What hardware to record LPs, Cassettes, and VHS tapes to computer

Maine-Man

Maine-Man

New member
Please share your thoughts on the hardware I use to record LPs, Cassettes, and VHS tapes to a Windows 10 computer.
LPs get plugged into a Behringer UFO202. It has a preamp, RCA inputs, and a USB output. The cassette deck is plugged directly into the computer's sound card with an RCA to 3.5 mm plug.
So far, everything works fine. One person suggested feeding the cassette deck through the Behringer line-level input would improve the sound quality.
VHS tapes will be (when it arrives) fed through an IO Data Video/VHS GV-USB2/E capture cable. It has RCA AV inputs and a USB output.
I am using an old Windows 10 desktop now but will try using a new Windows 11 laptop.

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For casual applications, what you're doing might be fine depending on the quality of the line input of your computer. Behringer makes the UCA202, which is like the UFO202 but without the phono preamps. I have no idea how good the IO Data thing is. It's probably okay but I doubt it's great.

I do transfers, but since I'm transferring original, one-of-a-kind recordings, it's best to give them a higher level of treatment. For audio, I use a Scarlett 6i6 which is 24 bit capable. For video, I use a Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle USB. If you hope to do any processing on your transfers to improve them, you really need to capture them at a higher quality. If it's just for casual use, that might not matter.

A laptop probably doesn't have a proper stereo line input, so a UCA202 would be an upgrade.
 
Thanks. This is just for home entertainment with no additional processing. I looked up your sound and video equipment; nice setup.
 
I've dumped LPs , reel to reel tapes and CDs to digital just feeding the tape outputs of my stereo preamp to my audio interface. I did them at 88k/24 just because that was how my system is set up for normal recording, but 44.1/16 would have been more than adequate for the transfers. I used Reaper for the audio transfers because that is my standard software, but Audacity would have been fine.

When I converted my VHS and HiBand 8mm videos to digital, I used my old Magnavox DVD/DVR recorder. I dumped all the videos to the hard drive, then edited them to DVD. I then ripped the DVDs to MP4 to give to my family.
 
Computer soundcards can be very variable in quality - and the ones sporting the big audio names can be worse than those with no such endorsement. The Behringer is a known quantity and unlikely to be worse than the computer's own soundcard but it won't necessarily be that much better.
 
Maine-Man said:
Thanks. This is just for home entertainment with no additional processing. I looked up your sound and video equipment; nice setup.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure which audio setup you saw. There's an obsolete list on one of my old webpages which has largely been replaced with more modern gear.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
I'm not sure which audio setup you saw. There's an obsolete list on one of my old webpages which has largely been replaced with more modern gear.
Click to expand...
The "Scarlett 6i6 which is 24 bit capable. For video, I use a Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle USB." Nice setup but too expensive for just recreational listening.
 
The thing that often happens is the computer's built in audio is often compromised with noise - not hiss, but just background buzzes and whines from all the data spinning around the motherboard. It's often pretty decent quality but the external units are usually cleaner sounding. even cheaper external units usually win over anything inside the case.
 
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