Audio Input Port
Jeff Aleander
question for a long time, and perhaps I don't know enough to understand
the answers I've seen, or perhaps I haven't gotten a straight answer...
Anyway, what I'd love to know is what it takes to record audio onto my
Mac. Before the PowerPC days (specifically, before the PlainTalk Mic
days) I could plug in any audio device that I wanted into the microphone
port of my computer and record without a problem. However, since i've
owned PowerMac's I've never been able to record even a drop of audio via
the Mic port. Until recently I had a 7500 with the convenient RCA audio
connectors (why did Apple stop shipping those anyway?) - but I've finally
bought a new Mac and I can't record on it.
As I understand it, the PlainTalk mic is a line level mic, and hence the
Microphone port is a line level port (meaning it takes an unamplified
signal?). Now, Apple would have me believe that this isn't a problem, and
that whether I have a CD player, a tape player, a VCR, or anything, I
won't have any problems recording audio. It seems to me, however, that I
need a line level output from an audio device if I want to successfully
get anything into my Mac. Can anybody tell me if this is actually the
case? If so, are there inexpensive ways that will let me, say, plug my
VCR or my tape deck into my Mac, or is it not possible for me, using my
PowerMac G4, to do what even my old LCII could do?
Any tips, or explanations or anything would be very welcome. I'm the
first to admit I don't know enough about the problem, but I haven't been
able to find any good resources to educate myself.
Thanks!
-Jeff
p.s. - Sorry for cross posting but I didn't know which newsgroup this post
was more appropriate for since I don't really know exactly where my
problem lies.
Jerry Kindall
(Jeff Aleander) wrote:
> Hi there. I've been searching around for a straight answer to this
> question for a long time, and perhaps I don't know enough to understand
> the answers I've seen, or perhaps I haven't gotten a straight answer...
> Anyway, what I'd love to know is what it takes to record audio onto my
> Mac. Before the PowerPC days (specifically, before the PlainTalk Mic
> days) I could plug in any audio device that I wanted into the microphone
> port of my computer and record without a problem.
Actually, that's a real bad idea, and a good way to blow the mic input
on those machines. Certainly you'll record nothing but distortion.
> As I understand it, the PlainTalk mic is a line level mic, and hence
> the Microphone port is a line level port (meaning it takes an
> unamplified signal?).
Well, unamplified compared to what? It's amplified compared to a mic,
but unamplified compared to your speakers. "Line level" implies a
standard voltage level that allows stereo components and the like to
interoperate.
> Now, Apple would have me believe that this isn't a problem, and that
> whether I have a CD player, a tape player, a VCR, or anything, I
> won't have any problems recording audio. It seems to me, however,
> that I need a line level output from an audio device if I want to
> successfully get anything into my Mac. Can anybody tell me if this
> is actually the case?
Yes, it is true. Line level inputs require line-level outputs.
Although, in a pinch, a headphone output will usually work too, if you
get the right adapter for the plug. The levels aren't horribly
different in such a case, although the impedance mismatch can cause
frequency losses.
> If so, are there inexpensive ways that will let me, say, plug my VCR
> or my tape deck into my Mac, or is it not possible for me, using my
> PowerMac G4, to do what even my old LCII could do?
Well, if your VCR or tape deck have RCA outputs, they are line outputs.
You simply plug them into the RCA adapter thingy that plugs into the mic
input. If you don't have the RCA adapter thingy, you go buy one at
Radio Shack -- it should have RCA jacks on one end and a stereo miniplug
on the other. Less than $5.
--
Jerry Kindall <mailto:kin...@mail.manual.com> Technical Writing, etc.
Manual Labor <http://www.manual.com/> We Wrote the Book!
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Aaron Shakra
>Well, if your VCR or tape deck have RCA outputs, they are line outputs.
>You simply plug them into the RCA adapter thingy that plugs into the mic
>input. If you don't have the RCA adapter thingy, you go buy one at
>Radio Shack -- it should have RCA jacks on one end and a stereo miniplug
>on the other. Less than $5.
Actually, this brings up an interesting question. What are the advantages
to RCA over a stereo miniplug, or vice versa? I'm curious about this.
Aaron