Audacity Forum

I downloaded Audacity Stable 1.2.6 for my windows xp based toshiba laptop. I tried using my cassette deck's microphone jack connected to my computer's microphone jack, but the sound had very bad static. I then switched to using the audio 'out' jacks from my cassette deck, connected to my microphone jack in my computer. The problem now is very bad sound distortion. I've tried lowering my input recording volume to .1, (the very lowest setting) but no help, the input vu meter is still pegging all the way to the right. I've lowered the microphone volume setting on my computer, and the volume on my cassette deck is also lowered to zero. The only time the music sounds right is when the music is 'fading out' at the last few seconds before the end of the song, then it sounds perfect.

Although I'm not a 'techie', I'm usually capable of figuring out computer problems, but this is DRIVING ME CRAZY!! Any help out there? Thanks!

<<<the audio 'out' jacks from my cassette deck, connected to my microphone jack in my computer.>>>

That's because this isn't a computer problem. It's a really close cousin to this problem...

http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 12&t=11827

You can't, as a rule, use the Microphone Input of a sound card for anything other than a microphone. It's easily overloaded for one thing, and it's mono. No left and right.

Koz

Koz, thanks for your reply. Do you think a program like Roxio Creator (it uses a gadget that hooks up to my audio out jacks-then it attaches to my usb port to receive the music signal) would work?

The gadget supplied with the Roxio is an external USB soundcard - we haven't heard much about this particular make on the forum . There is a review page on other external soundcards - see: http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9477

As you can see from the reviews I personally use the Edirol UA-1EX. One of the uses I have put it to is to record tapes plugged from the output RCA sockets on the back of my trusty Nakamichi BX-2. It gave excellent results. It also worked well with my vinyl tramsfers (needed a pre-amp too for that) and it does great work capturing FM off-air via my tuner.

WC

UPDATE: I decided to purchase Roxio Easy(!) VHS to DVD Program (it also allows converting cassettes to CD and/or MP3). It was a disaster. It never installed correctly, I tried four times, each time completly uninstalling (and checking my computer before re-installing to make sure no Roxio files were still listed). There is no live tech support, only live chat (and both times I tried live chat, I asked the tech agent to walk me thru the installation while we were on live chat, but they wouldn't do it). There is a paid tech support service ($1.89 per minute) so I finally gave in and called it, and they put me on hold for 45 minutes without me ever reaching a live person.

SO, can anyone recommend an easy-to-use program to convert cassettes to CD and/or MP3 files, that uses an usb type connection (with sound card included)?