Cousin Moving to India from US

[crisscross]

Hey guys,

My cousin is moving to India on a Transfer of Residence. He wants to get a TV from there for which I understand you need NTSC-PAL Converter.

My questions for you guys:
1. Do you need one even if you use HD-DTH? I was under the impression that NTSC/PAL are only applicable if you are using standard definition feed and not HD.
2. Would it make more sense to ditch the idea and buy the TV either in India or Singapore/Dubai?

Would appreciate your thoughts.

 

[trittya]

Regardless of the NTSC-PAL bit, I suggest that your cousin buys one from here. Much as I would like him to save some dough by buying from Singapore/Dubai, but that should be done only if the worlwide warranty issued there would be honoured here. You see, the main thing that is likely to be amiss in a new TV is/are dead pixels which sometimes come to notice only after some viewing. In event of this, the entire screen needs to be replaced which cancels out the thrift factor attained by buying abroad. For the same reason, I am not in favour in buying from the grey market too. However, AFAIK, this may not hold good for plasma TVs. Not too sure.
HTH

 

[Kittu]

He can think of getting a projector if he has enough room space. :licklips:

TV is risk , but looking at the 3dplasma prices , one has to think why not?

 

[just4kix]

Your cousin will be able to save a lot of duty due to TR. For the HT needs, I shall recommend the folllowing:

TV: Recommended to buy in India, even at higher price. The NTSC-PAL converter, however good, will deteriorate the signal. Or he can buy one enroute from Dubai or Singapore from the duty free shops.

BD Player: He should get a region free/110-230V BD player from shops such as Bombay Electronics or 220-Elecronics. Oppo BDP-93 is very costly but very good in performance. If Oppo works out expensive, he can go for Pioneer, Panasonic, Sony, etc.

7.1 Speakers: Definitely from US.

AV Receiver: He should get this from US. But he should also buy a step-down transformer for the purpose. The transformer can be purchased in India also. The AVR should match the speakers.

Projector: He should get the Epson Home Cinema 8350 from US. Period. This is the best home cinema PJ available today. Along with it he should get a Da-Lite pull-down or motorized screen suitable for the HT room. He should get the PJ anyway even if he does not intend to set it up immediately.

CD Player: If he is into music, he can buy a good CD player. But he buyys the Oppo BDP, it will be very good as a CDP also.

Note that as trittya said, there will be no warranty for any goods purchased outside India. Even International Warranty does not hold water.

 

[GeorgeO]

What about the sub? I know you said 7.1, but the sub is a line item!

 

[siva1306]

As your friend is moving on a TR. Buying things there itself is a good idea to save lot of money. Even if you have to pay customs, etc, still it is good enough to buy it there.
One of my friends had brought a 46"Sammy LED. He paid a minor amount towards customs and no NTSC/PAL hassles as he connected it to a HD STB.

If your friend is interested in HT setup, as mentioned above by just4Kix, those items can be brought.


Siva

 

[just4kix]

What about the sub? I know you said 7.1, but the sub is a line item!

Sub is part of the 7.1 and he should get it from US. He will have to buy a step-down xfmr for that also.

 

[crisscross]

Thank you for all the responses guys. Very useful. So he can do without the NTSC-PAl converter as long as he uses a HD STB and watches only HD channels? would I be right in assuming that?

 

[venkatcr]

Thank you for all the responses guys. Very useful. So he can do without the NTSC-PAl converter as long as he uses a HD STB and watches only HD channels? would I be right in assuming that?

And what would he do when an interesting program comes in an non-HD channel?

Cheers

 

[just4kix]

Thank you for all the responses guys. Very useful. So he can do without the NTSC-PAl converter as long as he uses a HD STB and watches only HD channels? would I be right in assuming that?

I will not even bet my clipped off nail on that.

 

[GeorgeO]

My nephew has come here on TR and his container has just reached and got customs cleared yesterday. He shipped his plasma TV from there, I will report on how its being set up at his house.

 

[crisscross]

Thanks George!

 

[crisscross]

And what would he do when an interesting program comes in an non-HD channel?

Cheers

Where did I say that's the route I plan to take? I only asked if the information is correct.

 

[crisscross]

Does anyone have any definitive information on this? Thanks!

 

[quad]

Some years back, before the days of LCD tv, a friend of mine brought
along his (crt type) TV from US. Later he found the PAL-NTSC
converters were very costly (apparently it is complicated to
do it correctly as it needs to convert # of lines, frame rate and
colour encoding). Not sure if the converters are available easily now.

Eventually, he ended up using it in his kids bedroom, for the kids to
see cartoons on DVD. Fortunately, his DVD players could play
PAL on NTSC etc.

 

[borg]

And what would he do when an interesting program comes in an non-HD channel?

Cheers

HD stb's scales all channels to 1080i, someone in this forum said dish hd stb has the 60Hz option as well. So If you get a dish hd stb then all channels can be watched on a 1080i 60hz only compatible TV

 

[just4kix]

HDMI will not be affected by PAL/NTSC. An HD STB will have HDMI out. So while PAL vs. NTSC is not an issue, I will myself not buy/bring a TV from US - Dubai/Singapore, maybe yes.

 

[Kittu]

HDMI will not be affected by PAL/NTSC. An HD STB will have HDMI out. So while PAL vs. NTSC is not an issue, I will myself not buy/bring a TV from US - Dubai/Singapore, maybe yes.

Can you detail why ok from Dubai/Singapore and why not from U.S.?

 

[just4kix]

I said "maybe".

The reasons are many.

The first thing is that the step down transformer. You are, in most likelyhood, going to have a good stabilizer. Adding one more bulky device is very cluttering and disturbing the decor in the living room, where the TV is most likely to be.

How good the transformer be is another question?

Then again the issue of 50Hz vs. 60Hz worries me. Maybe not an issue at all. But why invest in possible problems is my question.

Next, we still carry a lot of PAL baggage with us - older DVD players, older STBs for instance. We are a PAL country, and I would prefer to have a PAL TV - multisystem would be wonderful still.

Finally, the converter. Any kind of conversion will be lossy - no matter what manufacturers claim. I would hate to have bad PQ on my (expensive/quality) TV.

The reason, I say Dubai/Singapore is (maybe) OK because I will get a TV without the associated issues. The only issue that remains is the warranty.