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Thread: recording stereo (L & R) on laptop

  1. #1
    AO's Filibustier Cheap Scotch Ron's Avatar
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    recording stereo (L & R) on laptop

    I want to connect the line out (RCA jacks) of a TASCAM 4 track recorder to a laptop so that I can record on the laptop using the line out as the source.

    I tried an RCA to the mic, but the mic is only a single channel (mono). I need both L & R channels (stereo).

    What is the best (and inexpensive) way to do this?

    I was hoping to google up a USB / RCA adapter, but I couldnt find anything.

    Suggestions please. Thanks.

    CSR
    In God We Trust....Everything else we backup.

  2. #2
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    When you say that the mic is only a single channel, you mean that it's mono only because you're only connecting one of the RCA cables (red or white) to it and not both, right?

    All you'd need, I think, is an RCA-to-mini-plug cord - something like this: http://www.amazon.com/3-5mm-Mini-Plu.../dp/B000FEHO0U

    Or if your RCA cable is permanently connected to your recorder, the female version: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...d_i=B000FEHO0U

  3. #3
    AO's Filibustier Cheap Scotch Ron's Avatar
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    All you'd need, I think, is an RCA-to-mini-plug cord - something like this: http://www.amazon.com/3-5mm-Mini-Plu.../dp/B000FEHO0U
    This ^ is exactly the type of cable I tried. But when I tried this, I only got a single (left) channel on the input. Since I was plugging it into the mic input on the laptop and not a line-in, and the fact that I only got one channel, I am assuming the mic is a mono input only.

    This same cable works fine when I use the line-in jack on the sound card of my desktop machine, but I need a mobile solution for the laptop.
    The only jacks on the laptop are the mic, head phones and USB (Mac Book Air)
    Hence, I was hoping for a USB solution... Otherwise, I need something expensive like this ...
    http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...ion?sku=500689
    Last edited by Cheap Scotch Ron; July 17th, 2009 at 10:56 AM.
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  4. #4
    Senior Member Raion's Avatar
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    I did it a bit of Googling and maybe something like this:
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Duragadget-1.../dp/B000UUQGEY

    It says earphone though so I'm not sure if it'll be able to record.

    Or perhaps this USB Soundcard
    http://www.htfr.com/more-info/MR237038

    Not sure if it'll produce mono recording also though.

    This looks more like what you're looking for but kind of expensive

    http://www.cablesdirect.com/search_i...Keyword=USB-AV

    Or this
    http://www.spygadgetonline.ca/produc...roducts_id=192

    Hope it helps!
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  5. #5
    AO's Filibustier Cheap Scotch Ron's Avatar
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    Thx Raion. That's ^ exactly what I was looking for. Cheers, Ron
    In God We Trust....Everything else we backup.

  6. #6
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    A regular microphone only has one diaphragm, so of course it is going to only record in mono. You will have to get a splitter from the mini jack to 2 rca's (L&R) and goto the tascam. They cost like $3 at radio shack.

  7. #7
    AO's Filibustier Cheap Scotch Ron's Avatar
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    A regular microphone only has one diaphragm, so of course it is going to only record in mono. You will have to get a splitter from the mini jack to 2 rca's (L&R) and goto the tascam. They cost like $3 at radio shack.
    Yes, it is true the mic is mono. That's why I dont want to use it. Using a splitter wont give me two channel stereo in, hence the need for using input to other than the mic jack.

    This is what I ended up buying...A Lightsnake USB to RCA for $21.00 Works great on both XP laptop and Mac...

    http://www.fadfusion.com/selection.p...er=20026700417
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  8. #8
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    OHHH stereo IN, I misread and thought you were going the other way around. Well anyways problem solved, well done.

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