Transferring Cassette to MP3

[enjay]

Our MFL Department are looking for a way to transfer loads (by which I mean literally hundreds!) of cassettes to MP3 format (or WAV, but MP3 would be preferable). Can anyone recommend a product which does this, or alternatively a company who offer the service?

[Dos_Box]

Like this?

 

ION|ITR01|TWIN CASSETTE DECK WITH USB | CPC

[machin05]

Audacity will do that for you. You'll just need to make sure the settings are all cool.

 

Hook up a cassette player (needs to have a headphone socket), to you pc/laptop's line in using a mini jack to mini jack lead. Set the recording input within Audacity to be the Sound card's Line In. Hit play on the cassette player (make sure the volume is turned up), and hit record in Audacity.

 

Unfortunately as you are converting analogue to digital, you have to do it in 'real time'.

[RichCowell]

Like this?

 

ION|ITR01|TWIN CASSETTE DECK WITH USB | CPC

 

That's what I got for our MFL Dept. and they swear by it...

[machin05]

That's a very retro/nowtro device!

 

Looks like a simple solution, if you have the cash it looks like the best way. However Audacity is the free solution but may require a quick session with your MFL staff....

[TronXP]

Like this?

 

ION|ITR01|TWIN CASSETTE DECK WITH USB | CPC

 

We use that also, then our AV Tech sticks it ino soundforge and works his magic and the mp3's come out.

[enjay]

Does the Ion device digitise the audio itself? If not, how is it different from a £1.50 line-in cable?

[RichCowell]

The software that comes with it is rather simple, yet effective too... Lets you name the bits and bobs as you record them, then loads them into iTunes for you...

 

I set the iTunes library to a network share and then mapped that for the MFL Staff and as soon as it's ripped from cassette it's there and available for use in their own drive just for the audio...

[enjay]

So, I've had a quick play with a cassette player and Audacity, and even with the scuffy on-board sound cards, I was surprised to find that the result is perfectly acceptable (a little quiet, but that's okay). So, what would I gain from using an Ion that I can't get manually?