How to digitize a vinyl collection??? Rip, convert, etc..

[SamIchi]

So I bought my parents a Mac Mini, and they want to rip their vinyl collection and put it on the Mini. We have a turntable, a cheap one, reciever/amp (i think), it's part of our home theater/stereo system. I know there's a way but how? Do I need some special equipment or cables? I found this thread...

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=323263&highlight=rip+vinyl

but people just started talking about other stuff. One person suggested ART USB Phono Plus. Could someone explain this conversion process to the layman. Thanks!

[andmill]

First, if you have a lot of LP's and have a little money, then id recommend you get a usb record player http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/mp3/90a0/

otherwise get a griffin "iMic" http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/imic/ you will also need a rca to 3.5mm stereo jack cable.

those would be what you need in terms of hardware, now the software side, its the same for both the usb record player and using the iMic.

Download audacity (free) inside the program you can chose what you are recording from (like "line in" "internal mic"... and chose the device you are using (imic, or usb record player) then hit record and play the record player.

i think some usb record players have software that can auto start and stop the recording when the records done but im not sure which one does..
hope this helps

[balamw]

If the receiver has optical out you could probably plug that in to the line in w/o needing the iMic. No?

B