May 26

I use the PS3 not only as a gaming platform, but also as a way to watch DVD’s, play CDs, and hopefully soon (when they release PlayTV) I’ll watch TV through it.

But the most annoying thing is that I have to go through some sort of complex process to turn off the machine with the remote.  Hold down the PS3 button, then select the “Turn of System” option and press ok.

I have the bluetooth media remote, and it has all sorts of cool funky buttons for navigating the DVD, skipping around menus, and doing things the right way.  Heck it even has an eject button.  But the ability to turn off the PS3 on the remote. No way.

I know this is not much work to do, just emulate the same logic as is physically on the box.  Press to ask about shutdown, hold it down for 3-5 secs and force a shutdown.  I’m sure there are things like safely unmounting games, or something that could cause it but I don’t care.

Make that work and then the PS3 can actually be a true part of a home theatre.

While i’m on the band wagon, when a CD is inserted and the play button is pressed (as long as your not in a game) it should start playing the CD.  I have now replaced my old DVD player with the PS3, and the old DVD player used to serve to play CD’s through the sterio..  You don’t want to have to turn the TV on, get it to the right input just so that a CD can play.  I know inserting a CD should autostart, but what if you stop it, and just want to play it again.

Simple things Sony. Just software patches, or maybe for the power button a new remote, but still simple fixes.

May 12
Pergola construction underway
icon1 Steve Mactaggart | icon2 House | icon4 05 12th, 2008| icon3No Comments »

After a week or so break in the assembly of the pergola, we now have some movement.  The entire base structure was erected today, with probably only 2 more days of work required for completion.

These photos don’t really do it justice, I’ll have to get outside when the light is better to show it off.

Once complete it will cover over 45 square meters, so its a biggy.

Jun 6
Kitchen Handles
icon1 Steve Mactaggart | icon2 House | icon4 06 6th, 2006| icon3No Comments »

In the on going saga that is the modifications to our house, we have tackled part of the kitchen.  Nothing serious like a new stove (yet) but a quick dress up by replacing the door handles.

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Jun 4
Feature Wall
icon1 Steve Mactaggart | icon2 House | icon4 06 4th, 2006| icon3No Comments »

A couple of weeks ago, we decided to add some colour to the house by painting up the wall behind the TV. Below is the progression of photos of the blank wall through the first coat then to its final look.

The color is Haymes Silence, incase your playing at home.

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First coat

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Second coat just applied…

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Everything back in place

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May 15
New Garden (pt2)
icon1 Steve Mactaggart | icon2 House | icon4 05 15th, 2006| icon3No Comments »

Its taken me a couple of weeks to post the update about the completion of our new garden bed, but if you read enough here you’ll know that i’m slack and doing even this soon is efficient by my standards.

So here they are, the completed construction photos and the rest of the plants in.

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And thats it, its been in the ground a few weeks now and the plants are a little bigger, but it is winter and they don’t grow that fast at this time of year anyway, but in a few months when the warmth comes back i’ll put up some updated photos of everything in full bloom.

May 6
New Garden (pt1)
icon1 Steve Mactaggart | icon2 House | icon4 05 6th, 2006| icon3No Comments »

A few weekends ago, Rach and I decided to reduce some of the grass we have in the backyard by creating a new garden bed.  Well now its complete I know its a 3 day effort, here are the progressive photos. This is the first stage of garden preperation with the digging of the bed and filling of the topsoil.

1st Saturday

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I’m looking buggered by here, and its not even a 1/3 of the way done.

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Most of the way there, only about a 1/3 to go.

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Me with dirty hands, thats not right….  and a “Foot Photo”

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Now on to the edging.

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There done, grass removed, edging in a days work down.

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Sunday, a simple day, get 1 cubic meter of soil and complete the garden bed..

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Thats the story after 1 weekend, the next post will have the plants and construction along with the final photos.

Stay tuned.

Apr 17
New kitchen door handles
icon1 Steve Mactaggart | icon2 House | icon4 04 17th, 2006| icon3No Comments »

These are a couple of the short listed door handles that we might be using in the kitchen.

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Actually this is just an excuse to post an image or so to test if I have fixed the image posting.

Apr 17
Welcome to our House – pt2
icon1 Steve Mactaggart | icon2 House | icon4 04 17th, 2006| icon3No Comments »

This is the second post showing off our new place, this one continues through to the back yard, and shows our massive expanse of grass and all the effort that will be required to get it manageable.

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Apr 17
Welcome to our House – pt1
icon1 Steve Mactaggart | icon2 House | icon4 04 17th, 2006| icon3No Comments »

This is the first in a series of posts that contain some short movies showing off our new place.

This movie shows off the current state of the front of the house including the garage.

Video005.mp4 (quicktime format, 8.26Mb)

Jan 20
New House For Us
icon1 Steve Mactaggart | icon2 House | icon4 01 20th, 2006| icon3No Comments »

After many years of playing games in the Rental market, we have bitten the bullet and found ourselves a house.  The plan was to stay where we are up till around August and try to buy a place as close to the end of our lease as possible. But in usual US style, we found a place and had it bought within 48hrs..  Impulse or what..

But it is nice.  I have some photos from the realestate agent.  And they should be good to compare to once we’ve worked our magic on it.

So with no further craping on, here she is..  The yet to be named home for us.

Front of house

First thing to go will be the curtains and lights..  Then probably the carpet.

  

Luckily we didn’t have to keep the furniture..

But we have a nice large backyard that will be great for kids, dogs, whatever!

 

Plans are to get the place early March with notification of a house warming to come mid March.

YAY for us!