The Steel Guitar Forum

I recently got a Tascam porta 02,and due to
cramped quarters,it's a hassel to get to the back of my computer's line out.The manual says, not to plug the Tascam into any speaker,and I want to record some tracks from my BIAB .I"ve been told I could just plug it in the jack on my speaker and it would be ok.Has any one done this and is it
safe to do? Another thing I didnt know till I got the Porta 02 was it needs an amplifier
to operate.I only have a small shelf type stero and it does not have connections for
this. What kind of amp do I need ,and since I'm retired and have a real limited budget
what would be the cost of getting one that wuuld work with it? I really need some advice
as I dont know much If any thing about electronics . My sincere thanks for any help
BILL

Bill: Do not, I repeat, do not connect the line out of your Porta Studio to a speaker unless you like the acrid smell of electrical coponents burning. As far as a stereo goes, I would recomend one of those "boom" boxes. They're self-contained, easy to use, and portable. YOu can findthem at WalMart,KMart, flea markets, yard sales, etc. real cheap. I've seen new ones in the neighborhood of $40 that would work nicely. Once you get one, just take the "line out" from your sound card and plug it into the "Line In" on the stereo and you're recording. You would use the same approach for your porta studio. Just take the line out from it and plug it into the "Line In" or "Aux" connector on the stereo.

Hope this helps,
Carl

Getting to the Line Out on your PC shouldn't be that much of a hassle. If it is, the PC isn't placed properly anyway as it needs space around it and open in the back for air flow. If you are restricting airflow the PC won't be around long.

The LINE OUT to the input on the Tascam is the way to go. If you want to playback what is recorded on the Tascam, take the line out of the Tascam to the LINE IN on the PC and you can use the PC as the amp and speakers.

I've got a Tascam 424 MKII recorder and that's the way I do it and it works fine. I also hook the output of the Tascam to one of the inputs on my stereo system and it works OK there. You could even use your guitar amp, but it wouldn't be stereo.

CARL,Thanks for the very good advice, I will heed your warning. I will also check out the "BOOM BOX'S " Carl, sounds good.
Thanks again. BILL

JACK STONER, Thanks also for your reply.Jack,
Ihave this computer in avery small room, in a
small desk .It sets in the bottom of it in
a section made for it.You can barely turn around in here,and with a bad case of Arthritis in the knees and neck,,it is hard
for me to move around in here.There is plenty of ventilation around it none the less
and has been working good for 3yrs. now. But
I really do appreciate your concern .And thank you for your reply . BILL

Bill, Concerning the line in and out to your PC.....If you could get in at it just once, you could plug in an adapter cord male>female, sort of like an extension cord. Leave it hanging someplace you can get at it. Shouldn't cost much at Radio Shack. I built a box for mine, and ran the 'stereo line in' and 'mic in' between it and the computer. Saves jostling the 'puter and wrestling with cords.