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Cassette to Computer Recording

OghulkOghulk biggest externalitylow-energy economistRegistered User regular
edited May 2011 in Moe's Stupid Technology Tavern
My dad is looking into recording his cassette tapes in the analog format onto his computer in the digital format.

What kinds of software/hardware will I need that I could do this on the cheap/free?

Also will the hardware/software change the quality of the tape for better or worse? And if worse on the cheap, what can I get for not too expensive for decent-good quality?

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Posts

  • electricitylikesmeelectricitylikesme Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Audacity is good for dealing with the audio software side of things.

    Hardware is trickier: the most obvious thing you want to do is make sure your setup doesn't put any hum or noise into the system, so do some test recordings with blank cassettes.

    A good way to check the quality of the recording would be to record some test tones onto blank tape (Google audio test tones) and then play them back and see what type of losses/distortions you're getting.

    I suspect, provided the electrical grounding isn't messing with you, that most standard computer Line In circuits are more then adequate, given the source.

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  • ben0207ben0207 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Yeah doing this over line-in will work, but in all honesty unless it's super-rare but essential stuff you'd be better off getting other recordings of it.

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  • OghulkOghulk biggest externality low-energy economistRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Aite, thanks for the responses!

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