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Topic: Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK  (Read 1455 times)

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Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK
« on: May 11, 2007, 12:30:12 AM »
Im moving back to the UK very soon...  I have my container paid for by my employer etc

Im pondering buying a usper dooper brand new flat TV..   Im aware that there is NTSC vs PAL.. and voltage... but find it hard to believe that with all the commonality of tehcnology these days that a RGB connection from a digital device (ie Sky or a DVD) woudlnt work..    then again I know nothing :D

I read the sticky on this subject... one of the best reads I have had in a long time..   

Any advice or further pointers for me...  ???

many thanks

Mark


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Re: Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2007, 01:26:33 AM »
Don't waste your money.  If you have to have a plasma screen TV, buy it in the UK.
Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poorhouse. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the almshouse as brightly as from the rich man’s abode; the snow melts before its doors as early in the spring. Cultivate property like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Turn the old; return to them. Things do not change; we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts…


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Re: Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2007, 11:51:56 AM »
A direct RGB or component (Y/Pr/Pb) connection will work with many sets, since you are completely bypassing all of the NTSC vs. PAL color encoding issues. 

The only potential problem then is whether the TV will work properly on the different scanning rates for 525- vs. 625-line systems:

Horizontal:  15,625 Hz (U.K.) vs. 15,734 Hz (U.S.) 
Vertical:  50 Hz (U.K.) vs. 60 Hz (U.S.).

It can't be guaranteed for every set, but most modern TVs will synchronize without problems.
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Re: Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2007, 03:28:36 AM »
I have a transformer already, thogh I could get another.. they are cheaper here...

My latest thinkign is to purchase a HDMI capable plasma here in the US, ship it back and link it up to a Sky HD, which has HDMI output

As far as I understand it the Sky HD box doesnt output PAL through the HDMI output... its a digital output

to quote Skys web page.. . " the two HD formats are 1080i and 720p. The first, 1080i, increases the number of rows in your TV picture to 1080 and is interlaced - ie first the even rows are scanned, then the odd ones. The other, the 720p, has 720 rows but this time they are progressively scanned. This means that every row of pixels is shown in every frame."

which is not PAL or any analog technology.. .

Am I right?..


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Re: Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2007, 10:11:09 AM »
I wouldn't risk shipping a plasma, as they are quite sensitive and prone to damage during transport due to the gas bulb system.


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Re: Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2007, 11:01:05 AM »
which is not PAL or any analog technology.. .

Am I right?..

Correct.  HDMI is a fully digital interface, no PAL encoding involved at all.
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Re: Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2007, 07:06:45 PM »
I wouldn't risk shipping a plasma, as they are quite sensitive and prone to damage during transport due to the gas bulb system.

no its ok..  It will be in its 'as new' packaging... straight from Costco to my home

but good advice all the same..  that would have never crossed my mind


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Re: Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2007, 04:13:24 AM »
You may get charged duty on it.  Only items older than 6 months are allowed in as previously owned personal items.  If they suspect it's new, you'll get charged duty.
Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poorhouse. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the almshouse as brightly as from the rich man’s abode; the snow melts before its doors as early in the spring. Cultivate property like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Turn the old; return to them. Things do not change; we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts…


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Re: Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2007, 04:55:59 AM »
my its goign to look used... .  ;)


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Re: Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2007, 01:07:12 PM »
my its goign to look used... .  ;)

"Yes, inspector, it's a Victorian color TV......"    ;D
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Re: Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK
« Reply #10 on: May 18, 2007, 05:57:16 PM »
Just Saw this thread..

I had a similar 'idea' of sending over Plasma and LCD telly's from the US to here as I could pick them up so cheaply there that I was sure with shipping and insurance etc I could've still made some money on top by selling them here.

Trouble is, to arrange all that is a pain in the jacksie, the potential for issues is quite high (breakages, non standard transportation ie they have to moved in the upright position only, and then warranty and returns issues would make it all seem not very worthwhile.

On top of that you have to work out which models you can bring over and how to hook them up so they work correctly here with differing broadcast/colour systems and needing to delve into buying other connectors to certain types of equipment capable of outputting via those connectors I just thought - forget it !

Whilst the pricing for TV sets (and EVERYTHING else!) is comparatively an ultra bargain over there compared to here and it's tempting to ship stuff like this across, there is simply too many issues and potential problems to make it worthwile in the long run.

Like almost everything, if you have loads of money and can ship a screen across and get someone to hook it up and buy whatever you need to run it properly, great! if it goes wrong in 2, 4, 6, 10 months later and you can afford to run out and do it again, great - but if not, large screen Telly's isn't really worth all the hassle!

Might as well stump up the extra £250 - 500 extra it costs here to have a warranty, manufacturers backup and a set that 'just works' !

Now if one day in the future US and UK standards become the same...   ;)

Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

P.S - of course it not to say you can't bring over other electronics at super cheap prices - which of course I try to do on any of my US visits! ;)


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Re: Taking a US LCD / Plasma TV to the UK
« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2007, 11:33:33 PM »
I was in the same boat - wondering whether or not to bring back an LCD HDTV. My research brought up that although the designations are the same (1080i and 720p) they are in fact different UK vs. US. The ugly frequency difference shows up in that US tv's are 1080i60 and uk would be 1080i50. Now there are a lot of tv's that can handle the different 50hz or 60hz, since some PC inputs often require different frequencies. Unfortunately my Toshiba (despite the pc vga and hdmi inputs) isn't going to be one of them.

Here's one link with a little more technical knowledge:
newcomer link: http://groups.google.com/group/rec.video.production/browse_thread/thread/af311e143a1bcf3f/8ac0f6c8c356f331?lnk=st&q=1080i50+1080i60&rnum=2&hl=en#8ac0f6c8c356f331 [nonactive]


Simon


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