Good bye, broken iPhone 4 backplate. You can see it below. The much-needed mini Philips #00 screwdriver came in the mail today, and immediately stared working on replacing the backplate. True to the video online, it was surprisingly easy, and I only ran into difficulty getting the new backplate seated properly. Eventually, it got it right, and my iPhone is brand new again and unblemished.
The cracked backplate to my iPhone 4
Baby, let me upgrade u.
The old 2003 home theater setup
In late Nov/Dec 2003, I bought my first true surround sound system, an Onkyo HTiB (“home theater in a box”) package from Vann’s (it arrived Dec 1st). I used to use an Aiwa stereo for surround sound but this was a poor man’s home theater setup. Now, I’d have a true home theater system — a 5-disc changer, a dedicated A/V receiver, two fronts, three rears, and a subwoofer. It was one of the newer 6.1 surround sound configurations. The remotes were a bit busy, but the overall sound was excellent for the price. And I was ready to experience the hotness of 6.1 surround sound.
In reality, Hollywood didn’t produce many DVDs with DTS-ES 6.1 surround sound. Apart from Peter Jackson’s excellent Lord of the Rings trilogy, most films came out with Dolby Digital or regular DTS 5.1 surround. My poor surround back speaker went unused and took up valuable living room space.
The new 2011 home theater setup
These days, we’re an HD house — I ditched the old DVD player for my upscaling PS3, and bought a newer Pioneer with HDMI ports. Even better, it supports a wide variety of surround sound formats, including DTS-HD MA (“Master Audio”) in 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 formats. I’m a big fan of Blu-ray discs that support DTS-MA 7.1, as the sound is much improved, and I get more usage out of my lonely surround back speaker. Even with a disc that doesn’t natively support 6.1, a 7.1 system will mix the surround sound, but you do lose some directionality with the rear surrounds. It works, but I would love a true 7.1 setup, as more discs are coming out supporting 7.1.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m a video and audiophile. You will never catch me watching a film for the first time on a bootleg DVD, or sitting in the worst-seat-possible at a movie theater. When I watch a movie, it should (reasonably) be the best video and audio experience. The video should be clear and encompassing. The audio should be bombastic. I need to be sitting in the best possible location (“the sweet spot”.) When it isn’t, it irks me greatly. I’m not crazy. I just know what I like. And having a sucky setup at home quietly irks me.
True story: I remember one time I was at someone’s house, and he had set up a 5.1 surround system in their living room. However, not only were the positions of the speakers off, but the speakers were in wacky and mismatched places. A surround speaker in the front, a subwoofer… somewhere over there, a front speaker pointing only God knows where. Suffice it to say, I was absolutely appalled. I volunteered to help make right what was wrong. Seriously, it was killing me inside. 😉
So, as I mentioned, I’ve been waiting patiently as I looked for the right speaker/speakers to upgrade the current setup. Earlier this year, I found a guy on Craigslist who had a matching Onkyo HT-767 surround back speaker, but he jerked me around for two weeks without meeting up with me, and I ultimately gave up on the guy. Seriously, a jerk.
Today, we took the plunge. This week on eBay, we bid on and purchased a pair of matching Onkyo SKB-540 (later model) surround back speakers. They can hang on the wall, and sport a slightly slimmer profile.
I’ve had my one surround back speaker sitting on a speaker stand, but this always runs a risk of being knocked down by the kids, the cats, or guests. The new speakers will be slimmer, and I intend to hang them on the back wall. I’m pleased that I had the foresight earlier this year when we had the carpet installed to pre-wire for 7.1 surround sound — I went out and bought 20′ feet of heavy gauge speaker wire, and ran it under the carpet while the carpet installers were working. It’ll be a piece of cake to fix the back wall setup without disturbing the carpet too much.
The speakers will be here early next week, and I can’t wait. I’m a tech head, and I love an upgrade.
Finally!
It’s been a few months since I participated in the May MS Bike event. I raised $1,050, which earned me a “Super Cyclist” jersey. The mid-NJ chapter had some issues with ordering a new batch, but after a few follow-up phone calls, my jersey arrived today. It looks good too.
In addition to our regular church service, there was also a special (and short) St. Francis-themed evening service. Parishioners brought their pets for blessings. Well, we like our cats, and we figured why not? We weren’t against it. It didn’t seem like a bad idea.
Do you WHO thought it was a bad idea? Our cats. They didn’t particularly enjoy the car ride, being confined, being cold, or being surrounded by large dogs! They were very happy to be home again later on.
Grrrr.
As I previously mentioned, I accidentally dropped my iPhone 4 last Saturday afternoon, but all was not lost. I found out that replacing the front and back plates is not impossible, Nd relatively inexpensive. I ordered a replacement backplate and cover, and a mini Phillips #00 screwdrivd, and all three arrived this week.
Unfortunately, it’s the wrong screwdriver. Apple irritatingly doesn’t want people to muck around inside the products that we customers purchase and own. They use obscure screws to discourage people from opening them up. Why? I don’t have the foggiest. I ordered a mini Phillips #00 screwdriver (it’s teeny tiny), but they sent me a “Pentalobe” version instead used for many other Apple products.
After a fruitless search at Lowes, Radio Shack, a Rite Aid pharmacy, and a supermarket, I gave up and ordered another screwdriver from a different Amazon affiliate vendor for $2.50. Should be here in a few days. In the meantime, at least I have 2/3s of the solution in my hands.
I love a good cat centerpiece. It can really bring a room together.
For many years, our dining room furniture consisted of a simple round table and four chairs that my future-wife bought me as an apartment-warming gift back in 2002. It’s stood the test of time against three cats, two children, one move, and multiple house parties. However, the time had come that we’ve outgrown this little table. Probably the umpteenth time we had more than two guests over, and I had to sit on the stairs to eat. 🙂
Cognizant of the costs to purchase a new dining room set, and since she has been looking to find one she liked for years, my wife was happy to find something she liked on Craigslist. This married couple rarely used theirs, and were looking to get rid of it. I went by after work one evening to check it out, and it looked great. Pretty good condition, six chairs, a built-in leaf for expansion, and a china cabinet. Have I mentioned that our wedding china has been sitting in our basement (or storage) for 8 years?
After making arrangements, my brother-in-law Robbie was a good sport and came with me to rent the truck, and help me move the furniture to our house. A note on the rental truck process — 6 years later and the reservation process still sucks. I’m still scarred for life after spending 12 hours back in 2005 worried that we wouldn’t be able to find a truck back then. In 2011, the information on the Budget Rent-a-Truck website is still meaningless and inaccurate. To be safe, I called a few locations, and no one had the size of trucks that the website said were available. I eventually located a storage facility in Trenton that could rent me a 16′ foot truck for $29.95 a day plus mileage, but that’s after calling place after place.
The move went off without too much of a hitch, except for when we went on a wild hunt in the truck trying to find a nearby branch of my bank in that part of NJ to get cash to pay for the dining set. We efficiently loaded up the truck, sat for a quick bite at a nearby McDonald’s, and drove home. Got gas for the behemoth, unloaded the furniture in our house, I gassed up the behemoth again, and returned the truck before 4pm.
We got the table and china cabinet together, and it looks good, so we’re pretty happy.
Our friends Sunil & Ligy hosted an Onam party at their house Saturday night. Onam is what I refer to as the “Malayalee Thanksgiving” because I believe it’s some sort of harvest festival celebrated in the southern Indian state of Kerala. You have to dress up in traditional clothes, eat on the floor, with your hand, off of a banana leaf. It’s all very cultural.
I, of course, being some sort of ABCD, do not celebrate the wonders of Onam, nor do I eat off of banana leaves with my hands. Call me a heathen, but we’re way past my comfort zone. Still, I’m generally up for almost anything. It was a good time, but I was the lone exception when it came to dining. I dressed up, but I was happy to sit on a chair, eat my dinner on a plate, with a fork. I was also happy to change into my regular street clothes after all the requisite group pictures were done!
Sample picture below, but I’ll work on getting others in my hands and posted for your Onam-viewing pleasure.
I'm all dressed up in a mundo
Hey, who thought it would be a good idea to make an expensive phone out of slippery glass? A bunch of geniuses at Apple.
I had to make a quick run to the Indian grocery store this afternoon, as my wife was cooking up two dishes for this party tonight. I was wearing gym shorts, and had my iPhone 4 in my pocket. As I opened my car door in the strip mall parking lot, I felt/heard my phone slip out, and watched it crash to the ground. It landed face up, so I was initially relieved. Sadly, the back was more than just scratched — it had cracked and shattered. Luckily, I had the phone case in the car to cover up the broken (and sharp!) glass. You know, the case I bought in case I ever dropped the phone, but had stopped using because I’m an idiot.
I got home after grocery shopping, and looked up how to get it fixed. Turns out, it’s relatively cheap and easy to replace the either the front or back. Replacing the front is more time-consuming, but not impossible. Replacing the back requires removing two screws with a special mini Philips screwdriver. I ordered a replacement back (and screwdriver) for $6.70 from an Amazon affiliated retailer. I also ordered another phone case.
Seriously, a glass phone?
I was standing in the supermarket checkout lane, and couldn’t resist checking out what ridiculous headlines were featured in the gossip rags. I saw this magazine cover below, and still can’t believe people read this trash. Somebody threw out their wedding cake — trouble? Who the Hell cares? I suppose some people do, since these publications stay in business, but it just seems so…. immature.
