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General discussion

Can I capture a cassette with my equip.

Aug 22, 2006 7:08AM PDT

My cassette player is a shelf unit with only output connections for speakers. Can these be used as a line out to connect to the PC?

Discussion is locked

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(NT) (NT) Yes.
Aug 22, 2006 7:20AM PDT
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Cassette equip. use.
Aug 22, 2006 7:27AM PDT

That was fast, short, and sweet, thanks.

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No.
Aug 22, 2006 11:53AM PDT

Not so short and sweet as Bob's reply, and for good reason.

As those are speaker outputs, they have a lot of watts of power running through them. Line outputs from a tape deck in comparison (which would have to go to an amplifier to generate a similar amount of power to drive speakers!) only have milliamps of power.

If you feed speaker outputs into a soundcard's line input, you'll fry it in a microsecond as the relatively huge current destroys the sensitive electronics.

You'll at the very least need a speaker output to line output convertor. These little boxes of tricks aren't expensive but they drop speakers outputs down to the tiny power of line outputs.

www.google.com : speaker to line output convertors

Good luck,

GeeBee.

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I've run them into the line in. But didn't crank it up.
Aug 22, 2006 1:03PM PDT

Go figure why I've been able to do this for decades.

Bob

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Yes,no, where to go?
Aug 22, 2006 1:55PM PDT

Thanks for the input. Guess I need to do more homework.

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my simple solution
Aug 22, 2006 4:02PM PDT

Purchase, rent, or borrow a cassette deck with a line output (preferable) or headphone output. Not very expensive.

An old boombox or Sony Walkman can do this if you use the correct cable.

The hardware you use depends on what quality you need. For example, do you need a peak level search or Dolby filtering?

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Cassette to PC capture
Aug 23, 2006 2:05AM PDT

Thanks for the suggestion. I would like to transfer my cassettes to CD so I can listen to the oldies again. As for quality, I don't need much, my hearing isn't what it used to be. My player is probably very low on the power curve, the pamphlet that came with it says nothing useful. Found a converter online, suggested earlier, for $18, might give that a try.

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Line out converters
Aug 23, 2006 2:10AM PDT

Thanks again. Didn't know there was such a thing. That's what I like about C-Net, I always learn something from fellow members. Found a converter online for $18, will probably try that. Most refer to car audio but this one sounds more general.

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That's where they're used most...
Aug 23, 2006 12:38PM PDT

...for head units in cars that have no line out, so cannot usually be used in conjunction with an amplifier. Simply put one in the speaker output and it becomes a stereo line output.

However, if your tape deck has a headphone socket as Linkit mentions, all you'd need is a lead with stereo headphone jack on one end and a miniature stereo headphone jack on the other. Probably cost about $10.

The headphone out, goes to the soundcard line in and no need for converting power levels. But if you've not got a headphone socket....converter it is! Happy

Good luck,

GB.

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Headset plug-in
Aug 24, 2006 12:57AM PDT

By golly I do have a headset plug-in. All I need is a cable with a 1/4" probe on one end and a mini on the other. I believe the problem is solved. Thanks GeeBee.

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The honour goes to...
Aug 24, 2006 8:12AM PDT

...Linkit. He advised using the headphone output (if you had one) first.

Lower end decks with only speaker output do not always have a headphone plug (my mum's old deck never had one, which confused her when she bought headphones!), but when you do have one, it's virtually the same thing as a line out, but with a volume in the line of course.

All that's required is a lead with corresponding stereo jack plug at each end....and some free software.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

When first recording turn the volume down, and the recording mixer up, as it's best to err on the side of caution. Once you know it's working properly, you can add in some more volume and cut back on the record levels.

Good luck,

GB.