how to use russian electronics here?

[Mike]

My cousin will be going to Moscow and my wife wants him to bring back her vidio camera. The household electric there is operated on 220 volts and as you know here we use 110. Do they make a converter ? Would it be more cost effective if I have him bring back a Russian wall socket and connect 2 different 110 supplies to it to make our own russian 220 wall socket?
Mike

[jj]

... in response to how to use russian electronics here?, posted by Mike on Jan 21, 2002

What is the model of the Camera.

Most modern electronic devices can support multiple voltages and also different video format...  Do not jump into listening to the advice below... check out your options.

As a camera is DC the hertz should not matter.  As one writer mentioned one option you may have is to purchase a battery charger that connects to the camera... again most modern battery chargers are automatic voltage selection.  Some devices have also a voltage switch which allow you to down/up the voltage.

RE Video format ... again most cameras support PAL and NTSC formats.  You will also find that many video records also support multiple formats.  The cost is not 500USD as mentioned more like 200USD (But again I do not think this would be an issue.

As I mentioned it all depends on the model....  Europe has always supported multiple formats (Well at least in the last ten years)  Only the USA thinks they live in isolation from the rest of the world.

Bring the camera back and take it from there..

[Rags]

... in response to how to use russian electronics here?, posted by Mike on Jan 21, 2002

All European video is in the PAL format. That's cameras, players, and TVs. You can get a VCR in the PAL format for about $189 but unless you have a PAL TV it will be in black and white.

You can get a step down transformer from 220V to 110V but it's a different story trying to step up. Much more heat involved because of winding sizes. Then the problem of chopping cycles from 60 to 50 isn't too bad but to increase from 50 to 60 requires some serious electronics. A simple end of the plug adapter isn't available to convert 110/60 to 220/50.

A VCR that converts PAL to NTSC runs about $500 so you would be better off to sell her camera there and buy a new one here.

[micha1]

... in response to Forget it!, posted by Rags on Jan 21, 2002

Unfortunately Rags is right, forget it, if your intentions was to save money.
It is not worth the effort and the problems that with arise from doing what you intend to do.
The only electronic that works everywhere is a laptop computer or my computer, which was made by IBM in
France and sold in Québec.
I would recommand that you do have a fire extinghisher, very close at hand and also a bucket of water,
not forgetting someone close to the switch boxe to cut the power.
Some french and intalian guys working for us at a farm in NJ, did try something like this with the help of an
contractor-electrician, they still talk about it.

[Bob S.]

... in response to Re: Forget it!, posted by micha1 on Jan 21, 2002

You don't put out an electrical fire with water!  It only makes matters worse.  Make sure your fire extinguisher is "C" rated for electrical equipment so you don't make more sparks and more fires.

http://www.homefireman.com/fire_facts.html#type

[BubbaGump]

... in response to Re: Forget it!, posted by micha1 on Jan 21, 2002

You're right that it's a waste of money to get that camera to work here but the camera works off batteries so he only has to have have enough power out of the wall to charge up those batteries.  That's not much power.  

The electricity will be converted from ac to dc by the battery charger (in most cases) and the frequency won't matter.  If he isn't familiar with basic electricity then he shouldn't try using a transformer to get 220 volts.

[Rags]

... in response to No...Not quite, posted by BubbaGump on Jan 22, 2002

It's true that a battery charger doesn't pull many amps but why go to all that trouble to convert 110/60 to 220/50 when you could just get a 110VAC to ??VDC transformer in the first place?

My post really concerned trying to adapt anything (TVs, hairdryers, vibrators) to US power sources.

Also with video you have format problem so why bother, just buy new electronics.

[BubbaGump]

... in response to how to use russian electronics here?, posted by Mike on Jan 21, 2002

They have a different voltage (220V), a different frequency (50 Hertz) and a different TV standard (SECAM).  The frequency won't affect the camera operation because the scan rate is electronically controlled and the camera works on batteries.  It's going to affect the camera battery charger and you can usually get a compatible replacement charger at Radio Shack.  Fry's Electronics is another place but I think they're just out west (and in Texas).  Your TV won't work with their camera signal or play those tapes.  You can get a VCR that will play foreign tapes but I think your real intention was to save money.

A lot of electronic stores have voltage converters for 220 to 110 but I think it's harder to find 110 to 220.  You can get a transformer and do it but you need to understand what you're doing if it doesn't come with instructions.

You can search the archives because we've written lots of stuff about this.  

[BarryM]

... in response to Re: how to use russian electronics here?, posted by BubbaGump on Jan 21, 2002

The US and Japan uses NTSC3.58 and NTSC4.58. Britain uses PAL. France uses SECAM. I think most of the European countries use PAL. I'm not sure what Russia and Ukraine uses.

-blm

[BubbaGump]

... in response to Broadcast standards., posted by BarryM on Jan 21, 2002

http://www.alkenmrs.com/video/wwstandards1.html

This web page says that Russia uses SECAM but a Russian girl said PAL in the archives.  A lot of European countries have both standards listed.

[Rags]

... in response to Video Standards Web Page, posted by BubbaGump on Jan 22, 2002

I just had ten children's videos converted for my new daughter and they were all PAL even though they came from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and Israel. At $6/hr it was cheaper than buying a new VCR.

[tim360z]

... in response to Re: PAL, posted by Rags on Jan 22, 2002

Hey,  That was a good deal on the conversion.

[Rags]

... in response to Definitely PAL, posted by tim360z on Jan 22, 2002

It was worth every penny to hear my little girl squeal with delight to see her old favorite videos. I can buy new videos cheaper but she loves her old ones.

[DE]

... in response to how to use russian electronics here?, posted by Mike on Jan 21, 2002

I believe that they are also not only at different voltage, but also at a different cycle.  Simply connecting two 110 volts on alternating cycles will give you 220, BUT, if they are at less or greater then 60 cycles, the speed will be incorrect (to slow or to fast).  We use 60 cycle and it seems (but I may be wrong) that they are at 50 cycles?

[BarryM]

... in response to I believe its a little more complicated, posted by DE on Jan 21, 2002

Most modern electronics can use 50-60 Hz power. Check to make sure. Most devices that require a transformer type power for a DC supply can use 50 Hz. You can have some problems with electric motors that require an AC source and use 60Hz as reference speed.

Most appliances will require you to step down the voltage to 110v. You can get expensive(and heavy) power converters that will deliver 110/60Hz, but they are not usually necessary.

-blm