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RimBlock

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Posts posted by RimBlock

  3. Posted

    this is called concealed wiring and is supposed to be not allowed for HDB (esp old one)........ :P

    I turn away and suddenly there is 30 new posts. I can see why. Master of suspense has revealed himself (there is creaky noise, we get fright, I slowly walk forward to investigate, This is a nice tree, It was the floor) ;).

    The only realistic option if not using carpentry is to put some trunking on the wall and paint it to blend in or put some wallpaper over it and have it as a feature. Make sure all the cables that can be connected to the TV are connected and run through the trunking even if you are not using them as you may want to in the future and it avoids you having to open the trunking again.

    We had a self opening room door when we stayed at Sentosa late at night with the kids asleep. Just opened by itself and then the chain stopped it. I suspect my wife didn't close it properly :D. I also keep catching movement out of the corner of my eye at home when sitting watching a movie after everyone has gone to sleep. I suspect it is only the light and shadows reflecting off the wall downstairs as people walk along the corridor which I cannot see from my seat.

    RB

    RB

  4. Posted

    Hi RB, thanks for your reply. 7.1 seems the way tongo since the Onkyo 609 comes with 0Prologic IIz. Should I place the 2 extra speakers in front or behind.... What is the difference in terms of sound effect? Placing them in front above the front speakers is pretty hassle free. placing them behind might give better surround effect? Laying of wires will be a true challenge :huh:

    The standard set-up would have the rears moved forwards so they are rear sides and then the extra two speakers go behind you. Take a look at the link to the Dolby website I put in the previous post and they have diagrams for the speaker placement depending on how many speakers you have.

    Having 4 speakers for the rear and rear sides I believe is better than having two for the rears and having an extra two for the fronts. The reason for this is that some movies do have a 7.1 soundtrack and the extra 2 speakers are expected to be to the rear.

    RB

  5. Posted

    My kitchen tap water smells and tastes like iron (rust). Haven't gone to smell the other taps yet, for this need to find plumber?

    You have copper, iron or stainless steel pipes for water ?

    If you have copper or stainless Steel then the iron / rust taste is more likely to come from the blocks storage tank. Depends on which floor you are on as to whether your apartment are direct from the mains or via a tank though.

    Pipe replacement within your apartment will require a plumber. Outside, ie. the blocks water tank, will require you to talk to HDB.

    RB

  7. Posted

    do we need to on electricity for them to install the AIRCON cos my new hse i haven on electricity and water yet.

    what stuffs do i have to look out when installing aircon?

    sorry first hse first time:)

    many thanks

    Will be difficult for them to use drills to fix the aircon brackets and fancoils to the walls without power ;).

    RB

  8. Posted

    Sis Mae, your boy really stylo...

    I always wanted to keep my hair like those Jap comics when I was younger.... But my hair is a little natural curl, when I keep them long, I looks like a poodle..... :D

    My hair when long is curly - imagine Justin timberlake but without the looks, money, moves and voice and you get the idea

    Yeah, mine is fairly wavey and when let loose can tend to resemble a human

    dandelion.jpg

    :D

    RB

  9. Posted

    Aircon water leakage detected yesterday when the flooring guys lay the lamintaed flooring! This Gain City technician came to our house to rectify the problem. Reconnect the water pipes. Told him to test, he say cannot test, he told me test already cannot wrap back my aircon, no more plastic bags. WTF! In the end, he test by pouring water on the aircon vent. Is it ok to pour water directly on the aircon vent? Arrghh...

    I have had two sets installed by Gain City over the last 5 years with no issues on wither set that had been detected. Think it is just an unlucky case.

    Yep you can pour water directly in to the faincoil to test for pipe leakage. When I took my Mit HI fancoil apart, the electrics were on the side by the on button, the rest was just piping, the heat exchanger (lots of metal fins), the rotary fan and a water tray and drainage pipe.

    Condensation forms on the fins as the warm air is cooled and drips down in to the bottom water tray and then away through the drainage pipe. Pouring water directly on to the heat exchanger is just a more 'intense' version of that. Pouring water straight in to the drainage water tray is the same. Should be no issue to the fancoil if the piping is done correctly and as long as the electrics are kept dry.

    RB

  10. Posted

    Hi everyone... Need some advice

    I'm an owner of a ground floor EM at Woodlands, about 5 minutes walk to Admiralty MRT. Got the house almost 3 years ago, at around 370k, excluding 8k cov. At that time, did a full reno that costs me around 60k.

    There are only 3 of us staying in the house... Me, wife n 9yrs old daughter.. Now the house seems a little too big for us... The thought of shifting n selling the house suddenly plays in my mind. Before this EM, we were staying at a 5rm flat at Bt Panjang. So I thought of moving back to a 5rm flat or the older 4rm flat, with ard 110-125sqm, at woodlands area too. At the moment, I roughly estimate the valuation of my house to be +-500k, excluding cov.

    Is it wise for me to sell now? Or should I just hold onto it? Its not about the monthly installment, cos we can certainly afford this EM.

    Any opinions or suggestions??

    Thanks in advance.

    Talk a look at the HDB website for resale statistics and get a feel for the price of EMs in your block / areas selling price. If it has been and still is going up then maybe holding on to it may be prudent. If prices are falling then selling may be a better option. Check out the prices of units in the area you want to stay at and see if your likely resale price will cover your expenses plus money for a reno if that is what you would like to do.

    If you believe the Gvmt that prices are coming down then sell but if you check the resale price stats and see the prices have not been affected by the Gvmts 'cooling measures' then it really is up to you.

    With new units being built there is a possibility of prices going down at some point but with a great location close to the MRT and a unit that is no longer built and is quite highly sought after it may be better to hold on to it.

    Of course the moral majority may suggest you should downgrade so a bigger family could upgrade and make more efficient use of the apartment especially as there is a shortage of housing currently in Singapore.

    You pays your money and take your chance. No looking back and no regrets ;).

    RB

  11. Posted

    The Onkyo 609 is a 7.2 channel amp so you can have upto 7 surround sound speakers and two subwoofers if you wish too.

    The amp should be able to tell how many speakers you have attached so if you are using a 5.1 speaker set-up the amp should adjust for it.

    7.1 surround is still fairly rare at the moment but if you are doing a reno then I would at least lay the cable for 7 surround speakers and you could always add a couple more at a later date.

    The only slight issue between 5.1 and 7.1 is that for the best results the speakers need to be placed in slightly different positions which is pretty difficult if you are putting in a permanent wiring solution.

    Take a look at the speaker placement guide at the dolby web site here (checkout the speaker guide).

    Bottom line is that you will not miss out on much today but better to future proof if you have the chance. Buy all speakers in one hit today of save the last two for a later date also can ;).

    RB

  14. Posted

    :(

    I'm in bad health recently...

    last Sat, saw TCM for my backache problem; need to "push" back the misaligned disc...

    Mon, saw GP for throat inflammation and lung infection, on 2-day MC and antibiotics course...

    Wed, went back to office, feeling just as bad (due to office aircon & a lot of sick ppl ard), body still aching...

    Today, went to see GP to get another 2 more days of MC to rest at home... and just came back from TCM to realign another disc (which has been causing me to have backaches for the past few days)...

    Unfortunately public transport and office environments are fantastic for spreading viruses. I tend to make sure, as much as possible, to stand and face away from coughing, sniffing people and use the antiseptic hand wash when in the office. Money can also be a good source of contamination as well.

    mae29 was still cautioning me abt taking care of my health... and so fast, something happened...

    on another sad note, my uncle just past away in msia ytd, and my parents and my sis went back to attend to the funeral, except me, as I wasn't feeling well and in the midst of shifting house...

    Our best wishes go out to you and your family during this time of sadness.

    yes... movers came ytd and shifted the boxes over...

    my wife was "unemployed" for this week, and took the opportunity to do some unpacking...

    our furniture came... and boy... they were huge... totally underestimated their bulkiness... slight tingle of regret... coz it made the space look smaller... and my king-sized bed-frame... i can only double-face-palmed...

    I blame, at least in part, the 3D drawings that are produced as they tend to skew the perspective and give the impression of there being more than enough space for the biggest of items. This is where the online space planning programs can help but it is difficult to do this if you are in a shop and see the 'must have, oh it is so gorgeous' bit of furniture.

    I wonder if there's some kind of right-angled or L-shaped gas connector, i can use... and where i can get them from...

    unpacking and cleaning... it's quite a chore... esp when i'm not in the best shape now... just feel like lying down whole day and rest my back...

    Call the gas people and they may be able to help you although they may well charge you for it.

    Hope your back feels better, did anyone find out why your discs were misaligned and suggest anything that can be done to stop it happening again ?

    RB

  17. Posted

    Side track. I just bought the following items. Getting ready. :)

    The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (Extended Edition + Digital Copy) [b... by Elijah Wood http://t.co/zXvysiV via @amazon

    Mediabridge Ultra Series - High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet - Category 2 Certified ... by Mediabridge http://t.co/MvSk6sm via @amazon

    Cool, a nice sensibly priced HDMI cable and I have been looking at the LOTR boxed set but it is really expensive so will wait for the buzz to die down a bit and for it to go on sale. Will be great with a HTS though :D. I just got an AC Ryan HD2 media player for the living room and it is going fine at the moment. Plays Bluray ISOs although only the movie, can do audio passthrough on HDMI so my amp can sort out the audio format, I can install my own hard drive and change it whenever I want and it has the video wall although I need to play around with it to get it working on network shares, probably by auto mounting the share at a OS level on the box. Like the other AC Ryan boxes it is easy to get in to and modify (at an operating system level) and unlike the gen 1 versions, has no problems streaming large files although I hear network transfers between a computer and the internal hard drive can be very slow but don't require this feature so am not bothered.

    RB

  18. Posted

    RB, thanks for your reply. If I buy bits and pieces from different places, is it very straightforward (by reading manual) that I can set-up(calibration?) myself? The reason why I narrowed down to these few brands also because I need the shop to set-up for me. As I am a newbie, I have no idea on how complex is the setting up process of HTS.

    Reason being:

    There are ppl who are selling Monitor Audio BX series, Emotiva(pre amp, power amp), etc. If I get resale products, with my budget I might be able to get a better system overall.

    Putting it all together is not really harder than connecting your TV and DVD player. Follow the manuals for any switches you need to flip or settings changes you need to make and it should be pretty easy. Both Yamaha and Onkyo amps come with their own calibration routine so just place the supplied microphone and and follow the instructions. The results should be good for most although they can be improved upon with better calibration equipment. Of course how much of a difference it makes is again subjective. Devices like the Antimode are meant to make quite a big difference for subwoofers and may be worth looking in to if you want to get one step better than the AVRs own config.

    If buying second hand, check reviews of the products, check the condition (check the speaker cones for the speakers after taking the grills off and binding posts on speakers / amps), have a demo to make sure it all sounds reasonable.

    Looking at XP, someone was selling their Marantz SR6003, Wharfedale 9s and paradigm sub for 1.6k. Not a bad starter system although I would checkout the Marantz AVR if I was looking before committing. There was also a 5 channel power amp (Rotel) going for S$300, a couple of other Rotel amps floating around, some KEF KHT 3005 SEs for S$2k, not a lot in the way of AVRs though.

    I would also be a little careful about the size / power of the speakers you get for the space you are in. In your floor plan / 3D the space seems quite compact like my 3 room living are was. Having demo'd some speakers at someone elses place where they had the same sized area but had the top of the range speakers I found the sound overwhelming and far too directional. The main sound came from the center speaker and not the screen for example. Sometimes less gives a better experience even though it may not be so impressive visibly. The Kef 3005s may do you well and just add an amp. You might want to see if you can knock the price down a little via PM though.

    RB

  19. Posted

    Another reason is whether the Onkyo 609 is able support the speakers. I am not sure about that, is there a formula to calculate?

    The Tannoy Mercury v4s are floor standers so I am guessing you are having them for the front, the VC for the center and the VRs for the rear speakers ?

    If I am right about the speakers then their specs are (taken from here);

    V4 - 8ohms, RMS 100W, recommended power RMS 10-140W, Peek power 200W

    VC - 8OHMS, RMS 90W, recommended power RMS 10-90W, Peek power 140W

    VR - 8OHMS, RMS 40W, recommended power RMS 10-60W, Peek power 80W

    In the specs for the Onkyo 709, power available to the front speaker is listed here as (emphasis is mine);

    110 W + 110 W (8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz,

    0.08%, 2 channels driven, FTC)

    So the amp will output a max of 110W per channel as long as you are only using 2 channels.

    They also state that the dynamic power is;

    250 W (3 ohms, 1 ch)

    220 W (4 ohms, 1 ch)

    130 W (8 ohms, 1 ch)

    So the amp can manage 130w per channel of dynamic (changing frequency) power as long as only one channel is run at any one time.

    Now look at the recommended impedance for the amplifier;

    4 ohms–16 ohms

    So, if they recommend only using speakers of 4-16 ohms impedance then why are they quoting ratings for 3 ohm output... It is all in the marketing.

    Onkyo are not unique in this by any means, most if not all the manufacturers do it just like hard drive manufacturers still list the storage available on the disk in GB/TB using the 1 million bytes = 1MB rather than the correct 1,048,576bytes. It is commonly accepted that drive will be measured this was and when one manufacturer tried to report on the real value they saw sales drop as people though they were getting less storage for the same money. The difference with this and HiFi is that it is hard to tell and compare as most people will only have one system and it is their subjective hearing rather than black and white facts that is giving the results.

    So what is the bottom line for this combination...

    The max dynamic power of the amp is not high enough to fully drive the front speakers to their max. The only time you are likely to see this happen is playing particularly demanding music in stereo of in loud movies where the left and right sound channels are pushed hard.

    Remembering that most of the sound comes out of the center speaker for movies, the amp should be able to drive that pretty well but may dip in power when other speakers are being pushed with effects. This just means they may not have so much punch or clarity as the power cannot be delivered to accurately reproduce the frequencies required at the volume desired.

    With the 709 rated at just 10W above the 609, will it make that much difference ?. The Yamaha 667 only had 90W/channel (2 channel driven) but allows you to later add a power amp (or more than one if preferred) to increase the power output of your amp setup at a cheaper price but that may mean buying now with a view to upgrade in the future. The 709 is a step up so will be better now and allow a power amp add-on later but costs more. I would try to find a 667 and a 709 and demo them to see if the extra power at this level makes much difference to me.

    Unless you are willing to spend quite a bit more on the amplification, you are unlikely to get much of a different result than getting a 609, 709 or 667. Try them out and take your pic. To match the speakers to the amp power you are probably looking at a minimum of around S$2k more and I would advise looking at that as a future upgrade unless you have cash to burn.

    RB

  20. Posted

    Posted in another forum and many had recommended me to get the Onkyo 708/709 that supports a preamp out for future upgrade as my setups are all big items. :rolleyes:

    It all really depends on how serious you are about it.

    If you want to get a set-up and just keep it that way for the foreseeable future then why would you need preouts ?. If you plan to keep growing and improving the system then it sounds like a good idea. Picking up a Yamaha 667 would be cheaper with the same options though.

    The question you may need to think about though is whether you think you will upgrade before some new formats come out. If new formats do come out there is a good chance you may need to upgrade the amp anyway so if you didn't get a power amp up until that point then spending the extra on the higher model for the preouts would have been wasted, at least in part.

    If I wanted to add a power amp at some point and was buying now I would hunt around for a 667 again as I am very happy with mine and don't see the need to upgrade to a new model at a higher level just for preouts.

    RB

  21. Posted

    Tot of getting a air purifier and humidifier (2in1). Wonder if they are any good?

    http://www.sharp.com.sg/web/products/CatLev3.asp?Catid=5"]http://www.sharp.com.sg/web/products/CatLev3.asp?Catid=5

    I am confused on this.

    For a country that is already very humid, why would someone want a humidifier. I am sure there is a good reason as they clearly sell pretty well but just do not understand what it is.

    Humidity and electronics usually create rust so not such a good mix. Electronics tend to last better over time in an aircon environment as the aircon helps to reduce humidity in the air.

    RB

  22. Posted

    hi rim block..enjoyed reading the 1st few pages of your blog..no thanks to the slow connection where i am now...

    great read!

    Glad you enjoyed it. I tend to have fun writing about the adventure my life tends to turn in to which, with hindsight of course, tends to be quite humorous.

    I am just working on another site with which I will be pulling together the various guides, stories and suggestions from various forums I have posted them to over the last 10 years. Part of it stems from wanting to have everything all in one place, suggestions from various people to do just this (put it all together) and also have some control over what is done with the infomation (ie. sticky the guides rather than watching them just expire after spending a fair few hours working on writing them regardless of how popular they are). Should be interesting to see how that goes. Could do with someone who has an artistic interest as I don't have an artistic bone in my body short of drawing stick men :D. TBH, anyone interested in helping out at all (contributions, design, technical) then let me know, more the merrier.

    I will of course continue to post here and other places though as I do enjoy chatting to the good folks here :D.

    RB

  23. Posted

    Hi RB, oops, I just realised I missed your baby's full month celebration... very sorry buddy, I've been busy but will be there for the next gathering :sport-smiley-004:

    Np, I guessed you couldn't make it as I couldn't get hold of you to pass on the details.

    RB, I realised that a small part my supreme floor is stained with epoxy resin paint.... I believe that the workers accidentally drip on the supreme floor when they are painting the epoxy floor.... do you have any good solution on how to remove the stain to the best result.... the workers had already removed the paint but the satined area are roughed and without the supreme floor shine.... also notice that the floor are very slightly discoloured.... :angry2:

    Oh dear... any pics to give a better idea of size and where on the whole floor the damage is ?

    It sounds like it / they have damaged the surface layer and the print layer underneath. The only way of real repair would be for replacement of the board but as the boards are interlocking, the damaged board would have to be cut out and the replacement would not be able to lock in place correctly.

    I have had a couple of digs in the floor from my clumsy self dropping tools off the ladder when running cables and the installer came back and was able to fill them with the same sealer they use on the skirting and I cannot find the marks without looking very hard.

    Again, a pic for a better idea but I would also get your ID to get the flooring installers back and see if they cna patch. If the epoxy install was done under your IDs management (i.e. you pay him for it as an item in your reno) then he should fix any damage, if you contracted the people yourself then it is more to do with his good will or you may need to top up :(.

    RB

  24. Posted

    RB, granite top is ok for undermount (yes need extra care already)... I think for Solid surface, really problematic when doing undermount :( and we really like undermount as it's so much nicer and neater.

    Oh I see. Didn't realise there would be a difference as we have only ever had granite (the cheaper Chinese granite which was a 0 top up from solid surface for us).

    Oh ya , RB I've got a problem with my supreme, will post my question over at your t-blog :)

    Sure, fire away. I cannot promise to answer tonight as I don't spend so much time logged in at home but I may look in or if not then will reply tomorrow.

    There are no problems, only challenges ;).

    RB

  25. Posted

    Hi, Bro RB

    Thank you for allowing me to visit your place at late hour yesterday. I was enjoying my shopping spree in Tampines Mall and Century Square. I have not been to Tampines for quite a long time, except recent trip to Pasir Ris to meet one forumer and my colleague, Changi Airport & expo.

    Now that you have met me in person, I guess you will do the shortlisting?? :lol: Ofcourse, I can't rely totally on their pictures as there are some 'qualitative' analysis like Qi Color (i.e. facial energy tone), wrinkles and fine lines which need to be scrutinised in person for full face reading. :sport-smiley-004:

    Hey Mae, it was great to finally meet you and I am just sorry we got home so late and had only a short time to chat. I know my wife would have liked to chat more but I am not sure I should let the two of you chit chat in Mandarin so much as I can see only trouble resulting if I cannot defend myself :D. Hopefully we can all meet for longer when you are over this way next.

    Oh the pictures are only for round 1. A lovely lady like yourself would require many rounds before the right gentleman would be worthy ;).

    RB

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