Cassette (or other) conversion to MP3 files, including splitting...

[momefarley]

I'm interested in converting mostly cassette tapes to MP3 files for personal use.
I have a late '06 Macbook (Tiger). I have a cassette deck and a cable that can physically plug into the audio out of the cassette deck and audio in of my MB.

So I'm thinking I could use Audacity or Garageband to record it on the MB (haven't attempted it yet).

BUT, I'm wondering what is the easiest way to separate it out into individual files for each song. Is there any way to record the whole tape and then mark each end/start of songs and the software will divide it out into files? Or do I have to manually record each song separately??

I'm not interested in investing in a USB device...

Any suggestions?

 

[krye]

I'm interested in converting mostly cassette tapes to MP3 files for personal use.
I have a late '06 Macbook (Tiger). I have a cassette deck and a cable that can physically plug into the audio out of the cassette deck and audio in of my MB.

So I'm thinking I could use Audacity or Garageband to record it on the MB (haven't attempted it yet).

BUT, I'm wondering what is the easiest way to separate it out into individual files for each song. Is there any way to record the whole tape and then mark each end/start of songs and the software will divide it out into files? Or do I have to manually record each song separately??

I'm not interested in investing in a USB device...

Any suggestions?

I did this with several audio tapes using the same method. I used Toast however. It comes with an app called CD Spin Doctor. You can record audio in and then cut it into as many tracks as you want. It saves them as aiff files. You then dump them into iTunes and convert them to mp3.

 

[momefarley]

I did this with several audio tapes using the same method. I used Toast however. It comes with an app called CD Spin Doctor. You can record audio in and then cut it into as many tracks as you want. It saves them as aiff files. You then dump them into iTunes and convert them to mp3.

Wow! Looking at the features of CD Spin Doctor - it looks like it does just what I'm wanting! I'm not sure if I need the whole Toast software, but that one piece sounds about right.

Anyone with any comments about this particular software - good or bad?

 

[jodelli]

I use a device called an iMic that acts as a pre-amp and comes with software called Final Vinyl and it does a decent job of marking tracks.

From what I've read CD Spin Doctor does something similar.
http://www.macworld.com/article/131449/2008/01/feb08playlist.html

Edit: Thanks for the correction on iMic

 

[momefarley]

I use a device called an iMike that acts as a pre-amp and comes with software called Final Vinyl and it does a decent job of marking tracks.

Thanks - it's actually called iMic, I think. Anyway, it seems like a great device, except that I already have an audio input on my Macbook, I believe. So I don't think I need that. Beyond that, the money would be for the software included...

From what I've read CD Spin Doctor does something similar.
http://www.macworld.com/article/131449/2008/01/feb08playlist.html

This is a great article. If the author is correct, I think I'd be better off spending less money on the CD Spin Doctor since I don't need the hardware of the iMic, and the Final Vinyl software isn't as powerful...

Am I making correct assumptions here??

 

[jodelli]

I was referring to the general ease of use of similar software. That's why I linked the article as you seem to have the hardware already.