h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello

just wondering if anyone's had a go at using finalvinyl with a griffin imic. It's supposed to enable mac users to transfer music from vinyl or tape into mp3/4s. The imic works as an adapter which plugs into the usb port and the cables fit to jackplugs to connect to your hifi or whatever. Just downloaded the software off www.griffintechnology.com/software and I just wanted to know if anyone had used it and how they got on. Up til now I've only used my imic to record my own music using the guitar cable you can buy with it. (works well, by the way).



Kaz

I haven't tried it myself, but as it appears to be Freeware you have little to lose by giving it a go:

http://mac.majorgeeks.com/download5230.html

cheers Peet.

Yeah, if you haven't already got one, those imics are really handy because they do output too. I had an old pair of speakers with a standard 3.5mm jack on them but no external output port on my laptop-connected them up to the imic and-result!
you don't need to install anything either, its just plugs in and works.

I'm guessing the imic helps limit the circuit from your hifi to your computer as well, during line recording but my immediate thought was to run the computer off the mains just in case, I've had problems before with usb hubs-for some reason they can drain the computer battery (even when plugged in).

I used it to digitize some old reel-to-reel tapes. It works as advertised. I remember it being a little buggy, I think I had to quit it between recordings to prevent something odd from happening. I can't remember exactly what the odd thing was though, just that it didn't happen if I quit and relaunched.

It's not exactly freeware, I think it only works with the imic hardware - so you can download it for free but can't use it unless you buy the imic.

yeah that's true. I've got the updated version and looking at the readme I think they've tried to fix some of the bugs with it.

My only problem is finding a tape player in my house that has sockets for jackplugs! I have got one that has sockets at the back for line out, minidisk and video connections which seem to fit. What I was planning to do is connect the plugs up to the line out, set the imic to line and use the computer as a playback device with the sound turned down on the tape player to stop feedback. Do you reckon that'd work?

What are the results like by the way? I've got a really scratchy tape which I'd like to clean up using it.

use the computer as a playback device!? I meant use it to monitor the recording as it goes through. Sorry!

I don't think you have to worry about feedback unless you have the mic and the speaker going at the same time. But yes that should work, and is exactly what I did.

The sound quality is good. Here's a brief sample (a neighbor of my parents who sent letters by audio tape after moving to Germany, this recording is close to 40 years old)
http://ctaar.rutgers.edu/~jpd/tapes/TanteIngeborg.m4a

wow!
Cheers d'E.

Kaz