Stereo Help - Recording cd to tape
October 3, 2015 11:58 AM Subscribe
I need guidance on recording cd to tape on a stereo with connected cd player, tape player, and receiver.
I've made tapes on a boombox before but now I have a stereo with interconnected parts and wires. Here's what it looks like:
The cd player has only Output L and R holes in the back. These are plugged into the receiver.
The tape player has Line in L and R and Line out L and R holes. All four are plugged into the accompanying holes in the receiver under Tape 1.
The receiver has CD L/R plugs which are connected to the cd player. For tape, it has Tape 1 PB and Record (4 total), which are connected to the tape player. It also has four more of the same holes for Tape 2, which I've never used.
Other notes: The tape player has a little button for "timer" with three settings - play, off, and record. The receiver has buttons to select which input to listen to (CD, tape, radio).
I've tried recording with all three "timer" variations and tried with both the cd player input selected (where you hear music) and the tape input selected (where the cd is playing but you can't hear it, just in case that would work). The tape record rolls the tape (ie appears to be working) but doesn't record any audio and stops the tape after 10 seconds every time. Everything else is in perfect working order.
Is there user error here? If so, what am I doing wrong? Is it because the cd player doesn't have inputs? Even so, why would the tape player "record" for 10 seconds and then turn off?
I've made tapes on a boombox before but now I have a stereo with interconnected parts and wires. Here's what it looks like:
The cd player has only Output L and R holes in the back. These are plugged into the receiver.
The tape player has Line in L and R and Line out L and R holes. All four are plugged into the accompanying holes in the receiver under Tape 1.
The receiver has CD L/R plugs which are connected to the cd player. For tape, it has Tape 1 PB and Record (4 total), which are connected to the tape player. It also has four more of the same holes for Tape 2, which I've never used.
Other notes: The tape player has a little button for "timer" with three settings - play, off, and record. The receiver has buttons to select which input to listen to (CD, tape, radio).
I've tried recording with all three "timer" variations and tried with both the cd player input selected (where you hear music) and the tape input selected (where the cd is playing but you can't hear it, just in case that would work). The tape record rolls the tape (ie appears to be working) but doesn't record any audio and stops the tape after 10 seconds every time. Everything else is in perfect working order.
Is there user error here? If so, what am I doing wrong? Is it because the cd player doesn't have inputs? Even so, why would the tape player "record" for 10 seconds and then turn off?
Response by poster: I tried connected the cd player to the tape player and that didn't do anything. I did just figure out that if I put the tape "timer" to record, turn it off, and turn it back on, it starts rolling the tape with the record red dot showing and doesn't stop 10 sec in, but it doesn't actually record anything! Tried this with the cd playing an the receiver set to cd then set to tape. Neither recorded any audio although the tape rolled.
posted by atinna at 12:29 PM on October 3, 2015
posted by atinna at 12:29 PM on October 3, 2015
Does the cassette deck have a headphone jack? In other words, can you monitor what's recording on it? If so I would just bypass the receiver for now, go cd output to tape deck input and listen on headphones. If that will record and playback then the problem is routing with the receiver.
I take it this is all older, second-hand gear?
posted by tremspeed at 12:38 PM on October 3, 2015
I take it this is all older, second-hand gear?
posted by tremspeed at 12:38 PM on October 3, 2015
Does the tape deck have any meters on it? Do they 'bounce' when recording and the CD is playing?
posted by AzraelBrown at 12:50 PM on October 3, 2015
posted by AzraelBrown at 12:50 PM on October 3, 2015
Best answer: The tape player has Line in L and R and Line out L and R holes. All four are plugged into the accompanying holes in the receiver under Tape 1.
Make sure Out (Record) on the receiver is connected to In on the tape deck.
IME the tape is shutting off because it is detecting no input.
I'd try this with the receiver set to listen to the CD, and with the tape deck timer set to off. Usually there is a way to set the record levels on the tape deck (small knobs), as it's not the same as the receiver volume control.
posted by achrise at 2:34 PM on October 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Make sure Out (Record) on the receiver is connected to In on the tape deck.
IME the tape is shutting off because it is detecting no input.
I'd try this with the receiver set to listen to the CD, and with the tape deck timer set to off. Usually there is a way to set the record levels on the tape deck (small knobs), as it's not the same as the receiver volume control.
posted by achrise at 2:34 PM on October 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
From how you describe the tape loop connections quoted above, I agree with achrise, swap those and try again.
posted by humboldt32 at 4:53 PM on October 3, 2015
posted by humboldt32 at 4:53 PM on October 3, 2015
I've owned many cassette decks and I've never seen one that shut off due to lack of audio input. If it is not auto-reversing it will shut off at the end of the tape. Maybe you have the tape in upside down ?
Also, if the tape is sticking or the drive mechanism old and weak it could also cause it to shut off.
posted by rfs at 7:34 PM on October 3, 2015
Also, if the tape is sticking or the drive mechanism old and weak it could also cause it to shut off.
posted by rfs at 7:34 PM on October 3, 2015
Best answer: To keep things simple for troubleshooting, you can leave the receiver out of the picture. With the CD player connected to Line In on the tape deck, and a CD playing, when you hit Record you should see the level meters moving. If you don't, check the level controls, which will either be knobs or sliding faders, left and right. Increase the level to see if the meters move at all.
Got make and model number for the tape deck and receiver? That would give us more to go on. Lots of manuals can be found online.
posted by in278s at 10:21 PM on October 3, 2015
Got make and model number for the tape deck and receiver? That would give us more to go on. Lots of manuals can be found online.
posted by in278s at 10:21 PM on October 3, 2015
Best answer: By the way, when the receiver is connected, its input selector should be on CD, not tape. Tape is for playing, not recording, a tape.
posted by in278s at 10:22 PM on October 3, 2015
posted by in278s at 10:22 PM on October 3, 2015
Is there record level knob on the tape deck? If so make sure it's not turned all the way down.
I don't know why the tape would stop after 10 seconds. You might just have a broken tape deck.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 10:39 AM on October 4, 2015
I don't know why the tape would stop after 10 seconds. You might just have a broken tape deck.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 10:39 AM on October 4, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks for your very helpful answers everyone. Connecting the cd output to tape input instead of to the receiver did the trick in addition to adjusting the "input" knob on the tape player. For some reason adjusting the knob didn't occur to me because I ingore it when playing tapes and I had it set on 0!
The tape player still stops after a few seconds after hitting record unless I turn it off on record mode and then turn it back on and then it records like normal - not sure why that is but at least the record works properly after I turn it back on. I think it might be an on-purpose mechanism to get past the non-tape beginning part of a tape so you're not accidentally taping the first few seconds while there's no tape? In any case, thanks for your help everyone.
posted by atinna at 1:16 PM on October 4, 2015
The tape player still stops after a few seconds after hitting record unless I turn it off on record mode and then turn it back on and then it records like normal - not sure why that is but at least the record works properly after I turn it back on. I think it might be an on-purpose mechanism to get past the non-tape beginning part of a tape so you're not accidentally taping the first few seconds while there's no tape? In any case, thanks for your help everyone.
posted by atinna at 1:16 PM on October 4, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
My suggestion: the receiver isn't necessary for the recording process; depending on the receiver/amplifier, there may be some odd combination of settings to 'route' the CD to the tape deck. However, the receiver isn't doing anything fancy to the signal -- just connect the outputs of the CD player to the inputs on the tape deck and that's it. Tape outputs can still go to the amp/receiver so you can listen to the tape.
Edit: my guess is 'timer' should be set to 'off', but if it still only records a certain amount of time and stops then it may be broken.
posted by AzraelBrown at 12:09 PM on October 3, 2015