snorkelador

Lomprayah actually has been running their catamarans from Don Sak for about a year. You will still have to change boats in Koh Phangan, including a 1h wait. They also run a minivan service from Phuket town, which brings you straight to their pier. The minivan is one of the more comfotable ones (not those horrible 14 seaters) and they use the 44 (dual carrigeway).

It is pretty clear that the bike is not made by Sym or even made for Sym by a Chinese OEM manufacturer. If that were the case, it would bear the Sym label, instead of the M-Bike one, which is even "engraved" on the engine and it would appear on Sym's (not to be confused with sym-thailand, which is their Thailand distributor's aka M-Bike's) website. It's pretty clear that M-Bike got this bike produced and labeled / badged under their own brand "Mbike" by a Chinese manufacturer. The way they (M-Bike) present it is a bit confusing / misleading, as evident by NomadJoe's confusion, who is hilariously resistent to accept what is obvious. I don't really think he went to the trouble and made up that green book pic, otherwise it would look incredibly like a troll stroll. Quality entertainment!

Check out DDD Transport, across the road from Makro's (the one near Central).

What IMHO and I were trying to convey had nothing to do with compressed sound files, not even lossless ones, but with the reasons why "Hi Res Audio" does not make a difference for playback. You can take the content of those super audio CDs, DVDs and whatnot, convert them to 16bit / 44.1Khz and even experts who claim they hear the difference, will fail to prove it in an ABX test. The link I posted is very interesting btw.

I do understand though that people who swear by this stuff, having invested some time and money in this hype, may not want to hear that at all...

Whatever that noticible difference may be, it's got nothing to do with the bitdepth and sampling rate of the audio file.

So you can't hear the difference between a 320kbs mp3 file and a 128kbs mp3 file either? That's a shame. I'm glad I can hear the difference between those, and between CDs and SA-CDs.

I actually do hear a difference between 320kb/s and 128kb/s mp3 files. I wonder how you got the idea I could not? However between 320kb/s CBR and 0 - 260 kb/s VBR bitrates, compressed with the same codec, I do admit that I kinda struggle to tell a defference.

As I said before: "Bitrate in MP3 or other compressed formats is a completly different topic though. There the old mantra of "the higher the better" is much more true.".

Whatever that noticible difference may be, it's got nothing to do with the bitdepth and sampling rate of the audio file.

Selling high resolution audio recordings is just another trick to sell people the same stuff again. When CDs came out, the music industry had kind of a revival, because people went and bought the stuff they often already had on records again on CD. All they had to do was use the old recodings, maybe print digital re-master on the cover, indicating a more modern (over)use of downward compression, and distribute the "new" old products. Now there's a chance to do the same again with so called his res recordings. Truth is, that unless there is a different master done, you won't hear any difference. 24bit to 16bit wordlength aka bitdepth brings you great benefits when recording, because you have a bigger headroom, so you can record at lower levels to avoid clipping and still have a better signal to noise ratio. For playback it's absolutely irrelevant. All you get it more amplitude levels nothing else. Higher sample rates are even more meaningless. Unless you want to do some fancy things like extreme audiostretching with a recording, there is no benefit going beyond 44.1kHz, which captures any frequency up to 22,050 Hz just as well as a higher sample rate. This is already higher than the frequency range of the human ear and still has wiggle room for resonance in the filter, which cut out any frequencies beyond human hearing range, to actually protect speakers and headphones, which may get damaged by such high frequencies. Bitrate in MP3 or other compressed formats is a completly different topic though. There the old mantra of "the higher the better" is much more true.

Before jumping on the high res bandwagon, you may want to check out this: https://wiki.xiph.org/Videos/Digital_Show_and_Tell

L.

But for 48,000B you can also get the SYM Enduro 200cc. Not craptastic. I'm quite happy with mine. Made in Taiwan.

AFAIK that bike is neither made by Sym nor in Taiwan, but a Chinese product labeled as M-Bike, which is also the name of the company which sells the bike here as well as the local Sym distributor for Thailand. Not suggesting that this makes the bike any less good / desireable or whatever in any way, shape or form, just trying to debunk some possible incorrect info.

Senators are the worst kind of scum in Thailand. Why should they ever worry, as long as they get their money under the table and brawl for free in parliament and watch porn on I-pads all day long???

Max, I cannot help but think that you completely confuse MP (member of parliament) with senator or possibly do not even know there is a difference?

I will try Gaetano's, but it was one of the ones that was closed when I went by it a few days ago....I agree wholeheartedly with the negative comments about Hawaiian Pizza! I also haven't come across too many Thai pizza recipes that are up to snuff.

Chalong is out of the question for me; too much traffic.

I still have not gotten around to check out La Gaetana, but I was under the impression that they do not offer any pizza there. More of a fine dining place with very limited tables, so reservation is always recommended.

Been to Salavatore's once or twice and the Pizza was good. Can't remember the price, but it's not a budget place for sure. Btw. if La Gaetana does offer pizza, that won't be a budget deal either.

There is a new place a couple of units down from Farang restaurant (street behind Big C, PIH, Index), called Crust or something. Have not checked it out, but planning to do so at one point. There is also a new place in the corner unit of the same Sino-Portuguese style house, something like Flame or Bake, possibly both and driving past there, I think I read something like pizza & pasta. Then I have also seen a place called Bellini opposite Makro, to the left of Headstart. Of course you could also get a pizza at the Wine Connection in Central, which is not bad and the price is reasonable, too.

Any opinions on Crust, Bellini, the other one or any further places in Phuket town are always welcome!

I would love a bike like this, a Triumph or even a Harley. Unfortunately due to the Thai tax system, I won't pay double or more.

I respect the Thai system as it probably saves a lot of lives. Imagine the way I have seen some act on the roads and not wearing helmets, if they were on a bike with some power? It would be terrible.

Oh we'll, one day when I finally go back to Aus I can buy one.

In the meantime, keep the pics coming. Nothing wrong with looking.

If they build the bike in Thailand, as the the thread title states, then there would not be a massive price increase because of tax.

But none of this crap matters to the OP who sounds to be buying his first reg, isn't a tech diver, and will likely be diving mostly here in SEA, and thus should get a yoke style.

Funny you should say that...

Had a sneaking suspicion you was trolling all along.

There are two main versions of DIN valves, which are 5 thread, G5/8" (rated to 232 bar) and 7 thread, G5/8" (rated to 300bar) outlet. There is also another version, which is supposed to be for EAN and has a M26 x 2 outlet thread, which means you would also need a regulator with this fitting, which is exactly the reasoning for that. If you operate commercially in Europe you need to follow this, normal divers can get away with just making sure they use only oxygen compatible equipment with EAN. The tank neck thread is another completely different story, but something really important when picking a valve for a tank, since just fitting is not enough by a long shot. Not going into any details here though.

They are all true DIN valves, as is any valve that meets the requirements. If you meet both requirements, for DIN and A-clamp fitting, then whoopeefuckingdoo!

Here is something that should be of interest for Nomadjoe: http://www.techduikshop.nl/shop/product_info.php?products_id=213%3FosCsid%3Dd8346918b11dc8c6f97669258d338c0e&language=uk

If you are diving mainly in Asia, it would be easier to go with a Yoke clamp, although the DIN system is far superior. Yes, more and more valves found on tanks are DIN valves with insert, that make them usable with Yoke clamp regulators. Mind you, it needs to be a DIN/Yoke valve from the start, in order to have those inserts make them accept a Yoke clamp regulator. All you need to convert those valves is installing an insert with working o-ring, which is done with a hex key. However, those valves may not be on found on every dive boat and every dive shop in Asia. You could still use a DIN regulator on a strictly Yoke valve with a DIN adapter though. Those adapters have disadvantages though. They bring the first stage further out from the valve and closer to your head, which is not ideal and if left on the first stage for longer periods of time, they are often hard to remove without causing damage. What I would suggest is buying a Yoke clamp regulator and when you dive somewhere DIN valves are common, just convert the regulator with a DIN conversion kit. It's not very hard to do at all, if you can hold and operate a wrench reasonably AND understand that bronze is a softer material than e.g. steel. Sounds trivial, but if you are not sure it's better to let someone else do it. Maybe not always the common dive instructor, who thinks they know about regs, because they use them every day and have changed a few hoses without actually damaging too much.

Btw. there are 200 Bar and 300 Bar versions of DIN fittings. The latter ones have 7 instead of 5 threads IIRC. Pretty easy to look it up, which I can't be bothered with.

Isn't that the pre-tax pricelist?

I was told it was the OTD price list. The financing numbers includes 1st class insurance for 1 year and reg too.

The off topic discussion price list? What about the 2013 price list then? I guess they may still have some bikes in stock they are willing to sell fro the old price, before officially rasing the prices.

Off topic? What are you on about? That is the current price list. Just recently got it. They were sitting on the table next to a 2013 Ninja 250.

So they told you it's the OTD price list and you did not bother asking what they mean with that? Obviously OTD could stand for quite a few things, like "of (or on) the day", "obsessive talking disorder", "on the double", "on the dot", "on the door", "off topic discussion",...

I am afraid the fact that you found this price list lying next to a mocy at the Phuket Kwaker dealer just after new years and your ever helpful green clad salesperson telling you that you can have the bikes for those very prices, does not make it automatically the new price list after the raised tax. It's nice to have faith, they even say ignorance is bliss, but deluding yourself may not protect you from some kind of disappointment down the line.

Bottom line is that big bikes will get dearer due to a stupid tax hike. That's what I'm on about.

Isn't that the pre-tax pricelist?

I was told it was the OTD price list. The financing numbers includes 1st class insurance for 1 year and reg too.

Got it now, they must have meant "older than dirt" with their fancy abbreviation then.

Isn't that the pre-tax pricelist?

I was told it was the OTD price list. The financing numbers includes 1st class insurance for 1 year and reg too.

The off topic discussion price list? What about the 2013 price list then? I guess they may still have some bikes in stock they are willing to sell fro the old price, before officially rasing the prices.

^

Please read post #696 on why he didn't dump the body.

hmmm he got rid of the top half of the poor girl, wonder why he kept the lower part.

He did not. The body was found to be complete very early in the whole story, even before he confessed, after the corpse was sent to Surat Thani for examination. That the upper part of the body was missing was just something a police officer must have thought and blurted out to the press. I am not going to look for the related news report. Maybe it would be a good thing to read all the articles on Phuket Gazette,XXXXXX and Phuket News in chronological order, before bringing some people almost back to square one again by posting outdated suspicions.

Maybe you should read all relevant info yourself...here are just a few news reports from day ONE!!;

At the bottom of the bin, inside what remained of a plastic bag, there appeared to be between two and four kilos of waste matter. The outline of a bone joint appeared to be visible.

This afternoon the results came back as positively human remains.

After officers discovered the plastic bin in the basement and opened its contents, a shocking smell filled the room. Police believe decomposed human remains may be in the remnants of a plastic bag in the green council wheelie rubbish bin.

Colonel Atip Tannin, of the Bangkok-based Crime Suppression Division, led the raid. ''The remains have been sent already to facilities at Surat Thani where their DNA will be determined,'' he said.

Inside the bin police found pieces of flesh and a hip bone they believed were human. The flesh was so decayed that police could not learn any more from their gruesome discovery.

Also..after 2-3 years how can a complete body even be possible, if not frozen or mummified??

And here is a news update:

"The Phuket News - Wednesday, 29th Feb 2012 04:49

Police forensic scientists, after studying rotted human remains found in a bathroom in a Norwegian expat's eight-bedroom villa in Kata, have concluded that the body is complete.

Earlier, police had said the remains, found in a garbage bag stuffed in a municipal trash bin locked inside one the home's eight bathrooms, comprised only the bottom half of a body."

^

Please read post #696 on why he didn't dump the body.

hmmm he got rid of the top half of the poor girl, wonder why he kept the lower part.

He did not. The body was found to be complete very early in the whole story, even before he confessed, after the corpse was sent to Surat Thani for examination. That the upper part of the body was missing was just something a police officer must have thought and blurted out to the press. I am not going to look for the related news report. Maybe it would be a good thing to read all the articles on Phuket Gazette,XXXXXX and Phuket News in chronological order, before bringing some people almost back to square one again by posting outdated suspicions.

Something seems fishy here. Look at the following quotes:

"EC commissioner Somchai Juengprasert said the EC decided to take the action not because Jatuporn has not cast his vote but because he was jailed."

"EC had to disqualify Jatuporn and sent the case to the Constitution Court have its decision affirmed by court."

If the court upholds the EC decision, wouldn't the court be accused of declaring someone guilty without a court trial? What's the EC Commissioner political inclination/affiliation?

How would they declare him guilty and of what? If they affirmed the EC's decision, all they do is confirm that the disqualification was done following the rules.

The CBR250 was an the upgrade of the CBR150 / CBR125 which a lot of people were hoping for. It was never supposed to be a boy racer's dream come true or a follow up of the old 250. Some people just need to get a life, especially if they already have the bikes they claim to absolutely love. What in the world does someone get out of belittling other people, especially if they seemingly are so much above them, riding in a clearly higher, better, faster and above all shinier class? Almost feeling sorry for those kind of losers...

How can Apple claim they came up with a touch screen, when they use available technology developed by a different company? That this company happens to be Samsung makes the argument even funnier. Apart from that the idea of touch screens, including sliding stuff around was shown in various movies years before. Somebody just had to make it happen and that was more hinging on hardware than software. As to design claim, having a thin black frame around a display and a one button under it, is kind of really minimalistic and not really pushing the envelope to me. Done in a nice way, good finish and all yes, but having a patent on such a simple concept seems a bit of a stretch of imagination to me.

The reason the iPhone 5 has not been released yet is very simple: Samsung would have shot it down, due to patent infringements. Those legal battles are going both ways - surprise, surprise.

Regarding the picture of the before and after iPad, that joke getting a bit old, isn't it. There was another device before the iPad that was kept a bit more minimalistic. 9 years later

Hi Paul,

Have you already done your course or are you going to do it? If so, whom with and for how much?

Might be helpfull info for others.

me and the wife are not going to tao till 1st october but some of the price's have dropped a little but its the deal's on accommodation and food/drink vouchers that look ok deals djl offer 400 baht per day per person.but we have a number of dive centres but we need the find out were and what we want.i.e quiet or party and being kept up all night we like to party now and then but like to sleep to lol.

It might have helped to be a bit more specific in your question and state that first and foremost you are looking for the cheapest possible deal, followed by an acceptable outfit for that kinda money. I mean free accommodation with a course seems to be common, but food and drink vouchers? I thought you could only trick a few young backpackers, coming from or heading to the full moon party, still needing to tick the "get yer PADI done" off the list, before maxing out daddies credit card and investing the last cash in cheap booze, into those amazing deals. I would also recommended having a look around the island and talking with / observing a few operators before you decide for one.

Doingok, who are you referring to, dimfo or me? I would imagine dimfo, since I'm not located on KT.

The way I read it Doingok did mean you and I have to say I can see why! Your little rant accusing the guys at Sairee Cottage Divers, who IMO do run a good show and are a bit different to your mainstream shops on the island, of self promotion really was not one of your usually rather smooth posts.

With all due respect snorkelador, if somebody shows up on a forum with his very post ever, telling how good they are and talking down other shops, that's not 'net etiquette' and doesn't help a thread with useful or interesting information. For posters like that, on any board, I have no compassion and rather see them disapaer as quickly as they surface.

Hope this clarifies my original comment.

Completely agree that this post was not very helpful at all. All I'm saying is that trying to imply that it was posted by the dive center in question itself, to me is not following netiquette either. I would rather call that bad style, unless of course you somehow know something we don't. My guess is that's what Doingok was getting at with his post, but I could be wrong.

Doingok, who are you referring to, dimfo or me? I would imagine dimfo, since I'm not located on KT.

The way I read it Doingok did mean you and I have to say I can see why! Your little rant accusing the guys at Sairee Cottage Divers, who IMO do run a good show and are a bit different to your mainstream shops on the island, of self promotion really was not one of your usually rather smooth posts.