Creative Speaker System Platinum eX User Manual

Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
User’s Guide  
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX  
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.  
Copyright © 1998-2002 by Creative Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.  
Version 1.2  
March 2003  
Sound Blaster and Blaster are registered trademarks, and the Sound Blaster Audigy logo, the Sound Blaster PCI logo, EAX ADVANCED HD, Multi-Environment, Environment  
Panning, Environment Reflections, Environment Filtering, Environment Morphing, Creative Multi Speaker Surround, Inspire, and Oozic are trademarks of Creative Technology  
Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. E-Mu and SoundFont are registered trademarks of E-mu Systems, Inc.. Cambridge SoundWorks, MicroWorks and PC Works are  
registered trademarks, and PC Works FourPointSurround is a trademark of Cambridge SoundWorks, Inc.. Microsoft, MS-DOS, and Windows are registered trademarks of  
Microsoft Corporation. Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. "Dolby", "Pro Logic", "MLP Lossless", and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby  
Laboratories. Confidential unpublished works. Copyright 1992-1998 Dolby Laboratories. All rights reserved. The FireWire logo is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.. THX  
is a registered trademark of THX Ltd.. All other products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.  
This product is covered by one or more of the following U.S. patents:  
4,506,579; 4,699,038; 4,987,600; 5,013,105; 5,072,645; 5,111,727; 5,144,676; 5,170,369; 5,248,845; 5,298,671; 5,303,309; 5,317,104; 5,342,990; 5,430,244; 5,524,074;  
5,698,803; 5,698,807; 5,748,747; 5,763,800; 5,790,837.  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
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  
object or text.  
or  
appears on the  
• 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 + <L>.  
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.  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
Contents  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Contents  
High-definition digital audio entertainment ................................................................................... i  
Document Conventions .................................................................................................................. v  
1
2
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware  
What You Need........................................................................................................................................1-1  
Your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card....................................................................................1-2  
Your Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module.................................................................................1-3  
Adjusting the volume-level of Headphones and Microphone...................................................1-7  
Using the Remote Control.......................................................................................................................1-8  
Remote Control Functions.......................................................................................................................1-9  
Installing Hardware  
Installation Steps ......................................................................................................................................2-1  
Step 1: Prepare the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware........................................2-1  
Step 2: Prepare your computer....................................................................................................2-2  
Step 3: Install the audio card .......................................................................................................2-3  
Step 4: Install the joystick............................................................................................................2-3  
Step 5: Install the cables ..............................................................................................................2-4  
Step 6: Connect to AC power socket ..........................................................................................2-6  
Connecting Related Peripherals ..............................................................................................................2-7  
Connecting Related Peripherals (cont’d) ................................................................................................2-8  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
4
Reinstalling all Audio Drivers and Applications......................................................................3-3  
Uninstalling all Audio Drivers and Applications ...................................................................................3-3  
Installing/Uninstalling selected Audio Drivers and Applications..........................................................3-4  
Updating Windows with Digital Video Update......................................................................................3-5  
Using Audigy 2 Software  
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Applications......................................................................................4-1  
Demos.......................................................................................................................................................4-2  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Getting Started Demo.........................................................................4-2  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Feature Showcase Demo ....................................................................4-2  
Introduction to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 software suite...................................................................4-3  
Creative MediaSource Go!..........................................................................................................4-3  
Creative MediaSource Go! Launcher.........................................................................................4-3  
Creative MediaSource Player......................................................................................................4-4  
“What-U-Hear” multichannel recording ....................................................................................4-4  
Creative MediaSource Organizer................................................................................................4-4  
Creative MediaSource DVD-Audio Player................................................................................4-6  
Creative EAX Console ................................................................................................................4-6  
Creative Surround Mixer.............................................................................................................4-8  
Creative Speaker Settings............................................................................................................4-8  
Creative Speaker Calibrator.........................................................................................................4-8  
Creative MiniDisc Center............................................................................................................4-9  
Creative SoundFont Bank Manager............................................................................................4-9  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
Creative Audio Stream Recorder 2.............................................................................................4-9  
Creative Wave Studio.................................................................................................................4-10  
Diagnostic and troubleshooting utilities................................................................................................4-10  
Creative Diagnostics..................................................................................................................4-10  
Creative Speaker Settings..........................................................................................................4-10  
Features.................................................................................................................................................... A-1  
Connectivity............................................................................................................................................. A-3  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX Card...............................................................................A-3  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module....................................................A-4  
Problems Installing Software.................................................................................................................. B-1  
Problems with Sound.............................................................................................................................. B-1  
Problems with File Transfers on Some VIA Chipset Motherboards.................................................... B-5  
Insufficient SoundFont Cache ................................................................................................................ B-6  
Problems with the Joystick..................................................................................................................... B-7  
Problems with Multiple Audio Devices................................................................................................. B-8  
Problems with Sound Blaster Live! Series or Sound Blaster PCI512 card.......................................... B-9  
Resolving I/O Conflicts ........................................................................................................................ B-10  
Problems with Encore DVD Player ..................................................................................................... B-11  
Problems with Software DVD Player.................................................................................................. B-11  
Problems with DV driver for Windows 98 SE/2000/Me/XP.............................................................. B-12  
Problems in XP...................................................................................................................................... B-13  
Problems with Digital Audio Devices.................................................................................................. B-14  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
Introduction  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
Introduction  
High-definition  
digital audio  
entertainment  
Thank you for purchasing Sound Blaster® Audigy2 Platinum eX, consisting of the Sound Blaster  
Audigy 2 Platinum eX card, the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module and an IR  
remote control. It is the most complete affordable high-definition digital audio entertainment solution you  
can find on the market today.  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 has received the prestigious THX Multimedia Certification award, making it the  
perfect choice for PC audiophiles seeking the very best music and movie experiences.  
Featuring 24-bit/192 kHz audio playback feature, Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX delivers high-  
definition sound of astounding quality with 24-bit/96 kHz audio recording capability from all Line Ins and  
SPDIF In. Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX supports 6.1 channel Dolby® Digital Surround EX  
surround sound audio on your computer and 5.1 output from the 96 kHz sampling rates of DVD-Audio  
discs using MLP lossless compression.  
MLP (Meridian Lossless  
Packing), the method of  
audio data compression used  
in DVD-Audio, reduces file size  
without removing any of the  
information contained in the  
original recording. The listening  
audience will hear the audio as it  
was intended in the original  
recording. Other packing  
methodologies that remove data as  
part of the compression are  
referred to as 'Lossy  
The External I/O Module provides front panel access to microphone, headphone, input/output, and MIDI  
connections — all located away from your computer and closer to your work area. The Sound Blaster  
Audigy 2 Platinum eX is the only Audigy 2 product with ASIO driver support for 24-bit/96 kHz recording  
- allowing musicians to produce high quality works. Additionally, an IEEE 1394-compliant SB1394™/  
FireWire® connection is provided for 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.  
The infrared remote control offers convenient control of your computer for tasks like playing audio or  
video CDs, at distances up to four meters (13 feet).  
Compression'.  
Introduction  
i
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
®
What is EAX  
ADVANCED  
HD?  
EAX ADVANCED HDbrings a new level of performance, power, and flexibility to PC audio. Taking  
advantage of the increased processing capabilities of the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 processor, EAX  
ADVANCED HD delivers a host of new features to achieve high definition audio for gaming and music  
enhancement.  
The EAX ADVANCED HD Game Audio Library takes in-game audio and acoustic simulation to a whole  
new level. These innovative technologies bring tremendous realism and total audio immersion to PC  
gamers:  
New Multi-EnvironmentTM technology renders multiple environment audio environments in real  
time.  
Environment PanningTM makes it easy for gamers to track with three-dimensional precision, the  
location and movement of sounds that usually represent enemies or team mates. This gives Sound  
Blaster Audigy 2 gamers a better advantage as they are more aware of the game environment.  
Environment ReflectionsTM offers localization of early reflections and echoes such as reflections  
created by canyon walls or cliffs.  
Environment FilteringTM simulates the propagation of sound in both indoor and outdoor game arenas.  
Environment MorphingTM allows for seamless transitions from one environment to the next.  
EAX ADVANCED HD Music Technologies also ensures sonic superiority:  
Audio Clean-Up removes unwanted noise in a digital audio file.  
Time Scaling speeds up and slows down music without distortion.  
EAX ADVANCED HD music effects, developed especially for music listening, further enhance  
playback of songs.  
EAX ADVANCED HD offers dramatically increased 3D audio performance and functionality. Delivering  
superior audio fidelity and sophisticated reverb effects, this unsurpassed digital entertainment experience  
is available only from the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 family of products.  
Introduction ii  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Package Contents  
The following items are included in your package:  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module and IR remote control  
AD_LINK cable  
Power converter Cable  
Joystick/MIDI bracket  
The items listed here may vary  
from country to country.  
3.5 mm minijack to ¼” plug adapter  
Two AAA batteries for the IR remote control  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Installation and Applications CD  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Feature Showcase Demo CD  
Creative DVD-Audio Sampler Disc  
Quick Start leaflet  
User’s Guide (on CD)  
Warranty (printed or on CD)  
Technical Support (printed or on CD)  
System  
Requirements  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2  
Platinum eX hardware  
Genuine Intel® Pentium® II 350 MHz, AMD® K6 450 MHz or faster processor  
for SB1394/FireWire applications or games  
Intel, AMD or 100% compatible motherboard chipset  
Windows® 98 Second Edition (SE), Windows Millennium Edition (Me), Windows 2000 Service Pack  
2 (SP2) or Windows XP  
64 MB RAM for Windows 98 SE and Windows Me  
128 MB RAM for Windows 2000 (SP2) and Windows XP  
600 MB of free hard disk space  
Available PCI 2.1 compliant slot for the audio card  
Available space for the included joystick/MIDI bracket (optional)  
Introduction iii  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
Headphones or amplified speakers (available separately)  
At least one CD-ROM/CD-RW or DVD-ROM drive installed  
SB1394/FireWire appli-  
cations, games, DVD  
audio and video  
Genuine Intel Pentium III 500 MHz, or AMD 700 MHz processor for SB1394/FireWire applications  
or games  
SB1394/FireWire: minimum 128 MB RAM and 1 GB workspace for digital video (DV) capture and  
editing. For DV applications, recommended minimum is an Ultra DMA hard disk with 6 GB  
workspace (ATA-100, 7,200 rpm type).  
Games: At least 128 MB RAM, 3D graphics accelerator with at least 8 MB of texture RAM, available  
300–500 MB of free hard disk space  
DVD: At least second generation DVD-ROM drive with these recommended soft-DVD players:  
InterVideo’s WinDVD 2000 or CyberLink’s PowerDVD 3.0 or later  
DVD-Audio: Pentium III or AMD Athlon 1 GHz or faster processor recommended. Requires 256 MB  
RAM for Windows 98 SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000 SP3 or Windows XP SP1, Also requires a  
second-generation 6X or faster DCD-ROM drive.  
Minimum 256 MB RAM  
recommended for Windows 2000  
SP3 and Windows XP users for  
games and DV capture and editing.  
Internet multimedia and Internet Radio: requires at least a 56 kbps modem and an active Internet connection to run the application  
entertainment  
Other Internet applications may have higher system requirements or may require a microphone. Refer to  
the application’s online Help documentation for details.  
Getting More  
Information  
Refer to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Getting Started demo and the various online Help files for detailed  
information on Creative applications. The Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Feature Showcase demo gives you an  
interactive introduction to Sound Blaster Audigy 2 and demonstrates the card’s capabilities.  
Visit the  
Soundblaster  
website  
View the contents of the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Installation and Applications CD for additional libraries  
and other software. Visit the www.soundblaster.com site for the latest Sound Blaster news and products.  
support for the automated driver download and installation.  
Introduction iv  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
Technical Support  
Document  
The following typographical conventions are used throughout this manual:  
Conventions  
The notepad icon indicates information that is of particular importance and  
should be considered before continuing.  
The alarm clock designates a caution or warning that can help you avoid  
situations involving risk.  
The warning sign indicates that failure to adhere to directions may result in  
bodily harm or life-threatening situations.  
Introduction  
v
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2  
Platinum eX hardware  
1
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware  
Before you begin installation, be sure that you have these:  
What You Need  
In addition, you will also need  
an available PCI slot and another  
adjacent available slot on your  
computer.  
Sound Blaster  
Audigy 2 Platinum eX card  
AD_LINK cable  
Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O  
Module  
Phillips-head  
screwdriver (not  
included)  
Power Converter Cable  
Joystick/MIDI bracket  
Figure 1-1: What you need.  
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-1  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
Your audio card has these jacks and connectors to enable the attachment of a wide variety of devices:  
Your Sound  
Blaster Audigy 2  
Platinum eX card  
7
6
Click any circled number in the  
diagram to see a description of the  
item.  
5
1
The Audigy 2 Platinum eX card  
works as a stand-alone audio card.  
However to enjoy all the features  
available, you need to connect it to  
the External I/O Module.  
4
2
3
Figure 1-2: Jacks, connectors and ports  
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-2  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module has these jacks, connectors and controls:  
Your Audigy 2  
Platinum eX  
External I/O  
Module  
5
6
1
2
3
4
7
8
9
Click any circled number in the  
diagram to see a description of  
the item.  
15  
10  
13  
14  
12  
11  
• To connect your existing  
computer headphones and  
microphone to the External I/  
O Module, use a 3.5 mm (1/  
8”) minijack to 1/4” plug  
adapter.  
• Set the gain level of the Mic In  
2 jack to the minimum before  
connecting or turning on a  
microphone, especially if you  
are using headphones.  
Figure 1-3: Jacks, connectors and controls.  
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-3  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Table 1: The Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card  
Number  
Description  
Connects to the Joystick/MIDI bracket for gamepads, other input and MIDI devices.  
Click here or on any description to  
return to the diagram of the Sound  
Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX  
card.  
2
3
4
AD_LINK 2 port  
Connects to the External I/O Module’s AD_LINK2 port to supply power.  
AD_LINK 1 connector  
Connects to the External I/O Module for transferring data.  
Line Out 3 jack  
Connects to Front Center, subwoofer and Rear Center inputs of powered analog  
speakers or an external amplifier.  
5
6
Line Out 2 jack  
Connects to Rear Left/Right analog inputs of powered analog speakers or an external  
amplifier.  
Line Out 1 jack  
Connects to Front Left/Right analog input of an external amplifier or to powered  
analog speakers, or headphones.  
7
8
9
Power Connector  
Connects to the supplied power converter cable.  
Aux_In connector  
Connects to an analog output of a CD or DVD-ROM drive.  
CD_SPDIF connector  
Connects to the digital output of a CD or DVD-ROM drive.  
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-4  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
             
Click here or on any description to  
return to the diagram of the  
External I/O Module.  
Connects to an IEEE 1394 compatible external device (such as a digital video  
camcorder, digital still camera, printer or scanner).  
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Optical SPDIF Out/In  
For recording/playback devices with optical connectors.  
Line In 2 jack  
For analog devices like music synthesizers and other line-level sources.  
Line In 1/Mic In jack  
For line sources (for example, electric guitars) or dynamic microphones.  
¼-inch Headphone jack  
For connecting to headphones. (Speaker output will be muted).  
Microphone Input Sensitivity control knob  
Controls the input level of a microphone signal.  
Master Volume control knob  
Controls the overall output volume.  
CMSS Switch  
®
Turns the Creative MediaSource MultiSpeaker Surround feature on or off.  
Infrared Receiver  
Lets you control your computer via the IR remote control.  
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-5  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
                 
Table 2: Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module  
Description  
10  
Connects to analog devices like VCRs, TVs and CD players.  
Click here or on any description  
to return to the diagram of the  
External I/O Module.  
11  
12  
13  
14  
Standard MIDI In/Out connectors  
Connects to MIDI devices via standard DIN cables.  
SPDIF In/Out Coaxial jacks  
For digital audio recording/playback devices such as DAT and MiniDisc recorders.  
SPDIF Digital Out Mini DIN jack  
Outputs digital audio via mini DIN cable.  
AD_LINK 1 Connector  
Connects to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card's AD_LINK 1 cable's  
connector.  
15  
AD_LINK 2 Connector (SB1394/FireWire port)  
Connects to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card's AD_Link 2 connector  
via the supplied 1.8 meter (5-feet) AD_LINK cable. It provides power to the External  
I/O Module. Next to AD_LINK 2 is another SB1394/ FireWire port, for connection  
to IEEE1394-compatible devices.  
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-6  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
           
Adjusting the  
volume-level of  
Headphones and  
Microphone  
You can adjust the headphones volume and microphone gain in two ways.  
Using the control knobs On the front panel of the External I/O Module, turn the respective control knob:  
Counterclockwise to decrease the headphone volume or microphone gain.  
Clockwise to increase the headphone volume or microphone gain.  
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-7  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Using Creative  
Surround Mixer  
To adjust headphones volume:  
1. Click Start -> Programs -> Creative -> Sound Blaster Audigy 2 -> Surround Mixer.  
2. On the Master Control panel of Creative Surround Mixer, make sure that there is no red “X” on the  
Speaker button under the Volume slider. Otherwise, click the Speaker button. This will unmute the  
headphones output.  
To install Creative Surround  
Mixer and other applications, see  
“Installing Drivers and  
3. Drag the Volume slider up or down to adjust the headphones volume.  
To adjust microphone gain:  
Applications” on page 3-1.  
1. Click Start -> Programs -> Creative -> Sound Blaster Audigy 2 -> Surround Mixer.  
2. On the Source panel of Creative Surround Mixer, click an audio input source button with a down  
arrow, and then select Line-In 1/Mic.  
3. Make sure the Speaker button below the Line-In 1/Mic slider has no red “X” on it. Otherwise, click  
the Speaker button. This will unmute the audio input.  
• For best effects, set the  
headphones volume and  
microphone gain levels to  
75% in Surround Mixer, and  
then use the Audigy 2  
4. Drag the slider to adjust the microphone gain.  
Platinum eX External I/O  
Module’s control knobs to  
make further adjustments.  
• If you set the headphones  
volume or microphone gain  
levels to 0%, or mute them in  
Creative Surround Mixer, you  
hear no sound even if the  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2  
Platinum eX External I/O  
Module’s control knobs are set  
to the maximum.  
The external External I/O Module has an infrared receiver for the remote control. This remote control lets  
you operate your computer from the comfort of your sofa or bed up to a distance of 4 meters (13 feet).  
Using the  
Remote Control  
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-8  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Refer to Figure 1-4 and Figure 1-5 below for a description of your remote control’s functions.  
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.  
Play/Pause button  
Starts, pauses or resumes the current  
playback.  
• *OSD - On Screen Display.  
• The model of your remote  
control may be different from  
the unit displayed here.  
Slow Motion  
Forward button  
Reduces the  
Record  
button  
Starts audio  
recording.  
playback speed  
(except for audio  
CDs and MIDI files).  
Press repeatedly to  
select the speed.  
PressthePlay/Pause  
button to resume  
normal playback.  
Up/Down buttons  
Used for navigating up/  
down.  
Fast Forward/  
Right button  
Use this to  
cue forward  
through a track,  
or increase a  
value or  
navigate right.  
Step Forward  
button  
(For video only)  
Next button  
Press once to pause  
playback. Pressing  
the button each time  
will advance you to  
the next video frame.  
To resume normal  
playback, press the  
Play/Pause button.  
Goestothenext  
track or menu  
page.  
Select/OK button  
Rewind/Left  
Executes a selected task or  
command. During playback  
of a media format, press  
this button to display the  
content menu on the OSD*  
for selection.  
button  
Used for  
rewinding a track,  
decreasing a  
value or  
Stop/Eject button  
Stops the current  
playback. Pressing the  
button subsequently will  
eject the disc.  
Previous button  
Goes to the  
previous track or  
menu page.  
navigating left.  
Figure 1-4: Navigation Buttons on the Remote Control.  
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-9  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
EAX button  
Displays the  
EAX-specific  
OSD menu.  
Display button  
Displays the current  
task status, and the  
time and date on the  
OSD.  
Power button  
Displays the Shutdown Menu  
Options button  
Displays options for  
current task.  
CMSS button  
Press to select CMSS mode.  
Return button  
Returns to  
parent menu.  
Close/Cancel button  
Cancels the current  
OSD menu or closes  
the application  
Mute button  
Press to mute audio.  
currently being  
controlled by the  
remote control.  
Master Volume buttons  
Press the Volume Up (+) or Volume Down  
(-) button to control the master volume of  
your computer and Sound Blaster Audigy  
2 Platinum eX.  
Start button  
Displays the OSD  
Start menu for the  
selection of a task.  
Figure 1-5: Other Buttons on the Remote Control.  
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-10  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Installing Hardware  
This chapter tells you how to install the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum  
eX hardware.  
2
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Installing Hardware  
Installation Steps  
Step 1: Prepare the  
Sound Blaster  
1. Place the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module near your computer.  
2. Locate the AD_LINK cable that links your External I/O Module to your Sound Blaster Audigy 2  
Platinum eX card.  
Audigy 2 Platinum  
eX hardware  
Turn off the main power supply  
and disconnect your computer’s  
power cord. Systems using an  
ATX power supply unit with soft  
power off may still be powering  
the PCI slot. This can damage  
your audio card when it is  
inserted into the slot.  
Figure 2-1:  
Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module and AD_LINK cable  
Installing Hardware 2-1  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
     
Step 2: Prepare your 1. Turn off your computer and all peripheral devices.  
2. Touch a metal plate on your computer to ground yourself and to discharge any static electricity, and  
computer  
then unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.  
3. Remove the computer cover.  
4. Remove the metal brackets from two adjacent unused PCI slots as shown in Figure 2-2.  
Remove any existing audio card  
or disable the onboard audio.  
For more information, see  
“Troubleshooting and FAQs” on  
page B-1.  
Remove screws (if any) and put  
aside for securing the audio card’s  
metal bracket.  
metal bracket  
PCI slot  
ISA slot (on older mainboards)  
Figure 2-2:  
Removing metal brackets  
Installing Hardware 2-2  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Step 3: Install the  
audio card  
1. Align the audio card with the PCI slot and press the card  
gently but firmly into the slot as shown in Figure 2-3.  
2. Do not force the audio card into the slot. Make sure that the  
gold traces of the card’s PCI connector are aligned with the  
PCI bus connector on the motherboard before you insert the  
card into the PCI expansion slot. If it does not fit properly,  
gently remove it and try again.  
3. Secure the audio card to the computer.  
PCI  
slot  
Figure 2-3:Aligning the card against the slot.  
Step 4: Install the  
joystick connector  
1. Align the joystick connector bracket next to  
the audio card.  
2. Secure the Joystick bracket with a screw (if necessary).  
See Figure 2-4.  
Figure 2-4:  
Installing the joystick port  
Installing Hardware 2-3  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
Step 5: Install the  
cables  
1. Connect the AD_LINK 1 connectors on the AD_LINK cable first. With the connector’s side springs  
pressed down, push the connector until it clicks firmly into place on both the audio card and the  
External I/O module.  
2. Connect the AD_LINK 2 connectors at both ends. See Figure 2-5.  
3. Locate the supplied power converter cable. Insert the small white connector into the audio card's power  
connector.  
To use the front and back SB1394/  
FireWire connectors on the  
External I/O Module, you must  
connect the AD_LINK 1 and  
AD_LINK 2 connectors on both  
the audio card and the External  
I/O Module.  
4. Connect the other end of the power convertor to an available power supply cable from your computer's  
power supply unit.  
Note: Make sure that the power cable connected to the audio card is not shared with other devices like  
disk drives.  
To system power supply  
unit  
CD-ROM or DVD-  
ROM drive  
4
5
6
3
CD_SPDIF connector  
Power converter  
cable and connector  
If your computer chassis blocks  
the AD_LINK cable from  
connecting to the audio card:  
1) Unscrew and loosen the card  
from the PCI slot  
2) Insert the AD_LINK cable  
3) Reinstall the card securely into  
the PCI slot.  
If the AD_LINK cable is too long,  
coil it gently to prevent damage to  
the delicate wires inside the cable.  
Side spring  
2
1
Figure 2-5:  
Connecting the cables to the audio card.  
Installing Hardware 2-4  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
5. Connect your CD-ROM or DVD drive’s analog audio output cable to the Audigy 2 Platinum eX card’s  
Aux_IN connector.  
6. If your CD-ROM or DVD drive has a digital SPDIF audio output connector, you may wish to skip Step  
5 and use a two-pin digital audio cable (available separately) to connect the drive to the Audigy 2  
Platinum eX card’s CD_SPDIF connector instead, for better sound quality.  
Windows 98 SE users can also  
listen to audio CDs via Windows  
Media Player 7.x or later, using  
the Digital Playback option. Your  
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive must  
support sustained digital reads.  
Read the Media Player help for  
more information.  
Note: Audio can be sent to your computer through your CD or DVD drive’s IDE cable instead, through  
a feature called Digital CD Audio Extraction. See “Digital CD Audio Extraction” below if you wish  
to use this feature.  
Digital CD Audio  
Extraction  
To enable this feature in Windows Me or Windows 2000  
(enabled by default in Windows XP), follow the steps below:  
1. In Windows 2000/XP or Windows Me, click Start ->  
Settings-> Control Panel -> System.  
2. Select the Device Manager tab.  
3. Double-click the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM icon. Double-  
click the name of your drive.  
On a fresh installation of  
4. In the Properties tab, click the “Enable Digital CD audio  
Windows Me, you may not hear  
audio from your CD-ROM drive  
even after enabling Digital CD  
Audio. To solve this, disable  
Digital CD Audio and then restart  
the computer. When the system  
has restarted, re-enable Digital  
CD Audio and restart the system  
again.  
for this CD-ROM device” checkbox to select it.  
Figure 2-6:  
Enabling Digital CD Audio in  
Windows 2000  
Installing Hardware 2-5  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
Step 6: Connect to  
AC power socket  
1. Replace the computer cover.  
2. Plug the power cord into the AC wall outlet, and turn on the computer.  
To connect your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card and External I/O Module to other devices, see  
“Connecting Related Peripherals” on page 2-7.  
To install software. refer to “Installing Drivers and Applications” on page 3-1.  
Installing Hardware 2-6  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX will give you endless hours of listening pleasure. Figure 2-7 shows  
you how to connect related peripherals to your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX to optimise your  
enjoyment.  
Connecting  
Related  
Peripherals  
1
2
3
7
6
Click any circled number in the  
diagram to see a description of the  
item.  
4
Analog Source  
The supplied AD_LINK cable  
consists of two connectors  
(AD_LINK 1 and AD_LINK 2) at  
both ends. AD_LINK 1 transfers  
data while AD_LINK 2 provides  
power via an IEEE1394  
connection.  
5
Figure 2-7:  
Connecting Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX to other devices.  
Installing Hardware 2-7  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Connecting  
Related  
Peripherals  
(cont’d)  
Other IEEE 1394  
devices you can  
connect:  
2
3
4
1
IEEE 1394 hard disk  
IEEE CD-RW drive  
SB 1394/Firewire  
NOMAD Jukebox  
IEEE-compliant  
1394 devices  
7
or  
Click any circled number in the  
diagram to see a description of the  
item.  
6
5
Dolby Digital (AC-3)  
Amplifier SPDIF In  
Figure 2-8: Connecting peripherals to the External I/O Module.  
Installing Hardware 2-8  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
1
2
3
4
Multichannel analog audio-video amplifier or 5.1/6.1 analog multi-speaker system,  
Click here or on any description in  
the table to return to the main  
diagram.  
Line Out 1 jack  
Connects to powered stereo speakers or an external amplifier. Also supports  
headphones. Outputs front Left/Right audio channels.  
Line Out 2 jack  
Connects to powered surround speakers or an external surround amplifier with  
surround inputs. Outputs Surround Left/Right audio.  
Line Out 3 jack  
Three-channel analog jack outputs Subwoofer, Front Centre and Rear Centre signals.  
A 4-pole 3.5mm plug is required.  
5
6
Digital Audio device  
Devices like DAT or MD players that have a 3.5mm input jack.  
Coaxial Analog Line In jacks  
Connect to external analog stereo devices like cassette recorders, tuners or other line-  
level sound sources.  
7
SPDIF Digital Out jack  
Outputs up to 6.1-channels or compressed AC-3 SPDIF output for connection to  
digital surround decoders and amplifiers or digital speaker systems, like the Creative  
Inspire 5.1TM speaker system.  
Installing Hardware 2-9  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Table 2: Description of components on Page 2-8  
1
Optical Input/Output  
Connect to digital recording/playback devices with TOSLINK optical input and  
output connectors.  
Click here or any description in  
the table to return to the main  
diagram  
2
3
Line In 1/Mic In jack  
Connects to analog line-level devices like electric guitars, or microphones.  
1/8-inch Headphone jack  
Connects to stereo headphones with 3.5mm (1/8-inch) jack. Use a convertor if your  
headphones come with a smaller connector.  
4
5
Digital Video camcorder or other IEEE 1394 device  
Connect IEEE-compliant 1394/Firewire devices like Digital Video camcorders or the  
NOMAD Jukebox.  
Mini DIN SPDIF connector  
Found on Creative digital speaker systems like the Creative Inspire 5.1™, which can  
be connected to the External I/O Module’s SPDIF Digital Output via a Mini DIN-to-  
mini plug convertor.  
6
7
MIDI In/Out connectors  
Connect to MIDI devices like synthesizers, etc. MIDI devices can be daisy-chained  
if they have both MIDI In and MIDI Out jacks.  
Digital Recording Device  
Connect to external digital playback and record stereo devices such as another  
Creative audio card, or DAT recorder.  
Installing Hardware 2-10  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
If you have a 5.1 or 6.1 channel speaker system, you can “upmix” your stereo sources (such as MP3,  
WMA, MIDI and Wave) to 6.1 channels by using the Creative MultiSpeaker Surround (CMSS)  
technology. To upmix, you need to enable the CMSS feature in Creative EAX console. Refer to the EAX  
ADVANCED HD online Help.  
Connecting  
Speakers  
Systems  
Surround amplifier or speaker  
system with analog 5.1 inputs  
Line Out 1 (Analog)  
Line Out 2 (Analog)  
Line Out 3 (Analog)  
For discrete 7-channel amplifiers  
or systems, use a 3.5 mm  
(stereo) Audio/Video-to-RCA  
cable (available separately) to  
connect Line Out 3 to available  
Center, Subwoofer and Rear  
Center channels.  
Rear Center connectors for  
use in 6.1-channel systems  
only  
For 5.1-channel systems, Line Out 1, 2 and 3 require  
a standard 3-pole mini plug. For 6.1-channel systems,  
Line Out 3 requires a 3.5mm stereo Audio/Video plug-  
to-RCA jack for output of Center, Subwoofer and Rear  
Center signals.  
For connection to center and  
subwoofer channels using a 3.5  
mm (stereo)-to-RCA cable or 3.5  
mm (stereo) Audio/Video-to-  
RCA cable (available  
separately), connect the white  
RCA jack to the Center input,  
and the red RCA jack to the  
Subwoofer input.  
Right  
channel,  
Left  
channel  
for two-  
channel  
output  
Subwoofer,  
Centerand  
Rear  
Center for  
three-  
channel  
output  
3.5 mm (mono)-to-3.5  
mm (mono) digital cable  
Dolby Digital  
Decoder/Amplifier  
Figure 2-9: Connecting external consumer electronic devices to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX.  
Installing Hardware 2-11  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
If you are using four to six speakers, place  
them to form a circle around you  
(Figure 2-10), and the speakers angled  
toward you.  
Speaker notation  
FL:FrontLeft  
CS: Front Center  
FR: Front Right  
RL: Rear Left  
Positioning Your  
Speakers  
SW  
CS  
Make sure that the computer monitor is not  
blocking the path of your front speakers.  
You may want to adjust the relative  
positions of the speakers until you get the  
audio experience you like best. If you have a  
subwoofer, place the unit near a corner of  
the room for the best bass experience.  
RC: Rear Center  
RR: Rear Right  
SW: Subwoofer  
FL  
FR  
RR  
Good speaker placement can  
enhance your movie enjoyment,  
while careless placement can make  
good audio systems sound bad.  
For detailed loudspeaker  
placement tips visit the Dolby  
Laboratories website at http://  
ListenersGuideEX.html  
RC  
RL  
Figure 2-10:  
Recommended speaker  
placement.  
Installing Hardware 2-12  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Installing Software  
This chapter tells you how to install the Sound Blaster Audigy 2  
Platinum eX software.  
3
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Installing Software  
You need to install device drivers and applications prior to using Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX.  
To install these drivers and the selected software applications, use the following instructions. The  
instructions are applicable to all supported Windows operating systems.  
Installing Drivers  
and Applications  
1. After you have installed the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card and Audigy 2 Platinum eX  
External I/O Module, turn on your computer. Windows automatically detects the audio card and device  
drivers.  
2. When prompted for the audio drivers, click the Cancel button.  
• During the installation process,  
Windows 98 SE users may be  
prompted to insert the  
Windows 98 SE installation  
CD into the CD-ROM drive.  
Do so and click the OK button.  
• Some computers may be  
supplied without the Windows  
98 SE CD, but have the  
3. Insert the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Installation and Applications CD into your CD-ROM drive.  
If your system’s Windows AutoPlay mode is enabled, the CD starts running automatically. If not, you  
need to enable your CD-ROM drive’s auto-insert notification feature. For more details, see “Problems  
Installing Software” on page B-1.  
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation.  
5. When prompted, restart your computer.  
Downloading the latest applications and device drivers from the Internet is easier than ever with Creative  
Software AutoUpdate. See “Using Creative Software AutoUpdate” on page 3-2 for details.  
necessary files stored in  
C:\Windows\Options\Cabs  
(where C: represent the drive  
Windows has been installed  
on).  
Installing Software 3-1  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
     
Locating, downloading and installing updates for your Creative Products is now simpler and faster with  
the new web-based Creative Software AutoUpdate system.  
Using Creative  
Software  
AutoUpdate  
Instead of spending valuable time searching for individual files to download and install for each of your  
installed Creative Products, let Creative Software AutoUpdate do the work for you.  
When you connect to Creative Software AutoUpdate via the Internet, the website will analyze your  
computer system to determine what operating system (OS), language and Creative products are installed  
in your system.  
For your privacy, no personal  
information is captured by or sent  
to Creative Labs during the  
Software AutoUpdate process.  
Only system information and  
Creative product details are  
required for the AutoUpdate  
analysis. None of this information  
can or will be used by Creative for  
any other purpose.  
After the online analysis, you will be able to select from a list of only the most relevant software and driver  
updates. The files will then be dynamically retrieved and installed on your system for you. As the files are  
customised for your specific OS, language and Creative hardware, they are smaller and take less time to  
download, compared to the huge generic multi-language files available via non-customised software  
downloads.  
Points to note:  
First-time users of Creative Software AutoUpdate may be prompted to authorise the download of a  
browser component required for system inspection. Ensure that the content is signed by Creative Labs,  
Inc., and then click the Yes button.  
Ensure that all your Creative products are connected and installed on the same computer running  
Creative Software AutoUpdate.  
To feel the audio card’s awesome gaming, music reproduction and home studio capabilities, install the  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Feature Showcase Demo. This demo requires high-quality 5.1/6.1 speaker for  
optimal listening experience.  
Sound Blaster  
Audigy 2 Feature  
Showcase Demo  
1. Insert the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Feature Showcase Demo CD into your CD-ROM drive.  
If the drive supports Windows AutoPlay mode, the CD starts running automatically. If not, you need  
to enable your CD-ROM drive’s auto-insert notification feature. For more details, see “Problems  
Installing Software” on page B-1.  
2. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation, and to run the Demo.  
Installing Software 3-2  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
At times you may need to uninstall or reinstall some or all of the audio card's applications and device  
drivers to correct problems, change configurations, or upgrade outdated drivers or applications. The  
following instructions tell you how to do so in all Windows operating systems.  
Uninstalling and  
Reinstalling the  
Applications and  
Device Drivers  
Before you begin, close all audio card applications. Applications that are still running during the  
uninstallation will not be removed.  
Reinstalling all  
Audio Drivers and  
Applications  
If you are experiencing problems with the Audigy 2 device drivers or application, you may want to  
reinstall all of them. To do so:  
1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.  
2. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.  
3. Click the Install/Uninstall tab or the Change or Remove Programs button.  
4. Select the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 entry, and then click the Add/Remove (or Change/Remove)  
button.  
5. In the InstallShield Wizard dialog box, select the Repair option. If prompted, insert the Sound  
Blaster Audigy 2 Installation and Applications CD into your CD-ROM and click the OK button.  
6. Click the Yes button.  
7. Restart your computer when prompted.  
You can now check the computer to see if the reinstalled software works properly. If not, proceed to  
“Troubleshooting and FAQs” on page B-1.  
For a cleaner installation, you may want to uninstall all the audio drivers and applications before you  
reinstall them again. To do so:  
Uninstalling all  
Audio Drivers  
and Applications  
1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.  
2. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.  
3. Click the Install/Uninstall tab or Change or Remove Programs button.  
4. Select Sound Blaster Audigy 2 entry, and then click the Add/Remove (or Change/Remove) button.  
Installing Software 3-3  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
     
5. In the InstallShield Wizard dialog box, select the Remove option.  
6. Click the Yes button.  
7. Restart your computer when prompted.  
To uninstall Creative MediaSource and all its components, do the following:  
1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.  
2. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.  
3. Click the Install/Uninstall tab (or Change or Remove Programs button).  
4. Select Sound Blaster Audigy 2 entry, and then click the Add/Remove (or Change/Remove) button.  
5. In the InstallShield Wizard dialog box, select the Full Uninstallation button, and then click the Next  
button.  
6. Click the Yes button.  
7. Restart your computer when prompted.  
The above instructions helped you to install or uninstall all device drivers or applications. However, you  
can also install or uninstall only selected drivers or applications. To do so:  
Installing/  
Uninstalling  
selected Audio  
Drivers and  
Applications  
1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.  
2. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.  
3. Click the Install/Uninstall tab (or the Change or Remove Programs button)  
4. Select Sound Blaster Audigy 2 entry, and then click the Add/Remove (or Change/Remove) button.  
5. In the InstallShield Wizard dialog box, select the Modify option. A list of applications appears.  
6. To uninstall an application, click the check box adjacent to it so that the box is clear. To install an  
application, click the adjacent check box so that a tick/cross appears within it.  
7. Click the Next button. If prompted, insert the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Installation CD into your CD-  
ROM, and click the OK button.  
8. Restart your computer when prompted.  
Installing Software 3-4  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
To uninstall a selected component in Creative MediaSource, do the following:  
1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.  
2. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.  
3. Click the Install/Uninstall tab (or the Change or Remove Programs button)  
4. Select the Creative MediaSource entry, then click the Add/Remove (or Change/Remove) button.  
5. In the InstallShield Wizard dialog box, click the Custom Uninstallation button, and then click the  
Next button.  
6. Click the check box of the application that you want to uninstall, to select it.  
7. Click the Next button.  
8. Restart your computer when prompted.  
Windows 2000 now provides better support for AC-3 SPDIF output (non-PCM through WaveOut) for  
software DVD viewing. Click the web site link below to download the Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 to  
enjoy this support and to fix other issues in the Windows 2000 OS.  
Updating  
Windows 2000  
(Service Pack 3)  
If you have installed DirectX 8.0 or 8.0a run time, install the latest update for this application. If DirectX  
8.1 has been installed, users do not need the update.  
Updating  
Windows with  
Digital Video  
Update  
This update provides PAL support and improved device support to 1394 Digital Video equipment users  
This is applicable for Windows 98 SE and Windows 2000 users. This update provides minor  
improvement to the Windows Me OS. To look for this update, go to the web site below.  
Installing Software 3-5  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
Using Audigy 2 Software  
Find out how the software accompanying your audio card can be used  
to control and customise the card for best performance.  
4
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Using Audigy 2 Software  
Creative Sound  
Blaster Audigy 2  
Applications  
The applications included with  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum  
eX may be different from those  
described here. Sound Blaster  
Audigy 2 Platinum eX may also  
come with third party  
applications that may include  
user manuals and other help  
documents not produced by  
Creative.  
Creative MediaSource Go! Launcher  
Creative MediaSource Player  
Creative MediaSource Organizer  
Creative MediaSource DVD-Audio Player  
Creative EAX Console  
Creative Surround Mixer  
Creative Speaker Calibrator  
Creative Speaker Settings  
Creative MiniDisc Center  
Creative SoundFont Bank Manager  
Creative Audio Stream Recorder 2  
Creative Wave Studio  
Diagnostic and troubleshooting utilities  
Creative Diagnostics  
Creative Speaker Settings  
Using Audigy 2 Software 4-1  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
Three demo packages have been included to showcase the basic as well as the advanced features of your  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware. We recommend that you play them at least once in order to  
have a good overview of your card’s features.  
Demos  
Sound Blaster  
Audigy 2 Getting  
Started Demo  
This is a good starting point from which you can learn about Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX. The  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Getting Started Demo consists of several interactive and informative demos that  
highlight different aspects of Sound Blaster Audigy 2: experiencing digital music and digital gaming,  
watching movies, connecting speakers, and performing tasks.  
Sound Blaster  
Audigy 2 Feature  
Showcase Demo  
Use the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Feature Showcase Demo to feel the audio card’s awesome gaming, music  
reproduction and home studio capabilities.  
Experience the following exciting features of the new Sound Blaster Audigy 2:  
DVD-Audio Playback — Learn more about this new, high-resolution music format and experience the  
difference when a DVD-Audio clip is being played.  
EAX ADVANCED HD technologies — Experience complex multi-environment audio effects as you  
navigate through a fascinating virtual 3D world. Run this demonstration and experience EAX  
ADVANCED HD technologies such as Environment Panning, Environment Reflection and  
Environment Morphing. Compare the scenes with and without EAX ADVANCED HD, and you will  
understand why more game developers are using EAX ADVANCED HD technologies for the best  
gaming experience.  
Dolby Digital Surround EX Support — Listen to a THX audio demonstration containing an additional  
rear channel (rear center) that produces a richer and more consistent surround effect than that of  
systems with only two rear channels.  
Note: The Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Feature Showcase Demo can be installed using the separate Feature  
Showcase Demo CD in your package. This demo will run only if a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum  
eX card is installed because the software utilises the card’s hardware capabilities for the demonstrations.  
Using Audigy 2 Software 4-2  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
     
This section walks you through the main suite of the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 software that enables you to  
make full use of Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX’s versatile and powerful features.  
Introduction to  
the Sound  
Blaster Audigy 2  
software suite  
Creative  
MediaSource Go!  
Creative MediaSource Go! is a convenient launch pad, not only for Creative MediaSource's components,  
but also for your own frequently used applications. If you have desktop shortcuts for your favorite  
applications, you can place them in one central location, Creative MediaSource Go!  
The Creative MediaSource Go! button launches Creative MediaSource Go! Launcher. Creative  
MediaSource Go! floats on your desktop as a small profile bar. Clicking a button on the bar causes it to  
expand horizontally into a shortcut bar. Creative MediaSource Go! Launcher contains icons that launch  
the various MediaSource modules for controlling Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX. You can also add  
your own shortcut icons to Creative MediaSource Go!.  
For more information and usage details on Creative MediaSource Go!, refer to its online Help.  
Creative  
MediaSource Go!  
Launcher  
Just like the Start button in Windows, Creative MediaSource Go! Launcher provides a single point of access  
to most of the software programs you need, to control and customise Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX.  
Creative MediaSource Go! Launcher consists of four tabs: Programs  
and Companion Products  
,
Product Settings, Product Support  
.
Programs houses shortcuts to Sound Blaster Audigy 2 applications. You can also add your own  
shortcuts to other applications.  
Product Settings houses shortcuts to specific programs for changing Sound Blaster Audigy 2  
Platinum eX’s hardware settings.  
Product Support contains diagnostic software, product update information, product registration  
forms, demonstration software as well as helpful documentation such as Getting Started guides.  
Companion Products allows viewing of information on other Creative products and applications.  
Using Audigy 2 Software 4-3  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
     
For more information and usage details on Creative MediaSource Go! Launcher, refer to its online Help.  
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 your  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware. With it, you can:  
play back music and multimedia files: MP3, WAV, WMA, NVF, MLP, VideoCD, etc  
enhance playback of ordinary music with surround effects using EAX  
vary the speed of audio playback without affecting the pitch (Time Scaling)  
use Smart Volume Management to play back a list of songs at a similar volume level even if they were  
originally recorded at different loudness levels  
switch between Creative MediaSource Organizer and Creative MediaSource Player with just a click of  
the mouse  
use the built-in Creative MediaSource Recorder to record audio (see below).  
“What-U-Hear”  
multichannel  
recording  
Use Creative MediaSource Recorder to record at up to 24-bit/96 kHz from any audio sources processed  
by the audio card. A multichannel What-U-Hear recording mode lets you capture audio directly from the  
audio card's 6.1-channel analog speaker outputs, without the need to connect any cables to the Line Out  
connectors. You can then capture surround-sound movie/gameplay audio, and even audio content  
enhanced or upmixed with CMSS and EAX effects. For more information and usage details on Creative  
MediaSource Player and Recorder, refer to the online Help.  
Creative  
MediaSource  
Organizer  
Managing a huge collection of audio CDs and MP3 files can be a headache. With Creative MediaSource  
Organizer, you can find any recording easily, no matter where it is stored on your hard disk or external  
storage devices. The following is a list of tasks you can perform with Creative MediaSource Organizer.  
Using Audigy 2 Software 4-4  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
     
Finding and organizing  
songs  
Creative MediaSource Organizer searches your hard disk to compile a database of songs available, called a  
“PC Music Library” or PCML. Once you have a PCML, you can sort it and search for songs. Searching is  
very fast due to a sophisticated engine and use of three search fields: artist, genre and album.  
Once songs have been found, you can create playlists to automatically replay them in any desired sequence.  
You can also enter and edit extra information about each MP3 recording with ID3 tags.  
Keeping 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.  
Automatically playing  
multimedia content  
Media Detector makes it easy for users 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 recognises the insertion or connection of CDs, VCDs, and external devices  
like the NOMAD Jukebox and NOMAD MP3 players. Upon recognition, the content in the media will  
automatically start playing without further intervention from the user.  
Extracting and  
converting songs  
Storing hundreds of songs on your computer can consume much hard disk space. WAV files and tracks  
from audio CDs can take up to 50 MB per song. To reduce storage on your hard disk, you can convert  
tracks from audio CDs into smaller 4 to 5 MB MP3 files. Creative MediaSource Organizer’s built-in Rip  
Now module lets you easily extract tracks from audio CDs, then convert them to MP3 and WMA formats  
at high resolution bit rates of 320 Kbps and 160 Kbps, respectively.  
To eliminate the need for you to manually type the track information of an audio CD’s ripped tracks, a  
feature called CDDB can connect your computer to the Internet (Gracenote’s CDDB service) and  
automatically retrieve the track names and other useful track information for you.  
Using Audigy 2 Software 4-5  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
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.  
For more information and usage details on Creative MediaSource Organizer, refer to its online Help.  
Creative  
MediaSource DVD-  
Audio Player  
Use this application to play back today’s highest quality audio recordings available on DVD-Audio discs.  
You can enjoy music 24-bit/96 kHz multichannel surround-sound music, or stereo recordings of up to 24-  
bit/192 kHz resolution. A Pentium III/AMD Athlon 1 GHz or faster processor is recommended. Requires  
256 MB RAM for Windows 98 SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000 SP3 or Windows XP SP1. Also requires  
specific support issues.  
During playback of DVD-Audio  
content, the recording feature will  
be disabled in accordance to  
copyright regulations.  
Creative EAX  
Console  
EAX Console allows you to configure the Audigy 2 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 real-world, 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. The effects go beyond today's  
surround sound and 3D positional audio to actually model an environment by taking into account room  
size, acoustic properties, reverb, echo, and many other effects that create a real-world experience.  
EAX Console consists of four sections: Audio Effects, CMSS 3D, Audio Clean-up, and Time Scaling.  
Using Audigy 2 Software 4-6  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
Audio Effects:  
Environmental Sound  
Processing  
In Audio Effects, you can choose how you want to enhance all kinds of ordinary two-channel sounds.  
Advanced EQ lets you boost or de-emphasise the low, mid or high frequencies of sound to suit  
individual preference and equipment characteristics. Choose various presets like Jazz or Rock to suit  
the audio characteristics you like best.  
Special Effects let you modify sounds with pre-programmed algorithms so that male voices can be  
turned into female voices, or human speech turned into “chipmunk talk”. You can have lots of fun,  
especially when communicating over the Internet.  
Studio Effects can add standard distortion, wah, delays and chorus effects to an electric guitar or other  
musical instrument.  
Environmental Effects simulate typical acoustic environments like stadiums, concert halls, and jazz  
clubs. By choosing an effect like “concert hall”, you can make any music sound like it is being  
produced inside a concert hall, with all the characteristic echos and reverberation. Various settings let  
you vary the type of effect, amount of effect applied, and others. If you have connected rear speakers  
to your computer, EAX will trick your ears into believing that your room has turned into a concert hall  
or jazz club. EAX becomes more effective as the number of speakers connected is increased. It  
supports up to 6 speakers and one subwoofer.  
Karaoke Effects let singers add high-quality echo to add richness to their voices. Users can also vary  
the music’s pitch to suit their vocal range.  
CMSS 3D: Simulating  
Surround Sound  
Creative MultiSpeaker Surround (CMSS) 3D makes ordinary two-channel (Left and Right Stereo) sound  
seem to surround you, even through only two speakers. For users with 5.1 or 6.1 multichannel speaker  
systems, CMSS can also simulate surround sound from ordinary stereo. This is useful for watching DVDs  
and VCDs, which contain only stereo soundtracks.  
Select CMSS for multichannel audio enhancement on 4/4.1, 5.1 or 6.1 speaker systems, and CMSS2 for  
movies.  
Note: For a 4/4.1-speaker system, audio for your subwoofer is processed by the speaker system.  
Using Audigy 2 Software 4-7  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
Audio Clean-up:  
Removing noise and  
distortion  
Audio Clean-up allows you to process prerecorded as well as real-time audio, in order to remove noise,  
click sounds and other artifacts. For example, when recording music from old vinyl records, “click” and  
“pop” sounds can be removed with the Clean-up feature. The Click Meter informs you whenever the noise  
clean-up feature is activated during recording and also how many clicks are removed.  
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 Audigy 2 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 Surround  
Mixer  
Use Creative Surround Mixer to select the device you wish to listen to or record from. It operates in two  
possible modes. Click the Basic Mode or Advanced Mode button to switch between the two modes:  
In Basic mode, you can:  
mix sounds from various audio input sources when playing or recording  
control volume, bass and treble  
In Advanced mode, you can:  
control balance and vary the loudness ratio between front/rear speakers (fader)  
control the relative loudness levels between Front Center, Rear Center and Subwoofer speakers (if any)  
For more information and usage details on Creative Surround Mixer, refer to its 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  
Activating or deactivating Digital Output  
Managing bass output by selecting subwoofer crossover frequency and volume  
Creative Speaker  
Calibrator  
Creative Speaker Calibrator assists the user to optimise loudspeaker settings and positioning to create much  
better surround sound and gaming sound effects.  
Using Audigy 2 Software 4-8  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
     
Creative MiniDisc  
Center  
Creative MiniDisc Center allows you to play back songs on CDs or supported audio formats, and record  
them to digital recorders such as Digital Audio Tape machines, and also MiniDisc (MD) recorders.  
With Creative MiniDisc Center, you can:  
create an album of your favorite songs, each of which may be in a different audio format  
insert a preset period of silence automatically between each track  
play back your personal album and record it to your MD recorder  
For more information and usage details on Creative MiniDisc Center, refer to its online Help.  
Creative SoundFont  
Bank Manager  
You can use Creative SoundFont Bank Manager to easily switch between multiple SoundFont banks for  
performances. This module is optimised to let users quickly audition various presets, reset MIDI devices, or  
create/modify/save various SoundFont banks from your computer’s RAM. Creative SoundFont Bank  
Manager also switches the Drum Kit on or off at Midi Channel 10.  
A virtual keyboard is provided for the user to use the computer’s keyboard or mouse to audition SoundFont  
banks or play musical notes produced through MIDI devices. To edit the presets in the SoundFont banks,  
You can use external MIDI input devices to audition your MIDI banks and instruments. First, connect a  
MIDI input device to your audio card and then select that device in the Creative SoundFont Bank Manager.  
Once you discover the power of SoundFont technology, you will be amazed at the sound design  
possibilities available.  
For more information and usage details on Creative SoundFont Bank Manager, refer to its online Help.  
Creative Audio  
Stream Recorder 2  
Normally, to listen to a song on the Internet, you need to download the entire file onto your hard disk first  
— before you can even hear the music.  
Internet radio stations can, however, make it more convenient for you to enjoy downloaded music: they  
employ “streaming” technology by which music data flows like a “stream” to your audio card directly,  
bypassing permanent hard disk storage. Thus, the song starts to play as soon as a portion of its data stream  
has arrived at your audio card. The downside of streaming technology was that you could not record the  
music onto your hard disk for future reference.  
Using Audigy 2 Software 4-9  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
     
Audio Stream Recorder 2 (ASR2) is designed to overcome this problem by letting you record streaming  
audio onto your hard disk as standard MP3 or WMA files.  
To use ASR2, select from its predefined list of radio stations to listen to. You can click the red Record  
button to start recording music to your hard disk, or use the Schedule feature to program the computer to  
record streaming music unattended. You can also use ASR2 to listen to selected radio stations live by  
clicking the blue Play button.  
For more information and usage details on Creative Audio Stream Recorder 2, refer to its online Help.  
Creative Wave  
Studio  
When you need to edit sound files, use Creative Wave Studio. This application supports popular file  
formats like WAV and AIFF. With Wave Studio, you can convert between file formats and edit out any  
section of sound. Apply effects like fade-in/fade-out. You can also use it to blend two or more songs into  
a single file.  
For more information and usage details on Creative Recorder, refer to its online Help.  
Diagnostic and  
troubleshooting  
utilities  
Creative Diagnostics Use Creative Diagnostics to quickly test your audio card’s Wave, MIDI or CD Audio playback capability,  
recording function and speaker output. For more information and usage details on Creative Diagnostics,  
refer to its online Help.  
Creative Speaker  
Settings  
This is the main application to use for managing your speakers and troubleshooting problems related to  
speaker configurations. See “Creative Speaker Settings” on page 4-8.  
Using Audigy 2 Software 4-10  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
       
General Specifications  
Technical details of the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card and  
External I/O Module.  
A
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
General Specifications  
Technical details of Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card and your Audigy 2 Platinum eX External  
I/O Module.  
Features  
PCI Bus Mastering  
PCI Specification Version 2.1 compliant  
Bus mastering reduces latency and speeds up system performance  
Audigy 2 Processor  
Advanced hardware accelerated digital effects processing  
32-bit digital processing, which maintains a theoretical 192 dB of dynamic range  
Patented 8-point interpolation that reduces distortion to inaudible levels  
64-voice hardware wavetable synthesizer  
Professional quality digital mixing and equalization  
Versatile Audio  
Features  
Playback of 64 audio channels, each at an arbitrary sample rate  
32-bit mixing of all digital sources within Audigy 2’s Digital Mixer  
24-bit Analog-to-Digital conversion of analog inputs at 96 kHz sample rate  
24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of digital sources at 96 kHz to analog 6.1 speaker output  
24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of stereo digital sources at 192 kHz to stereo output  
16-bit to 24-bit recording sampling rates: 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96 kHz, including  
ASIO2 support at up to 24-bit, 96 kHz resolution.  
Professional Digital  
Audio Processing  
Supports Sony/Philips Digital Interface (SPDIF) format of up to 24-bit/96 kHz quality  
SPDIF output at selectable sampling rate of 48 or 96 kHz  
General Specifications A-1  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
Note: SPDIF output not available during playback of protected digital audio contents authored with  
DRM (Digital Rights Management) technology  
Selectable 6-channel SPDIF output to matching digital speaker systems  
Software switching of SPDIF Input-to-Output (bypass) to minimise cable connection hassle  
Low latency multitrack recording with ASIO2 support  
Flexible Mixer Control  
THX Certification  
Selectable input source or mixing of various audio sources for recording  
Adjustable master volume control  
Separate bass and treble control  
Front and rear balance control  
Muting and panning control for mixer sources  
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 has received the prestigious THX Multimedia Certification award, making it  
the perfect choice for PC audiophiles seeking the very best music and movie experiences.  
Dolby Digital (AC-3)  
and Digital Surround  
EX Decoding  
Decodes Dolby Digital Surround EX to 6.1 or 5.1 channels, or will pass through a compressed SPDIF  
bitstream to an external decoder  
Bass redirection: enhances bass output to subwoofer for small satellite speaker systems  
Crossover bass frequency (10-200 Hz): adjustable to standalone subwoofer units for desired bass level  
Adjustable Center, Rear Center and LFE level control  
Creative MultiSpeaker  
Surround(CMSS)  
Multispeaker technology  
Upmixes mono or stereo sources to 6.1 channels  
Professional-quality panning and mixing algorithm  
SB1394/FireWire  
Compatibility  
Compliant with IEEE1394a specification  
Supports data rates of 100, 200, and 400 Mbps  
Supports up to 63 IEEE1394 compatible devices in a daisy-chain configuration  
Supplies up to 3 watts to IEEE1394 compatible devices  
General Specifications A-2  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
Connectivity  
Sound Blaster  
Audigy 2 Platinum  
eX Card  
Audio Outputs  
2 x line-level analog outputs via stereo jacks on rear bracket: Front and Rear Line-Outs 1 and 2  
Stereo headphone (32-ohm load) support on Line Out 1  
1 x line-level three channel analog output via 4-pole 3.5 mm minijack on rear bracket: Front Center,  
Rear Center and Subwoofer channel  
SB1394/FireWire  
AD_LINK 2 connector on rear bracket for power supply to the External I/O Module.  
The 6-pin SB1394/FireWire  
connector/port has a 3-watt  
maximum power output.  
Connect only one high power  
usage device such as an IEEE  
1394 hard disk or CD-RW drive  
to this port unless it is powered  
off the AC outlet.  
Interfaces  
AD_LINK 1 connector for linking to the External I/O Module  
Joystick/MIDI connector for connection to the audio card  
General Specifications A-3  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
Sound Blaster  
Audigy 2 Platinum  
eX External I/O  
Module  
Inputs and outputs on  
front panel  
One headphone output with auto detection via ¼” stereo jack with volume control  
One shared line-level analog Line/Microphone input (Line-In 1/Mic-In) via ¼” stereo jack. Shared  
input selectable via knob. Gain/level control for microphone  
One standalone line-level analog input (Line-In 2)  
Two optical connectors for optical SPDIF input and output  
One SB1394/FireWire connector for IEEE1394 compatible devices  
One infrared receiver for receiving information from the remote control. Transmission range within 4  
meters with 15-degree deviation from the center axis.  
Inputs and outputs on  
rear panel  
One AD_LINK 1 connector for linking to the audio card  
One AD_LINK 2 (SB1394/FireWire) connector for power supply to the External I/O Module  
1 x standard MIDI OUT and 1 x standard MIDI In jack for MIDI instruments  
One SB1394/FireWire port for connection to IEEE1394 compatible devices  
One Mini-DIN SPDIF digital output  
Two RCA jacks for Auxiliary Line Input (Line-In 3)  
Two RCA connectors for coaxial SPDIF input and output  
General Specifications A-4  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Troubleshooting and FAQs  
This section provides solutions to problems you may encounter  
during installation or normal use.  
B
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Troubleshooting and FAQs  
This appendix provides solutions to problems you may encounter during installation or normal use.  
The installation does not start automatically after the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Installation and  
Applications CD is inserted.  
Problems  
Installing  
Software  
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, double click the CD-ROM drive icon.  
3. In the Explorer window, locate the file named Setup.exe and double click it.  
There is unexpected, excessive environmental sound or effects when an audio file is played.  
Problems with  
Sound  
The last selected preset is an inappropriate environment for the current audio file.  
To switch to an appropriate environment:  
1. Click the Audio Effects tab in EAX Console.  
2. Click the Enable/Disable Audio Effects check box to clear it.  
Note: The preset box title may change, depending on the effect you select.  
To check if your audio card is  
producing sound, connect a pair of  
headphones to it. If you hear  
sound, then the problem is with  
the speakers or connection; if not,  
the problem may lie in the card or  
software configuration  
No sound from the headphones.  
Check the following:  
The headphones are connected to the Headphones jack.  
In the Speaker Selection tab of Creative Speaker Settings, the Headphones option is selected in the  
Speaker/Headphone Selection box.  
In the Basic tab of Creative Surround Mixer, the recording source selected is “What U Hear”.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-1  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
         
Individual analog recording sources are not displayed in Creative Surround Mixer.  
The following analog recording sources are combined in one recording control called Analog Mix (Line/  
CD/Aux/PC), which is found in the Record panel of the Basic tab:  
Line-In  
CD Audio  
Auxiliary  
PC Speaker  
Individual analog recording sources cannot be selected in Creative Surround Mixer.  
Five analog recording sources are combined under the selection Analog Mix (Line/CD/Aux/PC). For  
more information, see “Individual analog recording sources are not displayed in Creative Surround  
Mixer.” on page B-2.  
To record an individual analog source:  
In the Record panel of the Basic tab in Creative Surround Mixer, make sure the recording source  
selected is Analog Mix (Line/CD/Aux/PC).  
In the Source panel, mute the analog sources that you do not want to record — by clicking the Speaker  
button to change it to a button with a red cross sign on it.  
No sound from the speakers.  
Check the following:  
You have connected your speakers to your audio card's output.  
You have selected the correct source in the Source panel of Creative Surround Mixer.  
If both the above conditions have been met and you still do not get any sound, click the red plus sign  
above the Volume control and check whether the Digital Output Only check box is selected. If it is,  
you are in the Digital Output Only mode and so must connect to digital speakers to hear the sound from  
your audio card. See the section on “Speaker Selection Settings” in Creative Speaker Setting’s online  
Help for more information.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-2  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
No audio output when playing digital files such as .WAV, MIDI files or AVI clips.  
Check the following:  
The speakers’ volume control knob, if any, is set at mid-range. Use Creative Surround Mixer to adjust  
the volume, if necessary.  
The powered speakers or external amplifier are connected to the card’s Line Out or Rear Out jack.  
There is no hardware conflict between the card and a peripheral device. See “Resolving I/O Conflicts”  
on page B-10.  
The Speaker selection in Creative Speaker Settings corresponds to your speaker or headphone  
configuration.  
No audio output when playing audio CDs or DOS games that require a CD-ROM.  
To solve this problem, enable digital CD playback as follows.  
For Windows 98 SE  
Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.  
In the Control Panel dialog box, double-click the Multimedia icon.  
In the Multimedia Properties dialog box, click the CD Music tab.  
Click the Enable digital CD audio for this CD-ROM device check box to select it.  
Click the OK button.  
For Windows Me  
Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.  
In the Control Panel dialog box, double-click the System icon.  
In the System Properties dialog box, click the Device Manager tab.  
Double-click the DVD/CD-ROM drives icon. Your computer’s drive icons will appear.  
Right-click the CD disk drive icon. A menu will appear.  
Click Properties.  
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.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-3  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
Click the OK button.  
For Windows 2000 and Windows XP  
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 DVD/CD-ROM drives icon. Your computer’s drive icons will appear.  
Right-click the CD disk drive icon. A menu will appear.  
Click Properties.  
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.  
Panning a source sometimes turns off its sound.  
This occurs when you are in the Digital Output Only mode and the source’s left-right balance in a software  
mixer application other than Creative Surround Mixer (for example, the Windows Volume Control  
application) is at the opposite end compared to the position to which you have panned the source in the  
Basic tab of Creative Surround Mixer. For example, the CD Audio balance in Windows Volume Control  
is on the left but in Creative Surround Mixer you have panned the CD Audio to the right.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-4  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
To solve this problem:  
Open that other mixer, and center the balances for all the audio input sources.  
This ensures that your analog sources will not turn silent when you pan them in Creative Surround Mixer.  
After you install the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card on a VIA chipset motherboard, you may  
see one of the following:  
Problems with  
File Transfers on  
Some VIA  
When transferring large amounts of data, the computer stops responding (‘hangs’) or restarts itself,  
OR  
Files transferred from another drive are incomplete or corrupted.  
Chipset  
Motherboards  
These problems appear in a small number of computers, which contain the VIA VT82C686B controller  
chipset on their motherboards.  
To verify if your motherboard has the VT82C686B chipset:  
Refer to your computer or motherboard manual, or  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-5  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
In Windows:  
i. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.  
ii. Double-click the System icon.  
iii. Click the Device Manager or Hardware tab.  
iv. Click the Systems devices icon.  
v. In the list that appears, see if the items highlighted in  
Figure B-1 appear.  
vi. If the items appear, remove your computer cover and  
locate the VIA chipset on your motherboard. (Take note  
of the safety precautions on page 2-1.)  
The VT82C686B chipset has its model number inscribed  
on the chip.  
If you have the VT82C686B chipset: Some users have solved the  
above problems by doing one or both of the following:  
downloading the latest VIA 4in1 drivers from http://  
www.viatech.com*,  
Figure B-1: Device Manager tab.  
obtaining the most current BIOS for your motherboard  
from the manufacturer’s web site*.  
*Content in these web sites is controlled by other companies. Creative bears no responsibility for  
information or downloads obtained from them. This information is provided only as a convenience to you.  
There is insufficient memory to load SoundFont banks.  
Insufficient  
SoundFont  
Cache  
This may occur when a SoundFont-compatible MIDI file is loaded or played while insufficient memory  
has been allocated to Creative SoundFont Bank Manager.  
To have sufficient SoundFont cache memory:  
Remove an existing SoundFont bank from the system RAM.  
Do the following:  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-6  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
i. Click the Bank button.  
The Configure Bank dialog box appears.  
ii. Click the Select Bank drop-down button, and select a bank index.  
iii. Highlight the bank and click the Remove button.  
iv. Click the OK button to finish configuring your banks.  
Load smaller SoundFont banks instead; or add more RAM to your system.  
Do one of the following:  
In the Configure Bank dialog box of Creative SoundFont Bank Manager, select a smaller  
SoundFont bank, if available, from the Select Bank box.  
The trade-off of a smaller  
SoundFont file is its lower  
sound quality.  
Increase the system RAM on your computer. For more details, visit the www.soundblaster.com  
site for technical help.  
Note: The amount of SoundFont cache you can allocate depends on the system RAM available. Your  
computer may slow down if the amount of cache allocated is too high.  
The joystick port is not working.  
Problems with  
the Joystick  
The audio card’s joystick/MIDI connector may be conflicting with the system’s joystick port.  
To solve this problem:  
Disable the audio card’s joystick/MIDI connector and use the system port instead. Do the following:  
1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.  
2. In the Control Panel window, double-click the System icon.  
3. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Device Manager tab.  
4. Double-click Sound, Video And Game Controllers, and then select Creative Audigy 2 Gameport  
(Creative Game Port for Windows 2000).  
5. Click the Properties button.  
6. In the Properties dialog box:  
If you have an Original Configuration (Current) check box:  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-7  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Clear the check box to disable it.  
If you have a Disable In This Hardware Profile check box:  
Make sure that the check box is selected to disable it.  
7. Click OK to restart Windows and for the change to take effect.  
When the Gameport Joystick interface is disabled, the entry in Device Manager has a red cross.  
The joystick is not working properly in some programs.  
The program may use the system processor timing to calculate the joystick position. When the processor  
is fast, the program may determine the position of the joystick incorrectly, assuming that the position is  
out of range.  
To solve this problem:  
Do not attempt to make changes to  
the BIOS unless you have  
experience with system software.  
Increase your system’s 8 bit I/O recovery time of the BIOS setting, usually under the Chipset Feature  
Settings section. Or, if available, you may adjust the AT Bus speed to a slower clock. If the problem  
persists, try a different joystick.  
The other installed audio card is not working well.  
Problems with  
Multiple Audio  
Devices  
You may have an existing audio device installed in your computer. The audio device may be an audio card  
or an onboard audio chipset. Before you install your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card, you are  
advised to completely uninstall and remove your existing audio device. Operating multiple audio devices  
in your computer may introduce usability issues.  
Alternatively, during the installation of your audio card, do the following:  
If your computer detects an installed Sound Blaster Live! Series or Sound Blaster PCI512 audio card,  
a message box recommending that you completely uninstall and remove the older audio device will  
appear. Click the Yes button and follow the instructions on the screen to complete the removal of the  
old audio device. Remove the old audio card from your computer.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-8  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
If your computer detects any other installed audio card, a message box recommending that you  
completely uninstall and remove the older audio device will appear. Click the Yes button to continue  
with the installation of the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card.  
After the installation of the audio card, completely uninstall the existing card and remove the audio  
card from your computer.  
The onboard audio chipset is not working well.  
To disable an onboard audio chipset, do the following:  
1. Restart your system.  
2. During the memory check, press <F2> or <Delete>, depending on your motherboard.  
The BIOS setup menu appears.  
3. Select Chipset Features Setup and press <Enter>.  
4. Select Onboard Legacy Audio and press <Enter> to disable your onboard audio chipset.  
5. Press <Esc> to return to the BIOS setup menu.  
6. Select Save & Exit Setup, and then press <Enter>.  
7. Press <Y> and then press <Enter>  
Sound Blaster Live! or Sound Blaster PCI512 applications are not working.  
Problems with  
Sound Blaster  
Live! Series or  
Sound Blaster  
PCI512 card  
Other than normal playback and recording functions, older audio devices may not work well when Sound  
Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX is installed.  
To solve this problem:  
Uninstall and remove the older card from the computer. Otherwise, you can choose to disable the Sound  
Blaster Live! or Sound Blaster PCI512 card:  
1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.  
2. In the Control Panel window, double-click the System icon.  
3. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Device Manager tab.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-9  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
4. Double-click Sound, Video And Game Controllers, and then select Creative Sound Blaster Live!  
Series or Creative Sound Blaster PCI512.  
5. Click the Properties button.  
6. In the Properties dialog box:  
If you have an Original Configuration (Current) check box:  
Clear the check box to disable it.  
If you have a Disable In This Hardware Profile check box:  
Make sure that the check box is selected to disable it.  
7. Click OK to restart Windows and for the change to take effect.  
When the Sound Blaster Live! series is disabled, the entry in Device Manager has a red cross.  
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.  
Resolving I/O  
Conflicts  
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 98 SE/Me.  
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). Add each card back until Device  
Manager indicates that a conflict has occurred.  
To resolve hardware conflicts in Windows 98 SE/Me:  
You can also refer to the  
Troubleshooting section in the  
online Help of Windows 98 SE/  
Me.  
1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.  
2. In the Control Panel window, double-click the System icon.  
3. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Device Manager tab.  
4. Under the Sound, Video And Game Controllers entry, select the conflicting audio card driver—  
indicated by an exclamation mark (!)—and click the Properties button.  
5. In the Properties dialog box, click the Resources tab.  
6. Make sure that the Use automatic settings check box is selected, and click the OK button.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-10  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
7. Restart your system to allow Windows 98 SE/Me to reassign resources to your audio card and/or the  
conflicting device.  
The Encore DVD Player is not launched when a DVD disc is inserted into the drive.  
Problems with  
Encore DVD  
Player  
To solve this problem:  
1. In the Windows system tray, right-click the Disc Detector icon, and then click Properties.  
2. On the General tabbed page of the Creative Disc Detector dialog box, make sure that the Enable Disc  
Detector check box is selected.  
3. Click the Players tab.  
4. Select the DVD Disc entry and then click the Select Player button.  
5. In the Players Properties dialog box, click the Browse button.  
6. Locate and select C:\Program Files\Creative\PC- DVD Encore (where D: represents your CD-ROM  
drive)  
and double-click the entry ctdvdply  
The Name box now displays the entry ctdvdply.  
7. Click the OK button twice.  
Changing audio configuration (for example, switching from multi-channel mode to SPDIF Output  
mode or vice versa) while watching a DVD movie does not seem to work, even though all settings in  
the software DVD player and in Creative Surround Mixer are correct.  
Problems with  
Software DVD  
Player  
To solve this problem:  
Close and restart the software DVD player.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-11  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
   
The DV camcorder is not working properly.  
The MSDV camcorder driver may not be the latest version (v4.10.2226 or later).  
To solve this problem:  
Problems with  
DV driver for  
Windows 98 SE/  
2000/Me/XP  
1. Visit the http://www.microsoft.com and download the Digital Video update (dx80bda.exe) for the  
DirectX 8.0 files.  
2. Install the above file into your computer.  
Note: You need to install DirectX 8.0 or 8.0a run time first.  
If the problem still persists, the MSDV camcorder driver may not be fully optimised for your DV  
camcorder.  
To solve this problem:  
1. Turn on your DV camcorder.  
2. Insert the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Installation and Applications CD into your CD-ROM drive.  
Exit from the welcome screen.  
3. Using Windows Explorer, locate the 1394 folder in the CD-ROM, and run the DVConnect 240.exe file.  
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup.  
If you are in Windows 98 SE, you may be prompted to insert the Windows 98 SE CD-ROM first.  
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete this setup.  
4. Click the Finish button.  
5. Turn off and then turn on your DV camcorder.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-12  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
A Hardware Installation error message appears on a Windows XP operating system when non-  
Creative applications are being installed.  
Problems in XP  
At the time of this product's release, Microsoft strongly encouraged companies to submit their hardware  
solutions for certification. If a hardware device driver is not submitted, or does not qualify, for Microsoft  
certification, a warning message similar to the one below appears.  
The 1394 DVConnect driver does  
not run on Windows XP.  
You may see the message when you install hardware drivers from companies other than Creative. If you  
do, you may choose to click the Continue Anyway button. Device drivers not signed by Microsoft may  
be used in Windows XP, and need not impair or destabilise your computer.  
Should you need more XP-related information or help, you can contact the company that developed the  
driver, at the company's web site or helpline.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-13  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
Intermittent hissing or no sound is heard from my digital speakers.  
Problems with  
Digital Audio  
Devices  
Make sure you select the sampling rate of the PCM SPDIF output of your Digital Out connector to match  
the requirements of the receiving device. You may need to select a lower digital output sampling rate. The  
choices available are 48 kHz and 96 kHz.  
To solve this problem:  
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. Click the DMA (direct memory access) check box to select it.  
An alert message box appears.  
8. Click the OK button.  
9. Click the OK button in the next box.  
10. Click the Close button on the System Properties dialog box.  
11. When prompted to restart your computer, click the Yes button.  
12. Repeat steps 4-11 if you have other drives, for example, other hard disk drives, CD-ROM, CD-RW, and  
DVD-ROM drives. In step 4, double-click the respective drive icon.  
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.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-14  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
 
5. Double-click the ATA/ATAPI IDE Controllers icon.  
Your IDE channels will appear.  
6. Right-click the Primary IDE Channel icon.  
7. Click Properties.  
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.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs B-15  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  

COBY electronic Universal Remote DTV 102 User Manual
Crate Amplifiers Musical Instrument Amplifier VTX15 User Manual
Crown Audio Stereo Amplifier CTs Series User Manual
Dixon Lawn Mower 42 44 50 44 MAG 50 MAG User Manual
Dukane Projector 8801A User Manual
Elation Professional Musical Instrument DMX 512 User Manual
Electro Voice Microphone PL33 User Manual
Fluke Landscape Lighting 8922A User Manual
Frigidaire Ventilation Hood 316902315 User Manual
Gateway Computer Monitor FPD1976W User Manual