How does one copy cassette tapes to computer?
With this; you can input the casette deck's signal, via your computer's stereo mic input and a stereo 1/8" to dual RCA adapter. You can then save the files to a wide variety of formats, at various sample rates, of your choosing(ie: Hi-Rez MP3):(http://download.cnet.com/Mixcraft/3000-2170_4-10285311.html) There's a free sample download available. |
I can't help with recommendations for doing that on a PC but on a Mac the combination of the 1/8" to dual RCA adapter to the built-in audio input and the "CD Spin Doctor" application that comes as part of the Toast software package works well. He'll get one complete audio file per cassette side. If he wants to separate those files into individual tracks it can be done manually with any number of audio editing applications. Audacity is a good free one for both Mac and PC platforms. There is a function in CD Spin Doctor to automatically separate the tracks but it almost always requires some manual tweaking. I found it was too time consuming to separate the tracks so in most cases I just play the entire side, just as you would do on the cassette player. |
Another approach would be to purchase a separate interface unit that provides an analog-to-digital conversion function, and outputs the digital data via one of the standard computer-compatible digital interfaces (USB, Firewire, etc.). A vast number of such devices are available, at all kinds of price points: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ns=p_PRICE_2|0&ci=14834&N=4294550051&srtclk=sort I have no Mac experience, but in the PC world I would expect that one of these devices, if well chosen (be sure to review the user comments on any device being considered) would provide much better sound quality than a typical inexpensive consumer-oriented built-in sound card (or equivalent circuit on the computer's motherboard), in part because of inherent differences in their quality, and in part because of the proximity of the built-in card to digital noise in the computer. (I realize we are talking about cassettes, with their inherent quality limitations). Rodman -- when you referred to the computer's "stereo mic input," didn't you mean the computer's "stereo line input," the mic input probably being too sensitive? Learsfool -- On desktop PC's, at least, the stereo line input jack is color coded light blue, and will be located near the lime green line-out jack that is probably connected to the speakers. This is an example of the required adapter, if the built-in sound card approach is chosen. Best regards, -- Al |
Also, if by any chance a digital recorder is available, such as those that record onto flash memory cards, another approach would be to record the output signals of the cassette deck onto that, and subsequently copy the digital file to the computer, either directly from the digital recorder, or from the memory card itself (via a memory card reader). Here are some digital recorders, again covering a very wide range of price points. That approach would certainly eliminate the sonic degradations that might otherwise result in the captured file from computer-generated noise, although a good quality recorder will probably cost at least several hundred dollars. Best regards, -- Al |
