Is there a cheap-and-easy way to convert songs on cassette tape to MP3?
In many cases, you can rescue songs from cassette tapes and vinyl records – and transform them into digital music files – with an inexpensive stereo cable, audio-recording software and plenty of hard-drive space. The type of cable you need depends on the device you’re recording from. If dubbing from a cassette deck (or turntable and preamplifier that’s part of a larger audio system), you may need a Y-shaped patch cable that has two RCA plugs that connect to the back of the stereo receiver and, on the other end, a 3.5-millimeter stereo mini-plug that connects to the computer’s sound card. If you plan to record tapes from a portable cassette player, you need a patch cable with stereo mini-plug on each end to link the player’s headphones port to the computer’s sound card. Most cables can be found for less than $10 at RadioShack and other electronics stores. If you don’t have a program that can record audio on your computer, there are many to be found on the Web. Shareware sites such as Hi
