Taking US tv to UK
 

OH and I will be moving to the UK early this Fall from the US. We are going through our electrical items trying to determine what to bring with us. Hubby just checked our tv, and found on the rear panel that it says it can take 120/240V, and can handle 50/60 and I know it can switched from NTSC over to PAL. It's a nice 40" Sony Bravia LCD HDTV, so if we can take it with us and save some money, that would be excellent. Oh, and we do have the original box we purchased it in, so we could ship it fairly easily. So would it be worth the hassle and $$ to ship it, or not?

FWIW, we are most likely going to be shipping less than 30cuft, as we don't plan on taking much with us.

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

How much does it weigh? Compare that with cost of new tele to see if it's worth it.

It won't be able to catch any over the air tele unless you got an external digital tuner box, but cable/satellite with a hdmi out would work fine with the tele.

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

I think the price of shipping goes by the volume - it won't be that big so maybe worth trying it.

Good luck with your move!

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

Since it is dual voltage and PAL comptable sounds like you should bring it back. A coupe of caveats though.

- The tuner will definitely no work. You either need a freeview or satellite box

- There and 50 and 60 Hz variants of PAL. Could cause problems including;
no picture display, rolling picture display or partial picture display.
However, this will probably not be a problem if you use an HD box via an
HDMI connection.
If you go for a standard Sky+ rather than the HD Sky+ box then HDMI
connectors won't be available, so you will need a converter. Contact
Interneeds Direct. If they don't have it, then it can't be converted. Their
service is also first class.

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

Thanks for info. We planned on doing Freeview (maybe Sky later on when we have more funds). So it sounds like we will need to pick a converter (if we don't go with an HD box), and of course pick up a new power cord so we don't have to use a US->UK adapter. Looks like we could get that converter from the store Posi mentioned, but where could we pick up a new power cord?

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

Can you just cut the plug off and put on a UK one?

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

Wouldn't that be a safety hazard? :blink:

The end of the cord that plugs into the back of the tv looks just like the type of plug that goes into the power supply of a computer (it can be unplugged from the back of the tv). We're hoping that it would just be a matter of buying a new power cord that can be used in a typical UK socket. But I really have no idea where we could buy one (or even what it would be called in the UK).

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

Maybe...appliances in the UK never used to come with a plug, you used to put one on yourself.

If it just comes out of the back like that you could probably just take it along to an electrical shop and ask them about a UK equivalent.

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

If your Bravia is anything like the one that we brought back then an ordinary PC power cable will do. Most of the DIY stores have them.

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

sell the dam thing, save on shipping, buy yourself a nice uk tv with built-in free veiw, there in the uk you can get decent tvs at great prices.

Thats my 2 cents worth.;)

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

Haven't been allowed to do that for years though, healthy and safety mixed with stupid people :D

Power cord should only be a couple of quid from any computer store, Comet, Dixons, Curry's etc.

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

Always sounds a sort of attractive idea but if you have a decent quality TV then the sums often don't add up, epsecialy since many people coming back from the US with a bigger housing crash than the UK will be tightening their belts anyway.

Second hand value of TVs in not generally good. I would have thought even more so in the US where the new ones are so cheap. A new 40 inch Sony Bravia in the UK probabaly won't get you much change from £700 even shopping around whereas a free view box plus converter could cost less than £100. If you don't need the converter you can get a digital freeview box for £30.

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

Much safer...I didn't realize you weren't even allowed to do it...but that makes sense.

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

Do you mind if you ask which Sony you have, I am going through the same process of deciding whether to ship my Sony back? (Moving back Mid Mar)

I have a 40” Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100, same thing with the mutliple power types however couple of considerations..

The power cable is a simple change (the cable is just a figure 8 cable, you can buy them easily in the UK). TV will auto detect the voltage.

I am not sure UK HDMI standard is the same as US HDMI standard. Can't seem to find a definitive answer on this with many conflicting messages. Everyone focusses on the NTSC v PAL which as already pointed out is not a consideration when using digital (mine is NTSC only).

However I have read enough information to make me wonder whether UK HDMI is significantly different to US HDMI. I believe there is a frequency difference (again a 50hz vs 60hz difference). I have even considered the Atlon convertor to convert US HDMI to UK HDMI. If you have managed to get confirmation that the HDMI is the same would very much appreciate the info.

Additionally my TV has internet connection, and I am not sure whether that will work from the UK (US apps).

Currently I am not taking the TV back as not certain it will work.

Re: Taking US tv to UK
 

Chrisaint, your questions show that you understand far more about this subject than I do. Our tv is model KDL-40S4100. I know that our tv states on rear panel that it can do 50/60Hz signal, but I don't know if that means it could accept the different HDMI signal.

I've been trying to find a forum for tv experts to ask these questions, but so far I've been unsuccessful. Given what you have said above, we aren't sure now if we want to take it with us or not. Sounds like it could wind up being a headache.