How is it possible to connect an analogue audio line-out port direct to
a USB port to capture the analogue audio output from say a taperecorder
with a laptop please? I have a number (actually 100s) of cassette tapes
to digitise onto CDs for archival purposes. I guess that I need some
kind of digitising s/w but don't want to use MS Media Recorder (or
whatever) because I want to be able to play the resulting CDs on a CD /
DVD player and most of these wont play WMA or WMV formats. Any advice
would be appreciated please. Many thanks - CJB.

Does your laptop not have a soundcard built in? Look for a "line in" port
somewhere. If not you could get a USB soundcard.

After that you'll need some decent recording software. Audacity is free and
pretty powerful:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Just make sure you set the recording format to 16-bit, 44100 Hz, stereo if
you want to write the results onto CD.


"CJB" wrote in message
oups.com...
How is it possible to connect an analogue audio line-out port direct to
a USB port to capture the analogue audio output from say a taperecorder
with a laptop please? I have a number (actually 100s) of cassette tapes
to digitise onto CDs for archival purposes. I guess that I need some
kind of digitising s/w but don't want to use MS Media Recorder (or
whatever) because I want to be able to play the resulting CDs on a CD /
DVD player and most of these wont play WMA or WMV formats. Any advice
would be appreciated please. Many thanks - CJB.

On 28 Oct 2006 12:50:00 -0700, "CJB" wrote:

How is it possible to connect an analogue audio line-out port direct to
a USB port to capture the analogue audio output from say a taperecorder
with a laptop please? I have a number (actually 100s) of cassette tapes
to digitise onto CDs for archival purposes. I guess that I need some
kind of digitising s/w but don't want to use MS Media Recorder (or
whatever) because I want to be able to play the resulting CDs on a CD /
DVD player and most of these wont play WMA or WMV formats. Any advice
would be appreciated please. Many thanks - CJB.

You cannot make a direct connection, you will need a USB audio
interface. You could try Digital Village
(http://www.dv247.com/icat/USB+Audio+Interfaces/2974/), for example.

I use an Edirol UA-25, but the cheaper UA-1EX would probably be
sufficient for your purposes.

(I have no commercial connection with Digital Village except as a
satisfied customer.)

Beware that if both your laptop and your cassette recorder are
earthed, you will probably get horrible ground loop noise. If this is
a problem, the easiest solution is to run the laptop on batteries.

As for software, Audacity, which is free, will do the job.

--
Chris Isbell
Southampton, UK

Thank you everyone for the hints and tips. I've now downloaded and
installed Audacity - a very professional product. However I don't have
an audio line-in port on the laptop - the instructions state that I
have to use the S-Video in port!!! Another expensive cable to buy I
guess. I'll repoprt how I get on later. Thanks again - CJB.

On 29 Oct 2006 13:58:39 -0800, "CJB" wrote:

Thank you everyone for the hints and tips. I've now downloaded and
installed Audacity - a very professional product. However I don't have
an audio line-in port on the laptop - the instructions state that I
have to use the S-Video in port!!! Another expensive cable to buy I
guess. I'll repoprt how I get on later. Thanks again - CJB.


You can buy all the cables you like - you won't get audio through a
S-Video port.

I think someone has already mentioned you'd probably need an audio
interface.

OK - I've double checked the laptop and manual and it states that audio
input has to be via the SVHS port. It has two ports one for analogue
camcorder capture and one (presumably) for a small video camera. I
have capture software in the form of various MS applications, and
Audacity. I have built-in video and audio capture cards - presumably
connected to the SVHS ports. Yup - this is a strange set up - but it
was how the laptop was designed. CJB.

Laurence Payne wrote:
On 29 Oct 2006 13:58:39 -0800, "CJB" wrote:

Thank you everyone for the hints and tips. I've now downloaded and
installed Audacity - a very professional product. However I don't have
an audio line-in port on the laptop - the instructions state that I
have to use the S-Video in port!!! Another expensive cable to buy I
guess. I'll repoprt how I get on later. Thanks again - CJB.


You can buy all the cables you like - you won't get audio through a
S-Video port.

I think someone has already mentioned you'd probably need an audio
interface.

"CJB" wrote in message
oups.com...
OK - I've double checked the laptop and manual and it states that audio
input has to be via the SVHS port. It has two ports one for analogue
camcorder capture and one (presumably) for a small video camera.

What exactly do the two ports look like? Is one a mini-DIN type and the
other a 3.5mm jack or similar? If so, one's for the video and the other's
for the audio.

In article .com,
CJB wrote:
OK - I've double checked the laptop and manual and it states that audio
input has to be via the SVHS port. It has two ports one for analogue
camcorder capture and one (presumably) for a small video camera. I
have capture software in the form of various MS applications, and
Audacity. I have built-in video and audio capture cards - presumably
connected to the SVHS ports. Yup - this is a strange set up - but it
was how the laptop was designed. CJB.

The normal S-Video connector is a 4 pin mini DIN and all the pins are in
use. Is the audio connector possibly a five pin mini DIN?

--
*Life is hard; then you nap

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

CJB wrote:
OK - I've double checked the laptop and manual and it states that audio
input has to be via the SVHS port. It has two ports one for analogue
camcorder capture and one (presumably) for a small video camera. I
have capture software in the form of various MS applications, and
Audacity. I have built-in video and audio capture cards - presumably
connected to the SVHS ports. Yup - this is a strange set up - but it
was how the laptop was designed. CJB.

Unless you have a strong reason for doing so you do not want to mess
about with the audio on the SVHS port which is likely to poor quality
(although it is worth checking because some are OK) but to use a normal
audio interface to get CD quality. If you do not have a sound card in
your PC or you have a poor one but do not want to spend much money then
I would suggest an iMic at about $30 which is a small portable device
that will plug into your USB port and perform A/D and D/A conversions
between your casette recorder and PC. You can get slightly cheaper or a
bit better and a lot more expensive.

On 30 Oct 2006 06:34:05 -0800, "CJB" wrote:

OK - I've double checked the laptop and manual and it states that audio
input has to be via the SVHS port. It has two ports one for analogue
camcorder capture and one (presumably) for a small video camera. I
have capture software in the form of various MS applications, and
Audacity. I have built-in video and audio capture cards - presumably
connected to the SVHS ports. Yup - this is a strange set up - but it
was how the laptop was designed. CJB.


SVHS is an enhanced variant of the VHS video recording system. It
isn't a type of connection.

S-Video is a computer video connection. The port looks rather like
the one a ps/2 keyboard or mouse uses. It is video-only. Audio has
to travel separately.

For once, Wikipedia has got things right. Look at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-VHS

There's a link about s-video further down the page.

Somewhere near a S-Video port will probably be an audio port.
Doubtless Line Out on a stereo mini-jack.