AUDIO CAPTURE

[dunnll Profile Private message]

I am trying to find a way to easily capture some audio from a camcorder recording. I have some cassette tapes from high school (35 years ago), that I want to pull the audio off of for a class reunion slideshow. I turned on the camcorder and taped 11 minutes of audio (black video -or no picture). Any suggestions how not to view the video, but just use the audio? With my old camcorder, I had an audio and video jack so I could just take audio off and call it a WMA file. But other than making this a layer and covering up the black background with pictures, I can't think of a way to accomplish task. Of course I need the DVD done by next week, so no time to purchase a cassette convertor program.

Thanks for any suggestions
Lori Dunn

[VernonRobinson Profile Private message]

Lori,
Capturing the audio is easier than what you went through. I would recommend that you hook your lineout from the tape deck directly to your sound card. The tape deck line out signal strength is strong enough to do this. Do not connect your amplifier to the sound card. That signal is too strong. The cassette deck is just right. You could then use Audacity (which is free) or Windows Sound Recorder which comes free with Windows XP to record your WAV/MP3 file.

Video.
Depending on the camcorder (stereo or mono) you may be able to hook it directly to the sound card also. If the camcorder has RCA outputs, the Yellow is video. The red and white are Audio. If there is only one audio jack, then you may want to get a splitter from your local Radio Shack/electronics store, so that you could take the mono signal and replicate it into both the left and right channnel. I think this will solve the problem. You will have the audio without the video.

Remember that you can use Audacity to edit the captured sound. You can boost the loudness level, or delete out unwanted segments.

HTH,
-Vernon

[dunnll Profile Private message]

Thanks for the info, but I am technologically challenged. My cassette player is a boom box that doesn't have a line out. Even if it did, how would I find out out to hook directly to sound card.
My camcorder hooks up to my computer via a USB cord from the docking station to the computer, so again, am not sure how to get to a sound card. On my old camcorder, I had the yellow/red jacks that I hooked up to a device to separate audio/video and then I could do it, but now I am stumped. It's a sony handy cam camcorder and the only player I have for the cassette is a boom box without a line in/out.
Thanks
ld

[VernonRobinson Profile Private message]

Thanks for the info, but I am technologically challenged. My cassette player is a boom box that doesn't have a line out. Even if it did, how would I find out out to hook directly to sound card.
My camcorder hooks up to my computer via a USB cord from the docking station to the computer, so again, am not sure how to get to a sound card. On my old camcorder, I had the yellow/red jacks that I hooked up to a device to separate audio/video and then I could do it, but now I am stumped. It's a sony handy cam camcorder and the only player I have for the cassette is a boom box without a line in/out.
Thanks
ld

Lori,
Ok. Luckily there is more than one way to Kalamazoo.
Since you have ProShow Producer, why not put the black video file from the cassette tape in as layer 1 and put your pictures on layers 2,3, etc. Since all you want is the audio, ignore the video. and build your show.

Since you are getting audio and video from the Sony, why not put the Sony in as Layer 1. Turn the opacity of Layer 1 to Zero. This will make it also disappear. Put your pictures on Layers 2, 3, etc. Same as above. This requires no wiring and you have all of the pieces in front of you.

-Vernon

[dunnll Profile Private message]

You are funny Vernon - Thanks so much for the help - I think I'll try that - I am not very good with layers and keyframes - I have been using some of the templates, but I am going to give it a try. Thanks for the opacity tip too - I was trying to problem solve this and hadn't thought of the opacity. I have done lots of slideshows for seval years, but none are as good as the ones I see here. But for now, I'll just be glad to get our school song as a background for some pictures - And then someday I'll figure out how to do what you all do so well. Sure enjoy seeing the creative here - keeps my mind wanting more!
I'll let you know how I do - knowing me, this won't be my last question!
ld

[VernonRobinson Profile Private message]

You are funny Vernon - Thanks so much for the help - I think I'll try that - I am not very good with layers and keyframes - I have been using some of the templates, but I am going to give it a try. Thanks for the opacity tip too - I was trying to problem solve this and hadn't thought of the opacity. I have done lots of slideshows for seval years, but none are as good as the ones I see here. But for now, I'll just be glad to get our school song as a background for some pictures - And then someday I'll figure out how to do what you all do so well. Sure enjoy seeing the creative here - keeps my mind wanting more!
I'll let you know how I do - knowing me, this won't be my last question!
ld

Go after it Lori. This forum exists for people to ask and share. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Regards,
-Vernon