Record cassette players, VCRs, and other external devices

NowSmart Audio Recorder turns cassette tapes, DVDs, and other external audio sources into audio files on your computer. The same steps work for keyboards, TVs, radios, and other devices with an audio output.

Step 1: Connect the device to your computer

Connect the player’s output to the Line In jack on your computer. The cable depends on the player’s output jack; common choices are an RCA to 3.5 mm stereo cable and a 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm stereo cable.

Other output jacks, such as 6.35 mm stereo and XLR, need a matching cable.

Connect the left and right Audio Out, or the headphone jack, of the external device to the Line In jack (usually blue) on your sound card.

Step 2: Select the audio source

If the device is connected to the main sound card, such as Realtek High Definition Audio, choose Line In in that section.

Step 3: Name your audio file (optional)

Click Add/New to select an audio file or to name a new one, such as test.mp3, test.wav, or test.flac.

NowSmart Audio Recorder saves the recording directly to this file. You can play the recording in NowSmart Audio Recorder or in any media player.

Step 4: Start recording

Press Record to start.

Adjust the recording level as needed.

Step 5: Hear the audio while recording (optional)

To hear the audio while it records, click Source to open the Windows Sound control panel.

Select Line In, then Properties.

On the Listen tab, enable Listen to this device.