Ready, Aim, FireWire!

A great addition to the Audigy range of cards is the SB1394 port briefly mentioned before. Now it's possible to connect many external devices which are FireWire compatible right through the card itself. Not only does this come included, but one very sought after feature especially by gamers is the ability to connect systems together using the FireWire port and still get an ultra fast network connection of 400Mbits or ~50MB/sec. Creative even includes the utility to get it going, called FireNet. This looks even more impressive when you compare it to normal 100Mbit (~12MB/sec) network speeds normally in use. While the list of devices able to be connected using the SB1394 port seems vast, there is a limitation on how much power it can draw. The Audigy by itself only allows for 2W of power which isn't quite enough to power an external CD burner or lately more common FireWire hard drives unless they have an external power adapter. Even with this slight setback the Audigy remains (at least for now) the only sound card with a FireWire port on it.

Experience lightning fast peer-to-peer gaming using the SB1394 port connecting together upto 63 PC's in total.

Or connect any SB1394 compatible device.

A look at the software

The Audigy Platinum includes a wealth of software that would probably sell for a lot more than the $199/£199 RRP of the hardware itself.  Amongst the collection are more and less useful programs all aiming to make the overall package more appealing to the buy. Lets take a look at the most substantial of these:

• Creative PlayCenter 3

The PlayCenter 3 is best looked as the alternative to using Microsoft's Media Player 8.  It features all the usual controls for playback that are normally expected on any audio player and addition embraces the ability to playback AC3 file in 5.1 mode. The program is highly configurable and allows for much movement in the form of settings, good for people who know what options do what but for novice users it's most likely going to cause confusion. Audio played through the program sounds exceptional (as expected), and you may even write it straight to a CD for later reference.

• Creative RemoteCenter

From a distance, easily control your PC home theater system with the convenience of a touch of a button. You can also control the playback and manage your MP3 files, audio CDs and other digital media. To make use of this software you will need the remote control that ships with both Platinum and Platinum eX versions.

• Vienna SoundFont Studio 2.1

Some people who buy the Audigy Platinum will more likely have a interest in developing their own music be it simple or professionally orientated. For this purpose, Creative has bundled Vienna SoundFont Studio, providing the tool in adjusting how each instrumental sounds within the orchestra associated with MIDI. The program is quite versatile in that it has the option of purchasing extra samples if need be, on-demand. As a result there is virtually no limit in how many sounds you can accompany in your music selecting the most suitable one at your own discretion. The large majority of novice/amateur musicians will find the software appealing yet easy to master.

• CuBasis VST - Steinberg

If you happen to be into music recording then CuBasis VST is for you.  Regarded by many as one of the industries most popular applications for this purpose the essence of what it can do matches that of its standing. Although not totally professional, it still gives the freedom of many advanced audio editing functions that should be enough for all but the most demanding users.

• MixMeister 3.0 - MixMeister Technologies

Ever wanted to try out what it's like to be a DJ? Well now you can without even getting up from your chair. All you need is your own imagination and a file you wish to mix. After that you may spend as long as you like producing what could be some rather interesting alterations to standard tracks.

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