Hi,
planning the big move to bc June 2009, I have 2 computers, 1 desktop and 1 lap top. Laptop is only 12 months old and desk top is about 3 years old.
Is it worth shipping both? I don't know if they are convertable or not. (I believe the lap top is). Do you just get an adapater to plug them in or what
Also do you bring the wireless gear with you(the box thingy that lights up)
As you can see not a computer buf, but still reliant on these things.
Any help would be great
Cheers

Most laptop power supplies state 100-250 volts 50/60 Hz, so should be fine.

Most computer's have a 110V/240V selector switch.

You can take the keyboard and mouse but cannot use the monitor.

If you think you should get a new computer anyway but would like to keep the data on the hard disk, then remove the hard drive and buy an external drive case to put it in (from places like PC world), you can then ue that with any new PC.

EDIT: If you have speakers then most are not adaptable, so buy new ones. Anything wireless should be fine if they do not have a power plug. Plug adaptors for converting from UK to Canadian would be available to buy at the airport (UK side, Canadian side would normally sell the other way around).

to add to the above generally sound advice, what you need to look at is the power supplies for things like wireless routers (your "box thingy that lights up" - love that description!) and, indeed, monitors and speakers. If they use a transformer that converts mains voltage into the required input voltage, you may be able to replace just the transformer (The Source sells a whole range of different voltage and current ratings - just match what it says on the old one). We did this for a router and an LCD AV monitor, and were going to do so for a USB hub until we realised that a new hub would be cheaper...

Even if your desktop machine doesn't have a selectable-voltage power supply, a new power supply unit is cheaper than a whole new computer if you don't need to replace the whole thing anyway.

When my PC was 3 years old, it was pretty much on its last legs- slow, noisy, full of crap and in need of replacement. We bought an iMac when still in England back in June- cost us about £1100.
You can imagine my dismay when I saw them on sale here for about $1000 dollars.

iMac > PC.

I'm definitely a convert.

Computers are pretty cheap over here compared to the UK, but do y'self a favour- ditch the PC (you can probly sell it on a car boot for £100 or something) and get an iMac when you arrive.

Or if you have a lot of PC software that you regularly use bring it and buy a new PC when you get here.

Why do you say you cannot use the monitor, we brought all three of ours over and they work perfectly, but as you say we had to buy new speakers.

Same here. Our monitor actually says that it's compatible with 110/230v and is. I brought the speakers on the off chance they would work, but no luck there.

The monitors will work if they are 110-220V.

Well I'm a tech geek so I just only shipped my motherboards and hard disks over. I ordered the missing components and cases when I arrived and rebuilt the PCs.

The laptop won't be a problem, it's compatible as long as its AC adapter is 110-220v

I have to disagree but I don't think this is the thread to have this debate.


A PC costs at most $500 to build if you just intend to use it for basic stuff

You can build a PC for about $250 plus the operating system if you stick an Atom motherboard in a cheap case.

I did ship my PC over even though financially it made little sense; it meant I didn't have to go out and buy a new one and get it to work with the old hard drives.

You can purchase a basic PC without monitor for as little as $300 from Future Shop, with monitor $450-$500 total and you don't have to have any expertise in building them.
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/sub...&page=0&sort=3

That's a pretty good deal so long as you don't mind running Vista . I doubt you could buy the parts and a copy of Windows for that price.

I have been running Vista for almost two years now and had no problems other than at first with legacy hardware.

I really don't know what all the fuss over Vista is about other than people don't understand anything and just follow along with what someone told them.

Hhhmm maybe someone should tell that to Scan, i was in there on Friday and they had one on display costing - £12000. It looked out of this world but as i said to the woman behind the desk, if i bought one i'd be worried it would be out dated within 6 months

try E-bay

Twin 2.8Ghz AMD processors, 2x200GB drives 1U case $150 + $50 postage

does much much more than the basic stuff

runs unbuntu LTSP5 (4 thin clients) plus a media player