Recommendation, please, for audio capture software

11/10/04

[pabianice]

I have some casette tapes I want to burn to CD. The casette recorder headset output plugs into my PC's stereo audio-in jack and it sounds fine on the PC's speakers.

Recommendation, please, for EASY TO USE software that will capture the music on the casette to hard drive so I can burn it to a CD.

Thanks.

[Thebaddog]

Try Real Audio

[cd jones]

I converted several hundred LPs into mp3 files using:

http://www.ripvinyl.com/

once you have mp3s, you can make a music cd of them, using windows media player 10.

[capt. norm]

I recommend Cool Edit.

You can download it free and try it out. It's easy to use and has some bells and whistles that can correct problem recordings to some extent and it allows you to save the finished files in a wide variety of formats (mp3, wmv, etc.).

[z3n]

The easy-easy way?
If you are using windows, just use "Sound Recorder", which is probably located in your Start Menu -> Accessories -> Entertainment -> Sound Recorder (depending on which version of windows you use).
With that, you will be recording WAV files, which are fine for burning to Audio CD.

However, for better compressed files, such as MP3s, you will need software (such as Cool Edit, ellued to in previous reply), which will also give you the ability to clean up the sound file using noise reduction.

[fredhead]

I use Blaze Audio's "RipEditBurn" software. I have converted many of my LP's to CD format. Blaze also has a software for splitting long files into separate tracks (so you can copy a whole side then split it) and another for removing the inevitable "pops" and "crackles" from the LP recordings.

[feedback doctor]

Try nero. I use it to take church sermon tapes and burn them to cd. It has some great features that can clean up and edit audio as well.

[Biblical Calvinist]

EASY? Try MusicMatch.. it's the simplest Mp3 recording software that I'm aware of.. and it ALSO has CD burning software included !

MusicMatch can rip your vinyl records in either Mp3, OR Wav format; it can also burn the cd's in either regular AUDIO format (the cd can be played back on ANY cd player) OR burn the content in Mp3 format (which then can only be played back on your computer, OR an Mp3 player, like an Ipod.)

IF you burn your content in Mp3 format; ONE ordinary cd can hold up to 15 albums!

Go to www.musicmatch.com ; but DO NOT download the FULL version that you have to pay for..rather, download the FREE BASIC version- you'll find it there -just look for the small print.) The free version will work just fine for what you want to accomplish.

[TomGuy]

A little program called Freecorder does a pretty good job capturing audio and saving direct to MP3

http://www.freecorder.com/

[pabianice]

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! We have winners!

Thanks all for the leads.

[Biblical Calvinist]

Yipes !~ Sorry, I was wrong - a cd recorded in Mp3 format CANNOT be played back on an Ipod (dunno what I was thinking!) - BUT, an Mp3 format cd CAN be played back on the many of the newer (made in Asia) DVD players that are now available.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Audacity works great and is free.

[bird4four4]

I've tried that. Sound recorder has a 60 second limit. I have some home recording software called power tracks that I use. For free I've used goldwave.

[RatSlayer]

If your CD burner came with Nero, then its a good choice.

[Coachm]

Other than my 15 yr old tape deck and the software being mentioned here, what do I need to get the music from the tape, into my computer?

[Biblical Calvinist]

You'll need the software; of course, but you'll also need (depending on your tape player) a patch cord with stereo RCA jacks on one end, and a stereo Mini-Jack on the other end. (Radio Shack has 'em.)

IF your tape player doesn't have RCA outputs; maybe it only has a headphone jack..then get a patch cord with a stereo mini-jack on BOTH ends.. plug one end into the headphone jack, and the other end of the patch cord into the LINE IN input on the sound card at the back of the computer.

Double click the speaker icon in your system tray in the lower right hand corner of your monitor. Look to see that the Audio Control is NOT MUTED for the LINE IN. Adjust the volume of the sound in the volume control on the computer, as well as on your tape player; test to see if it's too loud.

You might begin at very low volume, then move to a louder volume to suit your tastes.. BUT; make sure that the volume is NOT too loud.. because you do NOT want to blow your sound card out in the computer. (speaking from experience here)

Set the software to record from LINE IN.. then, after the content of the tape is recorded.. you can use either Cool Edit, OR Audacity to digitally wipe out the HISS that's inherent on every audio tape, from your Mp3 file.

Lemme know if you have any other questions; glad to help. ;>)

[Coachm]

Hi and thanks for your great advice. Let's make sure I got this right - basically, I want to take the L and R (red and yellow) connects from the LINE OUT at the back of my tape deck and plug it into some kind of adapter that will then connect to my computer where I currently plug the microphone, right? If so, what is the adapter for the two plugs from the LINE OUT on my tape deck called?

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Be very careful of any audio outputs called line out as the line out is special with a 70 volt RMS audio signal.
Use only a head phone output.

[Coachm]

So I shouldn't use the LINE OUT (R/L) on my tape deck?

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Not with out a pad on the outputs to cut the signal down to the mic input level of your computer.
You need the specs of your line out 25v, 70v (most common)or 100v and the audio power of the deck.
The reason the outputs are called line out is to drive a long line with smaller wire to a speaker. A speaker for a line out will have a transformer to convert the 70v audio
to the speaker impedance.