Sony Group NWZA820 Digital Media Player User Manual NWZ A826 A828 A829

Sony Corporation Digital Media Player NWZ A826 A828 A829

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©2008 Sony Corporation 3-289-807-11 (1)NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)Operation GuideNWZ-A826 / A828 / A829Table of Contents Menu IndexPlease see Users Manual 4 for FCC and IC manual statements

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)2 2 Digital Media PlayerNWZ-A826 / NWZ-A828 / NWZ-A829About the ManualsThe following manuals are included with the player. Additionally, after installing software from the supplied CD-ROM, you can refer to the help provided within each software. Quick Start Guide explains set up and the basic operations, enabling you to import songs, videos and photos to a computer, to transfer them to the player, and to play them back. It also explains Bluetooth setup and basic operations. Precautions explains important notes to prevent accidents. Troubleshooting explains symptoms, causes and remedies when the player has problems. This Operation Guide explains standard and advanced features, enabling you to make full use of the player and troubleshoot problems. Browsing the Operation GuideTo use the buttons in the Operation GuideClick the buttons located in the upper right of this manual to jump to “Table of Contents,” “Home Menu List,” or “Index.”Jumps to the table of contentsFind what you are looking for from a list of topics in the manual.Jumps to the home menu listFind what you are looking for from a list of the option items in the player’s menu.Jumps to the indexFind what you are looking for from a list of key words mentioned in the manual. Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)3 3  Hints You can jump to the indicated page by clicking a page number in the table of contents, in the Home menu list, or in the index. You can jump to the indicated page by clicking a page reference indication (e.g.,  page 4) on each page. To search for a reference page by keyword, click the “Edit” menu, select the “Search” feature of the Adobe Reader to display the navigation frame, type the keyword into the Search text box, and click “Search.” Once you jump to another page, you can jump to the previous or next page by clicking the or button located at the bottom of the Adobe Reader screen. Operation procedures may differ, depending on your Adobe Reader version.To change the page layoutThe buttons at the bottom of the Adobe Reader screen enable you to select how pages are displayed. Single PagePages are displayed one at a time.When you scroll, the display changes to a previous or succeeding page. ContinuousPages are displayed as a continuous roll of pages.When you scroll, the previous or next pages scroll up or down continuously. Continuous - FacingTwo pages are displayed side by side with each pair part of a continuous roll of pages. When you scroll, the previous or next pairs of pages scroll up or down continuously. FacingTwo pages are displayed side by side.When you scroll, the display changes to previous or succeeding pairs of pages.Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)4 4 Continued Table of ContentsSupplied Accessories ............................. 8About the bundled soware ...........................9Parts and Controls .............................. 10Front ................................................................10Rear ..................................................................12Player Controls and Screens ............... 13How to use the 5-way button and screen ....14Displaying the “Now Playing” Screen .........19Using the OPTION Button ................. 20 Playing MusicSearching for Songs (Music Library) ....... 21Searching for songs by song name ...............21Searching for songs by album .......................22Searching for songs by artist .........................23Searching for songs by genre ........................24Searching for songs by release year .............25Searching for songs by folder .......................26Searching for Songs by Initial Letter .......................................................... 27Playing a Playlist ................................. 28Searching for Songs Based on the Currently Playing Song ..................... 29Playing Songs in Random Order (Intelligent Shue) ................................. 30Playing songs released in the same year in random order (Time Machine Shue) ............30Playing all songs in random order ...............32Displaying the Now Playing Screen Each Time the Songs Switch (New Song Pop Up) ................................. 33Deleting Songs from Music Library .... 34Displaying the Music Option Menu .... 35 Setting the MusicSetting the Play Mode (Play Mode)......... 37Setting the Playback Range ................. 39Setting the Album Display Format ..... 40Setting to Search by Folders (/ Button Setting) ............................... 42Setting the Sound Quality (Equalizer) ... 43Changing the sound quality .........................43Customizing sound quality ...........................45Making the Sound More Vibrant (VPT(Surround)).................................... 46Listening with Clear Stereo Sound (Clear Stereo) ........................................ 48Correcting Sound in the High Range (DSEE(Sound Enhancer)) ......................... 49Adjusting the Volume Level (Dynamic Normalizer) ............................. 51 Playing Videos Playing a Video ................................... 52Setting the Video Orientation ............ 54Setting the Display of the Video Screen .......................................................... 56Setting the Zoom Function ................. 57Playing Videos Continuously ............. 59Setting the Video List Display Format .......................................................... 60Playing Only Video Sound .................. 61Deleting Videos from the Video Library .......................................................... 62Displaying the Video Option Menu .... 63 Playing PhotosDisplaying a Photo .............................. 64Setting the Photo Orientation ............ 66Setting the Display of the Photo Screen .......................................................... 68Playing a Slide Show ........................... 69Setting the Slide Show Play Mode ....... 70Setting the Interval of a Slide Show .... 71Setting the Photo List Display Format .......................................................... 72Deleting Photos from Photo Library .......................................................... 73Displaying the Photo Option Menu .... 74Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)5 5 Note Depending on the country/region in which you have purchased the player, some models may not be available. Listening to Songs through Bluetooth CommunicationBasic Facts on Bluetooth Technology .......................................................... 75What can the player do with Bluetooth? .....75What is Bluetooth technology? ....................76Steps to use Bluetooth communication ......77Preparing for Bluetooth Communication (Pairing) ............................................... 78What is pairing? .............................................78Establishing Bluetooth Connection .... 81Establishing Bluetooth connection using the BLUETOOTH button (Quick Connection) ...81Establishing Bluetooth connection from the Home menu .................................................83About the Bluetooth indicator .....................85Listening to Songs or Video Sound from a Bluetooth Device ............................ 86Selecting a Device for Quick Connection .......................................................... 88Checking the Information of Bluetooth Devices .............................................. 89Deleting a Paired Bluetooth Device from the Player .......................................... 90Setting the Sound Quality (Sound Quality Mode) ............................. 91Applying Sound Eects Setting .......... 92Check the Bluetooth Information of the Player (Bluetooth Information) ................ 93Turning o the Bluetooth Function (Bluetooth O) ...................................... 94Entering Connection Standby (Connection Standby) .............................. 95Precautions on Bluetooth communication ................................. 96Displaying the Bluetooth Option Menu .......................................................... 98 SettingsLimiting the Volume (AVLS (Volume Limit)) ............................ 99Turning O the Beep Sound ............. 100Setting a Screensaver Type ................ 101Setting a Screensaver Time ............... 102Adjusting the Brightness of the Screen (Brightness) ........................................ 103Setting the Current Time (Set Date-Time).................................... 104Setting the Date Format .................... 106Setting the Time Format ................... 107Displaying the Player Information (Unit Information) ................................ 108Resetting to Factory Settings (Reset all Settings) ................................ 109Formatting Memory (Format) ............. 110Selecting the Display Language ........ 112Useful FactsRecharging the Player ....................... 114Maximizing Battery Life ................... 115About Data Transferring .................. 116What are Format and Bit Rate? ......... 120What is audio format? ................................ 120What is video format? ................................ 121What is photo format? ................................ 121Storing Data ...................................... 122Upgrading the Player’s Firmware ..... 123TroubleshootingTroubleshooting ................................ 124Messages ............................................ 139Additional InformationPrecautions ....................................... 143About Copyrights ............................. 152Specications .................................... 154Index ................................................. 159Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)6 6 Home Menu ListYou can display the Home menu by pressing and holding the BACK/HOME button of the player. The Home menu is the starting point of each function, such as playing songs, videos and photos, searching for songs, Bluetooth communication, and changing settings. Intelligent ShuﬄeTime Machine Shuffle ................ 30Shuffle All ..................................... 32 Initial SearchArtist ............................................. 27Album ........................................... 27Song .............................................. 27 BluetoothBluetooth Devices .......................83Connection Standby ...................95Bluetooth Off ............................... 94Pairing ..........................................78 Photo Library ......................... 64 Music LibraryAll Songs .......................................21Album ........................................... 22Artist ............................................. 23Genre ............................................ 24Release Year.................................. 25Folder ............................................ 26 Video Library .......................... 52Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)7 7 SettingsMusic SettingsPlay Mode ............................... 37Playback Range ....................... 39Equalizer .................................. 43VPT(Surround) ...................... 46DSEE(Sound Enhance) ......... 49Clear Stereo ............................. 48Dynamic Normalizer ............. 51Album Display Format .......... 40New Song Pop Up .................. 33/Button Setting ................. 42Video SettingsZoom Settings ......................... 57Video Orientation .................. 54Display ..................................... 56Continuous Playback ............. 59Video List Format .................. 60On-Hold Display .................... 61Photo SettingsPhoto Orientation .................. 66Display ..................................... 68Slide Show Repeat .................. 70Slide Show Interval ................ 71Photo List Format .................. 72Bluetooth SettingsSound Quality Mode ............. 91Quick Connection .................. 88Sound Effect Preset ................ 92Bluetooth Information .......... 93Common SettingsUnit Information .................. 108AVLS (Volume Limit) ............ 99Beep Settings ......................... 100Screensaver............................ 101Brightness .............................. 103Set Date-Time ....................... 104Date Display Format ............ 106Time Display Format ........... 107Reset all Settings ................... 109Format ................................... 110Language Settings .....................112 Playlists ................................... 28 Now Playing ........................... 19Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)8 8 Supplied AccessoriesPlease check the accessories in the package. Headphones (1) USB cable (1) Earbuds (Size S,L) (1) Attachment (1) Use when connecting the player to the optional cradle, etc. Stand (1) CD-ROM*1 *2 (1)  MP3 Conversion Tool  Media Manager for WALKMAN  Windows Media Player 11  Operation Guide (PDF file) Quick Start Guide (1)*1 Do not attempt to play this CD-ROM in an audio CD player.*2 Depending on the country/region in which you have purchased the player, the bundled software may be different.How to install the earbuds correctlyIf the earbuds do not fit your ears correctly, low bass sound may not be heard.To enjoy better sound quality, change the size of the earbuds or adjust the earbud position to sit on your ears comfortably and fit your ears snugly.At purchase, M size earbuds are installed. If the earbuds do not fit your ears, try one of the other supplied sizes, S or L.When you change the earbuds, turn to install them firmly on the headphones to prevent the earbud from detaching and remaining in your ear.About the serial numberThe serial number provided for this player is required for customer registration. The number is shown on the rear of the player.Continued LLTable of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)10 10 Parts and ControlsFrontBACK/HOME button*1Press to go up one list screen level, or to return to the previous menu.Press and hold the BACK/HOME button to display the Home menu ( page 13). Headphone jackFor connecting the headphones. Insert the jack pin until it clicks into place. If the headphones are connected improperly, the sound from the headphones may not sound right.WM‑PORT jackUse this jack to connect the supplied USB cable, or optional peripheral devices, such as supported accessories for the WM-PORT.5‑way button*2Starts playback and enables navigation of the player’s on-screen menus ( page 14).DisplayThe display may vary, depending on functions ( page 13).Bluetooth antenna (aerial)Bluetooth indicatorIndicates the status of the Bluetooth function ( page 85).VOL +*2/– buttonAdjusts the volume.BLUETOOTH buttonPress and hold to turn on or off the Bluetooth function, and to establish or to end Bluetooth connection.Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)11 11 HOLD switchYou can protect the player against accidental operation by using the HOLD switch when carrying it. By sliding the HOLD switch to the direction of the arrow , all operation buttons are disabled. If you slide the HOLD switch to the opposite position, the HOLD function is released.OPTION/PWR OFF button*1Displays the option menu ( page 20, 35, 63, 74, 98).If you press and hold the OPTION/PWR OFF button, screen turns off and the player enters standby mode. If you press any button while the player is in standby mode, the “Now Playing” screen, etc., appears and the player is ready for operation. Furthermore, if you leave the player in standby mode for about a day, the player turns completely off automatically. If you press any button when the player is turned off, the start up screen appears first, then the “Now Playing” screen appears.Note The player consumes battery power very slightly even when it is in standby mode. Therefore, the player might turn completely off in a short time, depending on the power remaining in the battery.Strap holeUsed to attach a strap (sold separately). You can attach the supplied stand and a strap at the same time ( page 12).*1 Functions marked with on the player are activated if you press and hold the corresponding buttons.*2 There are tactile dots. Use them to help with button operations.Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)12 12 RearRESET buttonResets the player when you press the RESET button with a small pin, etc. ( page 124).Accessory hole (type I)Used to attach the supplied stand or the optional accessories.Using the supplied standYou can stand up the player using the supplied stand.Notes When standing the player with the stand, be careful not to press down or knock the player. Stand up the player horizontally as shown. Do not stand it up vertically.Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)13 13 Player Controls and ScreensUse the 5-way button and the BACK/HOME button to navigate through screens, play songs, videos and photos, and to change the player’s settings.The Home menu appears when you press and hold the BACK/HOME button.The diagram below shows how the screen changes when you press various operation buttons. For example, the player’s screen changes as shown below when you select “Music Library”– “Album” from the Home menu.Continued Home menuMusic LibraryAlbum listSong listNow Playing screenSelect (Music Library), and press the  button.Select “Album,” and press the  button.Select your desired album, and press the  button.Select your desired song, and press the  button.Playback begins.Press the BACK/HOME button.Press the BACK/HOME button.Press the BACK/HOME button.Press the BACK/HOME button.Press and hold the BACK/HOME button.Press and hold the BACK/HOME button.Press and hold the BACK/HOME button.Press and hold the BACK/HOME button.Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)14 14 How to use the 5‑way button and screenThe 5-way button performs different functions on the list screens, on the thumbnail screens, and on the “Now Playing” screen.*1 There are tactile dots. Use them to help with button operations.How to use the 5‑way button on the list screenMusicIndexThe initials of song and album, etc., names in the list section appear.ListInformation areaThe information of the song, icons, etc., appears ( page 18).Buttons DescriptionConfirms the item of the list.Press and hold to play back all songs in the selected item./Moves the cursor up or down.Press and hold to scroll up or down faster./Changes screens, or, when an index is displayed, moves the cursor left or right to display a list of items.Displays the previous or next screen of the list, when the index is not displayed.ListVideoButtons DescriptionConfirms the item of the list./Moves the cursor up or down.Press and hold to scroll up or down faster./Displays the previous or next screen of the list.Continued  (play/pause/conﬁrm) button*1/ buttons/ buttonsTable of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)15 15 ListPhotoButtons DescriptionConfirms the item of the list.Press and hold to play back a slide show of photos in the selected item./Moves the cursor up or down.Press and hold to scroll up or down faster./Displays the previous or next screen of the list.How to use the 5‑way button on the thumbnail*1 screenThumbnailsButtons DescriptionDisplays the song list of the selected item during music operation, or displays the selected item during photo operation. Starts play back of the selected item during video operation./Moves the cursor up or down.Press and hold to scroll up or down faster./Move the cursor left or right.Press and hold to move the cursor left or right faster and then scroll up or down through the thumbnail screens.*1 Thumbnail refers to a reduced size image of a piece of cover art, one scene of a video, or a photo. To display thumbnails for albums, see  page 40; for video files, see  page 60.Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)16 16 How to use the 5‑way button on the “Now Playing” screenMusicSong nameArtist nameAlbum titleGenrePlaying statusRelease yearButtons DescriptionStarts song playback. When playback starts,  appears on the display, and if the  button is pressed again,  appears and playback pauses.*1 This pause and resume feature is available only on the “Now Playing” screen./Press the / button to display the cursor and scroll through the displayed items. When genre, album title, or other characteristic is selected by the cursor, press the  button to display a list of artists matching the genre of the currently playing song or the song lists of the album that is currently playing.When the / button is set to “Folder +/–” ( page 42)Starts play back from the first song of the next folder*2, the current folder or the previous folder. Press the  button to the skip the first song of the current folder or the previous folder. Press the  button to skip to the first song of the next folder./Moves playback to the beginning of the current, previous, or next song when pressed once or repeatedly. Press and hold to scan a playing song backwards or forwards quickly.*1 If there is no operation for more than 3 minutes while a song is paused, the screen turns off and the player enters standby mode.*2 The folder units that the player skips vary by the list before the song list. For example, if you select a song in the following order; “Artist”- album list - song list, you can search for songs by skipping albums.Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)17 17 Playing statusVideoWhen you change the display orientation to horizontal, the /// button orientation and functions will also be changed.Buttons DescriptionStarts video playback. When playback starts,  appears on the display, and if the  button is pressed again,  appears and playback pauses.*1 You can play and pause videos only from the “Now Playing” screen of the video./Press the / button to find the beginning of the next, previous or the currently playing video.*2/Press the / button to scan a playing video backwards or forwards quickly.During playback, the speed of fast forward/backward changes through 3 levels by repeatedly pressing the / button ((×10), (×30), (×100)). By pressing and holding, the speed increases 1 level, and by releasing, returns to the normal playback. While pausing playback, the scene moves forward or backward slightly by pressing the / button.*1 If there is no operation for more than 3 minutes while a video is paused, the screen turns off and the player enters standby mode.*2 If “Continuous Playback” is set to “On,” you can find the beginning of the previous or next video from the currently playing video ( page 53).Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)18 18 PhotoPlaying statusWhen you change the display orientation to horizontal, the /// button orientation and functions will also be changed.Buttons Description  appears on the display and a slide show starts. If the  button is pressed again,  appears and playback pauses.*1/Displays the previous or next photo.*1 When playing songs while a slide show is paused, the screen goes dark if there is no operation for the period set in “Screensaver Timing” ( page 102). When the song playback and a slide show accompanying it are paused, and there is no operation for more than 3 minutes, the screen turns off and the player enters standby mode.About the information areaThe icons, shown in the table below, appears in the information area. The icons vary by the playback status, settings or the screens.For details about the icons, see each reference pages.Icons description, , , , , , , , , , etcThe icons of the playback status Play back, Pause, Fast forward/backward, Move to the beginning of the next, current or previous song Go forward /backward slightly or quickly ( page 53), , , The icons of the song title, the artist name, the video title or the photo title, , etcThe icons of the play mode The play mode is set to “Repeat” or “Shuffle” ( page 38). “Slide Show Repeat” is set to “On” ( page 70)The icons of the playback range The playback range is set to “Selected Range” ( page 39), etc The icons of the sound effect setting ( page 44), The icons of the video setting “Continuous Playback” is set to “On” ( page 59) “Zoom Settings” is set to “Auto” or “Full” ( page 57) The icon of the remaining of the battery ( page 114)Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)19 19 Displaying the “Now Playing” ScreenYou can quickly display “Now Playing” screen from various screens.5-way buttonBACK/HOME buttonNow PlayingPress and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Now Playing), and then press the  button to conrm.Detailed information about the currently playing content file appears. Hints You can display the “Now Playing” screen by pressing the OPTION/PWR OFF button to select “Now Playing.” When playing videos or photos, you can select “Go to the song playback screen” from the option menu to display the song playback screen.Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1)20 20 Using the OPTION ButtonYou can change various settings of each function when you press the OPTION/PWR OFF button. The OPTION/PWR OFF button is useful since you can display the setting screen immediately without selecting setting items from the (Settings) menu of the Home menu.5-way buttonOPTION/PWR OFF button Press the OPTION/PWR OFF button.The option menu appears. Press the /// button to select the item, and then press the button to conrm.The screen of the selected setting item appears or the selected command is performed. The items of the option menu differ, depending on the screen on which you press the OPTION/PWR OFF button.For details, see the following pages.“Displaying the Music Option Menu” ( page 35)“Displaying the Video Option Menu” ( page 63)“Displaying the Photo Option Menu” ( page 74)“Displaying the Bluetooth Option Menu” ( page 98) Hint When there are multiple menus, display other menus by pressing the / button.Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music Playing Music21 21 Searching for Songs (Music Library)Songs transferred by Windows Explorer, or another transfer capable software can be played back on the player.You can search for songs by title of songs, albums, artist, and genre, etc.Music Library5-way buttonBACK/HOME buttonSearching for songs by song namePress and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Music Library), and then press the  button to conrm.The “Music Library” screen appears.Press the /// button to select “All Songs,” and then press the  button to conrm.The song list appears.Press the /// button to select a song, and then press the  button to conrm.The song you selected starts to play back and the playback of songs continues in order.Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music22 22 Searching for songs by albumPress and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Music Library), and then press the  button to conrm.The “Music Library” screen appears.Press the /// button to select “Album,” and then press the  button to conrm.The album list appears.Press the /// button to select an album, and then press the  button to conrm.The song list for the selected album appears.Press the /// button to select a song, and then press the  button to conrm.The song you selected starts to play back and the playback of songs continues in order. Hints You can play all songs of a list item by selecting the item from the list and pressing and holding the  button in step . You can change the display format of the album list ( page 40). You can select the playback range of songs ( page 39).Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music23 23 Searching for songs by artistPress and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Music Library), and then press the  button to conrm.The “Music Library” screen appears.Press the /// button to select “Artist,” and then press the  button to conrm.The artist list appears.Press the /// button to select an artist, and then press the  button to conrm.The album list for the selected artist appears.Press the /// button to select an album, and then press the  button to conrm.The song list for the selected album appears.Press the /// button to select a song, and then press the  button to conrm.The song you selected starts to play back and the playback of songs continues in order. Hints You can play all songs of a list item by selecting the item from the list and pressing and holding the  button in steps  to . You can change the display format of the album list ( page 40). You can select the playback range of songs ( page 39).Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music24 24 Searching for songs by genrePress and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Music Library), and then press the  button to conrm.The “Music Library” screen appears.Press the /// button to select “Genre,” and then press the  button to conrm.The genre list appears.Press the /// button to select a genre, and then press the  button to conrm.The artist list for the selected genre appears.Press the /// button to select an artist, and then press the  button to conrm.The album list for the selected artist appears.Press the /// button to select an album, and then press the  button to conrm.The song list for the selected album appears.Press the /// button to select a song, and then press the  button to conrm.The song you selected starts to play back and the playback of songs continues in order. Hints You can play all songs of a list item by selecting the item from the list and pressing and holding the  button in steps  to . You can change the display format of the album list ( page 40). You can select the playback range of songs ( page 39).Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music25 25 Searching for songs by release yearPress and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Music Library), and then press the  button to conrm.The “Music Library” screen appears.Press the /// button to select “Release Year,” and then press the  button to conrm.The list of release years appears.Press the /// button to select a year, and then press the  button to conrm.The artist list for the selected release year appears.Press the /// button to select an artist, and then press the  button to conrm.The song list for the artist, selected from the release year, appears.Press the /// button to select a song, and then press the  button to conrm.The song you selected starts to play back and the playback of songs continues in order. Hints You can play all songs of a list item by selecting the item from the list and pressing and holding the  button in steps  to . You can select the playback range of songs ( page 39). Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music26 26 Searching for songs by folderWhen you transfer data to the “MUSIC” folder by dragging and dropping in Windows Explorer, up to the 8th level under the “MUSIC” folder will appear and can be played back. Even if you use another transfer capable software for transferring songs, you can still search for songs by folder.Press and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Music Library), and then press the  button to conrm.The “Music Library” screen appears.Press the /// button to select “Folder,” and then press the  button to conrm.The folder list or the song appears.Press the /// button to select a folder or song, and then press the  button to conrm.When you select a folder in step , the song or folder list(s) appear. When you select a song in step , the playback screen appears, then the song playback starts. Repeat step  if necessary until the desired song appears. The song you selected starts to play back and the playback of songs continues in order. Hint You can select the playback range of songs ( page 39).Notes Up to 8 folder levels can be recognized. You cannot play all songs of a folder even if you select a folder from the list and press and hold the  button in step .Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music27 27 Searching for Songs by Initial LetterYou can search for songs by the initial letter of the artist name, album title, or song name.Initial Search5-way buttonBACK/HOME buttonPress and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Initial Search), and then press the  button to conrm.The list of categories you can search appears.Press the /// button to select a category, and then press the  button to conrm.A screen appears that enables you to select a character.Press the /// button to select an initial character, and then press the  button to conrm.When the search finishes, the results are displayed.When you select “Artist” or “Album,” you can narrow the search results and select a specific song.When “Artist” or “Album” is selected and you press and hold the  button, all songs on the item are played.Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music28 28 Playing a PlaylistYou can play lists of songs (playlists). Also, you can create playlists using the supplied Windows Media Player 11, or another transfer capable software. However, some playlists may not be recognized by the player, depending on software. For details on operation, refer to the Help or maker of the software.Playlists 5-way buttonBACK/HOME buttonPress and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Playlists), and then press the  button to conrm.The list of playlists appears.Press the /// button to select a playlist, and then press the  button to conrm.The song list appears.Press the /// button to select a song, and then press the  button to conrm.The song you selected starts to play back and the playback of songs continues in order.Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music29 29 Searching for Songs Based on the Currently Playing SongYou can search for other songs, albums, and artists by the song information of the currently playing song. To use this function, the “/ Button Setting” needs to be set to “Direct Search” ( page 42).5-way buttonBACK/HOME buttonNow PlayingPress and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Now Playing), and then press the  button to conrm.The “Now Playing” screen of the currently playing song appears.Press the  button to display a cursor and select an item in which you want to search for songs, and then press the  button to conrm.The following lists appear, depending on the item you selected. “Artist”: The album list of the currently playing artist. “Album”: The song list of the currently playing album. “Genre”: An artist list in the same genre as the currently playing artist. “Release Year”: An artist list from the same release year as the currently playing song.Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music30 30 Playing Songs in Random Order (Intelligent Shue)The player offers 2 different random modes (also known as shuffle play) .Intelligent Shuﬄe5-way buttonBACK/HOME buttonPlaying songs released in the same year in random order (Time Machine Shuﬄe)The player randomly selects a release year and plays all transferred songs of that year in random order.Press and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Intelligent Shue), and then press the  button to conrm.The screen used to select a shuffle mode appears.Press the /// button to select “Time Machine Shue,” and then press the  button to conrm.A release year is randomly selected, the songs of that year are shuffled, and playback starts. Hints When you start “Intelligent Shuffle” play, the play mode changes to “Shuffle” or “Shuffle&Repeat” ( page 38). Even if you cancel “Intelligent Shuffle,” the “Shuffle” or “Shuffle&Repeat” setting for the play mode is kept. When you start the “Time Machine Shuffle” play, the playback range is set to “Selected Range” ( page 39). Even if you cancel “Time Machine Shuffle,” the setting of the “Selected Range” is kept. “Intelligent Shuffle” play is automatically canceled by any of the following operations: Starting playback of a song by selecting it from the “Music Library,” etc. Changing the play mode. Changing the playback range. Playing a video.Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music31 31 Notes While the animation that appears when the player is selecting a release year is displayed, the controls of the player cannot be operated. Songs with no release year data are not selected in “Time Machine Shuffle” play and are not played. A shuffle play of all songs begins if none of the songs on the player have a release year assigned to them. If all the songs on the player that have a release year assigned have the same release year, or some of songs have the same release year and the rest of them have no release year assigned, the animation that appears while release year is being selected is not displayed and playback starts.Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music32 32 Playing all songs in random orderAll the songs stored on the player are played in random order.Press and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Intelligent Shue), and then press the  button to conrm.The screen used to select a shuffle mode appears.Press the /// button to select “Shue All,” and then press the  button to conrm.All songs are shuffled, and playback starts. Hints When you start “Intelligent Shuffle” play, the play mode changes to “Shuffle” or “Shuffle&Repeat” ( page 38). Even if you cancel “Intelligent Shuffle,” the “Shuffle” or “Shuffle&Repeat” setting for the play mode is kept. “Intelligent Shuffle” play is automatically canceled by any of the following operations: Starting playback of a song by selecting it from the “Music Library,” etc. Changing the play mode. Changing the playback range. Playing a video.Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music33 33 Displaying the Now Playing Screen Each Time the Songs Switch (New Song Pop Up)If you set the screensaver to “Clock” or “Blank” ( page 101) and there is no operation for a while, the screen changes to the clock display or blank screen. However, if you set “New Song Pop Up” to “On,” the screen turns on automatically whenever a song changes to another song.Settings 5-way buttonBACK/HOME buttonPress and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Settings), and then press the  button to conrm.Press the /// button to select “Music Settings,” and then press the  button to conrm.The list of “Music Settings” options appears.Press the /// button to select “New Song Pop Up,” and then press the  button to conrm.Press the /// button to select “On,” and then press the  button to conrm.The “Now Playing” screen appears whenever a song switches to another song. If you do not want to display the “Now Playing” screenSelect “Off ” in step . In this case, the “Now Playing” screen does not appear when a song switches to another song.Note This function is deactivated when displaying photos during song playback.Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music34 34 Deleting Songs from Music LibraryWhen you delete songs form “Music Library,” use the software you used to transfer the songs, or Windows Explorer.For details about using the software, see the Help of the software.Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music35 35 Displaying the Music Option MenuYou can display the Music option menu by pressing the OPTION/PWR OFF button on a list screen (including the thumbnail screen), such as a song list, or on the music “Now Playing” screen. From the Music option menu, various settings of music are available.The option items shown on the option menu vary, depending on the screen from which you display the option menu.Option items appear on the list screenOption items Description/reference pageNow Playing Displays the “Now Playing” screen.Detailed Information Displays the detailed information of a song, such as playing time, audio format, bit rate, and file name.Play Plays back all songs in the song list.Album Display Format Selects the album list format ( page 40).Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Playing Music36 36 Option items appear on the “Now Playing” screenOption items Description/reference pagePlay Mode Sets the play mode ( page 37).Playback Range Sets the playback range ( page 39).Equalizer Customizes the sound quality ( page 43).VPT(Surround) Customizes the “VPT(Surround)” settings ( page 46).Cover Art*1Displays a cover art.Detailed Information*2Displays the detailed information of a song, such as playing time, audio format, bit rate, and file name./ Button Setting Sets the operation of the / button to “Direct Search” or “Folder +/–“ ( page 42).Clock Display Displays the current time ( page 101).*1 “Cover Art” screenWhile the cover art screen is displayed, you can move songs to the previous or the next one by pressing the / button. If the songs do not have cover art information, the default picture of the player will be displayed. The cover art only appears if the cover art information is included. You can set cover art using the supplied Windows Media Player 11, or another transfer capable software for setting cover art. For details on operation, refer to the Help or maker of the software. The cover art may not be displayed, depending on the cover art file format.*2 “Detailed Information” screenWhen you display this screen from the “Now Playing” screen, you can move songs to the previous or the next one by pressing the / button.Playback timeFile formatBit rateCopyrighted ﬁlesWhile playing back variable bit rate songs, “VBR” is shown. The displayed playback time and the progress bar are approximate.File nameTable of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Setting the Music Setting the Music37 37 Setting the Play Mode (Play Mode)The player offers a variety of play modes, including random play and selected repeat play. Settings 5-way buttonBACK/HOME buttonPress and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears. Press the /// button to select (Settings), and then press the  button to conrm. Press the /// button to select “Music Settings,” and then press the  button to conrm.The list of “Music Settings” options appears.Press the /// button to select “Play Mode,” and then press the  button to conrm.The list of play modes appears.Press the /// button to select a play mode ( page 38), and then press the  button to conrm.The list of “Music Settings” options reappears. Hint You can also select the play mode from the “Now Playing” screen. Press the OPTION/PWR OFF button, and select “Play Mode” from the option menu.Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Setting the Music38 38 The list of play modesThe playback contents differ, depending on the setting of the playback range ( page 39).Play mode type/icon descriptionNormal/No icon The songs within the playback range are played back in the song list order.Repeat/ The songs within the playback range are played back in the song list order and the playback repeats.Shuffle/ The songs within the playback range are played back in random order.Shuffle&Repeat/ The songs within the playback range are played back in random order and the playback repeats.Repeat 1 Song/ The current song or the song selected from a song list is played back repeatedly.Note When you start “Intelligent Shuffle” play, the play mode changes to “Shuffle” or “Shuffle&Repeat.”Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Setting the Music39 39 Setting the Playback RangeYou can set the playback range of songsSettings 5-way buttonBACK/HOME buttonPress and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Settings), and then press the  button to conrm.Press the /// button to select “Music Settings,” and then press the  button to conrm.The list of “Music Settings” options appears.Press the /// button to select “Playback Range,” and then press the  button to conrm.The screen used to select the playback range appears.Press the /// button to select the playback range, and then press the  button to conrm.The player offers 2 types of playback range. “All Range”: Plays back all the songs in the “Music Library.” When you want to play back albums in the “Music Library” in the song list order, select this. “Selected Range”: appears on the display, and plays back songs only in the lists from which the playback starts (album list, artist list, etc.). (Default setting) Hint You can select the playback range of songs from the “Now Playing” screen. Press the OPTION/PWR OFF button, and then select “Playback Range” from the option menu.Note When “Time Machine Shuffle” play starts, the playback range is automatically set to “Selected Range.”Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Setting the Music40 40 Setting the Album Display FormatThe player offers 3 types of album list formats “Title Only,” “Title & Cover Art,” and “Cover Art Only.”Settings 5-way buttonBACK/HOME buttonNotes The cover art only appears if the cover art information is included. You can set cover art using the supplied Windows Media Player 11, or another transfer capable software for setting cover art. For details on operation, refer to the Help or maker of the software. Some cover art is not displayed, depending on its file format.Press and hold the BACK/HOME button until the Home menu appears.Press the /// button to select (Settings), and then press the  button to conrm.Press the /// button to select “Music Settings,” and then press the  button to conrm.The list of “Music Settings” options appears.Press the /// button to select “Album Display Format,” and then press the  button to conrm.The list of album display formats appears.Press the /// button to select the display format, and then press the  button to conrm.The player offers 3 types of formats.“Title Only” “Title & Cover Art” (Default setting) “Cover Art Only”Continued Table of Contents Menu Index

NWZ-A826 / A 828 / A829.GB.3-289-807-11(1) Setting the Music41 41  Hint You can also select the album display format on the album list screen. Press the OPTION/PWR OFF button on the album list screen, and select “Album Display Format” from the option menu.Table of Contents Menu Index

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