User’s Guide Creative Rhomba NX 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 Safety and Other Instructions Caring For Your Player.......................................................................................................................... v Customer Support Services ....................................................................................................... v Introduction Before You Begin................................................................................................................................... vii Package Contents ...........
2 Getting Started Installing Software................................................................................................................................ 2-1 Inserting batteries ................................................................................................................................ 2-2 Power Level Indicators ......................................................................................................................
Locking and unlocking your player.......................................................................... 4-13 Formatting Your Player............................................................................................... 4-13 5 Software Applications About Creative MediaSource .......................................................................................................... 5-1 Appendixes A General Specifications Size........................................................................
B Frequently Asked Questions AutoPlay................................................................................................................................................. B-1 General .................................................................................................................................................. B-2 Usage ......................................................................................................................................................
Safety and Other Instructions
Safety and Other Instructions Caring For Your Player Creative will not be responsible for any loss of data due to any reasons whatsoever, including loss of data due to product breakage or malfunction. Customer Support Services While your player is quite robust, observing these handling procedures will prolong its life: ❍ Follow the information in this User's Guide only. ❍ Do not use your earphones at high volume continuously as this may damage your ears.
Introduction
Introduction Creative Rhomba NX allows you to play both MP3 and WMA (Windows Media Audio) formats. Its built-in internal memory provides ample capacity to store your favorite music files, and doubles as a storage device for documents, presentations and other data files. The player also has a built-in microphone and an FM radio. Before You Begin Package Contents ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ The package contents listed here may differ from country to country.
Creative Media Detector Media Detector makes it easy for you to access multimedia content from various internal or external media. There is no need to hunt through a maze of different software to play different types of files. Media Detector automatically recognizes the insertion of CDs, and connection of external devices like Creative Rhomba NX. Upon recognition, the content in the media will automatically start playing.
❍ ❍ ❍ Minimum System Requirements ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ The software applications on the installation CD may have higher requirements for basic functionality.
Document Conventions We use icons to highlight useful or urgent information for you: Tip. This tells you about shortcuts or hints relating to a feature. Note. This highlights additional or important information about a feature. Caution! This highlights proper usage of your player. Use this information to avoid situations involving risk. Warning! This warns you of possible hazards to yourself or your player, which may result in injury or damage.
Web Information When checking on product information, go to your respective region. Online Registration Visit www.creative.com regularly for information on: ❍ firmware updates ❍ tips and tricks ❍ frequently asked questions ❍ documentation updates ❍ software updates or purchases ❍ technologies used in your player ❍ an online glossary Enjoy a host of benefits by registering your product during installation, or at www.creative.com/register. Benefits include: ❍ Service and Product support from Creative.
A Tour of Your Player
A Tour of Your Player Your Player at a Glance Volume/Menu scroller Microphone Folder/A-B button Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Play/Pause button Front View Hold switch Mode scroller Line In jack USB port Earphone jack Record button Side Views A Tour of Your Player 1-1
Button PLAY/PAUSE What It Does ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ turns the player on and off starts, pauses or continues playback changes FM radio presets recalls menu screen recalls playback screen Usage Tips ❍ press and hold until player turns on or off ❍ VOLUME/MENU ❍ ❍ ❍ increases and decreases the volume scrolls through menu options selects menu options RECORD ❍ records voice or FM Radio channels ❍ locks the player buttons so they will not be accidentally pressed HOLD push to the right or left to increase or de
Button What It Does Usage Tips ❍ ❍ ❍ MODE SCROLLER ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ selects Music, FM Radio, Voice or Line-In mode starts or stops playback goes to the previous or next track moves ahead or moves back selects mode options changes FM radio frequencies stores or deletes FM presets ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ during playback, turn the Mode scroller to go to the previous or next track during playback, turn and hold the Mode scroller to move ahead or move back within a track during playback, press the Mode scroller to stop
Using the Scroller Scroll Select To "Scroll Select", use the scroller to scroll to the option you want, and select the option by pressing the scroller. The scroller is one of the most important features of your Rhomba NX. In this document, we will use a new term, “Scroll Select”, to indicate that you should use the scroller to scroll through options and then select the option by pressing the scroller. Depending on the screen you are in, you can have different menu options.
Getting Started
Getting Started Installing Software Windows 98 SE users must install the drivers to transfer tracks or files to the player. Windows Me/2000/XP users do not need to do so. DO NOT connect your player to your computer before installing the software. 1. Insert the Installation CD into your CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive. 2. The disc supports Windows Autoplay mode and starts running automatically. If not, you need to enable the Windows auto-insert notification feature for your CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive.
Inserting batteries The life of your batteries depends on the type of batteries used. To preserve the life of your batteries, use alkaline batteries. 1. Turn off your player. 2. Open the battery cover as shown below. 3. Insert the batteries according to the polarity indicated on your player, as shown below. To preserve your battery's life, do not use old and new batteries together. When changing batteries, change both batteries simultaneously. 4. Close the battery cover.
Power Level Indicators When you turn on your player, the LCD screen displays one of the following icons, depending on the battery’s status.
Transferring Tracks or Files
Transferring Tracks or Files Downloading from the Internet It may be illegal to encode MP3 files for trade or sale unless you have the express or explicit permission of the copyright holder(s). To get MP3 files from the Internet, use a search engine to locate sites with MP3 content. You can also try out these sites (web sites listed here are correct at the time of this document’s release): ❍ Walmart.com ❍ Buy.com ❍ Epitonic.com http://musicdownloads.walmart.com http://www.buy.com ❍ Bestbuy.
Ripping Audio CDs The first phase in making an MP3 file is extracting audio data from an audio CD. To extract audio data, you will need a CD-ROM drive that can extract digital audio data, and a program known as a ripper. With Creative MediaSource Organizer, you can rip tracks from most audio CDs. This program uses the CD-ROM drive to read the audio tracks from the audio CD and stores it on your hard disk.
Using Your Player
Using Your Player Turning Your Player On/Off To turn on the player Press and hold the Play/Pause button for a few seconds. The Creative logo appears on the screen. If your player contains no audio tracks, the "No File" message appears on the screen. To turn off the player Press and hold the Play/Pause button for a few seconds until your player turns off. Selecting Your Player’s Menu Language Your player’s default menu language is English. To select another language, follow the instructions below: 1.
To move back or forward within a track During playback, turn and hold the Mode scroller towards the left or right to move back or forward within a track. When you reach the end of a track, your player stops five seconds after the track. To repeat a section 1. During playback, press the Folder/A-B button once to mark the start of the section you wish to repeat. The ’B' icon blinks. 2. Press the Folder/A-B button again to mark the end of the section.
To change the FM frequency 1. In FM mode, turn the Mode scroller towards the right to increase the frequency band, or towards the left to decrease the frequency. 2. To perform an autoscan, move the Mode scroller towards the right or left, and hold. 3. To select a preset channel, if you have any, press the Play/Pause button. 4. To select the next available preset channel, press the Play/Pause button again. To store your FM channel 1.
5. Press the Play/Pause button to save new preset channel. Making Recordings When recording, the available recording time is determined by: - available memory space in your player. - battery power remaining in your player. Changing the Settings Making a voice, FM or Line In recording 1. In VOI, FM or ENC mode, press the Record button to start the recording. You can listen to your recording in real-time as it is being recorded. 2. The recording bar appears on the screen. 3.
The table below shows you the Settings menu and sub-menus: Class Settings Menu Sub-menu Default ❍ FM Region ❍ Asia/USA ❍ Japan, ❍ Europe ❍ Asia/USA ❍ FM Sensitivity ❍ High.
Class Menu Default ❍ Backlight ❍ 3 sec ❍ 5 sec ❍ 10 sec ❍ 3 sec ❍ LCD contrast ❍ 0 - 10 ❍ 5 ❍ LED activity ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ Off ❍ Visualizer ❍ Waveform ❍ Spectrum ❍ Spectrum ❍ Scroller speed ❍ 1x ❍ 2x ❍ 4x ❍ 2x ❍ Rotate LCD ❍ Left hand ❍ Right hand ❍ Right hand ❍ Repeat mode ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ All ❍ Equalizer ❍ Preset (Jazz, Rock, Classic, Normal, Pop) ❍ 5-band ❍ Normal ❍ Playlist ❍ Edit ❍ Delete ❍ Edit ❍ Delete file ❍ Yes ❍ No ❍ No ❍ Delete bookmark ❍ Yes ❍ No ❍ No Display Music S
Class Voice Selecting equalizer settings 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Menu Sub-menu Default ❍ Repeat mode ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ ❍ Mic sensitivity ❍ High ❍ Medium ❍ Low ❍ Low ❍ Playlist ❍ Edit ❍ Delete ❍ Edit ❍ Delete bookmark ❍ Yes ❍ No ❍ No ❍ Delete file ❍ Yes ❍ No ❍ No ❍ Monitor ❍ On ❍ Off ❍ On None Repeat track All Random repeat List repeat ❍ All Press and hold the Menu scroller. Scroll select Music. Scroll select Equalizer. Scroll select the Equalizer sub-menu that you want.
Repeating tracks Repeat All mode repeats all folders. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Press and hold the Menu scroller. Scroll select Music or Voice. Scroll select Repeat Mode. Scroll select the Repeat sub-menu that you want. To exit, press the Play/Pause button three times. The Repeat settings are applicable within a folder containing the tracks only. Saving a Bookmark A bookmark enables you to automatically go to your favorite part of an audio track during playback.
5. To save a new bookmark, repeat steps 1 to 3. Your player stores one bookmark at a time, and any previous bookmark is deleted automatically. Editing the playlist To create a playlist 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Press and hold the Menu scroller. Scroll select Music or Voice. Scroll select Play List. Scroll select the List Edit sub-menu. Scroll select the track that you want. Repeat this step to select more than one track. 6. To exit, press the Play/Pause button.
To delete a playlist 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Deleting tracks The Format ALL option deletes all data stored in your player’s memory. Be careful when using Format ALL. Press and hold the Menu scroller. Scroll select Music or Voice. Scroll select Play List menu. Scroll select the List Delete submenu. To exit, press the Play/Pause button. To delete selected tracks only 1. 2. 3. 4. Press and hold the Menu scroller. Scroll select Music or Voice. Scroll select Delete File. Scroll select Delete Yes.
Changing the LCD settings If your player’s battery is down to one bar, the backlight may not turn on. To set the contrast level for your player's screens 1. 2. 3. 4. Press and hold the Menu scroller. Scroll select Display. Scroll select the LCD Contrast submenu. Use the Menu scroller to increase or decrease the LCD contrast. The lower the number, the lower the LCD contrast. 5. To exit, press the Play/Pause button three times. To adjust the screen backlight duration 1. 2. 3. 4.
Changing the LED settings 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Press and hold the Menu scroller. Scroll select Display. Scroll select LED Activity. Scroll select the LED activity option that you want. To exit, press the Play/Pause button twice. Changing the FM region 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Press and hold the Menu scroller. Scroll select Setting. Scroll select Fm Region. Scroll select the region you are in. To exit, press the Play/Pause button three times.
Changing microphone sensitivity A higher microphone sensitivity captures more ambient noise. The recording may not be clear. 1. Press and hold the Menu scroller. 2. Scroll select Voice. 3. Scroll select Mic Sensitivity. 4. Scroll select the option you want. 5. To exit, press the Play/Pause button three times. Locking and unlocking your player Locking your Rhomba NX will disable all buttons on the player.
1. Connect Rhomba NX to your computer. 2. In Windows Explorer, select the drive your player is assigned to, for example, Removable Disk (F:) (replace F:\ with the drive letter of your player). 3. Right-click the Removable Disk icon and click the Format option. The Format F:\ dialog box appears (replace F:\ with the drive letter of your player). 4. Click the Start button. 5. After the formatting is complete, make sure you stop your player before disconnecting it from your computer.
Software Applications
Software Applications About Creative MediaSource To listen to transferred audio tracks, your player must be in Music mode. For more information, refer to "Turning Your Player On/Off" on page 4-1. Creative MediaSource and other useful software, are included on your Creative Rhomba NX CD. Creative MediaSource is the best way to organize and transfer your audio to and from your player. You can also use Creative MediaSource to burn your audio CDs. For usage details, refer to the Creative MediaSource Help.
General Specifications
General Specifications Size ❑ 82.1 mm (L) x 44.5 mm (H) x 23.2 mm (W) Weight ❑ 40 g (without batteries) ❑ 64 g (with batteries) Capacity ❑ 128, 256 or 512 MB built-in memory (depending on model) Recording time ❑ up to 2 hrs (for 128 MB model) ❑ up to 4 hrs (for 256 MB model) ❑ up to 8 hrs (for 512 MB model) Battery type ❑ 2 x AAA alkaline batteries Battery playback time ❑ Up to 14 hrs Interface ❑ USB 2.0 (USB 1.
Signal to Noise Ratio ❑ up to 90 dB FM Frequency Range ❑ 76 ~ 108.0 MHz (region selectable) THD ❑ <0.1% Earphone Output ❑ 16 mW (L: 8 mW , R: 8 mW) LCD backlight ❑ Cool Blue EL Line-in Specs ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Input jack = 3.5 mm stereo jack Input voltage (max) = 1 V (peak to peak) Input impedence = 12K ohm Line-in Encoding format = MP3, 128kbps bitrate, 44.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions If you have a technical problem with this product, you may wish to consult our selfhelp tool "Knowledge Base" for online troubleshooting and solutions. Go to www.creative.com and select your region. AutoPlay What do I do when the installation does not start automatically after the 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.
To start the installation program through Windows Explorer 1. In Windows Explorer, search and locate the d:\ctrun folder (replace d:\ with the drive letter of your CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive). 2. Double-click the start.exe file. General Where can I get official information on MP3 Player products? Visit Creative’s web site at www.creative.com for updates and downloads relating to all Creative’s MP3 players and accessories. Windows XP tells me that the software for the player is not certified.
You may see this message when installing this driver or update. If you do, you may choose to click the Continue Anyway button. Creative has tested this driver or update on Windows XP, and it does not impair or destabilize your computer. An error message appears when I connect my player to the computer, using the USB cable. An error message may appear if your computer does not have a USB 2.0 port, which supports USB 2.0 high speed transfers.
