Convert LPs and Audio Tapes to digital

Hello All,
I would like to convert my old LP records and audio tapes to digital format so that I can add them to my music library iPod and so on.
Is anyone else interested in this, and could they tell me what my requirements are. Right now, I have my own record player with standard red white analog outputs. My computer is a fairly powerful XP based system with multiple USB ports. It has a Sound Blaster SB X-FI Audio [CCE0] card.
Can someone out there advise me on this, or direct me elsewhere?
Thanks in advance,
irt

 

Good morning,
I don't know if I can be any help to you or not.
I converted all of my LP's, 45's, and tapes (from the 50's 60's, 70's & 80's) over 1500 songs in total about 5 years ago, so my method will probably be "old fashioned".
Using my home music system, I recorded my lp's, 45's and tapes to CD's,
then I went to the computer converted my CD's to WAV files using a free program called EAC. All of my 1500+ songs were then saved as WAV files on my HDD, to do with whatever I wanted, make CD's, Mp3's to put on my Sansa 280 or just set back and play any of my 1500+ songs with a keystroke. If you want to have MP3's, you can convert the WAV file into a MP3, I used a free program called Audacity to do this, you can clean, trim and/or edit sound level at the same time.
If you decide this is the way to go, get back to me and I'll give you more detail, but I'm sure that today there is a much better and easier way to do this.
Karen

 

I've seen some turntables out there that are usb for just that reason, but I haven't used them or know a whole lot about them. I guess the way i would do it, would be to get a cable (female RCA to male headphone-type) and plug it into the 'Line-in' jack on your sound card (or motherboard) and use some type of recording program (audacity is a good one) and just record the songs individually.

 

USB Turntable http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/mp3/90a0/
A friend of mine who is way into old vinyl bought the exact turntable above and he loves it. I have seen it in action and heard the resulting CD rips and everything sounds great. I have also seen other makes/model online for less (I think as cheap as $39) but with price comes quality. You can use tsgun's suggestion above about using the line in on your sound card and using the appropriate cables and adapters, just be sure you use quality stereo fittings or you may end up with muffled, single channel, scratchy rips....

Good luck!

 

i've done alot of this myself. i still have my kenwood stereo, and cassette player. i play the records on my stereo (well, turntable), and record them to cassette. i then move the cassette player to my comp, and playback/record onto my comp as a .wav file. i typically save these files, and convert them to mp3/wma, to go with the rest of my music.

why the extra step? when i am recording to cassette, i set the volume levels where i want them (boost up the low parts, etc), that way when i play it back, i don't have to worry about it too much (i just have to worry about the peak volume).

i have an sblive card in my comp. when i do this you can't tell the recording is from a record (unless you hear a pop or scratch), but i always took good care of my records, and kept them in protective sleeves. i also use high quality "high bias" tapes.

if the tapes you are wanting to copy are store bought cassette tapes, then they might not come out that well (as they use cheap tapes). normally, they come out somewhat muffeled compared to your lp's. anyway, g/l - sos

edit - also, i don't think you can plug your turntable straight into your sb card, as the volume level might be too low? i believe it has to be slightly amplified? - sos

 

HI,
I have converted stacks of tapes and vinyls to CD using Audiograbber. I find it the easiest program to work with. You can download it from the Geeks and it is a free program. The help is excellent, I was too dumb to work out Audacity. Get a two ended cable, plug one end into headphone slot on tape deck, other into back of computer(line in slot) and open sound panel. double click on little speaker icon and mute everything except volume control and line in. set the levels at about half way. Open audiograbber, click on file and select line in sampling. Start the tape and press record. Watch the volume meter, it should go to 100% only occasionally. When you are finished recording you can make a CD using WMP or Nero if you have it. I use Nero Express because I can edit the tape and split it into sections.
To convert vinyl I use a turntable with a built in amp, not a very expensive one, it works just the same way. If you want MP3 CDs you can do it directly in Audiograbber,on the first screen that comes up, just tick the MP3 Icon first, then carry on as before. I have just given you the basics, if you want to know more detail, I can help.

 

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. Your ideas are great.

I don't have a turntable with built in amp, so have decided to go with the commercial product from Ion.

I will use my tape deck to go directly into my sound card as described by several of you.

Thanks again to everyone! Geeks rule!:major

 

For future readers.....

From sosaman - post 5:

This is correct. Standard turntables (without a built in amp as mentioned above) have an RIAA output which must be increased/boosted to Line Level signals. Thus you can't plug your turntable straight into your sound card Line-In without pre-amping. Home stereo amps have a pre-amp built into the PHONO circuit to accomplish this. All the other inputs on the amp (CD, TAPE, AUX, VCR, etc) are already at Line Level. Hence Line-In is the input for Line Level signals.