Tape to CD

Beady · 29th December 2006, 12:45 PM

How can I "move" an audiotape to a CD? I just bought a book-on-tape of Carl Sagan reading Pale Blue Dot.

El Greco · 29th December 2006, 12:55 PM

You have to connect the line-out of the cassette-player to the line-in of your PC's soundcard and then record a WAV file with some audio application. Then you burn the WAV to a CD or convert it to mp3.

El Greco · 29th December 2006, 02:09 PM

(But if your cassette-player doesn't have an integrated amplifier then you'd have to use the line-out of your separate amplifier. The signal from a cassette deck is too weak).

alfaniner · 29th December 2006, 05:47 PM

Not necessarily! I've had great results from my aiwa "walkman". I plug the PC Line In to the tape player headphone jack. In fact, I've converted a lot of my irreplaceable tapes to wav, then whatever format. I had tried from my large cassette deck but had a lot of problems with some sort of interference and hissing.

Just be sure to convert to .wav first!!!

Starthinker · 29th December 2006, 08:34 PM

I've converted tapes and records by using the headphone jack to the input on my PC and recording it with Audacity. Audacity is great for this and is free. While visiting my mother I recorded some old LPs by wiring a cable right to her speaker hook-ups as her record player had no kind of jacks, just the old screw-your-wire-here speaker connections. Still worked pretty well. Audiophiles would hate me.

El Greco · 30th December 2006, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by alfaniner

Not necessarily! I've had great results from my aiwa "walkman".

Yep, because the walkman does have an integrated amp and the signal is amplified before going to the headphones.

Ivor the Engineer · 30th December 2006, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by El Greco

(But if your cassette-player doesn't have an integrated amplifier then you'd have to use the line-out of your separate amplifier. The signal from a cassette deck is too weak).

Most (all?) stand-alone tape decks have an output of a few hundred mV into 10k-ohm or greater, which should be plenty for a line-input of a sound card. Though I suppose there may be sound cards with particularly insensitive inputs.

WildCat · 30th December 2006, 09:48 AM

If you care about the sound quality invest in a good sound card. Cheap ones don't have shielded inputs and you'll get a lot of noise from your computer. Good sound cards are relatively cheap nowadays, I remember spending $400 on one way back when...

bruto · 30th December 2006, 10:03 PM

The line output of a cassette deck is usually well matched to the line input of a sound card. I don't know of any cassette deck that sends the signal from the heads out without amplifying and equalizing it to the standard line input level. Although you can also do it through an amplifier or receiver, the tape loop used by the amp is usually just a routing convenience, and does not add gain. I have recorded numerous cassettes to CD running directly from a good quality cassette deck to the line input of my laptop computer. A walkman will also work all right, but make sure you have all the bass boost and junk like that turned off, and don't turn the volume up too high.

There are some freeware programs that can handle this job, as well as commercial ones. The one I use is called Cakewalk Pyro, which I bought a couple of years ago at Staples for about 40 bucks. It allows you to record the input to a wav file, then to chop it into tracks using a graphic display. There is some noise reduction, pop and hiss filters, etc. for records and tapes, and various other basic editing features, and the program can handle the CD burning as well. The recording is done in real time, as is any post processing, so it can be a rather lengthy process, but it can be done unattended for the most part.

29th December 2006, 12:45 PM	#1
Beady Philosopher Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: 44:57:19N, 73:16:18W Posts: 5,490	Tape to CD How can I "move" an audiotape to a CD? I just bought a book-on-tape of Carl Sagan reading Pale Blue Dot.
	__________________ I tolerate with utmost latitude the right of others to differ with me in opinion without imputing to them criminality. I know too well all the weaknesses and uncertainty of human reason to wonder at its different results. -- Thomas Jefferson

29th December 2006, 12:55 PM	#2
El Greco Summer worshipper Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Παρά θιν'αλός Posts: 14,257	You have to connect the line-out of the cassette-player to the line-in of your PC's soundcard and then record a WAV file with some audio application. Then you burn the WAV to a CD or convert it to mp3.
	__________________ "Robbing a bank is no crime compared to owning one" - Bertolt Brecht "Let it go and come to bed already, El Greco" - MoeFaux

29th December 2006, 02:09 PM	#3
El Greco Summer worshipper Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Παρά θιν'αλός Posts: 14,257	(But if your cassette-player doesn't have an integrated amplifier then you'd have to use the line-out of your separate amplifier. The signal from a cassette deck is too weak).
	__________________ "Robbing a bank is no crime compared to owning one" - Bertolt Brecht "Let it go and come to bed already, El Greco" - MoeFaux

29th December 2006, 05:47 PM	#4
alfaniner Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Sorth Dakonsin Posts: 11,378	Not necessarily! I've had great results from my aiwa "walkman". I plug the PC Line In to the tape player headphone jack. In fact, I've converted a lot of my irreplaceable tapes to wav, then whatever format. I had tried from my large cassette deck but had a lot of problems with some sort of interference and hissing. Just be sure to convert to .wav first!!!
	__________________ Science doesn't lie. Last edited by alfaniner; 29th December 2006 at 05:50 PM.

29th December 2006, 08:34 PM	#5
Starthinker Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 5,014	I've converted tapes and records by using the headphone jack to the input on my PC and recording it with Audacity. Audacity is great for this and is free. While visiting my mother I recorded some old LPs by wiring a cable right to her speaker hook-ups as her record player had no kind of jacks, just the old screw-your-wire-here speaker connections. Still worked pretty well. Audiophiles would hate me.
	__________________ \|¦¦\|¦ \|¦\|\|\|\|¦\|\|\|¦\|\|¦¦\|¦\|\|\|\|\|\|\|¦\|¦¦¦¦\|¦¦¦¦\|\|¦\|¦\|¦¦\|¦ \|¦¦\|¦ He who doubts victory has already lost the battle. Below the navel there is neither religion nor truth.

30th December 2006, 12:15 AM	#6
El Greco Summer worshipper Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Παρά θιν'αλός Posts: 14,257	Originally Posted by alfaniner Not necessarily! I've had great results from my aiwa "walkman". Yep, because the walkman does have an integrated amp and the signal is amplified before going to the headphones.
	__________________ "Robbing a bank is no crime compared to owning one" - Bertolt Brecht "Let it go and come to bed already, El Greco" - MoeFaux

30th December 2006, 09:28 AM	#7
Ivor the Engineer Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: South Britain, near the middle Posts: 9,553	Originally Posted by El Greco (But if your cassette-player doesn't have an integrated amplifier then you'd have to use the line-out of your separate amplifier. The signal from a cassette deck is too weak). Most (all?) stand-alone tape decks have an output of a few hundred mV into 10k-ohm or greater, which should be plenty for a line-input of a sound card. Though I suppose there may be sound cards with particularly insensitive inputs.

30th December 2006, 09:48 AM	#8
WildCat NWO Master Conspirator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Albany Park, Chicago Posts: 48,968	If you care about the sound quality invest in a good sound card. Cheap ones don't have shielded inputs and you'll get a lot of noise from your computer. Good sound cards are relatively cheap nowadays, I remember spending $400 on one way back when...

30th December 2006, 10:03 PM	#9
bruto Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: way way north of Diddy Wah Diddy Posts: 11,180	The line output of a cassette deck is usually well matched to the line input of a sound card. I don't know of any cassette deck that sends the signal from the heads out without amplifying and equalizing it to the standard line input level. Although you can also do it through an amplifier or receiver, the tape loop used by the amp is usually just a routing convenience, and does not add gain. I have recorded numerous cassettes to CD running directly from a good quality cassette deck to the line input of my laptop computer. A walkman will also work all right, but make sure you have all the bass boost and junk like that turned off, and don't turn the volume up too high. There are some freeware programs that can handle this job, as well as commercial ones. The one I use is called Cakewalk Pyro, which I bought a couple of years ago at Staples for about 40 bucks. It allows you to record the input to a wav file, then to chop it into tracks using a graphic display. There is some noise reduction, pop and hiss filters, etc. for records and tapes, and various other basic editing features, and the program can handle the CD burning as well. The recording is done in real time, as is any post processing, so it can be a rather lengthy process, but it can be done unattended for the most part.
	__________________ "Sir, I have found you an argument; but I am not obliged to find you an understanding.(Samuel Johnson) The gods are less for their love of praise....(Wendell Berry)