Non-motoring > Cassette copier	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Mike Hannon	Replies: 36

New Mon 2 May 11 14:35   Cassette copier - Mike Hannon

I noticed this morning that next Saturday our local Lidl is selling a device for about thirty quid that copies cassettes (musicassettes as I think inventor Philips originally called them) as MP3 files or somesuch to store on computers or iplayers or USB keys or whatever. I still have many cassettes, lots of which I would like to hear again but can't be bothered although I still have a high quality three-head deck. Has anybody every come across one of these copiers? Are they any good? It's only about the size of a 'Walkman'. Do they run at high speed like cassette duplicators of old, or would I spend the rest of my life copying my collection? Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 15:06   Cassette copier - Zero

No idea, its not advertised at my local Lidl so cant see it. Most however just use cheap decks, run at normal speed, doing analogue to digital conversion real time ( ie not speeded up). Nothing you couldn't do with your existing deck and a lap top. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 15:07   Cassette copier - borasport

I have something similar from Aldi, and it is a bit of a dissapointment - it only works in 'real time' and it doesn't auto-reverse or stop, so if you set it to record a 30 minute program and you aren't there to turn it off, it continues to record silence until you do. We were going to convert our massive heap of Comedy/crime fiction cassettes, but must of it comes round on 'Radio 4 extra' these days, it ain't worth the effort Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 15:18   Cassette copier - R.P.

This Brennan thing copies reel to reels and cassettes onto its hard disk - all in real time sadly. I too have dozens of tapes I've not binned during the last move on the basis I want to digitize them. I have a friend who works for the BBC who has a transcription device of some sort - he did over 12 hours of reel-to-reels for me in an evening. I'm reluctant to ask him again... Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 15:25   Cassette copier - Stuartli

See: tinyurl.com/5v4ooyy Quite a few of the mail order companies do this and similar products. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 15:26   Cassette copier - RattleandSmoke

Much better off buying a decent Yamaha/Sony/Pioneer/Denon etc deck for around £15 of ebay. They will have much better heads than this cheap crap. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 15:39   Cassette copier - spamcan61

The OP has a decent cassette deck, but it's still fairly time consuming to record to PC, split into individual tracks etc. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 15:41   Cassette copier - RattleandSmoke

But I gather you need to to this on this unit anyway? Ted has a turntable of the same thing when when you looked at it was just a cheap turntable with a USB sound card built into it. It came with Audacity. Personally I would just buy a cheap 3.5mm to 2x phono and do it in Audacity. It won't take that long because you can just play the entire side of the tap, the waveform will show the breaks between the songs and its just a matter of copy and pasting the waveform into new projects. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 15:43   Cassette copier - Zero

yes its easy, but it takes a little while. 90 minutes to record each cassette, 15-20 minutes to split the tracks, Try doing it to 100+ cassettes. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 16:09   Cassette copier - RattleandSmoke

But surely no cassette deck could to that automatically unless it uses the technology where it uploads the wave form to the internet to work out what song it is? In fact I am sure software must already exist for this purpose? Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 2 May 11 at 16:09 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 16:19   Cassette copier - Mike Hannon

Getting beyond my range, gents. Maybe I'll just stick with the Aiwa AD-F850 and listen to a few cassettes now and again. It still comes in useful for recording Round The Horne from BBC 4+ too. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 16:26   Cassette copier - swiss tony

>> Maybe I'll just stick with the Aiwa AD-F850 and listen to a few cassettes now >> and again. How about, when you listen to the cassettes, you record therm to your PC at the same time? then, at your leisure, cut up the tracks using something like Audacity? Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 16:39   Cassette copier - RattleandSmoke

I regret selling my old Yamaha deck but I needed every penny I had for my European holiday. They are so cheap on ebay though I might buy one. Actually I've got an old 1980's one down stairs which was given to me. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 16:51   Cassette copier - AnotherJohnH

>> Try doing it to 100+ cassettes. I am currently towards the end of doing that very thing. Just under 20gb of audio at 128kb... Under orders from the buyer of the copier. It's terribly time consuming, the quality of the originals wasn't that good, and the copier is built to a low price. I doubt they'll ever see the light of day, but you have to humour some people. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 17:17   Cassette copier - RattleandSmoke

I am currently capturing stuff with DRM as an analogue waveform, which I will then stick on CD for the car. So the process is Compressed streamed music Convert to analogue (played out of sound card) Record waveform and convert to digital Convert to CD Then the CD In the car will be converted back to analogue! For the car though the loss of sound quality is not an issue.. Probably won't bother splitting tracks though. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 17:42   Cassette copier - spamcan61

>> I am currently capturing stuff with DRM as an analogue waveform, which I will then >> stick on CD for the car. >> Might be worth a trawl through this thread:- stream-recorder.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1922 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:16   Cassette copier - rtj70

Rattle beat me to mention Audacity. The OP already has the technology he just needs the software. An alternative thought might be something like Audio Hijack which might be able to automatically create the individual MP3 files based on detected gaps. But you still need to actually name the tracks properly. I'd not bother with the USB cassette copier. If like me when I did use cassettes, they will be metal and use Dolby Digital to make the best of the old tape technology. Therefore will require a better player to make best use of the audio than a cheap piece of equipment. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:18   Cassette copier - rtj70

Shame someone does not combine the use of Shazam in the process. Totally feasible. And I bet it could be scripted on a Unix/Linux/Mac system. e.g. 1. Start capture software 2. Play tape 3. Record tracks into MP3 format (auto detect gaps to make new files) When tape finished 1. Play back each track and send to Shazam 2. Tag from Shazam applied to the MP3 file and stored 3. Repeat for the tracks ripped. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:21   Cassette copier - Zero

>> Shame someone does not combine the use of Shazam in the process. Totally feasible. And >> I bet it could be scripted on a Unix/Linux/Mac system. e.g. >> >> 1. Start capture software >> 2. Play tape >> 3. Record tracks into MP3 format (auto detect gaps to make new files) >> >> When tape finished >> >> 1. Play back each track and send to Shazam >> 2. Tag from Shazam applied to the MP3 file and stored >> 3. Repeat for the tracks ripped. How about 1. Start capture software 2. Play tape 3. Record tracks into MP3 format (auto detect gaps to make new files) 4. Stream to shazzam during record 5. write metatag to file during save. Last edited by: Zero on Mon 2 May 11 at 18:22 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:24   Cassette copier - rtj70

Did think that Z but I did say easily scripted. But maybe I could use tee. A commercial grade solution would certainly work. I wonder why nobody has bothered. Maybe because the original audio source is poor and should be binned and bought in digital format? Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:18   Cassette copier - spamcan61

>> An alternative thought might be something like Audio Hijack which might be able to automatically >> create the individual MP3 files based on detected gaps. But you still need to actually >> name the tracks properly. >> According to the thread I linked earlier then this program can automatically split and name the tracks:- all-streaming-media.com/record-audio-stream/Replay-Music-record-any-web-radio-station-or-streaming-music-service.htm I dunno why, but I've never got on with Audacity, I use Goldwave for much the same purposes; that's g Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:19   Cassette copier - rtj70

Audacity can produce some huge files when you're cutting up tracks.... not that I'd have done that of course ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:21   Cassette copier - spamcan61

>> Audacity can produce some huge files when you're cutting up tracks.... not that I'd have >> done that of course ;-) >> I've been copying a lot of audio from HiFi VHS recently, live concerts from Radio 1/2 and suchlike I recorded in the 80s, sampled at 32 KHz 16 bit wav it's around 1GB per hour. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:19   Cassette copier - Zero

Unless its stuff that cant be got elsewhere, music on tape is best left in the bin. Reply to this message | Report message       2

New Mon 2 May 11 18:20   Cassette copier - rtj70

Z, you're right. For all the effort I'd not bother and buy it. Time is money. An album might only cost £4! Or if you feel you legitimately own the originals, records off something like Spotify in digital and save off the MP3s. Would that be legal if you had it on tape? I doubt it somehow. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:24   Cassette copier - spamcan61

>> >> Or if you feel you legitimately own the originals, records off something like Spotify in >> digital and save off the MP3s. Would that be legal if you had it on >> tape? I doubt it somehow. >> Nah, format shifting is still breach of copyright in the UK, although not the USA I believe. For sure if there's a download available of something I've got on vinyl/tape then I won't bother sampling my copy. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:25   Cassette copier - rtj70

If you had an Android phone and gtunes... it finds and downloads quite a bit. Illegal for sure. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:27   Cassette copier - RattleandSmoke

As I am on premium playing it in the car was 100% legal, my there is no AUX in as I have the basic model so I had to use the FM transmitter which is awful. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:26   Cassette copier - RattleandSmoke

Its just like copying stuff on cassette was we used to do in the 70's, 80's and 90's, my dad still has some 1960's radio shows he recorded on a real to real tape machine. As longs as its not being used for commercial purposes then they turn a blind eye to it. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 19:25   Cassette copier - Stuartli

>>..then they turn a blind eye to it.>> You're on the right lines Rattle. The BBC always used to state that recording TV and radio programmes was acceptable providing, as you state, it was for private rather than commercial use. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 19:44   Cassette copier - Zero

No-one really care about copies for your own use as long as you bought it once. Its providing copies to others who haven't they get the hump about. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:25   Cassette copier - RattleandSmoke

I actually own 80% of the stuff I've just copied but its all on different CDs and vinyl. But when I am driving I can't start changing CDs and some of its on vinyl anyway so this is the perfect solution. I did use an FM transmitter and my mobile phone via spotify but the sound quality was awful with over blown bass and harsh treble. The CD I've just made via Audacity sounds fine in the car. WAV file is 700mb but I will delete it. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:35   Cassette copier - Dave_

As an audiophile Rats, I shouldn't think *anything* sounds good on the Panda's standard stereo. I just accept the limits in my car, and appreciate the music for what it is. Which is CDs burned with 44kbps audio ripped from youtube, mostly :) I'm still looking for the cheapest way to get video from a VHS cassette to youtube. Half a dozen of us clubbed together to rent a camcorder for the weekend of my 18th birthday, the result takes up most of an E240 VHS tape which sits here waiting for its time to come. I've got a working VHS recorder still hooked up to my telly, I just need to figure out the absolute cheapest way of converting it to mpeg format. Is there an audacity for video? And does a SCART to USB lead exist? That would sort it. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:37   Cassette copier - spamcan61

You need a VCR and one of these:- cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB2-0-EASYCAP-VHS-TV-DVD-Video-Capture-Card-Adaptor-/330559679052?pt=UK_Computing_Computer_Components_Graphics_Video_TV_Cards_TW&hash=item4cf6e46a4c A bit cheaper still if you use a direct supplier in China. Does the job fine with VHS for me. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:37   Cassette copier - rtj70

Dave, do you have video in capability on your graphic card? There will be USB video capture solutions - but you might not need it depending on computer spec. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:39   Cassette copier - spamcan61

>> Dave, do you have video in capability on your graphic card? >> >> There will be USB video capture solutions - but you might not need it depending >> on computer spec. >> The one I use is fine with a 3GHz P4, struggles to keep up using my laptop with Pentium M 1.5GHz. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 2 May 11 18:44   Cassette copier - RattleandSmoke

The Panda system is crap, but with cheap paper speakers and a basic head unit its all you can expect, I have heard far worse though. What meant was in the Panda it sounds as good as any other CD, it sounds better than the radio and far better than the horrible transmitter. Reply to this message | Report message