Topic: DAT to PC transfer

[jeenash]

Hello all, My name is Greg. It's my first time posting here so I am sorry if I'm asking already covered questions. I just recently decided I have to do something to preserve my collection of 200-300 tapes(mostly pre 2000 Phish but some rare stuff too). I had 2 broken decks for 15 years or so I just picked up a Tascam DA-P1 from ebay that works surprisingly well. I also found a M-Audio 192 card that has the coax spdif input. I had to borrow an older PC because who knew that newer PCs don't have PCI slots they have PCIE slots (yes I'm a complete moron when it comes to computers). I have been successfully transferring using CD wave and I have been letting the soundcard do the sample rate conversion to 44.1 in the event I want to burn a CD. My question is, am I making a mistake by converting the sample rate by soundcard or should I be doing it with software? I'm about 30 tapes deep now and I figured I might want some input before going any further. Eventually I'd like to split the tracks, convert to flac and create some torrents but I figure its best to just get the tapes preserved while the deck still works. When the time comes I'll have lots of questions on those things. Thanks.

[runonce]

Best to transfer and archive at the recording's original sample rate.

[jeenash]

Okay if that is the case can anyone recommend inexpensive software that a dummy could figure out how to use to do the conversion? Can the human ear even tell the difference between 44.1 and 48?

[H₂O]

Very few people burn to CD anymore so don't worry about 44.1khz, just keep as original as possible

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

Okay if that is the case can anyone recommend inexpensive software that a dummy could figure out how to use to do the conversion? Can the human ear even tell the difference between 44.1 and 48?

The MAudio card you have should be able to do "bit-perfect" transfers of your DATs.  That means the digital info you save is EXACTLY the same as what is on the DAT (for our purposes).

Do NOT convert your resampled 44k Files back to 48k.  You will add nothing except blank empty space...  IMO, it would be best to re-do the ones you have done so far once you set up your soundcard NOT to resample to 44k, but instead record the SPDIF without any changes (ie bit perfect).

I have no opinion/knowledge about using CDWave as your recording platform... 

As for converting 48k to 44k, I use r8brain.  Seems to work great.  Do NOT use CDWave, I've heard it has problems (creates diginoise).  I don't know how true that is, but r8brain is free so I use that instead just to avoid any issues...

Terry

[jeenash]

I guess I'm best to start over. Thanks for the suggestion of R8brain. Does anyone have an opinion on using CD Wave editor to record to WAV files? To me, It's been very easy. I guessing a bit for bit transfer doesn't make much or any difference what software creates a WAV file. I am assuming once I have everything in WAV I can edit, track the files, or compress afterwards? Hard disk space is not an issue. Again, I think the most important thing is to get everything transferred before my machine goes kaput.

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

I guess I'm best to start over. Thanks for the suggestion of R8brain. Does anyone have an opinion on using CD Wave editor to record to WAV files? To me, It's been very easy. I guessing a bit for bit transfer doesn't make much or any difference what software creates a WAV file. I am assuming once I have everything in WAV I can edit, track the files, or compress afterwards? Hard disk space is not an issue. Again, I think the most important thing is to get everything transferred before my machine goes kaput.

Yeppers...  When I do a transfer, I keep an unadulterated 48k file (or 44k if that's how the DAT was recorded).  I make MD5s and convert to FLAC...  I call this the "Master".  I used to use r8brain to convert any 48k Master to 44k for CDs...  But I've pretty much quit doing that since I listen mostly thru the PC...

I then dump this file into CDWave and cut my Tracks.  I save the Tracks in a separate location, create MD5s and convert to FLAC...  These are my "work" files.  I don't do any type of file manipulation, but if you plan on doing something, you'll want your Master separate and unadulterated in case you want to start over, do it again, decide to do something differently... 

As for the "important thing", IMO the "important thing" is to Transfer those DATs before they go bad.  Different brands of DAT had different shelf-life, some much shorter than others...  You can always replace the PC, or like in my case, use a Recorder with SPDIF input (think of this as "patching" after the fact)...  But once the DAT has died, that's it, game over!

BTW, there are several people willing to do mass-transfers of your DATs (like me), especially if they are PH related...

Terry

[jeenash]

I have had a couple of my favorites break on ff or rew. As it turns out they were the more expensive DAT audio tapes (Sony brand). So far I've had good luck with the run of the mill DDS tapes. I guess that settles the age old question of which is better. Good thing I bought mostly DDS. Twatts- I'm actually having fun doing the transfers but If the offer stands I may ask for help splitting the tracks and such when I'm finished. I could put the files on a portable HD or something and send them out.

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

I have had a couple of my favorites break on ff or rew.

Oh that sucks!  Knock on wood, none of the Tapes I've Transferred have broken...  Some have been digi-noise hell, but none broken yet... 

I'm actually having fun doing the transfers but If the offer stands I may ask for help splitting the tracks and such when I'm finished. I could put the files on a portable HD or something and send them out.

And yeah, Transfers are fun.  Since starting a family, I haven't been able to get out and tape, so doing Transfers is as close as I can get to "taping"... 

Enjoy!  If you want more details, or whatever, just ask... 

Terry