Converting audio cassette to digitised format -Sound Forge - PC

Subject:Converting audio cassette to digitised format Posted by: mick1 Date:12/3/2002 4:08:59 AM How would I use sound forge to convert cassette to digitised format? Haven't purchased the software yet but what else would I need apart from the sound forge software? THanks
Subject:RE: Converting audio cassette to digitised format Reply by: Chienworks Date:12/3/2002 7:28:12 AM Well, you'll need a cassette player/deck. Use the best one you can get your hands on. You'll need a cable of some sort to connect the deck to the computer's sound card. Usually you'll want a cable that has two RCA (Phono) plugs on one end and a 1/8" stereo plug on the other. Connect this cable between the deck's line output and the sound card's line input. Select the sound card's recording input to be line in and adjust the volume there so that the loudest peaks are above -12dB (-6 is probably better), but never quite reach 0dB.
Subject:RE: Converting audio cassette to digitised format Reply by: mick1 Date:12/5/2002 4:06:17 AM THanks a million for the help there Chienworks. A Couple more questions: 1. Is there a specific name for the type of cable required? 2. Is sound forge the best s/w to use with it - could you recommend any shareware that produces a decent enough quality? Thnaks again!!
Subject:RE: Converting audio cassette to digitised format Reply by: Chienworks Date:12/5/2002 7:28:02 AM Radio Shack calls it a 42-2551 6' Gold Series Y-Adapter Audio Cable. Other places may have other names for it. I'm also assuming that the outputs of your tape deck are two RCA Phono jacks and the input to your sound card is a 1/8" stereo jack. You'll have to check your equipment to be sure. I'm a biased happy Sound Forge user, so i definately think it's the best thing for the job. However, almost any audio software that has a record button will do the job. Even Windows Sound Recorder could do it, except that it may be limited in the amount of time it can record. I think the version that comes with Windows 98SE is limited to either 4 or 10 minutes. If you're only doing one song at a time it may do the job for you. The advantage of using something like Sound Forge is the amount of processing you can do after recording. It has tools for EQ, compression, very fine volume adjustments, etc. And the ease of editing (trimming out the parts you don't want) blows away most cheaper software (and even some very expensive software too).
Subject:RE: Converting audio cassette to digitised format Reply by: Djipy Date:12/5/2002 11:38:44 AM SF6 is the best tool I've ever used for audio editing. However, I have used GoldWave for a while and it's not bad.

Subject:Converting audio cassette to digitised format

Posted by: mick1

Date:12/3/2002 4:08:59 AM

How would I use sound forge to convert cassette to digitised format? Haven't purchased the software yet but what else would I need apart from the sound forge software? THanks

Subject:RE: Converting audio cassette to digitised format

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:12/3/2002 7:28:12 AM

Well, you'll need a cassette player/deck. Use the best one you can get your hands on. You'll need a cable of some sort to connect the deck to the computer's sound card. Usually you'll want a cable that has two RCA (Phono) plugs on one end and a 1/8" stereo plug on the other. Connect this cable between the deck's line output and the sound card's line input.

Select the sound card's recording input to be line in and adjust the volume there so that the loudest peaks are above -12dB (-6 is probably better), but never quite reach 0dB.

Subject:RE: Converting audio cassette to digitised format

Reply by: mick1

Date:12/5/2002 4:06:17 AM

THanks a million for the help there Chienworks. A Couple more questions:

1. Is there a specific name for the type of cable required?

2. Is sound forge the best s/w to use with it - could you recommend any shareware that produces a decent enough quality?

Thnaks again!!

Subject:RE: Converting audio cassette to digitised format

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:12/5/2002 7:28:02 AM

Radio Shack calls it a 42-2551 6' Gold Series Y-Adapter Audio Cable. Other places may have other names for it. I'm also assuming that the outputs of your tape deck are two RCA Phono jacks and the input to your sound card is a 1/8" stereo jack. You'll have to check your equipment to be sure.

I'm a biased happy Sound Forge user, so i definately think it's the best thing for the job. However, almost any audio software that has a record button will do the job. Even Windows Sound Recorder could do it, except that it may be limited in the amount of time it can record. I think the version that comes with Windows 98SE is limited to either 4 or 10 minutes. If you're only doing one song at a time it may do the job for you. The advantage of using something like Sound Forge is the amount of processing you can do after recording. It has tools for EQ, compression, very fine volume adjustments, etc. And the ease of editing (trimming out the parts you don't want) blows away most cheaper software (and even some very expensive software too).

Subject:RE: Converting audio cassette to digitised format

Reply by: Djipy

Date:12/5/2002 11:38:44 AM

SF6 is the best tool I've ever used for audio editing.
However, I have used GoldWave for a while and it's not bad.