Troubleshooting

You cannot see the server when you connect to it immediately after it starts.
In some instances, it may take up to five minutes before you can see the server. Start the server and wait for a few minutes before attempting to connect to the server.
After connecting to the server, you are not able to find the tracks you want to listen to.
Even if the tracks you want to listen to are stored on the server, if they are not registered to SonicStage or if they are not in the folder registered in VAIO Media Console, you cannot play back the tracks.
It takes an unusually long time to display the list.
If the folder that you select contains an especially large number of files (audio, photos, video), it may take some time before the list appears on the screen.
You cannot play back a selected track.
  • If you select a playlist that does not contain any tracks, playback does not start.
  • You cannot play back tracks with elapsed playback expirations. Tracks that cannot be played back are grayed in the playlist.
You cannot play back OpenMG formatted music files.
OpenMG formatted music files cannot be played back simultaneously on several clients or players using other programs such as SonicStage or VAIO Media. Furthermore, if you display a playlist containing an OpenMG track being played back on a different client, stopping playback of the file does not guarantee that you can play it back on your client.
You cannot play back all WAV files.
You can only play back linear pulse code modulation (PCM) WAV files with VAIO Media. Other WAV files are not supported.
Some MP3 files do not behave normally.
VAIO Media cannot properly handle MP3 files recorded at a variable bit rate (VBR) or with a bit rate exceeding 256Kbps. When these files are played, playback may be cut off or the correct track time may not be displayed. If this happens, re-encode the MP3 file at a constant bit rate (CBR) of 256Kbs or less.
VAIO Media no longer responds after the connection to the server is severed during playback.
If the connection to the server is severed for any of the following reasons during playback, VAIO Media may become unresponsive.
  • The server was turned off.
  • The server was manually placed on standby.
  • The network cable was disconnected.
Do not perform any of these operations during playback. If VAIO Media ceases to respond, restart your computer.
You cannot view photos.
  • Verify the format of your photos. VAIO Media only supports bitmaps, JPEG, GIF, TIFF, and PNG image files.
  • Verify that your photos are registered on the server.
  • If a folder managed with VAIO Media contains too many photos and/or folders, accessing subfolders may take an unusually long time. To prevent this problem, reduce the number of photos and subfolders contained in one folder.
You cannot view your photos as a slideshow.
If the number of photos (image files) stored in the folder and/or subfolders specified for the slideshow is too large, you may not be able to view the slideshow. Reduce the number of photos in the folders.
You cannot view media (music, photos, or video) added to the server.
If the media on the server changes after VAIO Media starts, it may not appear correctly in VAIO Media. To correct this problem, point to the left edge of the screen with your mouse, and click Refresh on the menu that appears, or restart VAIO Media.
Music, photos, or video that were deleted from the server are still displayed as thumbnails.
If the media on the server changes after VAIO Media starts, it may not appear correctly in VAIO Media. To correct this problem, point to the left edge of the screen with your mouse, and click Refresh on the menu that appears, or restart VAIO Media.
You can no longer see music, photo, or video files visible until now.
A VAIO Media or server problem may have occurred. Restart VAIO Media and/or the server.
VAIO Media cannot play back video or music smoothly.
  • If you use several other programs as you play back audio or video files with VAIO Media, this problem may occur because of the increased processing load on your computer. Close some or all the programs except VAIO Media to solve the problem.
  • If audio is choppy during playback, lower the bit rate of the audio track.
VAIO Media cannot display television smoothly.
Select a lower image quality setting on the TV setting screen.
You cannot connect to the server where your video is stored.
If you attempt to connect VAIO Media to the server a few minutes after it starts, an error may occur. Attempt the connection again after some time.
You cannot find the desired server.
  • The server may not have been activated. Use the VAIO Media Console to activate the servers. For details, refer to Preparing your Network for use with VAIO Media.
  • If the computer running VAIO Media is not registered on the server, you cannot connect to the server. For details, refer to Preparing your Network for use with VAIO Media.
  • There may be a problem with the server. Verify the status of the server.
  • Some computers on the network may not be properly connected to the network. Verify network connections.
  • The server selection screen may not be up to date. In the VAIO Media Setting screen, delete the server that you are looking for, and then restart VAIO Media.
The message "Could not connect because another device is in use" appears.
There could be a problem with the amount of simultaneous connections to the servers. When this message appears, you cannot playback recorded video or watch television from the server. Normal video playback may also not be possible from clients.
The desired server is not displayed on the "Please select a server" screen.
  • The server may not be ready for operations. Use the VAIO Media Console to activate the servers. For details, refer to VAIO Media Help.
  • The server and client may not be connected to the network on the same segment. Verify your network settings.
  • If the server or clients are using the Windows Firewall function for Windows XP (Service Pack 2), the Internet Connection Firewall function for Windows XP (Service Pack 1), or software that includes a personal firewall function, VAIO Media may not operate correctly. Make the following settings on the server computer:
    • (With VAIO Media Integrated Server 3.0 or later) Configure settings related to Windows Firewall or Internet Connection Firewall on the Other tab in VAIO Media Console to make sure that clients can access the server.
    • (With versions of VAIO Media Integrated Server prior to 3.0) Disable Windows Firewall or Internet Connection Firewall for network interfaces on the server that are connected to external networks.
    Network security is an important issue. You should never disable your network firewall if it is connected directly to the Internet.
  • The server may not be set up to grant access to other devices. Start the VAIO Media Console. On the Access Control Settings tab, select the "Access this computer from other devices connected to the network" check box.
  • The server is set up only to grant access to clients registered manually. If this is the case, clients registered automatically cannot connect to the server. With the VAIO Media Console, change the manual registration setting to the automatic registration setting, or register your client manually.
  • The server may have reached the maximum number of 20 registered clients. Start the VAIO Media Console. On the Access Control Settings tab, verify if the List of Registered Devices contains 20 clients. If so, delete unnecessary clients.
  • If your computer is equipped with several network interfaces, you may be trying to connect to the server through a different interface than the one you used to register the client. If you want to use VAIO Media through several interfaces, you must register the client with each interface separately.
  • The contents of the VAIO Media display may not be up to date. Restart VAIO Media.
You cannot watch video and/or television.
  • If channel settings are not setup on the server, it is not possible to watch television. Setup channels on the server.
  • If you remove Giga Pocket from your computer, you are no longer able to watch video or television broadcasts with VAIO Media. If you removed Giga Pocket from your computer, reinstall it.
Changing the display order takes an unusually long time.
It may take some time until the display order changes. Wait until it does.
The server response becomes slow during operation.
If folders registered in VAIO Media Console contain video files, the server may have to convert them before playback, slowing its response time.
VAIO Media becomes unstable when you double-click an item.
VAIO Media is a single-click program. In other words, you only need to click items once to open/display them. If you double-click a menu or a button, VAIO Media may become unstable. If this happens, restart VAIO Media.
You cannot upload photos to the server.
  • If you are using PictureGear Studio 1.0 to perform this operation, you cannot upload photos.
  • Even if you did not set any password, the server may prompt you to input a password when you try to upload photos with PictureGear Studio or Network Smart Capture. If this happens, start the VAIO Media Console, click the Srart and Stop the Server tab, and then select the "Allow other programs and devices to register and delete media content" check box under "Register and Delete Content form other programs and devices".
  • You cannot upload photos to the server's "top folder" or "registered folders", nor to folders reserved for video and/or music. To upload photos, specify the folder specified with VAIO Media Console.
When you attempt to register your client on the server, an error message appears telling you that it is already registered.
Temporarily delete the client from the server and retry. Start the VAIO Media Console. On the Access Control Settings tab, select the name of the client in the List of Registered Devices, and then click Delete.
The server does not go on standby or hibernate automatically.
If you are streaming data (i.e. playing back files while sending and/or receiving them), the server does not go on standby. Once streaming ends, the server goes on standby after the preset interval.


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