Novice question: how transfer analog audio to digital?

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

I have some old reel-to-reel tapes that I want to transfer to digital before
they disintegrate (if they haven't already). The question is how. I assume I
need (1) an A/D converter and an audio editing program.

I have a Dell PC with a SoundMAX Digital Audio sound card. It has one input
jack, but I don't know what kind, and of course the documentation I have
doesn't say. The pin it takes I imagine is long and thin, like what you find
on a portable CD player.

I found an A/D converter at Radio Shack on clearance for $25 (I didn't buy
it yet). It has two RCA inputs and one PCM (coax) output. I could find no
adapter to get the PCM output into the sound card.

As for the audio editing program, I found a free program called Audacity; I
wonder if anyone has used it, and if so what they thought.

Help! Thanks.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Audacity rocks!

"Denman Maroney" <denmanic@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:aQcdd.20571$YM4.5542793@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
> I have some old reel-to-reel tapes that I want to transfer to digital
before
> they disintegrate (if they haven't already). The question is how. I assume
I
> need (1) an A/D converter and an audio editing program.
>
> I have a Dell PC with a SoundMAX Digital Audio sound card. It has one
input
> jack, but I don't know what kind, and of course the documentation I have
> doesn't say. The pin it takes I imagine is long and thin, like what you
find
> on a portable CD player.
>
> I found an A/D converter at Radio Shack on clearance for $25 (I didn't buy
> it yet). It has two RCA inputs and one PCM (coax) output. I could find no
> adapter to get the PCM output into the sound card.
>
> As for the audio editing program, I found a free program called Audacity;
I
> wonder if anyone has used it, and if so what they thought.
>
> Help! Thanks.
>
>