TerraTec Aureon 7.1 Space User Manual

English Manual

Version 01.12.02

CE Declaration

We:

TerraTec Electronic GmbH, Herrenpfad 38, D-41334 Nettetal, Germany

hereby declare that the product:

SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space

to which this declaration refers is in compliance with the following standards or standardizing documents:

1. EN 55022 Class B

2. EN 55024

The following are the stipulated operating and environmental conditions for said compliance:

residential, business and commercial environments and small-company environments.

This declaration is based on:

Test report(s) of the EMC testing laboratory

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and shall not be deemed as a warranty by the seller. No warranties, express or implied, are made with regard to the quality, suitability or accuracy of this document. The manufacturer reserves the right to change the contents of this document and/or the associated products at any time without the provision of prior notice to specific persons or organizations. The manufacturer shall not be held liable for damages of any kind arising from the use, or the inability to use this product or its documentation, even if the possibility of such damage is known. The information in this document is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or for any purpose without the express written permission of the copyright holders. Product and brand names contained in this document are used for identification purposes only. All registered trademarks, product designations or brand names used in this document are the registered property of their respective owners.

©TerraTec

2 SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space (English)

Contents

Welcome! ................................................................................................................................4

From opening the package to installation. .............................................................................. 6

Short and to the point for busy pros. ....................................................................................7

The connectors of the Aureon 7.1 Space PCI card ................................................................. 8

Installation—step by step. ......................................................................................................9

Installing the driver software. .............................................................................................10

The connections and their uses. ............................................................................................24

Overview. ...........................................................................................................................24

The software. ........................................................................................................................ 26

The Aureon ControlPanel. ...................................................................................................27

WaveLab Lite 2.0 ................................................................................................................32

MusicMatch Jukebox. .........................................................................................................32

Cyberlink PowerDVD ...........................................................................................................33

Emagic Logic Fun................................................................................................................33

The HOTSTUFF folder. .........................................................................................................34

Practice. ................................................................................................................................35

The digital interfaces of the Aureon 7.1 Space. ...................................................................35

Stuff worth knowing. ..........................................................................................................37

Appendix. ..............................................................................................................................38

FAQ—frequently asked questions and their answers. .........................................................38

SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space (English) 3

Welcome!

We're pleased that you have chosen a TerraTec SoundSystem and would like to congratulate you on this decision. You've purchased a sophisticated product representing the state of the art of audio technology, and we're convinced that our product will prove extremely useful to you in the coming years and provide you with a great deal of entertainment.

This manual covers the SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space and its uses in great detail.

But first, here's a quick overview:

SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space PCI card

A broad range of connections.

The SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space is the result of our many years of experience in the PC

audio sector and reflects the continuous evolution of audio and multimedia software for the PC. The SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space offers you a wide range of interconnection options with other audio devices such as hifi surround systems, MiniDisc or CD players with analog or digital outputs, headphones and microphones.

High-quality audio characteristics.

The SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space provides extremely high quality for analog recording and playback of analog material. The card features studio-quality 24-bit/96 kHz technology. Using Windows XP with Service Pack 1, playback at no less than 24-bit/192 kHz becomes possible.

4 SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space (English)

As a result, the Aureon 7.1 Space achieves a S/N ratio of well over -100 dB(A) on its analog inputs and outputs!

Recording and playback of audio material at the purely digital level.

The SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space features an optical input and output in 24-bit S/PDIF format. You can therefore transfer already digitized recordings from a CD, DAT or MiniDisc player (or recorder) to the PC without losses. In addition, you have the choice of all commonly-used sampler rates, as well as access to settings such as copy protection. The interface can even be used for raw data streams such as AC-3 and DTS. And as the icing on the cake, a 1.0 m TOS-Link cable is included with the Aureon 7.1 Space.

Software à la carte.

The software side features a generous package, including Cyberlink PowerDVD with Dolby Digital EX, the Wavelab Lite 2.0 audio editor, the Emagic Logic Fun composing application, and Musicmatch Jukebox for your MP3s.

WDM drivers for Windows 98SE / ME / 2000 and XP quietly do their job behind the scenes. The control panel gives you convenient access to configure the card's broad range of functions. Its carefully thought-out user interface and intuitive control of all card settings will make your day-to-day work with the SoundSystem a breeze.

Last but not least.

We hope you enjoy your SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space and would like to suggest that you browse this hopefully entertaining manual when you get the chance. In addition to the important information about its technology, we have outlined a number of typical applications wherever appropriate. We're convinced that even experienced users will profit from this guide.

Thanks for your attention—enjoy!

...your TerraTec Team

SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space (English) 5

From opening the package to installation.

Before installing the sound card in your computer, please note the details of your computer's configuration. Also refer to the manual of your computer and other expansion cards for their settings.

Please observe the following instructions to ensure a trouble-free installation.

If difficulties arise nevertheless, please reread the relevant chapter in this manual carefully.

If you are still having problems, please call our service hotline. The phone numbers and hours of the hotline can be found in the Appendix of this documentation.

Start by making sure that nothing is missing.

The scope of delivery of the SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space includes at least the following:

· 1 PCI sound card TerraTec SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space

· 1 installation and driver CD

· 1 TOS-Link cable (1.0 m)

· 1 Quick reference

· 1 customer service card

· 1 TerraTec registration card with the serial number

Please return the registration card to us at the earliest possible opportunity or register online at http://www.terratec.com/register.htm

line services.

. This is important for support and hot-

6 SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space (English)

Note! Even if you're a seasoned pro, you should still at least skim the The software. chapter starting on page 26. The information on drivers and the first sections on the ControlPanel are important for your overall understanding of the system. Thank you.

Note! Due to restrictions in Windows98SE, Windows Me and Windows 2000, only six channels can be used in these operating systems. All 8 channels are available for playback in Windows XP. Service Pack 1 also supports 24bit/192 kHz playback in addition to 24-bit/96 kHz. We urgently recommend that Windows 2000 users install Service Pack 3.

Short and to the point for busy pros.

· The SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space is a PCI card that supports Busmastering. Please choose a PCI slot which is far away from the graphics card(s) or SCSI/RAID controllers—i.e. as close to the “bottom” as possible in most installations.

· You will also need a number of free address ranges (generally no problem).

· The driver installation under Windows (98SE to XP) follows the Microsoft guidelines. The

drivers can be found on the included CD-ROM.

· After installing the drivers, open the Device Manager and check for yellow exclamation marks. If you find any, please see the Appendix (page 38) for our suggested solutions.

· You must install the ControlPanel. The full functionality of the SoundSystem cannot be controlled using the Windows Mixer.

· So much for the summary. The following is a detailed, illustrated description of the installation.

SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space (English) 7

The connectors of the Aureon 7.1 Space PCI card

1. Analog microphone audio input (3.5 mm jack)

2. Analog stereo audio input (3.5 mm jack)

3. Analog stereo audio output “Front” (3.5 mm jack)

4. Analog stereo audio output “Rear” (3.5 mm jack)

5. Analog stereo audio output “Center-LFE”, Left = Center, Right = LFE/Subwoofer (for 3.5 mm mini-jack)

6. Analog stereo audio output “Back-Surround” (3.5 mm jack)

7. Optical digital input

8. Optical digital output

9. Onboard CD-audio input 1 (stereo)

10. Onboard CD-audio input 2 (stereo)

11. Onboard audio input (AUX, stereo)

12. Onboard CD-ROM digital audio input (TTL)

8 SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space (English)

Installation—step by step.

Safety note. Before opening the case, unplug the AC power cable from the wall socket as well as from the PC.

· Switch off your PC and all connected peripheral devices such as your printer and monitor. Leave the AC cable connected for the time being, so that your computer is still grounded.

· Touch the metal chassis at the rear of the PC to ground and to discharge static. Now unplug the cord from the AC socket.

· Remove the cover from the case of your PC.

Installing the PCI card.

· Find a free PCI slot, remove the screw securing the metal cover over the slot and remove the cover itself. Should it be necessary to break a plate out of the case, do so with great care to avoid injury.

· To ensure the optimal function of your SoundSystem, look for an expansion slot that is not immediately next to an already-installed card. Some cards, such as video or SCSI/RAID adapters, can send out signals which can interfere with the sound card. We also recommend a slot as close to the bottom of the computer as possible, as you can connect up to 7 audio cables directly to the card itself. Due to certain physical properties of our planet, it is very likely that these cables will dangle downward. ;-)

· Carefully remove the PCI card from its packaging. Pick it up by the edges with one hand while your other hand is resting on the metal of the PC case. This will ensure that your body is completely discharged (no joke) via your computer without affecting the card. Please do not touch the components of the board.

· Next, connect the internal cables (e.g. from the CD drive). For further information on the various connections, please see page Fehler! Textmarke nicht definiert..

· Align the audio card so that the strip with the golden connector pins is located exactly over the PCI slot. Insert the card into the slot. You might have to press the card firmly into the slot to make good contact. Take care to ensure that the contacts are precisely in line in order to avoid damaging the audio card or the motherboard in your PC.

· Secure the card with the screw from the slot blanking plate (these screws are generally also included with PC cases).

Finishing up.

· Reinstall the cover of your PC case.

· Connect your audio peripherals (hifi amp, active speakers, mixer, etc.) to the Aureon 7.1

Space (also see chapter “The connections and their uses.” starting on page 24).

· Reconnect the AC power cable as well as all other cables and turn your PC on. Make sure that your speakers or hifi system is set to low volume.

· Start your computer. The installation of the driver software is the next step.

SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space (English) 9

Installing the driver software.

The SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space currently comes with drivers for Windows 98 SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. The card cannot be used under Windows 95 and Windows NT 4. You should therefore determine which operating system you are using before installing the card.

For information on your operating system and its version number, please check the “System” dialog in the Windows control panel.

Here you can see which Windows Service Pack version you are using, for example.

In the following driver installation descriptions, <CD> stands for the drive letter of the CD-

ROM drive containing the driver CD of the SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space .

10 SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space (English)

Driver installation under Windows 98 SE

After the SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space is installed, Windows 98SE recognizes the card as a new hardware component and displays the following window.

Click “Next”.

Select here the “Search for the best driver for my device (Recommended)” item and click “Next”.

Enter the path

SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space (English) 11

<CD>:\Drivers\WDM\ and click “OK”. Alternatively, you can also select the path to

the best driver of your Aureon 7.1 Space using the mouse by clicking “Browse...”.

At the conclusion, click “Finish”.

Windows now performs the driver installation and acknowledges the process with several windows that can be viewed. Nothing else should be required at this time. If contrary to all expectations a request should appear for you to perform some action and you are not sure about it, then pressing the Enter key is generally a safe action.

If Windows requests a second driver file, please refer to the aforementioned directory on the Aureon 7.1 Space CD-ROM. It is also possible (e.g. if this is the first sound card installation in your system) that some additional Windows extensions have to be installed. Please have your Windows CD ready for this purpose.

Once the drivers have been installed successfully, install the ControlPanel via the autostarter, then the bundled software.

To do so, execute <CD>:\autorun.exe

Follow the instructions of the individual installation programs, and there's not really a lot that can go wrong. A particular bundled software can also easily be removed from your system. For this purpose, call up “Control Panel -> Software” and locate the programs to be removed. Select the various programs and click “Add/Remove Programs...”.

12 SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 Space (English)

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