They were a major part of my music listening life. Even though I have been steadily replacing the cassette tapes with cd, I don't want to replace all of them. With a collection of over 400 cassette tapes shrouded in dust, I am left with these series of questions.

Is there any way cassettes can be transferred to cd or mp3? I want to actually listen to the music but in mp3 form for my Ipod. Has anybody done that? What equipment is needed to do that?

I think so but I don't know how

like there's this place here in my city where they do that

What I would do is plug a tape player into my stereo receiver aux input, plug my mac into my stereo receiver aux output, fire up Wire Tap Pro (or a similar program) and record the audio signal from the tape player as mp3 files on my computer. This can be done with a PC, as well, but I am not familiar with appropriate software. I'm sure there is freeware or shareware that will do the job.

Stax said:

That's wut i'm talkin' 'bout, keep those gems.

Stax said:

wait, how do you plug your Mac into your receiver aux output? Does your Mac have an RCA out? What cable/connector do you use? Because I don't see a way to do that with my Mac...

heartbeatocean said:

with my receiver, I'd have to use a cable with a RCA plug on one end (to the receiver's aux out) and an 1/8th in jack on the other end (to the mac's mic input). alternatively, i could use a cable with a 1/4 inch jack at one end (to the receiver's headphone out) and an 1/8th inch jack on the other end (to the macs mic input). On a PC, I could go rca to rca, if the pc sound card has rca inputs, as many do.

Stax said:

No way. I had no idea I could hook a mini from the mic or headphone jack to other devices. OMG!!!

That changes my entire life!

heartbeatocean said:

Wow thanks for the info!

I have a ton of cassettes too...been wondering what to do with them

Stax said:

One caveat i'll throw into your otherwise good suggestion.
I'm guessing that the mic in on the Mac is more than likely MONO(?), whereas the cassette tapes you're transferring are STEREO.

If your receiver had a stereo line output (L&R RCA) and the Mac has some type of stereo input (stereo 1/8 inch mini) that would be give you a stereo transfer.



tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

wall decorations!

use something like this:

http://www.tapes.com/prod...ts_id=1554

theAudience said:

On my Mac (G4 Powerbook), the audio line in is 16 bit stereo The built-in, internal mic is mono, however.

funkyslsistah said:

I've done it for a few songs. The quality is not that great. You tend to get a lot of hiss when transferring from cassette. You usually get a better file when you transfer from vinyl.

Mine are in a crate in my mom's garage

theAudience said:

But I could probably buy a card with RCA inputs, no?

Stax said:

What do you mean "audio line in"? You mean the mic in connector? What is the built in mic? (I know there's a built in mic on my PC laptop, but I don't see one on my Mac) I have to get this straight. I have a G4 tower.

heartbeatocean said:

On ur pc, u usually have a "line in" jack on the back. You can use the mic in also, but it doesn't record it as well as the line in.

Stax said:

Excellent.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

funkyslsistah said:

Record and covert 2 cd's. It's time comsuming but worth it. If nothing else, play them as u always have. I have at least a 1000 plus and pull some out from time 2 time.
Most efficient way 2 convert:
Get a 16 bit sound card 4 your computer: Line out of casette deck 2 line in of sound card. Record and edit as each side of each cassette is complete.
[Edited 7/11/07 14:06pm]

heartbeatocean said:

Yes.

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

daPrettyman said:

Hi Prettyman:
What's the easiest way for me to transfer my vinyl to cd? I've been trying to get that together for months! I have cassettes too, but the vinyl is really important to me and I'd like to store the vinyl and play the cds! Thanks.

NewPowerSista said:

same way, but you first have to run the turntable through a phono preamp then into the reciever. many older recievers have built in phono preamps, but most don't these days.

heartbeatocean said:

I don't know about the tower, but the G4 laptop has a 1/8 mini audio line in right next to the 1/8 mini headphone out. The laptop also has a built in mono mic, but it is pretty much useless. I suspect your tower has a 1/8 mini line in on the back.

Stax said:

Thank you, Stax!!!

Nah, man. You should keep them. I still listen to cassettes to this day. There's nothing like that classic sound. Forget this digital age stuff.

Do a google search and you;ll find lots of step by step tutorials for converting vinyl and cassettes to MP3.

I did it on my iBook using a product called iMic to create a stereo input to my Mac notebook

http://www.griffintechnol...ucts/imic/

daPrettyman said:

My Mac doesn't have a line in, just a mic in. My PC laptop only has a mic in and what looks like an RCA line out for a monitor (?).

Graycap23 said:

Cool.