No cause information.
Q: Can Stage be customized?
A: Yes, there is some customization available with Stage. Users can add or remove tiles or even rename tiles. However, you cannot alter the icons or links within an existing tile.
Q: Will Stage come with my Alienware or Inspiron Mini?
A: Stage is not currently offered on Alienware or Inspiron Mini platforms.
Q: Where does Stage go to access the files?
A: Stage pulls from existing My Pictures, My Videos, and My Music files within the Microsoft operating system. Any file that is saved in these folders should appear.
Q: Is Stage available on Ubuntu systems?
A: Stage is only available on systems with the Windows 7 operating system and mobile devices running Android.
Q: Can I add Stage to my existing Dell system? What about systems from other companies (i.e., HP, etc.)?
A: No, Stage cannot be loaded on non-Dell or older Dell systems. It is only available factory installed on Dell Consumer PCs. Mobile devices from Dell also include a mobile version of the Stage software.
Q: How do I update Stage?
A: If you purchased a system pre-loaded with Stage, the software automatically alerts you when updates are ready to be installed.
Q: Can I turn the Stage off?
A: Yes, you can turn the Stage off. If you are using a mouse, right-click on the area below the tiles and choose Quit from the menu.
If you are using a touch screen, touch and hold the area below the tiles until you see a menu, then tap Quit from the menu.
You can also turn Stage off by clicking the Settings icon located at the bottom right of the Stage. Then select "Quit Stage".
Q: Can I minimize the Stage?
A: Yes, you can minimize the Stage. If you are using a mouse, right-click on the area below the tiles and choose Minimize from the menu. The Stage will minimize to the bottom of the screen. To restore it, mouse-click on the Stage and it will reappear on your desktop.
If you are using a touch screen, "flick" down below the Stage tiles. This gesture will automatically minimize the Stage to the bottom of the screen. To restore it, tap the Stage and it will reappear on your screen.
Q: Can I make the Stage larger or smaller?
A: Yes, you can change the size of the Stage. If you are using a mouse, right-click on the area below the tiles and choose Settings from the menu. This will open a Settings dialog box. Use the Size slider to make the Stage smaller or larger. When you are satisfied, click the OK button.
If you are using a touch screen, touch and hold the area below the tiles until you see a menu, then tap Settings from the menu. This will open a Settings dialog box. You can use the Size slider to make the Stage smaller or larger. When you are satisfied, tap the OK button.
Q: Can I move the Stage around the desktop?
A: Currently, you cannot move the Stage around the desktop. Instead, you can either minimize or turn the Stage off as described above.
Q: Can I remove or rearrange the tiles on the Stage?
A: Yes, you remove or rearrange Stage tiles (with the exception of the Apps Gallery tile).
To rearrange or remove tiles, mouse-click and hold on a specific tile. After a few moments, your selected tile will "undock" from the Stage. With the mouse, you can insert the tile anywhere in the Stage and let go. To remove a tile, simply drag the tile off the Stage area and release the mouse hold. The tile will disappear and a confirmation message will appear. If you made a mistake, you can restore the tile from this confirmation message or by selecting it in the Apps Gallery.
You can also right-click on the selected tile and choose Remove Tile from the menu.
If you are using a touch screen, touch and hold a specific tile and wait for the tile to "undock". With your finger, you can insert a tile anywhere in the Stage and let go. To remove a tile, simply drag it off the Stage area and let it go. The tile will disappear and a confirmation message will appear. If you made a mistake, you can restore this tile from the confirmation message or by selecting it in the Apps Gallery.
Q: What is the pop up screen I see when I touch a tile?
A: This is the Expanded View. The Expanded View acts as a shortcut to the last thing you were doing in the tile. For example, you will see icons representing the last photos, videos or music you were interacting with. Selecting any of these icons will take you straight to that photo, or start playing the song or video within that tile application. Selecting the name of the tile will open the application to the main page.
Q: Why are my tiles blank?
A: Tiles or expanded views will appear blank until content is loaded or viewed.
Q: Can I add tiles to the Stage?
A: Yes, you can add a variety of tiles to the Stage. Available tiles can be added through the Apps Gallery, which will always be the last tile to the right on the Stage. Mouse-click or tap the Apps Gallery tile and an expanded window will appear. From this window, click or drag your selected tile to the Stage.
You can also drag a folder into Stage to create a shortcut. Locate the folder from your computer's desktop or another folder and simply drag the icon over to the Stage.
Q: Can I rename the tiles on the Stage?
A: Yes, you can rename most of the tiles. If you are using a mouse, right-click on the selected tile and choose Rename Tile from the menu. This will open a Settings dialog box. You can change the name of the tile and when you are satisfied, click the OK button.
If you are using a touch screen, tap on the Settings gear on the bottom right of the Stage. Go to the Tiles tab within Settings. Touch the tile’s title and it will show a blinking cursor. Type in your new name and tap the OK button.
Q: Can I access the Web directly through the Stage?
A: Yes, you can add special Web tiles to the Stage. These tiles can be added through the Apps Gallery, which will always be the last tile to the right on the Stage. Mouse-click or tap the Apps Gallery tile and a window will appear. From this window, click or drag a Web tile to the Stage.
Once the Web Tile is in the Stage, mouse-click or tap it to open its Expanded View. Use the + (plus) icon in the lower right corner to add the URLs of your favorite websites. You can add up to four websites per Web Tile. Once you’ve added the website(s), the Web Tile will provide up-to-date thumbnail previews through its Expanded state and will allow you to connect directly to a selected website.
Q: Can I use the Stage without an internet connection?
A: You can use some of the tiles in the Stage without an internet connection. In the case where an internet connection is required, the Stage and its applications will often display messages suggesting you connect to the internet for the best experience.
Q: How do I remove (uninstall) Stage from my computer?
A: Stage can be removed from your computer from within Control Panel by using the Uninstall a program option, for more information refer to Dell Knowledge Base article How to Uninstall Dell Stage.
Q: How do I make sure my personal photos and videos appear in PhotoStage?
A: Photos in standard Windows folders like My Pictures will show up in PhotoStage. Any pictures saved here will appear the next time you open PhotoStage.
Q: How do I import personal photos and videos into PhotoStage?
A: While in PhotoStage, click or tap on the Library tab at the top of the screen. Once in Library, click or tap on the Import button. A window will pop up, allowing you to navigate to the folder you want to import. Click or tap on the file or folder you would like to import and then click or tap on the word Import. Your files should appear in PhotoStage, and can also be found in My Pictures.
Q: Can I view personal photos or videos on externally connected devices in PhotoStage?
A: There are two ways to do this:
First, you can import the photos in order to view them (see previous question)
If you do not want to import them, simply click on the Library tab. Once there you will see a Browse option in the blue ribbon sub navigation. You can click Browse to view items on externally connected devices in PhotoStage.
Q: Can I access my Facebook and Flickr accounts with PhotoStage?
A: Yes. PhotoStage includes links to both Facebook and Flickr within the application. In addition, once you set up your login, the PhotoStage application can remember your login details, if you have requested that it to keep you signed in.
Q: How do I view photos from my Facebook and Flickr accounts?
A: When you click or tap on the Facebook or Flickr tabs within PhotoStage, you will be asked whether you want to connect with Facebook or Flickr. Click or tap "Yes" to be taken to the log in screen. If you want to remain logged in after your session is done, be sure to check the box saying you would like to remain logged in.
Q: How do I log out of Facebook?
A: In PhotoStage, click or tap on the Settings icon. In the blue ribbon, click or tap on Facebook. Once in the Facebook tab, click on the Logout button.
Q: How do I log out of Flickr?
A: In PhotoStage, click or tap on the settings icon. In the blue ribbon, click or tap on Flickr. Once in the Flickr tab, click or tap on the Logout button.
Q: Can I view friends’ personal photos and videos in PhotoStage?
A: Yes. You can view content already in your photo/personal video library or you can view their online content by logging into your Facebook and/or Flickr accounts. Once you are logged in, click or tap on the Facebook or Flickr tab, and choose the friends you would like to watch by tapping or clicking on the star icon next to their name. To remove a friend from view, tap the star icon again and their pictures and video will be removed.
Q: What if I do not want FaceBook to log in when I use PhotoStage? Can I set the default to be no login to Facebook?
A: Yes. Go to Settings and click on the Facebook tab. Uncheck the box that says Keep me Logged in.
Q: Can I upload a picture to Facebook?
A: Yes. To upload a photo to Facebook, click or tap on the photo you wish to upload, and then click or tap the Facebook button at the bottom of the page. A dialog box will appear asking you to choose which Facebook album you would like to add it to. You may choose to add an existing album, or choose Create New.
If you would like to add the photo to an existing album, choose the album from the drop down list, and click Upload.
If you would like to create a new album in order to post the picture, click or tap on Create New and give the album a title, then click Upload.
Q: How do I create photo Collections in PhotoStage? How can I add to or edit Collections?
A: There are several ways to do this:
From within PhotoStage, click or tap on Library at the top of your screen, then choose Collections from the blue ribbon. From here, click or tap on the tile that says New Album and you will see a tray open at the bottom of the screen. You can then go back to the PhotoStage home screen and either click and hold or touch to drag photos to the tray. Choose photos from the Library or from your Facebook or Flickr page. Once you have finished, click or tap on the Done button to the far right of the tray. You will be asked to name your collection. Enter the name, and click or tap on Save. You can then view your collection by going back to Collections from your Library screen.
Another way to do this is to click or tap on the "+" from the home page and you will see a tray open at the bottom of the screen. You can then go back to the PhotoStage home screen, Library screen, Facebook or Flickr and either use your mouse or finger to drag photos to the tray. Once you have finished, click or tap on the Done button to the far right of the tray. You will be asked to name your collection. Enter the name, and click or tap on Save. You can then view your collection by going back to Collections from your Library screen.
Q: Can I create a physical book of my photos in PhotoStage?
A: Stage includes an option to create photobooks through Shutterfly in the US. You must have a Shutterfly account in order to do this. Click or tap the Shutterfly button [insert image] at the bottom of the page to sign in or register the first time.
Once you are logged in, you can select the photo or collection you wish to upload, click or tap on the Shutterfly button, and you will receive a prompt to either choose the album you would like to upload to, or create a new album. Choose the album and select Upload.
If you choose to create a new album, you will be asked to give the album a name. Once you have entered a name, click or tap Upload.
Then follow the instructions on the Shutterfly site.
Q: Can I edit a photo?
A: Yes, you can do basic edit and printing of photos from PhotoStage. Editing includes red eye reduction, cropping, rotation, and auto fix. In order to access the editing tools, click or tap on a picture from your library or expanded view and choose the editing button (icon looks like a pencil).
Q: Can I print a photo?
A: You cannot print a photo from PhotoStage at this time.
Q: Can I view my personal videos in Photostage? If so, can I edit or trim my videos?
A: You can view and trim personal videos within PhotoStage but the application is not designed for major video editing.
Q: What photo and personal video formats are supported in PhotoStage?
A: The tables below show the photo formats supported by PhotoStage:
Photo Formats Supported |
|---|
BMP |
JPEG |
JPG |
JFIF |
TIF |
TIFF |
JPE |
DIB |
GIF |
PNG |
Personal video formats supported |
Video codec |
Audio codec |
|---|---|---|
.3g2 |
MPEG4 |
AAC |
.asf |
MPEG4 |
MPEG1 |
.avi |
Divx5 |
AC3 |
.avi |
SonyDV |
PCM |
.mp4 |
H.264 |
AAC |
.mpg |
MPEG2 |
AC3 |
.WMV |
WMV3 |
WMA3 |
.mts |
AVC |
AC3 |
.m2ts |
AVC |
AC3 |
.mov |
MPEG4 |
AMR-NB |
Q: How do I view a slideshow of my photos in PhotoStage?
A: This is done in several ways:
From the PhotoStage home page or Library tab, press the play button to see a slideshow of all your pictures. To exit the slideshow, click or tap on the Exit button on the bottom right.
From Collections, choose the collection you wish to view a slideshow of and press the play button.
Q: How do I choose music to play with my slideshow? Can I choose the transitions between photos in my slideshow?
A: Click or tap on the Settings icon and the Slideshow tab. From here you can choose your transition, and browse for music to play in your slideshow.
Q: How do I update PhotoStage?
A: If you accept auto updates, you will receive a pop up reminder when updates are available.
Q: How do I set the PhotoStage Screensaver application?
A: Press the Windows 7 Start button, and type Screensaver into the Windows search box. Click on Change Screensaver. Select Dell PhotoStage Screensaver from the drop down box listing the screensaver options. Choose the length of time you would like the system to wait before launching the screensaver. Click OK. The next time the system is idle for the specified amount of time, the PhotoStage Screensaver will launch.
Q: How do I add a photo service to PhotoStage?
A: Click on the "+" tab on the top ribbon. You will be taken to the Photo Apps, Sites and Services tab. Here click on the large "+" tab. You will be prompted to type the URL of the web site you would like to link to. Click OK. A shortcut icon will appear for the site you have added.
Q: How do I remove a service I have added to PhotoStage on the Photo Apps, Sites and Services tab?
A: Click the word remove on the icon of the service you want to remove.
Q: Can I buy or rent movies or TV shows in VideoStage? How do I activate the CinemaNow (RoxioNow) service?
A: Yes but only in the US. Open the VideoStage application and click/touch on the Store or CinemaNow tab at the top of the screen. This will connect you to the CinemaNow Store. Once there, you can click on any movie to see the options available for that movie, such as purchase, rent or view trailers.
Q: How do I make sure my videos appear in VideoStage?
A: Videos saved to standard locations like My Videos will appear in VideoStage. Note: personal videos will appear in PhotoStage, not VideoStage.
Q: How do I import items into VideoStage?
A: Within VideoStage, go to Settings and click or tap on Video Folders. Once here, you can choose additional folders to display in your VideoStage Library tab.
Q: Can I edit the name and description of a video file from within VideoStage?
A: Yes, you can edit information for files that are not DRM restricted. From the VideoStage home page, click or tap on the Library tab. Choose the video you wish to edit by clicking or tapping on it. Click on the Edit Movie Information link in the center of the screen. Type in the name and description you wish to appear for the video.
Q: Can I search in VideoStage?
A: You can reorganize your library in order to better find your files. From the Library screen, click on the Calendar or the Alphabetical buttons to rearrange your files.
Q: How do I update VideoStage?
A: If you accept auto updates, you will receive a pop up reminder when updates are available.
Q: What file formats are supported in VideoStage?
A: VideoStage supports the following formats:
Video Format |
Comments |
|---|---|
*.ASF |
|
*.MKV |
|
*.WTV |
|
*.MOV |
Requires that QuickTime is installed. |
*.DVR-MS |
|
*.VOB |
|
*.MP4 |
|
*.DIV |
|
*.DIVX |
|
*.TIVO |
Requires that TIVO is installed. |
*.DAT |
|
*.AVI |
|
*.VRO |
|
*.WM |
|
*.WMV |
|
*.WMV(WMDRM) |
|
*.FLV |
|
*.MPG |
|
*.MPEG |
|
*.MPE |
|
*.MPV |
Video Decoder Format |
Comments |
|---|---|
MPEG2 |
On Windows 7 Starter and Windows 7 Home Basic, this is only supported when Cyberlink PowerDVD is installed. |
MPEG1 Audio/Video |
|
H.264 |
|
WMV |
|
MPEG4 part2 |
|
WMA |
|
MP3 |
|
AAC |
|
AC3 |
Only supported when CyberlinkPowerDVD is installed. |
Q: How do I make sure my music appears in MusicStage?
A: Music saved to standard locations like My Music will appear in MusicStage.
Q: How do I browse for more music on my computer to listen to in MusicStage?
A: To add additional folders for MusicStage to monitor, click or tap on the Settings icon from within MusicStage. Under the General tab, type in the path of the folder you wish to watch and click or tap OK.
Q: How do I listen to music?
A: Find the song you want by searching by artist, title or genre and double click to play. You can also look at your Most Recently played songs to find the one you need.
Q: Can I shuffle songs?
A: Yes, you can shuffle songs within the MusicStage home screen. Mouse-click or touch the Shuffle icon at the bottom of the home view. Click the Shuffle icon.
Q: Can I repeat songs automatically?
A: Yes, you can repeat songs, within the MusicStage home screen. Mouse-click or touch the Repeat icon at the bottom of the home view. Click the Repeat icon.
Q: Will MusicStage play my iTunes files?
A: Yes, MusicStage will support playback of iTunes files that are not restricted by Apple.
Q: How do I listen to music I recently played?
A: MusicStage shows your music according to most recently played so you should easily be able to find the song you want within the Expanded View or the MusicStage home page.
Q: Can I create playlists in MusicStage?
A: No, playlists cannot be created in MusicStage.
Q: Can I listen to the radio in MusicStage?
A: Yes. MusicStage includes a streaming radio called RadioTime which allows you to listen to stations from around the world.
Q: Can I listen to streaming music in MusicStage?
A: Yes, you can listen to streaming music in MusicStage in two ways. RadioTime allows you to listen to radio stations from around the world. In the US, UK and Germany, you can also subscribe to Napster and sign up for streaming music accounts.
Q: How do I activate the Napster service?
A: Within the MusicStage application, click on Napster tab. This will connect you to the Napster service. From there, click or tap on Sign Up Now to set up a new account. If you have an existing account, you can simply login to make your purchase by clicking or tapping on Click to Sign In on the far right. Napster also allows you to stream music through your account.
Q: Can I search in MusicStage?
A: Yes. You can search by artist, title and genre to find the song or album you need.
Q: How do I update MusicStage?
A: If you accept auto updates, you will receive a pop up reminder when updates are available.
Q: What file formats are supported in MusicStage?
A: MusicStage supports the following formats:
Format |
|---|
.asf |
.wma |
.mp3 |
.m4a |
Q: Where can I go to learn more about how to use the Blio application?
A: http://www.blio.com/1030/en/help.htm
Q: My system did not come with the Blio application preloaded. How can I get it?
A: If the program is available in your country or region, you will receive the Blio application as an update.
Q: I need to reinstall the Blio application. Where can I get it?
A: The latest version of the application is available from the Blio website. Go to: www.blio.com, click the "Download Blio" link, then select your operating system.
Q: Where are my books stored on my computer?
A: All of your purchased and downloaded books will appear in the Blio Folder under My Documents.
Q: Where can I go to learn more about how to use the Zinio application?
A: Help for the Zinio application can be found by opening the application and clicking the "?" button on the bottom left of the application. It can also be found online at: http://www.zinio.com/help/index.jsp
Q: My system did not come with the Zinio application preloaded. How can I get it?
A: If the program is available in your country or region, you will receive the Zinio application as an update.
Q: I need to reinstall the Zinio application. Where can I get it?
A: The latest version of the application is available from the Zinio website. Go to: https://www.zinio.com/account/download-reader-page.jsp
Q: What is Stage Remote?
A: Stage Remote is a program that allows streaming of content from one PC to another device. The destination device can be another PC, a TV, gaming system or speakers.
Q: What does Stage Remote do for me?
A: Stage Remote makes it easier to enjoy the content you have without the need to physically move the files from one PC to the destination device. The content is "borrowed" (streamed) for viewing or listening.
For example, you can watch a movie on your downstairs TV or PC even though you downloaded to your all-in-one desktop upstairs.
Q: Are there any limitations to what devices I can use with Stage Remote?
A: Devices must support DLNA in order for Stage Remote. Also, this is offered on select Dell PC and mobile devices only.
Q: How do I get Stage Remote?
A: PC customers should accept auto-updates to their Stage software. By doing so, Stage Remote will be added.
Mobile/phone customers should visit the Android Market found in the application tray and search for Stage Remote.
Quitting Dell Stage
When you are using a mouse:
When you are using a touch screen:
Removing Stage
Stage can be removed from your computer from within Control Panel by using the Uninstall a program option, for more information refer to Dell Knowledge Base article How to Uninstall Dell Stage.