| Author | Message | ||
     Court |
Anyone know a place that does this? . . . I am cleaning the basement and just found a radio talk show tape of Erik and I on the Bob Collins Show . .YEARS ago. I'd like to see if I can salvage it. | ||
| Spiderman |
Well if you have a sound card with input on your PC you can just plug a tape deck into your PC get some software from the interwebs and rip into MP3 format... I am sure someone will have more detailed instructions but I have never done it with tapes only records and the turntable came with software... | ||
| Froggy |
Yep thats the easy (and cheap) way to do it. Get a 1/8" mini jack cord (both male ends) from Radio shack, plug it into the output of your favorite cassette player, and plug the other end into your line in or microphone jack on your computer. You then fire up a sound recording program, press play on your tape, press record on the computer and let it do its thing. | ||
| Pwnzor |
I can do vinyl, 1/4" reels, cassette... clean up the hiss and/or pops too... Let me know if you want to send it to me. In light of your enormous contributions to the community, I'd be glad to do it. Have you actually played the tape? Is it in decent shape, no water damage etc? | ||
| Pwnzor |
Or do what Froggy said. | ||
| Court |
I just listened to it . . . . . about 15 years ago.  I may take you up on that. | ||
| Buellkowski |
I tried this last year using a borrowed CD burner with an analog input. Thought it would be a good idea so I wouldn't have to buy my old cassette music all over again. In the end I couldn't stand all the hiss, noise & other artifacts that were digitally captured. Signal processing gear is the only A/D way to go; Pwnzor's offer is a well-advised path to take. I used to have access to the gear, but that was a few jobs ago and cassettes were still "acceptable" back then. | ||
| Greg_e |
I have cassette to digital too so depends where you want to send it. I would suggest against the computer sound card thing, most sound cards are really pretty much crap, even for cassette. It would make a good backup before sending the tape in the mail, but that may be just about it. If you have a bunch of them to do, there are several "cheap" cassette to digital devices out there that you can buy, most connect with USB and you'll get relatively decent results. If the tape is damaged, send it to a specialized restoration place where they can clean the tape before running it on a machine. There are two or three of those around the USA. | ||
| Pwnzor |
I still listen to cassettes almost every day. Many of them are 25+ years old. Almost all my reels are over 50 years old. They still sound great. I really cherish my tape decks. They remind me of where I came from, and those before me. Every time I thread a reel, it's like my dad is sitting there enjoying it with me. My offer stands, just let me know.  | ||
| Court |
Shoot me your address and I'll send it. I wish I could find the old (really old) reel of 3M paper reel to reel tape I used to have . . . I'd send it as well. I still remember when cassette were the HUGE leap forward from 8-track . . . likely one of Bill Lear's lamest inventions. | ||
| Buellish |
Court, this guy sells the software.I have it and it works great.I've converted cassette,reel to reel and vinyl to digital format.Once your in digital you can do anything you want. http://www.dak.com/?Ref=G&PM=DAK&type=GSrch&Srh=DA K&gclid=CNHGs7yWzaACFWV75QodknlW0g (Message edited by buellish on March 22, 2010) | ||
| Pwnzor |
Oh man, Dak is still around? I remember anticipating those catalogs every time they came out... Awesome stuff. Court, PM sent. | ||
| Buellish |
Yes,Dan is still coming up with new ideas and new stuff all the time.I have his software package and mixer. | ||
| Pwnzor |
I'll assume you mean Drew... but what the heck. | ||
| Gregtonn |
Court, Here's a place on W. 36th St. http://www.videoproductionsny.com/lp.html?gclid=CI a-8rzszaACFRlRagodDGF7zQ G | ||
| Greg_e |
There are so many spelling mistakes there is no way I would do any business with them! The stuff I have is all professional gear with balanced ins and outs, the sound card has about a -100db noise floor (line level) and Adobe Audition. The on;y thing I can not handle is if the tape has some sort of noise reduction on it. I used to have a nice dbx unit that worked great, but it is gone, the deck at work might have dolby B and maybe C but I don't remember because we really don't touch cassette much anymore. Pwnzor looks like he has decent stuff tool. The only risk is in shipping it to either of us. The only place that would be worth paying money would be a specialist restoration place where they will inspect the tape to make sure it is healthy, fix it if it isn't, then digitize it. | ||
| Xb12xmike |
It is not music, it's an interview. Once digitized, you should use some noise reduction software like: reNOVAtor from algorithmix. It is truly unbelievable software. I have been recording and editing with Samplitude for years, I now use an RME FF400 firewire micpre. You know the Germans make good stuff! | ||
| Buellish |
"I'll assume you mean Drew... but what the heck." You'd think that with as many times I've seen his name I'd remember.That's almost as bad as saying Erik with a c on this site. | ||
| Gregtonn |
Court, You could also try the place that did your graduation speech video for you. I expect they do audio as well. G |
