The audio industry has seen the introduction of many new formats during the past few years. DVD audio, Super Audio CD and Blu-ray formats have threatened to replace longstanding analog formats like cassette tapes. Those still owning quality tape players, however, can put them to good use. Hooking them up to your computer is one way to preserve, archive and enhance your old cassette tape collection.
Analog and Digital
It's important to understand the major difference between cassette tape and more modern digital formats like CDs. Whereas CDs store their audio information as a series of zeros and ones, analog tapes use a magnetic technology to transfer the audio information to a tape reel. Laser pickup systems read the zeros and ones on the CD, then use digital-to-analog converters before the signal is amplified to be played through speakers or headphones. Tape decks, on the other hand, read the analog information directly from the tape via magnetic heads, so a digital-to-analog transfer is unnecessary.
What does this mean when hooking up your tape deck to a computer? Basically, when using a completely analog format like tapes, your computer must convert the analog sound into a digital format in order to interpret it. This will usually result in a slight loss of sound quality depending on how good the conversion is. The upside is, of course, the ability to edit, digitally enhance, or reduce noise on the recording by using sound software. Once the analog tape signal is completely digital and stored as a file, it can easily be burned to a CD or saved to computer memory for later use.
Direct Connection
The easiest way to create a tape player interface for your computer is to hook it up directly to your sound card. Your computer's sound card is usually located on the back panel. Look for the line in connector. This is a 1/8-inch jack that is usually colored light blue. For this connection, an RCA stereo-to-1/8-inch cable is needed. These are readily available at any electronic or audio supply store. One end of the cable inserts into your tape player's audio output jacks, while the 1/8-inch end plugs into the line-in jack. Once you are connected, open your computer's audio or sound card configuration and make sure the "line in" connection is enabled, non-muted and the volume turned up to an acceptable level.
External Solutions
If your PC doesn't have a sound card (or you choose not to use it), you can install an external sound system. These are small boxes that sit on your desk and have a few advantages over using the internal sound card. They're convenient, offering easy access to inputs, outputs and volume controls. They use a USB interface, ensuring compatibility and speed. They also offer features and software packages that are tailored to recording enthusiasts. Finally, they can offer higher-quality sound components, enhancing the quality of your tape recordings when they're transferred to the computer.
Tags: sound card, your tape, audio information, cassette tape, formats like, tape player
