Merry X'mas!

How do you tell you're getting old?

I used to be the one who acquire presents during festival like X'mas, but now have became the one who busy buying gifts for the younger generation. If you're like me, you're old.

As the acting Santa Claus to the nieces and nephew (well, the body shape is getting alike), Toys'rus is a place that would save you a lot of time hunting the right gifts. By the way that's not tough, the challenging part is to know what is in trend currently and what they like. For instance, Dora, Ben 10, Beyblade and whatnot. Well, I still find that is a piece of cake, much easier than buying gift for girlfriend. Hehe... Fortunately, my family is small and I can tailor the present to each niece/nephew's favorite.

First, of course is my little darling...

Cisco SG300-28P Managed Switch

If you were a Streamyx user converted to Unifi, likely you have realized that you had enough LAN ports in Streamyx time but not with Unifi, well, if you fully utilized the 4 LAN ports on the Streamyx's ADSL router. This is because one LAN port marked in red color on the Unifi's wifi router is reserved for IPTV. That's what exactly hitting me when I upgraded from Streamyx to Unifi.

Of course there is a virtually "zero-cost" solution by recycling the ADSL router you have. What you need to buy (if you don't have) is a short crossover cable, power up the ADSL router, turn off or disable the wifi on ADSL router, connect one end of the crossover cable to LAN port on Unifi wifi router, connect the other end to the LAN port on the ADSL router and you're done with 5 available LAN ports to be used! Please note that it's LAN port on both the ADSL and Unifi wifi router NOT the WAN port. Some modern routers come with Auto MDIX feature that you don't even need to buy a crossover cable, a usual straight cable will do.

Well, alternative above is not ideal for me 'cause I need more than 5 connections. Further to that, I stream full HD Bluray contents from my NAS to the media player (and might be multiple media players streaming simultaneously in near future), while some big files copy and downloads might be happening concurrently, therefore gigabit backbone is a must. To go a little more advance, I plan to segregate the local network into different segments, namely the vlan - one for PC network, one for media streaming and the other for IP CCTV network. And for IP CCTV, PoE feature is required to power up my IP cameras.

To my disappointment, the stock Unifi's Dlink wifi router cum switch has been struggling to even stream a jitter-free Bluray movie with no other activity in the local network, let alone to support my requirements above. As a result, I finally found myself sufficient excuses to get an advanced switch...

Oh! Finally! Unifi!

Finally! The long waiting Unifi arrived at my house!

Need not cover the details here as you can find many blogs from other Unifi pioneers about the service and installation. In general, 2 groups of contractors came, one for external installation...

The other for internal installation including the wifi and IPTV setup, making sure you're able to connect to internet and watch the HyppTV...

While I don't really bother how the outside fiber cable is laid, I am fussy on how the fiber run in the house...

Kah Ping Mee Hoon Kueh

There are many good food in Klang. From Bah Kut Teh, Hokkien style fried noodle, pork rib rice, seafood, rojak, cendol and many more. Most of these exist since decades ago, inherited from generation to generation. Some improved some not and eventually close out. Some changed the business model to conform the current trend, such as this stall...

Motorola Atrix MB860

Need no further intro. This phone has been in the wild for some times. Indeed, it's considered a dated phone as the 2nd generation has been leaked in numerous tech blogs. Oh well, just few months of ownership and it's now a dated one. Perhaps Apple is much better in protecting its customers' "ROI", at least iPhone owners are always "in" for minimum a year.

Nevertheless, I still like its specifications which have not disappointed me...

BolehVPN

For Malaysian, ever feel frustrated and upset with the TM broadband service? Click download and the progress stuck forever and 100% is like a mission impossible? The buffering time is god damn much more than the duration of the video you watch on YouTube? Wanted to access to blocked websites? Feel insecure with unencrypted traffics to and from your PC?

Freak no more. Like what I say in my blog banner, "Nothing Is Impossible Here"! Everything boleh (can/possible) with BolehVPN...

Be Safe

For car owners, how often do you wash car? DIY not to pay some indons to do it for you.

For car drivers, how often do you inspect the four doughnuts?

Many always suggest I send my car to car wash center to save time and water. I love my car and I don't like strangers to caress her. The other main reason is I can inspect inside out and outside in the whole body to know if anything goes wrong in her while I am washing her. It's just like err... wife who smells the husband, checks his wallet and inspects the underwear for suspicious "leaking" when the husband returns late from work. LoL.

The other reason is I kiasi, I take time to inspect the tires and that's how I occasionally find out some minor problems...

AirAsia To Charge RM10 Check-In Fee

What is this crap? Am I a spokesperson to AirAsia?

Nope. I am not. I am just a newspaper reader following this news today.

Am I an AA frequent flyer?

Not really but I do fly AA occasionally. So this new ruling will impact me on my next flight, if I fly AA again.

I do welcome the approach of mobile check in, less paper, less queue and you can arrive a little later than typical 2 hours prior to the flight schedule. Glad that my phone is supported. So I download and install the mobile apps to learn how to mobile check in.

Launch the app...

Looks good with quite a few features bundled in this latest version of apps.

Tap on "Mobile Check In"...

Jason Statham Recommends Koni

It has been quite a while that I burnt big hole in my pocket for my car. VPS, autofoam, GPS, audio etc. The car is coming 5 years old and the stock absorbers finally show some aging signs especially when I drive it spiritually. I was heading out looking for a set that buys me a balance between comfort and handling - replace with another set of stock shock is quite pricey and the setting is too soft to my liking; coilover and adjustable are past to me, finally I got recommendation on these gold bars...

The Koni FSD shock absorbers. Check out the technical to learn how comfort ride could be achieved with sporty shock like this, or how a sporty shock gives you comfort ride.

This is the individual part number for FD2 (you can't find this in Koni website)...

This is the part number for a set of four (FD2) that matches the part number shown in the website...

The result? Perfect!

The setting is exactly what I wanted. The ride is not harsh at all for daily commute and it's got hardened when I maneuver the steering madly. No more bounciness when going through hump, no more body roll when corner and less body shiver when passing uneven road. The car just got rejuvenated with firmer wheels and tightened chassis. Or put it in layman term when devil Desmond from KL Auto asked my feedback: "It works like a penis, it's hard when you need it and it's soft when you don't. Sometimes penis just get "hardened" by itself, that's the feeling of firm ride like a new car just out from the sales room." :) A minor hiccup which is on me not the shocks, I needed a few spins to adapt to the new characteristics of the ride.

Indeed, it's a very good recommendation from Jason Statham to me! Don't believe me?! Scroll down for evidence...

I asked him to show the Koni on his bimmer...

And compared with mine...

Hehe... What else makes you hesitate? Go get your Koni! You can't go wrong with macho guy like Jason... and Jacko! :P Drop a note in KL Auto aka Autofoam FB if you're poisoned.

p/s: scenes were taken from Transporter. I believe he was using Koni Sport.

Monoprice 4x2 HDMI Matrix Switch

To accomplish the 1 Astro B·yond 3 TV mission, the most basic stuff I need is a 1x2 HDMI splitter, to at least split the HDMI out (of Astro Byond decoder) into 2, one to connect to the TV, the other is to the projector. I think a little ahead, I have a media player and coming soon Unifi IPTV (I wish Astro IPTV could offer the service here!!), so total of 3 input sources to 2 output displays. I do think I might end up with a third TV in my bedroom, but the likelihood is kinda low for this moment.

So, I need a 1x2 splitter as basis, or 3x2 switch (or 3x3 for future proof) if within the budget. I begun my online shopping and I needed to make my order asap to have a pretty lady to bring back from US (to save shipping cost) and finally I decided on this switch...

The Monoprice 4x2 HDMI Matrix Switch HDX-420X.

It has a power button cum input source toggle button for each output. It uses numeric label for input sources (1 to 4) and label the 2 outputs as A and B (Active A and Active B), quite a thoughtful one to avoid confusion to the consumers.

All the connections are hosted at the rear...

A power connector on the left, 4 HDMI inputs follow by 1st output Output A that is capable of splitting the digital audio through a digital coaxial for AVR connection. The 2nd output Output B does not have the digital audio out though. This enables users to use Output A for projector with AVR and Output B for simple TV connection. Since I am using only HDMI cable for audio and video, it doesn't really matter which output to use for my projector.

4 good things about the design:

• The connectors are clearly and precisely labeled to ease non-techie.
• All connectors are distantly placed to allow sufficient clearance between cables.
• All HDMI connectors are gold plated.
• A reset button to avoid power cycle when the unit goes haywire.

This switch is also equipped with a remote controller...

That allows me to conveniently and lazily stick my butt onto the sofa the whole day watching Astro channels and switch to media player for some movies w/o moving my butt at all! :)

One thing worth mentioning here, is most of the switches only allow one input source to be displayed to all displays, whereas a matrix switch allows you to output different input sources to different output displays. For instance, this 4x2 matrix switch allows you to select Input 1 to be displayed on Output A and Input 2 to be on Output B simultaneously. If it's a normal 4x2 switch, you would only be able to watch Input 1 on Output A and B, no Input 2 simultaneously.

One last thing but is also the most important element, the power adapter...

Yoohoo! It's a universal power adapter that support UK power rating! This is always my worry when buying gadgets from US online store. I did check with Monoprice online support before my purchase...

My 2 questions were what is the HDMI specification the product complies with and does the product come with UK power adapter (which is Malaysia's power spec too). So now I just need to get a multi-region adapter instead of buying a local power adapter. Excellent service from Melissa B and Steve B!

I recommend Monoprice if you are looking for some advance AV tools 'cause Monoprice also ship to Malaysia (I did not try that though). Check out the photos on my previous post and compare the price of this product below. I believe most likely you would get better quality product at lower price inclusive of shipping cost. The only concern is on warranty, I guess it should be good with a 30 days return policy. Perhaps my next visit would be a HDMI extender for broadcasting HD contents to my bedroom (if local price is killing) ;)

One thing to share here is if you're paying using Paypal...

Don't panic when you see "payment required" after your Paypal payment. Click on the order number...

There you go. So check back the Order page one hour after their business hour (in UTC-8 Pacific Time).

With all the tools ready for action, I shall have enough time setting it up and host a beer session with my gang for Champions League Final - MU vs. Barcelona in 4 hours time! ^.^V

p/s: Check out my old post on the yellow HDMI cables if you're curious about the cables. I will get back here later with some test results on the switch as well.

1 Astro B·yond 3 TV Preface

While the 1 Astro B·yond 2 TV mission has fulfilled my mom's desire of watching her favorite AOD channels in living hall and bedroom, I have not spoilt myself for able to watch sport channels on my big screen, and most important in HD. Getting a solution for sharing SD content is easily achievable and affordable with widely available tools. But it's opposite for HD content (at least in BullehLand here), and it usually costs a bomb if you manage to source one. Perhaps many in Malaysia still regard such thing as "rich man's hobby" and markup the price, but in actual it's not that expensive if you do a little homework before taking out your wallet.

For my case, the Astro Byond decoder comes with single HDMI out. Splitting the HDMI source into 2 is the ultimate mission if I want to be able to watch HD content on 2 different TVs. Heading out to IT store, you might (most likely not) find some of these products on the shelf...

HDMI switcher and HDMI splitter. As its name suggests, a switcher is to switch between multiple HDMI sources to be displayed on X number of screens. A 4x1 HDMI switch is a switch that is capable of switching between 4 different HDMI sources and output to a single display. This is useful if your TV has only limited HDMI inputs, say only 2 HDMI inputs but you have Astro Byond satellite TV, Unifi IPTV and a Bluray player.

On the other hand, a splitter is to split (or clone) 1 HDMI source to X number of similar sources. For instance, 1x2 is a 1 to 2 splitter where you get 2 display connections from the splitter. Splitter is useful if you want to watch the same content on different displays, this is exactly what I wanted to accomplish - split the Astro Byond source to 2 displays over a short distance.

However, I am very skeptical to such products, whether the manufacturers submitted the products for HDMI certification or do they produce the products according to the HDMI specifications? You would hit into problem such as no sound, distorted display etc especially Bluray that requires high bandwidth, means high quality of cable and all interconnection that are compliance with HDMI specifications.

I stumbled upon this unit in few Best Dengki stores in KL...

The Abtus 1x2 splitter. I thought this model should be compliance (of HDMI specification) after a visit to their website, unfortunately a high price tag of RM600 caused me to hold my decision and survey further.

All above requires cables, namely HDMI cables. What about wireless solution? Then I came across this product in Amazon...

The brite-View Air SyncHD with a USD$230 tag. Looks promising but reading through the reviews changed my impression on the product. 19 out of 58 reviews rated 1 and 2 star, that is > 30% of dissatisfaction. Well some could be due to user problem but I rather not to take any risk especially it would be hassle for me to get a refund. Probably the company has found the flaw and improved with the new 2011 edition. Worth a try.

Let me show you something I found in local market here...

Look identical to brite-View Air SyncHD right? But indeed it's a different brand, look more like a rebadge. That's the Giraffe™ WAVE by a local company PCOM. I called up the company and was offered a free personalized installation and liability free if the device doesn't work for my setup. I must say I am impressed with the service, it's extinct to get such a good service from a local company but the price tag really turned me down. Would you willingly be slaughtered for RM1899 for a toy when you knew it only cost USD$230 or RM700? Not me! Nonetheless, it seems to be a good product. I would recommend you go for a try if the price is not a matter to you.

Anyway price is only one of the factors, I am not buying in the idea of transmitting HD content wirelessly at this point of time. IMHO, the technology is still developing and there are many variations, WHDI, WirelessHD and Wireless Gigabit. Probably it's just like HD DVD vs Bluray in the past few years, we as consumer just have to wait to spectate who wins the war.

That sort of set my mind on what I need to buy to achieve my goal. Next, it's going to be a showcase of the result of my shopping ;)

1 Astro B·yond 2 TV, Panny Plasma

While I have the secondary TV, the old SDTV successfully setup for Astro B.yond in my mom's room, I have a 42" Panny non-3D Plasma as my (well, in fact not me but my mom's) primary TV...

The Panasonic P42V20K 42" non-3D Plasma TV connected to the HDMI out of Astro Byond decoder showing non-HD AOD and ESPN HD channels.

I just realized that the default mode of the Astro B.yond decoder is 1080i or the installer set that for me. I should have set it to 720p as I watch sport channels in HD most of the times. Some of you might have a question, 1080 > 720, so isn't 1080i better than 720p? I think this video provides a good layman answer...

But either 720p or 1080i is still dependent on the source, so I went to Astro website to find the answer...

That doesn't help to decide which setting to go. I went on with some tests and found out that SD channels look better on 1080i (than 720p) whereas HD channels appear sharper on 720p. The result seems logical to me (it's a long explanation, I make a pass here), that's my personal observation though. You might want to check your TV setting and decide what is best for your viewing experience.

Here's where you change the HD setting on the decoder (you need the installer code, default is 0000)...

I highlighted in my previous post and this plasma TV does not support decoding and downmix of Dolby Digital to stereo, so you have to change the audio setting of the decoder...

Back to the TV. These are the connection options at the rear...

That's not all, you have some options at the side for easy connection, camcorder for example...

2 USB for wifi dongle and Skype camera...

It's a HD camera capable of 720p with 4 mics (so that you don't have to sit close to the TV when Skyping). And you must hook it up to internet either through a certified wifi dongle or its Ethernet port to gain access to the Skype program in Viera Cast...

You can press on the big green button or the Viera CAST button right above it...

That brings you to the menu...

Other than Skype, YouTube, Twitter, Picasa, Bloomberg, Weather.com and WoW TV are available. Total of 20 applications (7 apps on each page minus one slot for Setup) can be added to the TV, but what I have on the screen is what is available now. Further bad news is Panasonic just launched a brand new App Store called Viera Connect. I don't know (but I doubt) if Panasonic is going to develop something that will be backward compatible with Viera Cast. Hold on your temptation if you plan to buy one, even the 2010 3D models (VT20 series) also come Viera Cast not Viera Connect. Bad move and certainly Panny will be losing some customers to Sammy with the latest launch of SmartTV series. Nonetheless, what is there is working quite well but a drawback is you can't type and display Chinese in YouTube. Some scree shots of each application except WoW TV which requires me to buy a subscription...

As mentioned, this is my mom's primary TV (mine is big screen ^^). One of the decisive reasons I bought this model is because of its Skype feature. Once you've properly configured the Skype with auto login whenever TV is on, it's just 2 press away on the OK button to answer an incoming call...

That's pretty intuitive for my mom who knows nothing about IT but she is now able to video chat with her lovely granddaughter and new born grandson in Singapore sitting comfortably in front of TV screen.

The other feature that I often use is the DLNA feature...

It streams the supported media files directly from my NAS, such as avi, dvix etc. No MKV support though. You get better support on media formats (i.e. MKV) from Sammy and LG.

After all, it sounds like Panny is not the best (and not cheap too!) but why I still buy it? Few reasons:

• Skype.
• I don't buy Korean products due to bad experience.
• I am a fan of plasma (especially Pioneer Kuro).
• No LED for now. IMHO LED is still immature, I still see comet shadow tailed the ball on Beckham's kicks.
• Like I mentioned in my old post, I trust my eyes and they love the color reproduction of this model compared to the others. Very soothing.
• I got a good deal.

And how good was the deal? I grabbed it at RM2999 with free Skype camera (RM600+ RRP) and 5 years manufacturer's warranty while it was still tagged at RM4200 RRP. Thanks to my buddy who introduced me to the shop that was having promotion! I think this model is no longer selling in the market now. The 50" VT20 3D plasma series is selling at RM5000+, used to be RM15000+ in package or RM9000 in sole unit. I would suggest wait for 2011 model (for its Viera Connect feature) if you don't buy Korean products like me or go grab a Sammy's SmartTV if you can't wait.

This completes my 1 Astro B·yond 2 TV mission. Next, 1 Astro B·yond 3 TV!