What do I need for my UK TV??

nickkieswetter

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Aug 6, 2003
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Dear All,

When I moved here in December I brought with me a Plasma TV from England. After having the cable installed at my house I went to plug the thing in only to find that the cable connectors are somewhat different to the normal arial (UHF) connectors we have in the UK.
I examinded the cable and found it to be the usual co-axial stuff that I am usd to so I asked a friend to bring me over a connector from the UK so that I may attach it to one end of the cable. This I did last night, but the bloody thing wont work!! I can only guess that the TV?s you buy here, unklike those in the UK have an inbuilt cable descrambler or something like??

So, can anyone tell me how I can watch cable TV on my UK TV? I am guessing that I will need some kind of set-top-box? and if so does anyone know where I can buy one?

Regards

Nick
 

Robert

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Jan 2, 1999
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You will need to get UK connecters and replace them. The coax and cable impedance should be the same.

I hope your plasma has the right surge protection and can cope with varying voltages. This is why we ALWAYS advise people to buy their home appliances here, as usually the ones they bring form overseas either don't work or die very quickly.

Also note that UK TV's use the PAL standard and the USA and most of Latin America use NTSC.

Good luck, your going to need it ;)
 

Conchman

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I would be more worried about the different cycles and voltage used (PAL/NTSC - 220 - 110 volt) between UK and North American systems. There is a chance it will not work unless you get some kind of adaptor system.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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that is what i think

Isn't England/UK on 110/50 cycles? Here we use 110/60 cycles.

You need some sort of an adapter...Also beware of the 220/50 cycle possibility. Check what it says on the back of the TV...

*sparks** Frsitzzzzzzzzt! !???BLOOOOIE!!

Adios plasma TV...

HB
 

Eddy

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Jan 1, 2002
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First of all, you'll need a 110 to 220 (Voltage converter) Second a NTSC to Pal/Secam converter, and the connection form the converter to the TV. Good Luck.
 

LA Woman

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Jan 7, 2004
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Plasma television

I had the exact same problem with my plasma television. Adapters will not help this problem. What I had to do was purchase a Super VHS unit and run the cable through the Super VHS. You will need S video cables for the connection. As soon as I got the Super VHS and hooked it up to the receiver and putting the television cable into it I instantly had cable television.

If you have a new questions let me know.

LA Woman :rolleyes:
 

XanaduRanch

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Sep 15, 2002
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The adaptors should work ...

... but a simplesolution is to bring the local video signal into a locally bought device such as a VCR with an S-VHS output, and then connecting your S-VHS cable between the VCR and the TV. Essentially you're using the VCR as a converter. But, you do need power protection/conversion for the TV as well. I'd certainly at minimum put it behind a good computer UPS/Surge-Protector before ever plugging it in.

When you get it running, send me some of Mr. Bean's episodes from BBC1. Robert won't share any of his with me and I even offered to trade some three-stooges. But he said with Hippo, Chavez, and Castro around that would be redundant. :: sigh ::

Tom aka XR Cross country skiing is great if you live in a small country.

P.S. I was reminded by this post of a little story that reflects on life in the pre-new-world-order-world about the three TV standards. The USA uses NTSC. US engineers jokingly refer to this as Never Twice the Same Color because the TV sets allowed you to adjust both the tint and the color intensity. Freedom! In Europe, a more socialist place, they took away your right to choose the tint and called it PAL. And in the communist states they used a system they called SECAM which did not allow you to adjust the color or the tint! Believe it or not they used to have radios, on trains for instance, in the East Block which could not be shut off. When I asked once how to turn the radio off I got a terse reply explaining that it will go off when they are finished talking to you! Really! Ahhhhh! Those were the days. Eh, Pasha? LOL.
 

nickkieswetter

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Aug 6, 2003
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Phew,

Thanks guys,

Simon & Nicky, I am currently using it as a coffee table , must be that great minds think alike!

Seriously though, the unit uses NTSC & PAL and whats more it runs on only 16v AC which is supplied through an adapter that takes 110v to 240v so I dont think that I have any worries in that dept.!

The best answer to the problem is to get a VCR bought locally and use that to recieve the cable (thanks for that suggestion) or the Super VHS Unit that LA Woman mentions.

Where did you get the SVHS unit from LA Woman? and if not local to POP does anyone know where I can get one here (oh, and what the locals will call it!)

Kindest Regards

Nick
 

LA Woman

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take a deep breath

Dear Nick:

It's very hard to find a Super VHS. Absolutely impossible in this country. I ordered it through Crutchfield, which is a well-established electronics company in the United States. They were one of the few companies that carry a super VHS. A regular VCR will not convert the picture for a plasma screen. All you need to do is go on their web site at www.crutchfield.com and do a search for Super VHS. They're very inexpensive. The only problem is paying the freight from the United States to here.

I use Business Mail service for all my mail or packages out of the United states. They have excellent service and the cost is the cheapest for any mail service to your door.

Dr. Jim Bailes is a friend of mine and he says he knows you. According to Dr. Jim you and I live around the corner from each other so if you ever want to see what I've done with my electronics let me know.

Wishing you the best,
LA Woman :rolleyes: