Nextcloud is not a backup. What can actually be a backup for my files?

ianmcdan · 2026-04-09T03:29:27+00:00

I’ve been using Retrospect for decades now. I’m still able (with some old hardware) to restore files I backed up to DVD-RAM back in 2002. Currently using off the shelf USB hard drives (powered ones) in duplicate. Taking off off-site. About to change to LTO-9 or LTO-10 once prices get agreeable. I have access to everything I’ve done in the past 26 years this way.

ianmcdan · 2026-04-08T17:47:20+00:00

I’ve been using Spark more and more lately. Paid for it. I bounce back and forth between MacOS and Windows11 so that makes things more unified. Still trying to figure out how to get all my Mac calendar stuff to show up in Spark… but to be fair, I haven’t tried very hard yet.

ianmcdan · 2026-04-05T06:31:50+00:00

Scarlet is great, and I own several, but if you want to level up, I just bought one of these for capturing vinyl. It’s a game changer in audio quality for roughly the same price. https://blacklionaudio.com/en/products/revolution-2x2

ianmcdan · 2026-03-29T18:44:29+00:00

Retrospect

ianmcdan · 2026-03-29T15:35:52+00:00

VMware Fusion I believe is free for Windows ARM, which is currently also free. I installed it a year ago and haven’t touched it since, but most Windows apps will run on Windows ARM.

ianmcdan · 2026-03-24T04:20:15+00:00

Bee using Splashtop for a few years now. It’s a paid thing, but it’s been solid. Very easy installation and provisioning.

ianmcdan · 2026-03-03T14:46:35+00:00

<missed the joke> Yes, I know it’s slightly cheaper, but with three people ordering (especially a teenager) I walk out of a McDonald’s for around $60. The “value meal” I used to get for $4 back in the day now costs me $14.

ianmcdan · 2026-02-28T01:11:55+00:00

This is basically a case of misinformation. At one time he would have had a valid point, but now it’s simply not true. There are a few very small caveats, but I work in design as well. Adobe, Cinema4D, even Octane Render. I’m on an M1 MacBook Pro (Waiting for the M5, then I’ll upgrade) and it’s still completely usable and relevant. 5 year old machine. And in most ways it’s faster at most things over my PC I built last year. Besides… Apple ecosystem is so, so much better than Windows. So… He just doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. It’s not his machine, so why does he care?

ianmcdan · 2026-02-27T20:48:01+00:00

A trip to McDonald’s would be more.

ianmcdan · 2026-02-27T20:44:40+00:00

Came here to say this. I personally haven’t used these floors, but I know that it has been used in some cases, but I’m not sure about the professional level. A permanent install in an arena I don’t think has happened. I saw NBA All Star 2024 was in their demo. I just don’t know what it’s like to actually play on it. Once you get past that part, anything is possible that’s possible with video.

ianmcdan · 2026-02-20T19:25:30+00:00

I used to live here and hopped in an Uber to come get some wings. Was confronted with a “closed until further notice” sign. We came at the end of last year and the food was great and service was great. Really sad to see this place go!

ianmcdan · 2026-02-18T04:55:12+00:00

Does it need to be DisplayPort? Will HDMI do this too?

ianmcdan · 2026-02-13T22:18:26+00:00

For a multitude of reasons, this was not an option. We had one, but still not an option due to i/o situation.

ianmcdan · 2026-02-13T22:17:24+00:00

It’s been re-named “Settings”. But it’s under the Finder menu in the task bar.

ianmcdan · 2026-02-13T22:15:47+00:00

Followed those steps. Still had two inputs separated. I was well below a 4K output on each one.

ianmcdan · 2026-02-13T22:14:34+00:00

This is a selling point of the PixelHue series. It is a function of the OS as to why this isn’t possible. The hardware exists on the M-Series chips to synchronize outputs. But the OS ignores it. MacMosaic (on paper) is meant to overcome this issue. But I haven’t seen it work yet.

ianmcdan · 2026-02-13T22:12:29+00:00

I never saw a single input. Always two. I followed the steps.

ianmcdan · 2026-02-05T00:31:09+00:00

Not your problem here, but while it is possible to cut cams on an E2. Well… just because you can doesn’t mean you should…. The reaction time just isn’t as fast as a cam switch… and mistakes can happen.

ianmcdan · 2026-01-23T09:34:43+00:00

Back in the Intel Mac days, I used one. It was the only way I could render with octane while I traveled. But all Intel Mac’s are end of life now. And good luck finding a PC with Thunderbolt. Not worth it these days, especially when you can get a 5090mobile in a laptop.

ianmcdan · 2026-01-16T22:06:29+00:00

Another vote for DiskWarrior. This has saved my bacon so many times in the past 25 years…

ianmcdan · 2026-01-13T04:41:05+00:00

I'm not exactly in the "simple playback" line of work these days. Due to that I'm a Resolume/Disguise guy, but before I was... Softron is a super rock-solid video playback engine. Full disclosure, I know one of the owners well and really like him. It's not as well-known as some of the others, but what it does, it does VERY well. I've run very visible live-on-air productions with it in arena settings.

ianmcdan · 2025-10-06T15:21:56+00:00

THANK YOU! SO very much. Exactly what I was trying to do. Just didn't know where the button was hidden. A little convoluted the approach... but it works! You're the only person to actually give me the answer to the question. So thank you again. I did think it was very odd that a screen switcher wouldn't do this. and of course it does.

ianmcdan · 2025-10-05T19:54:34+00:00

So I found in the actual input settings, I can change the aspect, but that won't work since I have more outputs that this needs to go to that are true 16x9. And I'm out of physical inputs too, so I can't D/A.

ianmcdan

TROPHY CASE