MP3 to Tape?

hip hop bunny hop · 10-19-2012, 11:23 AM

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, 11:30 AM

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, 11:33 AM

No, I just have a portable cassette walkman

Trollheart · 10-19-2012, 01:31 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.

hip hop bunny hop · 10-22-2012, 09:26 AM

I want to copy my tape collection unto my PC & be able to make mix tapes thusly. Mostly 'cuz I've metal friends & metal tapes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

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.

I called Ion... they literally have not a single product which allows you to go from PC to Tape. They only go from Tape to PC

Trollheart · 10-22-2012, 07:09 PM

Ok I think I misunderstood there, steered you wrong. Sorry.

But what you could do (if I understand this time) is record your mixes to CD (via your burner) then take that disc, put it into a separate CD player with a tape deck attached, and record from the CD to the tape. That's how we used to do it in the olden days!

Let's see then... something like this would work Amazon.com: Supersonic Portable MP3/CD Player Double Cassette Recorder and AM/FM Radio with USB Input SC-2020U: MP3 Players & Accessories

The thing is to get an intermediate medium you can use to get the music onto your tapes from the PC. So although you can't do direct PC to tape (though I'm sure there are older decks that will do this with a bit of fiddling) you CAN record onto CD and thence to tape. But you will need something like the above in order to transfer your music from CD to tape, exclusive then of the PC.

It might work with a USB drive too, though you'd need a stereo deck that had a USB input... nah, I'd stick with something simple like the above.

Engine · 12-04-2012, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hip hop bunny hop

I want to copy my tape collection unto my PC & be able to make mix tapes thusly. Mostly 'cuz I've metal friends & metal tapes.

You need a cassette player/recorder, a cord that connects that to your computer (perhaps a RCA/USB adapter), and a computer that runs Audacity (which is non-proprietary i.e. free). Then play your MP3s on your computer and record them on cassette. You will need to press and hold the record button on your cassette player while your computer plays the MP3 through Audacity. Duh.

edit: I just read your OP which says that you don't want the hassle of buying a cassette deck that can play and record. So nevermind my response. But buying one of those is actually pretty easy if you have any thrift stores up there in Nowhere, USA.

Psy-Fi · 10-19-2012, 03:42 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, 04:08 PM

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

Burning Down · 10-19-2012, 04:32 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.

10-19-2012, 11:23 AM	#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, 11:33 AM	#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, 01:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	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

10-22-2012, 07:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Ok I think I misunderstood there, steered you wrong. Sorry. But what you could do (if I understand this time) is record your mixes to CD (via your burner) then take that disc, put it into a separate CD player with a tape deck attached, and record from the CD to the tape. That's how we used to do it in the olden days! Let's see then... something like this would work Amazon.com: Supersonic Portable MP3/CD Player Double Cassette Recorder and AM/FM Radio with USB Input SC-2020U: MP3 Players & Accessories The thing is to get an intermediate medium you can use to get the music onto your tapes from the PC. So although you can't do direct PC to tape (though I'm sure there are older decks that will do this with a bit of fiddling) you CAN record onto CD and thence to tape. But you will need something like the above in order to transfer your music from CD to tape, exclusive then of the PC. It might work with a USB drive too, though you'd need a stereo deck that had a USB input... nah, I'd stick with something simple like the above. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-19-2012, 11:30 AM	#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, 03:42 PM	#8 (permalink)
Psy-Fi Aficionado of Fine Filth Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: You don't want to look in there. Posts: 6,987	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, 04:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
Stephen I sleep in your hat Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Melbourne, Vic. Aus. Posts: 1,848	You can probably get a generic MP3 player pretty cheaply unless you specifically want to use cassettes?