Hello all,

It's now 3 weeks before we leave the UK and I have a question regarding electrical goods.

I understand that the USA runs on a different voltage and amperage than the UK, but there are some electrical items we are thinking of bringing out with us. These are 1x tv, 1x vcr, 1x dvd player and a Playstation 2.

Now then, is it possible to run these items in the US using step down transformers or should we just leave them in storage in the UK?

Has anyone else taken goods similar to these out to the US?


Thanks.

Leave them in the UK. There have been loads of threads on this subject...use the search option at the top of the page...I'm sure you'll find loads of info in them.

We only used our PCs.....the other stuff will just sit in the attic getting dusty...I found our old Brit video player the other day while cleaning the attic space...I also found a box of old video....

Leave them. It's not that expensive to buy stuff when you get here. The VCR will be PAL I gather and basically is a dead technology over here anyway. If the DVD player is multiregion, you could consider it, but you can get a new one over here for < £30 so...yeah. The tv...if it is a new flatscreen, there is a chance it has a step down capability. Check to see if it is 110-220. If it is a big old CRT monitor, just leave it back there and get a new one when you arrive.

In fact, you might consider buying a new flat screen here that can handle 110-220 and take it back with you to the UK.

The playstation--if I recall the PS2 will only play UK games and be basically irrelvant here.

By and large, bring only things that are 110-220. Laptops are fine, and many computers can handle 110-220. Newer flatscreens will sometimes go both.

But for most everything else, it's a lot easier to buy a new one when you arrive. Sell the stuff on ebay back in the UK (or storage if you plan on returning). Step down transformers are NOT very common here--you will have to go to a Radio Shack or a few specialty stores to find one, and then they are expensive, heavy, and somewhat dangerous). On the converse, most consumer electronics here are cheaper than the UK.

We brought all of our stuff like that and I am very pleased we did. As long as you have a bit of space and are willing to do a little work, it's worth it. The TV is not going to be any good for American TV, but why not set it up with the Playstation in another room, and then you have a dedicated playstation telly? Never again will they be on the Playstation when you want to watch something. Step up/down transformer will do for both.

On the VCR front, we bought a Pal/NTSC converter, and then plugged our British VCR into the American telly. My brother sends us regular videos from the UK of UK telly, and it's a real pleasure to be able to watch them on our main telly.

My wife wrote a piece on how we had navigated our way around all the electrical and TV related issues, with an annotated photo, at http://uktous.blogspot.com/2006/11/e...ectronics.html [and cf. also an older post at http://uktous.blogspot.com/2006/02/e...ctronics.html]

That's how we coped with it, but as you are already seeing from this thread, others have coped differently.

Agree with everything you say - except that the transformers are expensive and dangerous - we got ours very reasonably (from $20 -$70 depending on size)- and while they get hot they are not dangerous I have some running 24/7

TVs etc really not worth it - if its old it wont take an NTSC signal anyway and everything is much cheaper here

Just to clarify, it is a step up (not, step down) transformer you would require, it takes US 110v and steps it up to 220v.

We brought a VCR and TV too...my MIL send us tapes of UK TV programs. That was 11 yrs ago...there are other less expensive and more convenient ways to view now.

Leave them in the UK...VRC's and DVD's are extremely cheap here and the TV is no use.

I suppose we are lucky, because we get to do both -- the download route and also get some of my bro's selections, always of things that aren't available to download.

The VCR issue comes down to whether you want to continue to watch British videos or not. If you have a ton of British videos, you need something to watch them on. If not, it's obviously no problem. Also, it depends how much the kids want to use their old playstation.

It is unlikely, but dual PAL/NTSC tvs have been around for a long time. We've had our dual tv for 11 years (bought it cheap in Hong Kong)

Right, though the cheaper option is to get a PAL/NTSC converter. There's a really good one on the market for about $50. Works beautifully for us.

Yeah - realized that mine in the UK is 14 years old and takes an NTSC signal I guess any decent UK TV from last 5 years will take NTSC without converter. Sadly most US TVs dont take the PAL signal - so would need a converter!

still price of TVs here is really low now even for HD

Yeah, I'm not suggesting anyone should do what I did, or that it's the easist/cheapest option. Just though it funny the notion that if it's old it won't take NTSC. Those tvs have been around for longer than we realise.

Aren't most HDTVs capable of both now?

surprisingly not - most will not take a PAL feed. Conversley anything bought in the UK will easily take both