Question about Technology... totally non-sexual

Sorry, hate me if you must but I've come here with my how to technology questions before and I've had great help!

I'm gonna ask for that hand again. As payment you can go to my raunchy blog and ask any sexual question you want.

My question however dumb is: How do you record music off the radio into your computer. Can this be done? Well, I know it can be done sort of, I just need a better way to do it.

I have a cable in which I can plug into the headphone jack of my stereo and then plug the other end into the mike jack on my laptop. I can then bring up the sound recorder and tape away. I don't know if this is the best method.

Hopefully a method that doesn't cost me any money!

I already have real player and real producer. Windows movie maker (I'm not sure how to use that one yet) and Window Media Player. Can anyone of these help me?

I'm at your mercy... thanks for any and all help!

missygail said:

I have a cable in which I can plug into the headphone jack of my stereo and then plug the other end into the mike jack on my laptop. I can then bring up the sound recorder and tape away. I don't know if this is the best method.

Click to expand...

The method you're using has the potential to destroy your sound card unless you're VERY careful with the volume level -- the MIC input is designed for a much lower voltage level than the headset output of a radio. You need to use the "Aux IN" connection of your sound card instead of the MIC input and even then you have to keep the volume on the radio down and let the sound card do the volume control.

The best option is to use a radio that has an "Aux OUT" connection connected to the sound card's "Aux IN" -- so that the voltage levels and impedance match up.

If you can find a radio receiver card -- like the TV Tuner cards available for a laptops -- so you can record directly through the computer's data buss, that would be the absolute best option, but I think those are harder to find than a radio tuner with an "Aux OUT" connection.

First off thanks very much Harold.

Let's pretend I'm slightly dumb and I don't know where the heck the Aux in is on my computer. I do have a radio that has an aux in, but not and aux out. I believe.

I can plug this cord into the back of my radio and then connect my MP3 play to the radio and play my mp3 player through my stereo. I really don't believe that my radio has an Aux out, heck it doesn't even have a microphone jack.

What if i turned the sound down real low? (as you roll your eyes at my stupidity)

Weird Harold said:

The method you're using has the potential to destroy your sound card unless you're VERY careful with the volume level -- the MIC input is designed for a much lower voltage level than the headset output of a radio. You need to use the "Aux IN" connection of your sound card instead of the MIC input and even then you have to keep the volume on the radio down and let the sound card do the volume control.

The best option is to use a radio that has an "Aux OUT" connection connected to the sound card's "Aux IN" -- so that the voltage levels and impedance match up.

If you can find a radio receiver card -- like the TV Tuner cards available for a laptops -- so you can record directly through the computer's data buss, that would be the absolute best option, but I think those are harder to find than a radio tuner with an "Aux OUT" connection.

Click to expand...

missygail said:

First off thanks very much Harold.

Let's pretend I'm slightly dumb and I don't know where the heck the Aux in is on my computer. I do have a radio that has an aux in, but not and aux out. I believe.
...
What if i turned the sound down real low? (as you roll your eyes at my stupidity)

Click to expand...

If your sound card has an Aux IN connection it will be right next to the MIC connection.

Ignorance isn't synonymous with stupidity, so you'r e not going to get any eye-rolling from me.

I'm not surprised your radio doen't have an Aux OUT -- even Aux IN is surprising, although they do seem to be making a comeback. Aux IN/OUT connections generally aren't found on anything cheaper than a "component system" that separates the tuner and amplifier.

You can and should turn the volume down as low as possible if you're forced to use a headset output.

The problem is that a headset/speaker output is a much higher voltage than a MIC or Aux input is designed to accept -- especially a MIC input, which is designed for the 0.1V level of a microphone instead of the 10.0V-12V level of a headset connection at full volume. The effect can be very similar to plugging a 12 volt bulb into a 120 volt fixture -- i.e. it will let all of the "magic smoke" out of the sound card.

An "Aux" connection is designed for a 1 volt signal, and most headset connections can be turned down that low without losing a lot of the quality, but they lose most of the quality if you turn them down to a level that's safe for a MIC input.

If your sound card doesn't have four connections, you'll need to replace it with one that does or check the configuration options to see if it's a dual mode MIC/Aux input and make sure that it's configured as "Aux." (If you're not electronics literate, it's probably safer to get a sound card that has a dedicated Aux input.)

It would be best if you can find a new radio -- or component system's Tuner component -- with an Aux OUT connection to match the sound card's Aux IN because that will give the best quality sound over the entire audio spectrum. However, the headset output at minimal volume matched to an "Aux" input will give you enough sound quality only an audiophile would notice the degradation.

Check to be sure the radio station doesn't have a internet feed of some sort, many do.

That would greatly simplify your need.

To add to Weird Harold's info,

Which is all good and accurate stuff,
Many outputs are called "Line Output" from your receiver.
Or "Line Input" into the sound card on your PC or other recording device.
He's right about the Mike input/output having the lowest impedance, therefore the easiest to overdrive and blow up components.
Next is the Line input/output, with higher impedance, last is the Aux which traditionally has the highest impedance, and is therefore the safest to start with. Most cards I've seen have a Line input, which would work great if you had a Line output from your stereo unit.
(Match the input/output types if you can.)

MagicFingers said:

Next is the Line input/output, with higher impedance, last is the Aux which traditionally has the highest impedance, and is therefore the safest to start with.

Click to expand...

"Line IN/OUT" and "Aux IN/OUT" are the same "1v peak TTL" standard -- just different names for the same specifications. Some manufacturers might use heavier duty components to permit an "Aux" connection to withstand more abuse, but the impedance matching specification is the same for both.

I haven't seen many things labeled "Line IN/OUT" for several years -- not that I've been looking real hard -- because the preferred designation seems to have settled on "Aux."

PS: as long as we're discussing the various types of connections -- beware older amps that have "Phono" inputs; Phono level is a step lower and more fragile than MIC and should ONLY be connected to a direct feed from a turntable's pickup -- i.e. NOT even a pre-amp output from a turntable.

Is there a reason you want to save

stuff from the radio onto your computer?

If you're doing it just to get music get some kind of P2P to download music.

*Sigh* I guess it's hopeless.

I'm a bit tired so I probably can't understand everything that was said.

All I gots on my laptop is a headphone in and a microphone out.

I wanted to do this because my radio station has a homegrown segment in which I wanted to record to my computer so I could then add them to my MP3 player. A lot of the local artists don't have their own CDs, just LPs that the radio stations play but they don't sell.

The Edge (my station) is working on an internet feed, but it's not there yet. I've checked.

I just can't do it if it involves adding too much stuff to my laptop. No money.

I saw a computer I was drooling over at Sam's club. It was a HP with television and radio Aux ins/outs. At least I believe that's what they were. It was cool.

This would be all kinds of cheesy sound wise, but what if I just hooked up a microphone on my laptop and pointed in the general direction of my speakers?

I know there'd be the occasional child's voice on the recording saying, "Mommy what are you doing?" or if I leave the mic for any amount of time they'd be there singing for me. yay!

missygail said:

All I gots on my laptop is a headphone in and a microphone out.

I wanted to do this because my radio station has a homegrown segment in which I wanted to record to my computer so I could then add them to my MP3 player. A lot of the local artists don't have their own CDs, just LPs that the radio stations play but they don't sell.

Click to expand...

Bubber provided a link to a device that will solve half of your problem: http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/mp3/85fb/

It provides the Line In for your computer and you just need an old-style Tuner component with Line Out to connect to it to record from.

And by the way, you should REALLY consider removing everything real. Like real player and so on. Data of what you are doing is being recorded, and sent to real, all the time. I suppose that isn't what you want...
Instead of using Real Player, use VLC or MPC instead.
Install Real Alternative. MPC comes with it.
Here's a link to real alternative:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm

Don't ignore it

Blindinthedark said:

stuff from the radio onto your computer?

If you're doing it just to get music get some kind of P2P to download music.

Click to expand...

I have that, but homegrown stuff (aka: local unknowns) won't be on there.

Weird Harold said:

Bubber provided a link to a device that will solve half of your problem: http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/mp3/85fb/

It provides the Line In for your computer and you just need an old-style Tuner component with Line Out to connect to it to record from.

Click to expand...

That looks like just want I need. Thanks!!

Ran4 said:

And by the way, you should REALLY consider removing everything real. Like real player and so on. Data of what you are doing is being recorded, and sent to real, all the time. I suppose that isn't what you want...
Instead of using Real Player, use VLC or MPC instead.
Install Real Alternative. MPC comes with it.
Here's a link to real alternative:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm

Don't ignore it

Click to expand...

Um, that means that um video I made a few years ago... that was sent to real. I made some techs face real red then... yay?

I don't use real anymore. They kept popping crud on my desktop and overriding all of my musical file so that their program would come up when I wanted media player.

Generally I use microsoft media player for all my stuff now.

I have a recorder called Wavepad which allows me to edit some unprotected songs. I don't know as far as recording with it. I have to pay for it if I want to also edit video with it, right now i have the free version.

You could also look into this http://www.hauppauge.com/Pages/products/data_usbfm.html

If you look around I think ATI makes an HD version as well.

I think there should be a sticky for computer and tech questions... or is there one?