Ely1

DAY 22 Shower fixtures all delivered - yes, both the 50l and 25l Joven heaters included. All living/dry kitchen, balcony and bathrooms have been tiled, leaving the wet kitchen (we're retaining the parquet in the bedrooms). Here's some photo updates: Corridor/Dry Kitchen (with wall hacked and all ready for carpentry): Living/Dry Kitchen: Living (from balcony): --cont'd

Thanks RB - definitely worth a look-see. The ID quoted us 3k to do the water feature -Ely

Hi Ne0, Ooh, my first stalker - exciting times I'm getting the double bowl Elkay sink for the dry kitchen, so the pots and pans will be used with the other Elkay situated in the wet kitchen. It measures 570cm x 450cm so I think that should suffice? Do share your experience with the Elkays. I might also go for Englefield Sapphire sinks at this point. Thanks for the compliments about the apartment I'm actually not the rustic sort - am going more for a luxe feel. Not sure whether the red bricks will be retained - we'll adhere as much to the MCST regulations regarding that. We've hacked off the railings and planter box, making it a little bigger, and will be installing glass instead - keeps the view uncluttered and the cat from jumping out I'd have to admit that balcony is my favourite space as I see myself spending every evening there - there's owls to watch! As for HTS: we're switching the 10.CC to the 10.CS. It's just a little bigger, and worth the $50 upgrade imo. -> Check out the 3K budget system thread under Electronics - there's lots of banter there! The living room/dry kitchen tiles are the typical homogenous white (slightly off-white), while the balcony is decked with wood-like tiles. A closer look: -Ely

Hi Wenx, It's 20"x20"x16" and would actually cost more should I engage Borderlinx to ship it, so went with direct shipping, bringing the cost to US$59.99 +US$70 shipping. A little expensive I'd admit, but pet beds here are all so ridiculously priced anyway and nowhere as nice. You can get it here: http://cgi.ebay.com/Petmate-Nap-Luxury-Pet...=item53e40fb432 -Ely

Square steel traps arrived today, so that's pretty quick. No word yet from FotoFaucet...

Tiles already laid! Gah.

I'm getting the "GOOD TO HAVE" movies in m2ts format which will be stored on the NAS, wired to the receiver. Hopefully the frames won't drop that way. -Ely

Especially when the 25l is reserved for the dog and cat, and the monthly new foster... To top it off, we have THREE sinks in the kitchen. Seriously. Who would be washing so much?! One in the wet kitchen, one in the dry kitchen, one linen sink. I think excessive seems to be the prevailing constant in our home renovations. -Ely

Ugh. My head hurts when it comes to putting them all together. Also have an xBox, 3 media players, 1 NAS, two TVs (for now), 4 laptops, 2 SCV boxes... Agree on the dedicated player - I just really hate all the **** wires! -Ely

What an interesting read - Glad I stopped by, RB Will be following your progress - poms poms and all. -Ely

Shamelessly, I'll have to admit that I own two WD Media Players too lol! Going to use them in the other bedrooms, and of course, quite a number of external HDDs. One Seagate purely for backup, but the rest are portable so I can move my media about (TV series, workout videos, etc) - I think I like everything compartmentalised and organised. The AC Ryan allows more HDDs too so not too worried about the 2TB limit. I definitely don't want wires around - one my biggest pet peeves so I try to keep everything as uncluttered as possible. I still cringe at necessary trunking. Won't be ripping - I plan to collect and keep hard copies of the films I NEED to have on Blu-Ray and on DVD, and the rest are MKV, BD-ISO etc (like nonsense films like Beverly Hills Chihuahua *blush*). Quite obviously, the geek in me insists that Godfather, LOTR, Star Wars, 300, Band of Brothers, Kill Bill, Avatar, Bourne Collection, Black Hawk Down, are in the NEED category. The WD is a gem, and I only got it because of its multi-format support. It cost quite a bit when I got it but no regrets with this one. -Ely

Using the AC Ryan (more formats supported) as a NAS (2TB built in) so the computer doesn't have to be turned on all the time (though it is rare that it is off~). Computer wirelessly streams downloads to the NAS, which is attached to the receiver. Going to use the Oppo as a dedicated disc player. Seems a little redundant and excessive now, doesn't it? Ha! Just another shinnnnny precioussss sitting on the console -Ely

Haven't upgraded yet, but it's definitely in the works, especially after Vicenzo has spoken Price difference should be another $500. *ouch* -Ely

LOL, love the chairs. Yes, nice chart there, Drexter - calculated my distance and it should be fine with a 46" and a wide couch, so can hang on the edge for 70 degree FOV. heh. Thanks for the links! -Ely

I never mentioned playing WoW, though I did - was an Undead Mage. The best game so far is still Dark Age of Camelot (played Lineage, Guild Wars, Allods Online, etc). Pics as promised: -Ely

Yep, it was the NTFS/FAT32 thing that did it for me in a heartbeat. Salesguy did not have to say more. Besides, it was only a $210 difference so it made perfect sense to me. It's the loyal 83 fans who believe the 83's upscaling is superior that is keeping the price difference very minimal (like on eBay). Rest of us hopefuls are awaiting new firmware updates with the Marvell chip's potential. -Ely

LOL, why is it funny! I've bought stranger things... All my workout gear are from eBay - you get the best prices for the really good stuff you can't find here, like Under Armour, Moving Comfort, Champion, Craft, etc. Even my ROM dress was bought online! I know I should be hunting for furniture and all the other important stuff, but I'm so excited about my cat coming that.. Well, more pet madness from eBay: This would look GORGEOUS on my blue cat. Bling it on! Okay, the stuff NOT from eBay/Amazon/online: - electricial appliances like washer, dryer, fridge, TVs, media player, blu-ray player, printer, oven, hob, hood, wine chiller, shower fixtures, heaters, vacuum cleaners, aircons - bed & frame - Home theatre system (though entire blu-ray collection is online) Stuff from eBay/Amazon/online: - All pet stuff: dog bed, cat litter box/wash stand, cat scratcher, pet igloo bed - Kitchen faucet and 6x steel traps - customised decals - Art pieces - outdoor furniture - mirror Stuff I need: (in order to remain focused) - Ventilator fans - Kitchen sinks and 1 faucet - Bathroom hardware:- toilets, sinks, tap mixers, railings, shelving - Living room and bedroom furniture - All lightings - Switches - Curtains & rugs - Wallpaper - iPod dock for walk-in-wardrobe & bathroom - Crockery & cutlery - Coffee drip machine - Microwave - Water feature - Digital lock - Ceiling fans x2 Have decided to have two Joven heaters instead, one for each bathroom - a 50l for the master, and a 25l for the guest bathroom. Not sure if 50l is overkill or not, but the husband initially wanted the 68l! Bigger isn't always better, honey. We anticipate long bathtimes under the oversized rain shower. *grin*

Gorgeous place! White and pristine - I love it! Also love your AV setup - it's these things and the all whiteness that makes the heart beat a lttle faster. Really well done! Enjoy your new home! -Ely

Oh gawd. That would take me to new heights of geekiness. But it'd be like braiding hair, I guess~ -Ely

Sadly, he married a geek who used to play MMORPGs and lead guild raids in PvE and PvP, was a beta-tester and guildmistress. Not so sexy. Naturally, this earned me the computer/gadget/networking/software responsibilities. I chose the initial HTS set up based on budget and reviews, but as you can see, it gradually grew to having a life of its own. The husband is happy to research and telling me what sound (pun intended) choices I've made *pats on back which earns me massive wardrobe*, then suggests maybe we should upgrade a "few" components since if the 83 is so awesome, how cool would the 93 be?! You balance performance and budget, yes with a lot of logic, and we decided on the slight ammendments. I'm also building our Blu-Ray collection as we speak! Since I'm busy bidding on more art pieces, I've given him full reign of the SVS vs Velodyne debate. Will definitely research more into speaker placement as we haven't even decided on the couch etc, but the TV area would be about 5m x 5m. Can't wait to play some video catnip and see if kitty becomes a couch potato. He'd definitely be impressed by the TV upgrade (haha! CRT at rental apartment in Australia). -Ely

Muahaha! This is getting so hilarious! I swear the poison is like osmosis or something... Funny how it's always the guy wondering what the wifey would say when he declares the budget has suddenly risen by another 1k, when I'm the one doing more of the HTS shopping. Thankfully, I have say over the HTS AND my massive wardrobe Seriously. From the Def Tech 600 to floorstanding Wharfedale 10.6, from an Onkyo 508 to the 608, from the Oppo 83 to the 93, from the Wharfedale 10.CC to the 10.CS, from a 46" plasma to a 46" 3D LED, from a 40" LCD to a 40" LED, and now - have finally caved to husband's persistent whinging about the CHQ-8T, so we're going to swap that for the SVS SB12-NSD? Anyone has thoughts on this? I suggested ANOTHER CHT-8Q instead but he seems pretty bent on changing the Velodyne. -Ely

There are two artists I really like. This one is from Vince Kovas, the other is Jon Allen. Vince K only has his silver metal art for auctions, the rest are all Buy It Now at US$295, shipping to Singapore is US$69 (pretty reasonable since this is 68" long!). Gallery price is about US$1500. Example of other designs: Jon Allen runs auctions on several select pieces, with most of his other art fixed at US$199 - US$375. His shipping to Singapore ranges from US$85 to US$114 (write to ask first). His auctions typically end at US$120 - US$270 range. Gallery price is about US$1800. Examples of other designs: Hope this helps! -Ely

It isn't me really. I think I'm quite pleased with the CHQ-8T, but then again, I didn't try any other as the SVS was down and we couldn't audition that, so there's nothing I can compare it to. Just wanting to know what else is within the price bracket for us to give a try because, for some unfathomable reason, the husband is really dissatisfied with the sub. He's insisting something is "lacking" though he can't really put his finger down on what exactly. Was told that the CHQ-10 isn't substantially different from the CHQ-8T, and that an upgrade to a SVS would cost another $5xx. Thought I could gather some useful suggestions on other subs we should try out, even if it's simply to justify our initial purchase. Will head down to Aldephi again and endure more scenes of "Batte for Pandora" and muisical sections of System Of A Down, U2, Sting and Jamie Cullum. -Ely

Got if off a guy from the AVS forum. Superb condition, like how any self-respecting audiophile will upkeep their babies. It's only 1 month old-plus, so lots of warranty in it yet, and got it for $760. He's upgrading to the 95. Yeah, my Wharfedales (and Onkyo) are new and am so excited to putting it altogether and hearing Sting strum his lute on it. What's everyone's personal favourite concert to watch on Blu Ray? -Ely

I'm actually sticking with the Wharfedales, despite the expressed anti-Brit sentiment. I did like what I heard, as compared to the def tech 600, 800 and the wall mounted ones - just considering if I should change the center speaker to the 10.CS and the Velodyne sub CHQ-8 for a SVS. Not sure why, but the husband is very agitated with the purchase - major cognitive dissonance! I'm completely happy with my purchase of a mint condition second-hand Oppo 93 (the serious audiophiles have a treasure trove, especially when new models are rolling out) and the Onkyo 608. Any recommendations for a nice sub in the same price range as the CHQ-8? I'm probably not going to be the most popular neighbour at my block. -Ely