User’s Guide Creative Sound Blaster Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Creative Technology Ltd. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the written permission of Creative Technology Ltd.
Contents
Contents Contents Introduction Welcome to high-quality digital audio entertainment.......................................... viii Package Contents ........................................................................... ix System Requirements ..................................................................... ix Getting More Information.................................................................. x Product Registration.........................................................................
Adjusting Headphones Volume ................................................ 2-6 3 Using Sound Blaster Connecting Peripherals ........................................................................... 3-1 Connecting Speaker Systems .................................................................. 3-2 Mixing analog inputs ..................................................................... 3-3 4 Sound Blaster Applications Creative Sound Blaster Applications .............................................
5 Using Applications Multimedia Playback............................................................................... 5-1 Watching DVDs ............................................................................ 5-1 Playing MP3, WMA, WMV or Dolby Digital 5.1 files ............................ 5-1 Playing back Wave and CD Audio files ............................................. 5-2 Playing MIDI files..........................................................................
Introduction
Introduction Welcome to high-quality digital audio entertainment The product name may differ depending on your region. Thank you for purchasing Creative's external Sound Blaster® audio solution. Sound Blaster is simple to set up via your USB port. The compact and portable design is lightweight and requires no additional power adapter. Sound Blaster delivers high quality stereo sound for digital music, movie and gaming.
Package Contents The items listed here may differ in certain countries. System Requirements In Windows 2000, Service Pack 3 may be necessary for full and correct functionality. In Windows XP, Service Pack 1 may be necessary for full and correct functionality.
Getting More Information View the contents of the Sound Blaster Installation CD for additional demonstrations, libraries and other software. Visit the www.soundblaster.com site for the latest Sound Blaster news and products. The site also includes information on making purchases, technical help, and software and driver updates. Product Registration Enjoy a host of benefits by registering your product during installation, or at www.creative.com/register.
About Sound Blaster This chapter explains the physical features of your Creative Sound Blaster
About Sound Blaster What You Need Before you begin installation, be sure that you have these: In addition, you will also need an available USB port on your computer. Installation CD Sound Blaster Y-splitter cable USB cable Clip 2 velcro strips Figure 1-1: Items needed for installation.
Sound Blaster Sound Blaster has these jacks and connectors that allow you to attach other devices: Line In jacks Connects to audio devices such as tape decks and audio players. Line Out jacks Connects to powered speakers or an external amplifier for audio output. Rear Panel Optical In jack Connects to digital audio devices such as DAT and MiniDisc players. Figure 1-2: Optical Out jack Connects to external digital devices or digital speaker systems. Jacks, connectors and ports on Sound Blaster.
Power LED Lights up blue when Sound Blaster is connected to your computer. Front Panel Headphones Volume Control Adjust the headphones volume by turning this dial left or right. Microphone jack Connects to an external microphone. Headphones jack Connects to a pair of headphones. Your speaker output is muted when you connect the headphones to Sound Blaster. USB port Connects to the computer’s USB port using a USB cable.
Switching modes It is recommended that you do not play any audio files before switching between Digital Only and Digital/Analog mode. Sometimes, you may need to close and launch the audio application after switching modes for it to function properly. Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS pass-through is only available in Digital Only mode. You can switch between Digital Only and Digital/Analog mode using the Digital/ Analog switch located on the side panel of Sound Blaster.
Installing Sound Blaster This chapter tells you how to install Sound Blaster
Installing Sound Blaster Installing Hardware 1. Turn on your computer. 2. Connect the supplied USB cable as shown in Figure 2-1. Notebook computer Desktop computer USB port • The USB cable can be connected to your computer while the computer is turned on. • The USB port(s) on some computers are located on the front panel instead of the back. USB port Figure 2-1: Connecting Sound Blaster to the computer.
Installing Software Use the appropriate software installation procedure, depending on your computer’s operating system. In Windows 98 SE/Me/ 2000/XP 1. Insert the Sound Blaster Installation CD into your CD-ROM drive. 2. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the drivers and applications installation. A dialog box appears prompting you to restart your computer. 3. Click the Finish button to restart your computer.
Verifying the software installation Follow the steps below to verify that Sound Blaster has been installed correctly. In Windows 98 SE/Me 1. 2. 3. 4. Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. On the menu that appears, click Properties. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Device Manager tab. Click the plus (+) sign next to the Sound, video and game controllers icon. The entry “Creative Sound Blaster” should appear.
Attaching Sound Blaster Using a clip 1. Insert the clip provided into the slot located at the back of Sound Blaster, as shown in Figure 2-2. Figure 2-2: Connecting the clip to Sound Blaster. 2. Using the clip, place Sound Blaster onto the top of your notebook’s LCD screen as shown in Figure 2-3. Figure 2-3: Connecting the clip to your notebook.
Using velcro strips 1. Pull apart the velcro strips provided, as shown in Figure 2-4. Figure 2-4: Pulling apart velcro strips. 2. Peel the stickers off the velcro strips as shown in Figure 2-5. Figure 2-5: Peeling the stickers off velcro strips. 3. Attach Sound Blaster to your computer, as shown in Figure 2-6. Figure 2-6: Attaching Sound Blaster using velcro strips.
Connecting Microphones You can connect a condenser microphone, usually fitted with a 3.5 mm plug, to Sound Blaster. Connecting Headphones You can connect personal stereo headphones, usually fitted with a 3.5 mm stereo plug, such as those used for portable audio players, to Sound Blaster. Note: When headphones are plugged in, speaker output is muted. Headphones volume is controlled by the headphones volume control, see Adjusting Headphones Volume below. Use a ¼ " to 3.
To install Creative Surround Mixer and other applications, see “Installing Software” on page 2-2. Using Creative Surround Mixer: 1. Click Start -> Programs -> Creative -> Sound Blaster -> Creative Surround Mixer. 2. On Surround Mixer, make sure that the Mute check box under the Volume slider is clear. Otherwise, click the check box. 3. Drag the Volume slider up or down to adjust the headphones volume.
Using Sound Blaster This chapter tells you how to use Sound Blaster
Using Sound Blaster Connecting Peripherals Figure 3-1 shows you the various connectivity options for Sound Blaster. Creative digital audio player Portable cassette player Creative 2.1 Analog Speakers MiniDisc recorder Optical cable Creative Inspire or Cambridge SoundWorks 5.1 Digital Speaker Systems Microphone Headphones Figure 3-1: Connectivity options for Sound Blaster.
Connecting Speaker Systems You can enjoy virtual surround sound with Dolby Digital 5.1 DVD movies using a stereo speaker system by enabling the CMSS feature. Alternatively, you can perform Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS pass-through via SPDIF (Optical Out) to a 5.1 speaker system with a built-in Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS decoder (for example, Creative Inspire 5700 Speakers) to enjoy true surround sound experience. This is only available in Digital Only mode. Analog speaker cable Y-splitter cable Analog 2.
Mixing analog inputs Mix music and microphone inputs to sing along with your favorite tunes. Digital Audio Player / CD Player / Cassette Player analog source. Enjoy singing along to your favorite tunes. Figure 3-3: Mixing Analog Inputs.
Sound Blaster Applications This chapter tells you about the applications included with Sound Blaster
Sound Blaster Applications Creative Sound Blaster Applications These applications are meant for use on computers running Windows operating systems. Mac OS X v10.2 users can use the bundled Sound it! application to perform tasks such as recording audio. Sound Blaster is supported by a full range of applications to help you get the most from your audio device.
Creative MediaSource Go! Creative MediaSource Go! is a convenient quickstart bar, not only for Creative MediaSource Go!'s components, but also for your own frequently used applications. If you have desktop shortcuts for your favorite applications, you can drag and drop them into one central location, Creative MediaSource Go!. Creative MediaSource Go! includes several components like the Launcher, Player, Organizer.
Creative MediaSource Player Creative MediaSource Player is the only software you will need for music and multimedia entertainment. Unlike other media players, Creative MediaSource Player is specially designed to access the power of Sound Blaster’s hardware.
Keep your music database up to date As songs are added or deleted from your computer and other storage devices, your PCML will need to be kept up to date. The Media Sniffer will monitor specified folders on your hard disk for file changes, and update your PCML accordingly. Transferring songs NOMAD users can use Creative MediaSource Organizer to transfer music files to and from the computer and other compatible devices.
Storing music on recordable CD If you have a CD-writer, another way to reduce music storage on your computer’s hard disk is to record audio tracks onto CD-R or CD-RW for playback on many consumer hi-fi devices. Creative MediaSource Organizer’s Burn CD module lets you create your own audio and MP3 CDs from WAV, MP3 and WMA files. The Burn CD feature also lets you easily design, create, and print matching CD covers and liner notes for your audio CDs.
Creative EAX Console EAX Console allows you to configure the processor's effects engine. EAX ADVANCED HD promises to deliver sounds that are so life-like, you can almost see them! It is the computer industry's first system to recreate and deliver realworld, interactive audio experiences in games, music, and other audio applications. These audio effects take your computer beyond home-theater quality, immersing you in sound so vivid, your imagination can almost “see” it.
Time Scaling: Varying the speed of playback Karaoke fans and musicians may sometimes wish to slow a song down (or speed it up) to catch the lyrics or play along with the music. However, varying the speed usually also varies the pitch of the song. With the Time Scaling feature, Sound Blaster users can maintain the pitch of a song while varying the playback speed. For more information and usage details on EAX Console, refer to the Creative EAX online Help.
Creative Speaker Settings This is the main application to use for the following tasks: ❑ Designating the number and configuration of speakers to use ❑ Testing your speakers ❑ Managing Bass Boost by selecting the cutoff frequency and level. Creative MiniDisc Center Creative MiniDisc Center allows you to play back popular audio file formats and compact discs for recording to DAT and MD recorders.
Using Applications This chapter tells you which applications to use for content creation, gaming and entertainment purposes
Using Applications Sound Blaster offers you high-quality multimedia playback, digital entertainment, content creation capability, internet entertainment and gaming. The following pages tell you which applications would best suit your needs. Multimedia Playback Watching DVDs Dolby Digital 5.1/DTS SPDIF pass-through is only available in Digital Only mode. Use the Digital/Analog switch located on Sound Blaster’s side panel, to switch to Digital Only mode. Playing MP3, WMA, WMV or Dolby Digital 5.
Playing back Wave and CD Audio files Creative MediaSource supports the playback of .MP3, .WMA, .WAV, and .CDA (CDAudio) files, in addtion to MIDI (.MID) files. Dolby Digital decoding of Dolby Digital 5.1 files and Dolby Digital content from DVDs are also managed through MediaSource in conjunction with your software DVD player. Playing MIDI files MIDI (*.MID) is a music format that uses a synthesizer for playback. Use Creative MediaSource to play MIDI files.
Content Creation Recording digital audio You can do digital recording and editing on your computer with Sound Blaster using Creative Wave Studio. Connect any SPDIF compatible device such as a DAT deck and select SPDIF In in Creative Device Mixer. Internet Entertainment Encoding CD songs to MP3/WMA format With Creative MediaSource, you can encode or record all your favorite CD songs into your computer’s hard drive, so that you have a database of customized song lists.
Gaming Reference Enjoying EAX support Enjoy the many EAX titles designed by top game developers, which immerse you in realistic environments. Visit http://www.eax.creative.com for a full list of compatible titles. Enjoying DirectSound3D support DirectSound3D (DS3D) games are supported on Sound Blaster. You can hear sounds positioned in 3D space to enhance your game experience. Use the CMSS 3D feature to enjoy virtual 3D audio for your games.
General Specifications This section displays the specifications of your Sound Blaster
General Specifications This section lists the specifications of Sound Blaster. Inputs and Outputs SPDIF output is not available during playback of protected digital audio contents authored with Microsoft DRM (Digital Rights Management) technology. TOSLink connector for Optical SPDIF input TOSLink connector for Optical SPDIF output Pair of RCA jacks for stereo line-level analog input Pair of RCA jacks for stereo line-level analog output 3.5 mm (1/8 ") jack for mono analog Microphone input 3.
Troubleshooting This section provides solutions to problems you may encounter during installation or normal use
Troubleshooting This appendix provides solutions to problems you may encounter during installation or normal use. Problems Installing Software The installation does not start automatically after the Sound Blaster Installation CD is inserted. The AutoPlay feature in your Windows system may not be enabled. To start the installation program through the My Computer shortcut menu: 1. Double-click the My Computer icon on your Windows desktop. 2. In the My Computer window, right-click the CD-ROM drive icon. 3.
Problems with Sound No sound from the headphones. Check the following: ❑ The headphones are connected to the Headphones jack. ❑ Make sure that the Headphones Volume control is not muted. ❑ The Digital/Analog switch is set to Digital/Analog mode. No sound from the speakers. Check the following: ❑ You have connected your speakers to Sound Blaster's output. ❑ You have selected the correct source in Creative Surround Mixer. ❑ Headphones are not connected to Sound Blaster.
Crackling sound heard when playing back media files. Enable Direct Memory Access to your storage devices. Follow the steps below: For Windows 98 SE and Windows Me users: 1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. 2. In the Control Panel dialog box, double-click the System icon. 3. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Device Manager tab. 4. Double-click the Disk drives icon. Your computer drives will appear. 5. Double-click the hard disk drive icon. 6.
For Windows 2000 and Windows XP users: In Windows 2000, Service Pack 3 may be necessary for full and correct functionality. In Windows XP, Service Pack 1 may be necessary for full and correct functionality. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. In the Control Panel dialog box, double-click the System icon. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab. Click the Device Manager button. Double-click the ATA/ATAPI IDE Controllers icon. Your IDE channels will appear. 6.
For Windows Me users: 1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. 2. In the Control Panel dialog box, double-click the System icon. 3. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Device Manager tab. 4. Double-click the DVD/CD-ROM drives icon. Your computer drives will appear. 5. Right-click the disk drive icon. A menu will appear. 6. Click Properties. 7. In the Digital CD Playback box of the next dialog box, click the Enable digital CD audio for this CD-ROM device check box to select it. 8.
Unable to record or transfer CD audio tracks from CD-ROM/DVD-ROM to MiniDisc recorder, using the Creative MiniDisc application. Enable digital CD playback. For more information, refer to the topic, “No audio output when playing audio CDs.” on page B-4. Problems With Hardware Sound Blaster is not detected or is not functioning properly. Unplug and plug the USB cable from your computer or notebook to reset Sound Blaster. Sound Blaster does not function properly when used with a USB 2.
The media file player application does not function properly after switching between Digital/Analog and Digital Only mode. Close and launch the media file player application. It is recommended that you do not play any audio files before switching between Digital Only and Digital/Analog mode.
Index
A Adjusting headphones volume 2-6 Applications 4-1 Attaching using a clip 2-4 using velcro strips 2-5 Attaching your Sound Blaster 2-4 C Compiling personal albums 5-2 Connecting headphones 2-6 microphones 2-6 related peripherals 3-1 speaker systems 3-3 Content creation 5-3 Controls A-1 Creative Device Control 4-5 Creative Diagnostics 4-5 Creative EAX Console 4-6 Creative Graphic Equalizer 4-8 Creative MediaSource Go! 4-2 Creative MediaSource Go! Launcher 4-2 Creative MediaSource Organizer 4-3 Creative Medi
Creative Graphic Equalizer 48 Creative MediaSource Go! 42 Creative MediaSource Go! Launcher 4-2 Creative MediaSource Organizer 4-5 Creative MiniDisc Center 4-8 Creative Surround Mixer 4-7 Creative WaveStudio 4-7 Outputs A-1 P Personal albums 5-2 Playing MIDI files 5-2 MP3 files 5-1 MP3 songs 5-3 MP3/WMA songs with EAX 53 WMA files 5-1 WMV files 5-1 Playing back CD Audio files 5-2 Wave files 5-2 Power LED 1-3 R T Troubleshooting B-1 hardware B-6 installing software B-1 software B-6 sound B-2 U USB port
