Using Uk bought TV in France

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kerry
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Using Uk bought TV in France

Post by kerry »

Hello, I'm just getting my new french cottage ready for renting out. Have spent ages on the forums and can't believe how much great advice there is! However, I'm shocked at the price of TVs (and all electrical appliances), in France and wonder if an English bought one will work over there?
alexia s.
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Post by alexia s. »

Kerry,
I have used www.rueducommerce.com several times for electrical goods: cheaper than elsewhere & fast delivery.
Best,
Alexia.
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Kerry,

I am amazed! I have found exactly the opposite.

Your UK TV is unlikely to work in France for French TV. European sourced TV's are dual format and automatically switch between them - UK sourced TV's are usually only UK format. Your UK TV will continue to work with SkyTV and VCR's.

Regards

Alan
Fraise
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Post by Fraise »

A few years ago we bought all electrical stuff in France,and Spain,cos it was so much cheaper than Uk.Now the position seems to have reversed slightly-I was horrified at how expensive French dishwashers were compared to Uk when I had to buy one a few weeks ago,altho of course I did buy French as warranties etc would be too complicated.We still buy lots of Spanish stuff when it is on promo,and French too but normally I would say UK is less expensive.
Alan's comment is correct but I have to say I brought a digital TV over from UK and I do get French TV on it.

www.thepetitmanoir.com
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Renaud
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Post by Renaud »

Kerry,

Some I have used in France are:

www.cdiscount.com

Often the cheapest, but delivery speed is NOT their strong point. Quoted delivery period (e.g. 4 to 8 days) was always exceeded.

www.multe-pass.com

Again, nice and cheap, and, so far, about right with delivery.


www.mrgooddeal.com

Sometimes very cheap on discontinued (or about to be) products. Not so competitive on other items.

www.darty.com

Good, wide range. Not often the cheapest, but worth checking before you visit your local Auchan or whatever.

A good price comparison site is:

http://prix.3dchips-fr.com/

Their strong point is computer items, but they also have seperate pages for "Jeux Video", "DVD", "Telephonie" and "Image & Son". Look near the top of their page for those links.
Have a great filter system you can use when you get to the sub-category you are interested in. Often a first port of call for me.

Personally I have found less and less difference in prices between UK and France over the years. So buying locally where possible is my preference. When non-internet shopping I seem to get a poor response to haggling in France, compared to UK. But that might just reflect my poorer french language skills.

Happy shopping!
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ourinns
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Post by ourinns »

Your UK TV might work in France. The easy way to check is to go into the setup screen, if it has an option for France then it probably will work, if not then it won't.

We actually brought our two UK TVs over. The widescreen modern one won't work (or rather it will but in black & white), the little portable from Tesco works fine.

The same applies to VCRs.

DVD players are different and will probably work with a French TV so long as it is relatively modern (the new ones are all dual standard, the older ones aren't).

We cover some of these issues in our Living in France pages at www.mascamps.com/living/en.htm .


Arnold
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Post by Hells Bells »

Anyone wanting a TV/DVD combo try this one out (you can get it cheaper in the UK than this though-Makro I think DMTECH
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Post by Hells Bells »

I should have added I haven't got one yet, but I'm told it's dual system and will work in France.
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ourinns
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Post by ourinns »

We went to Spain to buy some (they're a good bit cheaper there), chose the one that had the label on it "PAL SECAM for France", asked the people in the shop to confirm that it would work in France, bought five for the B&B, took them home and they didn't work so had to take the whole lot back again.


Arnold
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Post by Hells Bells »

A friend has taken one of these to France and it does work.
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ourinns
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Post by ourinns »

You'll be OK then, if it is EXACTLY the same model.

The problem that we had with the Spanish TVs was that the new model didn't work in France but the old one did. It was a very, very minor change in model number too.


Arnold
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

I thought that a TV which automatically switched between PAL and SECAM worked anywhere in the world except in those few countries which still rely on "clockwork" technology. Was I wrong?

Alan
la vache!
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Post by la vache! »

Alan, I think you are right, but I know the old TV we brought across from the UK was either Pal or Secam (can't remember which), not both, and therefore wouldn't pick up French TV. All the TVs I have bought in France have been Secam and Pal.
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ourinns
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Post by ourinns »

They do auto-switch. The problem is that, for reasons that escape me, the newer model of the TV I bought in Spain didn't support SECAM, even though all the paperwork that came with it talked about such support (in english, french and spanish).


Arnold
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