Show HN: Scriber Pro – Offline AI transcription for macOS

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Comparison to MacWhisper / Whisper tools

  • Several users ask how it compares to MacWhisper, which already handles long files, speaker detection, and various options.
  • The creator claims MacWhisper “crashes” or fails above ~1 hour and that Whisper struggles above 75–90 minutes.
  • Multiple users strongly dispute this, reporting successful 2–15 hour transcriptions with MacWhisper and whisper.cpp, including 5-hour podcasts and long courses.
  • There is confusion over “context limit”; commenters note Whisper already chunks audio and does not have a classic context window.
  • Some view the “smart, invisible regex” claim as marketing fluff and request a concrete technical explanation; this is not clearly provided in the thread.

Features: timestamps, diarization, languages, realtime

  • Current timestamps are at sentence-level (2–5 seconds); word-level alignment is requested and the author says it’s planned in an upcoming update.
  • Speaker diarization is not yet supported; it’s a highly requested feature, with the author promising it in a future release. Users note MacWhisper and other tools already offer this.
  • Language support listed: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Japanese. Handling of many languages mixed in one file is untested beyond 2-language conversations.
  • Realtime transcription capability is asked about; no clear, explicit answer is given in the thread.

Technical stack & transparency

  • Stack breakdown: Swift, C++, C, Rust, Shell, Objective‑C, and others. Details on the exact model and architecture are not disclosed.
  • Some users want an API/CLI or Python access for automation; currently not available.
  • The app is closed-source; one commenter questions license compliance and offline claims due to lack of details. The author suggests OSS solutions are “slower,” which several people challenge as unsubstantiated.

OS compatibility & App Store issues

  • Initially required macOS 26 and heavy use of “LiquidGlass” UI; many users on older macOS couldn’t install despite wanting to pay.
  • Based on feedback, support was later expanded to macOS 15.6.
  • Some App Store links and redirects were broken or unreliable during the discussion.

Website & UX feedback

  • The landing page’s bright red background, low contrast, motion effects, and layout issues are widely criticized as unreadable or unpleasant, especially on mobile.
  • After “overwhelming” negative feedback, the background color was changed.

Alternatives & pricing perception

  • Users mention MacWhisper, whisper.cpp in the browser, other desktop clients, and open-source tools (e.g., multi-track transcribers, Vibe, Rev-like interfaces).
  • Several note the $3.99 price is surprisingly low and appealing, especially given offline operation and privacy for sensitive audio.
  • Overall sentiment mixes interest and praise for price/offline focus with skepticism over technical claims, marketing language, and initial design/compatibility choices.