How would I get data from an Audio Cassete to the computer?

Straha · Post by **Straha** » 2004-01-20 11:01pm

Anyone know?

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2004-01-20 11:04pm

Sound editing program (such as Goldwave or windows sound recorder, whatever will record your voice via microphone) and the cable you use to hook your speakers to your sound card.

Get a tape player with a headset plug, plug in the speaker cable to that plug. Plug other end of the cable into the part of the sound card where a microphone would go. Vee-oh-lah.

EmperorMing · Post by **EmperorMing** » 2004-01-21 02:17am

You might want to clean up the recording depending on how old the tape is.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2004-01-21 03:54am

Line-out of cassette player goes into Line-in of your sound card. Hit play on cassette player. Hit record on recording software (Windows comes with "sound recorder", even that will work, but you'll probably want something better)

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2004-01-21 04:00am

Data as in music or data as in programs?

EmperorMing · Post by **EmperorMing** » 2004-01-21 04:34am

Slartibartfast wrote:Line-out of cassette player goes into Line-in of your sound card. Hit play on cassette player. Hit record on recording software (Windows comes with "sound recorder", even that will work, but you'll probably want something better)

I would mention sound forge. You can get the lite version with some Creative cards.

Or download a copy of Sound Engine or Soliton2. Both are freeware.

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2004-01-21 05:57am

If data you'll need to get your hands on a tape drive which would probably have an older variation of an RS232 in it. After that it's just a matter of finding software that can understand the thing. Highly possible and about as easy as flapping your arms and taking flight.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2004-01-21 10:32am

Be warned that many sound cards in computers have very poor line-level inputs (e.g. you'll get a lot of noise).

Audacity is a freeware audio editing program that looks pretty decent.

aerius · Post by **aerius** » 2004-01-22 04:20pm

The hard part is setting the recording level, too low and you get too much noise and not enough signal, too high and you clip the signal and get nasty distortions. Ideally you should do a test recording to see where the loudest parts on the cassette are, and then go to that part on the cassette and play it over and over while adjusting the recording level so that the peaks come as close to the red as possible without going into the red. Then go back and record the entire thing again with the new recording level.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2004-01-22 10:09pm

Compare it to some MP3s you got from ripping your own CDs (that's what I did) to see if you're getting about the correct volume.