Recording tapes onto disc

[MrBen]

I need someone clever to help me with this. I have been told that you can record your old cassette audio tapes onto your laptop, via a USB cable thing. from there you can save them and stuff. is this true? if so does anyone know how to do it?

[grannyclaret]

Oh if you find out let us know..i have loads of favourite tapes...:) But i would have to get Jaseyboy to do it for me

[Sweetpea]

Found this:

http://www.dvworkshop.co.uk/Audio/Au...ape_to_cd.html

[Mattylad]

USB? nah that would require purchasing a special interface.

You can use a simple 3.5mm stereo jack to 3.5mm stereo jack lead from a tape player to your sound card input and record on that using some recording software of which there are many about. I.E. Musicmaker/winamp etc.

Something that records or saves to MP3 would be good as then you can make CD's direct from CD recording software such as NEro, that can play on ordinary cd players.

[MrBen]

So how would that work? would it just go straight from my hi-fi output into my micophone socket on my laptop?
I am not that clever on the internet so i need step by step detail :(
When i heard about the USB thing, i thought it would be easy.

[Neal]

Just connect a lead from you computers sound card (Line In) to the headphone jack on your tape player, set the volume correctly (Turn to lowest at first) and start to record.

Do a search on www.google.co.uk for free recording programs.

[Neal]

This may be ideal to record music from tapes and it's free: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

All about it here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/about/

Tabs at the top of page to read about the software

[burnley0]

Try free trials on software too, you can alter the music you've copied:joint:

just MTCW , a few things to be careful of ...


For this to work you need a tape player that has what is called a "Line Out". Not all tape players have it. It often looks like two little metal studs , one white , one red on the back of the player.

You will also need a "line in" on the computer that will recieve the signals. This does not work with a "Mic" input (short for microphone) - (it might work but the quality will be very poor because its meant to go lineout>linein).

You will also need some recording software.

"Audacity" mentioned earlier in the post is a free recording studio package so might be a little over complicated for casual users. Having said that it is my sound recorder of choice :)

I am rushing this evening so thats all for now .... As I have promised to show a couple people how to do this recently I am considering ....

1) Writing an "Idiots guide with photos"
2) Calling round to show people (burnley based)
3) Letting people send me their tapes and ripping them to CD

Hope this is some help -

Silent_bob

[Poppy]

I would love a copy of your book Silent Bob, if you ever get it done let me know.
I have understood some of what was said, and have downloaded Audacity but that is as far as I got. (I am very slow on the uptake)