Cambridge SoundWorks DeskTop Theater 5.1 user manual

™

DeskTop Theater 5.1

Amplified Five Satellite/Subwoofer

Speaker System With Dolby Digital Processor

Installation and Operating Instructions

© 1998 Cambridge SoundWorks, Inc.

Notice for the USA

FCC Part 15: This equipment has been tested
and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications.
However, this notice is not a guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which
can be determined by turning the equipment off
and on, the user is encouraged to try one or more
of the following measures:

❑ Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
❑ Increase the distance between the

equipment and receiver.

❑ Connect the equipment to an outlet on a

circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.

❑ Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/

TV technician.

CAUTION: To comply with the limits for the
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules, this device must be installed with
computer equipment certified to comply with the
Class B limits.

Safety & Regulatory Information

The following sections contain notices for various countries:

All cables used to connect the computer and
peripherals must be shielded and grounded.
Operation with non- certified computers or non­shielded cables may result in interference to radio or
television reception.

Any changes or modifications not expressly approved
by the grantee of this device could void the user’s
authority to operate the device.

Modifications

Notice for Canada

This apparatus complies with the Class “B” limits for
radio interference as specified in the Canadian
Department of Communications Radio Interference
Regulations.

Cet appareil est conforme aux normes de CLASSE “B”
d’interference radio tel que spe’cifie’ par le Ministère
Canadien des Communications dans les règlements
d’interfe’rence radio.

Declaration of Conformity

According to the FCC96 208 and ET95- 19
Name: Creative Labs Inc.
Address: 1901 McCarthy Boulevard

declares under its sole responsibility that
the product

Trade Name: Creative Labs/

Model Number: Desktop Theater 5.1,

has been tested according to the FCC /
CISPR22/85 requirement for Class B devices
and found compliant with the following
standards:

EMI/ EMC: ANSI C63.4 1992, FCC Part 15
Subpart B

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:

1. This device may not cause harmful
interference, and

2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesirable operation.

Ce matériel est conforme à la section 15 des
régles FCC. Son Fonctionnement est soumis
aux deux conditions suivantes:

1. Le matériel ne peut étre source
d’interférences et

2. Doit accepter toutes les interférences
reques, Y compris celles pouvant
provoquer un fonctionnement
indésirable.

Compliance Manager
Creative Labs, Inc.
August 20, 1998

Milpitas, CA. 95035

United States

Tel: [phone]

Cambridge SoundWorks

CSW3000

This product conforms to the following Council

Compliance

Directive:
❑ Directive 89/ 336/ EEC, 92/ 31/ EEC (EMC)

WARNING: To prevent fire
or shock hazard, do not
expose this appliance to
rain or moisture.

Important Notice

The serial number for the DeskTop Theater 5.1 is
located on the Decoder Amplifier. Please write this
number down and keep it in a secure area. This is
for your security.

i

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

READ INSTRUCTIONS - All safety and oper-

ating instructions should be read before the

DeskTop Theater 5.1

satellite system is operated.

RETAIN INSTRUCTIONS - The safety and

operating instructions should be retained
for future reference.

HEED WARNINGS - All warnings on the

subwoofer and in the operating instruc­tions should be adhered to.

FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS - All operating

and use instructions should be followed.

CLEANING - Unplug the Power Supply

Adapter from the wall outlet or other power
source before cleaning. Do not use liquid
cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp
cloth for cleaning.

ATTACHMENTS - Do not use attachments

not recommended by Cambridge
SoundWorks as they may cause hazards.

WATER AND MOISTURE - Do not use the

Decoder Amplifier near water—for ex­ample, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen
sink, or laundry tub; in a wet basement; or
near a swimming pool; and the like.

ACCESSORIES - Do not place the

Theater 5.1

stable cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table.
The Decoder Amplifier may fall, causing
serious injury to a child or adult, and
serious damage to the product. Use only
with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table
recommended by Cambridge Sound­Works, or sold with the product. Any mount­ing of the satellites or subwoofer should
follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and

amplified subwoofer/

DeskTop

Decoder Amplifier on an un-

should use a mounting accessory recom­mended by Cambridge SoundWorks.

VENTILATION - Slots and openings in the

Decoder Amplifier are provided for venti­lation and to ensure reliable operation of
the Decoder Amplifier and to prevent it
from overheating. These openings must
not be blocked or covered. The openings
should never be blocked by placing the
product on a bed, sofa, rug, or other simi­lar surface. The Decoder Amplifier should
not be placed in a built-in installation such
as a bookcase or rack unless proper ven­tilation is provided or Cambridge
SoundWorks’ instructions have been ad­hered to.

HEAT - The Decoder Amplifier should be

situated away from heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, and other
products (including amplifiers) that pro­duce heat.

POWER SOURCES - The Decoder Amplifier

should be operated only from the type of
power source indicated on the marking
label. If you are not sure of the type of
power supply to your home, consult your
product dealer or local power company.
For products intended to operate from
battery power, or other sources, refer to
the operating instructions.

POLARIZATION - The power supply may be

equipped with a polarized alternating-cur­rent line plug (a plug having one blade
wider than the other). This plug will fit into
the power outlet only one way. This is a
safety feature. If you are unable to insert

the plug fully into the outlet, try reversing
the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit,
contact your electrician to replace your
obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety
purpose of the polarized plug.

POWER-CORD PROTECTION - Power sup-

ply cords should be routed so that they are
not likely to be walked on or pinched by
items placed upon or against them, paying
particular attention to cords at plugs, con­venience receptacles, and the point where
they exit from the Decoder Amplifier.

LIGHTNING - For added protection for the

DeskTop Theater 5.1

ning storm, or when it is left unattended
and unused for long periods of time, un­plug it from the wall outlet. This will prevent
damage to the Decoder Amplifier due to
lightning and power-line surges.

OVERLOADING - Do not overload wall out-

lets, extension cords, or integral conve­nience receptacles as this can result in a
risk of fire or electric shock.

OBJECT AND LIQUID ENTRY - Never push

objects of any kind into the Decoder Am­plifier through openings as they may touch
dangerous voltage points or short out parts
that could result in a fire or electric shock.
Never spill liquid of any kind on the speak­ers or the Decoder Amplifier.

SERVICING - Do not attempt to service the

any part of the
self as opening or removing covers may
expose you to dangerous voltage or other
hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified
service personnel.

system during a light-

DeskTop Theater 5.1

your-

DAMAGE REQUIRING SERVICE - Unplug

the power supply from the wall outlet or
other power source and refer servicing to
qualified service personnel under the fol­lowing conditions:
a) When the power supply cord or plug is
damaged.
b) If liquid has been spilled, or objects
have fallen into the subwoofer.
c) If the Decoder Amplifier has been ex­posed to rain or water.
d) If the subwoofer does not operate nor­mally by following the operating instruc­tions; or exhibits a distinct change in per­formance.
e) If the product has been dropped or
damaged in any way.

REPLACEMENT PARTS - When replace-

ment parts are required, be sure the ser­vice technician has used replacement
parts specified by Cambridge SoundWorks
or have the same characteristics as the
original parts. Unauthorized substitutions
may result in fire, electric shock, or other
hazards.

SAFETY CHECK - Upon completion of any

service or repairs to the

5.1

system, ask the service technician to

perform safety checks to determine that

DeskTop Theater 5.1

the
proper operating condition.

WALL OR CEILING MOUNTING - The

DeskTop Theater 5.1

mounted to a wall or ceiling only as rec­ommended by Cambridge SoundWorks.

DeskTop Theater

system is in

satellites should be

ii

Contents

Declaration Of Conformity ........................................................................... i

DeskTop Theater 5.1

Safety Precautions ................................................................................... i, ii

Introduction ............................................................................................... 1

Inspecting For Damage ................................................................................ 2

Important Notes .......................................................................................... 2

Installation Sequence .................................................................................. 3

Speaker Placement ...................................................................................... 3

The Satellite Desktop Stands ....................................................................... 6

The Center Channel Stands.......................................................................... 6

The Floor Stands ......................................................................................... 7

Mounting The Speakers............................................................................... 7

Decoder Amplifier Placement....................................................................... 8

Making Connections .................................................................................... 8

Wiring Diagram ........................................................................................... 9

Decoder Amplifier Functions ....................................................................... 9

Surround Reference ................................................................................... 11

Specifications ............................................................................................ 13

Important .................................................................................................. 13

Technical Support ..................................................................................... 13

1-Year Limited Warranty ........................................................................... 15

Dolby Digital.......................................................................................... 11

Dolby Surround with Pro Logic ............................................................. 11

Creative Multi Speaker Surround .......................................................... 12

Audio Mode Selection ............................................................................ 12

iii

Introduction

hank you for purchasing
DeskTop Theater 5.1 by
Cambridge SoundWorks.

T

DeskTop Theater 5.1 lets you

experience the full potential of Dolby

®

Digital

multichannel sound from
your computer. It makes the most of
your computer DVD player,
processing both Dolby Digital and
Dolby Surround
It will decode the Dolby Surround
cut-scenes in many of today’s best
CD-based action games, and it’s
ready for the new era of DVD­based games.

DeskTop Theater 5.1 offers discrete
four-channel support for Microsoft
DirectSound®3D and its other
derivatives.

Also included is Creative Multi
Speaker Surround, which lets you
hear all of your favorite stereo
program material with a new and
exciting three-dimensional quality.

®

program material.

Cambridge SoundWorks

1-800-FOR-HIFI

(1-800-367-4434),
8 AM to Midnight,

Eastern time

1 PM to 4 AM

Greenwich Mean Time

In Canada: 1-800-525-4434

Outside US or Canada:

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

www.hifi.com

or e-mail us at [e-mail]

®

Inspecting
For Damage

Examine each unit carefully for signs of
shipping damage. If there is any damage,
do not install the system. Consult the
store where you purchased the system or
call the appropriate Creative Technology,
Ltd. support group at the number listed at
the end of this publication. Save the
shipping carton and inserts in case you
have to transport the system later.

All the items shown in the illustration
should be included. If anything is
missing, notify the retailer.

Important Notes

These instructions assume you
have a DVD player with a SPDIF
output jack. This jack should provide
the Dolby Digital (AC-3) compressed
data stream (for example, the
Creative Labs PC-DVD Encore). These
instructions also assume your sound
card supports processing of
DirectSound

®

3D, including front and
rear two-channel minijack line
outputs (like Creative Labs Sound
Blaster PCI 64, PCI 128 or Sound
Blaster Live!). Conventional 2-

channel sound cards such as Sound
Blaster 16 or the Sound Blaster
AWE series can also be used with
DeskTop Theater 5.1, but these
cards will not provide rear channel
output when playing games using
DirectSound

One pair of satellites has cables
that are 3 meters (9 feet) long. The
other pair has cables that are 4
meters (12 feet) long. Typically, the
two satellites with the longer cables
will be used on the surround
channels, but the satellites are
otherwise identical. If you need
extra cable length for the front

®

3D or its derivatives.

channel satellites, use the pair with
the longer cables instead.

One satellite of each pair has a
white plug. The other satellite has a
red plug. Use a satellite with a white
plug in the Left Front and Left
Surround positions. Use a satellite
with a red plug in the Right Front
and Right Surround positions.

The Subwoofer and Center
Channel speakers both have black
plugs on their cables to help
distinguish them from the smaller
satellites.

All the speakers are magnetically
shielded, including the subwoofer.

Power Supply Adapter

Control Amplifier Auto-Detected Digital Modes

Dolby Digital (AC-3) Mode

DeskTop Theater 5.1 will auto-detect a
Dolby Digital compressed bitstream
(carrying a 5.1 channel program) and
illuminate the Dolby Digital indicator.

Digital Pro Logic Mode

(Auto Detected)

DeskTop Theater 5.1 auto-detects that
a two-channel, Dolby Surround­encoded program is carried within the
Dolby Digital compressed bitstream.
Dolby Surround programs are decoded

by the Pro Logic decoder. Both the
Dolby Digital and the Digital Pro Logic
indicators are illuminated.

Control Amplifier Analog Playback Modes

Creative Multi-Speaker

Surround (CMSS) Music Mode

CMSS Music Mode is automatically
selected when the DeskTop Theater 5.1
is first turned on and no Dolby Digital
bitstream is present at the SPDIF IN
input. CMSS Music Mode improves any
stereo music or game program. All five

main speakers play instead of just two.

Dolby Digital

Input

Speaker

bitstream detected.

Program Material

Processed

output

5.1

SPDIF IN

Speaker

Input

output

Processed

5.1

SPDIF IN

Speaker

Input

Program Material

output

Processed

Any analog stereo
program source, such
as a CD or a musical

5.1

LINE IN

program recorded on
a Video CD.

DVD with compressed Dolby
Digital (AC-3) bitstream output.

Program Material

DVD with compressed Dolby
Digital (AC-3) bitstream output
carrying a program encoded
with Dolby Surround.

PRO LOGIC

PRO LOGIC

DOLBY

STEREO/

MUSIC MOVIE

FOURPOINT

DIGITAL

ANALOG

DIGITAL

DOLBYMODE

CREATIVE

MULTI-SPEAKER SURROUND

Pro Logic decoder is
automatically engaged by
Dolby Digital bitstream.

STEREO/

PRO LOGIC

PRO LOGIC

DOLBY

MUSIC MOVIE

FOURPOINT

ANALOG

DIGITAL

DIGITAL

CRETAIVE

DOLBYMODE

MULTI-SPEAKER SURROUND

POWER

MASTER

STEREO/

PRO LOGIC

PRO LOGIC

DOLBY

MUSIC MOVIE

FOURPOINT

DIGITAL

ANALOG

DIGITAL

CREATIVE

DOLBYMODE

MULTI-SPEAKER SURROUND

Quick reference guide

Satellites (2) with 4m speaker wire attached

2

STEREO/

DOLBY

MUSIC MOVIE

FOURPOINT

DIGITAL

CRETAIVE

DOLBY SURROUND AUDIO MODE

MULTI SPEAKER SURROUND

POWER

DESKTOP THEATER 5.1

Decoder Amplifier

Subwoofer

PRO LOGIC

DIGITAL IN

ANALOG IN

LL RR

MASTER CENTER

SPEAKER TEST

MUTE

SUBWOOFER

SURROUND

Desktop Stands for satellites (4)

Monitor Stand

Satellites (2) with 3m speaker wire attached

Center Desktop Stand

Center Channel Speaker

Audio Cable (Black Miniplugs)

Audio Cable (Green Miniplugs)

SPDIF Cable (RCA to RCA)

Hook & Loop fasteners

(4) square

(2) rectangular

(2) Apex Joints

(4) Solid Legs

(2) Slotted Legs

(6) Rubber foot plugs

(5) Wall Mounting Hardware

Strips of 5 feet (5)