Copying cassette tapes.

[Charley B]

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to copy cassette tapes onto CDS and what equipment is needed to do this.
We have quite a few cassettes and only CD players in our cars and it would be good if we knew how!!!!

Thanks!

[Tinstaafl]

You need

* a stereo 'sound in' socket on your PC's sound card. You'll only get a mono recording if you use the 'mike in' socket.
* a lead to attach the tape player's output to the PC's port
* software to record the input (possibly already on your PC otherwise plenty of free alternatives you can download.

* software to convert the recorded .wav file into an .mp3 or .ogg compressed audio file if you wish. Some software can both record & compress the audio input in one step.

[Charley B]

Tinstaafl

Thanks a lot!

CB

[goates]

Check out Audacity for a free audio editing program. You can use it to record, edit and save the songs in whatever format you need to. As Tinstaafl noted, there may be one on your computer already. Creative usually includes one with their Sound Blaster cards for example.

goates

[Conan the Librarian]

If you have a fair few cassettes to do, I would suggest that you have a look at buying the Magix Audio Studio or similar. Thing with cassettes is that expectations have improved over the last 20 years and that having s0dded about getting your stuff onto the PC, that it might be worth re mastering it while you have it there.

I use the prog myself occasionally and it allows you to boost the dynamics and loudness, as well as removing the hiss and lots of other options, etc. etc.

Makes my "Smurfs - The anthology" a different proposition altogether.


Conan

[Background Noise]

Roxio/Easy CD creator and Nero both have audio recording facilities, I think roxio used to have noise reduction/enhancement too. I have done it a few times from tape or vinyl to cd. It also had a facility to split tracks when there is X seconds of silence - trouble is tape/vinyl gaps are not really very silent. I have also done it from tape to MD then into PC. Some of the little MP3 players can also rip straight from the source to MP3.

[Tinstaafl]

A cassette player for PCs is also available. It mounts in a spare bay in a desktop PC. It has various connections into the PC (PCI slot, I think, and audio in/out to the soundcard).

Can't remember the manufacturer or source. A search might find it.