Stereo out to monaural mic in Media Center

[FrogMN]

I recently purchased a laptop with Windows Media Center XP with the intention of being able to archive several cassette tapes. My stereo tape deck, however, is a long way away form my desktop model Media center PC which has a line in connection (and I have successfully recoreded this way), but my new Laptop merely has a monaural mic in (no line in). What are my alternatives to recording my tapes? Can I:
A - Connect the Stereo headphone out or stereo audio RCA plugs out into my monaural mic input on the laptop OR
B- Threre is a TV connection "box" that came with the laptop for video and the video sound RCA inputs - could I just use the Stereo RCA outs on my tape deck and RCA stereo ins on this box to record the audio of the cassettes and simply ignor the video RCA yellow plug?

C - Any other options? I've heard of a connector from stereo
out to a USB monaural mic?
Thanks for any suggestions - or should I return my new laptop and hunt for one with a stereo LINE in plug?

 

[dduardo]

1) You don't need Windows Media Center to archive your cassette tapes.
2) Option A doesn't work
3) Option B might work. It depends if the RCA stereo is In or Out. Most likely it is Out.

If your goal is to record audio in stereo from your tapes to your computer with your current setup you probably won't be able to. I do kind of find it hard to believe that your laptop doesn't have Line-In. Usually you get (Line Out)(Line In)(Mic) connectors.

What you can do is go to another computer that does have line-in and use the Windows Recorder to capture the sound from line-in. You could also buy a usb tv tuner card and use the RCA in as a means to record.

 

[The_Professional]

http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/audio/7a8d/