How To Record Audio From RCA To Computer?

C

clamsterdamm

Member
Hello

I'm trying to make a few videos of the audio quality of my recent cassette deck restorations. I was hoping to make a video of the deck running with direct audio instead of recording with the phone microphone

Thank you for the assistance

Paul
 
What equipment do you have? I run RCA out from a tape deck, or my stereo preamp output to my audio interface all the time. It works perfectly. I've done this with video. Do the video recording and just replace the audio track with the direct feed in your video editing software.

That's the easiest way.

Otherwise, you could rig up a cable to run from the cassette deck to line inputs on your camera if it has one. It depends on what you are using. If the camera is stationary, that could work without any issues, but you'll need to get your audio set up right before you start to get levels, etc.
 
Paul, what equipment do you have now? You might be able to do everything you need without buying more stuff.
 
Some of the ones with a stereo "mic" input have a menu option to specify that the input is line level. You may have to locate and read a bunch of manuals to get to that part and confirm it will do what you want. It will be an unbalanced line level, but for the short distance from the camera to the deck (which I assume is what you're filming), it shouldn't be a problem. I think I've got a 5 or 6' RCA to 3.5mm stereo plug cable somewhere here and have used it to "rip" cassettes to various digital recorders. (They have line inputs, though.)

p.s. (edit) used camcorders may have that capability, too, and are generally much cheaper if you can find them used at a place that gives you a trial period. They typically have better low-light capability though they are lousy for still shots, and they often will have much better run/record time and battery life. At least, when I was doing video, I found the camcorders worked better for video than the Sony mirrorless cameras I used then - though Sony also had a weird 27min limit [continuous] on video. And, one of them that didn't have a complete flip out screen (just a kind of pop-out thing) would overheat after a couple runs and then become useless for a good while. You're probably not trying to record a couple hours straight, though :)
 
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why not just feed the cassette deck into the audio in of the macbook with an appropriate cable - the macbook audio is pretty good - so just the macbook connector to the usual two RCAs - and record into your favourite app - even the freebie audacity is pretty good - then load the file into your video editor.
 
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