Off Topic: Cassette to Digital in High Speed?

[Todd W. White]

Hello All,

I have hundreds of cassette recordings that I want to transfer to digital. My present setup copies them to the computer in real time, which means countless hours of transcribing them would be required.

Is there a machine that will transfer the cassette recording to the computer in a high-speed format, much as one of the high-speed cassette duplicating machines can do? If so, where can they be purchased, and what is the cost?

Lastly, I'm aware that CD's are going away faster than cassettes did - what's the best way to archive them once we've translated them to digital? A portable mega hard drive, perhaps?

Thanks for your input.

[LICORNE]

The only company is OTARI. View this site it has both reel to reel and casette high speed to digital.


Otari, Inc.: Product Information: DAS - Digital Archive System

[mah]

Cautionary note: the copying machine must be able to reproduce the highest frequency, on the subject tape, multiplied by the dubbing speed. Thus to copy 20Hz-15kHz at 2x speed the dubbing machine must have 40Hz to 30kHz capability. This is beyond the performance of even high-end consumer decks. However, if you only wish to copy speech any deck that does 2x transfer will probably suffice.

e.g. Pyle Pro PT-659DU Dual Stereo Cassette Deck w/Tape USB PT659DU This one does the digital conversion. Alesis has one for twice the price.

Cheers, Marshall.

[Nipper]

[QUOTE=Todd W. White
Lastly, I'm aware that CD's are going away faster than cassettes did - what's the best way to archive them once we've translated them to digital? A portable mega hard drive, perhaps?

Thanks for your input.[/QUOTE]

The hard drive will work well.

The best solution I have found is to find an older Power Mac G5 computer and use it as a music server. You can pick one up very reasonably ($100- $300) and they sound great. I personally find it pretty impressive.

It will also have optical in/out as well as analog.

The factory software included Apples Garage Band that is great for editing/mixing. Itunes has all the playback options one could ask for.

It has room for two hard drives inside so backing up your data (highly recommended) is a breeze. If you get a chance, its worth an audition... You might really like it.

[Panomaniac]

I run my music off a reconditioned Dell with XP pro. Works like a charm and is very quiet. Think I paid $90 for it.
The cassette problem is interesting. In theory, you could run the stuff at 6X and still get all the cassette bandwidth with a 192Khz sample rate. But finding a playback device that has that kind of bandwidth is not going to be easy. 4X maybe. 60Khz?

[Steve Mac]

I store and play my music on a mac mini which makes no noise at all. Pricey comparatively but my life in messing with computers is just over...thank God. iTunes is an awesome librarian and there are a growing number of applications which work with it that extend its functionality. Honestly...it's had a profound and compelling impact on my audio and musical pursuits.

[Nipper]

Honestly...it's had a profound and compelling impact on my audio and musical pursuits.

Same here. You wont have to look hard to find a Mac in some studios, I dont know about the Mini but to me the G5 has excellent sound capabilities. I never verified it but I have read (on the internet) the G5 uses the same TI chips that McIntosh used in some of their high end stuff. Many times I have had others make the comment "I never heard that in that song before" and I find myself still thinking that. It is really worth an audition and you can decide.