Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX User manual

How to use this manual
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX
Important: This User Manual (on CD) has been designed to provide you with complete product knowledge.
Following are instructions on how to make use of this manual effectively by launching applications and help
files, as well as accessing relevant web sites, where applicable, via specially prepared links.
• To launch applications, Help files or to access relevant web sites, click the blue text, underlined hyperlinks or
whenever the symbol or appears on the object or text.
• For best viewing, this PDF is by default set to "Fit Width" so that all the contents on every page is visible. If
you are unable to read the text clearly, press Ctrl + <+> to zoom in or Ctrl + <-> to zoom out. To view full
screen, press Ctrl + <L>.
Note: To access the applications and Help files, you must first install the manual and the applications in your computer.
Otherwise, you will receive error messages. When you click a link to launch a program, a dialog box may appear to inform
you that Adobe Acrobat is going to launch the application. Click the All button to run subsequent applications without the
message appearing again. To access linked web sites, your computer must be connected to the Internet.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Creative
Technology Ltd. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the written permission of Creative Technology Ltd. The software described
in this document is furnished under a license agreement and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the license
agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any other medium except as specifically allowed in the license agreement. The
licensee may make one copy of the software for backup purposes only.
The Software License Agreement is found in a separate folder on this installation CD. The copyright and disclaimer, including trademark
issues are also found in the same folder.

ii
Contents
Introduction
High-definition digital audio entertainment .................................... vii
What is EAX ADVANCED HD? .............................................................. viii
Package Contents .......................................................................ix
System Requirements.................................................................. x
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware ........................ x
SB1394/FireWire applications, games and DVD viewing ........... x
Internet multimedia and entertainment ..................................xi
Getting More Information .............................................................xi
More Help ..................................................................................xi
Customer Support .......................................................................xi
Document Conventions ................................................................xi
1 About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware
What You Need................................................................................ 1-1
Your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX Card .................................... 1-2
Your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module ............... 1-3
Adjusting Headphones Volume and Microphone Gain..................... 1-7
Using the control knobs..................................................... 1-7
Using Creative Surround Mixer ........................................... 1-8
Using the Remote Control ................................................................. 1-8
Remote Control Functions ................................................................. 1-9
2 Installing Hardware
Installation Steps............................................................................. 2-1
Step 1: Prepare the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware . 2-1
Step 2: Prepare your computer .................................................. 2-2
Step 3: Install the audio card .................................................... 2-3
Step 4: Install the joystick port.................................................. 2-3
Step 5: Install the cables .......................................................... 2-4

iii
Step 6: Connect to AC power socket ........................................... 2-4
Step 7: Set up the CD-ROM drive .............................................. 2-5
Connecting Related Peripherals .......................................................... 2-6
Connecting External Speakers ..........................................................2-10
Positioning Your Speakers ................................................................2-11
3 Installing Software
Installing Drivers and Applications...................................................... 3-1
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Feature Showcase Demo ................................. 3-2
Uninstalling and Reinstalling the Applications and Device Drivers............ 3-2
Reinstalling all Audio Drivers and Applications .............................. 3-2
Uninstalling all Audio Drivers and Applications ..................................... 3-3
Installing/Uninstalling selected Audio Drivers and Applications ............... 3-4
Updating Windows 2000 (Service Pack 2)............................................ 3-5
Updating Windows 98 SE .................................................................. 3-5
Installing Digital Video Update ................................................... 3-5
4 Using Audigy 2 Software
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Applications ...................................... 4-1
Demos ........................................................................................... 4-2
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Getting Started Demo ............................. 4-2
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Feature Showcase Demo.......................... 4-2
SoundFont Showcase................................................................ 4-3
Introduction to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 software suite ..................... 4-4
Creative MediaSource Go! ......................................................... 4-4
Creative MediaSource Go! Launcher............................................ 4-4
Creative MediaSource Player...................................................... 4-5
“What-You-Hear” multichannel recording ............................. 4-5
Creative MediaSource Organizer................................................. 4-6
Finding and organizing songs ............................................. 4-6
Keeping your music database up to date ............................. 4-6

iv
Transferring songs............................................................ 4-6
Automatically playing multimedia content ............................ 4-6
Extracting and converting songs......................................... 4-7
Storing music on recordable CD ......................................... 4-7
Creative MediaSource DVD-Audio Player...................................... 4-7
Creative EAX Console ............................................................... 4-8
Audio Effects: Environmental Sound Processing .................... 4-8
CMSS 3D: Simulating Surround Sound ................................ 4-9
Audio Clean-up: Removing noise and distortion .................... 4-9
Time Scaling: Varying the speed of playback........................ 4-9
Creative Surround Mixer ..........................................................4-10
Creative Speaker Settings ........................................................4-10
Creative Speaker Calibrator ......................................................4-10
Creative MiniDisc Center ..........................................................4-10
Creative SoundFont Bank Manager ............................................4-11
Creative Audio Stream Recorder 2.............................................4-11
Creative Wave Studio ..............................................................4-12
Diagnostic and troubleshooting utilities ..............................................4-13
Creative Diagnostics ................................................................4-13
Creative Speaker Settings ........................................................4-13
Appendixes
A General Specifications
Features ......................................................................................... A-1
PCI Bus Mastering ............................................................ A-1
Audigy 2 Processor ........................................................... A-1
Versatile Audio Features.................................................... A-1
Professional Digital Audio Processing................................... A-2
Flexible Mixer Control ....................................................... A-2
THX Certification .............................................................. A-3

v
Dolby Digital (AC-3) and Digital Surround EX Decoding ......... A-3
Creative MultiSpeaker Surround (CMSS).............................. A-3
SB1394/FireWire Compatibility........................................... A-3
Connectivity .................................................................................... A-4
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX Card.................................... A-4
Audio Outputs.................................................................. A-4
SB1394/FireWire .............................................................. A-4
Interfaces ....................................................................... A-4
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module............... A-5
Inputs and outputs on front panel....................................... A-5
Inputs and outputs on rear panel........................................ A-5
B Troubleshooting and FAQs
Problems Installing Software ............................................................. B-1
Problems with Sound........................................................................ B-2
Problems with File Transfers on Some VIA Chipset Motherboards............ B-6
Insufficient SoundFont Cache ............................................................ B-7
Problems with the Joystick ................................................................ B-8
Problems with Multiple Audio Devices ................................................. B-9
Problems with Sound Blaster Live! Series or Sound Blaster PCI512 card B-10
Resolving I/O Conflicts ................................................................... B-11
Problems with Encore DVD Player .................................................... B-12
Problems with Software DVD Player.................................................. B-12
Problems with DV driver for Windows 98 SE/2000/Me/XP .................... B-13
Problems in XP .............................................................................. B-14
Problems with Digital Audio Devices ................................................. B-15

Introduction

Introduction vii
Introduction
High-definition
digital audio
entertainment
Thank you for purchasing Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX, consisting of the
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card, the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX
External I/O Module, and an IR remote control. It is the most complete affordable
high-definition digital audio entertainment solution you can find on the market
today.
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 has received the prestigious THX Multimedia Certification
award, making it the perfect choice for PC audiophiles seeking the very best music
and movie experiences.
Featuring 24-bit/192 kHz audio playback, Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX
delivers high-definition sound of astounding quality with 24-bit/96 kHz audio
recording capability from all Line Ins and SPDIF In. Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum
eX supports 6.1 channel Dolby Digital Surround EX surround sound audio on your
computer, and 5.1 output from the 96 kHz sampling rates of DVD-Audio discs using
MLP lossless compression.
The Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module provides front panel
access to microphone, headphone, input/output, and MIDI connections — all located
away from your computer and closer to your work area. The Sound Blaster Audigy
2 Platinum eX is the only Audigy 2 product with ASIO driver support for 24-bit/96
kHz recording — allowing musicians to produce high quality works. Additionally, an
IEEE 1394-compliant SB1394™/FireWire®connection is provided for high-speed
connectivity to NOMAD™ portable digital audio players, external CD-RW drives and
other IEEE 1394 compatible devices like DV Camcorders, printers, scanners, and
digital still cameras.
The infrared remote control offers convenient control of your computer for tasks like
playing audio or video CDs, at distances up to four meters (13 feet).
MLP (Meridian Lossless
Packing), the method of
audio data compression used
in DVD-Audio, reduces file size
without removing any of the
information contained in the
original recording. The
listening audience will hear the
audio as it was intended in the
original recording. Other
packing methodologies that
remove data as part of the
compression are referred to as
'Lossy Compression'.

Introduction viii
What is EAX
ADVANCED
HD?
EAX®ADVANCED HD™brings a new level of performance, power, and flexibility to
PC audio. Taking advantage of the increased processing capabilities of the Sound
Blaster Audigy 2 processor, EAX ADVANCED HD delivers a host of new features to
achieve high definition audio for gaming and music enhancement.
The EAX ADVANCED HD Game Audio Library takes in-game audio and acoustic
simulation to a whole new level. These innovative technologies bring tremendous
realism and total audio immersion to PC gamers:
❑New Multi-EnvironmentTM technology renders multiple environment audio
environments in real time.
❑Environment PanningTM makes it easy for gamers to track with three-
dimensional precision, the location and movement of sounds that usually
represent enemies or team mates. This gives Sound Blaster Audigy 2 gamers a
better advantage as they are more aware of the game environment.
❑Environment ReflectionsTM offers localization of early reflections and echoes
such as reflections created by canyon walls or cliffs.
❑Environment FilteringTM simulates the propagation of sound in both indoor and
outdoor game arenas.
❑Environment MorphingTM allows for seamless transitions from one environment
to the next.
EAX ADVANCED HD Music Technologies also ensures sonic superiority:
❑Audio Clean-Up removes unwanted noise in a digital audio file.
❑Time Scaling speeds up and slows down music without distortion.
❑EAX ADVANCED HD music effects, developed especially for music listening,
further enhance playback of songs.
EAX ADVANCED HD offers dramatically increased 3D audio performance and
functionality. Delivering superior audio fidelity and sophisticated reverb effects, this
unsurpassed digital entertainment experience is available only from the Sound
Blaster Audigy 2 family of products.

Introduction ix
Package Contents The following items are included in your package:
❑Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card
❑Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module and IR remote control
❑AD_LINK cable
❑Power converter cable
❑Joystick/MIDI bracket
❑3.5 mm minijack to ¼” plug adapter
❑Two AAA batteries for the IR remote control
❑Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Installation and Applications CD
❑Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Feature Showcase Demo CD
❑Creative DVD-Audio Sampler Disc
❑Quick Start Guide leaflet
❑User manual (on CD)
❑Warranty (printed or on CD)
❑Customer Support (printed or on CD)
The items listed here may
vary from country to
country.

Introduction x
System
Requirements
Sound Blaster Audigy 2
Platinum eX hardware
❑Genuine Intel®Pentium®II 350 MHz, AMD®K6 450 MHz or faster processor
for SB1394/FireWire applications or games
❑Intel, AMD or 100% compatible motherboard chipset
❑Windows 98 Second Edition (SE), Windows Millennium Edition (Me), Windows
2000 Service Pack 2 (SP2) or Windows XP
❑64 MB RAM for Windows 98 SE and Windows Me
128 MB RAM for Windows 2000 (SP2) and Windows XP
❑600 MB of free hard disk space
❑Available PCI 2.1 compliant slot for the audio card
❑Available space for the included joystick/MIDI bracket (optional)
❑Headphones or amplified speakers (available separately)
❑at least one CD-ROM/CD-RW or DVD-ROM drive installed
SB1394/FireWire
applications, games and
DVD viewing
❑Genuine Intel Pentium III 500 MHz, or AMD 700 MHz processor for SB1394/
FireWire applications or games
❑SB1394/FireWire: minimum 128 MB RAM for digital video (DV) capture and
editing recommended, Ultra DMA hard disk with 1 GB workspace (ATA-100, 7,200
rpm type and 6 GB recommended minimum) for DV applications.
❑Games: At least 128 MB RAM, 3D graphics accelerator with at least 8 MB of
texture RAM, available 300–500 MB of free hard disk space
❑DVD: At least second generation DVD-ROM drive with these recommended soft-
DVD players: InterVideo’s WinDVD 2000 or CyberLink’s PowerDVD 3.0 or later
❑DVD-Audio: Pentium III/AMD Athlon 1 GHz or faster processor recommended.
Requires 256 MB RAM for Windows 2000 SP3 or Windows XP SP1. Also requires a
second-generation 6x or faster DVD-ROM drive. Visit www.soundblaster.com for
updates on OS-specific support issues.
Minimum 256 MB RAM
recommended for Windows
2000 (SP2) and Windows XP
users for games and DV
capture and editing.

Introduction xi
Internet multimedia and
entertainment
Internet Radio: requires at least a 56 kbps modem and an active Internet connection
to run the application
Other Internet applications may have higher system requirements or may require a
microphone. Refer to the application’s online Help documentation for details.
Getting More
Information
Refer to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Getting Started Demo and the various online
Help files for detailed information on Creative applications. The Sound Blaster
Audigy 2 Feature Showcase Demo gives you an interactive introduction to Sound
Blaster Audigy 2 and demonstrates the card’s capabilities.
More Help View the contents of the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Installation and Applications CD for
additional libraries and other software. Visit the www.soundblaster.com site for the
latest Sound Blaster news and products. The site also includes information on
making purchases, technical help, and the latest driver updates.
Customer Support Visit http://www.soundblaster.com/support/faq/ or http://www.creative.com for
general help.
Document
Conventions
The following typographical conventions are used throughout this manual:
The notepad icon indicates information that is of particular
importance and should be considered before continuing.
The alarm clock designates a caution or warning that can help
you avoid situations involving risk.
The warning sign indicates that failure to adhere to directions
may result in bodily harm or life-threatening situations.

1
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2
Platinum eX hardware

About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-1
About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware
What You Need Before you begin installation, be sure that you have these:
In addition, you will also
need an available PCI slot
and another adjacent
available slot on your
computer.
Sound Blaster Audigy 2
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX
External I/O Module
Phillips-head
screwdriver (not
included)
AD_LINK cable
Figure 1-1: What you need.
Joystick/MIDI bracket Power Converter cable

About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-2
Your Sound
Blaster Audigy 2
Platinum eX
Card
Your audio card has these jacks and connectors to enable the attachment of a wide
variety of devices:
Click any circled number in the
diagram to see a description of
the item.
Figure 1-2: Jacks, connectors and ports
1
67
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX is a high-end audio card designed for musicians. To achieve
cleaner audio processing and the highest possible audio quality, the onboard connectors such as CD
Analog IN, TAD IN, and CD SPDIF IN have been removed from your audio card. However, you can
still enjoy music from your CD-Audio discs on your CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive, by enabling Digital CD
Audio in your Operating System. Refer to “Step 7: Set up the CD-ROM drive” on page 2-5 for details.
5
4
32
You need to connect the Sound
Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX
card to the Sound Blaster
Audigy 2 Platinum eX External
I/O Module for complete
feature support. However, the
card will work as a standalone
audio card with limited
functions: all analog and
digital input/output
functionality offered by the
Platinum eX External I/O
Module will be unavailable.

About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-3
Your Sound
Blaster Audigy 2
Platinum eX
External I/O
Module
Your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module has these jacks,
connectors and controls:
Click any circled number in
the diagram to see a
description of the item.
Figure 1-3: Jacks, connectors and controls
8 9
6
15
43
27
11
10 12 15
14
13
Front View
Rear View
• To connect your existing
computer headphones and
microphone to the Audigy
2 Platinum eX External I/O
Module, use a 3.5 mm (1/
8”) minijack to 1/4” plug
adapter.
• Set the gain level of the
Mic In 2 jack to the
minimum before
connecting or turning on a
microphone, especially if
you are using headphones.

About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-4
Table 1: The Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card
Number Description
1Joystick/MIDI connector
Connects to the Joystick/MIDI bracket for gamepads, other input
and MIDI devices.
2AD_LINK 2 connector
Connects to the Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module’s
AD_LINK2 port to supply power.
3AD_LINK 1 connector
Connects to the External I/O Module for transferring data.
4Line Out 3 jack
Connects to Front Center, subwoofer and Rear Center inputs of
powered analog speakers or an external amplifier.
5Line Out 2 jack
Connects to Rear Left/Right analog inputs of powered analog
speakers or an external amplifier. Also supports headphones.
6Line Out 1 jack
Connects to Front Left/Right analog input of powered analog
speakers or an external amplifier for audio output. Headphones
can also be connected to this jack.
7Power connector
Connects to a small four-pin power connector found on the
supplied power converter cable.
Click here or on any
description to return to the
diagram of the Sound Blaster
Audigy 2 Platinum eX card.

About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-5
Table 2: The Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module
Number Description
1SB1394/FireWire port
Connects to an IEEE1394 compatible external device (such as a
digital video camcorder, digital still camera, printer or scanner).
2Optical SPDIF Out/In
For recording/playback devices with optical connectors.
3Line In 2 jack
For analog devices like music synthesizers and other line-level
sources.
4Line In 1/Mic In jack
For line sources (for example, electric guitars) or dynamic
microphones.
5¼-inch Headphone jack
For connecting to headphones. (Speaker output will be muted).
6Microphone Input Sensitivity control knob
Controls the input level of a microphone signal.
7Master Volume/Mute control knob
Controls the overall output volume. Push to mute the sound.
8CMSS Switch
Turns the Creative MediaSource MultiSpeaker Surround
®
feature on or off.
Click here or on any
description to return to the
diagram of the Sound Blaster
Audigy 2 Platinum eX External
I/O Module

About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-6
9Infrared Receiver
Lets you control your computer via the IR remote control.
10 Line In 3 (Aux In) jacks
Connects to analog devices like VCRs, TVs and CD players.
11 Standard MIDI In/Out connectors
Connects to MIDI devices via standard DIN cables.
12 SPDIF In/Out Coaxial jacks
For digital audio recording/playback devices such as DAT and
MiniDisc recorders.
13 SPDIF Digital Out Mini DIN jack
Outputs digital audio via mini DIN cable.
14 AD_LINK 1 Connector
Connects to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card’s
AD_LINK 1 cable’s connector.
15 AD_LINK 2 Connector (SB1394/FireWire port)
Connects to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX card's
AD_Link 2 connector via the supplied 1.8 meter (5-feet) AD_LINK
cable. It provides power to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum
eX External I/O Module. Next to AD_LINK 2 is another SB1394/
FireWire port, for connection to IEEE1394-compatible devices.
Table 2: The Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module
Number Description
Click here or on any
description to return to the
diagram of the Audigy 2
Platinum eX External I/O
Module

About your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX hardware 1-7
Adjusting
Headphones Volume
and Microphone
Gain
You can adjust the headphones volume and microphone gain in two ways.
Using the control knobs On the front panel of the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX External I/O Module,
turn the respective control knob:
❑Counterclockwise to decrease the headphone volume or microphone gain.
❑Clockwise to increase the headphone volume or microphone gain.