Need help transfering DAT to PC

[jtdurham]

Can anyone help me figure out how to transfer DAT to PC? I have a tascam DA 20 with Coaxial digital output and I want to transfer to a HP laptop. the inputs on the HP are USB and HDMI and network/internet. thanks Tom

[xjsb125]

I'm not sure on models and makes, but you'll need a device that will input your digital coax (I'm assuming its the orange s/pdif?) and output through either USB or HDMI. You'll need an audio program that will accept either USB or HDMI for audio input to capture it. Freeware like Audacity, or paid programs like Audition or Soundforge should handle that task for you. Alternately, you may seek out someone on here to transfer for you, or on other taping forums. That's the basic answer to your question. There's a million more technical items once you get into the actual recording and editing of the audio you capture. Hope that helps get you started!

[GRC]

Look on the websites for suppliers in your area of professional studio and recording gear.

There'll be some kind of PC interface to do the job, like this one (from a European supplier, you may have to find someone more local);

https://www.thomann.de/gb/focusrite_scarlett_18i20_2nd_gen.htm?sid=2849dda45fe342128a21a8e4093fc4ad

Ludicrously over-specified for what you need, but it will certainly do what you want it to do.

This one is a better fit for you;

https://www.thomann.de/gb/focusrite_scarlett_6i6_2nd_gen.htm

You also need software like Audacity to take the USB input and commit it to file.

Alternatively, find a standalone digital solid-state recorder, like a Tascam DA3000 - this will take coaxial from the DAT and write it to WAV file. This can be taken via USB stick and loaded onto the PC for editing with Audacity

[ringfedder1]

I hate to open a Pandora's Box Tom but have you considered the PC based DAT (DDS) to Wav conversion procedure? Once you go down this rabbit hole, you may never come out. I spent months researching this and finally put together the hardware to make this happen. Effortless, with perfect results.

Jonathan Haynes at DAT-Heads has done a great job of compiling enough information to get even a novice computer user like myself up and running.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faUh4v2VMqI

https://www.facebook.com/groups/datheads/

There's a forum on Taperssection covering this as well.

https://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=175037.15

And plenty of information on the net

https://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?5329-Audio-adventures-in-SCSI-DAT