Sound Recorder

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tracey
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Tracey

Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions/tips for copying audio cassette
tapes from an audio tape player to a file?
Is there any {special} software or hardware needed other than that which
is given below?

I have some audio cassette tapes that I would like to copy/save as a
file (before I toss the cassette).
Please advise.
Thanks, Tracey
When I listen to the audio tapes in an audio tape player using
headphones everything sounds OK.

When I connect the output of the audio tape player to the [line-in]
connector on the sound card using the headphone cord, I hear nothing.
Nothing thru the speakers and the Windows Sound Recorder shows a
flat/static line.
According to the documentation, the [line-in] connector is supposed to
receive the output from a audio tape player.

When I connect the output of the audio tape player to the microphone
connector on the sound card using the headphone cord, I get all sorts of
sounds (garbage/static) in addition to what is on the audio tape from
the speakers.
The Windows Sound Recorder records exactly what is heard from the speakers.


Documentation for :Dell Optiplex GX270:
6 line-in connector: Use the blue line-in connector (available on
computers with integrated sound) to attach a record/playback device such
as a cassette player, CD player, or VCR.

7 line-out connector: Use the green line-out connector (available on
computers with integrated sound) to attach headphones and most speakers
with integrated amplifiers.

8 microphone connector: Use the pink microphone connector (available on
computers with integrated sound) to attach a personal computer
microphone for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.
 
Tracey said:
Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions/tips for copying audio cassette
tapes from an audio tape player to a file?
Is there any {special} software or hardware needed other than that which
is given below?

I have some audio cassette tapes that I would like to copy/save as a
file (before I toss the cassette).
Please advise.
Thanks, Tracey
When I listen to the audio tapes in an audio tape player using
headphones everything sounds OK.

When I connect the output of the audio tape player to the [line-in]
connector on the sound card using the headphone cord, I hear nothing.
Nothing thru the speakers and the Windows Sound Recorder shows a
flat/static line.
According to the documentation, the [line-in] connector is supposed to
receive the output from a audio tape player.

When I connect the output of the audio tape player to the microphone
connector on the sound card using the headphone cord, I get all sorts of
sounds (garbage/static) in addition to what is on the audio tape from
the speakers.
The Windows Sound Recorder records exactly what is heard from the speakers.


Documentation for :Dell Optiplex GX270:
6 line-in connector: Use the blue line-in connector (available on
computers with integrated sound) to attach a record/playback device such
as a cassette player, CD player, or VCR.

7 line-out connector: Use the green line-out connector (available on
computers with integrated sound) to attach headphones and most speakers
with integrated amplifiers.

8 microphone connector: Use the pink microphone connector (available on
computers with integrated sound) to attach a personal computer
microphone for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.
Click to expand...


Tracey:

You may want to use the "volume control" in the taskbar and check that
the "Line In" control is checked (enabled). Double click on the
speaker icon to bring up the volume controls. By default it shows the
controls for PLAYBACK. To access the controls for RECORDING go to
Options > Properties and select "recording". Make sure there is a
check make in the box next to "Line" and click OK. The display will
change to show the "recording" controls and you need to check the
"Select" box under the Line control.

After doing the above you should get sound from the PC speakers when
you play a tape. You can then play with the level to get a reasonable
sound level.

As to actually making the recording I rarely use Windows sound
recorder as it is so limited. I recommend a free program called "CDex"
( http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/?q=download ) that is very flexible.
After installing the program go to Tools > "Record from analog input"
and it is self explanatory from there. You can record to .WAV files
for best quality and later use CDex to convert them to .Mp3 files.
CDex will also extract music from CDs to computer file formats.

I have been doing this for years and it works very well even if it
does tend to soak up LOTS of free time ;-).


HTH & GL

John

--
\\\||///
------------------o000----(o)(o)----000o----------------
----------------------------()--------------------------
'' Madness takes its toll - Please have exact change. ''

John Dulak - 40.4913ºN,79.904ºW - http://tinyurl.com/2qs6o6
 
Tracey said:
Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions/tips for copying audio cassette
tapes from an audio tape player to a file?
Is there any {special} software or hardware needed other than that which
is given below?
I have some audio cassette tapes that I would like to copy/save as a
file (before I toss the cassette).
Please advise.
Thanks, Tracey
When I listen to the audio tapes in an audio tape player using
headphones everything sounds OK.
When I connect the output of the audio tape player to the [line-in]
connector on the sound card using the headphone cord, I hear nothing.
Click to expand...

Go to "Control Panel", "Sounds and Multimedia" and in the "Sound
Recording" box, click "Volume" and see if "Line in" can be selected
or adjusted.
Nothing thru the speakers and the Windows Sound Recorder shows a
flat/static line.
According to the documentation, the [line-in] connector is supposed to
receive the output from a audio tape player.
When I connect the output of the audio tape player to the microphone
connector on the sound card using the headphone cord, I get all sorts of
sounds (garbage/static) in addition to what is on the audio tape from
the speakers.
The Windows Sound Recorder records exactly what is heard from the speakers.
Click to expand...
<snip>

Computer sound cards typically use monophonic microphone inputs and
shouldn't be connected directly to the stereo output of a playback device.
Also, neither the line input nor the microphone input are designed to
handle the relatively high power output of a speaker or headphone
jack. If you don't have a playback device with "Line out", you might
try using the headphone jack at the lowest possible volume into the
sound card's "Line in" jack.

Ben
 
Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions/tips for copying audio cassette
tapes from an audio tape player to a file?
Is there any {special} software or hardware needed other than that which
is given below?

I have some audio cassette tapes that I would like to copy/save as a
file (before I toss the cassette).
Please advise.
Thanks, Tracey
When I listen to the audio tapes in an audio tape player using
headphones everything sounds OK.

When I connect the output of the audio tape player to the [line-in]
connector on the sound card using the headphone cord, I hear nothing.
Nothing thru the speakers and the Windows Sound Recorder shows a
flat/static line.
According to the documentation, the [line-in] connector is supposed to
receive the output from a audio tape player.

When I connect the output of the audio tape player to the microphone
connector on the sound card using the headphone cord, I get all sorts of
sounds (garbage/static) in addition to what is on the audio tape from
the speakers.
The Windows Sound Recorder records exactly what is heard from the speakers.

Documentation for :Dell Optiplex GX270:
6 line-in connector: Use the blue line-in connector (available on
computers with integrated sound) to attach a record/playback device such
as a cassette player, CD player, or VCR.

7 line-out connector: Use the green line-out connector (available on
computers with integrated sound) to attach headphones and most speakers
with integrated amplifiers.

8 microphone connector: Use the pink microphone connector (available on
computers with integrated sound) to attach a personal computer
microphone for voice or musical input into a sound or telephony program.
Click to expand...

You can use a stereo line in cable, and every sound card has a stereo
line in to play the cassette in a walkman and get the input in a
software. A very good software for the purpose is Audacity available
from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Try the beta, it works great.

Loke
 
After checking the <line-in> box for recording I now have a steady
monotone sound coming through the speakers when the tape player is
running, but no intelligible audio coming through.

Would a mismatch in {???ohms impedance???} a steady monotone sound?

I think speakers are rated in ohms {???impedance???} and I have no idea
what the impedance of sound card and tape player are.

Thanks, Tracey
 
Tracey said:
After checking the <line-in> box for recording I now have a steady
monotone sound coming through the speakers when the tape player is
running, but no intelligible audio coming through.
Would a mismatch in {???ohms impedance???} a steady monotone sound?
Click to expand...
<snip>

Try reducing the volume in the "Line In" box. Also, the speaker outputs
of any audio device are far too high to be used as a line or microphone
input of a recording device. If the tape player has no other output jacks,
try turning the volume on it all the way down and see if the tone disappears.
If so, start a recording session on the computer, then very gradually increase
the volume on the tape player.

Ben
 
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