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How to record airchecks to MP3?

I

icycool7227

I have another question. I'm currently trading with someone and they want an MP3 format of stations taped locally off the air. What program do you use to do this and how do you do it? I've always used cassette tapes. I want the audio quality to be good. What are some programs?
 
www.totalrecorder.com

There's a cost, but I record my DX & other stuff on it. Actually often I do use cassette tapes, then run a cord from either a tape player or the stereo tape deck's receiver into the PC.

Works like a charm.

cd
 
Anytime I transfer recordings from audio tape to my computer, I have a cable (that has plugs being the same size as those found on the end of a typical set of headphones, usually 1/8" or 3.5mm) and hook it up to the line input jack of the sound card located on my PC. The software I typically use is dBpowerAMP's Auxiliary Input, but there's other good pieces of audio encoding software out there. When it comes to MP3s themselves, I make sure to use 128 Kbps 44.1 kHz, which is standard CD quality. I've been doing this sort of thing on and off for many years.
 
Mike said:
When it comes to MP3s themselves, I make sure to use 128 Kbps 44.1 kHz, which is standard CD quality.
Click to expand...

Commercial CD quality is 320 Kbps. 128 Kbps would be my last choice for music CD's and then only if maximum compression were needed. Works fine for recording off the air though.
 
Fry's Electronics sells 'em in their brick & mortar stores as well as online. Although I haven't looked for CD's online lately Newegg.com probably does too.
 
landtuna said:
Mike said:
When it comes to MP3s themselves, I make sure to use 128 Kbps 44.1 kHz, which is standard CD quality.
Click to expand...

Commercial CD quality is 320 Kbps. 128 Kbps would be my last choice for music CD's and then only if maximum compression were needed. Works fine for recording off the air though.
Click to expand...

When you consider how most stations today seem to have a rather limited bandwidth in the audio stream, going 320 Kbps may be overkill for airchecks. Also makes a difference whether you plan to capture airchecks in stereo. If you are doing MONO recordings, cut the bit-rate in half if you are trying to keep files smaller. If I were doing mono airchecks of AM stations, I would be happy with 48 or 64 Kbps.
 
Recording an audio stream is not really an aircheck. Its an "internetcheck" and should be designated as such in your aircheck list. Airchecks should be over the air recordings, complete w/ the local stations processing.
 
shadough said:
Recording an audio stream is not really an aircheck. Its an "internetcheck" and should be designated as such in your aircheck list. Airchecks should be over the air recordings, complete w/ the local stations processing.
Click to expand...

Then give me thousands of dollars in air fare and other expenses so I can do real airchecks. I'm broke haha.
 
Sony and Sansa at least make mp3 players with FM tuners you can record off of. (For AM:
get a walkman, tune to AM freq. and put in mini-FM transmitter--rebroadcast signal on
an FM freq. etc. Record that on your mp3 player/rec)

Example:
When in New Orleans I recorded a minor league ballgame on the FM 106.1, on my Sansa Fuze.
The file is named thusly:

FM106_1_072710_1905
In other words, recorded off 106.1 on 7/27/10 at 7:05 PM

The file is actually a wav file but you can make it mp3. Connect mp3 player/rec to comp
and drag the file to desktop. Use free Shuang's Wav To Mp3 converter to convert etc
 
I use TotalRecorder to transfer tapes to mp3.Thanks to this site thats how I got the recommendation on Totalrecorder.Also I use my Roland Edirol R-09HR to record airchecks on the road.like on my last trip to Upstate New York and Atlantic City NJ With the Edirol recorder It's simple just take the SD card out and put into my computer and walla all my airchecks are all on my computer.But this little recorder comes with a hefty price..Ok I'm happy at encoding between 160 to 320kbps for FM and HQ internet streams .for AM radio and low quility streams I do 128kbps but not below 96kbps.
 
Mike said:
Anytime I transfer recordings from audio tape to my computer, I have a cable (that has plugs being the same size as those found on the end of a typical set of headphones, usually 1/8" or 3.5mm) and hook it up to the line input jack of the sound card located on my PC. The software I typically use is dBpowerAMP's Auxiliary Input, but there's other good pieces of audio encoding software out there. When it comes to MP3s themselves, I make sure to use 128 Kbps 44.1 kHz, which is standard CD quality. I've been doing this sort of thing on and off for many years.
Click to expand...

A program called Spin It Again allows you to record from tape to computer. It then allows you to "clean up" and EQ the file (reduce tape hiss, hum, etc). It's a $35 program, but I think you can get a free trial. Here's the link:

http://www.acoustica.com/spinitagain/
 
I would just like to add--that when RECORDING onto your computer--make CERTAIN the "exterraneous" System sounds are OFF--("Navigation", Messenger--any WINDOWS--even Yahoo sound can interrupt & essentially RUIN a recording. The way to turn off all NON-ESSENTIAL computer sounds is Control Panel>Sounds>WINDOWS (or Program Events)--check the box that says "Mute"--when you're finished Recording--simply go back & un-check the "mute" selection to RESTORE those "system sounds".
 
I use a seprit sound card, (two in my desktop), record only to 320 K. I prefer that bitrate and wil ask for such. I record any currents for anyone else, or coppies of anything i have on cassette tape at this bitrate. I'll except less if there isn't any alturnative without complaint, but i have my preffrences.
I use Sound Forge to record my airchecks, edeting and normalizing to -3.0 DB.

John
 
icycool7227 said:
I have another question. I'm currently trading with someone and they want an MP3 format of stations taped locally off the air. What program do you use to do this and how do you do it? I've always used cassette tapes. I want the audio quality to be good. What are some programs?
Click to expand...

Try Step Voice Recorder on the fly MP3 Recording. Hook your cassette deck (or Walkman) up using a Y Cable- Get it at Radio Shack, sometimes at Ross (I bought one there once) or on Ebay. Hook it up to your soundcards Audio Input set the bit rate to Tape Quality or CD Quality and press Record!

Rather cassettes I been recently recording mine on DVD+R discs in 8 Hour Mode. From my Sanyo Quadraphonic Receiver I connect the L and R Tape Output cable (using RCA cables) to the DVD's L and R Inputs. For the Video Source I connect it to a Camcorder Video Output to DVD Input, I then press record on the DVD recorder. I will post a YouTube video of me taping KKMJ Super Songs of the 70s on DVD as a how to video it should be online by late next week.

You could also use stepvoice recorder (it has Recording schedulers) and copy directly from Walkman Radio via Y Cable to PC.

Download Step Voice Recorder
http://www.aplusfreeware.com/categories/Audio-Video/files/mp3rec10.zip
 
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