Using a laptop for audio/video

bretti_kivi · Post by **bretti_kivi** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 10:23 am

... inputs? not sure. S/PDIF is the standard digital DVD sound output....so get an input (doesn't even need to be on the same card!) and away you go.

think through what you want and need BEFORE installation, though - then test, curse the software, test some more and then buy different hardware. Curse. Test. Add more software. Realise you were going the wrong way, change 2 settings and "hey presto!".
It's hard work, but it should be worth it.

Bret

gkitching · Post by **gkitching** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:09 pm

stipud wrote:Want to record tapes on a computer? Hook up a tape player with an RCA->mini connector, and hook that into your microphone input... or a mini->mini cable if you use a walkman. I think pretty much all platforms come with some sort of recording device now. Windows would probably give you a WAV file, which you would then convert to MP3.

I tried that the last time you made me feel stupid for asking that question

But to no avail. There was no recording software on my machine. (at least that I could find) I could get audio to play thru but not record

So I did a search for some freeware but only found trial samples that would only allow like 30seconds of record time.

So I let it rest until the subject came up again. Hence my highjacking this thread.

Also, converting WAV to MP3 is an other program right?

bretti_kivi · Post by **bretti_kivi** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:14 pm

try....

sound recorder will record from your line-in or mic input. You'll need to play with the levels. What OS?

Then to convert... foobar will do it, as will CDex. Then MP3Tag to tag and sort according to CDDB.

Bret

gkitching · Post by **gkitching** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:39 pm

Bret .. ya .. I'm NOT down with that! As I mentioned (if it isn't allready apparent) I'm not a computer guy. And planning had nothing to do with that car. Every time I turned around the kid was bringing me more shit to try and put in. To give you an idea of what ended up in that car

6 - DVD players
3 - cameras
1 - mini mac w/touchscreen moni
1 - PS2 mini
1 - head unit
15 - monitors
plus amps and speakers

So unless there's a way to get 8 inputs to the mac ... that's why I used an outboard switching unit. Hardware not software! haha .. I really don't intend to try that again but if the situation arises again I could see a need for at least 1 or 2 inputs if you wanted to use the mac as the main source.

gkitching · Post by **gkitching** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:41 pm

bretti_kivi wrote:try....

sound recorder will record from your line-in or mic input. You'll need to play with the levels. What OS?

Then to convert... foobar will do it, as will CDex. Then MP3Tag to tag and sort according to CDDB.

Bret

My o/s at home is XP.

bretti_kivi · Post by **bretti_kivi** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:57 pm

Hmm.. why the hell do you need 6 DVD players in a car?

Anyway, the whole reason for me with the laptop / car PC is that you get USB radios, it has a CD drive, and all the music is on a disk or a thumb drive.

Under Accessories in XP, there should be a sound recorder. You will need to play with the connections on the soundcard you have (i don't know if this is a laptop, as they frequently don't have a line-in, whereas a desktop machine probably has a line-in) and then double-click the little loudspeaker down by the clock. In the menus at the top, the left-,most one should give you the option to change the "recording" levels... and this is what you need. You'll need to play the tape across and record the whole thing, pausing it between tracks and then stopping the recording on the computer and saving the file, otherwise it will get pretty big.
It's a tedious process and will take time, but it is possible.

Bret

oxphatxo · Post by **oxphatxo** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:36 pm

HOW DARE YOU GUYS!!! STEALING MY THREAD!!!

Just kidding, you've all lost me by now. It's nice to see people seem to know what they're talking about though.

Continue with the hijacking...