tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59607797258222465702024-03-19T05:42:02.728-07:00stere4thAnother Malaysian Otakustere4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621438228677257725noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5960779725822246570.post-22200857859506894302009-07-30T16:45:00.000-07:002009-07-30T17:48:28.780-07:00Shit happens<div style="text-align: justify;">Few days back a thief (I think) managed to break into our house and took a few things away - a psp, some cash, and a cellphone. Nobody noticed of the break in until I realized there is nothing in my 'coin-pot'. I feel bad for my housemate who lost a psp, and his game progress 0_0<br /><br />Speaking of bad luck, sometime earlier this year our house was almost caught on fire starting from the toilet - of all the places. The funny thing is it happened on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_the_13th">friday the 13th</a>, what a superstitious coincidence eh? 2009 is a year with 3 occurrences of friday the 13th, with the last one on november 13th, which is also the premier showing date for 2012 movie. Can't wait!<br /></div><br /><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mktuxQLWrSs&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mktuxQLWrSs&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>stere4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621438228677257725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5960779725822246570.post-4552582757464652172008-07-11T19:34:00.000-07:002008-07-11T21:07:26.950-07:00PS3 Firmware MD5 Checksum<div style="text-align: justify;">It been a while since my ps3's firmware got itself an update. Can't help it really, especially with the recent <a href="http://kotaku.com/5021575/sony-pulls-ps3-240-firmware-after-reported-problems">v2.40 firmware problem</a> I won't risk another chance of bricking mine (although it was reported only very "little" individuals were affected). Sony quickly pulled v2.40 down and promised to address the problem asap, and boy it was fast! Those affected are probably still busy with sony service center - and yet v2.41 has been released and they can't use it!<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Meanwhile (yeah...) I decided on doing the leap of faith and updated to v2.41 firmware. To make it short, besides the wait everything else went smoothly.<br /><br />Since mine is a playstation asia, specifically singapore, I downloaded the firmware from here<br /><a href="http://asia.playstation.com/hk/ps3/eng/ps3_softupdate.htm">http://asia.playstation.com/hk/ps3/eng/ps3_softupdate.htm</a><br />using the 'Update using a PC' method.<br /></div><br />Once downloaded, I verified the download's md5 checksum hash. You can find the md5 checksum hash from the firmware's download link, for your convenience the bolded characters such as below<br /><br />http://dsa01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/image/sa/2008_0708_<span style="font-weight: bold;">67c660325b0b97acdeda6c0913dc1f74</span>/PS3UPDAT.PUP<br /><br />If you have no idea what a md5 checksum hash is and how to do it, you'll need to download the proper tools. There are many alternatives but I'll recommend <a href="http://www.kennethballard.com/modules/xproject/index.php?op=viewSummary&pid=2">digestIT 2004</a> since it is easy to install, integrates itself with windows explorer, and is very easy to use - and that is the point. Once installed find the freshly downloaded firmware (PS3UPDAT.PUP), right-click on it, choose digestIT 2004 and then choose Verify MD5 Hash. You'll be prompted for the md5 hash, just key it in like below<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol2sa71OI-WHVjtEq1Y50SuGcU7BhVo2BnB3FrTveufXIpdWYY5bI2Vwte-8FW-Bl7uHx0LEdVXmM-JcYtm98j_5pPrJxO9BBcI-5KVyHSE6a47aQXMgmJlFzLMKTAXtFq5IFu5qoFlhQ/s1600-h/digestIT-2004.GIF"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol2sa71OI-WHVjtEq1Y50SuGcU7BhVo2BnB3FrTveufXIpdWYY5bI2Vwte-8FW-Bl7uHx0LEdVXmM-JcYtm98j_5pPrJxO9BBcI-5KVyHSE6a47aQXMgmJlFzLMKTAXtFq5IFu5qoFlhQ/s320/digestIT-2004.GIF" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221964186339523778" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br />If the checksum fails, the firmware is corrupted and has to be redownloaded. Otherwise it is a verified copy, and is safe for use to update the ps3. Put it in a thumbdrive inside PS3\UPDATE folder (you might want to do the checksum again in case your thumbdrive has 'bad sectors') , plug it to the ps3, and finally 'Update via Storage Media'.<br /><br />Now be grateful you paid your electricity bill, if they decide to cut you off power during this time, your ps3 is toast!<br /></div>stere4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621438228677257725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5960779725822246570.post-84900474946386040312008-05-30T02:52:00.000-07:002008-05-30T05:00:27.475-07:00Hard Disk Death<div style="text-align: justify;">It happened when I least expected.<br /><br />I just got back from half a month holiday only to discover my current data stronghold dead. Oh the horror! 250GB worth of "my precious" lost - not a single bit spared. The lost videos and animes will not be mourned, however the FLACs, pictures, documents, mp3s, and all of my work will be missed.<br /><br />I've had quite a few hard drive tragedies, but for the most time I am usually around whenever a backup is necessary, so their death were not disastrous. But today (perhaps a few days back) this one died and no backup. Son of a b*tch!<br /><br />.<br />.<br />.<br /><br />Wow... this so called blog is quick transforming into a rant and bad news board. Hearing yourself whining on past frustation is somewhat funny yet interesting - however bad they were. Time will pass, I will get over this, and then I will probably reading this with a smirk. But today, at this time and moment... what a terrible home coming.</div>stere4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621438228677257725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5960779725822246570.post-44758104966512513842008-03-27T07:38:00.000-07:002008-03-27T08:34:46.156-07:00Hacked!<div style="text-align: justify;">Damn it!<br /><br />The only phpBB2 forum I have was hacked... badly! The site has to be taken down and wiped real clean. That's it, no more free open source content management system for me, I'll be using self-made cms from now on. It may not have certain features but at least I'll have complete understanding of its core.<br /><br />On the bright side, nothing much was lost. After all the forum was just rather inactive with a bunch of bots as early members.</div>stere4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621438228677257725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5960779725822246570.post-86894319294777980542007-12-19T07:40:00.000-08:002007-12-19T08:09:07.675-08:00Updating The PS3<div style="text-align: justify;">Last time I mentioned not updating the ps3 firmware unless the game needs it. Well guess what, the game needs it, and it always do. Online gaming is just not possible and forget about connecting to the playstation network unless you update to the latest firmware version. There was a few days of hesitation + paranoia before I risked updating my ps3, and even that was through the "storage media" method, not internet update. I downloaded the latest (version 2.01 at that time) firmware from sony playstation website, put it in a thumb drive, and updated the ps3 using that copy. Power outage during this process means a dead ps3, given that the process takes almost 10 minutes to complete, it was like a life and death situation.<br /><br />Now it has been almost 2 weeks since the update and my ps3 is still going strong - and just recently played Kingdom of Heaven blu-ray movie :D<br /><br />One more thing, on the 18th of december, the latest update v2.10 was announced by sony which has DivX playback as one of its features. But I'm having mixed feelings...</div>stere4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621438228677257725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5960779725822246570.post-29785298883774560202007-11-24T15:13:00.000-08:002007-11-24T16:21:33.669-08:00ps3 repaired<div style="text-align: justify;">Finally its fixed. I got a call from the seller few days back telling me the ps3 is working, but just got the chance to check it out yesterday. A working ps3 aside, here is what I got,<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDmkhL2D-KlOuU6va2be_QQ_Nch42EtFU0glS4kiij6PGBOxMSodj_WcODorW_i08Ti23vKlHG6r-CYUpQjqzhR3Bj4s82fxQe5yk0QgpCN27ke0vD69GPYPAIz_o7aFwckvTPXAqq4UH/s1600-h/ps3-spoilt-blu-ray-lens.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDmkhL2D-KlOuU6va2be_QQ_Nch42EtFU0glS4kiij6PGBOxMSodj_WcODorW_i08Ti23vKlHG6r-CYUpQjqzhR3Bj4s82fxQe5yk0QgpCN27ke0vD69GPYPAIz_o7aFwckvTPXAqq4UH/s320/ps3-spoilt-blu-ray-lens.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136550364639147682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Spoilt PS3 Blu-Ray Lens.<br />So they say, the replacement cost RM450 (130USD), enough money for two (or three) more games. But for now I'm content with a usable ps3, though both Resistance and Folklore will have to start from the very beginning at least I'm not stuck with playing demos anymore, but still GT5 demo is still awesome :)<br /><br />Since I got a chance to meet the technician, I asked a few "tips and tricks" on how to avoid spoiling an expensive ps3. Here is what they have to say + my comments,<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Never update your ps3 firmware using the internet.</span><br /><br />I'm not quite sure but there are some merits about this. I did read somewhere (forgot source) about ps3 not reading any disc AFTER (corrupted) internet firmware update. They say corrupted firmware sometimes do not entirely render a ps3 unusable, it causes "erratic" behavior that can ruin gameplay (which is minor) and at worse toast the most sensitive piece of hardware in the ps3, the blu-ray lens. Sounds like bullshit ehh? Maybe, remember in the 90's reading certain sector of a hard disk can ruin the disk? So now what use is a ps3 if one cannot update its firmware? They answered...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Only update the firmware when your game needs it. The update will always come with your game disc and is guaranteed a clean one.</span><br /><br />Awww... now I can't be excited with every latest firmware Sony release anymore. There is still the "update via storage media" method but having experienced a dead ps3 once... :(<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. bla bla bla...</span><br /><br />The usual stuff, don't allow external vibration affecting the ps3, don't put it close to your loud speaker especially the sub-woofer, don't cramp it, always clean and never let dust covering the ps3, don't eject disc while a game is running, don't use your ps3 for pirated (or even original) DVDs because it is meant for blu-ray disc, don't duct-tape the ventilation...<br /><br />Ok they didn't really said that but don't update to version 2.0 - its infested with bugs.</div>stere4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621438228677257725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5960779725822246570.post-91841565272213147422007-11-12T06:28:00.000-08:002007-11-12T07:57:45.502-08:00PS3 excitement lasted less than a week!<div style="text-align: justify;">Having spent top money for the futuristic system with Resistance and Folklore, and downloaded GT5 prologue as well as other demos, my blood pressure must have slightly increased during the first few days due to adrenaline + lack of sleep. Being an avid PC FPS gamer, the six-axis felt clumsier than ever when I was playing Resistance. It is just awful to find myself struggling with the controller but not with the game itself. Embarrassing yet can still be dealt with.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The worse is yet to come though, four days after purchase I noticed that the ps3 was not able to read the Resistance game disc. Tried the other one... nothing happened. Tried a few audio cds and dvds... nada. nothing. By then I realized mine must have went kaput! Specifically the lens may have died of whatever unfathomable reason and now I'm left with a ps3 that can do anything except reading discs. To add to the bitterness Sony does not provide support for parallel imported units, and mine happened to be one, as well as all other ps3 in Malaysia. Being one of those lucky 1% failure rate ps3 owner is bad enough, but it gets even worse in countries that are not officially supported for Sony servicing. I now expect hefty charges for the ruined lens replacement. That one thing probably cost more than a quarter of a brand new unit. It hurts to be robbed of excitement in the first week! :(</div>stere4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621438228677257725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5960779725822246570.post-4228398254674447152007-11-12T05:31:00.000-08:002007-11-12T07:58:10.488-08:00The Entry<div style="text-align: justify;">Oh wow I made a blog isn't that great?<br /><br />Yeah really, as if anybody would care with another "blog" written by another unknown blogger wannabe dude. Why created in the first place? A chance to bitch about stuff that didn't go my way, or sometime when "good" things happen - just that doesn't happen much. Pretty boring stuff. I know, but then so what? Blogging is so easy your average grampas can do it. Honestly, I'm even more surprised of myself to actually do something like this, probably because of blogging is just too easy to start these days... no wonder those so called "veteran bloggers" are mad-bitching claiming "bloggers" are polluting the search engine results. Must be great when you're on the top huh? Those "before" you are just bunch of boring midgets posting expired stuff of "my job", my cat, or whatever applicable "my"s while you yourself are convinced that you are providing quality "content" amongst real contents. Get over it. No amount of angry seo "expert" will deter anyone from starting a blog. The search engine takes care of itself, the "experts" otherwise can just go back to "the caves" doing more optimization. Pulling a black hat maybe? Sigh~ now I'm the one complaining. So much of a first post.</div>stere4thhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621438228677257725noreply@blogger.com0