Does anyone know whether or not a US DVD player will be able to be attached to a TV set in Italy? We are hoping so, because one of our little travellers, aged three, will be much happier with some of her familiar DVD friends to lull her to sleep. Thanks.
Yrs, Robert

As long as your cable connection fits and there is a hole to push it into, I believe it does. It's the media that won't travel in this case.

I do not think so. Europe uses a different scan frequency for their televisions. The output of the DVD player has to match the television. So a US DVD will probably not output the correct scan for a non-US television.

In addition, it looks like the DVDs themselves are coded for a specific region. I found this web page with a lot of information on DVD regions and televisions.

Marta

Marta, thanks for that link...I think it confirmed my worst fears! I was told that DVD's from Europe might not play on my DVD player here, but in preparation for our move to Italy, I was intending to buy a new (Italian) TV and DVD player once we were there, but what that website is telling me is that my DVD's from here will NOT work!!! Glad I haven't made a MAJOR investment in DVD's yet, but at $70, this means I will probably NOT be getting an Italian capable version of The Godfather Guess the good news is I can sell my DVD's along with all my other stuff when I get ready to go!

And in responsse to Robert's original question, we waw people with laptops or personal DVD players for their kids...it may be woth the investment...I think the personal DVD players are under $500. Good luck keeping your little one happy!

Sigh. Thanks, Marta, for that site; I have already confirmed from them what Bev has pointed out, that there are various zones for DVDs, and they are not compatible. So we might investigate portable all-in-one DVD players. Can we use them in Italy? Or get the little one quickly attuned to Italian kiddie TV...
Things are way too complicated...
Thanks or your answers. Any other sugestions for video-DVD viewing in Italy greatly appreciated.
Yrs, Robert

I meant Barb instead of Bev. Sorry. I'm distracted here at work and trying to do six things at once.
Yrs, Robert

You can buy universal TVs and players of all kinds. You can also get VCR tapes translated cheaply -- in Washington the Indian neighborhoods offer this -- which I didn't know and gave or sold all my classic movies!
I received a computer game from Amazon.uk that would not install on my US computer. It pretended to do so, but didn't.
I did think that a US DVD would play on a US DVD player but maybe if the TV isn't universal it won't show.
Italian kiddie TV is erratic. You can tune into a habitual show and it will be kid stuff instead. Saturday and Sunday morning there seem to be things for kids regularly. Maybe you need to habituate them to story reading before you come? That seems to be the only sure universal entertainment.

NO - your American DVD will not work on a European DVD player.
NO - your American DVD player will not work with a European television.

There are 5 zones in the world that all use different - for lack of the correct word - frequencies. The USA and Europe using 2 different systems. This includes the televisions, DVD systems and VCR systems.

Good news is that there are now available on the European market, numerous VCRs that plays both the USA and European videos with no problems. This is not the "universal system" - which costs "un sacco di soldi", but the new VCR players cost no more than 200 euro.

We do not have a DVD player here yet, as the cost of DVD and VHS movies here are quite expensive, but yesterday we found a large number of DVDs for only 10 euro - a bargain. Plus, the DVDs here have Italian language and subtitles as a part of the setup.

I am no expert on any of the above, but this is what we've found out so far.

For Bill and Barb,

I have a YELO Dvd player. It plays all regions DVDs as well as both PAL and NTSC. Wonderful little toy. I got it through YELO

I buy most of my DVDs through DVD.it . What is great about Italian DVDs is that you get not only the Italian (both the track and the subtitles) but also the English. We are working on our Disney collection right now. The girls get to watch one time in English, then in Italian, then English, etc. etc. Helps for their learning. Also, when friends come over we can pop in a DVD, set it to Italian and everyone is happy.

I also have Sony VCRs that play both PAL (European) and NTSC (US). This way my family can send me videos and we can watch them.

If anyone needs more info on this or anything else let me know. I have spent the past couple of years finding all of the little things out there that will make me happy. Everything from garbage disposals to VCRs.

Forgot to say that I also found a DVD player that works in the US and plays all regions and PAL as well as NTSC. Had to find it for an Italian who lives in the states but wants their kids to learn Italian.

I'll look up the link in a minute.

Code Free DVD Is for North Americans to play DVDs from Europe.

Cristina,
You wealth of information is AMAZING.
I tried your like to YELO, but it didn't go anywhere.
Please either post it again or email me.
Thank you so much.

Cristina,
Can we just submit our daily requests for info?
Where do we find an American styled clothes washing machine and dryer? Whirlpool sells both in the UK, but Whirlpool Italia says - NO.

Buy a Bosch. They are the best. I have the dryer and am waiting for my old washing machine (6 years old) to die so I can get the Bosch one.

When you say American style, it will never be exactly like the American ones (gas run dryer) but for the wash, you just need to Y valve the connection to the water and hook up to both cold and hot. Then set the water as you want for the cycle. Whites now take only 45 minutes not 2 hours. For the dryer you will need to choose between vented and "a condensa". I have one that works on condensation and when I dump the water I take it outside to water plants. Do not get any other dryer as the drums are way too small.

There is a company in San Francisco that will sell you American products fitted for EU use. They will ship too but I do not know if you can do it online. This is where I got my original VCR, before they were the norm here. Anyway the company is in Oakland I think and is called Aris. I'll try to find a website.

More information on a Yelo DVD player here . It looks like excellent value: but I've just shelled out rather a lot for my first digital camera (which I love), so the DVD will have to wait

Jonathan

I live in the US and bought a washer/dryer from Sweden. Bill lives in Italy and wants a washer/dryer from the US!! I love my Asko (from Sweden) but the Bosch and Miele are supposed to be better.

Cristina,

quote:

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When you say American style, it will never be exactly like the American ones

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In the UK, Whirlpool does make washing machines which appear to be exactly like American styled ones - top loading, twice the capacity and half the time. In fact, it's called "American style".

We've talked with our plumber before about the hot water to the washing machine - thanks for the reminder. As to a dryer, we're waiting to find the right washer first. We use a clothes line on the terrace now, which we love, but a dryer would be nice.

Thanks for all the info !

Jonathan

quote:

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More information on a Yelo DVD player here . It looks like excellent value

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Yes, it does look great, as Cristina said, but, the Amazon site will only ship to UK and Ireland. I'd guess the plug on that model would be UK style. Other sites on the continent maybe? Thanks for the info.

Pauline

quote:

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I live in the US and bought a washer/dryer from Sweden. Bill lives in Italy and wants a washer/dryer from the US!!

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What can we say? Any and all other European appliances work just fine for all our needs. The American styled washer and dryer are the only appliances we miss.

I bought my Yelo player online through yelo. Maybe I gave the wrong link. I'll check. Oh and the tech guy from Yelo in Rome is British so if you have questions there are no probs with language.

I did goof. Here is the correct site to order from.

Yelo Order Page

Amazon.co.uk cannot ship electronic equipment like computer stuff, dvd players, cameras etc. but they can ship DVDs (I just got Harry Potter from them)

About the washing machine. Honestly, I would not get a top loading machine. For one they are much harder on clothes and they use way more water. Front loading like the new Bosche and Miele in the states are the best. Another great machine is the DYSON They sell their vacum cleaner in Italy so you may want to contact them to see if the washing machine is sold here too.

If you buy both the washer and dryer from Bosch, they are stackable which I like. As for talking to the plumber, I wouldn't even bother. I just went to the hardware store and got the tubing myself.

Hope all of this helps. For the DVD player, it took about 10 days for delivery. Oh and the great thing about the player is that it plays other media like mp3 and video. I downloaded a bunch of TV shows last year when I had DSL, copied them to a cd then played them on the Yelo machine.

I too am going to put in a vote for front loaders. We bought the Asko set when we moved to Seattle nearly 10 years ago, but left it behind and bought another set for us in Santa Fe when we moved back. So I have been using them for 10 years. They are small - but you shove all the clothes in tight and you get as much in as a normal washer. They cycle is 1 1/2 hours - yes a long cycle. It uses 1/3 the water of a normal US style washer - important in Santa Fe where we pay for water usage and have severe restrictions (although we have two golf courses that they water and I will never understand that). It has a very strong spin cycle, so the clothes come out almost dry. We have a clothes line that I use for sheets, but I am too lazy to use it all the time - I use the dryer. The clothes are in the dryer a very short length of time because they are so "dry" from the washer.

They use less soap and they say that the soap particles left in clothes cause the wear - so clothes last longer. I am wearing t-shirts that are over 5 years old and I wear them all summer (but you know me and how much I care about clothes).

I can wash hand knit wool sweaters in this washer too.

These are nothing at all like the horrible cheap washers I find in Italy in some of the vacation rentals. They take 2 hours to wash and the clothes come out very wet.

Moving this topic to the FAQ section.