And now for some sound

June 20, 2010 8:57 PM

[HT-filter] Finally making the great leap forward from an old CRT tv and a dvd player setup to full-blown home theatre. I'm thinking of importing an AV Receiver from the US to Australia - am i going to regret this?

After much to-ing and fro-ing and reading and listening I have the speakers, screen and blu-ray input sorted but still need a an AV Reciever.
I was quite taken with the Pioneer 1019-AH and would have purchased one were it not for the recent release of it's younger, sparklier sibling, the 1020 .
My problem, folks, is that the new product hasn't been released in Aus and when it is, it will likely be around AU$1400 - a very steep increase on a product current retailing on amazon or newegg for US$450.
I calculate that even with the local purchase of a step down transformer, shipping to Aus, the 5% agent charges and return insurance I'll still be ahead. [Return insurance covers the shipping back to the US if there is a problem within warranty.]

Is there something i'm completely missing? A technical aspect that going to leave my movies silent and lifeless? (Or, worse, short everything to kingdom come!)

posted by jcm to technology (3 answers total)

Just raising a flag for something you'd want to look into: Australian v US TVs use different formats: PAL or PAL/SECAM v NTSC, respectively.

US-formatted video on Australian TVs look sickly & horrible, as I'm sure happens exactly the same in reverse.
posted by UbuRoivas at 1:28 AM on June 21, 2010

Have you factored in customs duty?

Also US power is 110V, whereas Australia uses 220-240V.
posted by Sutekh at 12:25 AM on June 22, 2010

Thanks for the answers guys. Just to clarify and close this up, most AV receivers these days can be set to send a display signal of either PAL or NTSC to your tv set.
I decided to avoid the whole step down transformer issue (ie changing voltage from Aus 230V to suit US 110V electronics) by shopping through Hong Kong instead as HK is on 220V.
My new reciever arrived yesterday and it is sweet and huge (23 kgs!) and is going to neccessitate a few weekends in the workshop building a new entertainment unit to hold it.
While i did end up spending quite a bit more than originally intended this was due to spending far too much time shopping around on the net and the incremental increased expectations/loosened purse strings that can cause.
Overall, it cost less than half the Australian sticker price to purchase, ship and pay tax&stamp duties from HK. So, entirely worthwhile.
posted by jcm at 6:27 PM on July 21, 2010