Transfer Cassettes to PC ?

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Goose Gander
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 01:37 AM

Some cassettes cannot be made Politically Correct, you should have considered that before purchasing.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Kampervan
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 07:15 PM

Does it separate the tracks automatically or do you have to monitor it and do that manually?

K/van

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: GUEST,Gentle Gaint
Date: 03 Sep 10 - 03:27 PM

Just bought a cassette tape converter on ebay, item number 190431173965
I can't believe how easy it was to use. Pop a tape in, hit play and it transfers itself to MP3. You can make CD's or put it on your ipod.

Well worth 20.00 pounds

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Mr Red
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 09:07 AM

I bought a second-hand walkman and stuck the phone's output to the microphone input on the PC (could have used line in maybe). Recorded it in SoundForge. Audacity (free) would do as well.
Given the original quality this was good enough. A male to male jack was needed but they are easily found ready-made.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 07:15 AM

GUEST,Ed - isn't that what I just said?
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: pavane
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 06:57 AM

Yes, I use it too. Note that WAV files are huge compared to MP3 take much longer to load and save

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 05:49 AM

Another vote for Audacity here. A great little programme! It has its quirks, but you get used to them quickly.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 05:30 AM

One thing to check would be the part of the description that says something like "saves as MP3". I would want to check that it allows me to save as a "WAV"

That is down to the software installed on the recipient computer, and has nothing to do with the product in question.

If it comes with crap software, Audacity is free, good and easy.

Haven't used it, but for £30 I'd give it a punt

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 05:17 AM

Noreen - it looks like the cassette equivalent of the USB record decks that have been on sale. I do not know if the USB connection gives more control over the sound input compared to just plugging the headphone socket of a cassette player into the "line in" connectors of the computer, but if it makes the job less fiddly it is probably worth the price.
Personal experience with old records and standard audio connectors is that actually recording from an external source is not difficult, the time and effort comes when you need to separate tracks into separate files before burning to CD.
One thing to check would be the part of the description that says something like "saves as MP3". I would want to check that it allows me to save as a "WAV" file as is keeps more of the sound data compared with MP3. Also check if it is tied to custom recording software, or if it just provides a "sound" input which can then be recorded using any "recording" software e.g. Audacity (chances are that freeware Audacity is what comes bundled with the gadget).

Quack!
Geoff.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Noreen
Date: 17 Jun 10 - 07:49 PM

This seems to be the most recent thread I can find on the subject (but no doubt someone will correct me),

I want to be able to save music from old tapes to my PC to make it usable and shareable.

There is a clever little thing available on ebay:
Portable USB Cassette Tape Deck to PC/MP3 Converter
which looks ideal- anyone have any experience of this?

It sounds like what Jack Campin mentioned above.

Reasonable price and looks very easy to use, which is appealing.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: johnadams
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 05:41 AM

GUEST,ROB wrote:

This is all very fine advice,but
can it be done speed .

If you mean, can you do a fast speed transfer, the answer is yes but it's not recommended. Doubling the speed raises the frequency range of the content, the top end of which is then truncated by the system. When you halve the speed using software, you've lost even more of the high frequency referred to above by Darowyn.

Real time is best.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Darowyn
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 03:50 AM

Anything that connects via USB works with Macs. (unless you have a really old one!)
Audacity is also available in a Mac version.
You will almost certainly need to use some processing software if your cassettes have lost as much of the high frequencies as most do.
Noise reduction to reduce the tape hiss is probably necessary too.
You can do both of these in Audacity- or if you are really keen, there are very expensive audio restoration programs that will do the job even better.
Cheers
Dave

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: GUEST,Jon Dudley
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 02:11 AM

Got some priceless stuff (to me)...do any of the devices work with Macs?

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Martha Burns
Date: 13 Aug 09 - 01:42 AM

I have the ION machine that LTS mentions above. Got mine at Costco for around $100. It works fine, plus comes with a simple program, if you don't want to tackle Audacity.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: fumblefingers
Date: 12 Aug 09 - 11:20 PM

I use the same gear for a Cassette that I use for vinyl records. I have a preamp made by http://www.xpsound.com/
in Australia. It comes with software for restoring records. I've had mine for several years and have upgraded the software several times. It's made by Diamond Cut http://www.diamondcut.com/index.html

I use the line out jacks from the cassette deck into the preamp, which connects to the PC sound card. It's not cheap, but not overly dear. You get what you pay for.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: nutty
Date: 12 Aug 09 - 03:16 PM

This machine transfers Tapes and LP's either to SD card or USB pen drive.

Stereo system

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: GUEST,ROB
Date: 12 Aug 09 - 03:10 PM

This is all very fine advice,but
can it be done speed .

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: alex s
Date: 24 Jul 09 - 08:54 AM

useful stuff, chaps. ta a lot

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: GUEST,Jonny Sunshine
Date: 24 Jul 09 - 08:11 AM

As software goes, Audacity is a great choice for this job- I've been using it to transfer old tapes and records. Some of the effects filters are brilliant- I've been able to clear up the sound of hissy old tapes and vinyl crackles with very little hassle. It also lets you put in markers for each track with titles and export the whole lot as individual WAV or MP3 files (complete with ID3 tags).

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 24 Jul 09 - 03:57 AM

Ion now make a PC/Cassette transferance modulator thingy, - a machine that will play and dub your cassettes onto a PC/Laptop for about £100 - although if you look around, the price is dropping, I got mine at a discount warehouse for less than £70.

LTS

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: GUEST,Jack Campin (in Transylvania)
Date: 24 Jul 09 - 03:28 AM

There are gizmos that look like a Walkman tape player but have USB output - just connect that to your computer and bypass the audio output-input bit. I haven't used one but in principle that should give far higher quality.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Amos
Date: 24 Jul 09 - 12:54 AM

AS mentioned above--the sound out from your tape player is the earphone jack. The Sound In on your computer is the audio jack. A standard RCA patch cord may be compatible with both; if it is not you may have to go to RadioShack to find the right patch cord. Once they are patched together, a software program (AUdacity, Sound Studio, Amadeus, Roxio, etc.) can be set to take in the sound from the audio in port and make a digital file from it. The digital file can then be burned to a CD. If a whole LP, or multiple songs, is captured in a single file, most software program allow you to split it into individual sub-files at poins you choose.

A

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Gurney
Date: 24 Jul 09 - 12:16 AM

Carol, going from the beginning, you have to understand what the process is. If you know, disregard this post.
To get the sound (streaming audio) onto a computer, it must be digitised into a format the computer can use. WAV files is the Windows standard, there are several more. You will be familiar with MP3, which compacts the music for use on portable players, losing a little in the process. Most people record in WAV. The simplest digitising program I've found (there are few options in it!) for this is called LP Recorder and earlier versions can be found on coverdisks.
You must connect the tapedeck into the sound card of your computer at Line-In, next to the earphone jack.
Sometimes a computer won't accept input, usually because it isn't selected. If you have this problem, go to Control Panel and select Classic View (I hope Vista is the same as my XP) and search until you find something 'audio' deselected.
Then play around with the speakers switched on until you work it out.
Start with the volume on the tapedeck turned low until you get it working well. If the sound comes out of the computer speakers, then it is going into the computer! All you have to do is digitise and then store it.
I'm using a tapedeck from a midi system connected from the RCA audio connections on the back.
Theoretically, you should have a 'preamp' in the tapedeck. I have no idea if I have, but it works for me, and I hope it works for you.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 11:06 PM

I bought programs from Magix and Roxio to record LP records onto my computer. They worked, but they had problems. I recently switched to Audacity, and I find it's a much better program than the commercial ones.

You'll find a link for downloading Audacity here (click) - and it's free. It has a bit of a learning curve, but it's really not all that hard to learn. You have to have an adapter to plug your cassette player into the line input of the computer, but they're very common. Audacity will record from the cassette, and then edit and filter the sound, and then record it onto your hard drive. You have to use CD burner software to burn onto a CD, but most computers come with CD burning packages.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: jeddy
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 11:05 PM

thankyou to whoever made my clicky. it is me or have there been two threads blended? please tell me i haven't lost the plot.

take care all

from a very bewildered jade x x x

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 10:59 PM

Never done it, but as Shel Silverstein says, "Here's my plan. . . ."

I have a Panasonic portable cassette recorder that I've had and used for years. I also have a Zoom H2 digital recorder (uses flash cards like a digital camera) that I bought fairly recently. Haven't tried transferring cassettes on it yet, but I think I can connect the earphone jack of the Panasonic to the line-in jack for the Zoom and just dub. According to the Zoom manual, I should be able to do this easily. I'd plug earphones into the Zoom so I can hear what's going on.

Then, once I've got the cassette recorded on the flash card, I plug the Zoom into the USB jack of my computer and download it to my hard disk. Then—burn the contents of the cassette onto a CD.

Oughta work—I hope.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Tech: Transferring casette to cd
From: jeddy
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 10:51 PM

there is an old thread about how to set a program called audacity up. if you look on the old threads. i have tried it a few times and it is a good one, i keep meaning to transfere stuff too but haven't got round to it yet. good luck Q .

take care

jade x x x x

Subject: RE: Tech: Transferring casette to cd
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 10:51 PM

I bought a JVC unit which is supposed to do it, and I suggest you don't buy one. Instructions are incomplete, customer service non-existent.

Subject: Tech: Transferring casette to cd
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 10:35 PM

I have some cassettes with material that can't be replaced.
More than one way of doing it.
Any experience? Advice? Problems?
Help would be much appreciated.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From:
Date: 24 Oct 07 - 09:12 AM

That's how I do it, but they were looking for simple. Easiest is described up above. Take cable from line-out or earphone of the cassette player/deck and plug it into the line-in of the soundcard. Then use Audacity or one of the other free programs to record into the computer. The Edirol is much better an option as the conversion to digital is SO much better unless you have really good sound card (read expensive).

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Midchuck
Date: 24 Oct 07 - 08:51 AM

Ian Cookieless (poor guy) said it well. The Edirol R09 has many different uses and I think the cost is well justified. You can record on it, either as WAV files or MP3s.

The transfer is especially easy if you have a reader for SD cards in your computer - or buy one that plugs into an RSB port for US$15.00 or so. Then you just take the card out of the R09 and put it in the reader, and it becomes just another drive on the computer.

You can also use it at gigs, by running a line from the tape out jacks of your PA to the Edirol input, to hear later what was going out to the audience. It can be embarrassing, but it's good to know.

You can also buy extra cards, put all your favorite music on one, and use the Edirol as an iPod, but with as many different songlists as you want to spend money on cards.

Peter

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: GUEST,Ian cookieless
Date: 24 Oct 07 - 08:14 AM

I have had the best results by recording cassettes or LPs onto an Edirol RO9 as a wav, then transferring that to the PC and burning to CD. The long way round, I know, but the superior results are worth the extra effort. A programme to clean up the sound, get rid of hiss, crackles, etc. is also well worth having.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From:
Date: 23 Oct 07 - 10:43 AM

If you need further assistance, there are numerous links available here at the Mudcat Forum. Start with a recent thread on a similar topic Vinyl to PC. In that thread are links to many other threads on the topic. Including using Audacity or whichever program you want to use. VISTA is fairly new so I'm not sure all the programs will work within that system, but someone can help if you encounter problems.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Carol
Date: 23 Oct 07 - 10:29 AM

Thanks everyone - I'll have a go next week and keep my fingers and toes crossed. A lot of the cassettes are ones that I'hve recorded 'live' memories! and I would hate to loose them altogether.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Bru
Date: 23 Oct 07 - 10:25 AM

Sorry Carol - the Gust was me, Bru.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 07 - 10:23 AM

Neither of my PC's use Vista, Carol, but I can't see how transferring what you want should be any different whatever the operating system of your computer.
The most elementary conection you can use, is a stereo lead from the headphone out socket of your cassette player, which you connect to the Mic-In socket at the back of your PC (usually the pink socket on many soundcards). The socket at the back of the PC is a 3.5mm one, and if the headphone out socket on your player is the same size, you're in luck. It's more likely to be a 1/4" socket, so you'll have to buy a 1/4" stereo to 3.5mm stereo adaptor (£1.49 from Maplins).

This is not the ideal way of transferring audio cassettes, because of the amount of tape hiss generated, but it's the simplest and cheapest.

To save cluttering up the notice board, feel free to message me. There are other options and one or two pieces of software you'll probabaly need.

Subject: RE: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Grab
Date: 23 Oct 07 - 10:10 AM

First off, download some freeby sound recorder program. Audacity is good, although it's not very user-friendly for beginners. If you google "free sound recorder program", you should find a fair few hits.

Then get a 3.5mm-jack-to-3.5mm-jack cable (from your nearest electrical/PC/home-office store - if it's more than £5, find somewhere else). Stick one end in the cassette player headphone socket; stick the other end in the PC line-in socket. Turn the cassette player volume down to about 50% or so. In your sound recorder program, set it to record from the PC line-in, hit "record", and then hit "play" on the cassette player. Save the results as an MP3 - 256MB gives good audio quality.

This will *not* be crystal-clear hi-fi quality. But you're starting with cassette tapes, so you'll never get top quality anyway. This system is simple and cheap, and the recording quality will be limited more by the quality of the cassette than the quality of this hookup.

Graham.

Subject: Transfer Cassettes to PC ?
From: Carol
Date: 23 Oct 07 - 09:25 AM

Can anyone advise me on the easiest ans most economic way to transfer cassettes onto my PC which uses Vista - help please!