buying laptop in USA, live in Europe, a question! at DVinfo.net

Marius Svendsen · December 28th, 2002, 01:52 PM

I live in Norway in Europe and Im going to Portland, Oregon in june this summer. I want to buy a laptop over there since it's way cheaper then here, but can i then use it in Europe? Im gonne use it for video editing mostly. I thought since you can't use NTSC(american camcorders) in Europe, can you use american laptops in Europe?I of course use a PAL camcorder(VX2000E).
And which laptop is good for editing without spending to much dollars??
Any info would be thankfull....

Mark Härtl · December 28th, 2002, 04:00 PM

as far as i know the editing-software does not care if it is ntsc or pal it has to work with.

Marc Betz · December 28th, 2002, 05:09 PM

It does care about the power supply so make sure you get one that works on Hmmmnnn

230 vac 50 htz (I think that's right)

Richard Alvarez · December 28th, 2002, 08:01 PM

Aside from the power issues... (Some laptops have a switch for converting) Some NLE systems DO care if you are using NTSC or PAL. You simply have to signify which format you are using when you import/export.

Marius Svendsen · December 29th, 2002, 01:11 AM

Yeah, ok, that's done easily when starting up Premiere.
IM thinking of getting a G4 Powerbook, so nice.

Andre De Clercq · December 29th, 2002, 04:42 AM

Keep in mind that customs will "not be happy" if you import your G4 without declaration.( and paying import taxes)

Andrew Leigh · December 29th, 2002, 05:46 AM

The worst is if you have major problems during the warrantee period. What do you do then.

For me aftersales service is critical and would pay more.

Cheers
Andrew

Rik Sanchez · January 5th, 2003, 10:31 PM

Andrew has a good point. I recently bought an iBook here in Japan, I live here and in the past I bought a G4 Tower from the states and had my friend ship it to me, luckily the G4 never had any problems.

Well, after two weeks the battery on the iBook started to act up and I had to get it exchanged and it was still under warranty. The service center they told me to go to couldn't do anything since the iBook was too new, they would have to send it to Tokyo. I would have to send the whole thing to get a battery exchanged. So I went back to where I bought it and demanded to see the manager, wouldn't leave till they exchanged the battery with a new one, which they finally did.

If you buy your computer in the states and then go back home to Norway, if it breaks down you will have to send it back to the states, if you can live without it for that period of time and not mind the trouble to send it, then save a couple of bucks and go that route.

I'm so glad I bought mine here, since I can go directly to the store where I bought it and get fast results.

For me, the iBook is great, I edit in RT Offline mode in FCP when I'm on the go and then import the finished video into my G4 Tower to put it on tape.

Srinivasa Yerneni · January 6th, 2003, 05:32 PM

Won't that be a problem to play PAL DVD's on a
NTSC DVD drive. And from other regions too.
How do you take care of it? Just a question.

Nick Kerpchar · January 6th, 2003, 07:01 PM

Andrew and Rik are absolutely correct. I ran into this problem when I worked overseas. Purchased item in the States and the bugger went out overseas.

You might first check to see if you can get an international warranty. Not many manufacturers offer that, but Apple being so big may.

Good luck and you will probably find that Oregon will be like southern Norway except the people there don't say, "Y'all".

Cheers, Nick

Guy Pringle · January 6th, 2003, 07:52 PM

Hi,

I bought my G4 Powerbook 800mHz and Canon XL1S(PAL) in the States. Currently back home in South Africa which has different power and is PAL. There is no problem with either, they can run on either US (110V/60Hz) or South African (220V/50Hz) power, you just require adapters to make the little bitty US pins fit into those big 220V plugs.

FCP works with both NTSC and PAL.

As far as warranty and service issues are concerned, I believe you can take it to your local Mac/Canon rep and they'll take care of you. I know that if the XL1S goes down it has to be shipped to Europe for major services, but the local boys will take care of it all. Even though I bought the XL1S in the States, I bought it from ZGC who brought in the PAL camera from Europe with a warranty that covers me in SA.

As far as DVD regions are concerned, the Powerbook gives you the option to change your Region. Bear in mind that you have a limited amount of times you can change your Region, though.

December 28th, 2002, 01:52 PM	#1
Marius Svendsen Regular Crew Join Date: May 2002 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 79	buying laptop in USA, live in Europe, a question! I live in Norway in Europe and Im going to Portland, Oregon in june this summer. I want to buy a laptop over there since it's way cheaper then here, but can i then use it in Europe? Im gonne use it for video editing mostly. I thought since you can't use NTSC(american camcorders) in Europe, can you use american laptops in Europe?I of course use a PAL camcorder(VX2000E). And which laptop is good for editing without spending to much dollars?? Any info would be thankfull.... __________________ Marius Svendsen Interlaced Media svendsen_ms@hotmail.com

December 28th, 2002, 04:00 PM	#2
Mark Härtl Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 54	as far as i know the editing-software does not care if it is ntsc or pal it has to work with. __________________ Mark

December 28th, 2002, 05:09 PM	#3
Marc Betz Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: NH Posts: 95	Power It does care about the power supply so make sure you get one that works on Hmmmnnn 230 vac 50 htz (I think that's right) __________________ Marc Betz

December 29th, 2002, 01:11 AM	#5
Marius Svendsen Regular Crew Join Date: May 2002 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 79	Yeah, ok, that's done easily when starting up Premiere. IM thinking of getting a G4 Powerbook, so nice. __________________ Marius Svendsen Interlaced Media svendsen_ms@hotmail.com

December 29th, 2002, 05:46 AM	#7
Andrew Leigh Major Player Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Posts: 220	The worst is if you have major problems during the warrantee period. What do you do then. For me aftersales service is critical and would pay more. Cheers Andrew __________________ PAL XL-1, DV Raptor, Premiere TOTAL AMATEUR - DOING IT FOR THE FUN

December 28th, 2002, 08:01 PM	#4
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Aside from the power issues... (Some laptops have a switch for converting) Some NLE systems DO care if you are using NTSC or PAL. You simply have to signify which format you are using when you import/export.

December 29th, 2002, 04:42 AM	#6
Andre De Clercq Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Belgium Posts: 804	Keep in mind that customs will "not be happy" if you import your G4 without declaration.( and paying import taxes)

January 5th, 2003, 10:31 PM	#8
Rik Sanchez ChorizoSmells Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Osaka, Japan Posts: 424	Andrew has a good point. I recently bought an iBook here in Japan, I live here and in the past I bought a G4 Tower from the states and had my friend ship it to me, luckily the G4 never had any problems. Well, after two weeks the battery on the iBook started to act up and I had to get it exchanged and it was still under warranty. The service center they told me to go to couldn't do anything since the iBook was too new, they would have to send it to Tokyo. I would have to send the whole thing to get a battery exchanged. So I went back to where I bought it and demanded to see the manager, wouldn't leave till they exchanged the battery with a new one, which they finally did. If you buy your computer in the states and then go back home to Norway, if it breaks down you will have to send it back to the states, if you can live without it for that period of time and not mind the trouble to send it, then save a couple of bucks and go that route. I'm so glad I bought mine here, since I can go directly to the store where I bought it and get fast results. For me, the iBook is great, I edit in RT Offline mode in FCP when I'm on the go and then import the finished video into my G4 Tower to put it on tape. __________________ ChorizoSmells Video Barrio Tamatsukuri, Osaka, JAPAN

January 6th, 2003, 05:32 PM	#9
Srinivasa Yerneni Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 30	What about the DVD drive (NTSC, PAL format) or the region restriction. Won't that be a problem to play PAL DVD's on a NTSC DVD drive. And from other regions too. How do you take care of it? Just a question.

January 6th, 2003, 07:01 PM	#10
Nick Kerpchar Major Player Join Date: May 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 211	Andrew and Rik are absolutely correct. I ran into this problem when I worked overseas. Purchased item in the States and the bugger went out overseas. You might first check to see if you can get an international warranty. Not many manufacturers offer that, but Apple being so big may. Good luck and you will probably find that Oregon will be like southern Norway except the people there don't say, "Y'all". Cheers, Nick

January 6th, 2003, 07:52 PM	#11
Guy Pringle Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 82	Hi, I bought my G4 Powerbook 800mHz and Canon XL1S(PAL) in the States. Currently back home in South Africa which has different power and is PAL. There is no problem with either, they can run on either US (110V/60Hz) or South African (220V/50Hz) power, you just require adapters to make the little bitty US pins fit into those big 220V plugs. FCP works with both NTSC and PAL. As far as warranty and service issues are concerned, I believe you can take it to your local Mac/Canon rep and they'll take care of you. I know that if the XL1S goes down it has to be shipped to Europe for major services, but the local boys will take care of it all. Even though I bought the XL1S in the States, I bought it from ZGC who brought in the PAL camera from Europe with a warranty that covers me in SA. As far as DVD regions are concerned, the Powerbook gives you the option to change your Region. Bear in mind that you have a limited amount of times you can change your Region, though. __________________ Amacitia Reddit Honores (Friendship Brings Honour) Guy Pringle Silver Reflections guypringle@yahoo.com +27(0)83 256 8566