www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Please could you intelligent chaps offer advice on how to record music from LP's, singles and cassettes on to a PC to allow me to make 'back up' copies for use in other devices.

I have a HP MEDIA CENTRE PC running Windows XP SP2.

I know how to use Apple Itunes and upload to our Ipod, now I want to copy all my old records and some tapes.


Put it in words of one syllable please for this Westo' to comprehend.


The following is a snapshot of part of the system devices.
Sound Card
Manufacturer: Hauppauge
Model: Hauppauge WinTV PVR PCI II (26xxx)
Driver: hcwpp2.sys
24 September 2006

Sound Card
Manufacturer: Creative Technology, Ltd.
Model: Creative Audigy Audio Processor (WDM)
Driver: ctaud2k.sys
24 September 2006
Supported



John

I bought Mrs H a USB Turntable which comes with s/w to make WAVs (and maybe MP3s? but of not, iTunes and others convert WAVs into MP3s) of LPs. and it also has an audio jack which you can connect a cassette deck to.

How well it works, no idea, as she has never used it yet

If you don't want to fork out for a USB turntable, you just need to be able to plug your turntable/cassette player's audio output into your computer soundcard's mic input.

This will take a 'mini jack' type plug (like for headphones - the one at the bottom of the picture). You probably have a mini-jack output from the tape player at least, so you just need a mini jack to mini jack lead.

For the turntable you may just have phono outputs (top in the picture), and phono to mini jack leads are very easy to get hold of too (eg from Maplin).

Then you need the software to record.

I use Audacity:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

This one also looks nice and simple:
http://www.nch.com.au/recordpad/index.html

You'll need to find your sound preferences under control panel and make sure the mic input is turned on and turned up.

Actually, I've just found a highly detailed tutorial on exactly what you're asking so I might as well just direct you to that:

http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... uter_or_CD

With the RCA jacks you will also be able to use your stereo's speakers to hear your mp3/wma etc., files off your computer. Sounds alot better than computer speakers. Like above, just plug mini RCA into the headphone jack on your computer, then the two regular RCA jacks onto an aux jack on your stereo receiver.