Pete's Write

So after nine years and a bit, my Little Red Riding Hood, aka Honda Civic FD, is coming to the end of its life. Well the end of it's COE anyway, which means I can either cough up the money to renew this little piece of paper or explore new cars. Given that I can get back almost 10k for this baby, it's really been giving me sterling service, and I should try to get another car. So here comes the hunt: I have set myself a budget of around 130k but if I can spend less, that will be even better. i.e, with my car thrown in, my outlay should not extend 120k. First decision was to forgo renewing the COE. Second one was whether I should go for a 2nd hand one. Given the high prices I see for 2nd hand examples, a first hand car seems to be the way to go. What are the things I really need, and what are the niceties then? Needs: Reliability is paramount. No 'characterful' cars, a euphemism for unreliable. So most likely a Jap car, that is actually made in Japan, maybe...

Pricing COE Top-up COE Rebate Delivered By Trade-in car value Deposit Loan interest Loan Amount Loan Penalty 1st year insurance & fee Engine/chassis ready? Color availability Delivered By Keyless Entry? LED Headlight Leather seats Steering Wheel Control Floor mat Boot cover/mat HU unit (AVH-X2650BT) Reverse Sensors/Camera In-car camera Solar films Warranty (Years/Km) Free Servicing IU, reg plate, 6mths rd tax include? Rims http://www.sgcarmart.com/news/writeup.php?AID=8&APPS=1 Locks   Keyless Entry (Lock and unlock using remote)  Manual Entry (Lock and unlock using key)  Master Lock  Individual Lock  Alarm  Alarm reset switch  Windows   Power Windows(Check that the driver side auto window is working)  Windows control Lock  Electric Mirrors   Electric Mirrors Control ( Up, Down, Left & Right )  Folding Mirrors(Check that the Mirrors ca...

Vezel : Standard Freebies:- 1) Leather seats 2) Entry level HU unit (eg AVH-X2650BT) 3) 3yrs warranty 100000 or 5yrs 120000 4) basic engine oil change servicing fixed below 150 including gst (cap viscosity at w30) 5) All models steering wheel volume etc button linked to HU. 6) Rebate level max 2k below last closing COE 7) Either no top up or to be fair to dealers, max cap 2k top up above last closing COE 8) reverse camera 2 sensors Freebies To be firmly requested/demanded/negotiated:- {especially if taking full allowable loan and max allowable tenure} 1) upgrade to high spec HU (eg AVH-X8650BT or Appradio 4) 2) 3-in-1 Anti UV, Anti infrared, Anti shatter solar films 3) wireless mirrorlink function included with HU to link iphone or android 4) 1-2yr 100% free servicing package -manufacture listed viscosity branded engine oil of choice 5) paint protection sealant or paint protection film 6) High spec front & rear...

So, you have done that Audyssey recalibration, and followed the checklist ( http://peteswrite.blogspot.sg/2016/07/things-to-look-out-for-when-doing-your.html ) It is also important to get the subwoofer position right, even before you run that Audyssey. So do read up on 'crawling for bass', before you even do your calibration. And make sure your speaker positions follow the recommended guidelines as fas as possible. This is a nice video to follow:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV3oLLMgS-M Well, the step is refinement. Audyssey is only the first step to getting that mix, where you feel totally immersed in the movie. This means setting the levels right in each channel, so when sound transverses from one channel to the next, you feel that the intensity, and the object is truly moving in space from one place to the next, as the movie maker intended. The next stage is to measure the frequency response. Now this can seem daunting for the casual computer user, and I admit...

This is an effort by Philip Yung, and stars a rather different looking Aaron Kwok, who even got thinner, dyed his hair to complete the look. Very different from the slick cops seen in the recent cop shows. No Mainland money in this one.  He investigates a murder of a young prostitute, played by a newcomer Jessie Li. Whilst I commend the acting efforts of everyone, in particular Micheal Ning, who plays the murderer that confesses to the crime, I can't understand the plot or follow the story. It isn't the gore, or even the sex scenes, I don't find them particularly distasteful or anything like that, it's just that I don't get the plot :( It's a talkie, so there's minimal surround use. The dialogue is clear, the picture quality is excellent, but it's no demo disc.. Can't wrap my head around this ... even though it was well received at the Golden Horse Awards 2015.  Watch it for yourself and decide. 

So, some of us liked Pelican Brief. And some of us have new kick ass Atmos or DTS-X 11 channel surround systems. Now how about a movie that meets the same thrill and has that pulsating story, and on top of that, has a soundtrack that ensconces you in surround sound, and adds tension, drama and impact to it? State of Play is actually adapted from a British production, and the Brits know how to make a terrific plot. Add a whole host of marquee actors, increased the production values and you have a gripping thriller. You have the likes of a few Academy award winners here, including Helen Mirren, Russel Crowe, backed up by some very solid acting from Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams and Batman Affleck, along with a few more supporting acts that work well together in a political drama that started with a murder under a bridge, an affair, a suicide and the only odd thing that stuck out was that the reporter played by a lion maned Crowe, smelt a rat. Now you may think that this is no movie...

So there was a recent firmware update for my Marantz SR 7010   (http://peteswrite.blogspot.sg/2015/10/marantz-sr7010-review.html) . I after doing this, I decided to take the opportunity to re-do the Audyssey calibration, and see how things sound. I have also recently reduced the toe-in on my Dynaudio C1s and moved the rear surround Usher on the right side to a more central position so the two rears are more equal in distance. So I went through the pre-cal checklist: - using the stock mic - get a mic stand (this is easier to use than a tripod, and you are free from the vibrations that may affect readings if the tripod rests on the sofa, plus it's easier to move too) - keep the room quiet - turn off the aircon, do it on a quiet day - keep the front three speaker tweeters as close as possible - check the other speaker positions - place the mic stand at the right height: ear level when seated (if you recline that chair, make sure the stand is at the height of your ears when ...

This is a small budget production by the Sheen aka Estavez family and stars the patriarch Martin and his son Emilio who also directed it. It covers martin's journey on the Camino way. It's a quiet yet meaning way, with almost Hallmark kind of feel and will leave you with two feelings: One you will feel warm and fuzzy; Second you will feel like slinging on your backpack and rush to Europe and do this 800 km walk. Apart from a warm story it also takes you through a beautiful tour of this walk, almost like a Discovery channel or Japan Hour documentary. If you don't mind the slow pace, it's definitely worth a rental at least. 3/5 Sent from my iPhone Sorry for brevity of message