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Thread: US Vs NZ Electronics

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
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    Oregon (Formerly Auckland)
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    345

    Default US Vs NZ Electronics

    Hi All :cool

    DB: Wall warts? Cute name, apt description.

    Right you are about the 9 amp mistake...it would be 300 to 500 mA or milliamps! All fixed now.

    The transformers I'm referring to with regard to running more than one item are designed as such, having more than one, sometimes three outputs and are voltage regulated/surge protected. An unregulated single output simple step-down transformer should only be used for one item. Good clarification.

    Not sure about the differences in where they are purchased. All I've seen in both the U.S. and NZ have come from China (as do the five or six I'm using). Valid point about the double-fault situation.

    DAVE: A "wall wart" with the correct output should do you just fine. 9 volts, 300 mA is very common.

  2. #22
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    Dec 2004
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    Wendy Willington
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    Thanks.
    OK, here's my REALLY dumb question ops:

    All the units I've seen are 9VDC , not AC...

    Will this be ok ?

    Ta,

  3. #23
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    Oregon (Formerly Auckland)
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    Default US Vs NZ Electronics

    Hi Dave :cool

    Good question. 9 volts A/C? That's a new one on me. :?

    DC stands for "direct current" which I assumed is what your gizmo uses. It already has a transformer of sorts that changes 110V AC (alternating current) to 9V. But if it is A/C, that's another story; one I don't know the ending to.

    Best to check with the manufacturer (yeah, right) and failing that, perhaps DB or someone else here can answer that. Or you might find a wiz kid at Dick Smith!

    Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

  4. #24
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    Nov 2004
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    Christchurch
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    Quote Originally Posted by dave k
    I recently bought a little pre-amp for recording mics & guitars into my computer from the U.S, and on the AC Adaptor plug it says:

    Input - 120VAC, 60Hz, 15W
    Output - 9VAC, 1 Amp (although on the back of the cardboard box it came in it says the power supply is 9VAC , 300mA)

    Do I need a step-down transformer for this, or can I just buy a NZ wall-wart?
    Wall wart from DSE, 9.3VAC, 1A, 6NZD, though they are being discontinued, so better get in quick!

  5. #25
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    Dec 2004
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    Wendy Willington
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    Massive thanks!!!

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Auckland, NZ (formerly U.S.A)
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    We wanted to be able to bring over our lovely 40" HDTV from the U.S. It's only a couple of years old and has a fabulously clear picture. It cost quite a bit, and we would likely only have been able to recoup a small amount of that had we tried to sell it in the States.

    Because of what I learned from this thread (Thanks, richsadams!), we came over pre-stocked with a Video Converter, numerous US-->NZ adapter plugs and several high-wattage transformers (500w, 750w, and 1500w). I originally hooked the TV (250w), VCR/DVD (22w), and Stereo Receiver (280w) up to the 1500w transformer, which emitted a constant slight hum that made me a bit nervous, so I put the TV and VCR/DVD on a 500w transformer --> 110v surge suppressor and the Receiver on a separate 500w transformer --> 110v surge suppressor. It all seems to work fine (of course the receiver does not receive NZ FM, but we usually only listen to CDs anyway). I've connected the Sky box --> Video Converter --> HDTV, and the picture is fine.

    (Please note that there is no HDTV yet in NZ, and the picture you get will only be as good as the signal, which in NZ is okay, but larger TVs tend to emphasize the lesser picture quality. However, the DVD quality is still exceptional.

    The wonderful subcontractor who came to install our SKY told me that they deal all the time with very unhappy customers who bought an extremely expensive TV from Harvey Norman, Noel Leeming, or Bond & Bond and think that there is something wrong with their SKY connection because the picture isn't nearly as good on the same TV in their home. This is because the big electronic stores have the SKY on their demo models run through a big amplifier to improve the picture, so be aware that what you get at home will likely not look as good as what you see on your TV in the store before you buy it.

    Please also be prepared for NZ TV to show all widescreen offerings with the sides chopped off. )

    We brought both our receivers and both our CD decks, since they are all about 20 years old and we couldn't have gotten any money for them. Sadly, neither CD deck appears to work now, but they both had to be fixed after our last big move, so that was not unexpected. However, the VCR/DVD player also plays CDs, so it was not a huge loss. I've got the HDTV and DVD/VCR audio output through the receiver to the really nice front and back speakers we brought with us, and the sound quality for TV and DVDs is great.

    Unfortunately, our VCR/DVD is JVC, a brand for which no "hacks" exist (you have to do a firmware upgrade, and I haven't been able to locate one yet), so it only plays our Region 1 DVDs.

    We bought an affordable Philips DVD/CD/AM/FM Home Theatre System and an affordable standard TV for the upstairs (we refuse to shell out huge amounts for a plasma TV as long as they have a limited lifespan of 5-8 years). I found that, in order for the NZ DVD player to work with our US TV, it also had to be run through the Video Converter (I don't know if this is a particular characteristic of this brand, or it's because it's a Home Theatre system, or if it would be true for all NZ DVD players), which degraded the quality of the DVDs. Interestingly, the US player appeared to work fine for both VHS tapes and DVDs with the NZ TV without the use of a Video Converter!

    We brought our coffeemaker since it's a wonderful, discontinued model that's still highly sought-after on eBay because of its excellent performance. It works fine with a little 1400w converter but, as expected, the clock does not keep proper time so the timed start feature is unusable. We've got a transformer for the kitchen things with motors (food processor, blender, KitchenAid mixer).

    For things like our Discmans, cordless phones, portable reading lights, etc. I bought some AC-->DC converters at Dick Smith that can be set for one of various voltages from 3v to 12v. They're not cheap, at $26-50 a pop, and you have to be sure to get them with the Amperage capability to match your appliance, since they come in 300A, 500A, 800A, and 1000A versions.

    My US Caller-ID box works fine; however, the NZ Caller-ID system shows only the number and not the name, which is a bit of an annoyance.

    To summarize, if you've got nice US appliances that you'd like to keep, it may be worth trying to bring them. You'll have to weigh their value to you and the higher cost of electronics and electrics in NZ against the cost of shipping and accessories to make them work properly.

    Jo

    Last edited by jo-and-jeff; 22nd August 2006 at 02:22 PM.

  7. #27
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    Sep 2004
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    earth
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    Good post Jo. Power converters work wonders don't they?

    One thing on Sky the picture with MySky is better than with Sky, you get a full widescreen picture without the sides cut off and the picture seems sharper too.

    Chris

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    This is a great thread! So helpful to those of us planning the move!!!

    Any word on XM or similar satellite radio offerings? We're ADDICTED to it and can't stand listening to normal radio with all of its commercials.

    Thanks!

  9. #29
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    Mar 2006
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    Auckland, NZ (formerly U.S.A)
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnandbethcox
    Any word on XM or similar satellite radio offerings? We're ADDICTED to it and can't stand listening to normal radio with all of its commercials.
    Ha. Hahaha. XM will be arriving sometime after HDTV. If you're lucky, you might still be alive then.




  10. #30
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    Sep 2005
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    Wellington NZ
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    Thank you for sharing your experience. Very helpful!

    Quote Originally Posted by jo-and-jeff
    The wonderful subcontractor who came to install our SKY told me that they deal all the time with very unhappy customers who bought an extremely expensive TV from Harvey Norman, Noel Leeming, or Bond & Bond and think that there is something wrong with their SKY connection because the picture isn't nearly as good on the same TV in their home. This is because the big electronic stores have the SKY on their demo models run through a big amplifier to improve the picture, so be aware that what you get at home will likely not look as good as what you see on your TV in the store before you buy it.
    That doesn't make any sense to me. The signal arriving at your home is identical to the one arriving at the store, so the picture on the same TV should not look any different when you get the TV home. Perhaps the dealer is using picture sharpening circuitry? (One can do the same at home.) Or running very-high-contrast settings in a bright retail environment. Hmm.

    I too am hooked on XM and will not give it up without grumbling. They do offer an online access package, which includes many of the same low-or-no-commercial channels and some additional ones. XM radio users get this service free w/ their service, or you can have just the online bits for US$8/mo:

    http://xmro.xmradio.com/xstream/channel_lineup.jsp

    (I adore Channel 300, which gives me reason to live ) It's not portable and assumes broadband internet access, but it's an option....

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