Voltage Upconvertor

[Bullseye]

I am thinking of having a HD-DVD and Blue Ray Player shipped in from the US. And before any of you'es say forget about the HD_DVD Anyway is this a suitable upconvertor for the job. I am in Ireland where the voltage is 220v.

http://www.eurobatteries.com/sitepag...t=AC%20to%20AC

[SDK]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

I am thinking of having a HD-DVD and Blue Ray Player shipped in from the US. And before any of you'es say forget about the HD_DVD Anyway is this a suitable upconvertor for the job. I am in Ireland where the voltage is 220v.

http://www.eurobatteries.com/sitepag...t=AC%20to%20AC

You'd better check for the supporting voltage of the Blu-ray player first. As it may have 120/220 combo

[Mikeesracing]

The voltage step will work fine. The Hz is the problem. Some transformers claim they modify the Hz. I don't know if it is true or not.

Some componant internal transformers don't handle the wrong hertz very well. They will get hot or burn out very quickly. Its a problem that I face every day. Alot of manufactures have started using 100 to 240 volt 50/60 hz transformers. I love this but some companies use them, some don't.

I have been using a Sony DVP-S7700 DVD player and a Energy Encore 8 sub-wolfer they are both 120v 60 hz for at least 5 years with a Minwa 1000w transformer (Made in China) and haven't had any problems to date. The transformer does hum a little bit. I always get one that is atleast 50 % bigger than I need.

[Blackraven]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

I am thinking of having a HD-DVD and Blue Ray Player shipped in from the US. And before any of you'es say forget about the HD_DVD Anyway is this a suitable upconvertor for the job. I am in Ireland where the voltage is 220v.

http://www.eurobatteries.com/sitepag...t=AC%20to%20AC

Newer tech devices usually support 100-240V with 50/60hz modes.

Examples of these:
-Sony Playstation Portable (since day one)
-Pioneer DVJ-1000 DVD turntable

If I'm not mistaken, ALL Blu-ray devices USE 100-240V using 50/60hz cycles.....except for the PlayStation 3
(since Sony can't produce a lot of "auto-volt" power adapters)

[Bullseye]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

[thunderhawk]

PS: Try to get a region free player if you're going to get one.

[Blue]

There is one other thing, make sure the wattage of the stepdown device is higher than the wattage of the player/s. There is far more to the equation than just volts.

[Don Blish]

Owning an North American spec player may be fine for movies distributed at 24 frames (1080p24), but will your player work right if built for 60Hz power but supplied with 50Hz. It's a matter of whether the design looks to the line frequency and multiplies it as old TVs used to. (No pure [voltage] transformer changes Hz).

Furthermore, are you planning to get an HD camera? Here in the US, I have a Sony that takes 1080 interlaced at 30 (30i), half of line frequency. Does anyone know if European HDV cameras will be 1080i25 or 720p25 necessitating a player built for those frame rates and/or 50 cycle line power?

[Blue]

Don,
Correct a step down transformer does not change frequency. All modern AV devices use an internal clock for all frequencies, so that is not an issue.
This leaves the power supply. If a switch mode supply that most DVD players etc (excluding most amplifiers) use, input frequency and to a large degree voltage are irrelevent. If a "normal" power supply is used, there maybe a little more heat from the transformer, but that will be about it. This is the abridged version as I have no intention of going into things like capacitors, ripple etc, it's not going to be a problem in the low power consumption devices.
I know the Canon HV10 is 1080i/60 in the US whilst in Aus 1080i/50. However any 1080 television, projector etc that can handle an interlaced signal will play both 1080i/50&60. Hopefully once the PAL & NTSC TV's become a distant memory the standard will be i60 (actually p60 would be ideal - but not anytime soon, now where are those 200GB Blu Ray Disks).

[Deciazulado]

So Blue, If one bought the Australian/New Zealand 220V/50Hz Panasonic and plugged it into a 220V/60Hz outlet in America, there wouldn't be a problem?