I'm drawing a blank on how to convert LPs to my PC.

[Hardbopjazz]

I am trying to transfer some LPs to my PC and then burn them to CDRs. Where should I be plugging the input on my sound card? I’ve done this procedure a 100 times in the past but I can’t get it to work tonight. My sound card has three places to plug into. One I know is for the speakers, so that is out. The second is for a microphone, so that only leaves the third, which is where I though it should go, but it doesn’t yield and sound. I tried then to use the one for the microphone but the sound is all distorted. The only difference from the last time I did this is, I am on a new PC.

[couw]

I am trying to transfer some LPs to my PC and then burn them to CDRs. Where should I be plugging the input on my sound card? I’ve done this procedure a 100 times in the past but I can’t get it to work tonight. My sound card has three places to plug into. One I know is for the speakers, so that is out. The second is for a microphone, so that only leaves the third, which is where I though it should go, but it doesn’t yield and sound. I tried then to use the one for the microphone but the sound is all distorted. The only difference from the last time I did this is, I am on a new PC.

make sure you select [line in] as source for your recording

[andybleaden]

i thought you had to squeeze the lps in the disk drive!!!!

On a serious note (sorry!) make sure you play around a little with the volume so you get it just right as with a new pc - comes a new sound card which will be set up different and so you may want to mess around with it first with a track you know like the back of your hand sound wise to get it all tikkety boo

Andy

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I am trying to transfer some LPs to my PC and then burn them to CDRs. Where should I be plugging the input on my sound card? I’ve done this procedure a 100 times in the past but I can’t get it to work tonight. My sound card has three places to plug into. One I know is for the speakers, so that is out. The second is for a microphone, so that only leaves the third, which is where I though it should go, but it doesn’t yield and sound. I tried then to use the one for the microphone but the sound is all distorted. The only difference from the last time I did this is, I am on a new PC.

First off, you cannot plug a turntable straight into a PC line input. A PC line input is not at the same level as the turntable and does not have the necessary EQ applied to it. You need a phono pre-amp. If you do record it straight-up, it'll sound very weird, all tinny and the level will be so low, you'll have to crank up the input level so high there will be distortion. I believe you should be able to pick a good one up for under $100.

If you have something plugged into the PC line input and nothing is happening, some Windows installations default to have the line-in muted. To unmute it, double-click the picture of the speaker down in the right-hand corner of your taskbar, next to the clock. Under "Options", click Properties. Select "Adjust volume for" Recording. After you click "OK", you should see sliders for your inputs. The box has to be checked or the input is muted. Different sound cards may have different lingo here, so look around these windows until you find the right input.

DO NOT USE THE MICROPHONE INPUT. Really lousy sound from this input. I did it by accident once and I couldn't believe how bad it sounded.

[vanbeat]

I'm happily set up with a Radio Shack 9v preamp, but has anybody tried this option?

http://www.amazon.com/Ion-iTTUSB-Turntable...9652&sr=8-1

[tatifan]

If you have a turntable hooked up to a system you like, and don't want to move it, you could buy a stand alone cd burner. I still use mine for this all the time.......just use cdrw blanks, so you don't have to worry about not being around for setting track points, or ends of sides. Then rip the WAV files to the computer for editing, declicking, etc. Tascam makes a good one, mine's an HHB.

[K1969]

I'm happily set up with a Radio Shack 9v preamp, but has anybody tried this option?

http://www.amazon.com/Ion-iTTUSB-Turntable...9652&sr=8-1

Yup, bought one last week and I'm like a pig in shit (having a ball) recording my LP's onto the PC. It's very easy to use and set up and the sound's great. (I'm not a $5000 turntable kind of guy so it's all relative). But if you want to hear your LPs in the car or at work etc this is great. I've been waiting years to get my old vinyl onto CD. It takes just a a second to plug into the PC and is very light so I just keep it in storage and whenever I want to record, I bring it out and I'm away in a second. It's almost as easy as switching the radio on. Comes with stylus and the software too. Strongly recommended. Best toy I've had since ....