Connect your classic vinyl turntable to your computer
The simplest solution to digitize vinyl is to connect the output jack of your Hi-Fi system to the input of the sound card of your computer. Depending on the channel, a single double jack cable may be required, or a jack on the computer side and an RCA cable on the channel side. Once the audio stream has been captured by the computer, audio recording software such as Audacity (PC / Mac / Linux) or RecordForAll (PC) allows you to create MP3s from your vinyls. You can also connect the turntable directly to the computer, with the purchase of an inexpensive RCA - USB connector. If your turntable is not pre-amplified (especially if it is old), you will need to invest in a pre-amplified jack - RCA connector. Once the board is connected to the computer, the principle is the same:use audio recording software to digitize your vinyl records.
Go for a USB turntable
If you have many wafers to digitize, purchasing a USB turntable may be warranted.
These turntables connect very easily to the computer and offer superior audio quality to digitize your vinyl collection.
While this kind of turntable was originally considered gadgets, the offering has now come of age and many models feature premium sound quality that ensures you get quality digitization.
Once the turntable is connected to the computer, you can use audio recording software (like those mentioned in the previous paragraph) to easily create MP3s from your vinyl records.
From vinyl to iPhone, it's possible
Digitize your discs directly on an iPhone, without going through a computer?
This is possible with the latest generation vinyl turntables that integrate an iPhone dock.
Manufactured by Ion, the Dio ILP turntable allows you to play vinyl records on an iPhone or iPod, but also to digitize them and turn them into MP3s thanks to a free application, designed by the manufacturer of the turntables.
These are also equipped with a USB socket which allows them to connect to a computer to digitize their vinyls in a more conventional way, as described in the previous paragraph.