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Astro B.yond HD

Astro compared the launch of B.yond, its HDTV service in Malaysia, to the arrival of color television broadcasting. That’s quite a claim. And as much as I hate to admit it, I’m old enough to remember the day RTM first switched to color. I recall the excitement—curious neighbors cramming into the living room, eyes glued to the rare color TV set, gasping in awe at every vibrant hue. We didn’t care what was on—we religiously tuned in to any program that aired in color, even if it was just a news anchor talking about rubber exports.

Astro B.yond, on the other hand, while delivering on its HD promise, isn’t nearly as revolutionary.

High-definition content is nothing new. If your PC runs at a resolution higher than 1280 x 720 pixels, congratulations—you’ve been enjoying 720p HD for years. If your puny 2-megapixel camera takes images at 1600 x 1200 pixels, you already have more height resolution than 1080p, the current gold standard for HD. Blu-ray discs (and before them, HD-DVD), gaming consoles like the PS3 and Xbox 360—they’ve all been HD for ages.

So unlike the color TV era, Astro B.yond doesn’t have a major novelty factor. It’s hard to imagine your neighbors barging into your living room just to witness the breathtaking detail of David Letterman’s forehead wrinkles.

The Hardware & Channel Lineup

At launch, B.yond offers just four HD channels—NatGeo HD, History HD, HBO HD, and Astro Supersport HD—with ESPN HD “coming soon.” To access them, Astro requires you to replace almost everything: the dish, decoder, smart card, and even the remote control. The new Set-Top Box (STB) is smaller and sleeker, with a redesigned on-screen menu system. It also has a front-facing USB port, possibly for future TiVo-like features—if Astro ever decides to roll those out.

Originally, I had stripped my Astro subscription down to the bare minimum, partly as a protest against their ever-increasing prices. This left me with mostly documentary channels, so my TV diet consisted of Mega Disasters, Ice Road Truckers, and Mega Movers. What I quickly discovered is that the HD versions of NatGeo and History don’t just offer higher resolution; they actually have different programming schedules from their SD counterparts. HBO HD, on the other hand, is just HBO SD with a 60-minute delay, while Supersport HD is essentially Supersport 2 in HD.

The Good: Jaw-Dropping Documentaries

The documentary channels look phenomenal. The colors are richer, and the level of detail is incredible—you can read tiny background text, spot imperfections in ancient artifacts, or count the number of wrinkles on the expert’s forehead as they discuss the fall of the Roman Empire.

Feeling optimistic, I upgraded to the movie package to check out HBO HD.

The Not-So-Good: HBO HD’s Disappointing Quality

That’s when my excitement took a hit. Unlike the razor-sharp clarity of the documentaries, HBO HD looked… soft. The compression Astro uses for this channel seems aggressive—action scenes suffer from blocky artifacts, making them resemble poorly compressed pirated DVDs. Some sequences are downright unwatchable, especially when there’s a lot of movement on screen.

The Ugly: Audio Issues That’ll Drive You Crazy

Astro B.yond boasts Dolby Digital sound, but in practice, it’s a hot mess. The audio channels are often encoded incorrectly. The most common issue? Voices don’t just come from the center speaker—they’re also leaking into the left and right speakers. And to make matters worse, the vocal track isn’t even properly synchronized across the channels, creating a weird out-of-phase effect that makes dialogue sound echoey and unnatural. It’s like listening to an interview inside a tin can.

The Road Ahead: Can Astro Fix This?

For Astro to succeed, they need to fine-tune this service. With just four HD channels at launch, it’s unlikely they’ll attract the masses—except maybe during World Cup 2010, when all matches will be broadcast in HD. Right now, early adopters like me are willing to pay the extra RM20 a month for the technology, but for mass adoption, they need to:

  1. Fix the compression issues, especially on movie channels.
  2. Sort out the audio disasters.
  3. Rapidly expand the HD channel lineup.

Because after watching HD, one thing becomes painfully clear—Astro’s standard-definition channels look really, really bad.

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The Maps for Hedeby Island

I’m current reading Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and I discovered that the English edition did not come with 2 maps of Hedeby, the fictional island where most of the action takes place. While one may not need the maps to enjoy the book, I found that they greatly helped as a geographical frame of reference for the narrative.

After some fruitful (albeit long and tedious) googling, I stumbled upon 2 maps that were originally included in the Swedish edition of the book. The maps are in the original Swedish but thanks to Google Translate, I reproduce here for fans of the book, the 2 maps in English.

Do note that the Swedish to English translation is not perfect and most of the time, I have to make judgment calls. Please let me know if there is a better English version out there.

BTW, halfway through the book now and it is really a good genre novel. Actions move fast, situations are intriguing, characters are engaging. Overall, a very good light reading vacation novel 🙂

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Directions to Lake Fields

For those who are coming to the morning session of Celeste and Ming Han’s wedding, here are some quick directions to Lake Fields.

Directions from Kesas (Lebuhraya Shah Alam) to Lake Fields

1.

 After the KESAS toll, travel eastward on KESAS towards KL

4.0 km

2.

 Take right fork towards Cheras. You will be now on Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR 2)

2.0 km

3.

 Look out for Bandar Tasik Selatan LRT station on left. Take left ramp and make a U-turn to the other side of MRR 2

0.3 km

4.

 Continue on MRR 2 until you see the turning to Serdang, Balakong, UPM on the left

1.7 km

5.

 Take that turning and continue straight. You will come across a traffic light. The Sg Besi LRT station is on your left

0.2 km

6.

 Continue straight and take flyover on the left that says Lake Fields

0.3 km

See Google Map

Directions from Federal Highway to Lake Fields

1.

 Head east on Lebuhraya Persekutuan towards Kuala Lumpur

0.2 km

2.

 As you pass MidValley on your left, take the exit onto Jalan Klang Lama

3.1 km

3.

 Travel straight and turn left at Jalan Kuchai Lama

2.6 km

4.

 Continue straight all the way and you will be travelling on Lebuhraya Sungai Besi

4.0 km

5.

 Take “Lake Fields” ramp when you come to a 3-fork that says Sg. Besi/Cheras (left), Lake Fields (centre) and Serdang/Balakong (right)

0.4 km

See Google Map

Directions from KL Seremban Highway to Lake Fields

Take the Cheras exit from KL-Seremban Highway

0.1 km
Take the left ramp to Sungai Besi (via Lebuhraya Sungai Besi) *warning: do not take leftest ramp to Putrajaya

56 m
Keep right at the fork to continue toward Lebuhraya Sungai Besi (towards KL)

1.0 km
Make a U-turn

2.5 km
Continue straight on Lebuhraya Sungai Besi (towards Serdang)

4.1 km
Take “Lake Fields” ramp when you come to a 3-fork that says Sg. Besi/Cheras (left), Lake Fields (centre) and Serdang/Balakong (right)

0.4 km

See Google Map

When you reach Lake Fields, you will see white 3 storey houses that look something like this:-

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The Lost Symbol

I have a confession to make.

I would lust after Kentucky Fried Chicken and would feel really bad after eating it. Not from a guilt point of view due to unhealthy indulgence. Nope, I really do physically feel bad after finishing the last piece of fried chicken that has been secretly embalmed with 11 herbs and spices. It always leaves a peculiar after-taste that can be described as a bad combination of sickeningly creamy grease, refrigerated overnight chicken soup and sweaty salty skin.

Which is like the new Dan Brown book, The Lost Symbol. While I couldn’t resist the marketing messages which promoted this book like it is the sequel to the Holy Bible, the feeling that I get after completing it can be described as a bad combination of sickeningly ill-constructed scenes and dialogues, refrigerated plots from previous books and conspiracy theories and non-sweaty predictable plot twists.

In this novel, Dan Brown took familiar plot elements from The DaVinci Code, Angels & Demons, Deception Point and Digital Fortress and transported the story to Washington D.C. This time around, a diabolical and murderous villain with the moniker of Mal’akh forces Robert Langdon to once again solve puzzles based on long lost symbols. I wouldn’t write anything more about the plot because the book has nothing else going for it and I do not want to spoil it in case one wants to read this book or wait for the Tom Hanks movie version of the book.

What I’ve discovered when reading The Lost Symbol is that Dan Brown has unabashedly recycled plot elements and characters from his old novels. (For those who do not like spoilers, skip to the last paragraph now).

For instance:-

  • Robert Langdon is forced into solving the puzzles
  • Female co-lead is forced into the situation too
  • It’s a race against time
  • The secret that is such a big deal is always hidden in plain sight in paintings, buildings, etc
  • The secret, if made known to all, will cause massive chaos and disorder
  • There is a an official from hell who apparently hampers Langdon and his female co-lead but who eventually turns out to be one of the good guys after all

The saving grace to this book is that with all the flaws it is still fun to read. That is if one lowers one’s expectations enough to read it for the pulp fiction value that it is and nothing more.

dsdI have a confession to make.
I would lust after Kentucky Fried Chicken and would feel really bad after eating it. Not from a guilt point of view due to unhealthy indulgence. Nope, I really do physically feel bad after finishing the last piece of fried chicken that has been secretly embalmed with 11 herbs and spices. It always leaves a peculiar after-taste that can be described as a bad combination of sickeningly creamy grease, refrigerated overnight chicken soup and sweaty salty skin.
Which is like the new Dan Brown book, The Lost Symbol. While I couldn’t resist the marketing messages which promoted this book like it is the sequel to the Holy Bible, the feeling that I get after completing it can be described as a bad combination of sickeningly ill-constructed scenes and dialogues, refrigerated plots from previous books and conspiracy theories and non-sweaty predictable plot twists.
In this novel, Dan Brown took familiar plot elements from The DaVinci Code, Angels & Demons, Deception Point and Digital Fortress and transported the story to Washington D.C. This time around, a diabolical and murderous villain with the moniker of Mal’akh forces Robert Langdon to once again solve puzzles based on long lost symbols. I wouldn’t write anything more about the plot because the book has nothing else going for it and I do not want to spoil it in case one wants to read this book or wait for the Tom Hanks movie version of the book.
What I’ve discovered when reading The Lost Symbol is that Dan Brown has unabashedly recycled plot elements and characters from his old novels. (For those who do not like spoilers, skip to the last paragraph now).
For instance:-
• Robert Langdon is forced into solving the puzzles
• Female co-lead is forced into the situation too
• It’s a race against time
• The secret that is such a big deal is always hidden in plain sight in paintings, buildings, etc
• The secret, if made known to all, will cause massive chaos and disorder
• There is a an official from hell who apparently hampers Langdon and his female co-lead but who eventually turns out to be one of the good guys after all
The saving grace to this book is that with all the flaws it is still fun to read. That is if one lowers one’s expectations enough to read it for the pulp fiction value that it is and nothing more.
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Patch for the human OS

So there I was at the paediatrician’s office, watching my little Chloe get her shots, when it hit me – we’ve advanced so much as a species.

These days they’ve got these miracle 6-in-1 or 9-in-1 vaccines that protect babies from everything from Hepatitis to—I don’t know—spontaneous night farting. (Okay, maybe not, but for our sake and anyone within nostril-shot of a diaper change, they really should include something for odor control.)

The whole experience reminded me of those painful computer upgrade sessions we all loooovvveeee so much. You know the drill: Microsoft or Apple proudly announces you’re installing “the most advanced piece of software known to humankind,” which apparently translates to “please stare at this progress bar as you wait for the imaginary paint to dry on your spanking new windows.”

After what feels like enough time to grow a small garden, your computer triumphantly announces it’s ready to launch this technological marvel. And what’s the first thing that happens? Seventeen windows pop up begging you to download another 8,000 gigabytes of updates because apparently this “revolutionary software” aged like milk accidentally left in your car in the open-air carpark in Central Market.

Which, if you think about it, is basically how human babies work too.

Our little bundles arrive perfectly designed with the latest evolutionary upgrades, only to immediately need “patching” against every virus that’s developed since our ancestors figured out walking upright was a neat party trick.

Looking at today’s shot schedule makes me think newborns must have the most confusing medical records. “Day 1: Existed. Day 3: Received 74 vaccinations.” I’m just grateful babies don’t come with peripherals like cameras or scanners. Can you imagine? Patching the device drivers for those suckers is hell.

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Another baby post…

Becoming a new parent is like being on perpetual standby– nothing takes priority over your baby’s welfare. Your time, energy, and sanity are all at their mercy.

Take my favorite hobbies, for example. First, I’d need to miraculously find time to indulge in them. But even if I do, my enjoyment is entirely contingent on Chloe’s cooperation. Watching a movie? Sure– as long as she doesn’t cry. And if she does? It doesn’t matter if Liam Neeson is mid-rampage in Taken, single-handedly dismantling a human trafficking ring– the movie stops. Chloe wins. Every. Single. Time.

Books and magazines? They’ve been downgraded to doctor’s waiting room status– just there to kill time until the next crying emergency demands my attention.

A baby’s attention requirements are nothing short of relentless.

Completely helpless, they rely on able-bodied adults to do their bidding. And their arsenal of control?

  1. Ear-piercing cries that could shatter glass.
  2. Disarmingly cute faces that trigger involuntary compliance.

When combined in varying proportions, these tactics override any form of adult resistance, reducing fully grown humans into obedient drones programmed to fulfill their every whim.

After two years of servitude to the tiniest (but most powerful) dictator I’ve ever met, it’s time for payback.

I’ve decided to secretly train Chloe in household maintenance– a carefully disguised “hand-eye coordination” development program. The syllabus includes:

  • Floor cleaning
  • TV console dusting
  • Defragmenting my computer
  • Queuing my favorite shows on BitTorrent
  • Performing system maintenance
  • Washing the car
  • Making my morning coffee

And because structure is important in parenting, I’ll even draw up a chore schedule to help her develop responsibility (purely for her own good, of course).

Maybe it’s time to consider an army of kids– imagine the productivity levels! Hehehe.