Recording Direct from Tapes/LPs to CD

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modifiedog

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I'm trying to figure out what equipment I will need to take my tapes and lps and record them directly to a CDRW. I know Tascam and others offer a unit that you can just plug into and burn as you play your tape, but I don't have the money to buy such a thing at this time.

I have the usual CDRW drive in my computer and a regular sound card that came with my computer...is there anything I can do inexpensively with what I have to record my tapes and lps?

I just want it to be as simple as possible since I have so many tapes to record from. I don't want to spend time converting file formats or whathaveyou....is that possible?

Basically, I just want to be able to press play on my tape player and press record on a CD burner and be done with it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
 
Sound Forge is fairly cheap I think. That lets you record off the line input.

So you could take the record player into you stereo and send the signal out the Tape Outs/Rec Outs and then get a cheap adapter at Radio Shack for connecting to the Line Input on your sound card. Or you could try to use the headphone out to the sound card.
 
I know how to record the audio into my computer using a USB adapter, but then I have to mess with taking the files from the computer, converting the files to mp3's, then using Adaptec or something to burn them on to a CD.

Is there any way or device that you can just press record and the CD records whatever audio is playing? Tape or LP? Something more direct?

Can I use the USB device with it's Audio INPUT/OUTPUT plugs and some program to record directly onto a CD? Or do I need to buy a device that does that?

Thanks
 
You have to record to the hard drive of the computer, you cannot record direct to the CD. It's a computer, not a tape deck!

Once the recordings are on the hard drive they will be in WAV format (or AIFF on a Mac). You then use the CD burning software you got with your computer to make an audio CD from the WAV file. There is no conversion to mp3 needed, unless you want a CD of mp3s.

You can buy audio CD recorders for around $250 if dealing with the computer is a hassle for you.
 
i know how to record into the computer and then convert files and all that. I didn't know if there was a software out there that could make your CD burner into a tape recorder. I just wanted something direct since I have so many tapes to burn.

So I guess I need to invest in an external unit to do the job. Any suggestions on brands, etc? Where I can find this in a store?

Thanks!
 
Audiograbber!

Failing all the other suggestions, :) you could Download Audiograbber. It's free and it's excellent.
It has a line in feature where you can plug in a tape player with a patch cord. I don't know of any DIRECT way to do it unless you purchase other equipment. It's pretty easy to use your computer for this.
 
If you have a sound card with a stereo minijack or RCA connectors, you can plug the outputs of your tape deck into it with suitable cables/adapters/Y-cords and then record into whatever software. To record LPs you need a phono preamp to bring the level up from the cartridge and also to apply the RIAA EQ so it will sound decent. You can get a dedicated soundcard to do that (!) or Radio Shack sells a $60 mini-amp that you can plug the turntable into, then feed the sound card from the line outs.
 
Keep in mind, you are converting one type of audio siginal to another (analog to digital) and that's where your computer does it's job for you. It sounds like you already are doing it right, tape deck outs to soundcard line in, record in wav then burn to cd, then delete the files or save them in a playlist depending on how much storage space you have. Sorry but for now I can't think of a faster or easier way other than to buy an external cd recorder.
 
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