I'm after getting myself a Digial camcoder, by most peoples recommendation they lean towards Panasonic, ergomically i like the Sony because obvious the design and functionality/ease of use. I'm looking for something thats lightweight, packed full of features and i'm visiting Florida next Saturday and was going to purchase one out there..... Questions are - i) Warranty, how would this affect the product, will i have the same rights here in the UK? ii) Not sure regarding power is it lower rated in the US and would i have trouble connecting to the UK source? iii) will there be the PAL/NTSC problem aswell? iv) It's obviously cheaper in the US?? Or to answer all, should i look for the best bargain in the UK as it's less trouble.... Hope you can help Regards
Hiya, 1 - Warranty: Consumer Electronics (CE) are NOT like computer components, there is NO global standard, many markets have custom models that are not available elsewhere in the world - this means that it is quite common that Warranties will not be honoured outside the target market area, the U.K. is covered by EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Asia) and warranties/models only cover that area: most manufacturers follow this methodology, SO CHECK!!! 2 - Power: you would have to buy a power adapter suited to the U.K. (States is normally 115 volts @ 60 Hz, UK is 240 Volts @ 50 Hz): MORE COST!!!! 3 - PAL/NTSC: see item 1 for market/model differences. 4 - Cheaper in US: probably, but factor in the extra cost of purchasing a warranty/cover for EMEA, UK power supply etc... Will it be cheaper then??? One VERY IMPORTANT POINT: [bold]CUSTOMS DUTY[/bold] With the heightened security both Stateside and in the UK as far as air-travel is concerned, the possibility of you smuggling the item through customs is remote, as it is OBVIOUSLY not from the UK (NTSC/non-UK model etc); therefore it MUST be an import; therefore duty must be paid - if you try to smuggle it through & are caught, it is a big fine, criminal record & the item is confiscated.... How cheap does it have to be to be worthwhile??? Have Fun...
Thanks for the thorough reply. I think i'll be purchasing one in the UK, after all it's not going to be worth it. Again many thanks. Dave
