neubie

Not to worry…there'll be pricewar once other rsp start selling their packages…

wow!!! very fast sia, so the CSO wasn't smoking me.... :P

yupz, USHA is another forgotten brand which is v durable.... still running strong at my home now....

haha, i oso used to be ICE-siao... dynamat soundproofing, fever-grade cables, 4-way active setup....

not really true. based on the latest codecs, even encoding at 128kbps is good enuf for playback in the car liao....anyway, the car is a noisy place to listen to CD-quality music..... road noise, bumps, rattles would have caused more deterioration than a 128kbps playback.

honestly speaking, the moment u encode ur mp3 at 192kbps or higher, i can't hear the difference between CD and mp3 liao... yes, if u were to use a real-time spectrum analyser to sweep the signal, there is a difference between LPCM (CD redbook standard) and MP3, but sonically you won't be able to tell the diff....i dun have dog ears that can listen beyond >17kHz... ;p but given HDD is so cheap, i just rip all my CDs at 320kbps or VBR best quality....

SONOS can work using wired or wireless LAN... for wireless, it is using proprietary technology that gives a better and stable link to stream music over the air. It is not using the 802.11a/b/g standard. acherly there are other products like Logitech Squeezebox that uses the wired Ethernet RJ45 connection or 802.11g wifi standard to wirelessly stream audio across your entire home. it uses back your existing hifi eqpt, basically replacing the CD player...and is controllable via iphone application....just buy the wifi player, install the free software (Windoze/Mac supported), point the software to all ur ripped mp3 music in your HTPC and that's it....

try SONOS Wireless Multi-Room Music System

meaning to say, all resale applications received before 30/8/10 will remain under old ruling?

the new ruling affects those who exercised OTP before today? can i say as long as the 2nd appt not complete on today, the new ruling will be applied automatically?

very easy to DIY one, cordless screwdriver, power drill with different drill bits, just take out out...hehehe.... cos if i leave it to my contractors i worried may just take shortcut, those predrilled holes never clean out the wallplugs and just putty over..... reno gg to start after the seventh month ends.... ;p

wu ya boh? then where do the foreign talents find cheap lodging apart from dormitories?

yupz, 3I in Toa Payoh... really need to cut down my reno budget cos my flat is 40yo, one of the oldest flat in that area.... pple (my new neighbours) have been saying not to spend too much becos the flat might undergo enbloc within the next decade... nothing has been done yet, besides DIY removing all the fixtures, iron grilles, heater, curtain rails, shelves, getting rid of the wallplugs

from 1 to 3 and now to 5 years.... next time 10yrs liao

wow!!! then i'm more confident when i do up my reno next few weeks.... my existing utility tiles are an eyesore with wide grout lines... are you referring to the neil road and spottiswoode park rd (hongkong street zichar)??? that one is good oso.... nearby sells those crispy bread.... ;p

nice! the utility room flooring is preserved or done up with new tiles?

rules change real fast..... previously non-subsidized HDB resale only need to satisfy MOP of 1 yr... and 3yrs for subsidized...

so if i were to fully redeem my hdb and buy a 2nd property, will this 10% d/p and LTV affect me?

will COV drop after the barrage of new housing policies kick in today????

1 The Government announced today the following measures to maintain a stable and sustainable property market: Increase the holding period for imposition of Seller’s Stamp Duty (SSD) from the current one year to three years. For property buyers who already have one or more outstanding housing loans1 at the time of the new housing purchase: Increase the minimum cash payment from 5% to 10% of the valuation limit2; and Decrease the Loan-to-Value (LTV) limit for housing loans granted by financial institutions regulated by MAS to these buyers from the current 80% to 70%. The measures will take immediate effect on 30 August 2010. 2 The Government's objective is to ensure a stable and sustainable property market where prices move in line with economic fundamentals. The property market is currently very buoyant. While the rate of price increase of private residential properties has moderated in the last 3 quarters, prices have still increased significantly by 11% in the first half of 2010, and price levels have now exceeded the historical peak in the second quarter of 1996. 3 While Singapore has enjoyed strong economic growth in the first half of 2010, our economic growth is expected to moderate in the second half of the year. There are also still uncertainties in the global economy. Should economic growth falter and the market corrects, property buyers could face capital losses, with implications on their own finances and the economy as a whole. Moreover, the current low global interest rate environment will not continue indefinitely, and higher interest rates could have severe implications for buyers who have overextended themselves. Therefore, the Government has decided to introduce additional measures now to temper sentiments and encourage greater financial prudence among property purchasers. Extending the Holding Period for Imposition of Seller’s Stamp Duty (SSD) on Residential Properties Sold from 1 Year to 3 Years 4 The Government imposed in February 2010 a seller’s stamp duty (SSD) for sellers who buy residential properties3 on or after 20 February 2010 and sell them within a year of purchase. 5 For residential properties bought4 on or after 30 August 2010, SSD will be imposed if these properties are sold within three years of purchase. Specifically, the SSD levied on residential properties will be revised to as follows: Sold within the first year of purchase, i.e. the property is held for 1 year or less from its purchase date – The full SSD rate (1% for the first $180,000 of the consideration, 2% for the next $180,000, and 3% for the balance) will be imposed. Sold within the second year of purchase, i.e. the property is held for more than 1 year and up to 2 years – 2/3 of the full SSD rate. Sold within the third year of purchase, i.e. the property is held for more than 2 years and up to 3 years – 1/3 of the full SSD rate. No SSD will be payable by the vendor if the property is sold more than 3 years after it was bought. Please see Annex for examples of how the SSD will be computed. 6 The extended SSD will not affect HDB lessees as the required Minimum Occupation Period for HDB flats is at least 3 years. 7 IRAS will be releasing an updated e-tax guide on the circumstances under which SSD will apply and the procedures for paying SSD. The e-tax guide will be available at www.iras.gov.sg. Taxpayers with enquiries may call IRAS at 6351 3697 or 6351 3698. Increase the Minimum Cash Payment from 5% to 10% of the Valuation Limit for Property Purchasers with one or more outstanding Housing Loans 8 Previously, property buyers have to make cash payment of at least 5% of the valuation limit5. With effect from 30 Aug 20106, the cash payment is increased from 5% to 10% of the valuation limit7. This measure is applied only to buyers of private residential properties, Executive Condominiums, HUDC flats and HDB flats (including those under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme, or DBSS flats) who are taking housing loans from financial institutions regulated by MAS and who already have one or more outstanding housing loans at the time of applying for a housing loan for the new property purchase. Decrease the LTV limit for housing loans granted by financial institutions regulated by MAS from the current 80% to 70% for Property Purchasers with one or more outstanding Housing Loans 9 The LTV limit is lowered from 80% to 70% with effect from 30 Aug 20108 for borrowers who have one or more outstanding housing loans (whether from HDB or a financial institution regulated by MAS) at the time of applying for a housing loan for the new property purchase. Borrowers who do not have any outstanding housing loans continue to have an LTV cap of 80%. These rules apply to housing loans granted by financial institutions for private residential properties, Executive Condominiums, HUDC flats and HDB flats (including DBSS flats). 10 Loans granted by HDB for HDB flats (including DBSS flats) will still have an LTV cap of 90%. HDB loans are offered to eligible first-time flat buyers and second-timers who are right-sizing their flats to meet their housing needs. They are required to utilise all of their CPF Ordinary Account balance before HDB loans will be granted. Furthermore, those taking a second concessionary HDB loan must use the CPF refund and 50% of the cash proceeds from the sale of their previous flat before they are granted an HDB loan. This is in line with HDB's home ownership policy of helping eligible buyers, especially first-time buyers, purchase public housing in a financially prudent manner. 11 Financial institutions' lending standards have remained prudent and the asset quality of housing loans has stayed robust, with the non-performing loans ratio at less than 1% as at Q2 2010. Nonetheless, there are signs that more housing loans are originating at higher LTV bands of above 70%. In line with the objective of ensuring a stable and sustainable property market, lowering the LTV limit sends a clear signal to financial institutions to maintain credit standards, and encourages greater financial prudence among property purchasers already servicing one or more outstanding housing loans. Adequate Supply in the Pipeline 12 The Government will also continue to ensure that there is adequate supply of housing to meet demand. In the second half 2010 GLS Programme, we have made available sites that can yield about 13,900 private housing units, of which about 8,100 units will be from sites on the Confirmed List. This is the highest potential supply quantum in the history of the GLS Programme. We will inject an even larger supply of private housing in the first half 2011 GLS Programme, if demand continues to be strong. 13 Apart from the supply from the GLS Programme, there are also 61,800 uncompleted units of private housing from projects in the pipeline as at 2Q20109. Of these, 32,600 units were available or could be made available for sale. These comprised units that had been launched for sale by developers, units that had pre-requisite conditions for sale10 and which could be launched for sale immediately, as well as units with planning approvals for which pre-requisite conditions for sale could be obtained quickly from the Government and made available for sale11. 14 The Government will continue to monitor the property market closely and will introduce additional measures if required later, to promote a stable and sustainable property market.

congrats on ur 3roomer!!! may i know where is this? living room looks uber long!!!!

ST Life! 28 Aug 2010

often its better to slightly oversize the cooling capacity, as the moment the optimum temperature is reached faster, the compressor will run at the minimal current just to maintain the set temperature. if u just gum gum dimension the required cooling capacity, you might find that under operation, your compressor is not really running at a the lowest possible current.

Doesn't really matter if the panel is outsourced to some pariah third-party company. I was told their panels are MIK, offering possibly better QC than others....So long they give 3year warranty, it's good enuf. buying electronics is sometimes a matter of heng sway… so full coverage warranty is a safer bet. no fineprints or caveats, anything spoil within the stated period, just change. simple and straightforward. if they dare give 3yrs on panel, that shows they have confidence in their durability of their products tio bor? not siding against any manufacturer, but when it comes to TVs, buy those that has good warranty coverage. if pana gives similar coverage, it makes the decision even more difficult ;p that time my fren jio jio me buy the 42" pana plasma, about 700+, throw in free $200 ntuc vouchers, but warranty is 1+2, i paid about $750, slightly a bit more exp than the pana, no freebies. the only time when u see premium product is MIJ is their flagship ranges. MIJ stuffs are much more exp than others, like the Mitsubishi range of fridges that cost 3~4k compared to their tomyam-made counterparts......so my guess is you're paying for their premium highend models…what i know is the cheaper pana panels are made in MY.

an update. my samsung plasma bought in march 2009 just developed a vertical line of dead pixel. Blue color gone. used SMPTE test pattern run thru some color tests confirmed this. called up samsung service ctr, they came down today and told me they will be changing the entire display panel next week. lucky i made the right choice about buying samsung, as the salesman from euromark told me, samsung gives 3 years warranty on all parts incl display panel. initially i wanted to buy panasonic, but he told me pana is 1 yr on panel + 2 years on other parts....