So Basic I'm Embarassed, Converting my tapes to mp3 Options

I have a G4 and a walkman with a cassette in it.
1. I want to plug in the walkman to the mac (the microphone socket at the back?)
2. I want to play a song on the walkman.
3. I want to use some software to capture the song and turn it into a n MP3 (preferably free stuff I can download from the internet)
4. Can anyone tell me exactly what to do so that it works
Sorry for being such a wooz but really this computing thing really isn't me

thanks

Tony Goodman

[NoSloppy]

First, go here ---> http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/4811

and download the application.
install it, run it,
then create a new 44.1 stereo aiff file (file>new>(set options to 44.1 etc...) click ok.)

Plug in your walkman to the sound in (yes the mic in if there's no dedicated line in)
set your sound source (input) to mic in.(either in the program prefs, or system prefs>sound)

press play and adjust the walkman volume to about 3/4.
adjust the input sliders (in sound studio) so that you don't exceed like -6 on the meter.

once your sound levels are good, rewind the tape,
press record in sound studio, and press play on your tape.

once the song is over, press stop in sound studio, then stop your tape.

I would select (by click dragging) any silence you have at the beginning and end of your new aiff file, and delete it so that the song starts and ends cleanly.
I would also then select all, and choose Filter>Normalize, and leave it set to 0.0 db. (max volume without clipping).

Save your file somewhere easy like the desktop for now.

NEXT STEP: CONVERTING YOUR NEW AIFF INTO AN MP3 FILE>

You should have iTunes from Apple. If you don't goto the Apple website and download it.
Once installed, and running,
choose convert to MP3 Under ____ from the top menu( don't have it in front of me. Maybe convert, or advanced?...its on the right to the left of "Window")

choose a nice 128 or higher setting (possibly in preferences of mp3 conversion), and choose a destination
for your new file.
-peace

This post has been edited by lepetitmartien: Mon 24 Apr 2006, 22:35

[kaboombahchuck]

I think if you use the mic imput your recordings will be in mono. There should be a "sound in"port. If there is one, thats the one to use. I know Apple stoped putting this port on their computers for a while (expecially the new flat pannel iMac).

[deleted]

I have a G4 and a walkman with a cassette in it.
1. I want to plug in the walkman to the mac (the microphone socket at the back?)

Yes, you can use the microphone socket. You only need an adapter (jack 3.6 stereo through another jack 3.6 stereo).

2. I want to play a song on the walkman.

Yes, i'm following you ;-)

3. I want to use some software to capture the song and turn it into an MP3 (preferably free stuff I can download from the internet)

I'll recommend Coaster to record the audiofile (aiff or sd2) and then DropMP3, based on Lame, or Ogg Drop whicj is opensource, to encode the file.

Some commercial and dedicated software can do this easily in one pass, like n2mp3 or example.
Bye.