SoundBlaster Live! 5.
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.
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System Requirements......................................................................................................................x Live!Ware Benefits..........................................................................................................................x Getting More Information............................................................................................
Configure a MIDI Bank....................................................................................................14 Configure an Instrument ...................................................................................................15 SoundFont Options............................................................................................................16 Device Controls ......................................................................................................................
# - ! %. MS-DOS Mode..........................................................................................................................................27 Audio Options................................................................................................................................28 Music Options...................................................................................................
Sound Blaster Live! is the top audio solution for games, movies, CDs, MP3 music, and Internet entertainment. With its support for today’s leading audio standard—EAX—Sound Blaster Live! creates real-life, multidimensional sound and multi-textured acoustical environments for the most realistic 3D audio experience. Its powerful EMU10K1 audio processor delivers audio at optimum CPU performance with the highest fidelity and absolute clarity.
" / 0 / For Creative software, your card requires at least: ❑ Genuine Intel® Pentium® class processor: 166 MHz for Windows 95/98/Me 200 MHz for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 ❑ Intel or 100% compatible motherboard chipset ❑ Windows 95, 98, or Me; Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 ❑ 16 MB RAM for Windows 95/98 (32 MB RAM recommended), 32 MB RAM for Windows NT 4.0 64 MB RAM for Windows 2000 ❑ 160 MB of free hard disk space ❑ Open half-length PCI 2.
! " # $ Most of the items you need for installation are included. The following illustration shows the basic components necessary for a complete installation. Creative Audio Software and Applications Refer to the colored insert for specific information about your audio card.
" # $ , TAD/Modem Audio I/O Provides a mono connection from a standard voice modem, and transmits microphone signals to the modem Analog/Digital Out jack Front and rear SPDIF output channels for connection to external digital devices, such as a Digital Audio Tape (DAT) or MiniDisc recorder via a Digital Output module or to FourPointSurround Digital speakers. CD Audio Input Connects to a CD-ROM drive using a CD audio cable.
! To install the audio card: 1. Turn off your computer, and disconnect the power cable. 2. Disconnect the monitor and other devices that are connected to the computer. 3. Remove the computer cover. 3 2 Before you remove the computer cover, touch a grounded metal surface to discharge static electricity. Remove or disable any existing audio card and its driver from your computer. Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for details. 1 4.
Use the MIDI In jack of the audio extension card to connect a MIDI input device; connect a gamepad to the audio card. You can connect only one MIDI device to Sound Blaster Live! at a time. 5. Align the gold-striped tabs on the bottom of the audio card with the PCI slot, and firmly press the card into place until it fits snugly. 6. Use the screw from the slot cover to secure the audio card to the frame of the computer—securing the card assures proper grounding.
8. Connect your speakers, headphones, microphone, joystick, MIDI devices, or other devices to the back panel of the audio card. CD-ROM drive Connects to digital speakers*, minidisc, or DAT via minijack-to-DIN cable or Digital Output Module. Line-out MPC-to-MPC (2-pin) audio cable MPC-to-MPC (4pin) audio cable Cassette, CD player, Synthesizer, etc. PC-DVD drive Line In This manual reflects a software installation in an unmodified version of the operating system.
! " ) The Sound Blaster Live! software CD contains drivers necessary for operation and utilities to make the most of the audio card. When you turn on your computer, Windows automatically detects the new hardware, and prompts for the installation disk. To install in Windows: 1. Turn on your computer—Windows automatically detects your new hardware. ❑ If the New Hardware Found dialog appears (Windows 95/98), click the Cancel button. ❑ If the dialog does not appear, continue below.
" ! &+ 1 2 ( 3 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Log on to your computer as Administrator. Click Start on the Windows Taskbar, select Settings, and click on Control Panel. Double-click the Multimedia icon, click the Devices tab, and then click the Add button. On the Add dialog, select Unlisted Or Updated Driver from the List of Drivers, and then click the OK button. Insert the Windows NT 4.0 CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive.
& ! " # $ " ) Applications included with Sound Blaster Live! are occasionally upgraded; your set of applications may be slightly different from the ones described here.
" # $ + Sound Blaster Live! Experience presents an interactive introduction to Sound Blaster Live! ! Use Creative Diagnostics to test your audio card’s Wave, MIDI, or CD Audio playback, as well as the recording function and speaker output. Creative Launcher presents immediate access to Creative applications.
* + You can place three kinds of items on the Launcher: • Subgroups • Shortcuts • Plugins A subgroup is an item within a group that may contain more items. The installation creates a number of group tab pages in the Launcher that may contain shortcuts to Creative applications such as PlayCenter and Control Panel. It may also contain shortcuts to other applications for your hardware settings, volume control, Help files or demo programs by Creative.
" Creative Surround Mixer is an application for setting and controlling the various aspects of your audio card. It consists of two sections: Main and Mixer Set Super-Environment presets Speaker view Main Mixer " Spectrum view The top area of the Main section allows you to: ❑ Select tasks or save, delete, import, and export Super-Environment presets. You can save the settings as Super-Environment presets for the selected speaker output.
!5 ! 4 + The default for the Analog/Digital Output jack on Sound Blaster Live! is analog output. To switch to digital output (6-channel or compressed AC-3 SPDIF): 1. On the Surround Mixer, click the Speaker button. 2. In the Speaker view, click the Digital Output Only check box. Digital Output mode is available for all speaker configurations except headphones. Or: 1. On the Surround Mixer, click the red plus sign above the volume (VOL) control. 2.
:; AudioHQ utilities allow you to view, audition, or set up the audio properties of one or more audio devices on your computer. AudioHQ can be accessed by using any of the following methods: ❑ Click the AudioHQ tab in Creative Launcher; ❑ Click Start on the Taskbar, select Programs, select Creative, select Sound Blaster Live!, and click on AudioHQ. ❑ Click the AudioHQ icon located at the bottom right corner of your Windows desktop.
" < Creative SoundFont Control allows you to configure MIDI banks with SoundFont files and instruments, as well as set the caching algorithm and space. ) ! # 2 To configure a MIDI bank: 1. In SoundFont Control, click the Configure Bank tab. 2. In the Select Bank list, select the MIDI bank to configure. 3. Click the Load button and load the SoundFont file you want to the MIDI bank. The latest file loaded always appears at the top of the Bank Stack box.
) ! / Setting the maximum amount of cache memory for SoundFont files does not mean setting aside or reserving the space. The space can still be used by your computer or other files, if needed. To configure an instrument: 1. In the SoundFont dialog, click the Configure Instrument tab. 2. In the Select Bank list, select the bank whose instruments you want to configure. 3. In the Select Instrument list, select the instrument to configure.
" < 4+ You change the following options on the Options tab page of the SoundFont Control dialog: To specify the caching algorithm: • Select an algorithm from the SoundFont Cache list. To set the amount of cache for SoundFont files: • Drag the SoundFont Cache slider to set the amount of cache. To change the SoundFont device • Select the new device from the SoundFont Device list. Device Controls allow you to configure your audio devices for audio playback.
> - Creative Keyboard allows you to play musical notes on various instruments much like a composer plays notes on a piano (or other instrument) while creating or arranging music. To edit the sound, use Vienna SoundFont Studio or another sound editor. + To select a MIDI input device: 1. In the Select MIDI In box in the Options dialog, click the correct MIDI port. 2. Click the OK button. You can use external MIDI input devices to audition your MIDI banks and instruments.
? EAX Control allows you to configure the EMU10K1 effects engine. It allows you to specify the components that make up the audio elements that generate an environment. An environment is the model of a real-world audio experience. Included with Sound Blaster Live! are some entertainment, gaming, and miscellaneous environments to help you get started. EAX Control can be also be accessed from Creative Surround Mixer.
? ! " + 7 / AutoEAX allows you to specify a Super-Environment preset for any audio application to automatically associate with the currently active speaker output. For the automatic super-environment to work, AutoEA must be active or at least minimized. For each audio application on your computer, you can specify the super-environment to be automatically associated with it, for each speaker output configuration.
= % ? + 8 B?- CB ( ? + 8 B?-/CB $ 5! -+7 Recorder allows you to record sounds or music from various input sources such as a microphone or audio CD, and save them as
@ $ Creative LAVA! (Live! Audio-Visual Animation) gives your music visual expression that enhances the emotional depth of your music experience. Through LAVA!, 3D graphical objects interact with the music and intelligently dance to the sound cues from sources such as CD and MIDI. Explore the various animation scenarios provided by LAVA! or create your own environments and scenarios for your animation.
) ! Sound Blaster Live! will give you endless hours of listening pleasure. You can further enhance your SB Live! experience by adding one or more of the several upgrade options (available separately). = ! "+ 2 If you are using four speakers, place them to form the corners of a square with you in the center. Angle the speakers toward you with the computer monitor positioned to not block the sound path of your front speakers.
! 4+ To watch DVD movies on your PC, you can connect a Creative PC-DVD Encore Dxr2 or Dxr3, or MPEG2 decoder card to an external Dolby Digital (AC-3) decoder such as the DeskTop Theater speaker systems. In this case, disconnect the audio card’s Aux In connector from the decoder card’s Audio Out connector. However, if an external Dolby Digital (AC-3) decoder speaker system is not available, this connection is necessary.
Recording and Content Authoring with Optical Digital I/O card and Digital I/O Module SPDIF (RCA) In Out Digital device ( e.g., DAT) SPDIF In (RCA) MiniDisc Recorder Optical Input Recording and Content Authoring with Live! Drive Recording to or from an external digital device supporting RCA SPDIF input/output MiniDisc Digital I/O Module To Digital Speaker System* Digital Device SPDIF (RCA) In Out AUX input from an analog source (e.g.
A * "+ ) " # $ = # ! ❑ PCI Specification Version 2.
@ / ❑ Software record and playback control of Master, Digitized Voice, and inputs from MIDI device, CD - ! 6 789 ! ❑ Decodes Doby Digital (AC-3) to 5.
B - ! "7 4" ❑ To play games in MS-DOS mode: • Connect the CD In connector to the Analog Audio connector of the CD-ROM or PC-DVD drive. • If audio is distorted, do not connect the CD SPDIF connector to the digital audio connector of the CD-ROM or PC-DVD drive. ❑ If you connect to the digital audio and analog audio connectors of the same CDROM or PC-DVD drive, do not unmute CD Audio and CD Digital at the same time in Surround Mixer.
4+ Most MS-DOS–based games have a procedure for audio setup. Generally, you are presented with a list of audio cards or audio devices from which to choose. The methods used by games to present audio options can vary greatly. Some may present a single choice that corresponds to a particular audio device, that is, Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster 16, Roland Sound Canvas, and so on.
"7 4" & The Sound Blaster Live! card includes a few MS-DOS utilities. These utilities require the Sound Blaster Live! DOS driver SBEINIT.COM to be loaded. "# <* ? Use the SBECFG.EXE utility to obtain the hardware settings and the status of the Sound Blaster Live! card. Typing SBECFG.
"# " ? Use SBESET.EXE to manually configure SB resources or disable SB Emulation. By default, SB Emulation in DOS follows the Windows settings. For example, if you disable SB Emulation in Windows, in the next boot to DOS, SB Emulation is disabled. Under rare circumstances you may need to manually reconfigure DOS SB Emulation, for example, if there is conflict in DOS before it can boot to Windows. SBESET.EXE is run from the command line.
To enable AutoPlay through Auto Insert Notification: 1. Click the Start button, select Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. In the Control Panel window, double-click the System icon. 3. In the System Properties dialog, click the Device Manager tab and select your CD-ROM drive. 4. Click the Properties button. 5. In the Properties dialog, click the Settings tab and select Auto Insert Notification. 6. Click the OK button to exit from the dialog.
To solve the problem: 1. In Surround Mixer’s Mixer deck, make sure the source being played is unmuted, that is, enabled. 2. Select the same source as the record source. For example, if you are playing DVD games or movies, in Surround Mixer, unmute the Auxiliary device and select the Auxiliary device as your record source. ❑ If you change environments, go to Surround Mixer and unmute your active sources.
# # " & " ( " ) To solve this problem: • Make sure the Analog Audio connector on the CD-ROM drive and the CD In connector on the audio card are connected. * " Sometimes when panning an analog audio input source to the left or to the right, the sound from that source turns off.
)) " < ( , This may occur when a SoundFont-compatible MIDI file is loaded or played. Cause: There is insufficient memory allocated to SoundFonts. To allocate more SoundFont cache: • On the Options tab page of SoundFont Control, move the SoundFont Cache slider to the right. The amount of SoundFont cache you can allocate depends on the system RAM available.
54 ) Conflicts between your audio card and another peripheral device may occur if your card and the other device are set to use the same I/O address. To resolve I/O conflicts, change the resource settings of your audio card or the conflicting peripheral device in your system using Device Manager in Windows. If you still do not know which card is causing the conflict, remove all cards except the audio card and other essential cards (for example, disk controller and graphics cards).
• Audio for Creative SB Live! • MIDI for Creative SB Live! • MIDI for Creative S/W Synth 5. Click the OK button to close the dialog. The drivers are removed. @ = . ' * ' To solve this problem: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. In the Windows system tray, right-click the Disc Detector icon, and then click Properties. On the General tab page of the Creative Disc Detector dialog, select Enable Disc Detector. Click the Players tab.
