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Tape To Digital Converter User Guide
D3941
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For correct usage, read this user guide carefully and keep in a safe place for future reference.
Introduction
Rediscover those old songs with Tape To Digital by turning your tapes into MP3’s to use on your computer, iPod or in the car! Tape
To Digital is a portable, handheld USB tape player that works with all kinds of tapes. It has an easy-to-use USB connection for
converting the music on your tapes into MP3 files. You can listen to MP3’s on your computer, load them onto your portable music
player, or record them onto a CD and listen in your car. Its portable size allows it to fit in virtually any bag and enables you to play
and transfer music anywhere. It runs on battery or USB power when connected to your computer for flexible operation. This
powerful yet easy-to-use program guides you through transferring your music and even can integrate with your iTunes Music
Library. In addition to transferring your tapes, Tape To Digital has an audio output that enables you to listen on your stereo,
headphones, or other speaker systems for hours of enjoyment!
Product features
Rediscover your old cassette tapes on the go
Convert your old mix tapes and cassettes to MP3 to playback on iPods/ MP3 players or burn to CD
Portable design fits in virtually any bag and enables you to play and transfer anywhere
Plug ''n'' Play USB device, no drivers required
Flexible battery or USB-powered operation
Comes with Tape Converter software to guide you through transfer
Audio output enables you to listen on your stereo, headphones, or other speaker system .
Unpacking the Tape to Digital Converter
Make sure that the items listed below are included in the box:
Tape to Digital converter
CD
USB Cable
User guide
Inserting/ replacing the batteries
If you wish, you can run the Tape To Digital Converter via batteries. To insert the batteries, slide back switch 1 (see page 7) to open the
tape to digital converter. Open the battery compartment and insert 1 x AA battery (making sure the battery is correctly aligned) and
replace the battery compartment.
Installing the software
Insert the CD (supplied) into the CD drive and follow the onscreen instructions. Once the software is installed, you can connect the tape
to digital converter to your computer using the USB cable (supplied) to transfer your audio.
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Description of parts
1. Eject: Slide this switch to open the cassette holder.
2. Volume: Adjusts the volume of the headphones and USB connection
3. Headphones: You can connect 1/8" headphones here.
4. USB Connection: Use the included USB cable to connect Tape to digital to your computer. For transferring your recordings to
your computer, we have provided a software package on the included CD.
5. Play: Press to play the tape
6. Stop: Press to stop the tape.
7. FF/REW: Press to fast forward or rewind the tape. Note that these buttons will become “reversed” when the tape changes
direction.
8. DIR: Selects the direction of tape playback. This is useful if you want to play the other side of the tape without having to eject it.
9. Play Mode: Selects what the tape does when it reaches the end of a side. When set to the “loop” icon, the tape will
automatically switch direction and begin playing the opposite side when one side has finished. When set to the single arrow
icon, the tape will simply stop when a side has finished.
Transferring your favorite tunes to your computer
The software included allows quick and easy transfer of music to your computer. However, if you have problems
downloading the software, you can also download it by visiting http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/ and
selecting your particular operating system.
Before Starting the Software
Make sure that your converter is plugged into the computer with the supplied USB cable, and both the computer and the
converter are plugged in and on.
For your first recording, we recommend that you test your settings on a short section (a minute or less) of recorded audio
so you can become familiar with the process before recording a full tape.
To Install Software (PC)
1 Plug your turntable into an AC power outlet and use the included USB cable to connect the USB port on your converter
to the USB port on your computer.
2 Turn your computer on if it is not on already. Allow it to boot fully.
3 Your computer might display a message saying that it has detected a new device, and that it is available to use.
Depending on your system, this message may or may not appear. This is normal.
Usb cable
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4 Insert the CD that came with your converter into your computer’s CD drive.
5 A window will pop up automatically. Click on the [INSTALL] icon next to “Audacity”.
CONFIGURING MICROSOFT WINDOWS VISTA TO WORK WITH THE USB
CONVERTER
4. In the window that
opens, find and
double-click the Sound
control panel. (If you
don’t see a choice called
“Sound”, choose the
Switch to Classic View
option in the panel on the
left of the window, and
the Sound Control Panel
should become available
on the right.)
5. Select the Recording tab
at the top of the Sound
Control Panel.
6. Under the Recording
tab, choose Microphone
– SSS USB Audio
Device as the default
device. The SSS USB
Audio Device
represents your
Converter. Note the name
“SSS USB Audio
Device” may vary.
7. Click on the Set Default
button to confirm your
choice.
1. Close all programs that
are open on your
computer.
2. On the bottom left of your
screen, select the start
menu
3. Select settings then
control panel
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8. Now select the Playback tab at the top of the Sound control panel.
Click on the device that best matches your desired audio setup and click Set Default to confirm your selection.
Note: Do NOT choose “Speakers - SSS USB Audio Device” as your playback device. SSS USB Audio Device
represents your converter, and can only be used as recording input, not a playback output.
10. Click Set Default to confirm your choice.
11. Click Apply if possible, and then click OK to close the Control Panel.
12. Click Apply (if possible), and then click OK.
13. Make sure that your computer’s speakers (if not built-in) are plugged into your computer’s audio output and turned
on so you can hear your recording. If your computer has a headphone output, you can use headphones in-place
of speakers.
9. Under the Playback tab,
choose the device that you
would like your computer’s
audio to come out of.
Your computer’s audio
outputs may appear as:
Speakers-High
Definition Audio Device or
Headphones-High
Definition Audio Device
Or both, depending on the
hardware installed in your
computer
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CONFIGURING MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP TO WORK WITH THE USB
CONVERTER
4. In the window that opens, find and
double-click the Sounds and Audio
Devices control panel. (If you don’t
see a choice called Sounds and Audio
Devices, choose the Switch to Classic
View option in the panel on the left of
the window, and the Sounds and
Audio Devices should become
available on the right.
5. Select the Voice tab at the
top of the Sounds and Audio
Devices control panel.
6. Under Voice Playback,
choose your internal sound
card as the default device.
This varies by computer but
should not be set to “SSS
USB Audio Device, Modem,
or Microsoft Sound Mapper.”
7. Under Voice Recording,
select SSS USB Audio
Device for your default
device – this is the USB
Converter. Note the “SSS
USB Audio Device” name
may vary but should contain
the USB part of the name.
1 Close all programs that are
open on your computer.
2 On the bottom left of your
screen, select the Start menu.
3. Select Settings then Control
Panel
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12. Click Apply (if possible), and then click OK.
Make sure that your computer’s speakers (if not built-in) are plugged into your computer’s audio output and turned on
so you can hear your recording. If your computer has a headphone output, you can use headphones in-place of
speakers.
8. Select the Audio tab at
the top of the Sounds
and Audio Devices
control panel.
9. Under Sound
Playback, choose your
internal sound card as
the default device. This
varies by computer but
should not be set to
“SSS USB Audio
Device, Modem, or
Microsoft Sound
Mapper.”
10. Under Sound
Recording, select SSS
USB Audio Device for
your default device –
this is the converter.
11. Check the box titled
Use only default devices.
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AUDACITY CONFIGURATION ON PC
1 Launch Audacity: Click on the Start menu on the bottom left of your screen. Select All Programs, then Audacity.
2 In Audacity, click on the Edit menu at the top of the screen.
3 Select Preferences from the Edit menu.
Figure 1: Select Preferences
The Audacity Preferences window will come up (Figure 2). Choose the Audio I/O tab from the top of the Preferences
screen.
4. Set your Playback Device to your internal sound card. Since different computers have different internal sound
cards, your selection may be different from the image below (Figure 2). The correct selection, however, will NOT
be SSS USB Audio Device, Microsoft Sound Mapper or Modem.
5. Set your Recording Device to SSS USB Audio Device. This represents your Converter.
Note: The USB Converter may show up with a different name in the Preferences window. This may depend on
your computer model and operating system. 99% of the time it will contain “USB” in the Name.
6. Set Channels to 2 (Stereo).
7. Check the box labeled Software Playthrough.
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Figure 2: Select USB Audio Device from Preferences
8. Under the Quality tab, set the Default Sample Format to 16bit.
9. Select OK to save your settings and close the Preferences window.
10. At the top of the main Audacity window, to the right of the play control buttons, you will see the input and output
level meters (labeled L and R). Under the output level meter, is an icon that looks like a microphone. Next to the
microphone is a black arrow that points down. Click this arrow and select Monitor Input. (If you don't see the input
and output level meters, open your Preferences again as described above, select the Interface tab, and make sure
that Enable Mixer Toolbar is checked.)
You should be all ready to record.
These settings will be saved when you exit. However, you will need to select Monitor Input from the input meter’s
drop-down menu each time you launch Audacity.
CONFIGURING AUDACITY FOR MAC OS 10.4 AND ABOVE
1 With the Audacity program open, click on the Audacity menu at the top of the screen.
2 Select Preferences from the Audacity menu.
3 Under the Audio I/O tab, set your Playback Device to Built- In Audio.
4 Under the Audio I/O tab, set your Recording Device to SSS USB Audio Device.
5 Under the Audio I/O tab, set your Channels to 2 (Stereo).
6 Check the box labeled Software Playthrough.
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