Copyright: Copyright (c) 1996 Creative Technology Ltd.


Help Contents
Contents

Overview

What is Creative Multimedia Decks?

Creative CD

The Interface

Knowing the Interface

Working with the Creative CD

Playing Tracks

Adjusting the Volume

Changing a Track's Playing Position

Compiling a Playlist : The Playlist Dialog

Repeating the Playlist

Scanning Tracks in the Playlist

Shuffling the Playlist

Selecting a CD Drive

Moving the Creative CD

Minimizing the Creative CD

Quitting the Creative CD

Keyboard Shortcuts


What is Creative Multimedia Decks?

Creative Multimedia Decks is a multi-player control interface that allows you to control your multimedia devices, like your CD-ROM drives and overlay device, independently or concurrently.

It consists of Creative Remote and one or more multimedia players, such as Creative CD, Creative Wave and Creative MIDI.  Creative Remote allows you to control different devices from one control interface, thus saving you lots of screen space.  It also enables you to launch any of the Creative Multimedia Decks players if you require more direct control over a device.


Creative CD

 Creative CD is one of the players in the Creative Multimedia Decks.  Like a home CD player, it lets you play audio CDs from your PC's CD-ROM drives.  In addition, it has some advanced features which include:

Ability to be controlled by the Creative Remote

A "touch-sensitive" display

Multiple display forms

Multiple CD drive control

Fine control of track's playing position

Introduction, Repeat and Shuffle modes for playback

Playlist compilation of your CD tracks

Fast track selection

Direct CD volume control


Knowing the Interface

When you invoke Creative CD, the Creative CD interface appears as shown below:

Related Topics

Power Off Button

Menu Button

Minimize Button

Playlist Button

"Touch-Sensitive" Display

Fast Track Selector

Playback Control


Power Off Button

The Power Off button [image] allows you to quit Creative CD.

Related Topic

Quitting the Creative CD


Menu Button

The Menu button [image] displays a menu to allow you to select some system and miscellaneous functions.


Minimize Button

The Minimize button [image] minimizes Creative CD to an icon.

Related Topic

Minimizing the Creative CD


Playlist Button

The Playlist button [image]  enables you to launch the Playlist dialog box so that you can compile a playlist.

Related Topic

Compiling a Playlist : The Playlist Dialog


"Touch Sensitive" Display

The "Touch Sensitive" Display consists of several "touch-sensitive" controls as well as indicators that shows the current playback status and track information.  Clicking the "Touch Sensitive" Display allows you to switch among the three displays below:

 CD audio present

 CD audio not present

Display 1: Graphical display of CD drive status

Display 2: Current CD and track titles

Display 3: Current track number and duration of the playing track

The second and third forms of the "Touch-Sensitive" Display also have other controls that perform more functions than simply displaying current CD and track titles.  These controls are shown below:

Graphic Volume Control

Two-digit Mode Selector

Repeat Mode Selector

Introduction Mode Selector

Shuffle Mode Selector

Player Selector

Graphic Slider


Fast Track Selector

The Fast Track Selector [image] consists of a group of buttons which you can use to quickly select a CD track to play.

Related Topic

Playing Tracks


Playback Control

The Playback Control consists of a group of buttons which you can use to perform playback operations on the CD player.  These buttons are shown below:

Stop button

Play button

Pause button

Skip-Reverse button

Rewind button

Fast-Forward button

Skip-Forward button

Load/Eject button

Related Topic

Playing Tracks


Playing Tracks

By default, Creative CD plays tracks from the playlist.  But if you want to, you can play tracks using the Playback Control buttons on Creative CD.  You can also select and play a track using the Fast Track Selector [image] buttons, by following the steps below.

To play a track whose number is less than eleven

1	Turn off the Two-digit Mode Selector [image] if it is highlighted, by using the mouse or pressing <T>.

2	Choose a button on the Fast Track Selector that correspond to the track you want to select.  If you want to select track 10, choose button 0.

To play a track whose number is more than ten

1	Highlight the Two-digit Mode Selector [image] by using the mouse or pressing <T>.

2	Choose two buttons on the Fast Track Selector that correspond to the track you want to select.

Note

If you choose a track whose number is more than the number of tracks in the CD, the last track will be selected.


Adjusting the Volume

To adjust the volume of the player

Click and hold down the left mouse button on the Graphic Volume Control [image] on the "Touch-Sensitive" Display at the level you want.
The level of the Graphic Volume Control will move to the mouse position.

Note

You can use hot keys to change the CD volume level.  Press <V> to select the Graphic Volume Control and use the up and down arrow keys to go to the level you want.


Changing a Track's Playing Position

To change the track's playing position before you play it or while it is playing

1	Click and hold down the left mouse button on the Graphic Slider [image] and move the mouse pointer to the position that you want the track to start playing.

2	When the highlighted portion of the Graphic Slider has reached the position you have chosen, release the mouse button.
If your player is already playing, the player will immediately go to the position you have chosen and start playing.

3	If your player is not playing, choose the Play button [image] to start playing the track at the position you have chosen.

Note

You can use hot keys to change the track's playing position.  Press <G> to select the Graphic Slider and use the left and right arrow keys to go to the position you want.


Compiling a Playlist : The Playlist Dialog

You can compile a list of tracks on the Creative CD using the Playlist dialog box.

To launch the Playlist dialog box

Choose the Playlist button [image] by using the mouse or  pressing <L>.
The Playlist dialog box appears.

The Playlist dialog box contains the following components:

This Component	Allows You To Do This

CD Artist/Title edit box	Name your CD.

Track Title edit box	Name the tracks on your CD.

Playlist box	Display the tracks that are in the playlist in the form of sequence number:track title.

Track List box	Display the tracks on your CD in sequence.

Play button	Play the selected tracks on the Playlist or Track List box.

Add button	Put selected tracks in the Track List box into the Playlist box.

Add All button	Put all tracks in the Track List box into the Playlist box.

Remove button	Remove selected tracks from the Playlist box.

Clear button	Clear the tracks in the Playlist box.

Done button	Confirm the compilation of tracks in the Playlist box.

Cancel button	Cancel changes made to track in the Playlist box. The playlist reverts to its last saved copy for the CD.

Help button	Display the online help file.

Notes

The Playlist dialog box allows you to preview tracks before adding them to the playlist.  You can also rearrange the tracks in the playlist, and give names to the playlist and tracks.  When you are satisfied with your compilation, choose the Done button to confirm the compilation.  Choose the Cancel button to cancel all changes made.

Changes to the CD title and track names will be updated regardless of whether the Done or Cancel button is chosen.

Related Topics

Previewing Tracks

Adding Tracks to the Playlist

Removing Tracks from the Playlist

Rearranging Tracks in the Playlist

Naming the Playlist

Naming the Tracks


Previewing Tracks

To preview a track before adding any tracks to the playlist

1	Select the tracks from Playlist or Track List boxes.

2	Choose the Play button to play the track.

Note

You can also preview a track by double-clicking the track in either list box.


Adding Tracks to the Playlist

To add a track to the playlist

1	Select the track from the Track List box.

2	Choose the Add button.

To add a group of tracks to the playlist

1	Select the tracks from the Track List box while pressing the <Ctrl> or <Shift> key.

Pressing the <Ctrl> key allows you to randomly select the tracks you want.
Pressing the <Shift> key allows you to select all tracks between the first and last tracks.

2	Choose the Add button.

Note

Choose the Add All button to add all the tracks in the Track List box to the playlist.


Removing Tracks from the Playlist

To remove a track from the playlist

1	Select the track from the Playlist box.

2	Choose the Remove button.

To remove a group of tracks from the playlist

1	Select the tracks from the Playlist list box while pressing the <Ctrl> or <Shift> key.

Pressing the <Ctrl> key allows you to randomly select the tracks you want.
Pressing the <Shift> key allows you to select all tracks between the first and last tracks.

2	Choose the Remove button.

Note

Choose the Clear button to remove all the tracks in the Playlist list box.


Rearranging Tracks in the Playlist

To rearrange a track in the playlist

Click and hold down the right mouse button on a track you want to rearrange, and drag it to the desired position in the Playlist box.
The track will be moved to that position, and subsequent tracks will be rearranged below it in the Playlist box.


Naming the Playlist

To give your playlist a title

1	Highlight the CD Artist/Title edit box.

2	Type the title in the edit box.

3	Press <Enter>.


Naming the Tracks

To name or rename the tracks on your CD

1	In the Track List box, select the track you want.

2	In the Track Title edit box, highlight the default track name, type its new name and press <Enter>.
The track changes to the new name and the next track in the Track List edit box is highlighted on the Track Title edit box.

Note

Repeat Step 2 until you are satisfied with the names of the tracks.  If you are not satisfied with the name you have given to a track, you can use the arrow keys in the Track Title edit box to go to that track's name.  When it is highlighted, type the new name and press <Enter>.


Repeating the Playlist

To repeat the playlist

Highlight the Repeat Mode Selector [image] in the "Touch-Sensitive" Display by using the mouse or pressing <M>.


Scanning Tracks in the Playlist

To scan the tracks in the playlist

Highlight the Introduction Mode Selector [image] in the "Touch-Sensitive" Display by using the mouse or pressing <I>.

Note

If you switch to the Introduction Mode while a track is being played, the player will stop the current playback and start playing from the first track of the playlist again.


Shuffling the Playlist

To shuffle the tracks in a playlist

Highlight the Shuffle Mode Selector [image] in the "Touch-Sensitive" Display by using the mouse or pressing <H>.

Notes

When you shuffle the playlist, you randomly rearrange the tracks in the playlist.

If you switch to the Shuffle Mode while a track is being played, the player will stop the current playback and start playing from the first track of the newly ordered playlist.


Selecting a CD Drive

To select a CD drive to control

Click the right panel on the Player Selector [image] in the "Touch-Sensitive" Display.  This depends on which drive you want to control and the number of CD drives available in your system.


Moving the Creative CD

To move the Creative CD

Click on the surface of the player and drag it to the position you want.


Minimizing the Creative CD

To minimize the Creative CD to an icon

Choose the Minimize button [image] by using the mouse or pressing <N>.


Quitting the Creative CD

To quit the Creative CD

Choose the Power Off button [image] by using the mouse or pressing <O>.


Keyboard Shortcuts

This Shortcut Key	Allows You To Do This

<O>	Quit Creative CD.

<Alt+Spacebar>	Activate the menu.

<N>	Minimize the player.

<P>	Play a selected track.

<A>	Pause the playing track.

<S>	Stop the playing track.

<B>	Play the previous track.

<K>	Quickly rewind the track.

<W>	Quickly forward the track.

<F>	Play the next track.

<E>	Load or unload the CD.

<L>	Launch the Playlist dialog box.

<M>	Switch on or off the Repeat Mode.

<I>	Switch on or off the Introduction Mode.

<H>	Switch on or off the Shuffle Mode.

<T>	Switch on or off the 2-Digit Mode.

<G>	Select the Graphic Slider.

<V>	Select the Graphic Volume Control.

<C>	Change to CD drive 1.

<X>	Change to CD drive 2.

<Y>	Change to CD drive 3.

<Z>	Change to CD drive 4.

<1>	Input digit "1".

<2>	Input digit "2".

<3>	Input digit "3".

<4>	Input digit "4".

<5>	Input digit "5".

<6>	Input digit "6".

<7>	Input digit "7".

<8>	Input digit "8".

<9>	Input digit "9".

<0>	Input digit "0".

<F1>	Launch the online help file.

<Ctrl+D>	Switch the display mode.


Glossary of Terms

Playlist

Player Selector

Shuffle Mode Selector

Introduction Mode Selector

Repeat Mode Selector

Two-digit Mode Selector

Graphic Volume Control

Graphic Slider

Stop button

Play button

Pause button

Skip-Reverse button

Rewind button

Fast-Forward button

Skip-Forward button

Load/Eject button


Playlist

A list of tracks ordered by the user.  During playback, the player would look for tracks in this list to play.


Player Selector

This selector allows you to control up to four CD drives: CD 1, CD 2, CD 3, and CD 4, if you have more than one CD Drive installed in your system.  The highlighted CD drive is the one that is currently controlled by the player.


Shuffle Mode Selector

This selector allows you to switch on or off the Shuffle Mode of the player.  When this mode is on, the order of the tracks in the playlist will be randomized.  When deactivated, the order of the tracks in the playlist will be restored.


Introduction Mode Selector

This selector allows you to switch on or off the Introduction Mode of the player.  When this mode is on, the player will play only the first few seconds of all the tracks.


Repeat Mode Selector

This selector allows you to switch on or off the Repeat Mode of the player.  When this mode is on, the player will loop back and continue playing from the first track of the playlist after playing the last track in the playlist.  When this mode is off, the player will stop playback once it finishes playing the last track of the playlist.


Two-digit Mode Selector

This selector allows you to switch between single-digit and double-digit track number inputs when you use the Fast Track Selector to select the track to play.


Graphic Volume Control

This control shows and controls the volume level of the player.


Graphic Slider

A slider that indicates the percentage of the current track that has been played.  It can also be used to control the playing position of the track.


Stop button

This button stops a playing track.


Play button

This button plays a selected track.


Pause button

This pauses a playing track.


Skip-Reverse button

This button plays a previous track.


Rewind button

This button quickly rewinds a selected track.


Fast-Forward button

This button quickly forwards a selected track.


Skip-Forward button

This button plays the next track.


Load/Eject button

This button loads or unloads the CD.