[etni] Converting old audio cassettes to digital files

From: Barry Silverberg <barisil@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:51:19 +0200
Converting old audio cassettes to computer files:


A few years ago I asked the etni community how to transfer irreplaceable audio 
cassettes to a computer accessible form.

I received several answers, which looked too complicated so I stuck them in the 
drawer 'til I have time for it."

I also received several requests of the type, "when you find out please let me 
know."

So this is how I spent my pesach vacation:

Get a plug like the one for universal earphones-but with the same plug at each 
end.  Mine cost 12 shekel.  Plug one end into the cassette player earphone hole 
and the other into the little hole next to where the speakers plug in.

Then just Go to this google page:

                                 Golden Records Vinyl to CD converter

follow the instructions; it is really easy, but if you 'd rather hear it from 
me, then keep reading.

You install the Golden records program, and run it.

When you are asked to turn on Vynl record or audio cassette, click audio 
cassette.  Duh!

I set the recording volume level to -31; this is very low and I'm going to 
check if a slightly higher recording level will give a better result.

I didn't touch any other settings, because I don't know what they mean.

Then press PLAY on the cassette player and START RECORDING  on the computer.

The whole side of the tape will be recorded.

The program then splits the recording, which is a 'wav file,' into sections ( 
or tracks, cuts, songs etc).  The splits are made according to the length of 
silences  on the audio cassettes and you get a whole bunch of 'little' wav 
files.

Clever, huh?

One of my cassettes had dictations, and so the program split each item 
separately.  I simply  went BACK and found a RE-SPLIT option, where I could 
define a pause length that would allow the whole dictation to remain in one 
file.



Then I found where my new files were stored by using a simple SEARCH.  I 
re=named the files and put them in folders.



                                WHAT'S THE CATCH?

These 'WAV' files are very large.  We want MP3 compact files.  Fortunately, if 
you run the Golden program, you will see there is an option to change the files 
to MP3 files.

Unfortunately, this is the free version, and it will only convert the first 2 
files on the list.

Since I am trying to 'record' 20 cassettes with hundreds of files, this is a 
problem.  If you just want to record ( my kids laugh at me for using this 
outmoded vocabulary) one cassette of your now 35- yr old's -first- baby 
-noises, or some out of print ESL cassette, it shouldn't be a problem.

Anybody who has a sure -fire (free) way of converting WAV files to MP3 is 
invited to reply and explain.

 I'm sure I'll have time to learn it by 2015.

Barry S


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[etni] Converting old audio cassettes to digital files

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