User Manual Creative Sound Blaster Extigy 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 Introduction Welcome to high-definition digital audio entertainment ...................... viii What is EAX ADVANCED HD? ........................................................... ix CreativeWare ................................................................................. ix Package Contents ........................................................................... ix System Requirements ....................................................................... x Sound Blaster Extigy...........
Verifying the software installation .................................................... 2-3 Windows 98 SE and Windows Me............................................. 2-3 Windows 2000 and Windows XP .............................................. 2-3 Connecting Peripherals ........................................................................... 2-4 Recording and Content Authoring............................................................. 2-5 Connecting Speaker Systems ...................................
Playing MP3, WMA or AC3 files ....................................................... 4-1 Playing back Wave and CD Audio files ............................................. 4-2 Playing MIDI files.......................................................................... 4-2 Digital Entertainment.............................................................................. 4-2 Watching movies with surround sound ............................................ 4-2 Compiling personal albums .......................
Display Indicators..................................................................A-4 B Troubleshooting Problems Installing Software ...................................................................B-1 Problems with Sound..............................................................................
Introduction
Introduction Welcome to highdefinition digital audio entertainment Thank you for purchasing Creative's 1st high performance external Sound Blaster audio solution, the Sound Blaster Extigy! Sound Blaster Extigy is a breeze to set up and use. Installation is truly hassle-free through the USB port, and the bundled Creative PlayCenter 3 is a one-stop digital music center that lets you play, record, organize and burn your own audio CDs easily.
CMSS. You can also plug in external Dolby® Digital equipment, for example, DVD players and video game consoles, making use of its onboard Dolby Digital hardware decoder to play DVD movies or games. What is EAX ADVANCED HD? EAX ADVANCED HD brings a new level of performance, power and flexibility to PC audio.
System Requirements Sound Blaster Extigy ❑ PC Systems, Notebooks or Laptops with Genuine Intel® Pentium® II 350 MHz or faster processor ❑ Intel or 100% compatible motherboard chipset ❑ Windows® 98 Second Edition (SE), Windows Millennium Edition (Me), Windows 2000 or Windows XP ❑ 64 MB RAM for Windows 98 SE, 128 MB RAM for Windows Me, Windows 2000 or Windows XP ❑ 250 MB of free hard disk space ❑ Available USB port ❑ Headphones or amplified speakers (available separately) ❑ CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive installed ❑ S
Getting More Information Refer to the Sound Blaster Extigy Quick Start and the various online Help files for detailed information. The Sound Blaster Extigy Tour, an online presentation, gives you an interactive introduction to Sound Blaster Extigy and demonstrates its capabilities. More Help View the contents of the Sound Blaster Extigy Installation CD for additional demonstrations, libraries and other software. Visit the www.soundblaster.com site for the latest Sound Blaster news and products.
1 About Sound Blaster Extigy This chapter gets you ready to install the Sound Blaster Extigy hardware.
About Sound Blaster Extigy 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 Extigy AC Adapter* Remote Control Sound Blaster Extigy Stands Figure 1-1: USB cable *May differ depending on country of purchase Items needed for installation.
Your Sound Blaster Extigy Your Sound Blaster Extigy has these jacks and connectors that allow you to attach other devices: Center/Subwoofer Out jack Connects to 5.1 analog speaker systems. Front Out jack Connects to powered speakers or an external amplifier for audio output. MIDI In/Out connectors Connects to MIDI devices.
Controls and LEDs Set the gain of the Mic In jack to the minimum before connecting a microphone, especially if you are using headphones. The front panel of your Sound Blaster Extigy has these controls and LEDs: Remote LED Blinks when a signal from the remote control is detected. CMSS LED Lights up when CMSS mode* is selected. Power LED Lights up green when Sound Blaster Extigy is turned on. Dolby Digital LED Lights up when a Dolby Digital signal is detected.
Connecting Headphones There are two types of headphones that you can connect to your Sound Blaster Extigy: ❑ Home audio or professional audio headphones, usually fitted with a ¼ " stereo plug. ❑ Personal stereo headphones, usually fitted with a 3.5 mm stereo plug, such as those used for portable audio players. Use a ¼ " to 3.5 mm adapter for headphones or microphones with ¼ " plugs. Note: When headphones are plugged in, speaker output is muted.
Using Creative Audio Mixer To install Creative Audio Mixer and other applications, see “Software Installation” on page 2-2. • For best effects, set the master volume and microphone gain levels to 75% in Audio Mixer, and then use the Sound Blaster Extigy control knobs to make further adjustments. • If you set the master volume or microphone gain levels to 0%, or mute them in Audio Mixer, no sound will be heard, even if the Sound Blaster Extigy control knobs are set to the maximum.
Remote Control Functions * OSD - On Screen Display. Refer to Figure 1-5 and Figure 1-6 below for a description of your remote control’s functions. Number pad Used for the selection of tracks and menu items. To access a two-digit number track such as track 10, press the "1" button followed by the "0" button (in quick succession). During playback of a media format, press the "0" button to display the track list on the OSD* for selection. Up/Down buttons Used for navigating up/ down.
EAX button Displays the EAXspecific OSD menu. Display button Displays the current task status, and the time and date on the OSD. Press repeatedly for more status displays. Power button* Used for turning Sound Blaster Extigy on and setting it to standby mode. Options button Displays options for current task. Press repeatedly for more options. CMSS button* Press to select CMSS mode. Return button Returns to parent menu.
2 Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy This chapter tells you how to install and use Sound Blaster Extigy.
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy Hardware Connections 1. Turn on your computer. 2. Connect the supplied USB cable and AC adapter as shown in Figure 2-1. Notebook computer Desktop Computer USB port Sound Blaster Extigy should only be operated with the supplied AC adapter. USB cable • 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. Power outlet Note: Do this last.
3. Place Sound Blaster Extigy on a flat surface, plug the AC adapter into a power outlet and turn on the outlet, if needed. Windows automatically detects the device. Software Installation Use the appropriate software installation procedure, depending on your computer’s operating system. Windows 98 SE and Windows Me 1. Windows detects the new hardware and prompts you to install USB device drivers. 2. Click the Cancel button, then insert the Sound Blaster Extigy CD into your CDROM drive. 3.
Verifying the software installation Follow the steps below to verify that your Sound Blaster Extigy has been installed correctly. Windows 98 SE and Windows 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 SB Extigy” should appear.
Connecting Peripherals Sound Blaster Extigy will undoubtedly give you endless hours of listening pleasure. Figure 2-2 shows you how to connect peripherals to your Sound Blaster Extigy to optimize your enjoyment. CD Player Microphone Television Headphones Line In Mic In Front Out Headphones Cassette Player Analog Front, Rear and Center/Sub Inputs Center/ Subwoofer Out Rear Out Tip : Left / Center channel Ring : Right / Subwoofer channel 3.
Recording and Content Authoring Sound Blaster Extigy supports digital audio connectivity for perfect recordings and content authoring. Figure 2-3 shows you how to connect digital peripherals to your Sound Blaster Extigy. MiniDisc recorder Digital devices such as DAT recorders MIDI In/Out connectors A minijack-to-coaxial adapter is required to connect your digital device to the Digital Out jack.
Connecting Speaker Systems Playing games, music or watching movies Sound Blaster Extigy supports both analog and digital speakers. If you have a 5.1 channel speaker system, you can upmix your stereo sources (such as CD Audio, MP3, WMA, MIDI and Wave) to 5.1 channels by using the Creative Multi Speaker Surround (CMSS) technology. To upmix, you need to enable the CMSS feature in PlayCenter. Refer to the PlayCenter online Help. Minijack-to-DIN cable Analog 5.
Attaching Sound Blaster Extigy Stands If you want to place Sound Blaster Extigy vertically, attach the provided stands to the base of Sound Blaster Extigy, as shown in Figure 2-5 below. IR Receiver To prevent the IR Receiver from being blocked, make sure you attach the stands as shown in Figure 2-5. 2 1 Push the stands in, and make sure they fit firmly over Sound Blaster Extigy as shown above.
Inserting Batteries into Remote Control To insert batteries into your remote control, follow the steps in Figure 2-6 below. 1 2 Press down with your thumb and slide out the battery case cover. Figure 2-6: Take note of the polarity of the batteries as shown in the battery compartment. 3 Insert the batteries. Make sure to follow the correct polarity. 4 Slide back the battery case cover. Inserting batteries into the remote control.
Positioning Speakers If you have a 5.1-channel speaker system, position the front and rear speakers to form the corners of a square with you exactly in the center. Place the center speaker between your front speakers (for example, on your TV or monitor). Place the subwoofer in a corner of the room for the best bass experience. Adjust the relative positions of the speakers until you get the best audio experience. For recommended speaker positions, see Figure 2-7 below.
Standalone Operation The Sound Blaster Extigy can be operated without being connected to a computer. The following are some recommendations for standalone operation. Listening to digital audio Maximise your enjoyment of Dolby Digital AC3 encoded movies and music. DVD Player with Dolby Digital 5.1 channel program source. Sound Blaster Extigy also decodes 2 channel digital signals like CD Digital Audio (PCM). The Sound Blaster Extigy decodes the AC3 signal and outputs 5.
Upmixing 2-channel audio Enjoy 5.1 channels of surround sound from a 2-channel (stereo) analog program source. Digital Audio Player / CD Player / Cassette Player with 2-channel analog program source. Sound Blaster Extigy upmixes the 2-channel analog signal and outputs 6 channels of analog audio to connected amplified speakers. Press CMSS button. Enjoy up to 5.1 channels of surround sound. (Depends on type of speakers connected) Figure 2-9: Standalone Operation - 2-Channel Upmix.
Mixing analog inputs Mix music and microphone inputs to sing along with your favorite tunes. Digital Audio Player / CD Player / Cassette Player analog source. Microphone analog source. Sound Blaster Extigy mixes the 2 analog sources and outputs the mixed audio to connected amplified speakers. Enjoy singing along to your favorite tunes. Figure 2-10: Standalone Operation - Mixed Analog Output.
3 Sound Blaster Extigy Applications This chapter tells you about the applications bundled with your Sound Blaster Extigy.
Sound Blaster Extigy Applications Creative Sound Blaster Extigy Applications Sound Blaster Extigy is supported by a full range of applications to help you get the most from your audio device.
Creative Audio Control Creative Audio Control is a utility that allows you to control the SPDIF output frequency and the audio mixing quality of your USB audio product. Double-click the Audio Control icon in Windows Control Panel to open this applet. For more information and usage details on Creative Audio Control, refer to its online Help. Creative Diagnostics Creative Diagnostics is a simple but useful program for diagnosing and fixing any problems that you may have with your audio hardware.
Creative WaveStudio Creative WaveStudio allows you to perform the following sound editing functions easily: ❑ Play, edit, and record 8-bit (tape quality) and 16-bit (CD quality) wave data ❑ Enhance wave data or create unique sounds with various special effects and editing operations such as reverse, echo, mute, pan, cut, copy, and paste ❑ Open and edit several audio files at the same time ❑ Open Raw (.RAW) and MP3 (.
Creative RemoteCenter Creative RemoteCenter converts your computer into an entertainment system, which you can control from the comfort of your bed or sofa. With the remote control and RemoteCenter Player, a simple but powerful multimedia player, you can play audio and video CDs on your computer from a distance.
Creative Sound Blaster Extigy Quick Start This is a good starting point from which you can learn about Sound Blaster Extigy. The online Quick Start consists of several interactive and informative demos that feature different aspects of Sound Blaster Extigy, like experiencing digital music, watching movies and connecting speakers.
4 Using Applications This chapter tells you which applications to use for content creation, gaming and entertainment purposes.
Using Applications Sound Blaster Extigy 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 Some software DVD decoders/players cannot decode up to 5.1 channels, but can support SPDIF output. In such cases, enable the SPDIF output function to allow Sound Blaster Extigy to decode the Dolby Digital signal.
Playing back Wave and CD Audio files Use Creative PlayCenter to play back both Wave and CD Audio files. WAV is the format for digital audio files on the Windows operating platform. CD Audio refers to audio compact discs that can be played on your CD-ROM drive. Playing MIDI files MIDI (*.MID) is a music format that uses a synthesizer for playback. Use Creative PlayCenter to play MIDI files.
Content Creation Recording sound and effects Creative Recorder is an easy way of recording any audio source without worrying about mixer settings. You can also record any audio effects. Recording digital audio You can do digital recording and editing (16-bit, 48 kHz) on your computer with Sound Blaster Extigy using Creative Wave Studio. Connect any SPDIF compatible device such as a DAT deck and select SPDIF In in Creative Audio Mixer.
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 your Sound Blaster Extigy. You can hear sounds positioned in 3D space to enhance your game experience.
A General Specifications This section displays the specifications of your Sound Blaster Extigy
General Specifications This section lists the specifications of your Sound Blaster Extigy.
EAX ADVANCED HD™, Advanced Audio and 3D Audio Technology ❑ Optimized user-selectable settings for headphones, two, four or six speakers and external A/V amplifiers ❑ Improved Creative Multi Speaker Surround™ (CMSS) technology accurately places mono or stereo sources in a 360º audio space ❑ Realistic EAX reverb, panning and elevation effect brings life to your music and games ❑ Advanced time-scaling feature allows variable playback duration without altering pitch of original content ❑ Powerful Audio Clean-u
Advanced USB Features ❑ Optimized dynamic bandwidth allocation architecture for audio data transfer via USB bus. The architecture provides support for simultaneous playback of 5.
Control Knobs and Buttons on Front Panel ❑ One Microphone gain control knob (Min. to Max. with clockwise rotation) ❑ One Master Volume gain control knob (digital control, clockwise rotation to increase volume) ❑ One CMSS button: When enabled, stereo sources will be up-mixed to 4 or 5.1 channel output depending on the speaker configuration.
B 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 Extigy 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.
Problems with Sound No sound from the headphones. Check the following: ❑ The headphones are connected to the Headphones jack. ❑ In Creative Audio Mixer, the Headphones option is selected in the Speaker box. No sound from the speakers. If you do not hear any sound from an audio input source, make sure that in Creative Audio Mixer, the Mute checkbox for that source does not have a check mark in it. Check the following: ❑ You have connected your speakers to your Sound Blaster Extigy's output.
You can also enable Direct Memory Access to your storage devices. Follow the steps below: For Windows 98 SE and Windows Me 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. In the box that appears, click the Settings tab. 7.
8. In the Properties dialog box, click the Advanced Settings tab. 9. Click the DMA if available check box, to select it. 10.Click the OK button. No audio output when playing audio CDs. • Digital CD Playback may not be available on external DVD/CD-ROM drives with PCMCIA IDE controllers. • CD volume is controlled by the Wave/MP3 slider in the Audio Mixer application. Sound Blaster Extigy does not support analog CD audio playback. To listen to audio CDs, digital CD playback must be enabled.
For Windows 2000 and Windows XP 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 Hardware tab. 4. Click the Device Manager button. 5. Double-click the DVD/CD-ROM drives icon. Your computer drives will appear. 6. Right-click the disk drive icon. A menu will appear. 7. Click Properties. 8.
Index
A About CreativeWare ix EAX ADVANCED HD ix Sound Blaster Extigy 1-3 AC adapter jack 1-2 Adjusting master volume 1-4 microphone gain 1-4 Applications 3-1 Attaching Sound Blaster Extigy stands 2-7 C Center/Subwoofer Out jack 1-2 Compiling personal albums 4-2 Connecting headphones 1-4 microphones 1-4 related peripherals 2-4 speaker systems 2-6 Connectors MIDI In/Out 1-2 Optical SPDIF In/Out 1-2 Content creation 4-3 Creative Audio Control 3-2 Creative Audio Mixer 3-2 Creative Diagnostics 3-2 Creative MiniDisc
K Knobs Master Volume Control 1-3 Microphone Gain Control 1-3 L Line In jack 1-2 M Master Volume Control knob 1-3 Microphone In jack 1-2 MIDI In/Out connectors 1-2 Multimedia playback 4-1 O Online Help Creative Audio Control 3-2 Creative Audio Mixer 3-2 Creative Diagnostics 3-2 Creative MiniDisc Center 3-4 Creative PlayCenter 3-3 Creative Recorder 3-3 Creative RemoteCenter 3-4 Creative WaveStudio 3-3 RemoteCenter 1-5 Optical SPDIF In/Out connectors 1-2 P Personal albums 4-2 Playing MIDI files 4-2 MP3 f
