# TV, cable and internet... what's the scoop



## spratrbo (Oct 9, 2008)

I just bought a DVD trying to show me Australia lifestyle (horrible quality but gave me a clue at least). In this DVD it sort of described the TV stations there.. seems like you get all of FIVE! Five stations to peruse and cross your fingers they aren't showing how they make cheese or something crazy like that. Yes in the USA we have hundreds of channels, although this is probably why people aren't outdoors staying active. I have seen many pictures of houses in the Melbourne area and it seems like everyone has antennas on their roofs which sort of backs up the 5 channel situation. 

Also... my business is very dependent on broadband internet connection. My wife and I are hoping to apply for visas in the next few weeks and are absolutely committing to a move. But it would be great for someone living in the Melbourne or Brisbane area (still deciding) to get me up to speed. And someone in the IT business who is internet savvy would be great. I'm not in IT but photography where I am uploading 10-50meg files worldwide. Also, if you do have cable do you get things like HBO or other pay for movie channels?


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## kaz101 (Nov 29, 2007)

Hi spratrbo, 

If you are into tv then yes you need cable - Foxtel, Austar or something like that. We're not so it doesn't bother us. 

For broadband it's more expensive here than the UK (I can't compare it to the USA), and they count uploads and downloads as part of your limits. Until recently I was using broadband for connecting and programming for companies in the UK without any issue. 

Broadband Guide ? Compare Australian Broadband Internet plans, ADSL, ADSL2+, Cable & Wireless. compares what's available. 

Regards,
Karen


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## spratrbo (Oct 9, 2008)

A lot of cable TV companies here in the US offer all inclusive packages with cable TV as well as broadband internet connection, and with the advent of Vonage and the like my cable company also offers telephone through cable. My monthly bill is $150US after taxes and that is broadband internet, and cable TV with ALL premium channels. It's a lot of $$$ but I am a HUGE movie buff. I have yet to hit upload/download limits here... in fact I don't even know that I have any. I'll go check out that link. I just hope I'm not paying through the nose to continue my work.



kaz101 said:


> Hi spratrbo,
> 
> If you are into tv then yes you need cable - Foxtel, Austar or something like that. We're not so it doesn't bother us.
> 
> ...


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

If you watch any decent amount of TV (more than 1-2 hours in a day) you'll probably need to get cable/Satellite and not a lot of choice here for that (Foxtel/Austar basically). I use a PVR (like TIVO) for the free to air channels (as I hate paying for TV and know how to "download" what I want).
website: FOXTEL

As for broadband I highly recommend the plan search on: Whirlpool Broadband News (Nothing to do with the appliances manufacturer)

I use TPG (which has some very nice plans and my speed has been good and reliable). There are forums on the Whirlpool website which will help you decide on a plan.

The major difference here is that they do count how much you D/L (20 GB/month, etc.) and you buy your plan based on how much you want to D/L (and some also count U/L). In the US they just give you a speed but don't count how much you download or upload. 

Also you can combine all the things, cable, TV, Internet but that isn't always as good a value if you do a lot of internet/downloading (the download limits are small and you'll get shaped - slowed down to modem speeds). 

Companies to look at if you want to bundle: Optus and Telstra (I won't recommend Telstra however as they count uploads AND downloads in your monthly usage).




spratrbo said:


> I just bought a DVD trying to show me Australia lifestyle (horrible quality but gave me a clue at least). In this DVD it sort of described the TV stations there.. seems like you get all of FIVE! Five stations to peruse and cross your fingers they aren't showing how they make cheese or something crazy like that. Yes in the USA we have hundreds of channels, although this is probably why people aren't outdoors staying active. I have seen many pictures of houses in the Melbourne area and it seems like everyone has antennas on their roofs which sort of backs up the 5 channel situation.
> 
> Also... my business is very dependent on broadband internet connection. My wife and I are hoping to apply for visas in the next few weeks and are absolutely committing to a move. But it would be great for someone living in the Melbourne or Brisbane area (still deciding) to get me up to speed. And someone in the IT business who is internet savvy would be great. I'm not in IT but photography where I am uploading 10-50meg files worldwide. Also, if you do have cable do you get things like HBO or other pay for movie channels?


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## Tiffani (Dec 4, 2007)

I don't have cable here and I didn't in the US either (I used to, in a former life  but I just got 100 channels of crap instead of 5 and I was paying a lot of money for the privilege). 

Network TV in Australia is nominally better than network TV in the US. I'd say Foxtel is generally not as good as Time Warner. We had Foxtel for the first two weeks when the company put us up in a serviced apartment and the selection wasn't as good as Time Warner.

Broadband internet is, in my opinion, a little backward here. As amaslam mentioned, you pay by download (and sometimes upload) usage which is hard to adjust to if you're coming from a country where you just pay a monthly fee and that's that. We use iinet.net.au and we're very happy with the service. We get 4GB a month (2GB peak and 2GB off-peak) and it costs $50/month. That also includes free VOIP phone service -- you know, where you have a regular, real phone and you just plug it into the modem instead of the phone jack -- free local and national calls, and calls to the US are about 5 cents/minute. We use the internet for pretty basic stuff like email and occasional downloads and uploads, but you may need a package with a higher amount. 

I saw an ad from dodo.com.au that they are starting unlimited internet for a fixed price per month; it may be worth checking into them.


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## spratrbo (Oct 9, 2008)

Wow that is backwards counting bandwidth... reminds me of the days of compuserve where they charged by the min. But yeah... I think I could exceed 2 gigs a month easily. On top of that, when we move we plan on making heavy use of SKYPE for video conferencing with friends and family. And I also listen to satellite radio online as well while working on the computer throughout the day. Thanks for that link to that unlimited service. I hope I will have more options too by the time I get there.
jp



Tiffani said:


> I don't have cable here and I didn't in the US either (I used to, in a former life  but I just got 100 channels of crap instead of 5 and I was paying a lot of money for the privilege).
> 
> Network TV in Australia is nominally better than network TV in the US. I'd say Foxtel is generally not as good as Time Warner. We had Foxtel for the first two weeks when the company put us up in a serviced apartment and the selection wasn't as good as Time Warner.
> 
> ...


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

Please read the fine print on 'unlimited'. It means they don't charge you more than the monthly limit, but they can still 'shape' your speed. That means they slow you down if you over the 'limit' (i.e. 2 GB, 4 GB, whatever is in your plan) to modem speeds (64 or 128 kbps) till the beginning of the next month. Also I've heard Dodo has bad bandwidth issues (oversubscribed so things slow to a crawl at peak periods). 

You could also look at engin.com.au for VOIP (for $20) I get free calls inside Australia (landlines) and free calls to 8 other countries (US, Canada, UK, a few others). 

I pay about $70 for broadband (40 GB peak DL + 110 GB off peak) + $20 for VOIP (Engin). I don't pay for cable (not as good value as US and more $$$ - also weather here so nice you go outside alot more so watch less TV). But if you insist on cable minimum would be $40/month (cheapest plan).



spratrbo said:


> Wow that is backwards counting bandwidth... reminds me of the days of compuserve where they charged by the min. But yeah... I think I could exceed 2 gigs a month easily. On top of that, when we move we plan on making heavy use of SKYPE for video conferencing with friends and family. And I also listen to satellite radio online as well while working on the computer throughout the day. Thanks for that link to that unlimited service. I hope I will have more options too by the time I get there.
> jp


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## Tiffani (Dec 4, 2007)

I just looked at the dodo.com.au website (forgive any tupos please I just finished the melbourne cup party and I've had one glass of champagne too many) and they don't mention the unlimited broadband anywhere.

I would look into iinet.com.au we have the cheapest one but you can get up to 130GB/month for $120 including the free phone etc. We do skype a lot and it's surprisingly decent with respec tto upload and dowlonad usage.


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## Grangey (Oct 10, 2008)

pah, quick answer to it:

before you move and still have US money, pay your US providor the full years subscription and just bring the lot with you!

Or keep a US bank account open and re-assign your address to a friends and make sure you feed the right amount in each moth (although this may work out quite expensive)

Im in the same situation as over here in the UK 95% of what I watch is on Sky and watch all sorts from movies, to UK music, to things like 24, Lost, Prison Break, Fringe and more and im not sure how availible these would be availible to me in Oz. I did hear that with sky you can pay off the full years subscription and provided you dont tell them you're abroad, all will be fine with bringin it with you. so im most likely to do that at least for the first year. My parents have done it with their subscription in france and provided SKy still have a UK bt telephone registered (wether it works or not it would appear), they wont blink an eye lid


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## bobodaclown (Oct 15, 2008)

in short. Australia is quite an embarrasment when it comes to telecomunications, still below par and charging way over the top for it, just wait until you get your first cell phone bill. I'm a techie geek in NYC and am dreading returning back to getting ripped by anything IT.


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## spratrbo (Oct 9, 2008)

Oh yeah... I didn't even think of cell phone. Y'know this is a very interesting thing about cell phones in that I don't know anyone's number any more. I program it in the phone and forget it. My wife and I don't even have a home phone. Dare I ask what cell phones go for? I am currently with Sprint and am paying $150 a month for 1400 min for 2 phones with unlimited web access and texting. Please don't tell me this is a regular bargain. I am sure it is the culture here in the states and it really irks me how children today feel such a NEED for a cell phone. But what's worse is the parents... I have had this conversation with many that give me the arguement "What if their car breaks down or they get a flat tire?" and my response is simple... "what did you do back when you were that age?" "Oh things are different now... it's more dangerous!" "Is it really or is that your perception?" I could go on and on but I would pull away from the subject of this thread. Instead I am choosing to apply for the visa, get on a plane, and forget about the crazyness here. 

But I would think cell phones and communications would be an emerging technology and more importantly a real booming competitive industry. If not why isn't it? Sounds like opportunity to me! Is it safe to assume it's the culture in that Aussies are so occupied with sport and the outdoors that there is little need for expanding communication technology? I swear I think that's why Americans are the fattest they have ever been. Too busy on the couch playing video games. Okay I have to stop right here before this becomes a rant. So please ignore the synicism and if anyone has an answer to the few questions within.


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## covfan71 (Apr 10, 2008)

DO they have "Freeview" boxes in Australia like they do in the UK


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

I think that's Digital TV in Australia. Yes, you can get a basic Set top box for $50 and with hard drives and such for $200 (so you can record). Try to get an HD one as the HD channels show different stuff (so more than 4/5 channels of SD).


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## spratrbo (Oct 9, 2008)

Well that's just it... I don't want to go buying a large plasma TV if my selection stinks. Also, I am assuming everything uses PAL formatting vs. NTSC so my plasma screen here is useless. Just wondering so I know to sell it here.


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## bobodaclown (Oct 15, 2008)

spratrbo said:


> Oh yeah... I didn't even think of cell phone. Y'know this is a very interesting thing about cell phones in that I don't know anyone's number any more. I program it in the phone and forget it. My wife and I don't even have a home phone. Dare I ask what cell phones go for? I am currently with Sprint and am paying $150 a month for 1400 min for 2 phones with unlimited web access and texting. Please don't tell me this is a regular bargain. I am sure it is the culture here in the states and it really irks me how children today feel such a NEED for a cell phone. But what's worse is the parents... I have had this conversation with many that give me the arguement "What if their car breaks down or they get a flat tire?" and my response is simple... "what did you do back when you were that age?" "Oh things are different now... it's more dangerous!" "Is it really or is that your perception?" I could go on and on but I would pull away from the subject of this thread. Instead I am choosing to apply for the visa, get on a plane, and forget about the crazyness here.
> 
> But I would think cell phones and communications would be an emerging technology and more importantly a real booming competitive industry. If not why isn't it? Sounds like opportunity to me! Is it safe to assume it's the culture in that Aussies are so occupied with sport and the outdoors that there is little need for expanding communication technology? I swear I think that's why Americans are the fattest they have ever been. Too busy on the couch playing video games. Okay I have to stop right here before this becomes a rant. So please ignore the synicism and if anyone has an answer to the few questions within.


not too sure if thats a bargain as I haven't been home in Oz for 3 years, but if things havent changed over the last 3 years then yeah, thats a bargain especially the unlimited web(data) and text thing.

problem with Oz is that its tooo big with tooo little people along with that is the 'fair go' aussie attitude. Australia is huge with not much going on, in reality everything is happening on the East coast, Brisbane (small), Sydney(biggest) and Melbourne(big). thats a long stretch of land for only 3 real cities to be in, so inorder to connect all those guys costs heaps, throw in rural australia (the fair go thing) and that cost rises alot. Add the fact that there are another 3 cities in the middle of nowhere darwin(is it even a city?) adelaide (very small and more rural) and perth (most isolated city in the world) and booom the costs have gone sky high. Return on investment would be much lower then in the states, and I guess we pay for it. So it makes sense, but still annoys the hell out of me!

Australia probably ain't the country you wanna move to if your trying to get away from the US style of living, just need to watch our TV to figure that out... which by the way, although that TV was assembled much closer to Australia then to the US expect it to be of a lower technical quality and be around 50% more expensive then the same one in the US.


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## bobodaclown (Oct 15, 2008)

spratrbo said:


> Well that's just it... I don't want to go buying a large plasma TV if my selection stinks. Also, I am assuming everything uses PAL formatting vs. NTSC so my plasma screen here is useless. Just wondering so I know to sell it here.


yep, Oz uses PAL. I think all the public channels, yep, all 5 of them, are broadcasting in digital now. Although with everything going digital (hopefully one day soon) the PALvNTSC thing won't matter anymore unless you want to bring your NTSC XBOX or your NTSC DVD player ect.

I would just leave it there in the US and sell it, I just sold mine yesterday as a matter of fact, it's hard to even give away a Sharp 32" 1080i LCD tv, but in Oz you'll still get $1k for it for the same model. Although it would be a more expensive option but it would just be easier like your warranty is vaid etc.


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

If your TV is from a Japanese or Korean manufacturer you maybe can still use it. Main thing is: 240V/50Hz power and PAL. The other connectors (HDMI, S-Video, Component) are worldwide and standard (not country specific in any way). Look at the spec sheet at the back of the manual and look for Power (if it says 120V/60Hz, then it's US only and leave it there, if it's 120~240V/50-60Hz then it will work here, just need a plug converter ($10 at Radio Shack)).



bobodaclown said:


> yep, Oz uses PAL. I think all the public channels, yep, all 5 of them, are broadcasting in digital now. Although with everything going digital (hopefully one day soon) the PALvNTSC thing won't matter anymore unless you want to bring your NTSC XBOX or your NTSC DVD player ect.
> 
> I would just leave it there in the US and sell it, I just sold mine yesterday as a matter of fact, it's hard to even give away a Sharp 32" 1080i LCD tv, but in Oz you'll still get $1k for it for the same model. Although it would be a more expensive option but it would just be easier like your warranty is vaid etc.


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## bobodaclown (Oct 15, 2008)

amaslam said:


> If your TV is from a Japanese or Korean manufacturer you maybe can still use it. Main thing is: 240V/50Hz power and PAL. The other connectors (HDMI, S-Video, Component) are worldwide and standard (not country specific in any way). Look at the spec sheet at the back of the manual and look for Power (if it says 120V/60Hz, then it's US only and leave it there, if it's 120~240V/50-60Hz then it will work here, just need a plug converter ($10 at Radio Shack)).


chances of finding a PAL/NTSC with a 240/120 power supply is so slim that I'm assuming that his TV will not be compatible, I searched for ages here in the US before I just conceded to that fact. It's not like Oz where most TV's are PAL/NTSC comp.

If for some unreal way he has a PAL comp. TV but not the right power he can still use a converter box. I bought one to use my chipped Oz XBOX here in the US, along with a hack to change the XBOX signal to be a NTSC one, and will be using it for my US XBOX 360 that I am taking back with me, they cost around $100.


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

Depends on the brand. I've found Samsung and all the Chinese manufacturers (Soniq, Conia) make a worldwide one. Panasonic and SONY always make US ones only for the US market (the model numbers are different than the AU market ones). As always check the manufacturer manual, most of them will have this info on the specifications page. 

I don't worry about PAL at all as I use a set top box that outputs in S-Video so as long as the TV has that and the voltage thingy is OK (240 V/50 Hz) then you're good to go.

I've come from the US and brought over my US XBox, I got a power convertor for just the Xbox (300 watt one) and it works great here via component on my SONY LCD (AU model).



bobodaclown said:


> chances of finding a PAL/NTSC with a 240/120 power supply is so slim that I'm assuming that his TV will not be compatible, I searched for ages here in the US before I just conceded to that fact. It's not like Oz where most TV's are PAL/NTSC comp.
> 
> If for some unreal way he has a PAL comp. TV but not the right power he can still use a converter box. I bought one to use my chipped Oz XBOX here in the US, along with a hack to change the XBOX signal to be a NTSC one, and will be using it for my US XBOX 360 that I am taking back with me, they cost around $100.


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## spratrbo (Oct 9, 2008)

Wow great info here! Mine is a Panasonic 50" plasma and yeah I guess I will just have to give it up. However I have a Playstation 3 and wonder if that will work. I have had this same discussion with another site regarding computers as I am a photographer/graphic designer with a TON of computer equipment. A simple 240v to 110 volt converter may fix that issue. But it doesn't make sense buying a bunch of these converter boxes for an entire house. Just certain things I have where once I am there I will have to have up and running quickly to work. TV is NOT one of them, but it's one of those things where it keeps me in touch with current marketing trends. 



> Australia probably ain't the country you wanna move to if your trying to get away from the US style of living, just need to watch our TV to figure that out... which by the way, although that TV was assembled much closer to Australia then to the US expect it to be of a lower technical quality and be around 50% more expensive then the same one in the US.


In all actuality I AM trying to get away from the US style of living as I am disgusted with this never ending feeling of entitlement. All my daughter's friends have cell phones because their parents say they "NEED" them. I could go on and on and I am sure a lot of people that have done this can relate. No, I am fully ready to embrace this different lifestyle, but I am trying to prepare myself somewhat to figure out the most cost effective way to do things and also be prepared for what things I have to let go.


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## bobodaclown (Oct 15, 2008)

PC power is much easier. You can simply take out the current power supply and replace it with an australian one. Australian computer shop attentants are MUCH more knowledgable then US ones, so I would bring PC's over to Australia and go to your local PC shop and figure out which power supply to buy. PC's are another thing that are much more expensive in Australia then in the US. I guess I was trying to say the lifestyle in OZ aint that much different to the one in the US, to move away from the US style of living you need to go to Europe.


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## spratrbo (Oct 9, 2008)

Well that's great but unfortunately my main computer is a Mac. Are there people there that can replace the power supply on the mac? If so I will buy a new computer here ASAP as the one I am using is 4+ yrs old and I have been due. 

As far as lifestyle changes go (not to get too terribly off topic) my wife and I are very outdoorsy people that like to hike and just enjoy nature. We also enjoy entertaining friends as well and appreciate getting to know people. We had this in Pennsylvania but my wife will not go back there. (We are in Florida now) It's a tough call, but we are in such dire need of a change we figure we will commit for 2 years and look at it as an adventure of a lifetime. And with both of our professions being ultra flexible (photographer, nurse) this should be somewhat easy and fun.




bobodaclown said:


> PC power is much easier. You can simply take out the current power supply and replace it with an australian one. Australian computer shop attentants are MUCH more knowledgable then US ones, so I would bring PC's over to Australia and go to your local PC shop and figure out which power supply to buy. PC's are another thing that are much more expensive in Australia then in the US. I guess I was trying to say the lifestyle in OZ aint that much different to the one in the US, to move away from the US style of living you need to go to Europe.


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

You might still be in luck. Most PC power supplies are like this:

1. An orange switch on the power supply itself that changes the voltage to either 110 or 240
2. Auto-switching power supply. Automatically uses any voltage available. You know this when you look at the power supply itself (i.e. it's a white or black brick seperate from the computer and connects with a cable). On it you should see something like this: 100-240V/50-60Hz.

If it's a laptop then it is usually auto-switching and will work in any country (even 5 yr old laptops had the universal power bricks). 

In nearly all cases at most you would need a plug convertor to plug into the AU sockets (I bought about 5 and have never needed more).

If you want another MAC, just check out the specifications of the models from the apple website. 

Here is one from for the MAC Pro:
Apple - Mac Pro - Tech Specs

I think it's a universal power supply so works fine in AU. Just call Apple if you have any doubts.



spratrbo said:


> Well that's great but unfortunately my main computer is a Mac. Are there people there that can replace the power supply on the mac? If so I will buy a new computer here ASAP as the one I am using is 4+ yrs old and I have been due.
> 
> As far as lifestyle changes go (not to get too terribly off topic) my wife and I are very outdoorsy people that like to hike and just enjoy nature. We also enjoy entertaining friends as well and appreciate getting to know people. We had this in Pennsylvania but my wife will not go back there. (We are in Florida now) It's a tough call, but we are in such dire need of a change we figure we will commit for 2 years and look at it as an adventure of a lifetime. And with both of our professions being ultra flexible (photographer, nurse) this should be somewhat easy and fun.


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## R1blade75 (Jul 7, 2009)

So if I understand this correctly, my USA Philips Plasma which runs on NTSC will NOT work in Australia because of PAL. There is no way around this? Perhaps a NTSC to PAL convertor?


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

Hi R1Blade:

It can work if you get a set top box (like the digital box in the US for the antenna signals) and plug it into the component, s-video inputs on the TV. Then you should be fine.

Just note one other thing: AU is 240V power and US is 120V power so check the back of your TV or it's manual to see it supports 240V, if it doesn't then you should get a voltage converter that generates enough watts to power your TV. Just note those converters tend to be heavy (10-20 pounds or more in some cases).



R1blade75 said:


> So if I understand this correctly, my USA Philips Plasma which runs on NTSC will NOT work in Australia because of PAL. There is no way around this? Perhaps a NTSC to PAL convertor?


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## R1blade75 (Jul 7, 2009)

amaslam said:


> Hi R1Blade:
> 
> It can work if you get a set top box (like the digital box in the US for the antenna signals) and plug it into the component, s-video inputs on the TV. Then you should be fine.
> 
> Just note one other thing: AU is 240V power and US is 120V power so check the back of your TV or it's manual to see it supports 240V, if it doesn't then you should get a voltage converter that generates enough watts to power your TV. Just note those converters tend to be heavy (10-20 pounds or more in some cases).



Thanks mate! I appreciate the response. I checked TV and it has the ability to accept 240v. 

I seached the internet and was not sure which set up box I will need. Any chance you can provide a link to a reliable and popular box?

Thanks


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

Sure there are alot of brands.

But I use one from Digicrystal (?Welcome to DigiCrystral?) and then there are really nice ones are from companies like Beyonwiz and Topfield. 

Cheaper ones from: Humax

I prefer one with built in HD (a PVR) so I can record on timers, that way I don't have to watch my programs at odd times like 1114-147AM and similar. I can just set the timers and watch my TV whenever I feel like it. 

If you are going for cable TV (Foxtel) then you will probably get an IQ or IQ2 box which is also set top so you don't need another separate set-top. The IQ/IQ2 will connect to your component or HDMI inputs on the TV.



R1blade75 said:


> Thanks mate! I appreciate the response. I checked TV and it has the ability to accept 240v.
> 
> I seached the internet and was not sure which set up box I will need. Any chance you can provide a link to a reliable and popular box?
> 
> Thanks


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## twinkle-toes (Mar 29, 2008)

gosh! all these tech speak's way beyond me. 

but i hope to figure it out when i get there *cross figures*. my primary concern is getting an internet connection and a cellphone and landline...


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## jacbaye (Jul 13, 2009)

I think if all you need is internet, cell and landline you should be ok!


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## spratrbo (Oct 9, 2008)

I have conflicting reports from a few people here so when I actually get my ntsc plasma screen here in a couple weeks I will post results. I know for a fact I will not be able to receive a PAL signal, however I was told if I get Foxtel (local HD cable) what is transmitted is a "digital" signal through the HDMI cable and it's considered "digital" neither PAL nor NTSC. I have my doubts, but this is what I am being told. Either way I will have to get a step-down trandformer to match the 110volt requirement of the TV. However at Worldimports.com they sell a very high end PAL to NTSC converter if push comes to shove. Now I just hope my TV has made it over safely on the ship.


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

Hi Spratbro:

The technical meaning of this is basically:

1. PAL and NTSC are broadcasting standards (to an antenna), and they go into the antenna input of your TV. So if you don't use that input then you don't need to care about PAL or NTSC
2. HDMI, Component, S-Video, CVBS (also called RCA) are universal inputs worldwide they have nothing to do with a specific broadcasting standard.

So if you get any sort of box in between your TV that can take the antenna or a cable TV wire and then output to HDMI, Component, S-Video or CVBS then your TV can readily accept it.

You don't need the fancy box from worldimports, most modern TVs will accept whats coming out of the cable TV box or the set-top box and show it just fine.

Hope that clears things up a bit.



spratrbo said:


> I have conflicting reports from a few people here so when I actually get my ntsc plasma screen here in a couple weeks I will post results. I know for a fact I will not be able to receive a PAL signal, however I was told if I get Foxtel (local HD cable) what is transmitted is a "digital" signal through the HDMI cable and it's considered "digital" neither PAL nor NTSC. I have my doubts, but this is what I am being told. Either way I will have to get a step-down trandformer to match the 110volt requirement of the TV. However at Worldimports.com they sell a very high end PAL to NTSC converter if push comes to shove. Now I just hope my TV has made it over safely on the ship.


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## april (Jul 22, 2007)

Take care with Dodo.
ISP's speeds almost dead as dodo, customers say


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