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FAQ: SB DB II / SB DB III

Note: we recommend to check the General FAQ section as well.

general questions

1. Do I need any special software or drivers to use one of your the bracket with my SB Live! or SB Audigy?

No, all current standard drivers from Creative Labs have built-in support for digital I/O. However, very early drivers for the SB Live! or for the SB Audigy might not support digital I/O. Please update the drivers if you have problems to access the digital in- or output.

2. What samplerates are supported for the digital output?

The SB Live! always sends out a 48kHz signal. No matter what you play or send out to the digital output ... it is always interpolated to 48kHz by the SB Live!. Our digital brackets cannot change this function of the SB Live! card. The SB Audigy can also output other samplerates.

3. Can I record to MD with this bracket? I heard that MD works with 44.1kHz and the bracket with 48kHz?

Yes, MD works with 44.1kHz. This seems to be a problem as the Sound Blaster Live! always sends signals by default with 48kHz, but don't worry: all modern MD recorders and also most older models have a built in SRC function (sample-rate-conversion) that changes the 48kHz to 44.1kHz. The resulting change in the signal quality is much lower compared to the compression used for MD so this is no practical limitation at all. Some older MD-recorders do not have a SRC function so please check this in the documentation for your MD recorder.

4. Can I output AC-3 signals with this bracket?

Yes. You need a software that supports the playback of AC-3 streams (e.g. PowerDVD or WinDVD) that is compatible with the SB Live! or SB Audigy. Note that OEM versions of DVD player apps often do not support AC-3 output.

5. Does the bracket support S/PDIF?

Yes. This is why you would buy a SB DB II or SB DB III.

6. Can I use the bracket to connect your S/PDIF Digital Amplifier?

Yes, both brackets supply two separate S/PDIF outputs (RCA) that send out the Front and Rear signals independand from each other.

7. What are the minimum requirements too use your bracket?

You should use at least LiveWare 2.0 drivers from Creative Labs (v3.0 under Windows 2000) if you use a SB Live!. For the SB Audigy it is safe to use the current drivers that are available on the Creative Labs website. Some early versions of the SB Audigy card (e.g. in Europe) did include older drivers without proper support for digital in- our output.

8. Can I use the brackets with my SB 128 card?

No.

9. Can I use the brackets to add digital I/O to my existing soundcard (it is not a SB Live!)?

No.

SB DB II specific questions

1. Can I use the SB DB II also with the SB Live! 5.1 version?

Yes. You need to connect it with a 40pin flat ribbon cable. You can order it with this cable in some countries, other local distributors do not offer it. So please contact your local distributor if you are unsure. You cannot use the SB DB II with a "SB Live! 5.1 DIGITAL DE" as this is an OEM version of the SB Live! that does not have the 40pin connector on it.

2. Can I use the SB DB II also with the SB Live! 1024 Player, mp3+ or X-Gamer version?

Yes. You need to connect it with a 40pin flat ribbon cable. You can order it with this cable in some countries, other local distributors do not offer it. So please contact your local distributor if you are unsure.

3. Can I use the SB DB II also with my original SB Live! Value?

Yes, the SB DB II was originally designed for the SB Live! Value. Usually you can use the included flat ribbon caable. The model number of the original SB Live! Value is CT46xx. If your card has a CT47xx/CT48xx number, refer to the question above (your card is obviously a 1024 Player or an OEM version).

4. Can I use the SB DB II also with the SB Audigy series of cards?

Yes, however we recommend to use the SB DB III instead of the SB DB II. You need to connect it with a 40pin flat ribbon cable. You can order it with this cable in some countries, other local distributors do not offer it. So please contact your local distributor if you are unsure. You cannot use the SB DB II with a SB Audigy 2 or SB Audigy 2 ZS.

5. I have recieved the wrong cable. What can I do?

Please contact the local dealer / distributor where you bought it.

6. When do I need a 40 pin ribbon cable, when can I use the 14pin one?

You need a 14pin cable when your SB Live! Value card has a CT46xx model number. If you have a retail version of the SB Live! with the CT46xx number, you must use the 40pin cable that was originally included with your SB Live! A 40pin cable would also be needed if you have a CT47xx or CT48xx card (also if you have SB Live! 5.1 version or if you want to use the SB DB II with a SB Audigy card). Please contact your local distributor if you are unsure - note that you cannot buy the SB DB II with a 40pin cable in all countries.

SB DB III specific questions

1. Can I use the SB DB III also with the SB Live! 5.1 version?

Yes. Make sure to order the SB DB III with the CA18-1 or CA18-2 connector. You cannot use the SB DB III with a "SB Live! 5.1 DIGITAL DE" as this is an OEM version of the SB Live! that does not have the 40pin connector on it.

2. Can I use the SB DB III also with the SB Live! 1024 Player, mp3+ or X-Gamer version?

Yes. Make sure to order the SB DB III with the CA18-1 or CA18-2 connector.

3. Can I use the SB DB III also with my original SB Live! Value?

Yes. Usually you need the CA18 or CA18-2 connector. The model number of the original SB Live! Value is CT46xx. If your card has a CT47xx number (unusual as this would not be a original 'Value') you need CA18-1 or CA18-2. If it has a CA48xx number, you could use both: CA18 and CA18-1.

4. Can I use the SB DB III also with the SB Audigy series of cards?

Yes. Usually you need the CA18-1 connector. Please note that it is sometimes not possible to send out 96kHz S/PDIF signals with the SB Audigy and the SB DB III. Under normal circumstances (for MD-players or for Dolby Digital decoders/amplifiers/receivers) you would never send out a 96kHz signal via S/PDIF (usually you would send out 44.1 or 48kHz signals). You cannot use the SB DB III with a SB Audigy 2 or SB Audigy 2 ZS.

5. I have read about 'CA18' and 'CA18-1' ... what are talking about?

Different hardware revisions of the SB Live! are using different internal connectors. Because of that we are offering different internal connectors (CA18 and CA18-1). Please browse through this FAQ to see which connector you need. In some countries both connectors or one universal connector (CA18-2) are by default included with the product - contact your local distributor if you are unsure.

6. When do I need CA18 as connector?

You need CA18 when your card has a CT46xx model number. The original SB Live! and original SB Live! Value (both are discontinued for a while now) have this model number. CA18 can also be used with CT48xx cards but that is an option as both connectors work.

7. When do I need CA18-1 as connector?

You need it if you have the 5.1-version of the SB Live!, a SB Audigy or a card with the CT47xx model number (usually Platinum, 1024 Player, mp3+, X-Gamer). CA18-1 can also be used with CT48xx cards but that is an option as both connectors work.

8. What is CA18-2?

CA18-2 is a new connector that can be used unversally with any version of the SB Live! or with the SB Audigy. It replaces both CA18-1 and CA18 at the same time.

software and usage related topics

1. I am using the bracket under Windows 2000/XP but I cannot use the digital in- and output!

Please install at least the LiveWare 3.0 package by Creative Labs for your soundcard (if you use a SB Live!). If you use a SB Audigy, please update to the latest drivers.

2. I want to output AC-3 signals when watching DVDs. Do I need to connect the DVD-ROM drive digitally with the bracket?

No. The signal is transfered by the DVD player software via the normal DVD-ROM data cable (IDE, SCSI). A connection to the souncard is not needed.

3. Is it possible that my MD is creating new tracks automatically when I am recording several WAV- or MP3-files via the digital output of the bracket?

Yes and no. Sadly there is no standard for applications and drivers to control a function like this. In most applications you can use a special method to create new tracks: just add (around) 3 sec. of silcence in the playlist between each track in the playlist. You could use this mp3-file for example. Some applications (e.g. WinAMP) have special functions or plugins to support this. Of course the breaks won't be on your final MD recordings!

4. I have problems recording signals from the digital input. I can hear them but I cannot record them!

Please use the Creative Labs Surround Mixer or the Windows mixer to select S/PDIF In as your record source. Depending on the driver revision, you may also have to select CD Digital In.

5. Do you recommend to use the EMU APS drivers for the SB Live! when I have your bracket?

The bracket works with both drivers so it is up to you and up to the specific application you have with the SB Live! If you use it for music editing & creation, the EMU APS drivers might bring some advantages but basically we recommend to use the Live!Ware packages from Creative Labs. You might check out this website with informations about the APS drivers.

6. Can I record with a samplerate other than 48kHz from the digital input?

Yes, you can record with all default samplerates up to 48kHz using the SB Live! drivers. The SB Live! will always resample incoming signals to 48kHz. So if you record for example with 44.1kHz, the signal will be converted into 48kHz and then to 44.1kHz.

7. I am not able to send out any signal via the digital output. What is the problem?

Make sure to enable the option Digital Output Only (or Digital Output Enabled, depending on the software/driver version) inside the Creative Labs mixer software.