Hello. I would like to know if any knows how I can get and old reel to reel tape copied onto either a cd (prefered) or and cassette. It is of christmas music I grew up with and has great sentimental value to me. Of coures I haven't had a reel to reel player since I was little and I don't know where to go. Any suggestions as to where I could go to have that done for me? Thanks for your help.

Tim.

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Tim,

The answer to your question depends on how old your tapes are and how far you're willing to go to preserve what's on them.

If the tapes aren't too old (15-20 years or less) then you could try to get someone who works at a radio station to dub the contents onto a cassette. If you know someone with a cassette deck and a computer with a good sound card and a CD burner, it should be a pretty straightforward process to dub to CD.

However, if the tapes are so old that the oxide coating is flaking off of the polyester backing, then it's time to get professional help. I do not know of anyone who does this. National Public Radio has a segment of All Things Considered called "Lost and Found Sound." During one of these broadcasts they interviewed someone who restores and dubs old audio media.
I can't remember this person's name, but you can contact NPR at www.npr.org. Perhaps someone there knows who this person is.

Sorry for the log-winded response, but I didn't know the details of your situation, and wanted to try and cover all the possibilities I could. I hope this helps.

Sincerely,
Larry

: Tim,

: The answer to your question depends on how old your tapes are and how far you're willing to go to preserve what's on them.

: If the tapes aren't too old (15-20 years or less) then you could try to get someone who works at a radio station to dub the contents onto a cassette. If you know someone with a cassette deck and a computer with a good sound card and a CD burner, it should be a pretty straightforward process to dub to CD.

: However, if the tapes are so old that the oxide coating is flaking off of the polyester backing, then it's time to get professional help. I do not know of anyone who does this. National Public Radio has a segment of All Things Considered called "Lost and Found Sound." During one of these broadcasts they interviewed someone who restores and dubs old audio media.
: I can't remember this person's name, but you can contact NPR at www.npr.org. Perhaps someone there knows who this person is.

: Sorry for the log-winded response, but I didn't know the details of your situation, and wanted to try and cover all the possibilities I could. I hope this helps.

: Sincerely,
: Larry