Antique Audio-Video in a Digital Age

Abstract

A FRIEND recently asked, can I get music from my old big band LPs onto audio CDs? The question could just as well have been, can I transfer all my old children's records to CDs? This and similar queries about antique audio and video formats prompted me to begin thinking about how I would do this on my new Mac G4. And, since PC users might also need answers to such questions, I began to think about them, too. Although it's impossible to cover such a diverse topic fully in a single column, I think I can offer enough guidance to get you started. New Macs and PCs - as they are usually configured - have one very significant difference. Most new Macs have two FireWire ports (also called IEEE 1384 or I-link) and don't usually come with ports. Why not is anybody's guess. You can easily connect a newer-model video camcorder with FireWire to a Mac, and that's nice. But connecting analog sources, such as an old cassette player, requires an add-on device. Most new PCs come with an audio-in and mic-in port, but they usually lack FireWire. Neither Macs nor PCs typically come with analog video-in ports nowadays. The easy solution to a Mac's lack of an audio-in or a mic-in port is to order a device like an iMic audio adapter for $35 (plus $10 shipping) from Griffin Technology (www.griffintechnology.com). This handy little device plugs into a USB port on the Mac and has a 18-inch stereo input for audio input from such devices as microphones or audiotape players. Even if you don't plan to do the things outlined in this column, the iMic is still a great device to have. It also gives you a spare sound- port. The easy solution to the missing FireWire port on a PC is to simply order your PC with a FireWire card or add such a card at a later time. (It's less than $100.) Since PCs typically have an audio-in or mic jack, no fix is needed. How you actually connect an old analog audio device to your computer will vary, but you typically need a Y cable or adapter with male RCA plugs on the two ends of the Y and a single stereo male plug on the other end. You might also need a pair of RCA extension cables, depending on how closely you can physically place your computer and tape player. Then you plug the two RCA jacks into the line-out or play jacks on the back of your old tape deck and plug the stereo mini-pin end into the appropriate jack on your PC or into your newly purchased iMic box on your Mac. These adapters are readily available from any electronics store, such as Radio Shack, and they aren't expensive. Many people probably already have these adapters since they are the same kind of connectors used to plug portable CD players into home stereo systems. If you want to use your old turntable, things get more complicated. The audio output of a turntable needs some amplification before you can connect it to a computer. Typically this is done by connecting the turntable to a stereo system and then coming from the rec-out or line- out ports to the computer. If you want a smaller installation or you don't want to tie up a stereo, you can purchase a small phono pre-amp for about $50. Don't despair. This is a lot harder to write about than it is to wire! Unless you are extremely fastidious, you'll probably need to dust off the old turntable, and you might even need to oil it and install a new needle. For an old tape deck, you'll probably want to clean the tape heads. For old records, I recommend cleaning them with a record- cleaning cloth or with a kit such as DiskWasher. Some people I know actually wash old records in the kitchen sink using lukewarm water, gentle detergent, and a soft cloth. Dry the records using a circular motion. A few real zealots then spray the surface of the old record with a lightweight oil. I have heard that they use WD-40, but I cannot say for sure. The idea is that the oil lubricates the surface and fills in minor scratches. …