HP P Class 733/800/866MHz / 1GHz User manual

English
Online Guide
Rev. 2
March 1998
Using
Sound
on
Your PC

How to use this online guide
2English
How to use this online guide
Click the Go Back button in the toolbar to go back to your
previous place in the guide.
Click the Next Page button in the toolbar to go to the next
page in the guide.
Click the Previous Page button in the toolbar to go to the
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Click the First Page button in the toolbar to go to the
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Click a bookmark name (to the left of the screen) to go to
the topic corresponding to that bookmark. Clicking a
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triangle will hide the subordinate bookmarks.
Click underlined red text to go to the topic indicated.
Underlined red text is text that is “linked” to another topic
in the guide.
Testing Your Audio Setup
If You Are Running Windo
Solving Problems with Sound
Connecting Audio Devices to
Topic

Contents
English 3
How to use this online guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Using Sound on Your PC
Why Do I Need Sound? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connecting Audio Devices to the Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Connecting Audio Devices to the Front Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Connecting a MIDI Keyboard (models with MIDI connector). . 10
Setting Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Running the Audio Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Testing Your Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
If You Are Running Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 95. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Installing Audio Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Internal Hardware Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
CD Audio Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Audio Front Panel Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Front Panel Microphone Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
AUX Audio Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Sound Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Viewing the Software Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Solving Problems with Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

4English
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Using Sound on Your PC
This guide tells you how to get the most out of your computer’s sound
system. It tells you what you can do with the audio programs, and how
to solve any problems.

Using Sound on Your PC
Why Do I Need Sound?
6English
Why Do I Need Sound?
Sound is an essential element in multimedia computing. But just what is
“multimedia computing”, and what can you do with it?
With the popular Sound Blaster compatible product in your PC, you can:
❒Run training applications that use speech and music.
❒Use presentation software to create and run promotional or information displays.
❒Use multimedia applications and encyclopedias that use sound either on your PC
or from the Internet.

English 7
Using Sound on Your PC
Connecting Audio Devices to the Rear Panel
Connecting Audio Devices to the Rear Panel
The multimedia rear panel has an audio Line In jack, an audio Line Out jack, MIDI
interface connector, and a MIC In jack. You can therefore use this panel to connect
headphones, a microphone, a recording device, or other audio devices such as a
Minidisc player, powered speakers, external amplifier for audio output.
The positions of the jacks on the multimedia rear panel are shown in your User’s
Guide.
WARNING Before connecting the headphones or speakers, always turn the volume down to
avoid discomfort from unexpected noise or static. Listening to loud sounds for
prolonged periods of time may permanently damage your hearing. Before putting
on the headphones, place them around your neck and turn the volume down. When
you put on the headphones, slowly increase the volume until you find a
comfortable listening level. When you can hear comfortably and clearly, without
distortion, leave the volume control in that position.
Details of what each jack is for are given below.
LINE IN Connect devices such as a cassette, DAT, or Minidisc player for
playback and recording.
MIC IN Connect a microphone for voice input. The Mic In jack on either the
rear panel or the front panel can be used. You might find the front
panel microphone input is more accessible than the rear panel
connector.

Using Sound on Your PC
Connecting Audio Devices to the Rear Panel
8English
LINE OUT Connect powered speakers, an external amplifier for audio output,
a recording device (tape deck), or stereo headphones.
You can use the LINE OUT jack for headphones with limited power
output. If your computer has an HP multimedia control panel
(situated at the front of the computer), it is recommended that you
use this dedicated headphone output. Refer to “Connecting Audio
Devices to the Front Panel” on page 9 for further information.
GAME/MIDI Connect a joystick (for game software) or MIDI instrument. The
MIDI port is disabled by default. You will have to enable this port if
you wish to use it with a MIDI.
NOTE The GAME/MIDI connector is only available on some models.

English 9
Using Sound on Your PC
Connecting Audio Devices to the Front Panel
Connecting Audio Devices to the Front Panel
Your computer’s multimedia front panel has a headphones/speaker jack, and a
microphone jack (refer to “Audio Front Panel Connector” on page 15 for more
information).
The front panel microphone input and headphone output are more accessible than
the connectors on the rear panel. When you use the front panel Headphone Out
jack, the rear panel Line Out jack is automatically muted.
Do not connect headphones to the jack on the CD-ROM drive, as this lets you hear
output only from music CDs. To test your audio setup, refer to “Testing Your Audio”
on page 13.
WARNING Before connecting the headphones or speakers, always turn the volume down to
avoid discomfort from unexpected noise or static. Listening to loud sounds for
prolonged periods of time may permanently damage your hearing. Before putting
on the headphones, place them around your neck and turn the volume down. When
you put on the headphones, slowly increase the volume until you find a
comfortable listening level. When you can hear comfortably and clearly, without
distortion, leave the volume control in that position.
Details of what each jack is for are given below.
MIC IN Connect a microphone for voice input. The Mic In jack on either the
front panel or the rear panel can be used.
HEADPHONE Connect stereo headphones. For your own comfort, it is
recommended that you use this dedicated headphone output. The
Line Out jack and the internal speaker on the rear panel of your PC
are automatically deactivated when you use the front panel
Headphone Out jack.
The positions of the above jacks on the multimedia rear panel are shown in your
User’s Guide.

Using Sound on Your PC
Connecting a MIDI Keyboard (models with MIDI connector)
10 English
Connecting a MIDI Keyboard (models with MIDI connector)
By connecting a keyboard instrument to your computer, and running a sequencer
program on your computer to control your musical arrangements, you can create a
mini-recording studio. The keyboard instrument you use must have MIDI capability,
as most modern instruments do.
You store your arrangements in a MIDI file, which is like an orchestral score—it can
contain the sequence of notes for many different instruments, with information on
the pitch and duration of each note and the sort of instrument it should sound like.
Setting Up
Your keyboard, operating system settings, and sequencer program must all be set
up correctly so that you can record and play back music satisfactorily.
It’s difficult to give precise instructions here for setting up, as the steps depend on
your keyboard and on the music software you are running. For more specific
instructions, refer to the documentation that came with your keyboard and
software.
Here are some general guidelines, however, that should help you get started.
1Connect your keyboard instrument to the rear panel of your PC via a MIDI cable.
2Direct your computer’s MIDI output to a playback device as follows:
Track Name Loop Key Time Port Channel Patch Volume Size
1 Lead piano 1 0 0 2:External 1 Electric Piano ... 301
2 Harmony 1 0 0 1:SB16 2 Clarinet ... 295
3 Bass 2 15 2:External 3 Bass ... 175
4 Trombone 2 15 1:SB16 4 Trombone 85 260
5 Jug 2 15 1:SB16 5 Bottle blow ... 303
Each instrument is played
back on its own channel.
You can play back some
channels through your
embedded audio and some
through your keyboard
instrument.