Cassette to PC

You need a way to record the music onto your hard drive. I use MusicMatch Jukebox. I connect my CD player to the sound card using the headphone jack. Then I use MM to record and convert the tracks. It works the same for records if you have a player with an audio out that will work with your computer.

Get a stereo cable with the 1/8" jack size (or whatever you need) and plug one end into the headphones jack of the stereo/cassette/record player the other into the Line-In jack on your sound card. Get a program to record the audio coming in to the Line-In port, such as Audacity ( http://audacity.sf.net -- which is overkill for what you need, but free ), then something to convert it to MP3 assuming Audacity can't do it. Look for something based on LAME if you want good quality encodes, or better yet, find something that can encode to Ogg Vorbis format for even better quality at about the same file size.

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As for software, you may want to look at Goldwave (shareware). It will record as well as encode to mp3 and other formats. It also has a batch file feature which will allow you to make editing changes to a number of files all at one time. This is very helpful in leveling volume of several files.
You will have to download the lame encoder file (freeware) and place it in the Goldwave program file.

I have used it for about 2 years, and have been very pleased with the performance.

Without knowing specifics about your stereo equipment and computer's sound card, here are my suggestions.

For cassettes, I would use the RCA jacks from the back of the stereo over the phono jack for recording analog input to the pc. I go straight from the cassette deck to the pc. Cassette deck output to pc sound card input using a two phono (RCA) plug to 1/8" stereo phone plug Y Adapter.

If you want to copy LPs, you might consider software that allows you to filter noise (hiss/pop). I use CoolEdit, but it was purchased by Adobe so I don't know how to find it any more. MusicMatch is good for analog sources.

For CDs, I would just rip them straight to MP3. MusicMatch does the job well, but there are many others that do it as well.

Best of luck.

Hi Hal,

I use Polderbits Sound Editor and Recorder. It is an inexpensive program, but does a great job. It has 2 weeks of unrestricted free use. You can download it at this following limk. The Program is $29.95

http://www.polderbits.com/

I currently have an Audigy Platinum sound card. I plug say my casseste into the front of the card using a line in line out lead (usually red - you get them with mini disc players etc) i then record it using Creative Recorder. this saves it in Wav format which takes up loads of space. i then use Music Match to convert the files into MP3's - job done