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.
This PDF file has been designed to provide you with complete product knowledge. The following are
instructions on how to make use of this PDF file effectively by launching applications and help files, as well as
accessing relevant web sites, where applicable, via specially prepared links.
• To launch applications, Help files or to access relevant web sites, click the blue text, or whenever the
symbol or appears on the object or text.
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To access the applications and Help files, you must first install the manual and the applications in your computer.
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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
message appearing again. To access linked web sites, your computer must be connected to the Internet.
button to run subsequent applications without the
All
Contents
Introduction
Welcome to high-definition digital audio entertainment ...................... viii
What is EAX ADVANCED HD? ........................................................... ix
CreativeWare ................................................................................. ix
Package Contents ........................................................................... ix
System Requirements ....................................................................... x
Sound Blaster Extigy................................................................. x
Games, DVD viewing and Internet radio...................................... x
Getting More Information................................................................. xi
More Help ...................................................................................... xi
Technical Support ........................................................................... xi
Document Conventions.................................................................... xi
1About Sound Blaster Extigy
What You Need...................................................................................... 1-1
Your Sound Blaster Extigy....................................................................... 1-2
Controls and LEDs.......................................................................... 1-3
Problems with Sound..............................................................................B-2
Index
vi
Introduction
Introduction
Welcome to highdefinition digital
audio entertainment
Thank you for purchasing Creative's 1st high performance external Sound Blaster
audio solution, the Sound Blaster Extigy!
Sound Blaster Extigy is a breeze to set up and use. Installation is truly hassle-free
through the USB port, and the bundled Creative PlayCenter 3 is a one-stop digital
music center that lets you play, record, organize and burn your own audio CDs
easily. With the intuitive remote control unit, you can easily transform your PC or
notebook/laptop into a digital entertainment center as everything is just a touch of
a button away. Essential buttons like master volume, mic volume and CMSS are also
easily accessible at the front panel.
Sound Blaster Extigy also raises the bar for digital sound quality on the PC, by
delivering high definition 24 bit/96 kHz quality multi-channel sound for digital music,
movie and gaming. In fact, the sound quality delivered is on par with high-end home
theater systems that cost hundreds of dollars! Also with EAX ADVANCED HD
digital music lovers will be able to enjoy an enriched digital music experience with
advanced features like Audio Clean-Up, Time-Scaling, EAX ADVANCED HD Audio
Effects and DREAM. Most importantly, while other external audio solutions still
struggle to deliver good 2-channel digital audio, Sound Blaster Extigy delivers
exemplary 5.1-channel digital audio performance with an architecture that
intelligently optimizes the limited USB bandwidth for audio data transfer. This
architecture was designed from the ground up to optimize available external
bandwidth for digital audio processing without compromising quality and
performance.
Sound Blaster Extigy also works as a standalone device, when not connected to the
PC. You can conveniently plug in your personal audio players (CD/MD/MP3 players)
for easy music listening or even up-mix stereo music to 5.1-channel audio using
TM
,
Introduction viii
CMSS. You can also plug in external Dolby® Digital equipment, for example, DVD
players and video game consoles, making use of its onboard Dolby Digital hardware
decoder to play DVD movies or games.
What is EAX
ADVANCED HD?
EAX ADVANCED HD brings a new level of performance, power and flexibility to PC
audio. It delivers superior audio fidelity, rich environment effects and music
enhancement features such as Audio Clean-Up, Time-Scaling, EAX ADVANCED HD
Audio Effects, DREAM
with the Sound Blaster Extigy.
TM
and CMSSTM for an unsurpassed digital music experience
CreativeWareCreativeWare for Sound Blaster Extigy provides you with the latest information on
bundled software, feature upgrade options, and new software applications that will
heighten your digital audio experience.
Visit http://www.creative.com for more information on CreativeWare.
Package Contents
The items listed here may
differ in certain countries.
Your package contains the following items:
❑ Sound Blaster Extigy
❑ Sound Blaster Extigy Stands
❑ IR remote control
❑ USB cable
❑ AC Adapter
❑ 2 AAA batteries for the IR remote control
❑ Sound Blaster Extigy Installation CD
❑ Application and game CDs
❑ Quick Start leaflet
❑ Warranty card
❑ Technical Support leaflet
Introduction ix
System
Requirements
Sound Blaster Extigy
Games, DVD viewing
and Internet radio
❑ PC Systems, Notebooks or Laptops with Genuine Intel
or faster processor
❑ Intel or 100% compatible motherboard chipset
❑ Windows
2000 or Windows XP
❑ 64 MB RAM for Windows 98 SE,
128 MB RAM for Windows Me, Windows 2000 or Windows XP
❑ 250 MB of free hard disk space
❑ Available USB port
❑ Headphones or amplified speakers (available separately)
❑ CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive installed
❑ SVGA or better display, set at 256 colors or higher
❑ Genuine Intel Pentium III 450 MHz or faster processor
❑ Windows 98 SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000 or Windows XP
❑ 128 MB RAM for games
❑ 3D graphics accelerator with at least 8 MB of texture RAM for games
❑ Recommended 300 to 500 MB of free hard disk space for games
❑ An external DVD player or, for computer systems, at least a second generation
DVD-ROM drive with one of these recommended soft-DVD players: InterVideo’s
WinDVD 2000 or CyberLink’s PowerDVD 3.0 and above
❑ Internet radio requires at least a 56 kbps modem and an active Internet
connection before running the application.
®
98 Second Edition (SE), Windows Millennium Edition (Me), Windows
®
Pentium® II 350 MHz
Other applications may have higher system requirements or may require a
microphone. Refer to the individual application’s online Help for details.
Introduction x
Getting More
Information
Refer to the Sound Blaster Extigy Quick Start and the various online Helpfiles for
detailed information. The Sound Blaster Extigy Tour, an online presentation, gives
you an interactive introduction to Sound Blaster Extigy and demonstrates its
capabilities.
More Help
View the contents of the Sound Blaster Extigy Installation CD for additional
demonstrations, libraries and other software. Visit the www.soundblaster.com site
for the latest Sound Blaster news and products. The site also includes information
on making purchases, technical help, and CreativeWare updates.
Technical SupportVisit http://www.soundblaster.com/support/faq/ for general help.
Document
Conventions
The following typographical conventions are used throughout this manual:
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 xi
1
About Sound Blaster Extigy
This chapter gets you ready to install the Sound Blaster Extigy
hardware.
About Sound Blaster Extigy
What You Need
In addition, you will also
need an available USB port
on your computer.
Before you begin installation, be sure that you have these:
Sound Blaster Extigy
Remote ControlUSB cable
Sound Blaster Extigy StandsAC Adapter*
Installation CD
*May differ depending
on country of purchase
Figure 1-1: Items needed for installation.
About Sound Blaster Extigy 1-1
Your Sound
Blaster Extigy
Your Sound Blaster Extigy has these jacks and connectors that allow you to attach
other devices:
MIDI In/Out connectors
Center/Subwoofer Out jack
Connects to 5.1 analog speaker
systems.
Front Out jack
Connects to powered speakers or
an external amplifier for audio
output.
Connects to MIDI devices.
USB port
Connects to the
USB cable
Rear
Panel
Rear Out jack
Connects to powered speakers or
an external amplifier for audio
output.
Front
Panel
Optical SPDIF In/Out connectors
Connects to digital audio devices such
as DAT and MiniDisc recorders, via
optical input/output.
Figure 1-2: Jacks, connectors and ports on Sound Blaster Extigy.
Digital Out jack (6-channel SPDIF output)
Connects to external digital devices or digital
speaker systems.
Line In jack
Connects to an external
device (such as a cassette,
DAT or MiniDisc player).
Microphone In jack
Connects to an
external microphone
for voice input.
About Sound Blaster Extigy 1-2
AC adapter jack
Connects to the
AC adapter plug
SPDIF In jack
Connects to digital audio
devices such as DAT and
MiniDisc recorders.
Headphones
jack
Connects to a
pair of highquality
headphones.
Your speaker
output is
muted when
you connect
the
headphones to
Sound Blaster
Extigy.
Controls and LEDs
Set the gain of the Mic In jack
to the minimum before
connecting a microphone,
especially if you are using
headphones.
The front panel of your Sound Blaster Extigy has these controls and LEDs:
Remote LED
Blinks when a signal from the
CMSS LED
Lights up when CMSS mode*
is selected.
Dolby Digital LED
Lights up when a Dolby
Digital signal is detected.
Microphone Gain Control Knob
To control the microphone gain,
turn clockwise or counterclockwise.
Master Volume Control
Knob
To control the master volume
output, turn clockwise or
counterclockwise. This knob
turns freely and does not
have an end point.
CMSS Button
Press this button to turn the
CMSS mode* on or off.
Figure 1-3: Controls and LEDs on Sound Blaster Extigy.
remote control is detected.
Power LED
Lights up green when Sound
Blaster Extigy is turned on.
IR Receiver
Receives signals from the
remote control.
Power Button
Press this button to turn Sound
Blaster Extigy on or off.
* CMSS mode enables
upmixing of mono or stereo
sources to 4 or 5.1 speaker
output.
About Sound Blaster Extigy 1-3
Connecting
Headphones
Use a ¼ " to 3.5 mm adapter
for headphones or
microphones with ¼ " plugs.
There are two types of headphones that you can connect to your Sound Blaster
Extigy:
❑ Home audio or professional audio headphones, usually fitted with a ¼ " stereo
.
plug
❑ Personal stereo headphones, usually fitted with a 3.5 mm stereo plug, such as
those used for portable audio players.
Note: When headphones are plugged in, speaker output is muted. Headphones volume is
controlled by the master volume, see “Adjusting Master Volume and Microphone Gain”
below.
Connecting
Microphones
Adjusting Master
Volume and
Microphone
Gain
Using the Sound
Blaster Extigy
control knobs
There are two types of microphones that you can connect to your Sound Blaster
Extigy:
❑ Dynamic microphone, usually fitted with a ¼ " plug, such as the type used in
vocal performances.
❑ Condenser microphone, usually fitted with a 3.5 mm plug.
You can adjust the master volume and microphone gain in the following ways.
Figure 1-4: Microphone and Master Volume Control Knobs.
On the front panel of Sound Blaster Extigy, turn the respective control knob:
❑ Counterclockwise to decrease the master volume or microphone gain.
❑ Clockwise to increase the master volume or microphone gain.
About Sound Blaster Extigy 1-4
Using Creative
Audio Mixer
To install Creative Audio
Mixer and other applications,
see “Software Installation”
on page 2-2.
• For best effects, set the
master volume and
microphone gain levels to
75% in Audio Mixer, and
then use the Sound
Blaster Extigy control
knobs to make further
adjustments.
• If you set the master
volume or microphone
gain levels to 0%, or mute
them in Audio Mixer, no
sound will be heard, even
if the Sound Blaster Extigy
control knobs are set to
the maximum.
To adjust master volume:
1. Click
Start
Audio Mixer
2. On Audio Mixer, make sure that the
Programs
->
.
->
Creative
Mute
Sound Blaster Extigy
->
check box under the
->
Volume
Creative
slider is
clear. Otherwise, click the check box.
3. Drag the
Volume
slider up or down to adjust the master volume.
To adjust microphone gain:
1. Click
Start
Audio Mixer
Programs
->
.
->
Creative
Sound Blaster Extigy
->
Creative
->
2. On Audio Mixer, click an audio input source button with a down arrow, and then
select
3. Make sure the check box below the
Microphone
.
Microphone
slider is cleared. If not, click it
to clear the check box. This will unmute the audio input source.
4. Drag the slider up or down to adjust the microphone gain.
Using a Remote
Control with
Your Computer
Sound Blaster Extigy 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 '). For details, refer to the RemoteCenter online Help.
About Sound Blaster Extigy 1-5
Remote Control
Functions
* OSD - On Screen Display.
Refer to Figure 1-5 and Figure 1-6 below for a description of your remote control’s
functions.
Number pad
Used for the
selection of tracks
and menu items. To
access a two-digit
number track such
as track 10, press
the "1" button
followed by the "0"
button (in quick
succession). During
playback of a media
format, press the
"0" button to display
the track list on the
OSD* for selection.
Up/Down buttons
Used for navigating up/
down.
Rewind/Left
button
Used for
rewinding a
track, decreasing
a value or
navigating left.
Select/OK button
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.
Fast
Forward/
Right button
Used for fast
forwarding a
track,
increasing a
value or
navigating
right.
Stop/Eject button
Stops the current
playback. Pressing the
button subsequently
will eject the disc.
Play/Pause button
Starts, pauses or resumes the
current playback.
Record
button
Starts
audio
recording.
Next button
Goes to the
next track or
menu page.
Previous
button
Goes to the
previous track
or menu page.
Slow Motion
Forward button
Reduces the
playback speed
(except for audio
CDs and MIDI
files). Press
repeatedly to select
the speed. Press
the Play/Pause
button to resume
normal playback.
Step Forward
button
(For video only)
Press once to
pause the
playback. Pressing
the button
subsequently will
advance to the
next video frame.
To resume normal
playback, press the
Play/Pause button.
Figure 1-5: Navigation Buttons on the Remote Control.
About Sound Blaster Extigy 1-6
EAX
button
Displays the
EAXspecific
OSD menu.
Display button
Displays the
current task status,
and the time and
date on the OSD.
Press repeatedly
for more status
displays.
Options button
Displays options for
current task. Press
repeatedly for more
options.
Power button*
Used for turning Sound
Blaster Extigy on and
setting it to standby
mode.
CMSS button*
Press to select CMSS mode.
Return
button
Returns to
parent menu.
Start button
Displays the OSD
Start menu for the
selection of a task.
Press repeatedly for
more menus.
Close/Cancel
button
Cancels the current
OSD menu or closes
the application
currently controlled
by RemoteCenter.
Figure 1-6: Other Buttons on the Remote Control.
Mute button*
Press to mute audio.
Master Volume buttons*
Press the Volume Up (+) or Volume
Down (-) button to control the
master volume of your computer
and Sound Blaster Extigy.
* These functions are available in
standalone mode. For more
information, see Chapter 2,
“Standalone Operation”.
About Sound Blaster Extigy 1-7
2
Installing and Using Sound Blaster
Extigy
This chapter tells you how to install and use Sound Blaster
Extigy.
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy
Hardware
Connections
Sound Blaster Extigy should
only be operated with the
supplied AC adapter.
• The USB cable can be
connected to your
computer while the
computer is turned on.
• The USB port(s) on some
computers are located on
the front panel instead of
the back.
1. Turn on your computer.
2. Connect the supplied USB cable and AC adapter as shown in Figure 2-1.
Notebook computer
USB port
USB cable
USB port
12V DC In
Desktop Computer
Powe r o ut le t
Note: Do this last.
Figure 2-1: Connecting Sound Blaster Extigy to the computer and power supply.
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy 2-1
3. Place Sound Blaster Extigy on a flat surface, plug the AC adapter into a power
outlet and turn on the outlet, if needed. Windows automatically detects the
device.
Software Installation
Windows 98 SE and
Windows Me
For Windows 98 SE systems,
the Windows 98 SE
Installation CD is required
during installation.
Windows 2000 and
Windows XP
Use the appropriate software installation procedure, depending on your computer’s
operating system.
1. Windows detects the new hardware and prompts you to install USB device
drivers.
2. Click the Cancel button, then insert the Sound Blaster Extigy CD into your CDROM drive.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the drivers and applications
installation.
A dialog box appears prompting you to restart your computer.
4. Click the Finish button to restart your computer.
1. Insert the Sound Blaster Extigy CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the drivers and applications
installation.
A dialog box appears prompting you to restart your computer.
3. Click the Finish button to restart your computer.
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy 2-2
Verifying the
software installation
Follow the steps below to verify that your Sound Blaster Extigy has been installed
correctly.
Windows 98 SE and
Windows Me
Windows 2000 and
Windows XP
1. Right-click the
2. On the menu that appears, click
3. In the
4. Click the plus (+) sign next to the
The entry “
repeat the installation procedure on page 2-2.
1. Right-click the
2. On the menu that appears, click
3. In the
4. Click the
5. Click the plus (+) sign next to the
The entry “
If the entry does not appear, repeat the installation procedure on page 2-2.
System Properties
System Properties
My Computer
Creative SB Extigy
My Computer
Device Manager
Creative SB Extigy
icon on your desktop.
Properties
dialog box, click the
Sound, video and game controllers
” should appear. If the entry does not appear,
icon on your desktop.
Properties
dialog box, click the
button.
Sound, video and game controllers
” should appear.
.
Device Manager
.
Hardware
tab.
tab.
icon.
icon.
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy 2-3
Connecting
Peripherals
Sound Blaster Extigy will undoubtedly give you endless hours of listening pleasure.
Figure 2-2 shows you how to connect peripherals to your Sound Blaster Extigy to
optimize your enjoyment.
CD Player
Microphone
Tele vi si on
Cassette Player
Analog Front,
Rear and
Center/Sub
Inputs
Discrete 6-channel analog input amplifier
or AV receiver
Headphones
Tip : Left / Center channel
Ring : Right / Subwoofer channel
3.5mm Stereo-to-RCA cables
Center/
Subwoofer
Out
Line In
Mic In
Front Out
Rear Out
Figure 2-2: Connecting devices.
Headphones
Additional information for
advanced users:
For connection to Center and
Subwoofer channels using a
3.5mm Stereo-to-RCA cable,
connect the white RCA jack to
the Center input and the red
RCA jack to the Subwoofer input
of the amplifier.
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy 2-4
Recording and
Content
Sound Blaster Extigy supports digital audio connectivity for perfect
recordings and content authoring. Figure 2-3 shows you how to connect digital
peripherals to your Sound Blaster Extigy.
Authoring
A minijack-to-coaxial adapter
is required to connect your
digital device to the Digital
Out jack.
MiniDisc recorder
Optical SPDIF In/Out
connectors
Figure 2-3: Connecting recorders to Sound Blaster Extigy.
Digital devices such as
DAT recorders
MIDI In/Out
connectors
Digital Out
jack
SPDIF In
jack
MIDI devices (For example, MIDI keyboard)
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy 2-5
Connecting
Speaker Systems
Playing games, music
or watching movies
Sound Blaster Extigy supports both analog and digital speakers. If you have a 5.1
channel speaker system, you can upmix your stereo sources (such as CD Audio,
MP3, WMA, MIDI and Wave) to 5.1 channels by using the Creative Multi Speaker
Surround (CMSS) technology. To upmix, you need to enable the CMSS feature in
PlayCenter. Refer to the PlayCenter online Help.
Analog 5.1 channel speaker
system*
Minijack-to-DIN cable
Optical cable
Figure 2-4: Connecting speaker systems to Sound Blaster Extigy.
Triple stereo
audio cable
Creative Inspire or Cambridge
SoundWorks 4.1 or 5.1 Digital
Speaker Systems
Digital
DIN
Creative Inspire or
Cambridge
SoundWorks 4.1 or 5.1
Digital Speaker
Systems
*For example, Creative
Inspire 5.1 Analog
Speakers
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy 2-6
Attaching Sound
Blaster Extigy
Stands
To prevent the IR Receiver
from being blocked, make
sure you attach the stands as
shown in Figure 2-5.
If you want to place Sound Blaster Extigy vertically, attach the provided
stands to the base of Sound Blaster Extigy, as shown in Figure 2-5 below.
IR Receiver
Push the stands in, and make sure
2
they fit firmly over Sound Blaster
Extigy as shown above.
Position Sound Blaster Extigy over the stands so
1
that the grooves of the stands are in alignment with
the rubber pads of Sound Blaster Extigy.
Figure 2-5: Attaching stands to Sound Blaster Extigy.
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy 2-7
Inserting
Batteries into
Remote Control
To insert batteries into your remote control, follow the steps in Figure 2-6 below.
1324
Press down
with your
thumb and
slide out the
battery case
cover.
Figure 2-6: Inserting batteries into the remote control.
Take note of
the polarity of
the batteries
as shown in
the battery
compartment.
Insert the
batteries. Make
sure to follow
the correct
polarity.
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy 2-8
Slide back the
battery case
cover.
Positioning
Speakers
If you have a 5.1-channel speaker system, position the front and rear speakers to
form the corners of a square with you exactly in the center. Place the center
speaker between your front speakers (for example, on your TV or
monitor). Place the subwoofer in a corner of the room for the best bass
experience. Adjust the relative positions of the speakers until you get the best
audio experience. For recommended speaker positions, see Figure 2-7 below.
Subwoofer
Front Left
speaker
Rear Left
speaker
Figure 2-7: Recommended speaker positions.
Center speaker
Front Right
speaker
Rear Right
speaker
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy 2-9
Standalone
Operation
The Sound Blaster Extigy can be operated without being connected to a computer.
The following are some recommendations for standalone operation.
Listening to digital
audio
Sound Blaster Extigy also
decodes 2 channel digital
signals like CD Digital Audio
(PCM).
Maximise your enjoyment of Dolby Digital AC3 encoded movies and music.
DVD Player with Dolby Digital 5.1
channel program source.
The Sound Blaster Extigy decodes the
AC3 signal and outputs 5.1 channels of
analog audio to connected amplified
speakers.
Enjoy 5.1 channels of surround sound.
Figure 2-8: Standalone Operation - Digital Audio.
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy 2-10
Upmixing 2-channel
audio
Enjoy 5.1 channels of surround sound from a 2-channel (stereo) analog program
source.
Digital Audio Player / CD Player / Cassette Player
with 2-channel analog program source.
Sound Blaster Extigy upmixes the 2-channel
analog signal and outputs 6 channels of analog
audio to connected amplified speakers.
Press CMSS button.
Enjoy up to 5.1 channels of surround sound.
(Depends on type of speakers connected)
Mix music and microphone inputs to sing along with your favorite tunes.
Digital Audio Player / CD Player / Cassette Player
analog source.
Microphone analog source.
Sound Blaster Extigy mixes the 2 analog
sources and outputs the mixed audio to
connected amplified speakers.
Enjoy singing along to your favorite tunes.
Figure 2-10: Standalone Operation - Mixed Analog Output.
Installing and Using Sound Blaster Extigy 2-12
3
Sound Blaster Extigy Applications
This chapter tells you about the applications bundled with
your Sound Blaster Extigy.
Sound Blaster Extigy Applications
Creative Sound
Blaster Extigy
Applications
Sound Blaster Extigy is supported by a full range of applications to help you get the
most from your audio device. The following set of software is most important to the
operation of your Sound Blaster Extigy:
Creative Audio Control
❑
Creative Diagnostics
❑
Creative Audio Mixer
❑
Creative WaveStudio
❑
Creative PlayCenter
❑
Creative Recorder
❑
Creative RemoteCenter
❑
Creative MiniDisc Center
❑
The following enable you to enjoy the full Sound Blaster Extigy experience:
Creative Sound Blaster Extigy Quick Start
❑
Creative Sound Blaster Extigy Tour
❑
Sound Blaster Extigy Applications 3-1
Creative Audio
Control
Creative Audio Control is a utility that allows you to control the SPDIF output
frequency and the audio mixing quality of your USB audio product. Double-click the
Audio Control icon in Windows Control Panel to open this applet.
For more information and usage details on Creative Audio Control, refer to its online
Help.
Creative
Diagnostics
Creative Audio
Mixer
Creative Diagnostics is a simple but useful program for diagnosing and fixing any
problems that you may have with your audio hardware. The diagnostic tests will
check that the audio hardware is detected, the audio drivers are working, and the
mixer settings are correct. A speaker test is also provided to let you test the
physical connections from Sound Blaster Extigy to the speakers. If the test detects
problems, Creative Diagnostics will provide solutions. Use Creative Diagnostics to
help you have a trouble-free audio experience.
For more information and usage details on Creative Diagnostics, refer to its online
Help.
Creative Audio Mixer is a powerful audio mixer that allows you to have complete
control over all your audio sources. It is the main program used to adjust your
audio settings when you play music or when you record sound. With Creative Audio
Mixer, you can:
Control the volume of an audio source.
❑
Select the recording source.
❑
Select your speaker configuration.
❑
Control the speaker balance and fade.
❑
For more information and usage details on Creative Audio Mixer, refer to its online
Help.
Sound Blaster Extigy Applications 3-2
Creative
WaveStudio
Creative WaveStudio allows you to perform the following sound editing functions
easily:
Play, edit, and record 8-bit (tape quality) and 16-bit (CD quality) wave data
❑
Enhance wave data or create unique sounds with various special effects and
❑
editing operations such as reverse, echo, mute, pan, cut, copy, and paste
Open and edit several audio files at the same time
❑
Open Raw (.RAW) and MP3 (.MP3) data files
❑
For more information and usage details on Creative WaveStudio, refer to its online
Help.
Creative
PlayCenter
Creative
Recorder
Creative PlayCenter is a revolutionary audio CD and digital audio (such as
MP3,WMA or AC3) player. Besides managing your favorite digital audio files on your
computer, it is also an integrated MP3/WMA encoder for ripping audio CD tracks
into compressed digital audio files. It can encode tracks many times faster than
normal play speed and up to 320 kbps (for MP3).
For more information and usage details on Creative PlayCenter, refer to its online
Help.
Note:
Management (DRM), the SPDIF output of the device is disabled while a DRM secured
selection is playing. Consequently, both the coaxial and optical digital outputs of Sound
Blaster Extigy are disabled during the playback of DRM secured selections.
Creative Recorder allows you to record sounds or music from various input sources,
for example, microphone or audio CD, and save them as Wave (.WAV) files. For
more information and usage details on Creative Recorder, refer to its online Help.
In accordance with the requirements for devices supporting Microsoft’s Digital Rights
Sound Blaster Extigy Applications 3-3
Creative
RemoteCenter
Creative RemoteCenter converts your computer into an entertainment system,
which you can control from the comfort of your bed or sofa. With the remote
control and RemoteCenter Player, a simple but powerful multimedia player, you can
play audio and video CDs on your computer from a distance. You no longer need to
be directly in front of your computer to select or change tracks because the remote
center system comes with On-Screen Display (OSD), which makes the commands
or functions available viewable from a distance of 4 meters (13 '). RemoteCenter
also allows you to start and control your favorite Windows applications.
For more information on Creative RemoteCenter, refer to its online Help.
Creative
MiniDisc Center
Creative MiniDisc Center allows you to play back popular audio file formats and
compact discs for recording to DAT and MD recorders.
With MiniDisc Center, you can:
put together an album of your favorite songs, each of which may be in a different
❑
audio format
insert a preset period of silence automatically after each track
❑
org a nize a s equence o f trac ks to be p layed b ack and t hen reco r ded to y our digi tal
❑
recorder
For more information and usage details on Creative MiniDisc Center, refer to its
online Help.
Sound Blaster Extigy Applications 3-4
Creative Sound
Blaster Extigy
Quick Start
This is a good starting point from which you can learn about Sound Blaster Extigy.
The online Quick Start consists of several interactive and informative demos that
feature different aspects of Sound Blaster Extigy, like experiencing digital music,
watching movies and connecting speakers.
Creative Sound
Blaster Extigy
To u r
The Creative Sound Blaster Extigy Tour is an online presentation that gives you an
interactive introduction to the features and capabilities of Sound Blaster Extigy.
Sound Blaster Extigy Applications 3-5
4
Using Applications
This chapter tells you which applications to use for content
creation, gaming and entertainment purposes.
Using Applications
Sound Blaster Extigy offers you high-quality multimedia playback, digital
entertainment, content creation capability, internet entertainment and gaming. The
following pages tell you which applications would best suit your needs.
Multimedia
Playback
Watching DVDs
Some software DVD
decoders/players cannot
decode up to 5.1 channels,
but can support SPDIF
output. In such cases,
enable the SPDIF output
function to allow Sound
Blaster Extigy to decode the
Dolby Digital signal.
Playing MP3, WMA
or AC3 files
To enjoy the surround experience of Dolby Digital (5.1 channels) encoded DVD
movies, you must have a DVD-compatible drive and a set of speakers that support
up to six channels such as Creative Inspire 5.1 Analog Speakers. Dolby Digital
encoded DVD movies are best experierienced with software DVD players such as
InterVideo WinDVD 2000 or Cyberlink PowerDVD 3.0.
For the best audio quality, enable the SPDIF output from the software DVD player
so that the Dolby Digital signal is decoded by Sound Blaster Extigy and directed to
a high quality 5.1 speaker system such as the Creative Inspire 5.1 series.
Creative PlayCenter supports and plays MP3,WMA and AC3 files.
Using Applications 4-1
Playing back Wave
and CD Audio files
Use Creative PlayCenter to play back both Wave and CD Audio files. WAV is the
format for digital audio files on the Windows operating platform. CD Audio refers to
audio compact discs that can be played on your CD-ROM drive.
Playing MIDI files
Digital
Entertainment
Watching movies
with surround
sound
Compiling personal
albums
MIDI (*.MID) is a music format that uses a synthesizer for playback. Use Creative
PlayCenter to play MIDI files.
If you want to enjoy high quality movie entertainment, ensure that you have good
speakers. If you have a 4- or 5-speaker system connected to your Sound Blaster
Extigy, configure your speaker setup in Creative Audio Mixer. For DVD movies, it is
recommended that you purchase a Creative PC-DVD ROM drive, as well as Creative
Inspire 5.1 Analog Speakers.
You can compile albums containing CD Audio, WAV or MIDI files using Creative
PlayCenter.
Using Applications 4-2
Content
Creation
Recording sound
and effects
Recording digital
audio
Internet
Entertainment
Encoding CD songs
to MP3 format
Downloading and
playing MP3 songs
Playing MP3 songs
with EAX
Creative Recorder is an easy way of recording any audio source without worrying
about mixer settings. You can also record any audio effects.
You can do digital recording and editing (16-bit, 48 kHz) on your computer with
Sound Blaster Extigy using Creative Wave Studio. Connect any SPDIF compatible
device such as a DAT deck and select SPDIF In in Creative Audio Mixer.
With Creative PlayCenter, you can encode and record all your favorite CD songs into
your computer’s hard drive, so that you have a database of customized song lists.
With Creative PlayCenter, you can add current songs to your database by
downloading them from various sites on the Internet.
Use Creative PlayCenter to create MP3 renditions with multi-dimensional and multitextured realism by adding environments such as “concert hall” or “bathroom”! You
can share these enhanced MP3 songs, even with someone who does not own
Sound Blaster Extigy.
Using Applications 4-3
Gaming
Reference
Enjoying EAX
support
Enjoying
DirectSound3D
support
Enjoy the many EAX titles designed by top game developers, which immerse you in
realistic environments. Visit http://www.eax.creative.com for a full list of
compatible titles.
DirectSound3D (DS3D) games are supported on your Sound Blaster Extigy. You
can hear sounds positioned in 3D space to enhance your game experience.
Using Applications 4-4
A
General Specifications
This section displays the specifications of your
Sound Blaster Extigy
General Specifications
This section lists the specifications of your Sound Blaster Extigy.
Features
High Definition Audio
Quality
Professional Quality
DSP Engine
❑
High Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) exceeding 100dB using high linearity, low
distortion 24-bit converters with resolutions of up to 96 kHz
❑
24-bit / 96 kHz Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) for various analog inputs
❑
24-bit / 96 kHz Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) for 6-channel analog speaker
and headphone outputs
❑
Independent 24-bit Analog-to-Digital Converters for Line and Microphone input
controls to provide recording and mixing flexibility
❑
Supports Sony/Philips Digital Interface (SPDIF) format input signal of up to 24bit / 96 kHz quality
❑
Creative's high performance hardware Digital Signal Processor (DSP), for precise
sampling rate conversion, CMSS, 3D audio algorithm processing, digital mixing
and bass management; as well as accurate Dolby Digital processing
❑
High speed Dolby Digital DSP for accurate processing of Dolby Digital streams
❑
Host based 32-bit floating point effects engine for professional quality real-time
effects, processing, mixing and positioning of audio streams
General Specifications A-1
EAX ADVANCED
HD™, Advanced Audio
and 3D Audio
Te c h n o l o g y
❑ Optimized user-selectable settings for headphones, two, four or six speakers and
external A/V amplifiers
❑ Improved Creative Multi Speaker Surround™ (CMSS) technology accurately
places mono or stereo sources in a 360
❑ Realistic EAX reverb, panning and elevation effect brings life to your music and
games
❑ Advanced time-scaling feature allows variable playback duration without altering
pitch of original content
❑ Powerful Audio Clean-up feature removes noise and 'clicks' from playback of vinyl
disk or cassette tape recordings
audio space
º
Dynamic Dolby Digital
Playback
❑"Dolby Laboratories" approved hardware Dolby Digital decoding that does not rely
on the host processor power for decoding, resulting in a consistent Dolby Digital
playback that does not depend on software or hardware DVD players
❑ Dedicated Dolby Digital (AC-3) hardware DSP decoder with support for up to 24-
bit I/O data format. Ability to decode Dolby Digital streams from optical, coaxial
SPDIF input or host PC via USB connection
❑ Built-in 24-bit DACs provide the best audio resolution for Dolby Digital playback,
making it the perfect partner for DVD applications
❑ Optimum bass management feature allows speakers of different sizes to be
accommodated - be it Creative Inspire
channel ready’ home A/V amplifiers
❑ Provides mixing of Dolby Digital audio with real-time game play audio effects - a
feature that normal consumer Dolby Digital A/V receivers are not capable of
supporting
TM
range of 5.1 channel speakers or '6-
General Specifications A-2
Advanced USB Features
Connectivity
Sound Blaster Extigy
❑
Optimized dynamic bandwidth allocation architecture for audio data transfer via
USB bus. The architecture provides support for simultaneous playback of 5.1
multi-channel audio together with a compressed Dolby Digital (AC-3) stream
while supporting a full duplex recording session
❑
The dynamic bandwidth allocation architecture is ideal for playing 3D games or
applications with Dolby Digital tracks that simultaneously support voice
recognition for command and control
❑
MIDI I/O connection to PC via high speed USB assures reliable, immediate MIDI
transfers for professional quality MIDI recording and/or playback
❑
Works as a standalone unit or with more functionality when connected to the PC
via the USB connection
Inputs and Outputs on
Front Panel
SPDIF output is not available
during playback of protected
digital audio contents
authored with Microsoft DRM
(Digital Rights Management)
technology
❑
One square connector for Optical SPDIF input
❑
One square connector for Optical SPDIF output
❑
One 3.5 mm (1/8 ") jack for stereo line-level analog input
❑
One 3.5 mm (1/8 ") jack for mono analog Microphone input
❑
One 3.5 mm (1/8 ") jack for stereo analog Headphones output. (When the
Headphones plug is inserted, the autodetect feature automatically mutes the
main speakers and the audio is redirected to Headphones output)
❑
One Infrared Receiver for receiving signals from the Remote Control unit. (The
optimal direct line-of-sight transmission range is within 5 m (16 ') or 3 m (10 ')
with 30° deviation from the center axis)
General Specifications A-3
Control Knobs and
Buttons on Front Panel
❑
One Microphone gain control knob (Min. to Max. with clockwise rotation)
❑
One Master Volume gain control knob (digital control, clockwise rotation to
increase volume)
❑
One CMSS button: When enabled, stereo sources will be up-mixed to 4 or 5.1
channel output depending on the speaker configuration. When disabled (Direct
mode), audio sources will be reproduced without any up-mixing
❑
One Power button
Inputs and Outputs On
Rear Panel
Do not use with power
adapters not designed for
Sound Blaster Extigy as
incompatible power ratings
may cause damage to the unit
or inflict bodily harm.
Display Indicators
❑
One 3.5 mm (1/8 ") jack for stereo analog Front Left and Right Speaker output
❑
One 3.5 mm (1/8 ") jack for stereo analog Rear Left and Right Speaker output
❑
One 3.5 mm (1/8 ") jack for analog Center Speaker and Subwoofer output
❑
One 3.5 mm (1/8 ") 4-pole jack for digital output to external digital devices such
as 2, 4 or 5.1 Cambridge SoundWorks or Creative Inspire range of speakers
❑
One RCA / Coaxial jack for SPDIF input
❑
One standard 5-pin DIN connector for MIDI input
❑
One standard 5-pin DIN connector for MIDI output
❑
One USB port (Type B)
❑
One Power Supply Input jack (12 V DC In). Connects to the supplied external AC/
DC power adapter.
❑
One green LED to indicate power status. Lights up when the unit is switched on.
❑
One red LED to indicate remote control receive status. Blinks when it receives a
transmission message from the Remote Control unit.
❑
One green LED to indicate CMSS status. Lights up when CMSS is enabled.
❑
One green LED to indicate Dolby Digital status. Lights up when the unit receives
a source encoded with Dolby Digital bitstream.
General Specifications A-4
B
Troubleshooting
This section provides solutions to problems you may
encounter during installation or normal use.
Troubleshooting
This appendix provides solutions to problems you may encounter during installation
or normal use.
Problems
Installing
Software
The installation does not start automatically after the Sound Blaster Extigy
Installation CD is inserted.
The AutoPlay feature in your Windows system may not be enabled.
To start the installation program through the My Computer shortcut menu:
1. Double-click the
2. In the
3. On the shortcut menu, click
To enable AutoPlay through Auto Insert Notification:
1. Click
2. In the
3. In the
your CD-ROM drive.
4. Click the
5. In the
Notification
6. Click the OK button to exit from the dialog box.
My Computer
Start
Control Panel
System Properties
Properties
Properties
My Computer
Settings
->
.
icon on your Windows desktop.
window, right-click the CD-ROM drive icon.
AutoPlay
Control Panel
->
window, double-click the
dialog box, click the
button.
dialog box, click the
and follow the instructions on the screen.
.
Settings
System
Device Manager
tab and select
icon.
tab and select
Auto Insert
Troubleshooting B-1
Problems with
Sound
If you do not hear any sound
from an audio input source,
make sure that in Creative
Audio Mixer, the
checkbox for that source does
not have a check mark in it.
Mute
No sound from the headphones.
Check the following:
❑
The headphones are connected to the Headphones jack.
❑
In Creative Audio Mixer, the
No sound from the speakers.
Check the following:
❑
You have connected your speakers to your Sound Blaster Extigy's output.
❑
You have selected the correct source in Creative Audio Mixer.
❑
Headphones are not connected to Sound Blaster Extigy. Output to the speakers
Headphones
option is selected in the
Speaker
box.
is automatically cut off when headphones are connected.
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 Audio
Mixer to adjust the volume, if necessary.
❑
The powered speakers or external amplifier are connected to Sound Blaster
Extigy’s Center/Subwoofer, Rear and Front output jacks.
❑
The Speaker selection in the Creative Audio Mixer corresponds to your speaker
or headphone configuration.
Crackling sound heard when playing 5.1-channel program material.
When more than one USB device shares a USB port, and are used at the same time,
your computer's performance may be affected. A message warning you that there
is not enough bandwidth available may also appear.
To solve the problem, do one or both of the following to reduce the USB bandwidth used:
❑
Close one or more applications that are running the USB devices.
❑
Change your speaker configuration in Creative Audio Mixer from
2 Speakers
to
, if 5.1 speakers are being used.
5.1 Speakers
Troubleshooting B-2
You can also enable Direct Memory Access to your storage devices. Follow the steps below:
For Windows 98 SE and Windows Me
1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel dialog box, double-click the System icon.
3. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Device Manager tab.
4. Double-click the Disk drives icon.
Your computer drives will appear.
5. Double-click the hard disk drive icon.
6. In the box that appears, click the Settings tab.
7. 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.
5. Double-click the ATA/ATAPI IDE Controllers icon.
You r IDE channels will appear.
6. Right-click the Primary IDE Channel icon.
7. Click Properties.
Troubleshooting B-3
• Digital CD Playback may
not be available on external
DVD/CD-ROM drives with
PCMCIA IDE controllers.
• CD volume is controlled by
the Wave/MP3 slider in the
Audio Mixer application.
8. In the Properties dialog box, click the Advanced Settings tab.
9. Click the DMA if available check box, to select it.
10.Click the OK button.
No audio output when playing audio CDs.
Sound Blaster Extigy does not support analog CD audio playback. To listen to audio CDs,
digital CD playback must be enabled. Do the following to enable digital CD playback:
For Windows 98 SE
1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel dialog box, double-click the Multimedia icon.
3. In the Multimedia Properties dialog box, click the CD Music tab.
4. Click the Enable digital CD audio for this CD-ROM device check box to select
it.
5. Click the OK button.
For 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 DVD/CD-ROM drives icon.
Your computer drives will appear.
5. Right-click the disk drive icon.
A menu will appear.
6. Click Properties.
7. 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.
8. Click the OK button.
Troubleshooting B-4
For Windows 2000 and Windows XP
1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel dialog box, double-click the System icon.
3. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab.
4. Click the Device Manager button.
5. Double-click the DVD/CD-ROM drives icon.
Your computer drives will appear.
6. Right-click the disk drive icon.
A menu will appear.
7. Click Properties.
8. 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.
Unable to record or transfer CD audio tracks from CD-ROM/DVD-ROM to MiniDisc
recorder, using the Creative MiniDisc application.
Enable digital CD playback. For more information, refer to the topic, “No audio
output when playing audio CDs.” on page B-4.
Troubleshooting B-5
Index
A
About
CreativeWare
EAX ADVANCED HD
Sound Blaster Extigy
AC adapter jack
Adjusting
master volume
microphone gain
Applications
Attaching Sound Blaster Extigy