What kind of mike would I need to record something from a cassette onto my pc? It dunner have to cost that much, as it will probably only be a one-off recording...and oh, if anyone has songtapper on their pc, would they do this on there, if I 'wrote out' the tune in taps? Ta Muchly.
You don't use a mic .. you use a 2.5 jack from the line out to line in on PC souncard input. You should have those available. Better not to use a mic at all, because in proximity to PC (even with shielded cable) you will get feedback and generally crap sound!
Ah .. Check the tape player for any audio out socket. Even a heahphone socket 'could' be used. They are usually 2.5mm standard jack sockets (like a walkman headphone socket)
Check the PC sound entry jacks for line in. You can select in the audio control panel accessible from system tray icon.
At the very least you should have a headphone socket (or a line-out socket) on the cassette deck and a microphone socket (or line-in socket) on the computer, is what AlBags is driving at. These are normally for 2.5mm headphone jack plugs, so a cable with a 2.5mm jack plug at each end will connect one to the other.
Proper line-out/line-in sockets are not governed by the devices' volume controls, where headphone/microphone sockets are.
On the PC, there is a round socket, coloured light blue - that's Line In.
On the cassette player, there will be a similar socket, colour unimportant, but probably got a symbol like a circle with an arrow pointing out of it - that's Line Out.
Both sockets have a diameter of 2.5 mm.
To connect the two, you need a lead with a 2.5 mm plug at each end - readily available in Poundland or similar shops.
Al, the tape side of things I get, but the pc side I don't - does it mean I need a cable with a jack plug either end, then one in tape socket and the other in pc?...then what...even bigger idiot English!
Many Thanks Skids and Vagrant, your answers came up as I was answering Al. When all (hopefully) is connected up, I just play the bit of tape I'm on about, but then where does it go in the pc...I should get a message, yes?? I don't caere how much of an idiot I sound, I'd just love to know what this piece of music is!
I daren't download anything like that as I have a speech system which takes up a hell of a lot of space and always 'fights' anything else which is 'unknown'...and to be honest, I aint got the confidence.
What is it you want to record? If it's something common then I can record it for you and send it to a throw away email address, just go to gmail, hotmail, yahoo etc and set up an email you can use for this purpose.