Creative Audigy 4 Manual
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How to use this manual Creative Sound Blaster Audigy Creative Audio Software Important: This PDF file has been designed to provide you with complete product knowledge. The following are instructions on how to make use of this PDF file effectively by launching applications and help files, as well as accessing relevant web sites, where applicable, via specially prepared links. • To launch applications, Help files or to access relevant web sites, click the blue text, or whenever the symbol or appears on the object or text. • For best viewing, this PDF is by default set to Fit Width so that all the contents on every page is visible. If you are unable to read the text clearly, press Ctrl + to zoom in or Ctrl + to zoom out. To view full screen, press Ctrl + . Note: To access the applications and Help files, you must first install the manual and the applications in your computer. Otherwise, you will receive error messages. When you click a link to launch a program, a dialog box may appear to inform you that Adobe Acrobat is going to launch the application. Click the All button to run subsequent applications without the message appearing again. To access linked web sites, your computer must be connected to the Internet. 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. The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the license agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any other medium except as specifically allowed in the license agreement. The licensee may make one copy of the software for backup purposes only. The Software License Agreement is found in a separate folder on this installation CD. The copyright and disclaimer, including trademark issues are also found in the same folder.
ii Contents Introduction High Definition Digital Audio Entertainment....................................... viii What is EAX ADVANCED HD? ............................................................ ix Package Contents ............................................................................. x System Requirements ...................................................................... x Sound Blaster Audigy card ......................................................... x SB1394 applications, games and DVD viewing ............................. x Getting More Information................................................................. xi More Help ...................................................................................... xi Technical Support ........................................................................... xi Document Conventions.....................................................................xii 1 Installing Hardware What You Need ...................................................................................... 1-1 Your Sound Blaster Audigy (SB1394) Card ................................................ 1-2 Your Sound Blaster Audigy (non-SB1394) Card ......................................... 1-3 Your Joystick/MIDI Bracket: For Sound Blaster Audigy (SB1394)........ 1-4 Installation Steps ................................................................................... 1-5 Step 1: Prepare your computer ...................................................... 1-5 Step 2: Install the Sound Blaster Audigy card .................................. 1-6 Step 3: Connect to audio cable (Optional step for Analog or Digital CD audio cable connection) ......................................................................... 1-7 Step 4: Connect to power supply ............................................................. 1-8 Connecting Related Peripherals ................................................................ 1-9 Connecting Speaker Systems ................................................................ 1-11 Connecting External Consumer Devices .................................................. 1-13 Positioning Your Speakers ..................................................................... 1-15 .......................................................................................................... 1-15 2 Installing Software
iii Installing Drivers and Applications............................................................ 2-1 Uninstalling Applications ........................................................................ 2-1 Reinstalling Applications.......................................................................... 2-2 Updating Windows 2000 (Service Pack 2) ................................................. 2-3 3 Sound Blaster Audigy Applications Creative Sound Blaster Audigy Applications ............................................... 3-1 Creative Taskbar .................................................................................... 3-2 Creative Sound Blaster Audigy Online Quick Start ...................................... 3-2 Creative Sound Blaster Audigy Experience ................................................ 3-2 EAX ADVANCED HD Gold Mine Experience ................................................ 3-3 Creative Diagnostics ............................................................................... 3-3 Creative Surround Mixer ......................................................................... 3-3 Creative AudioHQ................................................................................... 3-4 SoundFont Control ........................................................................ 3-4 Device Controls ............................................................................ 3-4 Creative Keyboard ........................................................................ 3-5 MIDI Input............................................................................ 3-5 EAX Control.................................................................................. 3-5 Creative WaveStudio .............................................................................. 3-5 Creative PlayCenter ................................................................................ 3-6 Creative Recorder .................................................................................. 3-6 Creative MiniDisc Center ......................................................................... 3-6 Creative Restore Defaults........................................................................ 3-7 4 Using Applications Multimedia Playback ............................................................................... 4-1 Watching DVDs ............................................................................ 4-1 Playing MP3 or WMA files ............................................................... 4-2 Playing back Wave and CD Audio files ............................................. 4-2 Playing MIDI files .......................................................................... 4-2
iv Creating non- General-MIDI- compliant files .................................... 4-2 Digital Entertainment.............................................................................. 4-2 Watching surround movies............................................................. 4-2 Compiling personal albums ............................................................ 4-3 Content Creation.................................................................................... 4-3 Applying voice effects .................................................................... 4-3 Recording sound and effects .......................................................... 4-3 Capturing and editing videos .......................................................... 4-3 Advanced Content Creation ..................................................................... 4-3 Recording multi-tracks with ASIO ................................................... 4-3 Creating music ............................................................................. 4-4 Recording and transcribing music ................................................... 4-4 Recording and editing musical instruments ...................................... 4-4 Recording digital audio .................................................................. 4-4 Creating multiple effects ................................................................ 4-4 Creating and playing back SoundFonts ............................................ 4-4 Internet Entertainment ........................................................................... 4-5 Encoding CD songs to MP3 format .................................................. 4-5 Downloading and playing MP3 songs ............................................... 4-5 Playing MP3 songs with EAX ADVANCED HD..................................... 4-5 Gaming Reference.................................................................................. 4-5 Enjoying EAX ADVANCED HD support.............................................. 4-5 Enjoying DirectSound3D support .................................................... 4-6 Enjoying A3D 1.0 support .............................................................. 4-6 Customizing environments for non-3D games .................................. 4-6 Appendixes A General Specifications Features ............................................................................................... A-1 PCI Bus Mastering ................................................................. A-1
v Audigy Processor ................................................................... A-1 High Quality Audio Path.......................................................... A-1 Professional Digital Audio Processing........................................ A-2 Flexible Mixer Control ............................................................. A-2 Dolby Digital (AC-3) Decoding................................................. A-2 Creative Multi Speaker SurroundTM (CMSSTM) ......................... A-3 Compatibility: For Sound Blaster Audigy (SB1394TM) only ......... A-3 Connectivity .......................................................................................... A-3 Sound Blaster Audigy (SB1394) card .............................................. A-3 Audio Inputs ......................................................................... A-3 Audio Outputs ....................................................................... A-3 SB1394 Interfaces ................................................................. A-4 Interfaces ............................................................................. A-4 Sound Blaster Audigy (non-SB1394) card ........................................ A-4 Audio Inputs ......................................................................... A-4 Audio Outputs .............................................................................. A-5 Interfaces ............................................................................. A-5 B Troubleshooting Problems Installing Software ................................................................... B-1 Problems with Sound .............................................................................. B-2 For Windows 98 SE ....................................................................... B-4 For Windows Me ........................................................................... B-4 For Windows 2000 and Windows XP ................................................ B-5 Insufficient SoundFont Cache .................................................................. B-6 Problems With Joystick ........................................................................... B-6 Problems with Multiple Audio Devices ....................................................... B-7 Problems with Sound Blaster Live! Series or Sound Blaster PCI512 card ....... B-8 Resolving I/O Conflicts............................................................................ B-9 Problems in Windows NT 4.0 ................................................................. B-10 Problems with Software DVD Player ....................................................... B-11
vi Problems with DV driver for Windows 98 SE/2000/Me .............................. B-11 Problems with File Transfers on Some VIA Chipset Motherboards............... B-12 Problems in Windows XP ....................................................................... B-14 Index
Introduction vii Introduction High Definition Digital Audio EntertainmentThank you for purchasing Sound Blaster Audigy. It is the most complete high- definition digital audio entertainment solution that you will ever come across. Two models are covered in this manual: Sound Blaster Audigy (SB1394), with SB1394 connectivity, and Sound Blaster Audigy (non-SB1394), without SB1394 support. SB1394 applications are only applicable for the Sound Blaster Audigy (SB1394) model. With the onboard 24-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) and Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC), Sound Blaster Audigy delivers high-definition sound of astounding quality with 96 kHz SPDIF support. The Sound Blaster Audigy card, with its Audigy processor, is four times as powerful as its nearest competitor. This enables awesome EAX ADVANCED HDTM technologies for your games and music listening experience. The SB1394 port provides easy high-speed connectivity to NOMAD portable digital audio players, external CD-RW drives and other IEEE 1394 compatible devices like DV Camcorders, printers, scanners and digital still cameras. Combine Sound Blaster Audigy with a rich software bundle and you get endless hours of fun. Included in your Sound Blaster Audigy Installation CD are exciting applications that allow you to create EAX-enhanced MP3 songs, and instant interactive Oozic music videos, which you can share with your friends over the Internet.
Introduction viii What is EAX ADVANCED HD?EAX ADVANCED HD brings a new level of performance, power and flexibility to PC audio. Taking advantage of the increased processing capabilities of the Sound Blaster Audigy Processor, EAX ADVANCED HD delivers a host of new high definition audio features for gaming and music enhancement. The all-new EAX ADVANCED HD Game Audio Library takes in-game audio acoustics to a whole new level. New Multi-Environment TM technology renders up to 4 simultaneous audio environments in real time. Environment PanningTM makes spatializing and localizing environments in 3D possible. Environment ReflectionsTM offers localization of early reflections and echoes. Environment FilteringTM accurately simulates the propagation of sound in both open and closed environments. Finally, Environment Morphing TM allows for seamless transition from one environment to the next. These innovative technologies bring tremendous realism and immersiveness to gaming. Sonic superiority is also assured with EAX ADVANCED HD Music Technologies. Audio Clean-Up enables the removal of unwanted noise in a digital audio file. DREAM TM creates an enhanced, disco-like surround sound for any stereo music. Time Scaling speeds up and slows down music with no distortion. Music playback is further enhanced with the specially developed EAX ADVANCED HD music effects. EAX ADVANCED HD offers dramatically increased 3D audio performance and functionality, delivering superior audio fidelity and sophisticated reverb effects for an unsurpassed digital entertainment experience that is only available from the Sound Blaster Audigy family of products.
Introduction ix Package ContentsThe following items are included in your package: ❑ Sound Blaster Audigy card ❑ Joystick/MIDI bracket for Sound Blaster Audigy (SB1394) card ❑ Sound Blaster Audigy Installation CD System Requirements Sound Blaster Audigy card❑ Genuine Intel® Pentium® II 350 MHz, AMD® K6 450 MHz or faster class processor ❑ Intel, AMD or 100%-Intel compatible motherboard chipset ❑ Windows ® 98 Second Edition (SE), Windows Millennium Edition (Me), Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 or Windows XP ❑ 64 MB RAM for Windows 98 SE/Me 128 MB RAM for Windows 2000/XP ❑ 600 MB of free hard disk space ❑ Available PCI 2.1 compliant slot for the Sound Blaster Audigy card ❑ Available adjacent slot for the Joystick/MIDI bracket (optional) ❑ Headphones or amplified speakers (available separately) ❑ CD-ROM drive installed SB1394 applications, games and DVD viewing❑ Genuine Intel Pentium II 350 MHz, MMX or AMD 450 MHz processor/3Dnow! ❑ Windows 98 SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000 or Windows XP ❑ 3D graphics accelerator with at least 8 MB of texture RAM for games ❑ 128 MB RAM recommended for digital video (DV) capture and editing ❑ Ultra DMA type hard disk with 1 GB workspace (ATA-100, 7,200 rpm type and 6 GB recommended) for DV applications (300–500 MB of free hard disk space for games)