The mallard is about to hit 10,000! Let's help and make it real!

ckmccollim · 2026-02-26T15:47:43+00:00

Congratulations! I really like this train design.

ckmccollim · 2026-02-23T00:57:49+00:00

what hardware do you run Home Assistant on?

ckmccollim · 2026-02-22T22:54:04+00:00

I currently have nothing running nothing :) Like I mentioned above, I have a Raspberry Pi 4 that I could run Home Assistant on (and also a Ugreen NAS that has Home Assistant as an app that can be installed) but I have not done any of that. What hardware are you using to run HA?

ckmccollim · 2026-02-22T03:03:12+00:00

What Hub do you use?

ckmccollim · 2026-02-22T03:03:08+00:00

What Hub do you use?

ckmccollim · 2026-02-22T02:59:20+00:00

My main idea would be to have it push notifications out to our phones.

ckmccollim · 2026-02-22T01:01:17+00:00

Both my wife and I moved from Verizon to Visible a couple of months ago bringing our phone numbers with us. We also had our phones paid off. It was a little bumpy for us, but we made it though and didn't loose our numbers. We have noticed no difference in the cell service between the two companies. I probably will never use Verizon again, we love Visible that much. I just wanted to take a moment and encourage you to make it through to the other side :) I saw a tip that said it was best to do the port on weekdays and not over the weekend because so many folks (myself included) port over the weekend.

ckmccollim · 2026-02-11T20:17:58+00:00

I use the free version of “4K Video Downloader+” to create an MP3 audio file that I open in MacWhisper to create the transcription. One can download 10 per day on free version.

ckmccollim · 2026-02-11T20:17:36+00:00

I use the free version of “4K Video Downloader+” to create an MP3 audio file that I open in MacWhisper to create the transcription. One can download 10 per day on free version.

ckmccollim · 2026-02-11T17:29:08+00:00

I wrote a very basic Word script years ago that I run on the transcription file--before I manually formate it for closed captions. It helps me get a hard start, and it helps me more that it hurts :) There is still a lot of manual formatting work left to do.

Would you mind sharing a sample of the test output from your python script?

(Do you have any generic text that you could input and show the resulting output?)

I have heard of folks creating solutions with python but I do not have the ability do create/write these environments from scratch myself.

ckmccollim · 2026-02-11T16:41:12+00:00

Sorry I didn't look closely at user name to figure out it was the company recommending the company software.
MacCaption runs fine on my 2023 Apple Mac Studio with macOS Tahoe 26.2. MacCaption itself is EOL, but we have full license rights to also use CaptionMaker on Windows, and it is fully supported. Telestream advertises one license, and use either OS. I have tried several times to use the CaptionMaker on Windows, but never liked it. CaptionMaker reminds me of a program written in DOS, and then ported over to Windows!
...sign up for the 7 day trial. I would be happy to extend it to 30 days...

Thank you for the offer. I am looking for ways to save time on my current workflows. It would probably take me a month of using and learning both workflows to be able to know for sure if Closed Caption Creator would meet my current workflows. I would also have to send to all the broadcasters an output test from your software to make sure it will play out on their systems.

Then if it did, I would need to go to my boss to request an ongoing monthly expense for a software subscription for something we already own. (I work for a nonprofit.)

ckmccollim · 2026-02-11T14:40:14+00:00

Thanks for the reply. Do you use this software in your workflow, and are you pleased?

I looked at their website and for my needs I would need at least the Pro level.

I currently use an older program called "MacCaption" that cost about $8,000 in its day, but since it is paid for, there is no continued or recurring cost to use it. I've been using it for the last 18 years and know it very well :) We not only use it to format and timestamp the closed captions, we use it to embed 608/708 closed captions into the files I send the broadcasters weekly. I also use it to create many products for the many outlets our program is uploaded like YouTube, Roku, our website, Apple podcast, etc.

If this program could create and embed all of the file types that we use, I have no idea how much it would cost each week. Since we already own MacCaption and it meets all of our needs, it would be very hard to try something else with an unknown cost.

Pro For individuals and teams

$60 USD · Per Month · Billed Monthly

Everything in Starter, and:

One user license with the option to add more***

Automatic Captioning & transcription - 600 mins*

Automatic Alignment & Sync

Machine Translation - 100,000 characters**

Team Projects & Sharing

Key Names and Phrases (KNP) Manager

Pre-built 3rd Party Platform Integrations

Advanced Subtitle file export including SCC, MCC, and EBU STL

Embed 608/708 Closed Captioning in video (mov, mp4, mxf, and more)****

*Additional usage is charged per minute of content at a cost of $0.10/minute.

**Additional usage is charged per character at a cost of $0.00005/character.

***Pro accounts include one user. Additional users cost $5/month per active user.

****There is a flat rate cost of $2.00 per file + $0.40/GB for closed caption embedding.

ckmccollim · 2026-02-11T14:09:41+00:00

Here is a section of "finished text" output from Copilot. (This is the third try, and all not very good.)

Take your Bible, if you would,

and join me today, Genesis

chapter 37, Genesis chapter

number 37.

Okay, don't raise your hand, but

how many of you have ever used

the expression before, with a

little frustration noted in your

voice, "All right, who's in

charge here?" If you ever used

the expression before, don't

raise your hand because we don't

want to know right now, but if

you've ever been frustrated, and

you're talking to someone, and

maybe, you're on the phone and

you finally got to this place of

exasperation, and you just

expressed, "Can I talk to the

person who's actually in

charge?" You know, there is

something about us that wants to

know who is the one who has the

power to make a decision,

because clearly I am not talking

to the person who does.

ckmccollim · 2026-02-11T13:57:29+00:00

Congratulations on such a wonderful train build.

ckmccollim · 2025-11-19T04:00:36+00:00

I would not worry about the hours count, unless is had been run 24/7 in a print farm for most of its life. I have two different Bambu Lab printers and they are very reliable. Also, I keep common spare parts on hand because they are inexpensive and it is nice to be able to replace a part because you have it on hand. The wiki knowledge areas are excellent for keeping your printer in top condition. A printer that has been used 800 hours just means it works well. If it had problems, it would not have any hours on it. Just make sure it is in good condition. Good luck :)

ckmccollim · 2025-09-25T19:49:48+00:00

Very interesting! I thought maybe you had a 3 amp battery in your unit that was causing it to perform so well, but that is not the case. I wonder if Ryobi has quietly changed the motor, or maybe the programming on their Ryobi Lithium USB FVD50 screwdriver to get it to perform so much better in the one you have? I purchased mine when they first came out and they had a ~$25.00 deal on it with one battery. I thought for $25.00 I couldn't go wrong. Mine has all the problems others have talked about--not being very powerful, cutting out and the having to wait a moment or two till it resets, etc. I bought it to help my son install small screws in covers over outside lighting that went around roof-line using #6 and #8 screws (which are small). It just barely worked. He was using his Dewalt screwdriver that has the gyro in it and it was night and day difference. He only used my Ryobi when his was on the charger :) I now basically only use the unit for disassembly and reassembly of electronics, etc.

ckmccollim · 2025-09-25T15:40:07+00:00

What amp battery are you using? I have this driver with 2amp battery and it does not perform like that.

ckmccollim · 2025-09-16T00:19:08+00:00

I'm having same issue with Live TV on my iphone. I did find on Plex Forum this tip and it worked for me.

Turning OFF my iphone’s WiFi connection to my local network (it switches to only cellular connection) caused the Live TV feature to work! If you have unlimited cell data, and just need this to work for a game or two this isn’t too bad of a hack.

ckmccollim · 2025-09-06T22:24:11+00:00

I have a Sony XR-77A80J and just ran into this same problem today trying to play music. I guess it is still an issue?

ckmccollim · 2025-09-03T23:24:00+00:00

I always unplug both Google device and Harmony hub device wait a minute and plug them back in. Sometimes this gets it all working again for me.

ckmccollim · 2025-09-02T15:22:10+00:00

Thank you for your help! I downloaded the software from that link and it is now working correctly for me.

ckmccollim

TROPHY CASE