the first time, you can switch between automatic or manual sync for the WALKMAN, depending on your preference.
- To switch between automatic and manual sync
  1. Click the arrow below the Sync tab, point to the device, and then click Set Up Sync.
  2. Select or clear the Sync this device automatically check box.
  3. Do one of the following:
    
    If you are switching to use automatic sync, choose what syncs automatically. For more information, see Choose and Prioritize what Syncs Automatically.
    
    If you are switching to use manual sync, see Select and Shuffle Items with Manual Sync.

Create and Manage Playlists

This part describes how to create playlists of your favorite songs.

Create and Edit Your Playlists
Quickly Create Playlists of Your Favorites
Skip Items in Your Playlists

Create and Edit Your Playlists

Playlists are easy to create and edit. By creating your own playlists, you can group any combination of songs, videos, or pictures into a list that you can then quickly play, burn to a CD, or sync to a device. You can also use playlists created by other users or provided by online stores, and edit them to suit your own interests.

To create a playlist

Click the Library tab.
(Optional) If you need to clear the List pane, click the Clear List pane button .
Drag items from the Details pane in your library to the List pane to add them to the new playlist, as shown in the following screen shot.
To rearrange items, drag them up or down in the List pane.
To save the list, click Save Playlist at the bottom of the List pane, and then type a name for the playlist.

By default, playlists are saved with a .wpl extension in the Playlists folder, which is usually located in the Music folder. You can also save playlists with the .m3u or .asx extension. To do so, click the List button at the top of the List pane, click Save Playlist As, and then change the extension in the Save As dialog box. Once you save the playlist, it's added to the Playlists category in the library.

To play the playlist in the List pane, click the Play button.

To access the playlist in the future, in the Navigation pane, click the Playlists view, as shown in the following screen shot.

To edit a playlist

Click the Library tab, and then click the Playlists view in the Navigation pane.
Click the playlist that you want to edit, and then click Edit in List Pane .
Do any of the following:
- To remove an item, right-click the item to select it, and then click Remove from List. To select multiple adjacent items, press and hold the SHIFT key while selecting. To select nonadjacent items, press and hold the CTRL key while selecting.
- To rearrange items in the playlist, in the List pane, drag them up or down.
- To shuffle the entire list, at the top of the List pane, click the List button (showing the name of the playlist), and then click Shuffle List Now, as shown in the following screen shot.
When you are finished editing the playlist, click Save Playlist at the bottom of the List pane.

Quickly Create Playlists of Your Favorites

You can quickly create playlists of your favorite items by turning on the Add Favorites to List When Dragging feature. When you do so, the next time you drag a category such as an album or genre from the Details pane to the List pane, only the songs with the highest user and auto ratings are added to the new playlist.

To create a playlist of favorite items

Do one of the following:

To turn on this feature so that it works whenever you drag a category to the List pane, click the arrow below the Library tab, and then click Add Favorites to List When Dragging. A check mark next to the command indicates the feature is turned on, as shown in the following screen shot.
To add favorites one time only, right-click a category such as an album or genre in the Details pane, point to Add to, and then click "Untitled Playlist" (Favorites only), as shown in the following screen shot.

Skip Items in Your Playlists

Windows Media Player tracks which songs you skip when playing a playlist. This gives you a quick way to revise a playlist so that it only contains your favorite items. This comes in handy with playlists that are created by a music subscription service or another person. When you save a playlist that contains skipped items, you will be prompted to either remove or keep the skipped items in the playlist.

You can turn off the prompt if you want. You can also set Windows Media Player to not play skipped items during repeat playback. When you do so, the skipped items appear dimmed in the List pane.

To skip an item while it is playing

Click the Next button while the item is playing.

To set how items are skipped in a playlist

Click the List button at the top of the List pane, point to Skipped Items, and then do one or both of the following:
- To stop being prompted to remove skipped items when saving a playlist, clear the Prompt Me to Remove upon Save check mark, as sown in the following screen shot.
- To prevent skipped items from playing when repeat play is turned on, click Skip During Playback. A check mark next to the command indicates the feature is turned on, and items that you skip will appear dimmed in the List pane. You can return an item to normal play by double-clicking it in the List pane.

To remove skipped items from a playlist

At the top of the List pane, click the List button, and then click Save Playlist As.
Type a name for the playlist, and then click Save.
When prompted, click Remove from the playlist, as shown in the following screen shot, and then click OK.

Organize and search your digital media collection

The library is the central location in Windows Media Player 11 where you can organize, find, and play all of your music, videos, pictures, and other digital media content. As you add items to the library, your content is automatically grouped by categories such as Artist, Album, and Genre.

Add Items to the Library

By default, Windows Media Player automatically searches certain folders on your computer for digital media files and adds them to the library. If you start Windows Media Player and there are no items in the library or some items appear to be missing (perhaps because you store your files in folders that Windows Media Player doesn't search by default), you can specify where Windows Media Player should search instead.

To add content to your library

Click the arrow below the Library tab, and then click Add to Library, as shown in the following screen shot.
In the Add to Library dialog box, click one of the following options, as shown in the following screen shot.
- My personal folders. Use this option to search for the digital media files stored in your personal Music, Pictures, and Videos folders, as well as any files stored in the public Music, Pictures, and Videos folders that everyone who uses your computer has access to.
  
  Personal folders are typically located at C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents; whereas, public folders are typically located at C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents.
  
  Whenever a file is added or deleted from one of these folders, your library is automatically updated through a process called folder monitoring.
- My folders and those of others that I can access. Use this option to monitor the digital media files stored in your personal Music, Pictures, and Videos folders, the files stored in the public Music, Pictures, and Videos folders, as well as the files stored in the personal Music, Pictures, and Videos folders that belong to other users on your computer.
  
  Note that you can only monitor the files stored in another user's personal folder if that person has chosen to share the folder with you. For information about how to share a folder with another person on your computer, see Windows Help and Support.
(Optional) Click Advanced Options, and then do any of the following, as shown in the following screen shot.
- To monitor additional folders, click Add, and then specify the location of the folder.
- To stop monitoring a folder that you previously added, click the folder that you want to remove from the list, and then click Remove. To stop monitoring a folder that has been automatically added, click the folder, and then click Ignore.
- To specify whether Windows Media Player should add files previously deleted from the library, select or clear the Add files previously deleted from library check box.
- To prevent files that are smaller than a certain size from being added to the library, enter the file size limits in the Audio files and Video files boxes.

Find Items in the Library

There are two ways to find content in the library�by browsing and by searching.

Browse the Library

If you're not sure what you're looking for, you can browse the contents of your library by switching between media types, library categories, and library views.

To browse the library

Click the Library tab.
On the address bar, click the Select a category button, and then select the media type you want to view (for example, Music, Pictures, or Video), as shown in the following screen shot.
In the Navigation pane, expand the Library category, and then click a view such as Artist, as shown in the following screen shot.

By default, only a limited number of category views are displayed. If you want to show additional views, right-click Library, and then click Show More Views, as shown in the following screen shot.

Items in the view you have chosen are displayed in the Details pane, as shown in the following screen shot.
Depending upon what view you've chosen and the contents of your library, double-click an item in the Details pane to explore that view or to begin playing that item.

To switch between library views

You can control how the items in the Details pane are displayed. For example, you can choose whether they should be displayed with large icons or detailed text.

Click the Library tab.
Click the View Options button, and then select the display option you want, as shown in the following screen shot.

Search the Library

The search capabilities of Windows Media Player have been greatly improved in this release. Even if you have thousands of items in your library, searching for a particular song, artist, or album is surprisingly fast.

To search for an item

Click the Library tab.
On the address bar, click the Select a category button, and then select the media type you want to view (for example, Music, Pictures, or Video).
In the search box, type the text you want to find, as shown in the following screen shot.

Items that match your search criteria are displayed in the Details pane. If you use an online store such as URGE that is integrated into the library, your search results might also contain items from that store's online catalog.

Last Updated 11th September 2008