MBP 13" has No Line-In

[doubledee]

I am getting ready to buy a new 13" MacBook Pro today, when I noticed that they no longer have a "Line-In" jack?!

This may sound funny, but there is a radio station back home that does *not* offer Internet streaming, and so I have a portable radio that I plug a 2.5mm cable into the headphone jack of the radio, and then plug the other end of the cable into my current 2008 MacBook's "Line-In" jack.

That allows me to use Audacity to record literally off the radio, and capture songs that you'll rarely hear anymore...

If I buy a new 13" MBP, does that mean I can no longer do this?!

Sincerely,


Debbie

 

[Mr Kram]

i would have to guess that there is a usb/thunderbolt adapter that will work.

 

[Menge]

I am getting ready to buy a new 13" MacBook Pro today, when I noticed that they no longer have a "Line-In" jack?!

This may sound funny, but there is a radio station back home that does *not* offer Internet streaming, and so I have a portable radio that I plug a 2.5mm cable into the headphone jack of the radio, and then plug the other end of the cable into my current 2008 MacBook's "Line-In" jack.

That allows me to use Audacity to record literally off the radio, and capture songs that you'll rarely hear anymore...

If I buy a new 13" MBP, does that mean I can no longer do this?!

Sincerely,


Debbie

The new MBP uses the same kind of plug as the iPhone: its out left, out right and mono in in the same plug.

Look into iPhone headphone/mic splitters. They work on the new MBPs. I use iRig to split those up. Look it up. You'd just need an adapter from 2.5 to guitar cable.

 

[doubledee]

The new MBP uses the same kind of plug as the iPhone: its out left, out right and mono in in the same plug.

Look into iPhone headphone/mic splitters. They work on the new MBPs. I use iRig to split those up. Look it up. You'd just need an adapter from 2.5 to guitar cable.

I don't own an iPhone.

Again, I just want the ability to take the output from a Transistor Radio/Portable Radio/Boom-Box and bring it into my new 13" MBP so I can capture the radio broadcast on Audacity.

The male-to-male cable I have is I believe 2.5mm (1/8 inch).

I could live with an adapter if it let me do what I want, but I am *not* buying an iPhone or getting into anything cell-phone related!!

Also, I would prefer that it be STEREO...

Follow me?

Sincerely,


Debbie

 

[justperry]

I don't own an iPhone.

Again, I just want the ability to take the output from a Transistor Radio/Portable Radio/Boom-Box and bring it into my new 13" MBP so I can capture the radio broadcast on Audacity.

The male-to-male cable I have is I believe 2.5mm (1/8 inch).

I could live with an adapter if it let me do what I want, but I am *not* buying an iPhone or getting into anything cell-phone related!!

Also, I would prefer that it be STEREO...

Follow me?

Sincerely,


Debbie

Odd, in the screenshot below you see the 2012 model has combined I/O, yet in the 2013 model it does not.

You can always get the griffin USB adapter like in the link below.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Griffin-1102-IMIC-iMic-2-USB-Audio-Sound-Card-Fo-Mac-PC-/300900658563?pt=US_Other_MP3_Player_Accessories&hash=item460f13ad83

 

[doubledee]

Odd, in the screenshot below you see the 2012 model has combined I/O, yet in the 2013 model it does not.

You can always get the griffin USB adapter like in the link below.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Griffin-1102-IMIC-iMic-2-USB-Audio-Sound-Card-Fo-Mac-PC-/300900658563?pt=US_Other_MP3_Player_Accessories&hash=item460f13ad83

That looks interesting.

Any audiophiles around who know if such a device would work with Audacity??

Actually, I think what I need to ask is this...

If I bought such a device, how would I set up SoundFlower/SoundFlowerBed to make this work with Audacity??

Sincerely,


Debbie

P.S. Maybe I should ask for help in a different forum??

 

[chown33]

Any audiophiles around who know if such a device would work with Audacity??

Any USB audio input device that automatically shows up in the Sound pane of System Preferences will also automatically show up in Audacity's "Input Device" popup.

You can also try Audio MIDI Setup.app (located in the Utilities folder) and see what the USB device looks like there, before trying it in Audacity.


I can't help with SoundFlower/SoundFlowerBed, since I don't have it.

 

[doubledee]

Any USB audio input device that automatically shows up in the Sound pane of System Preferences will also automatically show up in Audacity's "Input Device" popup.

You can also try Audio MIDI Setup.app (located in the Utilities folder) and see what the USB device looks like there, before trying it in Audacity.


I can't help with SoundFlower/SoundFlowerBed, since I don't have it.

It sounds like that iMic will show up in the Sound Preferences, and if so, then the LineIn app should work with it, which is really what I need to make this Radio-to-Computer work.

If anyone knows about USB-based devices like iMic that allow you to have a Mic In jack on computers that don't have one then that would be very helpful!!

Thanks,


Debbie

 

[Menge]

I don't own an iPhone.

Again, I just want the ability to take the output from a Transistor Radio/Portable Radio/Boom-Box and bring it into my new 13" MBP so I can capture the radio broadcast on Audacity.

The male-to-male cable I have is I believe 2.5mm (1/8 inch).

I could live with an adapter if it let me do what I want, but I am *not* buying an iPhone or getting into anything cell-phone related!!

Also, I would prefer that it be STEREO...

Follow me?

Sincerely,


Debbie

Debbie, I didn't suggest you buy an iPhone. If you read carefully you'll see I suggested you buy an iPhone headphone/mic splitter such as an iRig or AmpKit. They're just a cable. Those will work on your Mac to provide you with a line in. Google for them and you'll instantly understand what I'm talking about.

As far as I know, the new MacBooks don't have stereo line in support. If stereo is a necessity, then you must get a separate audio interface, such as the one linked by someone else in this thread.

 

[saberahul]

Debbie, I didn't suggest you buy an iPhone. If you read carefully you'll see I suggested you buy an iPhone headphone/mic splitter such as an iRig or AmpKit. They're just a cable. Those will work on your Mac to provide you with a line in. Google for them and you'll instantly understand what I'm talking about.

As far as I know, the new MacBooks don't have stereo line in support. If stereo is a necessity, then you must get a separate audio interface, such as the one linked by someone else in this thread.

The 3.5MM headphone jack supports line in. If you wish to use a 2.5MM plug you need a simple converter. I am easily able to connect my electric guitar via the 3.5MM port to use with GB.

 

[blesscheese]

That looks interesting.

Any audiophiles around who know if such a device would work with Audacity??

That's what it is made for. I used it exactly for that purpose (recording internet streams) and other purposes (speech recognition stuff), but way back in the OS 9 days. I may have used it with Audio Hijack in the 10.4 Tiger days, but I can't remember...

Interestingly, the iMic is also automagically recognized by Windows (well, XP at least), so you can also use it on PC's.

 

[spyguy10709]

I am getting ready to buy a new 13" MacBook Pro today, when I noticed that they no longer have a "Line-In" jack?!

This may sound funny, but there is a radio station back home that does *not* offer Internet streaming, and so I have a portable radio that I plug a 2.5mm cable into the headphone jack of the radio, and then plug the other end of the cable into my current 2008 MacBook's "Line-In" jack.

That allows me to use Audacity to record literally off the radio, and capture songs that you'll rarely hear anymore...

If I buy a new 13" MBP, does that mean I can no longer do this?!

Sincerely,


Debbie

Everyone in this thread is wrong.

How to switch headphone jack to be a line in jack
System Preferences > sound > Use headphone jack for > *select line in

 

[chown33]

Everyone in this thread is wrong.

How to switch headphone jack to be a line in jack
System Preferences > sound > Use headphone jack for > *select line in

Image

That may be present on your computer, but that doesn't mean it's present on every MacBook Pro.

I don't see any option on mine (OS X 10.8.2) labeled "Use headphone jack for" or "Use audio port for".

My 13" MBP was bought in November 2012. System Info.app identifies it as a "MacBookPro9,2", processor name "Intel Core i5", at 2.5 GHz.

 

[Menge]

Everyone in this thread is wrong.

How to switch headphone jack to be a line in jack
System Preferences > sound > Use headphone jack for > *select line in

I can confirm that this is present in my 2011 MBP ML 10.8.3. Had used it before but completely forgot of its existence.

Doesn't mean that other solutions don't also work if you need simultaneous line in+headphones.

 

[spyguy10709]

That may be present on your computer, but that doesn't mean it's present on every MacBook Pro.

I don't see any option on mine (OS X 10.8.2) labeled "Use headphone jack for" or "Use audio port for".

My 13" MBP was bought in November 2012. System Info.app identifies it as a "MacBookPro9,2", processor name "Intel Core i5", at 2.5 GHz.

You have to plug a mic or a pair of headphones (protip - normal headphones/earbuds without noise canceling work as a mic) to get that menu.