[mdlug] Converting tapes

[Ingles, Raymond]

> From: John Wiersba

> I haven't had good luck with this method in the past.  Maybe the poor
quality of
> the player (i.e. a boom box) is what's causing the poor signal.  The
sound as
> heard over my computer's speakers via the audio/microphone input is
very
> substantially degraded from the sound heard on the boom box's
speakers.

 Actually, the sound card hardware probably has a *lot* more to do with
this.

 Not all sound cards are created equal - not even close. A heavy premium
is put on playback and output quality. Then, if there's anything left in
the budget, something is cobbled together for input. Sound card makers
know that the vast majority of users are going to play sounds almost
exclusively. A few might hook up a microphone to do web chats. Only a
tiny fraction will actually try to record anything but the human voice
(which doesn't get much past 4Khz, and is perfectly intelligible at
8-bits-per-samply quality).

 Most sound cards built into motherboards are cheap like that. Adequate
playback, marginal (at best) recording. They struggle to get even 12-bit
audio quality. My main machine has a SoundBlaster Live Value which
actually has pretty good recording hardware - I've recorded some old
vinyl records and tapes with good results using it. That was *not* the
case with the built-in sound chips on the motherboard.

 *Given* decent hardware, Linux has wonderful free tools for such
things. Audacity's very useful, and has neat things like "Click Removal"
to help clean up the sound of vinyl records.

 Sincerely,

 Ray Ingles                                   (313) 227-2317

   Microsoft Windows - Putting new limits on productivity.

The contents of this e-mail are intended for the named addressee only. It contains information that may be confidential. Unless you are the named addressee or an authorized designee, you may not copy or use it, or disclose it to anyone else. If you received it in error please notify us immediately and then destroy it.