Converting Cassettes to CDs

An instructional video on how to convert audio cassettes to a digital sound format. This shows how you can use an external USB soundcard to capture sound from a cassette player and save it as an mp3 file. The process uses Audacity to record the sound.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Audacity
• Cassettes
• CDs
• Analog
• Digital
• Sound
• Conversion

[hellisworthit2]

what is the make of your soundcard? and what are the leads and adapter i need (rca adapter?)

[rfllovit]

@hellisworthit2 the soundcard is a Behringer UCA202. the leads you'll need are RCA cables and depending on the output sockets of your soundsource (radio, tape player, etc.) you might also need a mini stereo to RCA adapter.

[IAmUnity]

Can someone help - Converting Cassettes to cd's.  I have a Toshiba Laptop. I bought the Behringer U-Control and the RCA cables to go from my boom box to the U-Control. I installed Audacity.

After recording in Audacity, as I listen afterward to what was recorded there is a skipping sound in various places that are not on the cassette. If I burn a cd the sound is still there. It sounds like a scratch on an album. What do I do to stop the skipping/breaking sound when recording? Thanks Unity

[rfllovit]

Without hearing the recorded 'skipping' sound, I'd suggest these solutions:

1. check your audacity settings to make sure you really are using the Behringer soundcard to record (you might be using your onboard card by mistake)

2. download and install ASIO4ALL2, a more reliable driver for the USB soundcard and set the buffer to around 1060.

Could you post a sample of the recorded sound, I might be able to diagnose the problem if I heard it myself. 'Luck!

[rfllovit]

Just had a thought, check your levels to make sure they're not distorting, the spike in the levels may also cause 'skipping' in the recording

[SajiGenpou]

or instead of buying a external sound card you can just use a 3.5mm male/male audio cable and plug it into your mic jack and then into the cassette player and just open up any sound recording program and you probably have a 3.5mm male/male cable some where around your house its very common

[rfllovit]

Yes, you can also do this, it'll be a lot cheaper, too. But instead of plugging it into your mic jack, try the 'line-in' input of your soundcard since the mic jack of your PC can only handle Mono signals.

I noticed, however, that using this system will introduce quite a lot of noise to your recording (caused by the interference from your PC's power supply), sometimes as high as -35db. So the quality of your audio conversion might not be as good.

[action887]

The binary code spelt out appdata.windows.somthing I couldnt read it

[columbia0402]

very good way of exxplainig and showing the whole procedure. thanks.

[bpraag]

Very clear and informative thank you. I am one of the dummies that really need stuff dumbed down. This is great. Well done