MP3 to Tape?

hip hop bunny hop · 10-22-2012, 09:26 AM

I want to copy my tape collection unto my PC & be able to make mix tapes thusly. Mostly 'cuz I've metal friends & metal tapes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Right. In order to get anything on a tape you're going to have to have some way of recording onto cassette. A walkman won't do it (unless it's a recording one, and as they sold very badly when they were out I'm going to assume it's not) so either way you're going to have to get some sort of deck you can hook up to your PC so that you can transfer the music onto the tapes. There's just no other way.

Something like this Amazon.com: Ion Tape2PC USB Cassette Deck: Electronics will do it for you. There's literally no other option, unless you have an old handheld cassette deck with a mike, and the kind of recording you're going to get from that is, quite frankly, just not worth it.

Even if you get the music onto a CD it still can't be transferred onto a tape without a tape deck that records.

I called Ion... they literally have not a single product which allows you to go from PC to Tape. They only go from Tape to PC

Trollheart · 10-22-2012, 07:09 PM

Ok I think I misunderstood there, steered you wrong. Sorry.

But what you could do (if I understand this time) is record your mixes to CD (via your burner) then take that disc, put it into a separate CD player with a tape deck attached, and record from the CD to the tape. That's how we used to do it in the olden days!

Let's see then... something like this would work Amazon.com: Supersonic Portable MP3/CD Player Double Cassette Recorder and AM/FM Radio with USB Input SC-2020U: MP3 Players & Accessories

The thing is to get an intermediate medium you can use to get the music onto your tapes from the PC. So although you can't do direct PC to tape (though I'm sure there are older decks that will do this with a bit of fiddling) you CAN record onto CD and thence to tape. But you will need something like the above in order to transfer your music from CD to tape, exclusive then of the PC.

It might work with a USB drive too, though you'd need a stereo deck that had a USB input... nah, I'd stick with something simple like the above.

**Janszoon** · 10-22-2012, 07:18 PM

Does anyone know if there's a good way to go from MiniDisc to piano roll to reel-to-reel to wax cylinder? I have whole bunch of Estonian ska on MiniDisc that I'd really like to hear on a player piano combined with that distinct early 60s hi-fi tape hiss, yet still be able to listen to it on my old hand-cranked phonograph. Suggestions?

Urban Hat€monger ? · 10-23-2012, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Suggestions?

Ask Neopolitan, he'll take your question seriously AND probably know the answer.

Engine · 12-04-2012, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hip hop bunny hop

I want to copy my tape collection unto my PC & be able to make mix tapes thusly. Mostly 'cuz I've metal friends & metal tapes.

You need a cassette player/recorder, a cord that connects that to your computer (perhaps a RCA/USB adapter), and a computer that runs Audacity (which is non-proprietary i.e. free). Then play your MP3s on your computer and record them on cassette. You will need to press and hold the record button on your cassette player while your computer plays the MP3 through Audacity. Duh.

edit: I just read your OP which says that you don't want the hassle of buying a cassette deck that can play and record. So nevermind my response. But buying one of those is actually pretty easy if you have any thrift stores up there in Nowhere, USA.

LoathsomePete · 12-04-2012, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Engine

You need a cassette player/recorder, a cord that connects that to your computer (perhaps a RCA/USB adapter), and a computer that runs Audacity (which is non-proprietary i.e. free). Then play your MP3s on your computer and record them on cassette. You will need to press and hold the record button on your cassette player while your computer plays the MP3 through Audacity. Duh.

edit: I just read your OP which says that you don't want the hassle of buying a cassette deck that can play and record. So nevermind my response. But buying one of those is actually pretty easy if you have any thrift stores up there in Nowhere, USA.

Well you've made it that much easier for me, I was wondering which program to use. I'm making a friend a post-punk mix tape for Christmas.

10-22-2012, 07:09 PM	#12 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Ok I think I misunderstood there, steered you wrong. Sorry. But what you could do (if I understand this time) is record your mixes to CD (via your burner) then take that disc, put it into a separate CD player with a tape deck attached, and record from the CD to the tape. That's how we used to do it in the olden days! Let's see then... something like this would work Amazon.com: Supersonic Portable MP3/CD Player Double Cassette Recorder and AM/FM Radio with USB Input SC-2020U: MP3 Players & Accessories The thing is to get an intermediate medium you can use to get the music onto your tapes from the PC. So although you can't do direct PC to tape (though I'm sure there are older decks that will do this with a bit of fiddling) you CAN record onto CD and thence to tape. But you will need something like the above in order to transfer your music from CD to tape, exclusive then of the PC. It might work with a USB drive too, though you'd need a stereo deck that had a USB input... nah, I'd stick with something simple like the above. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-22-2012, 07:18 PM	#13 (permalink)
Janszoon Mate, Spawn & Die Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Rapping Community Posts: 24,593	Does anyone know if there's a good way to go from MiniDisc to piano roll to reel-to-reel to wax cylinder? I have whole bunch of Estonian ska on MiniDisc that I'd really like to hear on a player piano combined with that distinct early 60s hi-fi tape hiss, yet still be able to listen to it on my old hand-cranked phonograph. Suggestions? __________________ A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man Time & Place 25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die last.fm