How to get a reel-to-reel recording digitized?

snoozy · #1 07/08/11, 05:59 PM

My mother came across an original interview I did with my grandfather in 1980. He was 82 at the time, and talked about his early days on Guam where he was from. I no longer have a reel-to-reel recorder, and I would like to get the interview put onto a CD or some such, because eventually the tape will disintegrate from sheer age, don't you think? So how do I go about this? Does anyone know how much this would cost? Where to get it done?

Windy in Kansas · #2 07/08/11, 09:09 PM

Searches will yield companies that make the conversions. Here is but one: http://reeltocd.us/ and another http://www.reel2reel2cd.com/

Search term: reel to reel audio conversion to digital

DaleK · #3 07/08/11, 09:15 PM

Ask at your local library or historical archive and they should have an idea of who's in the area.

texican · #4 07/08/11, 11:13 PM

I'd buy a reel to reel on ebay. Use it. Bridge from the reel to reel to the computer with a cord (Radio Shack... even Wally World has these). Use free recording software, record in WAV (a lossless music file), then you can convert that into a mp3 or flac or whatever. Then sell the reel to reel again on ebay.

To be safe, once you do have the digital file, place it on multiple sets of media, and backup on the cloud servers (for extra insurance).

Good luck....

P.S. Tape does die. I lost dozens of hours of VHS movies of my parents... before I went digital... afterwards, the tapes had deteriorated to unwatchable...

frogmammy · #5 07/08/11, 11:19 PM

Ok, so back about 1952 my grandfather made a record of himself and me singing together. I've wanted to get it copied but nobody knows where to go to get it done.

This is an old wax record made for home recording on a phonograph.

Any ideas?

Mon

gila_dog · #6 07/08/11, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogmammy

Ok, so back about 1952 my grandfather made a record of himself and me singing together. I've wanted to get it copied but nobody knows where to go to get it done.

This is an old wax record made for home recording on a phonograph.

Any ideas?

Mon

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

I'd buy a reel to reel on ebay. Use it. Bridge from the reel to reel to the computer with a cord (Radio Shack... even Wally World has these). Use free recording software, record in WAV (a lossless music file), then you can convert that into a mp3 or flac or whatever. Then sell the reel to reel again on ebay.

To be safe, once you do have the digital file, place it on multiple sets of media, and backup on the cloud servers (for extra insurance).

Good luck....

P.S. Tape does die. I lost dozens of hours of VHS movies of my parents... before I went digital... afterwards, the tapes had deteriorated to unwatchable...

What Texican said, except you need to spin the record up on a turntable.

frogmammy · #7 07/09/11, 07:53 AM

Gee, my mother ruined one recording trying that.

Mon

SolarGary · #8 07/09/11, 10:36 AM

Hi,
You might try checking in the archives of the radio show that Leo Laporte runs:
http://techguylabs.com/radio/pmwiki.php

That question comes up quite a bit, and Leo really knows his tech.

Gary

Harry Chickpea · #9 07/09/11, 11:22 AM

Yeah, wish techtv had continued on. I can do both,but would have to move some stuff around to do it. The pricing in the cites seems about right.

VHS tapes - yes they can become unwatchable, but not all tape players use the same circuitry and correction algorithms, so it still may be possible to recover the images and convert. Magnetic tape has a bad rap for archival storage, but a lot of the problems were the oxide layer peeling or flaking off, something that became less common as the technology improved.

snoozy · #10 07/09/11, 11:58 AM

Getting a tape player on eBay is a good idea! (I think I'll look on craigslist first though -- then it will be in the area.) I have Adobe Audition...thanks for the idea!

Jennifer L. · #11 07/09/11, 03:58 PM

My father had a reel to reel tape recorder when we were little kids, and I finally went through the cupboard and had about ten of them done by http://www.reel2reel2cd.com/ They did a nice job and I recommend them. Not cheap, though, but what price do you put on memories like that?

My father also recorded all of the "big" space lift offs from the TV, up through the Apollo moon shots. Remember when every one of them were shown on TV and Walter Cronkite was there with people like Arthur C. Clarke? Good stuff. All of the family comments are on those tapes, too. If I had the $$ I'd get those digitalized, as well. Maybe one day, if things get better.

Good luck getting yours done. Well worth the money.

Jennifer

katlupe · #12 07/09/11, 05:41 PM

My husband had a reel to reel recording of a music album he had made. We took it to a recording studio and they said they had to "bake" it. They digitized it and put it on CD so we could have it duplicated for sale. But you shouldn't try to do this yourself as it can be ruined. I wouldn't even handle it myself. Take it to a recording studio. Call for prices.

katlupe · #13 07/09/11, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogmammy

Ok, so back about 1952 my grandfather made a record of himself and me singing together. I've wanted to get it copied but nobody knows where to go to get it done.

This is an old wax record made for home recording on a phonograph.

Any ideas?

Mon

Take it to a recording studio. They have the equipment and knowledge to do that.

empofuniv · #14 07/10/11, 04:15 AM

Maybe contact Lola Sablan (married name Santo) who is CEO of Guam Communications Network which is in Los Angeles.

At one time she was very active in keeping the culture and history of Guam alive and available to all. She is very approachable. I've met here several times at the Women of Guam breast cancer lunchs, and at the Pacific Islander festival here in San Diego.

I'm not Chamorro, but my best friend is and she claims me as an adopted Chamorro and we go to these functions together. My DD's claim the only reason I go to these luncheons is so I can be the tallest woman in the room, instead of the shortest!

Lola might be very interested in your interview with your grandfather. And if you have any pictures of Guam from that time period.

There are many entries for her on google. Hope this helps.

snoozy · #15 07/10/11, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by empofuniv

Maybe contact Lola Sablan (married name Santo) who is CEO of Guam Communications Network which is in Los Angeles.

At one time she was very active in keeping the culture and history of Guam alive and available to all. She is very approachable. I've met here several times at the Women of Guam breast cancer lunchs, and at the Pacific Islander festival here in San Diego.

I'm not Chamorro, but my best friend is and she claims me as an adopted Chamorro and we go to these functions together. My DD's claim the only reason I go to these luncheons is so I can be the tallest woman in the room, instead of the shortest!

Lola might be very interested in your interview with your grandfather. And if you have any pictures of Guam from that time period.

There are many entries for her on google. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the tip! My grandfather was Guam's first PhD, and later founded the teachers college there which became the University of Guam.

empofuniv · #16 07/11/11, 12:02 AM

Hmmmm...seems like you or your family might know my friend/her family...her father was an ambassador from Guam and during WWll he was forced to be an interpreter for the Japanese. I've seen the letter that her father was to carry at all times saying that he was under the Japanese guard and was not to be stopped or bothered.

He is in 2 of the Victory At Sea programs...one where they were ripping off the Japanese flag from his general store.

Feel free to pm me if you'd like and I'll put you in touch w my friend. Then we'll see how far back y'all have to go before you come up with a common ancestor!!!