Ion Tape2PC USB Cassette Deck
by Ion
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Category: Receiver or Amplifier
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: IonBrand: Ion
Edition: Electronics
Audio: English (Original Language)
Release Date: 2009-11-01
Model: TAPE2PC
Color: Black
Publisher: Ion
Studio: Ion
Music Label: Ion
Product features:
- Quickly transfer music on your tapes to MP3 format on your computer
- Dual dubbing cassette deck
- Plug and Play USB audio interface, no drivers needed
- Metal and CrO2 tape selector
- PC and Mac compatible
- Metal & CrO2 tape selector
- PC & Mac compatible
- Plug & play USB audio interface-no drivers needed
- Quickly transfers music from tapes to MP3 format
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Ion Tape2PC USB Cassette Deck
Customer Review: Easy to use, bulky and records in Real Time
Summary: 5 Stars
I just got the ION Tape 2 PC, and find it very easy to use.
Pro's:
1) Easy to use - just use it like a dual tape deck.
2) The EZ Tape Converter software is very easy to install. Right now, that's all I'm using because I'm transferring audiobooks on cassette, so I don't need a particularly high sound quality. However, I did verify that the transfer was "working" by playing back some selections in iTunes after they got imported, and the sound quality is pretty acceptable to me. Of course, that may change when I transfer it to my iPod... I guess I'll fool around with Audacity later on when I transfer some music files, but one step at a time...
3) Also, from what I could see in the documentation provided with the player, the recording quality and audio problems have been addressed. The instructions for setting up these items so they work on the computer were very straight-forward.
Con's:
1) As others have pointed out, this player is bulky. I have a big desk, so no problemo, but I think the complaint is a valid one. Hammacher-Schlemmer sells a small cassette player that does the same thing as this one. I don't know what tape transfer software it uses, etc., but it has a much smaller footprint.
2) In addition, you are stuck transferring from cassette to computer in real time. No high-speed dubbing. But think about it for a minute. How on earth would you be able to get a recording that is of even of remotely good quality if it was fast-forwarded through? I imagine it could be done, but it would take a lot fancier equipment than we are talking about here. But, I am currently transferring a 9-cassette audio book as I am writing this, and I must admit it's a pretty time-consuming enterprise. And, as audiobooks on cassette afficionados might know, a 9-cassette audio book is about medium-length as these things go. For this one, I am looking at almost 14 hours of real-time transfer. And, as others have remarked, the machine and the software do not "talk" to each other. So when the cassette reaches its end and auto-stops, the recording software goes blithely on. So if you are not around when the auto-stop takes place, you might have a lot of blank space at the end of your recording. That could definitely be a problem. So, I find it fine to record when I'm using the computer anyway for other purposes (my machine is not slowing down as a result of running this software) so that I can be on hand when the auto-stop takes place. But at other times, I either have to be in the room reading or something so that I don't run into this problem.
3) When you are using the EZ Tape Converter software, you are effectively married to iTunes, since the last step of the transfer involves transferring the created file to iTunes. That's OK for me - I have an iPod and I really like using it. But the sales literature you see online merely glosses over this fact. I suppose if you have another MP3 player, you have to use Audacity when you use this product - I don't know for sure, and the documentation provided doesn't tell you.
4) If you have any kind of "peculiar" setup with your computer such as a Toshiba Dynadock (DON'T ASK!), things may not work as advertised, even if you assiduously follow all the setup instructions. When I kept the Dynadock in place, I did not get sound, and I basically got "blank" recordings. I then "undocked' the Dynadock effectively removing it from my computer, uninstalled the EZ Tape software, reinstalled it, and followed all the setup instructions again. I now have a working machine producing working audio files.
In short, I give this product 5 stars for my personal ease of use. And I think it gives good value for what it is, as long as you don't expect too much. The documentation is much better than it apparently was in the "old days" of 2007 (why are reviews this old kept online??). But just keep in mind that something as simple as this is not going to be able to do all the stuff you may want it to do.
Description of Ion Tape2PC USB Cassette Deck
Reclaim those old cassettes--both store-bought and recorded from the radio or live performances--and save them to your PC with the Ion Tape2PC USB dual cassette deck, which is compatible with both Windows- and Mac-based computers. Just plug the Tape2PC into your computer using the provided USB cable, install the software and start converting your music. Easily transfer your music to your iPod or other MP3 player, or record it to CD.Reclaim those old cassettes--both store-bought and recorded from the radio or live performances--and save them to your PC with the Ion Tape 2 PC USB dual cassette deck, which is compatible with both Windows- and Mac-based computers. Just plug the Tape 2 PC into your computer using the provided USB cable, install the software and start converting your music.
 The Ion Tape 2 PC USB dual cassette deck (see larger schematic image of front panel controls) |
It comes with everything you need to turn your music into digital MP3 files. ION's exclusive software suite makes transfer and editing your music easy. EZ Tape Converter provides an easy way to transfer your music and import it into your iTunes music library. Windows users can download a version of EZ Tape Converter with Gracenote MusicID technology for free. It automatically adds album, artist, and song information for you.
When you're finished archiving your cassettes to your computer, Tape 2 PC can connect to your stereo system using standard RCA cables for convenient cassette listening in your living room, garage, or wherever your stereo system resides. Other features include recording level adjustment, dubbing (from deck A to deck B) with high-speed dubbing capabilities, and gain adjustment.
Key Features
- Transfer music on your tapes to MP3
- Dual-dubbing cassette deck
- Plug and Play USB connection--no drivers needed
- Works with Metal and CrO2 tapes
- EZ Tape Converter (PC) and EZ Audio Converter (Mac) software for hassle-free recording
What's in the Box
Tape 2 PC, USB cable, RCA stereo audio cable, software CD, quick start manual
Computer Requirements
- PC running Windows XP (32-bit or 64-bit) or Vista (32-bit or 64-bit)
- Mac running OS X 10.4 or higher
- One available USB 1.1 port or higher
 With EZ Tape Converter, you can quickly start recording LP tracks... |  ...and then tag individual tracks with artist, album, and song title tags. |
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