Digitalizing cassettes...

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Digitalizing cassettes...

Postby Pal » Tue Mar 13, 2018 8:01 am

Since I couldn't locate any relevant information of it (probably due to a certain extent of tech-illiteracy), I am opening a thread on: Which methods or brands of devices are particularly recommended for digitalizing language course recordings?

I have recently persuaded the local public library to lend the recordings of the Made Simple series (French, German, Spanish, and Italian), in the format of cassettes. Please enlighten me. Thank you.
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Re: Digitalizing cassettes...

Postby rdearman » Tue Mar 13, 2018 9:31 am

Pal wrote:Since I couldn't locate any relevant information of it (probably due to a certain extent of tech-illiteracy), I am opening a thread on: Which methods or brands of devices are particularly recommended for digitalizing language course recordings?

I have recently persuaded the local public library to lend the recordings of the Made Simple series (French, German, Spanish, and Italian), in the format of cassettes. Please enlighten me. Thank you.

The easiest way is to simply get a cable with two male ends and plug the output of a cassette player into the input of a computer and record it with audacity. Here are instructions.

https://lifehacker.com/222394/alpha-geek-how-to-digitize-cassette-tapes
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Re: Digitalizing cassettes...

Postby Tutescrew » Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:13 pm

I purchased a USB cassette recorder on a well known e-commerce site for about $20 US, and use Audacity (free)...it plugs into a USB port. I've used Audacity on Windows and Linux, both with good results, to convert cassettes to MP3 files. Audacity has a good manual online, which discusses this process. I have also purchased a phono amp for recording some old Linguaphone 78's with my 80's vintage turntable, using the "change speed" feature (record at 45 rpm, change to 78 rpm). I purchased a dedicated 78 rpm stylus/cartridge for that, but I am getting off topic :) The output of the phono amp goes into the USB cassette unit using a pair of RCA cables. I still have not experimented with noise reduction, blank space reduction, etc., but I plan to do that.

EDIT: The USB cassette recorder/player is a separate component used only when I record cassettes. After actually looking at my *vinyl* recording setup last night, I realized that I use a phono amp and a *separate* USB sound card in that configuration.

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Re: Digitalizing cassettes...

Postby Cainntear » Tue Mar 13, 2018 5:39 pm

rdearman wrote:The easiest way is to simply get a cable with two male ends and plug the output of a cassette player into the input of a computer and record it with audacity. Here are instructions.

https://lifehacker.com/222394/alpha-geek-how-to-digitize-cassette-tapes

Nice in theory, but I haven't seen a line-in socket on a PC in well over a decade. Most only have a microphone socket, which expects a much weaker signal and is mono only. Even PCs aimed at audio production often don't have them, as audio pros tend to use external sound devices these days.

You can get a USB audio adaptor with line-in, or you can get a USB tape-deck.
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Re: Digitalizing cassettes...

Postby aravinda » Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:28 am

I don't have any experience with digitising audio cassettes (or records) but I have been thinking of buying a device like this one for the same purpose. Anyone has had any experience with it or other similar devices?
@ Pal. Good job, persuading the library to lend you the cassettes. Good luck with the digitising!
Last edited by aravinda on Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Digitalizing cassettes...

Postby hedgehog.chess » Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:02 am

Cainntear wrote:
rdearman wrote:The easiest way is to simply get a cable with two male ends and plug the output of a cassette player into the input of a computer and record it with audacity. Here are instructions.

https://lifehacker.com/222394/alpha-geek-how-to-digitize-cassette-tapes

Nice in theory, but I haven't seen a line-in socket on a PC in well over a decade. Most only have a microphone socket, which expects a much weaker signal and is mono only. Even PCs aimed at audio production often don't have them, as audio pros tend to use external sound devices these days.

You can get a USB audio adaptor with line-in, or you can get a USB tape-deck.


I used the method mentioned by rdearman about half a year ago and it worked like a charm. In fact better than expected, so it's not just a theory.
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Re: Digitalizing cassettes...

Postby Tutescrew » Wed Mar 14, 2018 3:42 pm

Aravinda,

That looks like exactly the unit that I have, minus the nameplate. I believe that it came with a version of Audacity, but I downloaded the most recent version. If the player is plugged into your PC, Audacity will recognize it as a source (at least it did so in my setup).

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Re: Digitalizing cassettes...

Postby James29 » Wed Mar 14, 2018 6:17 pm

hedgehog.chess wrote:
Cainntear wrote:
rdearman wrote:The easiest way is to simply get a cable with two male ends and plug the output of a cassette player into the input of a computer and record it with audacity. Here are instructions.

https://lifehacker.com/222394/alpha-geek-how-to-digitize-cassette-tapes

Nice in theory, but I haven't seen a line-in socket on a PC in well over a decade. Most only have a microphone socket, which expects a much weaker signal and is mono only. Even PCs aimed at audio production often don't have them, as audio pros tend to use external sound devices these days.

You can get a USB audio adaptor with line-in, or you can get a USB tape-deck.


I used the method mentioned by rdearman about half a year ago and it worked like a charm. In fact better than expected, so it's not just a theory.


I did it too and I am a total tech idiot. If I can do it anyone can. Audacity and google should be all you need.
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Re: Digitalizing cassettes...

Postby peterbeischmidt » Sun May 06, 2018 2:10 pm

Some years ago I digitized a lot of cassettes and vinyl records and after a fair amount of research I bought an inexpensive used Yamaha tape deck on Ebay and a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB audio interface. I think the Focusrite is a great choice for this kind of application because it's easy to use, works right away on all major operating systems including Linux and makes high-quality recordings. On the software-side I also used Audacity.
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Re: Digitalizing cassettes...

Postby zenmonkey » Sat Dec 01, 2018 4:58 pm

I'm now in the need of converting some old "Modern Tibetan Language" cassettes and find myself looking into how to cheaply do this. Aside from the mic/headphone jack on my Mac, I do have a Tascam Recorder (DR-05) with an external in-line (3.5 mm), in stereo. So I'll probably use that.

I just need to source a cassette player, probably going to go with the ebay or the local pawn shop. Then it's just a simple cable - I need to rummage in my boxes of old cables!

Since this isn't a set-up some has described before, I'll post it up once I have it running. But since, I'm doing this on the cheap, and not in a rush, it might take a little while (and a flea market or two...).
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