MP3 to Tape?

hip hop bunny hop · 10-19-2012, 12:23 PM

So,

There exist some Tape to MP3 devices. However, does anyone know if it's possible to put MP3s to Tapes? i'd like to rip tapes/records to my PC, splice the songs, & put them on a mixtape without the hassle/expense of getting one of those record & tape playing thingamajigs.

Burning Down · 10-19-2012, 12:30 PM

Do you have a tape deck with an audio input jack and a record button? If so, I'm pretty sure you will be able to connect the MP3 player or your computer to the deck with a standard audio cable (with a jack on each end), and then just press play on the device while pressing record on the tape deck.

This used to work for me when I was a kid and would rip songs from CD's by connecting the discman to a tape deck.

hip hop bunny hop · 10-19-2012, 12:33 PM

No, I just have a portable cassette walkman

Trollheart · 10-19-2012, 02:31 PM

Right. In order to get anything on a tape you're going to have to have some way of recording onto cassette. A walkman won't do it (unless it's a recording one, and as they sold very badly when they were out I'm going to assume it's not) so either way you're going to have to get some sort of deck you can hook up to your PC so that you can transfer the music onto the tapes. There's just no other way.

Something like this Amazon.com: Ion Tape2PC USB Cassette Deck: Electronics will do it for you. There's literally no other option, unless you have an old handheld cassette deck with a mike, and the kind of recording you're going to get from that is, quite frankly, just not worth it.

Even if you get the music onto a CD it still can't be transferred onto a tape without a tape deck that records.

Psy-Fi · 10-19-2012, 04:42 PM

I make tapes by hooking a 3.5mm stereo cable with two RCA jacks attached, directly from my headphone/audio output on my laptop, to a cassette deck.
I listen to the tapes on an old boombox I have in my basement, while I work out or while I'm working in my garage.
Here's the type of cable I use...

Amazon.com: SF Cable, 12 feet 3.5mm Stereo Male to Two RCA Male Splitter Cable: Electronics

You'll need to get a decent recorder/deck with RCA inputs, though.

Stephen · 10-19-2012, 05:08 PM

You can probably get a generic MP3 player pretty cheaply unless you specifically want to use cassettes?

Burning Down · 10-19-2012, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stp

You can probably get a generic MP3 player pretty cheaply unless you specifically want to use cassettes?

I think he wants to move MP3 files onto a cassette.

Trollheart · 10-19-2012, 05:51 PM

Yeah, that's what I read too. It's specifically tapes he wants to use, and there really is no way to do this unless you have a cassette deck that records, and preferably one that links to your PC. You could ostensibly burn to CD then use CD to tape, but again, you'd have to have a deck that had both a CD player and a cassette deck in it. There's just no getting away from that unfortunately.

Stephen · 10-19-2012, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burning Down

I think he wants to move MP3 files onto a cassette.

I just thought if all he wants is a portable listening option then a cheap MP3 player would take out one level of degradation (ie. analogue > digital instead of analogue > digital > analogue) and if he needs to buy any cables or extra equipment to get the tape option working then the MP3 player is a pretty viable option. Less batteries, less noise, less weight, no rewinding, no changing tapes.

swim · 10-20-2012, 01:05 AM

go to a thrift store get a stereo with a cd player and tape deck with a rec and play and record cd onto tape. You'll want to match up the times as closely as possible so media-player playlists with help you with burning cdrs.

10-19-2012, 12:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
hip hop bunny hop Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,381	MP3 to Tape? So, There exist some Tape to MP3 devices. However, does anyone know if it's possible to put MP3s to Tapes? i'd like to rip tapes/records to my PC, splice the songs, & put them on a mixtape without the hassle/expense of getting one of those record & tape playing thingamajigs. __________________ Have mercy on the poor.

10-19-2012, 12:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
hip hop bunny hop Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,381	No, I just have a portable cassette walkman __________________ Have mercy on the poor.

10-19-2012, 02:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Right. In order to get anything on a tape you're going to have to have some way of recording onto cassette. A walkman won't do it (unless it's a recording one, and as they sold very badly when they were out I'm going to assume it's not) so either way you're going to have to get some sort of deck you can hook up to your PC so that you can transfer the music onto the tapes. There's just no other way. Something like this Amazon.com: Ion Tape2PC USB Cassette Deck: Electronics will do it for you. There's literally no other option, unless you have an old handheld cassette deck with a mike, and the kind of recording you're going to get from that is, quite frankly, just not worth it. Even if you get the music onto a CD it still can't be transferred onto a tape without a tape deck that records. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-19-2012, 05:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Yeah, that's what I read too. It's specifically tapes he wants to use, and there really is no way to do this unless you have a cassette deck that records, and preferably one that links to your PC. You could ostensibly burn to CD then use CD to tape, but again, you'd have to have a deck that had both a CD player and a cassette deck in it. There's just no getting away from that unfortunately. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-19-2012, 12:30 PM	#2 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	Do you have a tape deck with an audio input jack and a record button? If so, I'm pretty sure you will be able to connect the MP3 player or your computer to the deck with a standard audio cable (with a jack on each end), and then just press play on the device while pressing record on the tape deck. This used to work for me when I was a kid and would rip songs from CD's by connecting the discman to a tape deck.

10-19-2012, 04:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
Psy-Fi Aficionado of Fine Filth Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: You don't want to look in there. Posts: 6,898	I make tapes by hooking a 3.5mm stereo cable with two RCA jacks attached, directly from my headphone/audio output on my laptop, to a cassette deck. I listen to the tapes on an old boombox I have in my basement, while I work out or while I'm working in my garage. Here's the type of cable I use... Amazon.com: SF Cable, 12 feet 3.5mm Stereo Male to Two RCA Male Splitter Cable: Electronics You'll need to get a decent recorder/deck with RCA inputs, though.

10-19-2012, 05:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
Stephen I sleep in your hat Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Melbourne, Vic. Aus. Posts: 1,847	You can probably get a generic MP3 player pretty cheaply unless you specifically want to use cassettes?

10-20-2012, 01:05 AM	#10 (permalink)
swim dontcareaboutyou Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Carolina Posts: 5,188	go to a thrift store get a stereo with a cd player and tape deck with a rec and play and record cd onto tape. You'll want to match up the times as closely as possible so media-player playlists with help you with burning cdrs.