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P/N: M42001-02A3
AVX & MX SERIES USER’S MANUAL
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THANK YOU
The team at Escient would like to take this opportunity to thank you
for purchasing an Escient FireBall product. Escient is committed to
providing our customers the most technologically advanced, yet easierthan-ever to use products that converge the power of the Internet with
home entertainment.
To maximize your enjoyment, please take a few minutes to review this
User’s Manual. It will guide you through all the features and benefits of
your new FireBall.
PRODUCT INTRODUCTION 6
ABOUT THIS MANUAL 6
RECORD YOUR SERIAL NUMBER
MANUAL DISCLAIMERS
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
TRADEMARKS & SERVICE MARKS 8
WARRANTY INFORMATION
ESCIENT PRIVACY POLICY 1
CONTACT INFORMATION 1
COPYRIGHT 1
TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 12
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If you should need assistance please call our Customer Support Staff at
800.372.4368
The Escient Team
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SETUP 13
POWER STATES 13
FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW 1
REAR PANEL OVERVIEW - 5 CHANGERS / 2 ZONES 1
REAR PANEL OVERVIEW - 3 CHANGERS / 1 ZONE 1
REAR PANEL OVERVIEW - 1 CHANGER / 1 ZONE 17
REMOTE OVERVIEW 1
ENTERING TEXT WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL 1
Entering Numeric Entry Mode 1
Typing Characters with the Remote 1
CONNECTING EXTERNAL DISC CHANGERS 21
Supported External Changers 21
Connecting Sony DVP-CX777ES CD/DVD Changers 2
LOADING DISCS INTO CHANGERS 2
Automatically Getting Disc Information 2
Getting Disc Information for a Range of Discs 2
Getting Disc Information for All Discs 26
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ADDITIONAL CONNECTION AND
HOOKUP INFORMATION 27
AUDIO OUTPUTS 27
MULTI-ZONE VIDEO OUTPUTS 2
SINGLE-ZONE VIDEO OUTPUTS 2
RS-232 CONNECTIONS 3
IR CONNECTIONS 30
ETHERNET CONNECTIONS 3
EXTERNAL CHANGER CONNECTIONS 3
Changer Types 3
Control Connections 3
Digital Audio Connections 33
Analog Audio Connections 3
Sony DVD/CD Changer Hookup 3
REGISTRATION 34
ETHERNET CONNECTION TEST 34
WATCHING A DIFFERENT MOVIE IN THE OTHER ROOM 39
WATCHING THE SAME MOVIE IN TWO ROOMS 41
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GETTING MUSIC INTO FIREBALL 42
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RECORDING FROM THE INTERNAL CD 43
0
RECORDING FROM EXTERNAL CHANGERS 44
Automatically Recording CDs 4
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Recording a Range of CDs 4
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Recording All CDs 47
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IMPORTING MUSIC FILES 48
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System Requirements 48
Audio File Requirements 4
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Cover Art Image Requirements 4
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IMPORTING FROM A PC 49
IMPORTING FROM A MAC 50
RECORDING FROM OTHER EXTERNAL SOURCES 52
ERASING A CD-RW DISC 5
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WATCHING DVD MOVIES 35
BROWSING YOUR MOVIE LIBRARY 35
PLAYING THE CURRENT MOVIE 35
SELECTING A DIFFERENT MOVIE 3
Movie Info 3
CHANGING THE GUIDE VIEW 3
View By Cover 3
VIEWING BY GENRE 37
WATCHING A MOVIE FROM
ANOTHER ROOM 38
BROWSING YOUR MOVIE LIBRARY FROM
ANOTHER ROOM 3
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LISTENING TO MUSIC 54
BROWSING YOUR MUSIC LIBRARY 54
SHOW AND HIDE TRACKS 54
PLAYING THE CURRENT TITLE 55
6
SELECTING A DIFFERENT SONG 55
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CHANGING THE GUIDE VIEW 5
6
View By Artist 5
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View By Artist-Title 56
View By Title-Artist 57
View By Song-Artist 57
View By List 5
View By Cover 5
Using the Guide Views 57
CHANGING THE CURRENT PLAY MODE 58
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Jukebox Play Modes 58
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VIEWING BY GENRE 59
USING THE JUKEBOX QUEUE 60
Adding Songs and Playing the Jukebox Queue 60
Reordering the Jukebox Queue 61
Removing a Song from the Jukebox Queue 6
Clearing the Entire Jukebox Queue 6
Saving the Jukebox Queue 61
Exiting Jukebox Mode 61
LISTENING TO INTERNET RADIO 62
BROWSING INTERNET RADIO STATIONS 62
PLAYING THE CURRENT STATION 6
MANAGING YOUR MEDIA 64
CREATING PLAYLISTS 64
CREATING GROUPS 65
ADDING INTERNET RADIO STATIONS 66
UPDATING THE INTERNET RADIO STATIONS LIST 67
EDITING MOVIE INFORMATION 6
Editing Disc Info 6
Automatically Lookup Information for This Disc 69
Searching for Movie Information Manually 70
Tips for Searching for Movies 70
Selecting an Existing Cover 7
Edit Description 7
EDITING MUSIC INFORMATION 73
Editing Track Names 74
Automatically Lookup Information for This Disc 75
Searching for the Original Cover 7
Tips for Searching for Covers 7
Selecting an Existing Cover 77
EDITING RADIO INFORMATION 78
EDITING PLAYLISTS 79
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EDITING GROUPS 80
DELETING MUSIC 81
DELETING PLAYLISTS 82
DELETING GROUPS 83
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CREATING CDS 84
CREATING A CUSTOM MIX CD 84
DUPLICATING A CD 8
RECORDING FROM AN EXTERNAL SOURCE 87
SETTING USER PREFERENCES 88
3
SELECTING YOUR LANGUAGE 88
SETTING THE SCREEN SAVER PREFERENCES 89
Activation Idle Time 8
Other Modes 8
Retail Demo Mode 90
Photo Screen Saver Mode 91
SETTING YOUR TIME ZONE 92
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CUSTOMIZABLE USER INTERFACE 9
ENABLING PASSWORD PROTECTION 9
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MOVIE RATINGS 95
ETHERNET SETTINGS 96
SERVER SETTINGS 97
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FIREBALL MUSIC SHARING 9
SELECTING THE AUDIO ENCODER TYPE 9
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SETTING THE DISC INSERT PREFERENCES 100
VIDEO FORMAT 101
CENTERING THE FIREBALL SCREEN 102
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ADJUSTING YOUR TV’S BRIGHTNESS 10
ADJUSTING YOUR TV’S CONTRAST 10
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ADJUSTING YOUR TV’S SHARPNESS 105
ADJUSTING YOUR TV’S COLOR AND TINT 106
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EXTERNAL CONTROL 107
SURROUND MODE SETTINGS 107
INSTALLING THE ETP TOUCH PANEL 10
Calibrating the Touch Panel 10
Changing the Touch Panel Button Overlay 11
Using Your Touch Panel 110
IR REMOTE CONTROL 11
DIRECT ACCESS CODES 11
PLAYLIST HOT KEYS 11
SERIAL COM PORTS 11
CONTROLLING FIREBALL FROM OTHER DEVICES 117
NETWORKED AUDIO USING
FIREBALL MUSIC CLIENTS 125
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SERVERS 125
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CLIENTS 12
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LOCATING THE FIREBALL CLIENTS AND SERVERS 12
Central 12
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Distributed 127
2
CONFIGURING A FIREBALL SERVER 12
5
CONFIGURING A FIREBALL CLIENT 12
6
Networking 12
Server Selection 12
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FIREBALL UTILITIES 118
GETTING INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR FIREBALL 118
RESTARTING THE SYSTEM 11
UPDATING THE SOFTWARE 12
CONTROLLING FIREBALL FROM
A WEB BROWSER 121
SETTING UP THE FIREBALL WEB SERVER 121
USING THE WEB USER INTERFACE 121
USING THE WEB BROWSER AS A MUSIC CLIENT 12
BACKUP AND RESTORE 123
FIREBALL MUSIC BACKUP 123
FIREBALL MUSIC RESTORE 12
ID3 Tag Support 12
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ESCIENT TECHNICAL SUPPORT 129
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TROUBLESHOOTING 130
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NETWORK PROBLEMS 130
SOFTWARE UPDATE PROBLEMS 13
RECORDING PROBLEMS 13
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 131
SPECIFICATIONS 131
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Video Specifications 13
Audio Specifications 131
Physical Specifications 131
3rd Party Certifcations 13
FCC Part 15, Subpart B 13
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GRACENOTE® END-USER
LICENSE AGREEMENT 132
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FireBall™ AVX & MX Series User’s Manual
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PRODUCT INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing a FireBall Media Management system from Escient (a division of D&M Holdings).
ABOUT THIS MANUAL
This FireBall User’s Manual is intended to provide the reader with an overview of the main features and benefits of the Escient FireBall Media
Management Systems. For more information, please refer to the Escient web site (www.escient.com) or contact your Escient dealer.
RECORD YOUR SERIAL NUMBER
The serial number for this unit is located at the rear of the device. Please record the serial number in the space provided below. Refer to it whenever
you call Escient Tech Support (800.372.4368) regarding this product.
FireBall Serial Number:
MANUAL DISCLAIMERS
At the time of printing, the screen shot images in this manual matched the interface screens. However, since FireBall has the capability of
downloading software updates and enhancements on a regular basis, the resulting screen updates may no longer match the images in this manual.
Please check the Escient website for more information about software updates.
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FireBall™ AVX & MX Series User’s Manual
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WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
• Do not use this apparatus near water.
• Clean only with a dry cloth.
• Do not block any ventilation openings.
• Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus
(including amplifiers) that produce heat.
• To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove the cover. No user serviceable parts are
inside. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel.
• To prevent electric shock, do not use a 3 wire to 2 wire adapter plug.
• A three prong grounded outlet is required.
• You are cautioned that any change or modification not expressly approved in this manual or
approved in writing by an authorized representative of Escient could void your warranty and/
or your authority to operate this equipment.
• Prolonged use of any video device which produces a static (non-moving, non-changing) or
repetitive image on your projector, television or plasma display device can cause “screen
burn-in”. You are encouraged to leave the FireBall screen-saver turned on and set to the
lowest possible “time-out” duration. Warning: This device uses the mains plug as the means to
disconnect the unit, this unit remains powered unless disconnected from the mains source.
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FireBall™ AVX & MX Series User’s Manual
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TRADEMARKS & SERVICE MARKS
Escient®, the Escient logo, and FireBall® are trademarks of Digital Networks North America.
FireBall and Physital are trademarks of Escient®.
Other product names mentioned herein are used for identification purposes only and may be
trademarks of their respective companies.
Music recognition technology and related data are provided by Gracenote®. Gracenote is
the industry standard in music recognition technology and related content delivery. For more
information visit www.gracenote.com.
CD and music-related data from Gracenote, Inc., copyright © 2000-2006 Gracenote.
Gracenote CDDB® Client Software, copyright 2000-2006 Gracenote. This product and service
may practice one or more of the following U.S. Patents: #5,987,525; #6,061,680; #6,154,773,
#6,161,132, #6,230,192, #6,230,207, #6,240,459, #6,330,593, and other patents issued or pending.
Gracenote and CDDB are registered trademarks of Gracenote. The Gracenote logo and
logotype, and the “Powered by Gracenote” logo are trademarks of Gracenote.
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FireBall™ AVX & MX Series User’s Manual
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WARRANTY INFORMATION
Terms of Coverage - Each Escient branded media management system sold comes with a standard one (1) year warranty. This warranty provides
no-charge coverage under normal product usage, for a period of one year from the date of registration and/or purchase (whichever is earlier). This
warranty program provides the following key features and benefits:
• Twelve (12) months service, parts and labor.
• Five (5) day turn around time on all standard in-warranty repairs. No charges to the customer other than in-bound shipping charges which are
determined by the shipping method. All return shipments will be via Standard Ground Transportation (approximately 5 business days).
• Twelve (12) months of regular hour telephone support (9AM to 7PM EST), Monday through Friday.
• 24-hour email response from the Escient Support Website.
• Software maintenance updates provided via a broadband or dial-up Internet connections.
• Access to 24-hour music and movie databases and entertainment services providing access to thousands of CD and DVD titles and associated
information.
What is Covered - The goal of this warranty is to cover operational problems that might arise with your product during normal use. This includes
failure to start, improper operation, or intermittent failures. As part of the warranty, Escient will pay for all labor and materials used in the repair of
the system. Escient reserves the right to use new or factory refurbished parts in the repair of these in-warranty systems. Escient will also pay for the
return shipment of the repaired system via standard ground transportation. At Escient’s discretion, the Company will repair or replace any system sent
in for repair. Upon repair, the product will be new or like-new in condition and will meet all necessary regulatory requirements.
What is Not Covered - Escient products are sold through Escient approved dealers. A number of items must remain intact in order for Escient to
verify and validate this warranty. Additionally, there are several conditions which violate Escient’s warranty program. These include:
• The product was not purchased through an approved Escient Dealer.
• Any product, on which the serial numbers has been defaced, modified or removed physically or electronically will not be covered by an Escient
warranty.
• Escient will not cover under warranty damage to the product as a result of accident, misuse, abuse, neglect, fire, water, lightning, or other acts
of God or nature, improper storage, unauthorized modification, or failure to follow instructions.
• Any type of unauthorized repair or modifications made to the system resulting in damage to the product will not be covered under this warranty.
• Damage caused to the product as a result of improper shipping or installation.
• Any problems related to the use of the product which is not a direct problem with the product.
• Damage caused to the product as a result of improper installation to third party peripherals or products, or incorrect connection to peripheral or
products.
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• Additionally, Escient does not cover the following items under the terms or its warranty programs:
• Installation or removal charges.
• Cost of initial technical adjustments (setup costs).
• Battery replacement.
Escient’s sole liability for any defective product is limited to the repair or replacement of the product at our discretion. Escient shall not be liable
for damages to other property caused by defects in this product, damages based upon inconvenience, loss of use of the product, loss of time or data,
commercial loss or any other damages, whether real, incidental or consequential.
Escient shall not be liable for damage or loss of data including but not limited to music recorded to storage devices. It is the customer’s responsibility
to maintain the original media and/or appropriate backup copies within the specific rights of the media’s copyright holder.
How to Return a Product - Contact your dealer or Escient’s Customer Support group at 800-372-4368.
Please have the following information ready for your dealer or Escient’s Customer Support technician:
• Product Serial Number
• Model Number
• Date of Registration or Purchase
• Place of Purchase
Upon reviewing the request for repair under warranty provisions, Escient’s Technical Support group will issue a Return Material Authorization
(RMA) number. This number is to be attached to the outside of the shipping carton. Additional instructions will be provided by technical support.
Please be sure to use original packing carton and internal packing materials to assure proper shipment of the system. Insurance costs are the
responsibility of the customer. Most shippers only provide standard coverage for $100 in cost so please protect yourself by providing additional
insurance for the returned product.
Out of Warranty Repair - Escient provides out of warranty repair service on a cost plus labor basis. Minimum charges will apply. Technical support
will provide information on this service at the time of the call.
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FireBall™ AVX & MX Series User’s Manual
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ESCIENT PRIVACY POLICY
Escient is committed to providing you with a product that you enjoy and are confident in using, and are committed to providing services in a private
and secure environment.
We recognize and respect each individual user’s privacy and have created this Privacy Policy to demonstrate our commitment to your privacy.
We want you to be fully informed about the information that we collect, why we collect it, and with whom we share it.
It is our hope that, after reading this notice, you will understand our commitment to privacy and be confident that we will use your information
responsibly. By using the Escient FireBall, you are accepting the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
The option to read the Escient Privacy Policy appears on the zip code screen of the Quick Start automatic setup procedure. In addition, you can
access the statement at any time by pressing the SETUP key and choosing the GENERAL menu, and then selecting the PRIVACY POLICY option..
CONTACT INFORMATION
Escient may be contacted by using the following information. Once you have worked with your local Escient dealer, we encourage you to contact us
if you are in need of any further assistance.
Escient
6640 Intech Blvd. Suite 250
Indianapolis, Indiana 46278
Phone: 800-372-4368 Press “2” for Sales, or “3” for Support
Fax: 317-616-6790
Internet: www.escient.com
Email: support@escient.com
Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am - 7pm EST
COPYRIGHT
This manual is copyright ©2006 by D&M Holdings and Escient. All rights reserved.
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TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
Following are terms used throughout this manual:
• Button - refers to a graphic item on the display screen.
• Group - a collection of similar music titles. Standard genre groups are provided and custom groups can be created by the user.
• Highlight - highlighting is used to indicate the user’s selection on screen. When the selection moves up, down, left, or right, the highlight
moves to the next nearest item. No action is taken (except that more information may be displayed on the screen) until the Select key is
pressed.
• Info Text Area - the portion of the guide screen used to display information about the highlighted title.
• Playlist - a collection of one or more music tracks or songs.
• Title - a collection of music tracks commonly referred to as a CD, Album or Playlist.
• Key - refers to one of the buttons on your remote or keyboard.
• MP3 - a compressed digital audio format. MP3 files are smaller than the original CD tracks and sound almost identical.
• FLAC - a lossless compressed digital audio format. FLAC files are smaller than the original CD tracks and are bit for bit duplicates of the
original.
• WMA - a digital audio format from Microsoft which stands for Windows Media Audio.
• AAC - is a digital audio format similar to MP3 which stands for Advanced Audio Coding
• Guide - a grid or list of information, used to browse your media library.
• Player - the screen used to display the currently playing media.
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FireBall™ AVX & MX Series User’s Manual
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SETUP
This manual assumes that you followed the printed “Quick Setup Guide” that came with your FireBall. If you have not properly connected your
FireBall to your audio/video system, please go back and follow the “Quick Setup Guide” guide before continuing with this User Manual.
POWER STATES
After the FireBall unit is plugged in, the Standby LED located next to the power button will flash red until the startup process is complete.
Please wait. This may take several minutes.
When the Standby LED is solid RED, the FireBall is now in a standby or “sleep” mode. There is no video output when FireBall is in standby mode.
Press the Power button (on the front panel or on the remote) once and the video output is displayed on your TV. The unit is now ON and the LED will
be solid blue.
To change from the ON mode back to the standby or “sleep” mode, press the Power button on the front panel or on the remote once. The video output
will go blank and the LED will be solid red.
If power is removed from FireBall for any reason, including a power outage or if the unit is unplugged, FireBall will automatically return to the
Standby state as soon as power is restored. When FireBall is turned on again, FireBall will return to the same source mode that it was in when power
was lost.
To force the FireBall to restart, PRESS and HOLD the Power button on the front of the unit for 4 seconds, and release it when the standby LED
starts blinking.
When the Standby LED is RED and FireBall has completed its startup process, press the Power button once to turn on the FireBall.
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FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW
2 3 4
1
1 - POWER
2 - MOVIES SOURCE
3 - MUSIC SOURCE
4 - RADIO SOURCE
5 - CD-RW DRIVE
6 - TEXT DISPLAY & IR RECEIVER
7 - OPEN/CLOSE DRIVE
8 - NAVIGATION
9 - SELECT
10 - TRANSPORT CONTROLS & GUIDE
8
5
7
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REAR PANEL OVERVIEW - 5 CHANGERS / 2 ZONES
7 8
3
2
4
1
5 6
1 - POWER
2 - DIGITAL AUDIO OPTICAL IN (1-5)
3 - DIGITAL AUDIO OPTICAL OUT (1-2)
4 - DIGITAL AUDIO COAX OUT (1-2)
5 - ANALOG AUDIO OUT (1-2)
6 - ANALOG AUDIO IN (1-5)
7 - VIDEO OUT: COMPONENT, COMPOSITE, S-VIDEO (1-2)
8 - VIDEO IN: COMPONENT, COMPOSITE, S-VIDEO (1-5)
9 - COMMUNICATION PORTS (1-6)
10 - ETHERNET
11 - S-LINK / IR OUT (1-5)
12 - IR IN
9
10 11 12
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REAR PANEL OVERVIEW - 3 CHANGERS / 1 ZONE
10
3
4
1
2
5 6 9
7 8
1 - POWER
2 - ANALOG AUDIO IN (1-3)
3 - IR IN / S-LINK | IR OUT (1-3)
4 - DIGITAL AUDIO OUT: COAX, OPTICAL
5 - DIGITAL AUDIO IN: OPTICAL (1-3)
6 - DIGITAL AUDIO IN: COAX (1-3)
7 - ANALOG AUDIO OUT
8 - VIDEO OUT: COMPONENT, COMPOSITE, S-VIDEO (1-2)
9 - VIDEO IN: COMPONENT, COMPOSITE, S-VIDEO (1-3)
10 - COMMUNICATION PORTS (1-4)
11 - ETHERNET
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REAR PANEL OVERVIEW - 1 CHANGER / 1 ZONE
2
3
4
1
5 6
1 - POWER
2 - IR IN / S-LINK | IR OUT
3 - DIGITAL AUDIO OUT: COAX, OPTICAL
4 - DIGITAL AUDIO IN: COAX, OPTICAL
5 - ANALOG AUDIO IN
6 - ANALOG AUDIO OUT
7 - VIDEO OUT: COMPONENT, COMPOSITE, S-VIDEO
8 - VIDEO IN: COMPONENT, COMPOSITE, S-VIDEO
9 - COMMUNICATION PORTS (1-2)
10 - ETHERNET
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REMOTE OVERVIEW
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ENTERING TEXT WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL
The remote control can be used to enter text in all text fields. This text entry capability is provided
to allow you to fill out short text fields – such as those that occur in the setup and edit screens.
FireBall’s wireless keyboard should be used when extended typing is required.
Entering Numeric Entry Mode
In fields where FireBall expects only numeric characters to be entered (such as phone number
fields), an indicator will appear on the screen that displays the letters “123” indicating that only
numbers can be entered.
Typing Characters with the Remote
The remote control based text entry capability is similar to that provided on standard telephones and
cell phones. Each numeric key has characters associated with it that can be accessed by pressing
the key one or more times. You have .5 seconds after a key is pressed to enter a second character
from the same key. If you press the same key within .5 seconds, the second character associated
with that key replaces the initial character. If you do not press the same key within .5 seconds, the
text cursor moves to the next location so that the same key can be pressed again to enter a second
character.
The “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6”, and “8” keys each support three letters and one number and can be
pressed from one to seven times to display upper case, lower case, and numeric characters. The “7”
and “9” keys both support four letters and one number and can be pressed from one to nine times.
The “1” and “0” keys support all of the special characters and will cycle through each character for
every key press.
The text characters follow the same convention used by a standard telephone – except in the case of
the “1” and “0” keys which contain additional characters.
When entering characters at the beginning of a field or characters that follow a space, FireBall
assumes that upper case characters are preferred. Therefore, characters are entered in the following
cycle – uppercase, lowercase, and numeric. For example, the first key press enters an uppercase
letter corresponding to the first letter associated with the key. Pressing the “2” key once displays an
“A” in the text field, pressing the “2” key twice displays a “B”, pressing it again will
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display a “C”. The fourth key press displays a lower case “a”, the fifth key press displays a lower case “b”, and the sixth key press displays a lower
case “c”. Lastly, pressing the “2” key a seventh time displays the number “2”.
When entering the second character in a text field or the second character following a space, FireBall assumes that lower case is preferred and the
character entry cycles in the following pattern – lowercase, uppercase, and numeric.
The following text entry table describes the sequence of characters that appear when specific keys are pressed on the remote:
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Key
1 1. / , ? ‘ : ; &~! 1. / , ? ‘ : ; &~!
2 ABCabc2 abcABC2
3 DEFdef3 defDEF3
4 GHIghi4 ghiGHI4
5 JKLjkl5 jklJKL5
6 MNOmno6 mnoMNO6
7 PQRSpqrs7 pqrsPQRS7
8 TUVtuv8 tuvTUV8
9 WXYZwxyz9 wxyzWXYZ9
0 0@ _ - * # [ ] ( )+= 0@ _ - * # [ ] ( )+=
Alpha Mode
1stcharacter or 1st character after a space
Alpha Mode 2
character after a space
nd
character or 2nd
FireBall™ AVX & MX Series User’s Manual
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CONNECTING EXTERNAL DISC CHANGERS
Supported External Changers
The FireBall MX and AVX Media Managers only support the Sony DVP-777ES DVD/CD changer for DVD and CD storage.
When connecting more than one changer, the first changer should be connected to video in 1, digital audio in 1, and RS232 1.
The second changer to all #2 connectors, and so on...
ABOUT SACD AUDIO DISCS
FireBall can also manage SACD audio discs loaded into a Sony DVP-777ES DVD/CD changer. Because the FireBall does not have 5.1 audio
switching, you should load all of your SACDs into the same changer and connect it’s 5.1 analog audio outputs directly to your A/V receiver, using the
same input source as the FireBall.
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Connecting Sony DVP-CX777ES CD/DVD Changers
FireBall requires that you connect each changer to the back panel using audio, video, and control cables.
Follow these steps to connect your Sony CD/DVD changers to your FireBall:
1. An RS-232 serial null modem cable with female DB-9 connectors on each end is required for connecting a Sony CD/DVD Changer
2. Connect one end of the RS-232 serial cable into Communication Port number 1, on the back of your FireBall
3. Connect the other end of the RS-232 serial cable into the “RS-232C” port on the back of your changer
4. Locate the three wire A/V cable that came with your changer
5. Connect one end of the three wire (red and white) audio cable into the Analog In jacks number 1 on the back of your FireBall
6. Connect the other end of the three wire (red and white) audio cable into the Analog Line Out jacks on the back of your changer
7. Connect one end of the three wire (yellow) video cable into the Video In jacks Composite number 1 on the back of your FireBall
8. Connect the other end of the three wire (yellow) video cable into the Video Line Out jacks on the back of your changer
Note: You may use optional s-video or component video cables
and optional digital audio cables for the best picture and sound
quality. Contact your Escient dealer for more information.
• If you have more than one changer, repeat these steps
to connect the additional changers to communications
ports and audio/video jacks 2 through 5 respectively.
• For the best audio quality, you should also connect
digital optical or coax audio cables (not included)
between your changers and FireBall.
• For the best video quality, you should also connnect
component video cables (not included) between your
changers and FireBall.
Note: Control Cable Pin-Outs and Requirements. FireBall uses
a standard null modem cable to connect between it’s RS-232
COM ports and external changers and control systems. Cables
must be 25 feet or less in length.
5 CHANGER
2 ZONE
BACK PANEL
SHOWN
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Page 23
LOADING DISCS INTO CHANGERS
DVDs or CDs into your changers, following the changer manufacturer’s instructions and close the changer door. Quick Lookup will automatically
start in a few seconds. If the Quick Lookup process does not automatically start, then manually start the Lookup using the steps described below.
The disc information that FireBall displays on your TV screen is NOT included on the original discs loaded into your changers. The artist name,
album name, and track list are provided by the Gracenote® Music Recognition Service. The album cover, movie title, movie info, and movie cover
art are provided by the Escient MovieDB service. This information is downloaded from the Escients servers to your FireBall using your Internet
connection. This process is referred to as “Looking up Disc Information”.
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Automatically Getting Disc Information
Once your changers are connected to FireBall and loaded with CDs/DVDs, all you have to do is
close the changer door and in a few seconds FireBall will begin looking up the disc information
from each disc, in each changer.
Quick Lookup checks each previously empty slot in the changers to see if any new discs were
added, and then checks each previously occupied slot in the changer to see if any discs were
removed.
One by one, the Table of Contents is read from each CD/DVD and compared to the local music
database, Escient’s MovieDB™ service, or Gracenote CDDB® using your Internet connection, as
FireBall builds your Music and DVD Library. As each disc is accessed and looked up, the Quick
Lookup screen is updated to display the disc’s information and cover art. When all of the discs are
looked up, the Guide screen will be displayed.
You can manually run Quick Lookup at any time by following these steps:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the
3. Select the LOOKUP DISCS
4. Select the
5. FireBall will perform a Quick Lookup for each new disc.
CHANGER MANAGEMENT menu.
menu.
QUICK LOOKUP menu.
PAGE 24
WARNING
added and removed DVD/CDs each time it
runs. Do not remove DVD/CDs and replace new
DVD/CDs into the same changer slots without
running Quick Lookup in-between, or FireBall
will not know that these slots have changed.
If you want to reuse the same slots, first remove
your DVD/CDs, let Quick Lookup run, then add
new DVD/CDs to the same slots.
: Quick Lookup checks for newly
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Getting Disc Information for a Range of Discs
If you want to lookup the disc information for a specific range of slots in a changer, you can use the
Lookup Range feature.
Follow these steps to lookup a range of changer slots:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the
3. Select the LOOKUP DISCS
4. Select the LOOKUP RANGE
5. Enter a valid range of slots to lookup. If you have more than 1 changer, select which
changer you want to use.
6. Select the CONTINUE button.
7. The Lookup Range screen displays the progress and results for each disc in the selected
range.
CHANGER MANAGEMENT menu.
menu.
menu.
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Getting Disc Information for All Discs
If you want to lookup the disc information for all discs in all changers, you can use the Lookup All
feature.
Follow these steps to lookup all discs in all changers:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the
3. Select the LOOKUP DISCS
4. Select the LOOKUP ALL
5. The Lookup All screen displays the progress and results as each disc in each changer is
looked up.
CHANGER MANAGEMENT menu.
menu.
menu.
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ADDITIONAL CONNECTION AND HOOKUP INFORMATION
AUDIO OUTPUTS
The optical, coax, and analog audio outputs are all active when playing media from the internal hard drive or Internet Radio. Both digital and analog
connections must be made from the changer(s) to the FireBall for the FireBall to output both digital and analog outputs.
This table shows which audio outputs are active for each type of audio source.
Audio Source Analog Out Digital Optical Out Digital Coax Out
Hard Drive Audio
Changer Analog
Changer Optical YES YES
Internet Radio YES YES YES
Note: For example, connecting only the analog audio outputs of the changer to the FireBall will not provide digital audio on the digital outputs of the
FireBall.
YES YES YES
YES
5 CHANGER BACK PANEL 3 CHANGER BACK PANEL 1 CHANGER BACK PANEL
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MULTI-ZONE VIDEO OUTPUTS
Mulit-Zone FireBalls have several video output formats and connectors including:
Main Zone
• Component Video
• S-Video
• Composite Video
Remote Zone (connects to an MP-200)
• Component Video
• S-Video
• Composite Video
All video outputs are active at the same time, so
you can use as many as you like without causing
signal degradation. However, the corresponding
video input from the changer must also be
connected to watch a movie from the changer on
that video output.
The Component Video output will provide the
best possible video quality for the FireBall User
Interface, but will require that your video system
has an available component input.
The S-Video output is typically used for the
optional Escient ETP-1500 touch panel to provide
the user interface directly on the touch panel.
The composite output is typically used for an a/v
distribution system, such as the Xantech AV-61 or
the Niles ZR-4630/8630 distribution systems.
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5 CHANGER BACK PANEL
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SINGLE-ZONE VIDEO OUTPUTS
Single-Zone FireBalls have several video output formats and
connectors including:
• Component Video
• S-Video
• Composite Video
All video outputs are active at the same time, so you can
use as many as you like without causing signal degradation.
However, the corresponding video input from the changer must
also be connected to watch a movie from the changer on that
video output.
The Component Video output will provide the best possible
video quality for the FireBall User Interface, but will require
that your video system has an available component input.
3 CHANGER BACK PANEL
The S-Video output is typically used for the optional Escient
ETP-1500 touch panel to provide the user interface directly on
the touch panel.
The composite output is typically used for an a/v distribution
system, such as the Xantech AV-61 or the Niles ZR-4630/8630
distribution systems.
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1 CHANGER BACK PANEL
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RS-232 CONNECTIONS
External disc changers are controlled via two-way serial protocols using RS-232 serial cables. You should use the lower numbered COM ports for
each external disc changer.
The highest numbered COM port is to be used for connecting an Escient ETP-1500 wired touch panel or to interface with a third party control system
such as AMX or Crestron.
Note: You should use the Ethernet control system for controlling FireBall from a third party control system whenever possible. Using the Ethernet control
system frees up the last COM port for other purposes, allows much longer distances between FireBall and the control system, and provides a much faster
path for data transfer.
IR CONNECTIONS
The direct IR input jack on the back panel of the FireBall is for controlling FireBall from a wired IR distribution system such as a Xantech system.
This connection must be an IR signal with a 36kHz carrier using an 1/8” mono or stereo connector.
The IR input jack provides 12V power. This means that you can directly connect a 12V IR receiver (like the Xantech series 291 units) to the FireBall
using a 1/8” stereo connector. A mono 1/8”direct IR input can be safely used as FireBall will automatically detect the differnt cable and ground the
voltage to protect your IR system from damage.
Pin outs for the Wired IR input
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ETHERNET CONNECTIONS
The Ethernet jack on the back panel of the FireBall accepts any standard
twisted pair CAT5 Ethernet cable. If you are connecting FireBall to a home
network, you typically connect a standard Ethernet cable from your Ethernet
router or hub to the FireBall.
There are different grades, or categories, of twisted-pair cabling. Category 5
is the most reliable and widely compatible, and is highly recommended. It runs
easily with 10Mbps networks, and is required for 100Mbps networks. You can
buy Category 5 cabling that is pre-made, or you can cut & crimp your own.
Category 5 cables can be purchased or crimped as either straight-through or
crossed. A Category 5 cable has 8 thin, color-coded wires inside that run from
one end of the cable to the other. Only wires 1, 2, 3, and 6 are used by Ethernet
networks for communication. Although only four wires are used, if the cable
has 8 wires, all the wires have to be connected in both jacks.
Straight-through cables are used for connecting computers to a hub. Crossed
cables are used for connecting a hub to another hub (there is an exception:
some hubs have a built-in uplink port that is crossed internally, which allows
you to uplink hubs together with a straight cable instead).
In a straight-through cable, wires 1, 2, 3, and 6 at one end of the cable are also
wires 1, 2, 3, and 6 at the other end. In a crossed cable, the order of the wires
change from one end to the other: wire 1 becomes 3, and 2 becomes 6.
To figure out which wire is wire number 1, hold the cable so that the end of the
plastic RJ-45 tip (the part that goes into a wall jack first) is facing away from
you. Flip the clip so that the copper side faces up (the springy clip will now be
parallel to the floor). When looking down on the coppers, wire 1 will be on the
far left.
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Page 32
CAT5 cabling should not exceed 100 meters. The
following drawing depicts the typical wiring scheme for
CAT5.
For more information about wiring an Ethernet network,
please refer to the Linksys web site
(www.linksys.com).
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EXTERNAL CHANGER CONNECTIONS
There are a few general rules to follow when connecting changers to
your FireBall...
Changer Types
• Sony DVP-CX777ES DVD/CD (DVDs and CDs ONLY)
• Sony 200, 300, 400 disc CDP Series CD changers (CDs ONLY)
Note: Sony CD and DVD/CD changers can not be mixed
Different models of Sony CD changers may be mixed
Control Connections
• Changer 1 should be connected to COM port 1
• Changer 2 should be connected to COM port 2
• Etc.
Note: Do NOT connect any S-Link cables from the FireBall to the
Sony 777ES changers.
Digital Audio Connections
• Changer 1 should be connected to Optical Digital in 1
• Changer 2 should be connected to Optical Digital in 2
• Etc.
Analog Audio Connections
• Changer 1 should be connected to Analog Audio in 1
• Changer 2 should be connected to Analog Audio in 2
• Etc.
Sony DVD/CD Changer Hookup
• Sony DVP-CX777ES 400 disc changers must be connected via
individual RS-232 cables (not S-Link cables).
• An RS-232 cable is standard a DB9 null modem cable (not
included with the changer)
• The analog audio connection is required when recording from
external changers
• Set each changer to address Command Mode 1.
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REGISTRATION
Registering your FireBall is accomplished automatically when you go through the Quick Start
process described in the User’s Manual. Registration includes properly configuring your FireBall
for Internet access and then connecting to the Escient servers to register your serial number and
download the latest Internet Radio stations.
If you have trouble completing the automatic registration process, check your connections, access to your
Internet service, or select MANUAL to manually configure your nework settings. During this process you
may use the Ethernet Connection Test to help troubleshoot your network.
ETHERNET CONNECTION TEST
1. Check the Ethernet Network Link - The green LED next to the FireBall’s back panel Ethernet jack
should be on when properly connected to an Ethernet network.
2. From the Ethernet Connection Quick Start screen, select the “perform test” button. This will start
the Ethernet Connection test which will test the following network settings:
a. The ethernet link to your router or hub.
b. The DHCP addressing if you selected Dynamic IP Addressing.
c. The connection to your default Gateway (your route to the Internet).
d. The connection between your router and the Escient server. If any of these tests fail, check
your ethernet wiring with the proper test equipment, make sure your router is properly
configured as a DHCP router, and that you can access the internet using the same network
connection using a PC.
Note: Check with your ISP or network administrator if you
need assistance determining whether or not you should
use DHCP IP addressing. If you are going to use a static
IP address, it must be in the proper range assigned to your
subnet. Again, check with your ISP or network administrator
before using a static IP address.
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WATCHING DVD MOVIES
BROWSING YOUR MOVIE LIBRARY
If you have your DVD movies loaded into your
changers and the movie information has been acquired
from the Escient MovieDB using the Quick Lookup
feature, it’s time to see what’s in your collection using
the Movies Guide. Press the MOVIES key on the remote
control to access your movie collection.
The Movies Guide displays a scrolling list of all your
Movies. Using the remote control, you can navigate up
and down the list. As each Title is highlighted, you will
notice that the Information Area and Cover Art changes
to reflect the currently highlighted movie title.
PLAYING THE CURRENT MOVIE
Playing the currently highlighted Movie is the same as
playing a DVD in a standalone DVD player. Simply
press the PLAY key on the remote control and the
changer will load the movie and begin to play it.
Once you select the movie to play, the TV screen will
change to display the selected movie and hide the
FireBall user interface.
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SELECTING A DIFFERENT MOVIE
While a movie is playing, you can press the GUIDE key on the remote control to display the Movies
Guide. The current movie is paused when you switch over the to Guide. Press the GUIDE key again
to toggle back to the full screen movie and pickup where you left off.
Movie Info
View detailed infromation for the currently highlighted movie by pressing the Info button on the
remote.
CHANGING THE GUIDE VIEW
The Movies Guide provides you with two different ways to view the contents of your DVD Movie
Library. There are two Views that you can switch between using the MENU/VIEW key on the remote
control
View By Title
View By Title will order the list of DVD Titles alphabetically from A to Z, according to the Movie
Title.
View By Cover
View By Cover displays a graphical grid of DVD cover art, sorted alphabetically from A to Z,
according to the Movie Title.
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VIEWING BY GENRE
In addition to the current Guide View, the Movies Guide automatically organizes your DVDs into default “Genres” also called “Groups”. The Group
Bar displays a horizontal scrolling list of Genres corresponding to the movies in your library. Five Genres or Groups are visible at one time. The
“All” genre is the default, which displays all Titles in your Movie Library.
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WATCHING A MOVIE FROM ANOTHER ROOM
Multi-Zone FireBall products with dual a/v outputs, provide the capability for watching two DVDs from your entire DVD collection at the same
time. FireBall’s built-in video matrix switcher makes it possible to route the same movie or two different movies to two different rooms. In order to
browse, select, and play a DVD in another room, you will need the optional FireBall MP-200 Digital Media Player.
The FireBall MP-200 provides a separate on-screen media guide for browsing and selecting a movie in another room without interrupting the user’s
movie or music in the main room.
The component video and digital audio connections from the FireBall’s second output connected directly to the MP-200, provides high quality video
and audio in the second room. The use of third party component video over CAT-5 systems can further enhance the options for wiring high quality
video and audio to the second room.
Audio & Video
pass through from
connected changers
PAGE 38
ZONE 1 - Multi-Zone Fireball ZONE 2 - FireBall MP-200
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Mulit-Zone FireBall - Zone 1: Browsing FireBall MP-200 - Zone 2: Browsing
BROWSING YOUR MOVIE LIBRARY
FROM ANOTHER ROOM
The FireBall MP-200 works just like the Fireball
Media Manager for browsing and selecting
movies in the second room. There is nothing new
to learn. What you will notice is that some DVD
titles will turn gray in the Movies Guide when
a movie is being playing in the other zone. The
grayed out title indicates that the disc is stored in
a changer that is currently playing a disc. Nongrayed out titles are stored in idle changers.
Playing Movie - The Abyss Playing Movie - 8 Mile
WATCHING A DIFFERENT MOVIE IN THE
OTHER ROOM
Watching a Different Movie in the other room
requires that you have at least two Sony 777
DVD/CD changers and a FireBall MP-200
connected to your multi-zone output FireBall. To
watch a different movie in the other room, select
any movie title from the Movies Guide on the
MP-200.
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Playing Movie - The Abyss About Shmidt: Grayed Out
If you select a non-grayed out title, the movie
will load and play just as it does from the main
room. If you select a grayed out title, you will
be prompted to override the current user (who
is watching a different movie from the same
changer you selected) and play your movie. If
you select CONTINUE, your movie will load and
play and the user in the main room will see a
message indicating what happened - you started a
different movie in the other room.
The user who’s movie was interrupted may
perform the same steps to re-load the movie in the
first room, thus providing a round-robin system
for changer conflict resolution.
PAGE 40
Changer Alert: Zone 1 Changer
Changer Alert: Zone 2 Selecting Changer
Playing Movie - About Shmidt
About Shmidt: Grayed Out
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Mulit-Zone FireBall - Zone 1: Browsing FireBall MP-200 - Zone 2: Browsing
WATCHING THE SAME MOVIE IN TWO
ROOMS
If you want to watch the same movie in both
rooms, from the Movies Guide, select the movie
title currently playing in the other room and
you will join the movie at it’s current point.
The Movies Guide will display the name of the
currently playing movie grayed out at the top
of the All Group and it’s icon will have a 1 or
2 indicating which room it is playing in. If you
select this movie title, you will join the movie at
it’s current playback location.
Playing Movie - The Abyss Playing Movie - The Abyss
You can also join the current movie by selecting
the name of the current movie from any Genre
group.
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GETTING MUSIC INTO FIREBALL
Before you can enjoy the Music features of your FireBall Media Management system, you will want to get your music collection into the FireBall.
The process of getting music into FireBall is called “Recording” or sometimes “Ripping”.
There are several ways to get your music into FireBall:
• Record CDs using the internal CD Drive
• Record CDs using optional external CD/DVD changers
• Record from an external source (such as a tape, LP, or other real-time source)
• Transfer Music files from your PC using a network
You may choose to use any or all of these methods at any time. Each is described on the following pages.
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RECORDING FROM THE INTERNAL CD
The easiest way to get music into your FireBall is to record CDs using the built-in internal CD-RW
drive. This method requires no additional equipment and is very fast, as the internal CD drive can
rip audio at several times the speed of normal playback. This is known as “fast-ripping”.
Follow these steps to record using the internal CD-RW drive:
1. Press the EJECT key on the front panel.
2. Insert an audio CD (label side up) into the CD-RW tray.
3. Press the EJECT key again to close the CD-RW tray.
4. The CD’s artist, album, and track names are automatically retrieved from the Gracenote®
Music Recognition Service and are displayed on your TV.
5. Press the RECORD key on the remote control to display the Recording Options Menu.
6. Press the RECORD key a second time to choose the default recording option “Record to
Internal Hard Drive”.
7. The Record Select Guide will be displayed showing the current CD with checkmarks to the
right of each track name.
8. Press the RECORD key a third time to begin recording the entire CD to the internal hard
drive.
• When recording is complete, FireBall will return to the Music Guide.
• Repeat steps 1-8 for each disc in your music collection.
• Highlight and Unselect tracks you do not wish to record before pressing RECORD for the
third time.
Note: It is also possible to set the FireBall to automatically record the CD when insert. Refer to the
section “Setting User Preferences” for setting Recording Preferences and Disc Insert Preferences.
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RECORDING FROM EXTERNAL CHANGERS
In addition to manually loading and recording CDs one by one using the front panel CD drive, you can record as many CD as you want directly from
your external changers.
Note: The FireBall does not support the recording of movies to the internal hard drive.
The advantage of recording multiple discs from your changers is that you don’t have to sit there and unload/load each disc after it’s recorded,
however there is the disadvantage that external recording must occur in real-time, at 1x record speeds, taking up to several weeks to complete for
large music collections.
External Changer recording uses the same recording preferences mentioned above in the “Selecting the Audio Encoder Type” section.
Note: Make sure you have both the digital and analog audio connections from your changers connected to FireBall. FireBall will use the digital inputs first,
but if there is digital copy protection on a CD, FireBall will then attempt to use the analog audio inputs to record the protected CD.
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Automatically Recording CDs
You can easily record changer based CDs to your FireBall’s internal hard drive using the Quick
Record feature. Quick Record will record all tracks from newly added CDs which are NOT already
record to your FireBall, in one easy step.
Follow these steps to automatically record changer CDs to your FireBall:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the
3. Select the
4. Select the
5. FireBall will determine which changer discs have not been recorded to the internal hard
drive, and proceed with recording each disc (all tracks) to the internal hard drive.
CHANGER MANAGEMENT menu.
RECORD DISCS menu.
QUICK RECORD menu.
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Recording a Range of CDs
If you want to record a specific range of slots in a changer, you can use the Record Range feature.
Follow these steps to record a range of changer slots:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the
3. Select the
4. Select the
5. Enter a valid range of slots to record. If you have more than 1 changer, select which
changer you want to use.
6. Select the CONTINUE button.
7. The Record Range screen displays the recording progress for each disc in the selected
range.
CHANGER MANAGEMENT menu.
RECORD DISCS menu.
RECORD RANGE menu.
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Recording All CDs
If you want to record all discs in all changers, you can use the Record All feature.
Follow these steps to record each disc in all changers:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the
3. Select the
4. Select the RECORD ALL
5. The Record All screen displays the recording progress for each disc in each changer.
Note: Any tracks already present on the FireBall hard drive will be replaced when recording the
same CD again.
CHANGER MANAGEMENT menu.
RECORD DISCS menu.
menu.
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IMPORTING MUSIC FILES
If you have digital audio files already recorded on your PC or Mac, you can transfer the files directly to your FireBall using an Ethernet network. This
is a fast and convenient way to load up your FireBall with your favorite Music without having to re-record everything.
FireBall will import each audio file, extract the song information, and add it to your Music Library.
There are some rules to follow to make sure your files are transferred correctly. Please make sure your audio files follow these guidelines before
importing them into your FireBall.
System Requirements
• 10/100 Ethernet network
• PC or Mac connected to the same local
ethernet network as the FireBall
• Windows XP or Mac OS X
Audio File Requirements
• MP3 audio files recorded at 96k, 120k,
160k, 192k, 320k, or VBR encoding.
• FLAC audio files
• AAC audio files (non-DRM) up to 320k
• WMA files (48-192k CBR and up to 215k
VBR)
• WAV files (automatically converted to
FLAC or MP3 based on the Recording Preferences)
• ID3 tags are supported for AAC, MP3, and FLAC audio files.
Cover Art Image Requirements
• JPEG image format
• No larger than 200 pixels wide by 200 pixels high
• No larger than 30K in size
• The cover art file must be embedded in the AAC, MP3, or FLAC file using ID3v2 tags.
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IMPORTING FROM A PC
Make sure your PC is connected to the same network as your FireBall and follow these steps to
mount, transfer, and import music files from your PC to your FireBall.
On the FireBall (Note: This step only needs to be done once.)
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote control to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the NETWORK menu item.
3. Select the SERVER SETTINGS menu item.
4. Enter a name for your FireBall.
On the PC
1. Go to the START menu and select RUN.
2. Enter two backslashes “\\” and the name of your FireBall (the name you
entered into the Server Settings) and click the OK button.
3. You should see the following in a new window on your computer:
4. Drag and drop your audio files onto the Import folder. FireBall will
automatically import, add, and catalog each file into your Music Guide.
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IMPORTING FROM A MAC
FireBall’s File Server acts like a Windows File Server on your network, therefore you will need
to connect using the MacOS X’s built-in Windows networking client. Make sure your Mac is
connected to the same network as your FireBall and follow these steps to mount, transfer, and
import music files from your PC to your FireBall.
1. Go to the Finder and select “Connect to Server…” from the Go Menu.
2. Type “smb://” and the name of your FireBall (the name you entered into the Server
Settings) and click the Connect button
3. You should see the SMB Mount dialog appear on your computer:
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4. Click on the Content pop-up menu and select the Import directory.
5. Next, an authentication dialog will appear. You can ignore this dialog and just click the OK
button.
6. You will then have a new drive mounted on your desktop called “Import”.
7. Drag and drop your audio files onto the Import folder. FireBall will automatically import,
add, and catalog each file into your Music Guide.
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RECORDING FROM OTHER EXTERNAL SOURCES
In addition to recording from external changers, FireBall allows you to record directly from it’s
analog inputs to the internal hard drive.
Follow these steps to record from an external source:
1. Press the RECORD key on the remote control to display the Recording Options Menu.
2. Highlight and select the recording option “Record from Ext Inputs to the Internal Hard
Drive”.
3. External Record Options screen will be displayed showing the default information for the
recording you are about to make. You can use these default settings or edit them. The
default recording length is 30 minutes. Enter a different number to increase or decrease
the recording time.
4. When you are finished editing the default settings, press the RECORD key again to start
recording from the external analog inputs to the hard drive.
• When recording is complete, FireBall will return to the Music Guide.
• Recording from the External Inputs creates one Title with one Track and adds the Title to
the Music Guide.
• You can edit the data later, just like any other Title. Please refer to the “Managing Your
Media” section for more details.
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ERASING A CD-RW DISC
You can use FireBall’s built-in CD burner to erase the contents of a re-writable CD.
Follow these steps to erase a re-writeable CD:
1. Press the RECORD key on the remote to display the Record menu.
2. Select the ERASE CD-RW DISC
3. Confirm that you want to proceed with completely erasing the disc by selecting the ERASE
button on screen.
menu.
• You will not be able to interrupt the erase function.
• When FireBall completes erase disc function, it will be ejected. Remove the now blank CDRW disc and close the CD tray.
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LISTENING TO MUSIC
BROWSING YOUR MUSIC LIBRARY
Now that you have gotten your music into your FireBall, it’s time to enjoy
it! The Music Guide allows you to browse, locate, and play all of your
music in one easy to use on-screen guide. Press the MUSIC key on the
remote control to access your music collection.
The Music Guide displays a scrolling list of all your Music Titles. Using
the remote control, you can navigate up and down the list. As each Title
is highlighted, you will notice that the Information Area and Cover Art
changes to reflect the currently highlighted Title.
SHOW AND HIDE TRACKS
If you press the SELECT key on the remote control, you will expand the
current Title to reveal a list of the Title’s TRACKS.
Press the SELECT key again (when a Title is highlighted) to collapse the
current Title and hide the track names.
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PLAYING THE CURRENT TITLE
Playing the currently highlighted Title is the same as
playing a CD in a conventional CD player. Simply
press the PLAY key on the remote control and it begins
to play from track 1.
Note: If you press SELECT with a Track highlighted, you
will start playback from the selected Track.
You’ll notice that a new screen appears with a list of the
songs (or tracks) on the current Title, this is the Music
Player screen. The Music Player displays the artist
name, album name, album cover art, and track list for
the current Title.
SELECTING A DIFFERENT SONG
In the Music Player you can navigate up and down the
track list using the remote control. Highlight a different
song and press SELECT to play the song.
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CHANGING THE GUIDE VIEW
The GUIDE button on the remote control is used to switch between the Music Guide and Music
Player screens. When you are viewing the Music Player screen, press the GUIDE button to return to
the Music Guide.
The Music Guide provides you with several ways to view the contents of your Music Library. One
of the easiest ways to browse and sort your Music Library is by using the Music “Views”. There are
four Views that you can switch between using the “MENU/VIEW” key on the remote control:
• Artist
• Artist - Title
• Title - Artist
• Song
• List
• Cover
View By Artist
View By Artist is the default View and displays your Music Library alphabetically from A to Z
using according to the Artist Name. Expanding the Artist Name displays the albums by that artist.
Further expanding the albums, displays the songs within each album.
View By Artist-Title
View By Artist-Title displays your Music Library alphabetically from A to Z using according to the
Artist Name then the Album Name.
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View By Title-Artist
View By Title will order the list of Titles
alphabetically from A to Z, according to the Album
Name then the Artist Name.
View By Song-Artist
View By Song will order the list of Titles
alphabetically from A to Z, according to the Song
Name.
View By List
View By List displays a nine line hierarchical view
of your music library starting by Genre, then by
Artist, Album, and finally by songs.
View By Cover
View By Cover displays a graphical grid of album
cover art, sorted alphabetically from A to Z,
according to the Artist Name then Album
Name.
Using the Guide Views
You can select which Music Guide Views
to cycle through when pressing the VIEW
button on the remote. This allows you to use
all of the views or just the ones that you find
most useful for browsing your music library.
Select Music Options, then Guide Views
to display the Guide Views options screen.
Highlight then select/unselect each view that
you want to include in the cycle.
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CHANGING THE CURRENT PLAY MODE
The default Play Mode will play the current Title from Track 1 to the last track in order, then stop. If
you want to change the order of how tracks are played, there are six different Play Modes to choose
from:
• Normal - play each track in order in the current Title, then stop.
• Repeat Track - repeat the same track over and over until you press stop.
• Repeat Title - play each track in the current Title in order then repeat the entire disc until you
press stop.
• Repeat Group - play each track in each title in the current group and then repeat them until
you press stop.
• Random Title - randomly select and play a track from within the current title. Continue until
you press stop or every track in the current title is played.
• Random Group - randomly select and play a track from any title in the current group.
Continue until you press stop or every track in the current group is played
To change the current Play Mode, press the MODE key on the remote control. Each press of
the MODE key will switch to the next Play Mode. Stop pressing the MODE key when you see
the desired Play Mode appear on the screen. You can also directly select a Play Mode using the
OPTIONS key and the Play Mode menu item.
Jukebox Play Modes
If Jukebox mode is enabled, the available Play Modes will be:
• Normal - play the jukebox queue in order, then stop
• Repeat - play the jukebox queue in order, over and over without stopping
• Random - randomly select and play a track from the jukebox queue until ypu press stop or
every track in the queue has been played.
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VIEWING BY GENRE
In addition to the current Guide View, the Music Guide automatically organizes your Music into default “Genres” also called “Groups”. The Group
Bar displays a horizontal scrolling list of Genres corresponding to the music in your library. Five Genres or Groups are visible at one time. The “All”
genre is the default, which displays all Titles in your Music Library.
Using the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys on the remote, you can select a different Genre. Notice that the list of Titles updates to show only Titles in the
selected Genre.
• Scroll all the way to the left to return to the All Genre.
• Genre list will scroll to the right to reveal more Genres.
• Refer to the section “Managing Your Media” for instructions on creating your own groups from favorite music titles
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USING THE JUKEBOX QUEUE
By default, FireBall plays music from a “playlist” or “disc” based song list, meaning that you
select an Artist-Title, Title, or Cover and it plays the entire Album you selected (according to the
current Play Mode). If you select something else, what is currently playing is stopped and the newly
selected music starts to play.
Alternatively, the Jukebox Mode allows you to create a list of songs (or a song queue if you will) to
play while you are listening to something else, similar to the way you would use a traditional coin
operated jukebox.
Adding Songs and Playing the Jukebox Queue
Follow these steps to select and play music using the Jukebox Mode:
1. Press the MUSIC key on the remote to make sure you are in the Music Source Mode.
2. Locate and highlight any Genre, Artist, Album, or Song in the Music Guide that you want to
play in Jukebox mode.
3. Press the ADD JUKEBOX key on the remote control to add the highlighted item to your
Jukebox Queue.
4. Press the PLAY JUKEBOX key on the remote control to display the Music Player screen
and play your Jukebox Queue.
5. If you want to add more music to your Jukebox Queue, press the GUIDE key on the remote
to return to the Music Guide and use the ADD JUKEBOX key to add more music. You will
notice that music you Add doesn’t play right away as it is added to the end of the Jukebox
Queue.
Note: Some FireBall products will have ADD FAVORITES and PLAY FAVORITES keys on the remote
control instead of Jukebox keys. Use these keys to add and play your Jukebox Queue.
The Jukebox Queue has a limit of 1000 songs (which would play non-stop for almost 3 days
straight!) so FireBall will automatically balance and adjust the contents of the queue as you select
items into it. For example, if your Jukebox Queue already has 1000 items, you can still use the
ADD JUKEBOX key to add another artist (which may contain several albums and dozens of songs)
to the queue. FireBall will add tracks from the selected artist into the queue while automatically
removing other tracks to make room for the new ones.
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Reordering the Jukebox Queue
Follow these steps to reorder tracks in the Jukebox Queue:
1. Make sure you are viewing the Music Player screen or press the
GUIDE button to hide the Guide and display the Player screen.
2. Highlight the track you want to move.
3. Press the LEFT arrow key on the remote to move the highlighted
track up in the Jukebox Queue or press the RIGHT arrow key to
move it down.
Removing a Song from the Jukebox Queue
Follow these steps to remove one song at a time in the Jukebox Queue:
1. Make sure you are viewing the Music Player screen or press the
GUIDE button to hide the Guide and display the Player screen.
2. Highlight the track you want to remove.
3. Press the TOGGLE key (the one with the double spinning arrows
on it) to remove the highlighted track from the Jukebox Queue.
Clearing the Entire Jukebox Queue
Follow these steps to remove all songs from the Jukebox Queue:
1. Press the MUSIC key on the remote to make sure you are in the
Music Source Mode.
2. Select the Jukebox Menu Item.
3. Select the Clear Queue button. All songs are cleared from the
Jukebox Queue.
Saving the Jukebox Queue
Follow these steps to save the Jukebox Queue as a Playlist:
1. Press the MUSIC key on the remote to make sure you are in the
Music Source Mode.
2. Select the Jukebox Menu Item.
3. Select the Save as Playist button.
4. Follow the same steps for creating and saving a New Playlist.
A new playlist is created on your FireBall and your Jukebox Queue is
left in tact. This is a way to periodically save of the Jukebox Queue for
later listening.
Exiting Jukebox Mode
Follow these steps to exit the Jukebox Mode and return to play mode.
1. Press the OPTIONS key to display the Music Options Menu.
2. Select the Jukebox Menu Item.
3. Highlight and uncheck the Jukebox Mode checkbox.
4. Select the SAVE button to save your selection. FireBall will now
play in title/album mode once again.
Note: You can also exit Jukebox Mode, by highlighting anything in the
Music Guide and pressing the PLAY key on the remote (instead of PLAY
JUKEBOX).
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LISTENING TO INTERNET RADIO
BROWSING INTERNET RADIO STATIONS
The Radio Guide displays a scrolling list of Internet
Radio Stations. Using the remote control, you can
navigate up and down the list. As each Station is
highlighted, you will notice that the Information
Area and Cover Art changes to reflect the currently
highlighted Station.
• Press the iRADIO key on the remote control to
display the Radio Guide.
• Press the MUSIC key to return to the Music Guide
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PLAYING THE CURRENT STATION
Playing the currently highlighted Radio Station is the
same as selecting and playing an off air radio station
on a typical audio receiver. Simply press the SELECT
key
on the remote control and the currently highlighted
station will be located, buffered, and then played.
You’ll notice that a new screen appears displaying
information about the selected station. This is the Radio
Player screen. The Radio Player displays the station
name, location, genre, genre cover art, and status about
the current Internet Radio station stream.
• Playing Internet Radio requires a valid Internet
connection.
• Although some stations will work over a Dialup
Internet Connection, a broadband Internet
connection is recommended.
• Due to the dynamic nature of the Internet, you
may experience periodic audio drop-outs which
could be due to many factors such as Internet
access problems, busy networks, etc...
• Internet Radio Stations are not hosted by Escient
and may not be available at all times. You can
update your Internet Radio Stations list by running
Tune Stations. Please refer to the “Managing Your
Media” section for more information.
• Cover art, song name, and artist name are
displayed only if the information is sent by the
Internet Radio Station broadcaster.
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MANAGING YOUR MEDIA
CREATING PLAYLISTS
FireBall allows you to organize your favorite songs into custom “Playlists”. A Playlist is simply a
group of songs that you choose from your Music Library. Common uses for Playlists are:
• Collections of your favorite songs
• Songs that have a similar tempo or feel (mellow mix)
• Custom albums from one or more of your favorite artists
• Party mixes
• Workout mixes
Follow these steps to create your own custom Playlist:
1. Press the MUSIC key to make sure you are in the Music source mode.
2. Press the OPTIONS key to display the Music Options Menu
3. Select the PLAYLIST/NEW PLAYLIST
4. Using the remote control or keyboard, enter a name for your Playlist.
5. Select the CONTINUE button on screen to advance to the Edit Playlist Select Guide.
The Edit Playlist Select Guide works just like the Music Guide. Navigate up and down to
highlight, expand, or collapse music titles.
6. For each song you want to add to the Playlist, highlight the song name and press the
SELECT key on the remote. A checkmark appears to the right of each selected song
indicating that it will be added to the Playlist. Press SELECT again to remove the
checkmark.
7. When you have selected all of the songs you want to include in the playlist, press the
RECORD button on the remote control to save the Playlist.
• When you are finished creating your Playlist, the Music Guide is displayed highlighting the newly created Playlist.
• You can play any Playlist the same way you play a music title or CD. Just press the PLAY key on the remote control.
• Notice that a Playlist genre is added to the Group Bar. The Playlist genre will always be available as long as you have at least
one playlist in your Music Library.
• “This Playlist” in the Group Bar displays which songs are in the current Playlist.
• To Reorder Tracks in “This Playlist” use the REW and FF keys to move the highlighted song up or down in the Playlist.
menu item.
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CREATING GROUPS
In addition to Playlists, FireBall allows you to create custom “Groups” of Movies, Music Titles or
Radio Stations. User created Groups appear in the Group Bar along with the automatically created
Genre Groups and System Groups (All, CDs, Internal, and Playlists). Some uses for custom Group
are:
• Group similar movies together.
• Create custom groups of your favorite movies.
• Organize music titles or radio stations into custom genres, like “Funk”, 80’s, “Hits’, etc…
• Group all of the albums for a favorite artists together for quick access.
• Create an easily accessible collection of your favorite albums.
To create a custom Group, follow these steps:
1. Press the MOVIES key to make sure you are in the Movies source mode, MUSIC key to
make sure you are in the Music source mode or press the RADIO key if you want to create
a custom Radio Group.
2. Press the OPTIONS key to display the Options Menu
3. Select the GROUPS/
4. Using the remote control or keyboard, enter a name for your Group.
5. Select the CONTINUE button on screen to advance to the Edit Group Select Guide. The
Edit Group Select Guide works just like the Music or Radio Guide.
6. For each Movie, Music Title, or Radio Station you want to add to the Group, highlight the
Title or Station name and press the SELECT key on the remote. A checkmark appears
to the right of each selected Title or Station indicating that it will be added to the Group.
Press SELECT again to remove the checkmark.
7. When you have selected all of the Titles or Stations you want to include in the group, press
the RECORD button on the remote control to save the Group.
NEW GROUP menu item.
• When you are finished creating your Group, the Guide is displayed highlighting the newly
created Group.
• Notice that a custom Group is added to the Group Bar along with the System Groups.
• The custom Group will always be sorted alphabetically within the Group Bar and appear to
the right of the All and Playlist Groups.
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ADDING INTERNET RADIO STATIONS
FireBall comes preloaded with several high quality streaming Internet Radio Stations from around
the world, but that may not be enough for you, so FireBall also let’s you add your own Internet
Radio Stations.
Internet Radio stations must conform to these specifications:
• Windows Media WMA or MPEG II layer 3 streams.
• Windows Media 9 or earlier.
To add your own Internet Radio Stations, you will need to obtain the URL or Internet Link to the
stream using your PC.
Assuming you have a valid URL for a station, follow these steps to add your own Internet
Radio Station to the Radio Guide:
1. Make sure you are in the Radio source mode by pressing the RADIO key on the remote.
2. Press the OPTIONS key to display the Options Menu
3. Select the NEW STATION
4. Using the remote or keyboard, enter information for the new station including: station
name, location, URL, the bit rate of the stream, the genre, the stream type (MP3 or WMA),
and the number of channels (mono or stereo). The default cover art will be set according to
which genre you select.
5. Select the SAVE button to save the new station.
menu item.
• When you are finished creating your new station, the Radio Guide is displayed highlighting
the newly created Station.
• You can play the station just like any other Internet Radio station.
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UPDATING THE INTERNET RADIO STATIONS LIST
Escient makes every attempt to insure that the preloaded Internet Radio Stations are alive and well,
but due to the dynamic nature of the Internet and the third parties who actually serve up these radio
streams, sometimes you will not be able to play a station. The “Tune Stations” feature allows you to
download a list of the most recent Internet Radio stations from Escient.
Note: Tune Stations WILL NOT erase any custom stations you may have added, from your Radio
Guide. It WILL replace the Escient supplied stations with a fresh new list.
If you want to replace the current Internet Radio Stations with a new list of stations, follow
these steps:
1. Make sure you are in the Radio source mode by pressing the RADIO key on the remote.
2. Press the OPTIONS key to display the Options Menu
3. Select the TUNE STATIONS
4. Read the WARNING screen and select OK to proceed.
5. FireBall will Connect to the Escient server and download the latest Internet Radio
menu item.
Stations.
When you are finished Tuning the Stations, the Radio Guide is displayed showing the new Escient
provided Internet Radio Stations and any user added stations.
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EDITING MOVIE INFORMATION
FireBall has access to tens of thousands of DVD titles, but you may still encounter a DVD that
does not return the correct disc information from the Escient MovieDB™. You can edit the disc
information for any DVD Movie Title using the Edit Disc screens.
Editing Disc Info
Follow these steps to edit the disc information for the current Movie Title:
1. Highlight the Movie Title you want to edit in the Movies Guide.
2. Press the OPTIONS key on the remote control.
3. Select the EDIT DISC menu item to display the Edit Disc Information screen.
4. Using the remote control or wireless keyboard, change the movie title, cast list, year of
release, running time, rating, aspect ration, genre or movie description.
5. Select the SAVE button to save your changes and return to the previous screen.
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Automatically Lookup Information for This Disc
The “Lookup This Disc” button will initiate a disc lookup for only this disc. FireBall will connect to
the Escient MovieDB™ Service to locate and download the disc information.
Follow these steps to lookup information for the current disc:
1. Highlight the Music Title you want to edit in the Movies Guide.
2. Press the OPTIONS key on the remote control.
3. Select the EDIT DISC menu item to display the Edit Disc Information screen.
4. Select the LOOKUP THIS DISC BUTTON. The Get Movie Info screen will be displayed as
FireBall attempts to lookup the disc information from the Escient MovieDB™ for you.
5. When the lookup is complete, you will return to the Edit Disc Information screen where you
can verify or edit the results.
6. Select the SAVE button to save your changes and return to the previous screen
Selecting the PREVIOUS or NEXT buttons will save any edits you have made to the current disc and
display the information for the previous or next disc.
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Searching for Movie Information Manually
Occasionally the MovieDB™ will not return the movie information and cover art. This might
happen if the movie is a very new or different release. You can wait a few days and try to Lookup
Unknown discs, or you can manually search for the disc information by using the “Search for
Movie” feature. This is a powerful tool that allows you to search the Escient MovieDB™ servers
for an exact or partial match using the movie title.
Follow these steps to search for a cover:
1. Highlight the Movie Title you want to edit in the Movies Guide.
2. Press the OPTIONS key on the remote control.
3. Select the EDIT DISC menu item to display the Edit Disc Information screen.
4. Select the SEARCH FOR MOVIE button to display the Search for Movie screen.
5. The current Movie Title is entered as the default search string. You can change the Title
to modify the search. Note that editing the Title WILL NOT change it in the Movie Library.
These edits are ONLY used to search for a movie.
6. Select the SEARCH button to start the search.
7. The Get Movie Info screen will be displayed as FireBall attempts to search for the movie
information using the Movie Title you entered.
8. When the search is complete, you will return to the Edit Disc Information screen where you
can verify or edit the results.
9. Select the SAVE button to save your changes and return to the previous screen.
Tips for Searching for Movies
The Escient server uses a fuzzy-match algorithm to locate a matching movie using the Movie Title
you enter. There are a few tips to try when searching for movies:
• Remove any punctuation marks from the Title
• Remove Disc Numbers from the Titles
• Try different spellings in the Title
• Try removing part of the Title (if it is more than 2 words)
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Selecting an Existing Cover
If for some reason you can not download the original cover, you can choose one of the existing
covers for the current Title.
Follow these steps to select an existing cover to assign to the current Title:
1. Highlight the Movie Title you want to edit in the Movie Guide.
2. Press the OPTIONS key on the remote control.
3. Select the EDIT DISC` menu item to display the Edit Disc Information screen.
4. Select the
5. Using the arrow and page keys on the remote control, locate the name of the Title
corresponding to the cover you wish to use for the current Title. Notice that a preview of
the selected cover appears on the right of the list as you highlight each name.
6. Press the SELECT key on the remote control when you have located the cover of your
choice.
7. Select the SAVE button to save your selection and return to the previous screen.
SELECT COVER button to display the Select Cover Art screen.
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Edit Description
If for some reason you can not download the original description, you can edit it.
Follow these steps to select an existing cover to assign to the current Title:
1. Highlight the Movie Title you want to edit in the Movie Guide.
2. Press the OPTIONS key on the remote control.
3. Select the EDIT DISC` menu item to display the Edit Disc Information screen.
4. Select the
5. Using the arrow keys and alpha/numeric buttons edit the description.
6. Press the SELECT key on the remote control when you have edited your movie
description.
7. Select the SAVE button to save your selection and return to the previous screen.
EDIT DESCRIPTION button to display the Edit Description screen.
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EDITING MUSIC INFORMATION
FireBall has access to over 4 million CD titles, but you may still encounter a CD that does not
return a custom cover or the correct disc information. You can edit the disc information for any
Music Title using the Edit Disc and Edit Tracks screens.
Editing Disc Info
Follow these steps to edit the disc information for the current Music Title:
1. Highlight the Music Title you want to edit in the Music Guide.
2. Press the OPTIONS key on the remote control.
3. Select the EDIT DISC INFO menu item to display the Edit Disc Information screen.
4. Using the remote control or wireless keyboard, change the artist name, album title, label,
year of release, or genre.
5. Select the SAVE button to save your changes and return to the previous scr
een.
Selecting the PREVIOUS or NEXT buttons will save any edits you have made to the current disc and
display the information for the previous or next disc.
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Editing Track Names
You can also manually edit the Track/Song names of the currently highlighted Title in the Music
Guide.
Follow these steps to edit the track information for the current Music Title:
1. Highlight the Music Title you want to edit in the Music Guide.
2. Press the OPTIONS key on the remote control.
3. Select the EDIT DISC INFO Info menu item to display the Edit Disc Information screen.
4. Select the EDIT TRACKS button to display the Edit Tracks screen.
5. Using the remote control or wireless keyboard, change the name of each track.
6. Press the SELECT button to advance to the next track.
7. Select the SAVE button to save your changes and return to the previous screen.
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Automatically Lookup Information for This Disc
The “Lookup This Disc” button will initiate a disc lookup for only this disc. FireBall will connect to
the Gracenote® Music Recognition Service to locate and download the disc information.
Follow these steps to lookup information for the current disc:
1. Highlight the Music Title you want to edit in the Music Guide.
2. Press the OPTIONS key on the remote control.
3. Select the EDIT DISC INFO menu item to display the Edit Disc Information screen.
4. Select the LOOKUP THIS DISC BUTTON
FireBall attempts to lookup the disc information from the Gracenote® Music Recognition
Service for you.
5. When the lookup is complete, you will return to the Edit Disc Information screen where you
can verify or edit the results.
6. Select the SAVE button to save your changes and return to the previous screen.
. The Get Music Info screen will be displayed as
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Searching for the Original Cover
Occasionally the wrong cover or the default cover will be displayed for a Music Title. You can
manually search for the original cover art by using the “Search for Cover” feature. This is a
powerful tool that allows you to search the Escient servers for an exact or partial match using the
artist name and/or album name.
Follow these steps to search for a cover:
1. Highlight the Music Title you want to edit in the Music Guide.
2. Press the OPTIONS key on the remote control.
3. Select the EDIT DISC INFO menu item to display the Edit Disc Information screen.
4. Select the
5. The current Artist Name and Album Title are entered as the default search strings. You can
change either one of these to modify the search. Note that editing the Artist Name or Title
WILL NOT change them in the Music Library. These edits are ONLY used to search for a
new cover.
6. Select the SEARCH button to start the search.
7. The Get Music Info screen will be displayed as FireBall attempts to search for the cover
using the Artist Name and Title you entered.
8. When the search is complete, you will return to the Edit Disc Information screen where you
can verify or edit the results.
9. Select the SAVE button to save your changes and return to the previous screen.
SEARCH FOR COVER button to display the Search for Cover screen.
Tips for Searching for Covers
The Escient server uses a fuzzy-match algorithm to locate a matching cover using the Artist Name
and Title you enter. There are a few tips to try when searching for covers:
• Remove any punctuation marks from the Artist Name and Title.
• Remove Disc Numbers from the Titles.
• Try different spellings in the Title.
• Try removing part of the Artist Name (if it is more than 2 words).
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Selecting an Existing Cover
If for some reason you can not download the original cover, you can choose one of the existing
covers for the current Title.
Follow these steps to select an existing cover to assign to the current Title:
1. Highlight the Music Title you want to edit in the Music Guide.
2. Press the OPTIONS key on the remote control.
3. Select the EDIT DISC INFO menu item to display the Edit Disc Information screen.
4. Select the SELECT A COVER button to display the Select Cover Art screen.
5. Using the arrow and page keys on the remote control, locate the name of the Title
corresponding to the cover you wish to use for the current Title. Notice that a preview of
the selected cover appears on the right of the list as you highlight each name.
6. Press the SELECT key on the remote control when you have located the cover of your
choice.
7. Select the SAVE button to save your selection and return to the previous screen.
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EDITING RADIO INFORMATION
Similar to editing Music Information, you can also Edit the Radio Information.
Follow these steps to edit the station information for the currently highlighted Internet Radio
Station:
1. Make sure you are in the Radio source mode by pressing the RADIO key on the remote.
2. Press the OPTIONS key to display the Options Menu
3. Select the EDIT STATION
4. Using the remote or keyboard, edit the information for the new station including: station
name, location, URL, the bit rate of the stream, the genre, type of stream (MP3 or WMA),
and the number of channels (mono or stereo). The cover art will be set according to which
genre you select.
5. Select the SAVE button to save the changes.
menu item to display the Edit Station screen.
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EDITING PLAYLISTS
You can reorder tracks, change the name, and add or remove tracks from any Playlist you created.
Follow these steps to edit a Playlist:
1. Press the MUSIC key to make sure you are in the Music source mode.
2. Highlight the Playlist Name you want to edit. Note: The Playlist group will list all of your
Playlists.
3. Press the OPTIONS key to display the Music Options Menu
4. Select the Playlists/Edit Playlist menu item.
5. Using the remote control or keyboard, change the name of your Playlist or select the
CONTINUE button on screen to keep the current name and advance to the Edit Playlist
Select Guide.
6. For each song you want to add to the Playlist, highlight the song name and press the
SELECT key on the remote. A checkmark appears to the right of each selected song
indicating that it will be added to the Playlist.
7. For each song you want to remove from the Playlist, highlight the song name and press
the SELECT key on the remote. The checkmark to the right of the song will be removed,
indicating that the song should be removed from the Playlist.
8. When you have added or removed all of the songs you want to include in the playlist,
press the RECORD button on the remote control to save the Playlist.
• If you remove all songs from a Playlist, the Playlist is automatically deleted.
• There is a 1000 song maxium for Playlists
• “This Playlist” in the Group Bar displays which songs are in the current Playlist.
• To Reorder Tracks in “This Playlist” use the REW and FF keys to move the highlighted song
up or down in the Playlist.
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EDITING GROUPS
As with Playlists, you can also edit the name of a Group, add Music Titles, Movie Titles, or Radio
Stations to the Group, or remove Music Titles, Movie Titles, or Radio Stations from the Group.
Follow these steps to edit a Group:
1. Press the MUSIC key if you want to edit the Music Groups, press the MOVIES key if you
want to edit Movies Groups, or press the RADIO key if you want to edit the Radio Groups.
2. Highlight the Group you want to edit within the Group Bar.
3. Press the OPTIONS key to display the Options Menu
4. Select the Groups/Edit Group menu item.
5. Using the remote control or keyboard, change the name of your Group or select the
CONTINUE button on screen to keep the current name and advance to the Edit Group
Select Guide.
6. For each Music Title, Movie Title, or Radio Station you want to add to the Group, highlight
the Music Title or Radio Station and press the SELECT key on the remote. A checkmark
appears to the right of each selected Music Title or Radio Station indicating that it will be
added to the Group.
7. For each Music Title, Movie Title, or Radio Station you want to remove from the Group,
highlight the Music Title or Radio Station and press the SELECT key on the remote. The
checkmark to the right of the Music Title, Movie Title, or Radio Station will be removed,
indicating that the Music Title or Radio Station should be removed from the Group.
8. When you have added or removed all of the Music Titles, Movie Title, or Radio Stations
you want to include in the playlist, press the RECORD button on the remote control to save
the Group.
You can not edit the System Groups (All, CDs, Internal, or Playlists).
• If you remove all Titles or Stations from a Group, the Group is automatically deleted.
• You can not reorder Titles and Stations within a Group. They are always sorted alphabetically.
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DELETING MUSIC
You can remove any music you have recorded to the FireBall by using the Delete Music feature.
You may want to do this if you have filled up your FireBall and you can not record any more music
or if you want to remove songs that you just don’t listen to.
Follow these steps to delete music from your FireBall:
1. Press the MUSIC key to make sure you are in the Music source mode.
2. Press the OPTIONS key to display the Options Menu
3. Select the MUSIC INFO/
4. For each Track you want to delete, highlight the Track and press the SELECT key on the
remote. A checkmark appears to the right of each selected Track indicating that it will be
deleted. Press the SELECT key again to remove the checkmark. Pressing the TOGGLE
key on the remote when a Title is highlighted will toggle all or none of the Title’s tracks for
deletion.
5. When you have selected all of the Titles you want to delete in the group, press the
RECORD button on the remote control to permanently remove and delete the checked
tracks.
DELETE MUSIC menu item to display the Delete Music Info screen.
You can not “delete” physical CDs from the Music Library. You must remove the discs from your
changers if you want the CDs to be removed from the Music Guide.
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DELETING PLAYLISTS
You may delete entire Playlists from the Music Guide. Follow these steps to permanently
delete one or more Playlists from the Music Guide:
1. Press the MUSIC key to make sure you are in the Music source mode.
2. Press the OPTIONS key to display the Options Menu
3. Select the PLAYLISTS/DELETE PLAYLISTS
screen.
4. For each Playlist you want to delete, highlight the Playlist and press the SELECT key on
the remote. A checkmark appears to the right of each selected Playlist indicating that it will
be deleted. Press the SELECT key again to remove the checkmark.
5. When you have selected all of the Playlists you want to delete, select the DELETE button
to permanently remove and delete the checked Playlists.
menu item to display the Delete Playlists
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DELETING GROUPS
Deleting Groups from the Group Bar is very similar to deleting Playlists. The contents of the Group
(the Music Titles, Movie Titles, or Radio Stations) are not deleted. They are still available in any
other Groups they may be assigned to and in the All Group.
Follow these steps to delete Groups.
1. Press the MUSIC key if you want to edit the Music Groups, of press the MOVIES key if you
want to edit Movies Groups, or press the RADIO key if you want to edit the Radio Groups.
2. Press the OPTIONS key to display the Options Menu
3. Select the GROUPS/
4. For each Group you want to delete, highlight the Group and press the SELECT key on the
remote. A checkmark appears to the right of each selected Groups indicating that it will be
deleted. Press the SELECT key again to remove the checkmark.
5. When you have selected all of the Groups you want to delete, select the delete button to
permanently remove and delete the checked Groups.
6. You can not delete the System Groups (All, CDs, Internal, or Playlists).
DELETE GROUPS menu item to display the Delete Groups screen.
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CREATING CDS
FireBall is a complete media solution for storing, managing, and listening to your music, but what
if you want to get your music out of your FireBall and take it with you? FireBall has that covered as
well. You can easily create custom mix CDs, backups copies of any physical CD, and record from
the external analog inputs to a CD.
CREATING A CUSTOM MIX CD
A Custom Mix CD is a collection of songs that you record or “burn” to a blank CD. The new CD
can then be played in your car stereo, computer, or any CD player which supports CD-R or CD-RW
discs.
Follow these steps to create a custom Mix CD:
1. Press the MUSIC key to make sure you are in the Music source mode.
2. Press the RECORD key to display the Music Record Options menu.
3. Select the CREATE AN AUDIO MIX CD
which can be played in almost any CD player or select the CREATE A DATA MIX CD button
if you want to create an data CD that can be played in any computer or CD player which
supports MP3 CDs.
4. When the Music Record Select Guide appears, you can select one or more songs to
include on your Mix CD. Navigation of the Record Select Guide is the same as the other
Guide screens. Note: You can select up to 80 minutes or 700 MB of songs because these
are the maximum limits of recordable CDs.
5. The “Selected” group shows you which songs you have selected for your CD.
6. To reorder tracks. use the REW and FF keys to move the highlighted song up or down in
the list.
7. Press the RECORD key again to continue the recording process and display the Music
Record Progress – CD Read screen.
8. FireBall will read each song you have selected and assemble an “image” of all songs on
it’s internal hard drive. Note: If you selected any songs which are from changer based CDs,
this process may take a while to complete as these songs must be read in real-time.
button if you want to create a standard audio CD
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9. After all of the songs have been read, FireBall will ask if you want to add any more tracks
to the CD. Select ADD MORE if you do want to add more tracks or select DONE to continue
creating the CD.
10. When FireBall has added all of your songs and finished creating the new CD image, it will
eject the CD tray and ask you to insert a blank CD.
11. Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW disc and close the CD tray by pressing the Eject button on
the front panel. Note: You must use royalty paid blank CDs which are typically marked
as “audio” or “music” CDs when creating and Audio CD. Data CDs typically used for
computers can be used for data mix CDs.
12. The Music Record Progress – CD Write screen now appears as the CD image is written to
the blank CD.
13. When the CD is complete, the new disc you created will be ejected. Remove the disc and
close the CD tray.
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DUPLICATING A CD
You can duplicate any physical disc located in the internal drive or any external changer. These
discs are for backup purposes only.
Follow these steps to duplicate a CD:
1. Press the MUSIC key to make sure you are in the Music source mode.
2. Press the RECORD key to display the Music Record Options menu.
3. Select the DUPLICATE A DISC
4. Select a CD from any external changer or the built-in CD player. A check mark will be
placed next to the selected disc.
5. Press the RECORD key again to continue the recording process and display the Music
Record Progress - CD Read screen.
6. FireBall will read the selected CD and create an “image” of the CD on it’s internal hard
drive. Note: If you selected any songs which are from changer based CDs, this process
may take a while to complete as the CD must be read in realtime.
7. After the entire CD has been read, FireBall will eject the CD tray and ask you to insert a
blank CD.
8. Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW disc and close the CD tray by pressing the Eject button on
the front panel. Note: If you are duplicating an audio CD, you must use royalty paid blank
CDs which are typically marked as “audio” or “music” CDs. Data CDs typically used in
computers can be used for duplicating MP3 CDs.
9. The Music Record Progress - CD Write screen now appears as the CD image is written to
the blank CD.
10. When the CD is complete, the new disc you created will be ejected. Remove the disc and
close the CD tray.
button to display the Music Record Select Guide.
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RECORDING FROM AN EXTERNAL SOURCE
FireBall also allows you to record from the external inputs to a blank CD. This allows you to record
live performances or any other analog source to a blank CD which can then be played on almost
any standard CD Player..
Follow these steps to record direct to CD from an external source:
1. Press the MUSIC key to make sure you are in the Music source mode.
2. Press the RECORD key to display the Music Record Options menu.
3. Select the RECORD EXT INPUTS DIRECT TO CD
4. The External Record Options screen will be displayed showing the default information for
the recording you are about to make. You can use these default settings or edit them. The
default recording length is 30 minutes. Enter a different number to increase or decrease
the recording time.
5. When you are finished editing the default settings, press the RECORD key again to start
recording from the external analog inputs to the internal hard drive.
6. FireBall will record from the external analog inputs to a temporary “image” recorded on it’s
internal hard drive.
7. When the recording time elapses and the recording is complete, FireBall will ask you to
insert a blank CD.
8. Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW disc and close the CD tray by pressing the Eject button on
the front panel.
9. The Music Record Progress – CD Write screen now appears as the CD image is written to
the blank CD.
10. When the CD is complete, the new disc you created will be ejected. Remove the disc and
close the CD tray.
menu item.
If FireBall detects that no audio was actually recorded, it will return to the Music Guide without
asking you to insert a blank CD. Check your cables and make sure you have audio connected to the
analog inputs on the back of your FireBall.
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SETTING USER PREFERENCES
User preferences are available to specify global configuration options and preferred system settings.
Press the SETUP key on the remote control to display the Setup Menu. Use the navigation keys on
the remote control (up, down, left, and right) to highlight and select any menu item.
SELECTING YOUR LANGUAGE
FireBall supports 5 different languages for it’s on screen menus and text. Follow these steps to set
the language of your choice:
Follow these steps to set your preferred language.
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup Menu
2. Select the GENERAL menu item.
3. Select the LANGUAGE menu item.
4. Select the desired language.
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SETTING THE SCREEN SAVER PREFERENCES
Screen Savers are provided for each source mode. Screen Savers provide two important functions,
to prevent a static image from being displayed on the video output device for extended periods of
time and to provide useful information to the user when activated.
Follow these steps to set your screen saver preferences:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the
3. Select the SCREEN SAVER
4. Select your Screen Saver Preferences
GENERAL Menu
Menu
Activation Idle Time
You can specify the amount of idle time that FireBall will wait before activating the screen saver
from 1 to 60 minutes.
Warning: Some televisions and plasma monitors are more susceptible to screen burn-in than others,
therefore, we recommend using a low activation time (like 1 minute) to reduce the risk of burn-in.
Other Modes
Select either the Normal, Product Demo, or Photo Viewer mode. The Normal mode displays the
current title or station information while the Product Demonstration mode is intended for retail
product demos during idle time. Photo Viewer displays photos located in the /Photos shared
volume.
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Retail Demo Mode
FireBall has a Retail Demo Mode for use in retail display environments. The Retail Demo Mode
(RDM) is a special screen saver that is activated during idle time. The RDM continuously displays
key features and benefits of the FireBall product on the attached TV. Pressing any button on
the remote will temporarily disable the RDM and allow the user to demo the product. After the
specified idle time, the RDM will reactivate as the screensaver.
Follow these steps to enable the Retail Demo Mode in your FireBall display model:
1. Follow the Quick Start instructions to connect and register your demo FireBall.
2. When your FireBall is configured and you see the Music Guide, press the SETUP key on
the remote.
3. Select the General menu.
4. Select the Screen Saver menu.
5. Select the Demo Mode option and the number of minutes to wait before displaying the
Demo Mode screen saver.
6. Select the Save button.
• The RDM will be activated whenever the FireBall is idle for the specified period of time.
• Do not set the idle time too high as the possibility of screen burn is increased with certain
types of displays, particularly “Plasma” type displays.
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Photo Screen Saver Mode
FireBall has a Photo Screen Saver Mode for displaying your own photos whenever FireBall is idle
for a specified period of time. You can import your own photos into the Photos shared directory
using Windows Networking. Photos should be 720x480 for 4:3 NTSC TVs and 640x360 for 16:9
widescreen TVs.
Follow these steps to enable the Photo Screen Saver Mode in your FireBall:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote.
2. Select the General menu.
3. Select the Screen Saver menu.
4. Select the Photo Viewer option and the number of minutes to wait before displaying the
next photo.
5. Select Random or Alphabetical ordering.
6. Select the Save button.
Note: You can set the Photo Interval or how long each photo is displayed as well as the Photo Order or
how you want to display your photos, in random or alphabetical order.
• The Photos Screen Saver will be activated whenever the FireBall is idle for the specified
period of time.
• Do not set the idle time too high as the possibility of screen burn is increased with certain
types of displays, particularly “Plasma” type displays.
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SETTING YOUR TIME ZONE
Specify which US time zone your FireBall is located in.
Follow these steps to set your Time Zone:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the
3. Select the
4. Select your select your Time Zone.
GENERAL Menu
TIME ZONE Menu
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CUSTOMIZABLE USER INTERFACE
In addition to the Escient Classic user interface theme, the FireBall allows you to select a custom
theme and select your own background images for each Guide, Player, Options, Setup, and Message
screens. You can import your own background images into the Backgrounds shared directory using
Windows Networking. Images should be 720x480 and saved in either jpg, gif, or png formats.
Follow these steps to select a custom background on your FireBall:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote.
2. Select the General menu.
3. Select the User Interface Skins menu.
4. Select one of the built-in Themes or “Custom” (if you want custom backgrounds) and
Select the Save button.
5. If you selected the Custom Theme, you will see the Custom Backgrounds Select screen.
5.1. Select the screen you want to set the background for (Music Guide, Music Player,
Music Option, etc….
5.2. Scroll down the list and highlight an image. A preview will be displayed to the right of
the list.
5.3. Press the Select key on the remote to select the desired image.
5.4. Repeat steps 5.1 - 5.3 for each screen you want to customize.
6. Select the Save button when you are done to return to the Setup menu.
Note: Some backgrounds look better than others.
In general, backgrounds with darker colors and few
small details are better.
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ENABLING PASSWORD PROTECTION
Optional Password Protection enables you to limit user access to the Setup Menus. This is useful to
lockout the ability to change the global user settings and preferences.
Setting a System Password – Follow these steps to setup a new system password:
1. Using the remote control, enter a 4 to 8 digit code into the password field.
2. Press the SELECT key to highlight the VERIFY field.
3. Re-enter the same password for verification.
4. Press the SELECT key to highlight the SAVE button.
5. Press SELECT again to save your password and enable Password Protection on the Setup
Menus.
• You must exit Setup and re-enter setup to activate the password protection.
• If a user password is specified, you will be prompted for your password whenever you press
the Setup key on the remote.
• If the password entered matches the stored password, full access is granted to the user until
the next power off cycle.
• If the password does not match, the user will be asked 2 more times to enter the correct
password. If after the third try the password still does not match, the system will not allow the
user access to the Setup menus.
• If the user does not specify a System Password, access to the Setup menus will be allowed
whenever you press the Setup key.
Removing a System Password – Follow these steps to remove the system password:
1. Press the SETUP key and enter your existing system password.
2. Highlight the CLEAR button on screen and press the SELECT key on your remote.
3. The password and verify fields will be cleared.
4. Highlight the SAVE button and press SELECT.
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MOVIE RATINGS
Movie Ratings are used to prohibit the display of certain movies in the Movies Guide. This
feature is used in conjunction with the Password Protection feature, user settings and preferences
for parental control. You must have Password Protection enabled and a password entered for the
Movie Ratings to be in effect. See the section above for more information on Enabling Password
Protection.
Select the highest movie ration you want to display in the Movies Guide without entering a
password. For example, if you select PG-13 all movies with an MPAA rating above PG-13 (R, NC17, and X) will not be shown in the Movies Guide when Password Protection is enabled.
Follow these steps to select a Movie Rating:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the GENERAL Menu.
3. Select the MOVIE RATINGS Menu.
4. Select the highest movie rating you want to display in the Movies Guide without entering a
password.
5. Select the SAVE button to save your changes and return to the previous screen.
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ETHERNET SETTINGS
Ethernet is the preferred networking choice which provides you with the best network performance
and allows your FireBall to act as a “server” to deliver your music collection throughout your home
network using the optional FireBall Music Players.
Ethernet networks require that you configure each device on the network with a valid “address”.
These addresses are usually configured automatically by your network hardware. If your PC is
setup using Dynamic or “DHCP” addressing, you should most likely use the same for your FireBall.
Connect your FireBall to your Ethernet network using the included Ethernet cable and then
follow these steps to specify your Ethernet settings:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the
3. Select the
4. Select Dynamic for automatic address configuration or Static if you want to manually enter
your TCP/IP address information.
NETWORK Menu
ETHERNET SETTINGS Menu
If you select Static TCP/IP addressing, you will need to obtain a valid IP address, subnet mask,
DNS server, and gateway addresses from your network administrator.
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SERVER SETTINGS
Your FireBall can act as a “server” delivering audio to optional FireBall “clients” over the network.
FireBall’s server also allows you to control it remotely using a web browser on your PC and allows
Network File Sharing for backup and import features. The FireBall Name allows you to easily
locate and connect to your FireBall by name.
Follow these steps to enter a name for your FireBall:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the
3. Select the FIREBALL SERVER SETTINGS
4. Enter a name for your FireBall using the remote control or wireless keyboard. For example:
“Living Room” or “Home Theater” might be a name which helps identify which FireBall
you want to connect to.
Follow these steps to enter a password to be used when connecting to your FireBall from a
web browser:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. select the NETWORK menu.
3. Select the FIREBALL SERVER SETTINGS menu.
4. Enter a password to be used from your PC when connecting from your web browser.
Note: There is no User Name when connecting from a web browser.
NETWORK menu.
menu.
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FIREBALL MUSIC SHARING
FireBall contains a special music sharing feature that allows the FireBall-PC software and
other FireBall Music Servers located on the same network to share their music library into two
independent zones. The Music Guide from FireBall-PC or the second FireBall is merged into the
Music Guide of the first FireBall to create one seamless Music Guide for browsing and playing
all of your music. This effectively can increase the capacity of your FireBall by using FireBall-PC
software on your PC or Mac OR by using one FireBall as the master and another one as a second
zone or “slave” server.
You can connect any combination of two FireBall AVX, MX, SE, E2, or DVDM Music Servers that
have been upgraded to Version 4.0 or later FireBall Features Package.
Follow these steps to connect your FireBall to another FireBall Music Server:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote.
2. Select the Network menu.
3. Select the Remote Server Connection menu.
4. Select one of the available FireBall servers from the server list.
5. Select the Save button to save your selection.
When you return to the Music Guide you will have access to all your music from both FireBalls
merged into one Music Guide. The “Location” field in the Music Guide will show you where each
music title is located.
Repeat the above steps using the other FireBall to access the first FireBall’s music from the second
FireBall. You can also select a FireBall-PC “virtual” FireBall if your PC is running the “FireBallPC” software to integrate and stream more music from your PC/Mac for unlimited storage capacity!
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SELECTING THE AUDIO ENCODER TYPE
You can specify which audio encoder (MP3 or FLAC) you want to use for recording audio in
to your FireBall. The MP3 format allows the most flexibility and compatibility for efficiently
storing many audio files while the FLAC format uses considerably more space than MP3 files, but
preserves an exact bit-for-bit recording of the original, using half the space of the original CD.
Follow these steps to select an audio encoder:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the
3. Select the
4. Select MP3 or CD Quality (FLAC) as your preferred encoder
5. If you selected MP3 as your preferred encoder, select a bitrate.
AUDIO menu.
RECORDING PREFERENCES menu.
The MP3 bitrate is used to determine the relative quality and compression level. The higher the
bitrate, the better quality and more space each song will occupy on the hard drive. Selecting a lower
bitrate will provide lesser quality audio and will use less space for each song, allowing you to store
more songs on your FireBall.
FLAC audio will always take up approximately 50% of the original WAV/AIFF file size. The FLAC
compression level has been optimized to FireBall’s processor speed and is not user adjustable.
Creating a mix CD from FLAC audio files creates a CD which is identical to the original, thus it is
referred to as “CD Quality”.
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SETTING THE DISC INSERT PREFERENCES
You can specify what to do with new discs inserted into FireBall’s front panel CD drive. “Display
and Play” will display the information for the disc and then play the disc. Record and Eject assists
in bulk recording, allowing you to insert disc after disc, automatically recording then ejecting each
one.
Follow these steps to set the Disc Insert Preferences:
1. Press the SETUP key on the remote to display the Setup menu.
2. Select the
3. Select the
4. Select Display and Play or Record and Eject.
AUDIO menu
DISC INSERT PREFERENCES menu
Record and Eject will use the current Recording Preferences to record each disc to your internal
hard drive. The Record Select Guide will not be displayed as all tracks are automatically selected
and recorded to the internal hard drive. Use the Delete Music feature to delete any unwanted tracks.
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