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Sony Corp. said Wednesday it will soon sell a record deck that plugs
into a computer to let vinyl collectors convert their analogue
recordings into digital form.
The turntable hooks up with a USB cable to a
computer, where special software would turn the sound into MP3 or
ATRAC format. The files can then be played on portable players such
as iPods or put onto compact discs.
Converting vinyl to data files was already
possible, but the process was so complicated that few save for
committed technophiles know how to do it.
"With this product, we want to offer a
simple way for everyone to convert their full record collection,
which are often associated with so many memories," a Sony
statement said.
But the turntable will not get rid of those
scratches found on many old records. If the record skips or crackels,
the imperfection will be reflected in the MP3 or ATRAC files.
And unlike CDs, which can be copied nearly
instantly onto a computer, turning vinyl into computer files takes
the full time of the recording.
The Sony machine, called PS-LX300USB, will go on
sale in Japan in April at a price of around 29,000 yen (280
dollars).
-- AFP
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