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**Cloggie** · 02-12-09, 10:47

Hi Lilly,
Most laptop adapters are dual voltage, so you would just need a different adapter plug:
LAPTOP USE ABROAD
Dual Voltage

**Lilly the flower** · 02-12-09, 14:00

Hi Sarah, many thanks for that, I did wonder, if I could....Its just that looking on Amercian web sites the Laptops seem so much cheaper out there than in the UK...and the way I seem to go though them, I really just want a cheap one, its only for chatting on here and the family tree, that I need it for really.

So....if I buy a laptop in the USA, even if the voltage is different, all I need is an adapter when I get back to the UK, is that right?...lol....I had a quick look on the links you gave me, and that looks very useful/interesting, thanks, i am having to 'borrow' daughters laptop at the mo, so its a case of 'jumping' on and off, when I get the chance....

.....Lilly

**Cloggie** · 02-12-09, 14:45

The adapter is the little box part of the lead - here's an example: AC Adapter for Dell Inspiron 7000 at MobilePowerSupply
If you look at the specifications of that one, you'll see that the input voltage is: 100 - 240 VAC, which means dual voltage.

The adapter that comes with the laptop should already be dual voltage (check when you're buying the laptop to make sure!), and it is probably just a different lead & mains plug that you need, which you then plug into the adapter. It will look something like this: Homestead - Laptop Power Cables

From one of the sites in my other post:
To determine whether a device is dual voltage, look for a legend on its power adapter "box" or on the device itself. The device is dual voltage if its input rating covers both 110/120 and 220/240V systems. It will say something like:
INPUT: AC 100V - 240V, 50/60Hz

The device is not dual voltage if it covers only 110/120 or 220/240V systems. It will say something like:
INPUT: AC 120V, 60Hz or INPUT: AC 240V, 50Hz

**Lilly the flower** · 03-12-09, 07:42

Hi Sarah, many thanks for all of that, I have printed the links off that you gave me yesterday, and had a read...all very interesting.....just seems silly paying more than I have to, so if I can get a new laptop in the USA, and also a lot cheaper, I might as well.....looks very promising anyway....I am lost with out the old laptop, thanks goodness we still have one left, between us that we can use lol....I will check out the links you have left me.....thanks goodness their are people around that can help, at times like this....many many thanks, for all of your help.. Sarah...:o...Lilly

**Cloggie** · 03-12-09, 08:02

You're welcome Lilly. I'm glad I could help. Just double-check on the box or on the back of the adapter thingy (to use the technical term :Big Grin

to make sure that it's dual voltage, and then when you get home you'll just need to buy a UK power cable for it.

Something you might want to look into though is customs allowances. I know they are quite strict here in Holland with regard to people bringing back electronics from overseas. I don't know how strict they are at UK airports, but I found this about the duty-free allowance:

Duty and tax free allowances – arrivals from non EU countries...
...You can bring in other goods worth up to £340 without having to pay tax and/or duty.

See: HM Revenue & Customs: Bringing goods to the UK from outside the EU

**Lilly the flower** · 03-12-09, 08:48

Oh my goodness Sarah, so much to think about, lol....forgot about getting pass customs...lol hopefully the laptop will be less than £340, as I just want a basic one...the only other things I will be bringing back, is clothes!!

so I should be Ok...I still have to buy my mince pies and christmas pud, and I must make sure it has Veggie on it, so I can stick them under Customs nose, to show there is no meat in them, Daughter in law is telling me she can get christmas crackers....and of course my PG tips teabags....so I will be a very happy bunny this christmas...lol...thanks again, your information is very helpful...;)...Lilly

**Cloggie** · 03-12-09, 08:59

Don't worry about bringing back clothes - just cut the labels off and nobody will know whether they're old or new.

I just checked the exchange rate, and at the moment £340 is about $565, so you should have no problem finding a laptop for that price. You could have a look online to get an idea:
Laptop Computers at Amazon.com
Laptops & Notebooks Guided Search at CompUSA.com
Less than $600 : Laptop Computers - BestBuy
Keep in mind that sales tax is not included in the price in the US - it is added when you pay.

Good news about the Christmas crackers and teabags! :smilee:

**Lilly the flower** · 04-12-09, 08:26

Hi Sarah, thanks for the links, I have printed them all out, and I will take them with me.....Funny enough, my son suggested Amazon, he has also given me a couple of links to shops that are local to him in P,A. so we will be able to pop in and have a look.....so fingers crossed, I will be back on line, in the new year.......only two weeks before we go to the States now.....just hope that British Airways behave them selfs, with their threat of strikes over Christmas and the New year, as we might find we can't get home in the New Year. :madd: shame...not......lol...thanks again.....Lilly.....ps. good idea about cutting out the labels of clothes.....

**Cloggie** · 04-12-09, 08:51

Originally posted by Lilly the flower View Post

Hi Sarah, thanks for the links, I have printed them all out, and I will take them with me.....Funny enough, my son suggested Amazon, he has also given me a couple of links to shops that are local to him in P,A. so we will be able to pop in and have a look.....so fingers crossed, I will be back on line, in the new year.......only two weeks before we go to the States now.....just hope that British Airways behave them selfs, with their threat of strikes over Christmas and the New year, as we might find we can't get home in the New Year. :madd: shame...not......lol...thanks again.....Lilly.....ps. good idea about cutting out the labels of clothes.....

I'm sure you will have a wonderful time. Will keep my fingers crossed for you that BA behave themselves! Wish I were going "home" for Christmas too! Amazon is great for checking out prices and getting an idea of what you want, and then you can always go and look the the laptops in real life in the shops. :smilee:
About the labels - I just meant cutting off the price tags/stickers, that kind of thing. :smilee:

**Margaret N** · 05-12-09, 22:50

Lily,

The only thought that I had about buying your laptop outside the UK is help and guarantee. I personally like to shop where I can return things if need be. I know little about CD's but understand that the ones in Europe are different to the USA so you would need to be certain that you could play a UK CD. Take one with you to test.

A few years ago I purchased a Fuji Camera at JL and when I tried to use it I had a message to tell me that Fuji UK did not support oversea's products. I did manage to sort O.K. it was such a new model that Fuji had not update their records that JL were selling it.

**Cloggie** · 06-12-09, 07:08

Yes, of course you should consider the warranty conditions and how easily you can get your laptop repaired if something were to go wrong.

I'm not sure what you mean by CDs being different, Margaret. :conf:
Do you mean DVDs?

American DVDs use the NTSC format and are encoded for region 1.
European DVDs use the PAL format and are encoded for region 2.
Therefore an American DVD will not usually play in a European DVD player, and vice versa (unless you have a region-free player that can play both formats).

But this is not an issue with computers, unless you are going to do a lot of switching between DVDs for the 2 regions. Computers can play both NTSC and PAL formats. And the region setting can be changed, but only up to 5 times:

From Playing DVDs in Windows Media Player:

How do I change my DVD region?
DVD movies are encoded for different world regions, and your DVD-ROM drive must be configured for the appropriate region in order to play the DVD.

If you have DVD-decoder software installed on your computer, you can usually change the DVD region setting in the DVD decoder program. Follow the instructions in the program's Help file for changing the DVD region setting.

If you have a software or a hardware DVD decoder installed on your computer, you can use Device Manager to change the DVD region setting in your DVD-ROM configuration:

1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.

2. On the Hardware tab, click Device Manager.

3. In the list of devices, double-click DVD/CD-ROM drives, right-click the DVD drive for which you want to change region settings, and then click Properties.

4. On the DVD Region tab, make the desired changes.

You must be logged on as an administrator or be a member of the Administrators group in order to change the DVD region.

Note that the DVD region for most DVD-ROMs can only be changed up to five times, and the number of changes still available is located on the DVD Region tab. If the tab shows that you can only change the setting one more time (Changes remaining = 1), you won't be able to play DVDs that use a DVD region that is different from your last selection. If you run out of opportunities to change the setting (Changes remaining = 0), contact your DVD-ROM's manufacturer to reset this value.

**Lilly the flower** · 06-12-09, 11:50

Hi Ladies, it s seems there are lots of things to think about when buying outside the UK doesn't there....?

Daughter in Law is 'shopping" for me as we talk lol.....she is saying that Dell is quite good, I might even go for a notebook this time.

When I come back from the States, I will also get my two laptops mended, so I should be OK.......
I don't think it matters about DVD and regions with a PC, does it....

I am not to worried about guarantees etc, they are usually good for a year or so, I aways find they break just after the one year guarantee has just finished lol.....if there is a problem, my son can always pick it up when he is over and take it back to to mended......but having said that, if I buy in the USA and bring to the UK, whether its a Mac or Windows, I will still be able to get it mended??? here in the UK.....Cor I haven't even got it yet, and I am talking about getting it mended!!!!! noooooo lol

Daughter I law and son took their mac PC and laptop with them, when they moved to the States, and have had no problems. So hopefully she will know what she is looking for, ( I am sure she bought her laptop over, when she first came to live in the UK, and that was ok)
I am sure with Sarah's help and DIL, I will be fine....lol

...Lilly

**Cloggie** · 06-12-09, 12:30

Hi Lilly,

I never worry too much about the guarantee/warranty either. As you say, the standard warranty is often only for a year anyway.
Of course you can still get it fixed in the UK, only the repairs might not be covered by the warranty.

You can set/change the DVD region on a PC and a laptop/notebook as described in the link in my previous post. The only time it becomes a problem is if you want to keep changing the region setting back and forth (if you wanted to watch both American and European DVDs on the computer) as there is a limit of 5 changes. I only have European DVDs, so have only had to set the region on my computer once - which was the first time I watched a DVD on it.

It's great that your DIL is already looking into computers for you. Dell are good. I've just ordered a Dell laptop myself. I don't even want to look at how cheap they are in the US compared to here though.

:Big Grin:

Dell have quite a lot of warranty info online on their US site: Dell Warranty Information
There is also a link on there for International Support. Might be worth looking into the conditions/options. :smilee:

**Lilly the flower** · 06-12-09, 17:38

Sarah, just where do you find all these links....lol....they are very useful, I ask DIL today what the tax might be in the USA, as you say that is put on top of the price....but either way, its got to be cheaper than the UK......Laptops don't seem to last very long do they?, my first PC lasted for about 6 years, and I have managed to get though four laptops in about five years, they just seem to burn out on me....(to much use I guess lol) DIL said that her father and sister both have Dell's and are very good....shame you aren't in the UK, I could have bought one back for you....!! I must admit, my mouth dropped when I started checking out the price over there, even if the prices had been pounds, and not dollars, it would have been so much cheaper....so you can guess how cheap they are...I have found its not worth paying a lot for them, as they break just as quick...my first laptop costed £800, a very well know make, and had nothing but problems with it, it was in the repairs, more than it was out, so claimed the insurance and bought two cheap ones....now the socket you put the battery charger in has burnt out...I am hoping they can be repair, as there isn't anything wrong with them, just can't charge them!!! I don't tend to watch DVD, so thats not a problem, just really need it for the Tree and family tree forums, and facebook of course...lol, anyway I will let you know how I get on with my shopping in the States.....lol... :o... and will just cut the price tickets off any clothes I bring back, not as I said ALL the tags....lol....Lilly:o

**Margaret N** · 06-12-09, 22:04

Hi Sarah,

Nice to see you on the site again not sure if I have been missing or if you have been away. CD's/DVD's = discs to me and yes I did mean that there were two different regions. I knew little about them other than my friend in the USA gave me Adobe Photoshop many years ago and I could never use it.
It really was in the dark ages and of course things move on at a rapid rate.

Season's greetings.

**Cloggie** · 07-12-09, 07:01

That's interesting Margaret. I have an Adobe Elements disc, purchased in the US last year, which I installed on my computer here with no problem.
So maybe it is something to do with changes in computers over the years.

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