# How can I record on my PowerBook? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 10, 2005, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783 "2005-03-10T03:22:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783/1 "2005-03-10T03:22:36Z")
Okay, audio experts, I’m trying to figure out if I can record from an audio cassette player (Marantz PMD101) to my PowerBook. I think I have all the right cables, so I should be okay there, but I don’t know what kind of software I need. Is there something that comes standard with the PowerBook, or would I need to buy software? Or is there any shareware that would do this? Thanks! ME ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783/2 "2005-03-10T07:20:33Z")
Not sure what your setup is, but if it’s over Firewire, iMovie will do. Just record as usual, then export just the audio track to whatever format you like. ---
**Author:** ![Oswald\_Bastable](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oswald_bastable/32/214_2.png) [@Oswald\_Bastable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oswald_Bastable)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783/3 "2005-03-10T13:06:10Z")
If it’s a fairly recent model PowerBook it should have come with Sound Studio (check your Applications folder). SS will allow you to record from the line-in port on your PowerBook - although you may have to amend both the application’s preferences and the sound-in tab in your Sound system preferences. If your machine didn’t come with Sound Studio - it’s shareware and has a 30-day free and unrestricted demo period. Check out the usual Mac download sites (such as Versiontracker). jx ---
**Author:** ![wheelie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b4bc9f/32.png) [@wheelie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheelie)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783/4 "2005-03-10T13:15:23Z")
I use [Audacity](http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) to record LP’s on my G4 PowerMac. Just connect the line out to the audio in on your PB. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783/5 "2005-03-10T14:45:49Z")
I use [Audion](http://www.panic.com/audion/download.html), which is now free. (I also use it instead of iTunes for MP3 playback). ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783/6 "2005-03-10T16:21:27Z")
Thanks for the info! Audion and Audacity both look good. I’m not sure if I have Sound Studio, but I haven’t looked through everything in the Applications folder. I want to record from long tapes (60-90 minutes). Is there any way I can keep the file size reasonable? I know good-quality sound files are gigantic, but I don’t need to have very good quality. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783/7 "2005-03-10T18:02:39Z")
Use Audion’s VBR option under MP3 encoder. Ninety minutes’ worth of MP3 file(s) should only be about 300 megs. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783/8 "2005-03-11T01:45:10Z")
I’m making progress, but I have a few little problems. With Audion, the recording comes out at a very low volume. I turned all of the volume settings all the way up, but it’s still so low it’s almost inaudible. With Audacity, I couldn’t get it to record at all. I’m going to try Sound Studio, so maybe that will work (but I have to pay for that, and if I can use one of the free programs, that would be much better). Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783/9 "2005-03-11T03:12:05Z")
Are you hooking the cassette player directly into the PowerBook? If so, are you using the headphone jack or the line-level output of the cassette player? If you’re using the line-level output, you need an amplifier to sit in-between. Plug the PowerBook into the amp using the feeds that normally go to “tape recorder” (not “tape play”). Boost the amp so that it sounds normal on the speakers. If you’re using the headphone jack, I dunno, that ought to work. You say you’ve experimented with different sound levels — on the cassette player? You should not have to crank it wide open or anything. Plug in some real headphones and set the volume to the highest level that doesn’t approach distortion, then replace headphones with plug from PowerBook. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2005, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783/10 "2005-03-11T03:15:14Z")
OH! And when you hit the “Record…” command from Audion’s “Tools” menu, set the top menu to “Built-in Audio” and then set the one below it to “Sound Input”. Sorry, I guess I’ve used it so often I think it’s self-explanatory when it’s a bit less than such. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2005, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783/11 "2005-03-11T04:20:15Z")
Ahhhh–that should help! I was using the line out jack, but I’ll switch to the headphone jack and see if that works better. I don’t have an amp. **AHunter3** , you’re a genius!! ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2005, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-record-on-my-powerbook/293783/12 "2005-03-11T05:02:58Z")
Naah, a genius would’ve given you comprehensive instrux to begin with.