How to Transfer Cassette Tapes to DVDs or CD Discs

Before MP3 players like iPods, there were compact disc or CD players; before that, people carried around cassette tape players like the Sony Walkman. It was common to listen to tapes in cars and at home. Many people still have a large collection of music that they'd like to transfer from cassette tape to CD, since most cars today come standard with a CD player but not a tape player. With some software and a computer, you can transfer your tape collection to a digital format that will allow you to play it on your computer, in an MP3 player and on a CD.

Things You'll Need

  • Sound editing software
  • Tape Player
  • Audio cables
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Instructions

    • 1

      Download free sound editing software from a site like Audacity, Wavosaur, Wavepad Sound Editor or DJ Audio Editor, which you will use to encode digital information received from your tape player into an MP3 audio format that can be read by a CD player. Install the software on your computer

    • 2

      Download a free MP3 encoder from Sourceforge, CNET's WAV to MP3 encoder software or Free MP3 Converter's CD Ripper Audio Crusher software and save it into the folder marked "Plugins" within your sound-editing program. The first time you try to export a song from the sound editor as an MP3 it may ask you where this file is and you may need to browse to the plugin folder, but you should not have to repeat this step.

    • 3

      Connect your tape player into your computer using a standard set of audio cables with two cords (one red, one white) at one end and a black cord at the other end. Locate the output jacks on the back of your tape deck and plug the red and white ends into them. Locate the input jack on your computer and plug the black cord into it.

    • 4

      Open Audacity on your computer, ensuring that you have the latest version. Press play on your tape player and press the "Record" button located at the top menu of the Audacity software on your computer screen.

    • 5

      Clean up extraneous noise from the recording by clicking "Edit," then select "All," "Effect," and "Noise removal." Click "File" and "Export as MP3." Browse to the folder on your computer where you want to store the song, give it a name and click "OK."

    • 6

      Close the song file on Audacity and repeat the process for as many songs as you want to record to a CD.

    • 7

      Use Windows Media Player or any other CD burning software to create an audio CD from the MP3 files you created. Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW disc into your computer's CD drive. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the folder where your MP3 files are stored. Open Windows Media Player in another window and minimize it to the bottom right hand corner of your screen. Within Windows Media Player, click "Copy to CD or device."

    • 8

      Select "file," then "new playlist" and name your playlist. Add songs from your MP3 folder that fill up about 80 minutes of time, as this is about all that a CD can hold.

    • 9

      Locate the menu heading marked "Items on Device" and from it select "Audio CD" to burn an audio as opposed to data CD (a data CD won't play in your car or other CD player). Click the red "Copy" button at the top right corner of the Windows Media Player screen. Wait for the software to finish burning the CD; the process may take up to a few hours depending on the speed of your computer. The CD will eject when burning and finishing are complete.