Re: [ARSCLIST] Cassette project

["Richard L. Hess" <arclists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 09:04 PM 2009-04-20, Steven C. Barr wrote:

> Actually, this transfer is very easily done...
>
> 1) Drop by your local $1 store and pick up a "dual RCA plug(s) to mini-
> phone plug" adapter cable...!
>
> 2) Connect the two RCA plugs with the "Line Out" jacks of the
> cassette deck...then...
>
> 3) Plug the mini-phone plug into the "Line In" jack on your computer
> sound card!
>
> You can now save the cassette's audio content on your computer...
> the formats depend on which audio applications are installed on
> your computer...! You can also find and download applications
> which allow a fairly complete set of sound-file format conversion
> and/or storage...!

However, the generic sound card on a generic computer may or may not 
be adequate to the task. A much simpler solution is to obtain a 
device like a Zoom H2 and let it create the files, and then use a 
card reader to take the files off the SDHC card and put them into 
your storage system. It even comes with the dual RCA-> mini cable. A 
cassette deck with an output level control is highly recommended as 
do not use the Zooms line input level control to go below 100, all 
you do is move down the clipping point (what can you expect for $250C, $160US).

If you're going to store onto stand-alone disk drives mounted in 
USB/Firewire cases, you might want to consider three copies, or two 
external copies plus the one on the D: (data) drive of your computer. 
Keep one in a separate place.

> In fact, I own about 200 (+/-) audio cassette recordings of
> my blues band of the later eighties...and I NEED to convert
> these to computer files as above...!!

Yes, you should do that and I think you'll be happier plus you'll be 
able to use the handi-corder to record more of your blues playing and 
generate WAV files on site.

Cheers,

Richard


Richard L. Hess                   email: richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Aurora, Ontario, Canada       (905) 713 6733     1-877-TAPE-FIX
Detailed contact information: http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.