Using Your Computer

    This chapter provides information on using the multimedia capabilities of your computer. Read this chapter to learn how to:

Use the diskette drive
Use the CD/DVD drive
Adjust the volume
Play CDs and DVDs
Record and play audio files
Use Windows Media Player
Use MusicMatch
Use the speakerphone

Using diskettes

    The diskette drive uses 3.5-inch diskettes (sometimes called floppy disks). Diskettes are useful for storing files or transferring files to another computer.

    Warning

    Do not expose diskettes to water or magnetic fields. Exposure could damage the data on the diskette.

    To use a diskette:

      1. Insert the diskette into the diskette drive with the label facing up.
      1. To access a file on the diskette in Windows XP, click Start, then select My Computer, then the drive letter (typically A:), then double-click the file.
        - OR -
        To access a file on the diskette in Windows Me, Windows 2000, or Windows 98, double-click the My Computer icon, the drive letter (typically A:), then the file.
      1. To remove the diskette, make sure the drive activity light is off, then press the diskette eject button.

         

    Using the CD/DVD drive

      You can use your computer to enjoy a wide variety of multimedia features, such as making recordings, listening to audio CDs, and watching DVD movies.

    Inserting a CD or DVD

    To insert a CD or DVD:

      1. Press the eject button next to the CD/DVD drive. The CD/DVD drive tray opens.

      2. Insert the CD/DVD in the tray with the label facing up.

      Important

      When you place a single-sided disc in the tray, make sure that the label side is facing up. If the disc has two playable sides, place the disc so that the name of the side you want to play is facing up.

        1. Press the eject button again. The CD/DVD drive tray closes.

           

      Adjusting the volume in Windows XP

        You can use the volume controls to adjust the overall volume and the volume of specific sound devices in your computer. Depending on the sound hardware installed in your computer, you may have additional volume controls available through the Start menu.

        Help and Support

        For more information on adjusting volume, click Start, then select Help and Support.

        To adjust the overall volume level using hardware controls:

        Turn the knob on the front of the external speakers.
            - OR -
            On the keyboard, press the volume buttons to change the volume, or press the mute button to turn off all sound.

             

        To adjust the overall volume level from Windows:

          1. Click Start, then select Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.

          2. Select Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices.

          3. Select Adjust the system volume. The Sounds and Audio Devices Properties dialog box opens.
          1. On the Volume tab, drag the Device Volume slider to change the volume or click to select the Mute check box, then click OK.

             

        To adjust specific volume levels:

          1. Click Start, then select Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens.

          2. Select Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices.

          3. Select Adjust the system volume. The Sounds and Audio Devices Properties dialog box opens.
          1. On the Volume tab, click Advanced in the Device volume area. The Master Volume dialog box opens.
            If the device you want to adjust does not appear in the Master Volume dialog box, select Options, Properties, select the audio device you want to adjust, then click OK.

          1. Drag the volume level and balance sliders for the device you want to adjust, then close the window. For more information about the volume controls, select Help in the Master Volume dialog box.

          2. Click X in the top right corner of the Master Volume dialog box.

             

        Adjusting the volume in Windows Me, Windows 2000, and Windows 98

          You can use the volume controls to adjust the overall volume and the volume of specific sound devices in your computer. Depending on the sound hardware installed in your computer, you may have additional volume controls available through the Start menu.

          Help and Support

          For more information on adjusting volume, click Start, then select Help.

          To adjust overall volume level:

          Turn the knob on the front of the external speakers.
              - OR -
              On the keyboard, press the volume buttons to change the volume, or press the mute button to turn off all sound.
              - OR -
              Click the speaker icon on the taskbar, then drag the slider to change the volume or click to select the Mute check box.

          To adjust specific volume levels:

            1. Double-click the speaker icon on the taskbar. The Volume Control dialog box opens.
              If the device you want to adjust does not appear in the Volume Control dialog box, select Options, Properties, select the audio device you want to adjust, then click OK.
            1. Drag the volume level and balance sliders for the device you want to adjust, then close the window. For more information about the volume controls, select Help in the Volume Control dialog box.

               

          Listening to CDs in Windows XP, Windows Me, and Windows 2000

            Use the Windows Media Player to listen to CDs in Windows XP, Windows Me, and Windows 2000. For more information about the using the Windows Media Player, select Help.

            If you have a multi-function keyboard, you can use the multimedia buttons to listen to your CDs. For more information, see Keyboard features.

          To play a CD:

            1. Insert a CD into the CD/DVD drive.

            2. If a message asks you to chose a CD player, select Windows Media Player. The Windows Media Player opens.

            3. When the media player opens, click Play.

               

          Listening to CDs in Windows 98

            Use the Windows CD Player to play an audio CD. If you have a multi-function keyboard, you can use the multimedia buttons to listen to your CDs. For more information, see Keyboard features.

          To play a CD:

          Insert a CD into the CD/DVD drive. The CD Player opens and the CD plays.
              If the CD Player does not open automatically when you insert the CD, open it from the Start menu by clicking Start, then selecting Programs, Accessories, Entertainment, then CD Player. When the CD Player opens, click Play.

               

          Recording and playing audio

            Use the instructions below to make an audio recording by speaking into the microphone.

            Help and Support

            For more information on recording and playing audio, click Start, then select Help and Support or Help.

            To make an audio recording:

              1. Plug a microphone into the Microphone port on your computer.

              2. Click Start, then select All Programs, Accessories, Entertainment, then Sound Recorder. The Sound Recorder opens.

              1. Click Record, then speak into the microphone.

              2. When you finish recording, click Stop.

              3. Select File, then Save As. The Save As dialog box opens.

              4. Name the recording, specify the path, then click Save. The recording is saved.

                 

            To play an audio recording in Sound Recorder:

              1. Open the Sound Recorder.

              2. Select File, then Open. The Open dialog box opens.

              3. Select the file you want to play back, then click Open.

              4. Play the file by clicking Play, then stop playing the file by clicking Stop.

                 

            Playing audio and video files with the Windows Media Player

              The Windows Media Player can play several types of audio and video files, including WAV, MIDI, MP3, AU, AVI, and MPEG formats. For more information about the using the Windows Media Player, select Help.

            To play a file using the Windows Media Player:

              1. In Windows XP, Windows Me, or Windows 2000, click Start, then select All Programs, then Windows Media Player.
                - OR -
                In Windows 98, click Start, then select Programs, Accessories, Entertainment, then Windows Media Player.
                The Windows Media Player opens.

              1. Select File, then Open. The Open dialog box opens.

              2. Select the file you want to play, then click Open.

              3. Play the file by clicking Play, then stop playing the file by clicking Stop.

                 

            Playing a DVD

              A Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) is similar to a standard CD but has greater data capacity. Because of this increased capacity, full-length movies, several albums of music, or several gigabytes of data can fit on a single disc. If your computer has a DVD drive, you can play DVDs with the DVD Player program. For more information about playing DVDs, select Help in the DVD player program.

            To play a DVD:

              1. Make sure that the speakers are turned on or headphones are plugged in and that the volume is turned up.

              2. Turn off your system screen saver and standby timers.

              3. Click Start, then select All Programs, DVD Player, then DVD Player. The DVD Player video screen and control panel open.

              4. Insert a DVD into the DVD drive, then click Play. The DVD plays.

              5. To control the DVD or adjust the volume, use the controls in the DVD player. For more information on using the DVD player, see its online help.

                 

            Using MusicMatch

              Using MusicMatch™, you can:

            Play music CDs
            Create MP3 music files from your music CDs
            Use your music files to build a music library
            Enter music track information
            Listen to Internet Radio

              For more information on using MusicMatch, see its online Help.

            Playing CDs

              You can use the MusicMatch program to play music CDs.

            To play a music CD in Windows XP:

              1. Insert the music CD into the CD/DVD drive on your computer. The first time you insert a CD, the Audio CD dialog box opens.
              1. Click Play Audio CD using mmjb, select Always do the selected action, then click OK. MusicMatch opens, the CD begins playing, and the names of the music tracks appear in the playlist area.
                The next time you insert an audio CD, MusicMatch plays the CD automatically.

                 

            To play a music CD in Windows Me, Windows 98, and Windows 2000:

              1. Double-click the musicmatch JUKEBOX icon on your desktop. MusicMatch opens.

              2. Insert the music CD into the CD/DVD drive on your computer, then click the CD tab. The names of the music tracks appear in the playlist area.
              1. Click Play.

                 

            Creating music files

              Using MusicMatch, you can copy the tracks from a music CD to your computer's hard drive as MP3 files.

              Here are some terms that you need to know before you get started:

            Bit rate is the number of bits required to store one second of music. CD quality is 128 kilobits per second. A high bit rate gives you better sound quality but the file size is also larger. For information about changing the sound quality settings, see the online help in MusicMatch.
            MP3 (MPEG Layer 3) is a standard for digitally compressing high-fidelity music into compact files without noticeably sacrificing quality. MP3 files end in the file extension .mp3.
            Ripping is the process of copying a music track from a music CD and storing it on your computer's hard drive.

            To create (rip) MP3 files:

              1. Open MusicMatch by clicking Start, then selecting All Programs, MusicMatch, then MusicMatch Jukebox.

              2. Insert a CD into the CD/DVD drive, then click Record. The Recorder window opens.

              3. In the Recorder window, select the tracks you want to record, then click  REC. The tracks that you selected are copied as MP3 files to your computer's hard drive.

                 

            Editing track information

              After you add a CD track as an MP3 file to your music library, you can edit the track's information.

            To edit track information:

              1. In MusicMatch, click My Library. The library window opens.

              2. In the library window, right-click the file, then select Edit Track Tag(s). The Edit Track Tag dialog box opens.

              1. Enter information such as track title, lead artist, album, and genre.

              2. Click OK. The new track information is displayed in the MusicMatch playlist, music library, and recorder.

                 

            Building a music library

              Use MusicMatch to build a music library. You can organize your music tracks by categories, find a track quickly by using the sort features, and add information to a music file.

              You can add music tracks to your music library by:

            Creating MP3 files - When you create MP3 files from the tracks on your music CD, MusicMatch automatically adds these files to your music library.
            Dragging and Dropping - Drag and drop files from Windows Explorer or your desktop to the music library.
            Downloading files from the Internet - When you are connected to the Internet, MP3 files that you download are automatically added to your music library.

            Changing the music library display settings

            To change the music library display settings:

              1. In MusicMatch, select Options, then Settings. The Settings window opens.

              2. Click the Music Library tab.
              1. Select the categories that you want to display in the columns, then click OK.

            Listening to Internet radio

              Use the Radio feature in MusicMatch to listen to Internet Radio stations.

            To listen to an Internet radio station:

              1. Connect to the Internet, then in MusicMatch, click Radio Stations.
                The Radio window opens.
              1. To select one of the MusicMatch Internet radio stations, select one of the Popular Stations. You can also choose another Internet radio station by clicking Broadcast Stations, then clicking the appropriate category in the Station Selector.
              1. Select a radio station, then click Play. MusicMatch connects to the station.

                 

            Using advanced features

              You can also use MusicMatch to create your own music CDs and to download MP3 files to your portable MP3 player. See the MusicMatch online Help.

            Using your speakerphone

              Important

              If your modem has voice capabilities, use the procedures outlined in this section to make and receive telephone calls. If your modem does not have voice capabilities, skip this section and go to "Sending and receiving faxes".

                If your modem has voice capabilities, PhoneTools lets you make and receive telephone calls, use your computer as an answering machine, and send and receive faxes. When PhoneTools is opened with the Phone controls visible, you see this window:

                From the Phone controls, you can:

              Make telephone calls
              Set up and use Quick Dial memory keys
              Set up and use telephone book entries

              Making a telephone call

                Help and Support

                For more information on using the telephone functions in PhoneTools, click Start, then select Help and Support or Help.

                To make a telephone call:

                  1. If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools, then PhoneTools.

                  2. If the Phone controls are not visible, click Phone.

                  3. Click the number keys in the PhoneTools dialer for the telephone number that you want to dial.
                    - OR -
                    Type the telephone number using the keyboard.
                  1. Make the call on the speakerphone by clicking Speaker. You must have external speakers and a microphone connected to your computer.
                    - OR -
                    Make the call on the telephone handset by picking up the handset, then clicking on the handset on the screen. You must have a telephone connected to your computer.

                  Important

                  If you attach a microphone and the person you call cannot hear you, your microphone may be muted. For information about unmuting your microphone, see Adjusting the volume in Windows XP or see Adjusting the volume in Windows Me, Windows 2000, and Windows 98.

                    1. To end the call, click the hangup icon.

                    Important

                    PhoneTools may be set up to re-dial a telephone number if the line was busy. To prevent PhoneTools from re-dialing your call, select Setup, then General Setup. Select the Communication tab, and set the number of transmission attempts to none.

                         

                    Using Quick Dial memory keys

                      You can assign frequently called telephone numbers to Quick Dial memory keys.

                    To set up a Quick Dial memory key:

                      1. If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools, then PhoneTools.

                      2. If the Phone controls are not visible, click Phone.

                      3. Click an empty memory entry. The Add Quick Dial dialog box opens. If all the memory entries on the current page are in use, click a memory page button to see more entries.

                      4. In the Identifier box, type the name you want to see in the Quick Dial memory entries list.

                      5. In the Name box, type the name of the person associated with this memory entry.

                      6. In the Number box, type the telephone number associated with this memory entry, then click OK. The entry you created appears in the Quick Dial memory entries list.

                         

                    To make a call using a Quick Dial memory key entry:

                      1. If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools, then PhoneTools.

                      2. If the Phone controls are not visible, click Phone.

                      3. Click the memory key next to the memory entry that you want to call.

                      4. Make the call on the speakerphone by clicking Speaker. You must have external speakers and a microphone connected to your computer.
                        - OR -
                        Make the call on the telephone handset by picking up the handset, then clicking on the handset on the screen. You must have a telephone connected to your computer.
                      1. To end the call, click the hangup icon.

                         

                    To remove a Quick Dial memory key entry:

                      1. If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools, then PhoneTools.

                      2. If the Phone controls are not visible, click Phone.

                      3. Right-click the memory entry that you want to remove. A pop-up menu opens.

                      4. Select Delete.

                      5. Click OK.

                         

                    Using telephone book entries

                      PhoneTools comes with a telephone book you can use to store information about the people or companies you call regularly.

                    To create a telephone book entry:

                      1. If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools, then PhoneTools.

                      2. If the Phone controls are not visible, click Phone.

                      3. Click the telephone book icon. The Select correspondents dialog box opens.

                      4. Click New. The New Correspondent dialog box opens.

                      5. Type the name for the telephone book entry in the yellow entry fields.

                      6. Click the Business or Home tab.

                      7. Type the telephone number and mailing information for the telephone book entry.

                      8. Click OK. The New Correspondent dialog box closes.

                      9. Click X in the top right corner to close the Select correspondents dialog box.

                         

                    To call a telephone book entry:

                      1. If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools, then PhoneTools.

                      2. If the Phone controls are not visible, click Phone.

                      3. Click the telephone book icon.

                      4. Double-click the entry that you want to call. If you have more than one telephone number associated with the entry, double-click the number you want to dial.

                      5. Click OK.

                      6. Make the call on the speakerphone by clicking Speaker. You must have external speakers and a microphone connected to your computer.
                        - OR -
                        Make the call on the telephone handset by picking up the handset, then clicking on the handset on the screen. You must have a telephone connected to your computer.
                      1. To end the call, click the hangup icon.

                         

                    Using voice mail

                      PhoneTools lets you use your computer as an answering machine. To activate the answering machine, open PhoneTools and leave your computer on.

                      When PhoneTools is opened with the Voice Mail controls visible, you see this window:

                      Help and Support

                      For more information on using the voice mail functions in PhoneTools, click Start, then select Help and Support or Help.

                      To listen to a voice mail message:

                        1. If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools, then PhoneTools.

                        2. If the Voice Mail controls are not visible, click Voice Mail.

                        3. In the Received Voice Messages list, double-click the message that you want to hear. The message plays.

                           

                      To delete a voice mail message:

                        1. If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools, then PhoneTools.

                        2. If the Voice Mail controls are not visible, click Voice Mail.

                        3. In the Received Voice Messages list, right-click the message that you want to delete. A pop-up menu opens.

                        4. Select Delete.

                        5. Click OK.

                           

                      Recording a greeting

                        PhoneTools comes with two pre-recorded greetings: Greeting Only and Greeting & Record. If you do not want to use the pre-recorded greetings, you can record your own greeting.

                      To record a greeting:

                        1. If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools, then PhoneTools.

                        2. If the Voice Mail controls are not visible, click Voice Mail.

                        3. Click Set-up.

                        4. Click Modify/Create Greetings. The Modify/Create Greetings window opens.

                        1. Click the recording wizard button.

                        2. Click Next.

                        3. Type a name for the greeting in the Greeting message name box, then click Next.

                        4. Click the start button.

                        5. Speak your greeting into the microphone.

                        6. Click the stop button when you have completed your recording, then click Next.

                        7. To listen to your greeting, click the start button.

                        8. Click Next.

                        9. Select how you will use the greeting. Options include:
                      Greeting & Record - issues a greeting message, then records the caller's message
                      Greeting Only - issues a greeting message, then hangs up
                        1. Click Finish.

                           

                      Sending and receiving faxes

                        Tips & Tricks

                        If your modem has voice capabilities, see "Using your speakerphone" to learn how to make and receive telephone calls.

                          PhoneTools lets you send and receive faxes using the modem.

                          Help and Support

                          For more information on using the fax functions in PhoneTools, click Start, then select Help and Support or Help.

                          Setting up your cover page

                            Before you send your first fax, you need to set up your user information. Your fax cover sheets and fax headers will contain this information, which is required by law.

                          To set up your fax cover page:

                            1. If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools, then PhoneTools.

                            2. If the Fax controls are not visible, click Fax.

                            1. Select Setup, then select General Setup. The General Setup dialog box opens.

                            2. Click the Customize tab, then type your personal information in the User boxes.

                            3. Click the Fax tab, then enter your name and fax number in the Fax identifier text box. This identifier information is required by law. You can enter up to 20 characters in the text box. We suggest using eight characters for your identifier name, followed by 12 characters for your telephone number.

                            Important

                            Some fax machines cannot use special characters such as hyphens. We suggest using spaces instead of hyphens in telephone and fax numbers.

                              1. Click OK.

                              2. If you want to change the logo that appears on the cover page, select Setup, then select Logo Management. The Logo Management dialog box opens.
                              1. If you do not want the PhoneTools logo on your cover page, click the picture then click the clear button.
                                - OR -
                                If you want to replace the PhoneTools logo with one of your own, click the import button then select a picture for the logo. The picture must be saved in a supported format (.BMP, .DGR, .GIF, .JPG, .PCX, .T31, or .TIF) and be small enough to fit in the logo box.
                              1. Click OK.

                                 

                            Sending a fax

                            To send a fax:

                              1. If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools, then PhoneTools.

                              2. If the Fax controls are not visible, click Fax .

                              3. Click Send Fax. The Send Fax Wizard opens.
                              1. Enter the recipient's name, company (if applicable), and fax number, then click Next.

                              1. Type the message text in the Message Text area.

                              2. Select a cover page template from the Template list, then click Next. If you typed a message in the Message Text area, you must select a cover page.

                              3. If you want to attach a file, make sure the file is not open, then click the browse icon, select the file, then click Open.

                              4. Click Next, then click Finish. The Confirm Transmissions dialog box opens.

                              5. Click Send. PhoneTools dials the fax number and sends your fax.

                              Important

                              If for any reason you receive a failed transmission message, select Send, then Outbox. Right-click the fax that was not sent to modify it.

                                   

                              Faxing from programs

                              To fax a document directly from most programs:

                                1. In the program with the document open, click File, then select Print. The Print dialog box opens.

                                2. Select the printer CAPTURE FAX BVRP, then click OK. The Send Fax Wizard opens.

                                3. Complete the wizard as instructed in "Sending a fax".

                                   

                              Receiving and viewing a fax

                              To receive and view a fax:

                                1. If PhoneTools is not open, click Start, then select All Programs, PhoneTools, then PhoneTools.

                                2. If the Fax controls are not visible, click Fax.
                                  When PhoneTools is open, it detects incoming faxes and stores them in the In Box.
                                1. To view a fax, click Fax Inbox, then double-click the fax you want to view. The fax viewer opens, where you can view and print the fax.