Recording sounds

[Fruss Tray Ted]

In Windows 98 and I don't know how many others there's a sound recorder that allows an auxiliary device like a cassette player to be played through line in. But the bad thing is it only allows 60 seconds of record time. Anyone know of a software or program to increase it at least to 5 or so minutes? Maybe a download site? It would be nice to be able to digitize my magnetic tapes and LP collection. But more importantly is how to use the PC for a studio storage device.

Thanks in advance
Mister (T)eD

[PeteSchiffer]

Hi Fruss,

I use MusicMatch Jukebox. I donwloaded it from somewhere, just search for it, it's very popular. It's also free.

It will convert your tapes/vinyl into either MP3 or WAV (MP3 is much smaller file-wise). It can use line in. You'll have to search around a bit in the options (?) settings to get it all set up, but it will do what you want.

Pete

[PeteSchiffer]

I ought to add two things.

1. MusicMatch jukebox is quite a big download, 6 or 7 MB.

2. The machine I am using now doesn't like doing what I described above. The sound quality is poor (it's fine for CD, just doesn't like using the line in). I put this down to its having an onboard sound card. Another machine (older than this one in fact) with an installed soundcard works fine.

Pete

[evalroy]

Fruss,

I will put in a plug for Music Match too. The basic version is free and a modest download if you have a fast connection. However I recommend getting the upgraded Plus version 7. It cost $19.95 US which is not much when you start taking advantage of its enhanced features. The biggest knock on the basic version is that it records slow and does not have a great deal of control over the quality of the conversion. The Plus version allows you to utilize your computer's full power. If you burn your own CD's it is very good. It will burn mp3's directly to CD format at 16X and will auto-level the tone. Very cool! Compile you play list using drag and drop.

Sorry did not mean to sound like an infomercial, but I really like this program.

Good luck,
ER http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif


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I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there.
- Richard Feynman

[diurnal]

Have Fruss i actually read something today you might want to hear.

After your recording is stopped. Save the file as BLANK.WAV or any other file you want. Then choose EDIT/INSERT FILE and insert the BLANK.WAV into the existing file. This will make it 120seconds long. Keep inserting until you find the desired length.

Then record over the file to create a longer sound file.

Sounds complicated , i never used the sound recorder, may be this will make some sense to you.

oops didnt see you said you wanted another program or dowload, its just odd i jump on this subject cause i just read it in a magazine.
cya
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Murph's Law: 1.Everything takes longer than you think
2.If anything can go wrong it will
3.Nothing is as easy as it looks

[This message has been edited by diurnal (edited 02-18-2002).]

[Fruss Tray Ted]

Thanks Pete ER & diurnal,
I will try the free site before a purchase and also the stacking (piggy-backing) mentioned with Sound Recorder.

[Vic 970]

Did a similar thing with sound recorder a while ago, forgotten now exactly how I did it but got about 7 mins recording time.

latest version of MusicMatch here
http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-1896422-108-37436.html?tag=upd

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for every question there's an answer. Then a load more questions.
Definition of Upgrade "A means of introducing new bugs to a program to replace the ones that you have eventually found fixes for"

Regards..,
Vic.

[Fruss Tray Ted]

I reinserted the blank file as you suggested and could only get 108 seconds total before when trying to insert again, I would get the dreaded 'not enough storage space available, please close out other programs and try again'. So I closed almost everything and still no go. The free version of Musicmatch doesn't allow line in to function only CD's and downloads. It also states I need a 300 mhz system and I only have 150 mhz. I've been told I coudn't burn with a slow system but I'm not having problems with that. I'd like to know ahead though before throwing money to the wind.

[PeteSchiffer]

Hi Fruss,

I've never bought the full version of MMJB and I can use the line in function. But perhaps they have taken it away with the newer versions, this one is six months old. But I doubt this somehow because with each new release the free version keeps getting better (in terms of speed that MP3s are recorded at and in the visualisations area). There was a time when the best recording speed was only 96kbps, now it's 128. But the burning speeds and the visualisations in the non-free versions are better, it's true.

This is what I do: Options | recorder | source and click 'line in' or Options | settings | recorder tab | recording source. Options | settings | recorder is where you change the recording quality, fade in/out etc.

I seem to remember, too, that when I was recording some tapes I set the 'Auto song detect' and I didn't need to stop at the end of each track. Renaming doesn't seem to work very well, though, and this system is a bit hit and miss, I always do it manually - but you may have another application where it's useful.

My version of MMJB is 6.00.0270

Pete

[Paleo Pete]

'not enough storage space available, please close out other programs and try again'.

Check the free space available on your hard drive. Sound files can get very large, especially WAV files, which is what the sound recorder creates. If you are trying to record a 3 minute song it can be huge. You should have minimum 500MB free space, I would try for more like at least 1GB to be on the safe side. This is in addition to free space for a swap file, which should be at least 100MB in most cases. Mine usually runs about 40-50MB with 128MB RAM installed.

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[steveo]

I was having the same problems using the default Win98se sound recorder. Even though I could "size" the amount of time needed to record something I found the playback quality lacking and not worth the effort. Eventually I upgraded to a Soundblaster Live! that came with EAX recording software and life is good (sorry for the shamless plug, but going with what I use personally). The quality of my recordings be it from a pre-recorded source like a 4-track/cassette/cdrom or running my Fender amp straight into the soundcard via the line-in jack sounds close to professional quality
(recording and multi-tracking is what what I use the pc for).

Pete is correct about the hhd space needed for wav files. These files can grow in size really quick. Using a wav->mp3 encoder reduces the size of the file considerably. It's also been my experience that dealing with large sound files and whatever software/freeware you may want to use to edit these files puts a heavy draw on the cpu so you may find that the 150mhz cpu is literally sweating to the oldies.

Not sure if this helps you or not.

good luck

[This message has been edited by steveo (edited 02-20-2002).]

[PeteSchiffer]

I record my MP3 stuff at 128kbps. I don't think all music takes exactly the same amount of space, filewise, but it's around the same. I reckon on a Megabyte a minute, though I've never exactly measured it.

As for processor speed. With Music Match Jukbox, I use an old 120 or 133MHz (can't remember precisely which now - but it's not fast!) laptop with 32Mb RAM. It's fine (speakers aren't up to much though!). In fact it must have (for these purposes) a better sound card than my general use desktop as it records line in nicely.

Pete