# MP3 to tape question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-to-tape-question/46176>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 18, 2000, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-to-tape-question/46176 "2000-12-18T17:34:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-to-tape-question/46176/1 "2000-12-18T17:34:54Z")

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Here is the situation. The wife and I are going on a 20 hour drive this holiday weekend and we will be in need of tunes to pass some time. My Cherokee just has a cassette player. So, what I want to record some MP3s to cassettes. This is what I plan on doing, so please tell me if it should work, and if not what I may do.

I have a pretty high quality Sony home stereo system. I want to rip the cassette deck out of the rack and plug it into the sound card direct (SB Live!). I have a 1/8" plug to 2 rca cord adapter. Can I plug that into my speaker out off my soundcard right into the input of the cassette? Or, am I going to have to move the whole PC to the neighborhood of my stereo and plug it into one of the unused inputs on the amp?

Ideas?

I am thinking of this as I am going, so forgive me… but I suppose in order to “hear” it while its recording, I should get a 2-rca cord into a female 1/8" adapter to plug the cassette player/recorder outs to my PC speakers, correct?

(I am trying to avoid moving my PC rig to my stereo if I can since its so bulky, but I will if I have to)

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**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-to-tape-question/46176/2 "2000-12-18T21:55:56Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by bernse \*  
> \*\*  
> I have a 1/8" plug to 2 rca cord adapter. Can I plug that into my speaker out off my soundcard right into the input of the cassette? \*\*

If by “speaker out” you mean a 1/8" stereo jack, then yes, you’re A-OK. Line level out of your sound card to line level in via your tape deck’s RCA jacks should work just fine.  
I am thinking of this as I am going, so forgive me… but I suppose in order to “hear” it while its recording, I should get a 2-rca cord into a female 1/8" adapter to plug the cassette player/recorder outs to my PC speakers, correct?  
\*\*  
[/QUOTE]

Your cassette deck doesn’t have a headphone jack in front? That would be the easiest way to go.

Otherwise, yes–get the adapter cord (2-RCA to stereo female 1/8") you mentioned and plug it into your PC speakers–which I presume are powered. Otherwise, there won’t be enough signal to hear.  
All in all, your scheme sounds fine.