# N.A. Digital TV's



## TFC (Aug 3, 2013)

Have any North Americans brought any TV's, DVD players, computer monitors, etc. to New Zealand and did anything work?


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## Kimbella (Jul 4, 2013)

TFC said:


> Have any North Americans brought any TV's, DVD players, computer monitors, etc. to New Zealand and did anything work?


I brought a few things, plus two up/down (120/240) small 1000w voltage converters (amazon for around $40+ dollars). I brought 2 laptops (those just needed an adapter to fit the sockets here); a Wii game console, DVD player, kitchen-aide mixer, some Cuisinart kitchen items (blender and processor); an ice cream maker, rice cooker ... that's all I can recall off the top of my head. In our media room, I permanently set up one of the voltage converters, brought along several US mack-daddy power strips with surge protection, and set that room up using a mixture of US and NZ media devices. Using a small NZ power strip, I plug the NZ tv into that, the US voltage converter (using an adapter fitted for NZ power outlets) goes into another outlet, and from there I plug in a US power-strip, then the US DVD player and US Wii get plugged in to it. On the NZ power strip in the other outlet, anything NZ is added (surround sound system). It sounds complicated, but is easily accessible as well as hidden in the entertainment center. I also brought an extra power cord for the Wii, in case the kids forgot to switch things on in order and blew it. The second voltage converter is stored in the kitchen pantry, and brought out for use with my US kitchen appliances. Just make sure if you go this route that you buy adapters to plug the 3 point plug into, that will fit into NZ outlets. I can provide more specific details if you ever need them (pics, links, etc). The items I brought were either expensive and in good working order (kitchen stuff), or were not expensive, but had lots of expensive accessories (the Wii was cheap but we had dozens of games and two trunks of accessories...would have been super expensive to replace here).

Hope this helps

Cheers!


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## TFC (Aug 3, 2013)

Kimbella said:


> I brought a few things, plus two up/down (120/240) small 1000w voltage converters (amazon for around $40+ dollars). I brought 2 laptops (those just needed an adapter to fit the sockets here); a Wii game console, DVD player, kitchen-aide mixer, some Cuisinart kitchen items (blender and processor); an ice cream maker, rice cooker ... that's all I can recall off the top of my head. In our media room, I permanently set up one of the voltage converters, brought along several US mack-daddy power strips with surge protection, and set that room up using a mixture of US and NZ media devices. Using a small NZ power strip, I plug the NZ tv into that, the US voltage converter (using an adapter fitted for NZ power outlets) goes into another outlet, and from there I plug in a US power-strip, then the US DVD player and US Wii get plugged in to it. On the NZ power strip in the other outlet, anything NZ is added (surround sound system). It sounds complicated, but is easily accessible as well as hidden in the entertainment center. I also brought an extra power cord for the Wii, in case the kids forgot to switch things on in order and blew it. The second voltage converter is stored in the kitchen pantry, and brought out for use with my US kitchen appliances. Just make sure if you go this route that you buy adapters to plug the 3 point plug into, that will fit into NZ outlets. I can provide more specific details if you ever need them (pics, links, etc). The items I brought were either expensive and in good working order (kitchen stuff), or were not expensive, but had lots of expensive accessories (the Wii was cheap but we had dozens of games and two trunks of accessories...would have been super expensive to replace here).
> 
> Hope this helps
> 
> Cheers!


Hi Kimbella,

Thanks for the quick reply. So I guess a Plasma TV is a no go?

Regards,

Mike


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## Kimbella (Jul 4, 2013)

TFC said:


> Hi Kimbella,
> 
> Thanks for the quick reply. So I guess a Plasma TV is a no go?
> 
> ...


I wasn't really confident that a plasma would withstand the shipping to here, so let it go before I moved. I'd say, though, that if you felt comfortable in shipping it, that you could adequately set a system up, provided you have the right equipment to convert voltage and fit the plugs to adapt them to NZ outlets ... my voltage converters easily deal with my blender and kitchenaide mixer... I imagine a plasma would work as well.


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## TFC (Aug 3, 2013)

Kimbella said:


> I wasn't really confident that a plasma would withstand the shipping to here, so let it go before I moved. I'd say, though, that if you felt comfortable in shipping it, that you could adequately set a system up, provided you have the right equipment to convert voltage and fit the plugs to adapt them to NZ outlets ... my voltage converters easily deal with my blender and kitchenaide mixer... I imagine a plasma would work as well.


With electronics it is the NZ 50cycles vs. NA 60cycles that is the real problem because of frequency, timing issues . The voltage is the easy part. I know that the broadcast signal is different but wondered if it would work with the Freeview|HD digital receiver and DDMI cable.

If your DVD player worked that is encouraging but it may have been designed to work under both 120/60 and 230/50.

Regards, Michael


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## Kimbella (Jul 4, 2013)

TFC said:


> With electronics it is the NZ 50cycles vs. NA 60cycles that is the real problem because of frequency, timing issues . The voltage is the easy part. I know that the broadcast signal is different but wondered if it would work with the Freeview|HD digital receiver and DDMI cable.
> 
> If your DVD player worked that is encouraging but it may have been designed to work under both 120/60 and 230/50.
> 
> Regards, Michael


You definitely know more about the workings than I do, so trust your judgement! The DVD player does work totally fine, as does the Wii (and my appliances!).


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## TFC (Aug 3, 2013)

Kimbella said:


> You definitely know more about the workings than I do, so trust your judgement! The DVD player does work totally fine, as does the Wii (and my appliances!).


Hi Kimbella,

Thanks for your help! We hope to be in Napier by November. How is Christchurch? When I lived there, many years ago, the flower gardens were amazing.

Regards,

Michael


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## Kimbella (Jul 4, 2013)

TFC said:


> Hi Kimbella,
> 
> Thanks for your help! We hope to be in Napier by November. How is Christchurch? When I lived there, many years ago, the flower gardens were amazing.
> 
> ...


The gardens are still lovely, but I'm afraid the town has barely struggled to its knees from the earthquakes. In time I'm sure there will be more life and energy in it, but right now it's a hit or miss hodge-podge of things to do and see. We're actually starting on a 3 year plan to move to Sydney--as long as research and due diligence pans the move out... Best of luck on your move to Napier!


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## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

TFC said:


> With electronics it is the NZ 50cycles vs. NA 60cycles that is the real problem because of frequency, timing issues . The voltage is the easy part. I know that the broadcast signal is different but wondered if it would work with the Freeview|HD digital receiver and DDMI cable. If your DVD player worked that is encouraging but it may have been designed to work under both 120/60 and 230/50. Regards, Michael


Yes the difference in system frequency is a major issue for US appliances/electronics here.
Its pretty easy and inexpensive although cumbersome to have a few voltage transformers dotted around the house to allow US 110v AC appliances/electronics to work off the NZ 240v AC system, but to also have equipment that converts the NZ 50hz frequency to 60hz US standard is just more money and messing about.
There are pieces of domestic equipment that'll do both voltage & frequency conversion.

I expect many people from the US will overlook the frequency issue and for appliances without the conversion switch they are at risk of going pop at anytime and the failure could be catastrophic!
They will work, but the difference in frequency will, at some point cause damage to the appliance electronics causing failure. It could take a matter of hours, days, weeks, months or years but in the end the appliances will succumb and fail simply due to the fact the components are operating outside of their design limits.

Overseas Freeview and overseas Sky decoders will not work in NZ.

We brought a few LCD tv's over from the UK and although they've worked fine (apart from the freeview) we have experienced a few odd issues with each of them suffering from black screens and loss of sound every now and then with the experts advising this is a typical occurrence for a TV from overseas even though it's working on a similar 230/240v AC system.
If we persevere the tv works but it could be an hour or 2 before it comes right again.

In all honesty I wish we'd have sold them and bought new here as tv's are very competitively priced here in my opinion.


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## jawnbc (Apr 28, 2012)

We brought one small LCD HD TV with us, since we used it also as a monitor. Doesn't work with TV signals here at all because it's NTSC: NZ uses PAL like the UK. So it was put curb side a few months later.

TVs are affordable here though: we bought a 40" HD smart LED for $650 on sale (Samsung) and a 32" smart LED 3D for $550 (also Samsung). From DickSmith.co.nz Shop around and there are always deals to be had. These are also both "Freeview" ready so no need for a set top box for receiving digital TV.

Our DVD and Blu-Ray players work fine because HDMI can convert the signal out to most TVs. Ours are dual voltage (110-240) so we just have one toolbar from Canada that's plugged into an adaptor. We left everything with a heating element or motor behind, since replacing such things wasn't prohibitive--and they work faster/hotter under 240!


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