Copyright: Copyright © 1999 Creative Technology, Ltd.
Citation: Copyright © 1999 Creative Technology, Ltd.


Introducing Creative MiniDisc Center

Creative MiniDisc Center is an application that allows you to play back known audio format or compact discs (CDs) for recording to digital recorders such as DAT recorders, and especially MiniDisc (MD) recorders.

MiniDisc Center lets you easily manage what you want to record to your MD recorder. It allows you to put together an album containing all your favorite songs, each of which may be in a different audio format. You can organize the sequence of the tracks in the album to be played back, and then record to your MD recorder. It also has a feature to insert a preset amount of silence interval period automatically after each track, so you do not have to manually add them yourself after each track.

With MiniDisc Center, you do not have to keep a close watch over your MD recorder when it is recording track after track. MD recording has never been easier!


Setting the Silence Interval Period Between Tracks

You can set MiniDisc Center to insert a preset amount of silence interval period between tracks, in the range of 0 to 20 seconds. MiniDisc Center will detect the break between tracks being played backed and insert the silence interval period automatically after each track. This feature saves you the inconvenience of manually inserting the silence interval period after each track.

To set the silence interval period

1	Click the Settings icon.

2	In the MiniDisc Center Settings dialog box, enter the silence interval period, and then click the OK button.

Notes

MD recorders need a basic amount of silence interval period, in between a continuous audio playback stream, to separate the stream into separate tracks. Any additional amount of silence interval period over the basic amount will be the actual amount of silence interval period you will hear.

The basic amount of silence interval period needed differs for different MD recorders. Adjust accordingly to suit your MD recorder.


Using Full Screen Mode During Recording

The Full Screen Mode will maximize MiniDisc Center to full screen during recording, preventing you from accessing other applications on your system until recording ends. This is to prevent noise interference from mouse clicks, PC speaker beeps and other sources that occur when you are using other applications.

To enable Full Screen Mode

1	Click the Settings icon.

2	In the MiniDisc Center Settings dialog box, make sure that the Enable Full Screen Mode check box is selected, and then click the OK button.


Knowing Creative MiniDisc Center

For information about an item in MiniDisc Center, click the item in the picture below.

Notes

When you place your pointer over an item in MiniDisc Center, the item will be highlighted, showing a tooltip.

Some functions or options of MiniDisc Center may not be available at times. A dimmed button or menu indicates that the function or option is not available.


Selecting Tracks Directly From an Audio CD

To quickly select all tracks from an audio CD

1	Insert your audio CD into the CD-ROM drive.

2	Click the Media button, and then choose the Select This Disc option.
All tracks in the audio CD will be added to the Track list in the MiniDisc Center window.

3	Delete tracks from the Track list by selecting the tracks, and then clicking the Delete button.

4	Preview tracks by selecting the tracks you want to preview, and then clicking the Play button. To stop the preview, click the Stop button.

Note

When a selected track is deleted using the Delete button in the MiniDisc Center window, the selected track is merely hidden from view in the Track list in the MiniDisc Center window. The selected track still remains in the album but will not be played back during recording.

To add a deleted track back to the Track list or rearrange the sequence of the tracks, click the Edit button. For more details, see the topic on Using Albums.

Tips

To select multiple tracks, hold down the CTRL key, and then click each track you want to select.

To select consecutive tracks, hold down the SHIFT key, and then click the first and the last tracks in your list.


What are Albums?

An album is a compilation of selected tracks or multimedia files to be played in a certain sequence.

For example, an album may consist of a selected number of your favorite tracks from an audio CD. An album may also contain a mixture of multimedia files from your hard disk. You can arrange the tracks in an album to be played in a certain sequence.

Each album must have a title.

Note

Only known audio format files can be added to an album for playback. Video and other data files are not supported.


Creating a New Album

To create a new album

1	In MiniDisc Center, click the Media button, and then click New Album.

2	In the Album dialog box, enter the Title and the Artist name in the respective boxes.

3	To add one or more tracks, click the Add Track(s) button, and then select the tracks you want to include in the current album.

4	To delete one or more tracks from the album, select the tracks, and then click the Delete Track button.

5	To move a selected track up or down the list, click the Move Up button or the Move Down button.

6	Click the OK button to save the album and close the dialog box

Note

If you do not want to play a track, clear its check box in the Album dialog box.

Tips

To select multiple tracks, hold down the CTRL key, and then click each track you want to select.

To select consecutive tracks, hold down the SHIFT key, and then click the first and the last tracks in your list.


Opening an Album

To open an album

1	In MiniDisc Center, click the Media button.

2	On the Media menu, click Open Album.

3	In the Open Album dialog box, select an album from the list box, and then click the OK button.


Editing the Current Album

To edit the current album

1	In MiniDisc Center, click the Media button.

2	On the Media menu, click Edit Album.

3	In the Album dialog box, edit the Title and the Artist text boxes if necessary.

4	To add a track, click the Add Track(s) button. Select the track you wish to include in the current album.

5	To delete a track from the album, select the track and click the Delete Track button.

6	To move a selected track up or down the list, click the Move Up button or the Move Down button.

7	Click the OK button to save the changes and close the dialog box.

Notes

If you do not want to play a track, clear its check box in the Album dialog box.

To change the track properties of a selected track, click the Track Properties button.

To preview selected tracks, click the Play button. To stop the preview, click the Stop button.


Deleting an Album

To delete an album

1	In MiniDisc Center, click the Media button.

2	In the Media menu, click Delete Album.

3	In the Delete Album dialog box, select the album you wish to delete from the list box, and then click the OK button.


Recording to a MD Recorder

After you have selected the tracks to be played back, you can start to record to your MD recorder.

To start recording

1	In MiniDisc Center, click the Record button.

2	In the dialog box that follows, click the Start button to start recording.

Notes

To stop the recording at any time, click the Stop button.


No sound is heard when recording starts

Cause	The playback volume could be set to zero, or the digital output card is not connected properly.

Solution	Set the volume using the Volume Slider and check the connections of the digital output card.


Recording joins different tracks together

Cause	The silence interval period is not set correctly for your MD recorder.
For details, see the Note section in "Setting the Silence Interval Period Between Tracks".

Solution	Delete the joined track, set a longer silence interval period, and then record again.


Recording splits one continuous track into a few tracks

Cause	The Timed Auto Mark function in your MD recorder may be switched on. The Track Marks inserted at regular intervals could have split your long continuous track into a few tracks.

Solution	Switch off the Timed Auto Mark function in your MD recorder.


Glossary

DAT

MiniDisc (MD)

MP3


DAT

An acronym for Digital Audio Tape, which is a magnetic tape for storing digital audio.


MiniDisc (MD)

A high-quality audio storage medium. Looks like a scaled-down Compact Disc (CD) in a floppy-like casing.


MP3

A popular audio format for the computer, which is small in size but maintains the quality of the original source.


Track List

Displays the tracks in the current album.


Device Volume Control

Shows the current audio device selected for volume control.


Volume Slider

Volume control for the current selected audio device.
Drag to, or double-click the desired volume level.


Mute Control

The Mute Control is used to mute or unmute the current audio device selected.

indicates the current audio device selected is not muted.

indicates the current audio device selected is muted.


Playback Level Meter

Shows the current playback level.


Settings icon

Lets you access the settings for MiniDisc Center.


Minimize button

Minimizes MiniDisc Center to the taskbar.


Exit button

Closes MiniDisc Center.


System menu

Displays the System menu.


Media button

Displays the Media menu.


Edit button

Lets you edit the current album.


Delete button

Hides one or more selected tracks from view in the Track list in the MiniDisc Center window.
The selected track still remains in the album but will not be played back during recording.


Record button

Click this when you are ready to start recording.


Play button

Plays back one or more selected tracks for preview.


Stop button

Stops the playback preview.


Add Track(s) button

Adds one or more tracks to the current album.


Delete Track button

Deletes one or more selected tracks from the current album.


Move Up button

Moves the selected track up the list of the album.


Move Down button

Moves the selected track down the list of the album.


Track Properties button

Displays the properties of the selected track.


Play button (in Album dialog box)

Plays back one or more selected tracks for preview.


Stop button (in Album dialog box)

Stops the playback preview.