Would love to take camcorder to USA..

Do I just need a transformer?  Anyone recommend one that won't cost a bomb?

Thanks for any help...

i tried bringing mine over here from the US to the UK and when i charged the battery with an adapter it still didn't work.  Hopefully I didn't ruin it, but you may be best off just going to a Wal-mart of somewhere and getting an inexpensive one while you are there. 

This happened with a few of my electronics i tried with adapters...PS2, printer, and cd alarm clock to name a few.

Both times I've visted i brought my video camera with me. I got an adapter to charge it...it worked fine. I'm not sure about long term use with that but for vacations it was fine.

The converters which don't work are probably those "el cheapo" switching types which provide a horrible output waveform which in no way even approximates the proper form.    They work for lights and other non-critical loads, but are often useless for sensitive electronic equipment.  To be blunt, the best place for them is in the trash.

So long as you use a proper transformer-type unit to change from 120 to 240V, you shouldn't have any problems.    Of course, with a U.K. 625-line/PAL recorder you won't be able to play back tapes on a U.S. 525/NTSC receiver while there, but that's a different issue.


 

The converters which don't work are probably those "el cheapo" switching types which provide a horrible output waveform which in no way even approximates the proper form.    They work for lights and other non-critical loads, but are often useless for sensitive electronic equipment.  To be blunt, the best place for them is in the trash.

So long as you use a proper transformer-type unit to change from 120 to 240V, you shouldn't have any problems.    Of course, with a U.K. 625-line/PAL recorder you won't be able to play back tapes on a U.S. 525/NTSC receiver while there, but that's a different issue.


 

Thanks for that. I dont mind not being able to playback while I am there - as long as I can see the tape when I get back to Blighty, I'll be happy.

So just a transformer then and I don't need an adaptor in addition to the transformer?