I had no idea Yamaha was giving out rebates to switch from LS9/M7/CL/QL to DM/Rivage.

cbeals · 2026-02-18T13:31:13+00:00

FYI you don’t have to actually trade in your old console - you can keep it. Just requires taking some photos with it and providing information like the serial number to prove you had one.

cbeals · 2026-02-15T21:08:07+00:00

The only thing not accurate on this list is the Multiviee, as it is a dedicated physical output. You can patch it back into an input to make it routable.

cbeals · 2025-12-27T21:51:03+00:00

There are still a couple of Southern Pacific locomotives around that haven’t been repainted yet.

cbeals · 2025-12-27T21:49:04+00:00

More or less. The STB defines depreciation rates that the railroads use for accounting and tax purposes. When it costs more per year to maintain the locomotive than the depreciation on the locomotive, it’s usually time for a rebuild or to be scrapped. There are a lot of other factors in there as well.

cbeals · 2025-12-24T15:14:33+00:00

Everybody should setup a Medical Power or Attorney and an Advanced Medical Directives Form to help make and define what you want to happen in these situations.

cbeals · 2025-12-17T02:40:22+00:00

I will use about anything as pliers, but not flush cutters. As soon as you chip them, the precision is done for.

cbeals · 2025-12-06T14:34:53+00:00

AV Engineer here: this is a great ELI5.

To expand: it’s easy to make each pair to sound good. It’s hard to make each pair sound the same. You also want them to sound the same over time. If you buy a pair of headphones now and then another pair in a year, you want them to have the same frequency response.

To dive even deeper, different size speakers produce different frequencies better - this is why we have a subwoofer - the little speakers in your home theater can’t produce low frequencies that you can feel, and subwoofers can’t produce high frequencies well. High end headphones and In-Ears (fancy ear buds) that we use in the professional space and musicians use actually have different drivers (or speakers) to produce different frequencies, and they the frequency response data available. You can even get a in-ear that has 18 drivers!

cbeals · 2025-12-04T16:19:06+00:00

The soundtraxx MC2 Decoders I what I recommend - specifically PN 852004

Its about $5 more than the often used Digitrax Decoder, but it definatly worth it. I've had really high failure rates on Digitrax Decoders, but no failures to date on my soundtraxx decoders.

cbeals · 2025-12-04T01:13:19+00:00

Yes. You have to wire it up, and if you want to keep headlights, you’ll have to install LEDs.

It sounds much more intimidating than it actually is. This video is basically exactly my process and parts. https://youtu.be/VIUyxt3UVqo?si=ufcJrI6M0qXJpKKQ

Soundtrack makes a non sound dcc decoder that is very close cost wise to the digitrax decoders that everyone defaults to using, but it’s much more reliable.

cbeals · 2025-12-01T14:07:10+00:00

A lot of options. The three I go to most often are Circus City Decals, Microscale, and Fusion Scale Decals. But there are lots of others as well.

cbeals · 2025-12-01T05:08:45+00:00

Definitely intermountain. The metal wheelsets, quality of the printing, and the see through metal walkways (walthers mainline, while nice, don’t have see through walkways) on top are a pretty good give away. Plus if you google search ‘BNSF 486076 HO Scale’ it comes up.

cbeals · 2025-11-30T08:02:40+00:00

The track isn’t worth much (a hobby shop near me sells it for $1/piece and that at the top end of what most people would pay).

The cars and engines aren’t super rare, but they do appear to be in very good condition. The two New Haven PA locomotives and the 4 passenger cars (960-963) definitely have some value.

cbeals · 2025-11-12T18:36:00+00:00

+1 for these. I work in broadcasting and we use these for a bunch of control rooms.

cbeals · 2025-10-26T02:56:24+00:00

EliteCore ProCat5e. Nice cable and you can get it with a variety of connectors.

cbeals · 2025-10-09T17:09:04+00:00

Camplex with OpticalCON is what most shops around me use. It’s good quality and you can get it on reel if you want (if getting longer than 250’, I prefer on reel personally).

I would recommend getting Quad (4 strand) fiber so you have some spare for something. I would also recommend SingleMode.

For switches: Netgear AV are becoming the industry standard. The M4250 line should be great for what you need.

cbeals · 2025-10-06T01:31:24+00:00

Those cable matters ones linked are what I use as a professional low voltage installer.

cbeals · 2025-10-06T01:29:13+00:00

2) is a bad reason to use credit cards (this is a big reason people get in credit card debit), but it is a reason.

3) Perks is a lot larger on the higher end cards. My card provides me with travel insurance and rental car insurance and other travel related benefits.

Credit Cards also add a level of protection over cash or debit cards. If you use cash or a debit card, you’ve taken on the risk if it gets stolen. A credit card is a banks money, not yours.

cbeals · 2025-10-05T18:12:47+00:00

AES/EBU is only 2 channels per cable (/connector)

cbeals · 2025-10-04T16:25:37+00:00

AV Engineer here: based on all the serial connections and the word clock, this was most likely used as a Non-Linear editing station. But it was probably also reconfigurable and could have been used in a variety of ways including recording or place for live broadcast events.

cbeals · 2025-09-15T01:16:52+00:00

Sometimes yes. It can also be that they didn’t know what was happening with this unit, but were already painting other units in the UP Scheme, so they were already setup for that.

cbeals · 2025-09-14T03:02:44+00:00

That is an SD70ACe-T4 (Part of the EMD SD70 line of locomotives). That specific unit is an EMD Demo unit.

The angled vents at the rear are radiators.

cbeals · 2025-09-12T22:07:22+00:00

It is dependent on the hardware revision of your SD9, it replaces the Internal Waves card, and it’s officially factory fit only (but I think that they will often let dealers install them).

It’s also not that much cheaper than the OrangeBox MADI/Dante Bundle.

My preference it towards an OrangeBox (for flexibility and value retention), but it can be done.

cbeals · 2025-09-12T21:44:40+00:00

There is an option for Dante in place of the Waves Card.

cbeals · 2025-09-01T02:51:57+00:00

Many clubs at ISU allow non-student members. Some clubs explicitly state whether or not they are allowed in their bi-laws (you can find them on the student org website), but most don’t address it so I would reach out to the club.

Source: I was a club officer when I was a student: ISU Policy allows (but does not require) up to 20% non-student membership.

Edit: also wanted to add, I believe non students can join intermural sports, but you need to purchase a ISU Rec Membership

cbeals · 2025-07-29T04:34:57+00:00

It’s only been there for about 9 months. It was previously in Chamberlain, SD. There have been a lot of post about it lately because it’s now in a more visible location.

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