PS3: Internationally Mobile?
November 2, 2010 8:41 AM Subscribe
What issues should I be aware of with respect to buying a PS3 in the UK and then eventually bringing it back to the US?
I'm am temporarily working in the UK (London). I'd like to buy a PS3 to use while I'm here. I'd also like to be able to bring this PS3 back to the US with me when I leave.
Any issues that people are aware of that may come up during the overseas switch? Region-locked games, incompatible power supplies, internet connectivity issues, etc?
(I've seen this: Will a US Playstation 3 settle in the UK, but I have the opposite issue, and problems in 2007 may have been updated/fixed)
I'm am temporarily working in the UK (London). I'd like to buy a PS3 to use while I'm here. I'd also like to be able to bring this PS3 back to the US with me when I leave.
Any issues that people are aware of that may come up during the overseas switch? Region-locked games, incompatible power supplies, internet connectivity issues, etc?
(I've seen this: Will a US Playstation 3 settle in the UK, but I have the opposite issue, and problems in 2007 may have been updated/fixed)
Region-locking for sure. Especially if you want to use it as a Blu-Ray player when you return. I can't imagine it would be worth it-- buy a used PS3 there and sell it when you leave. Get a new or used PS3 when you return.
posted by supercres at 9:27 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by supercres at 9:27 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
PS3 games on the whole aren't region-locked, but blu-ray movies still are. The PSN store is region-specific, and you'll need either a credit card in the proper region or points cards from that region to set up an account, but that shouldn't be a huge deal.
posted by Oktober at 10:06 AM on November 2, 2010
posted by Oktober at 10:06 AM on November 2, 2010
Best answer: The majority of PS3 games to date have not been region locked, so most games from most regions should play on your UK machine. Some games are locked though, and it's distinctly possible that the status quo will change in the future, so buyer beware.
As for voltage, DC electronics with this type of power supply generally always operate just fine with a voltage range of 110-240 (the power supply converts to the PS3's DC voltage requirements anyway), but you ought to check your machine's range yourself, just to be sure. The label usually looks something like this. Look for the field indicating the AC input range. You'll certainly need a plug shape adapter for US sockets, but these are inexpensive enough.
If blu-ray is an interest, you'll certainly be locked into region 2 with a UK machine. This means that any disc you buy in the US later will probably not play. Buyer beware.
How do you plan to connect your machine to your TV? If HDTV, I wouldn't expect an issue (unless different regions use different standards, or unless there's some region coding in the copy protection features of the HDTV spec - would a UK HDTV signal interface with a US TV?), but keep in mind that composite signal differ between the US and the UK. You might find a funky looking picture if you return to the US with a machine that outputs analog as PAL.
The online connectivity may be a problem too. Some games and the Playstation store will default you to servers to match your console's region. This means that you may forever be playing online with UK folks and (maybe) stuck with the UK software updates and console features once you return to the states. For instance, I believe that streaming Netflix is a US feature only. You probably won't be able to take advantage of region-specific features with a UK machine, though I haven't tried personally so mea culpa if I'm mistaken.
If the majority of your console's life will be spent in the US, it may be a better idea to import a US machine.
posted by owls at 9:26 AM on November 3, 2010
As for voltage, DC electronics with this type of power supply generally always operate just fine with a voltage range of 110-240 (the power supply converts to the PS3's DC voltage requirements anyway), but you ought to check your machine's range yourself, just to be sure. The label usually looks something like this. Look for the field indicating the AC input range. You'll certainly need a plug shape adapter for US sockets, but these are inexpensive enough.
If blu-ray is an interest, you'll certainly be locked into region 2 with a UK machine. This means that any disc you buy in the US later will probably not play. Buyer beware.
How do you plan to connect your machine to your TV? If HDTV, I wouldn't expect an issue (unless different regions use different standards, or unless there's some region coding in the copy protection features of the HDTV spec - would a UK HDTV signal interface with a US TV?), but keep in mind that composite signal differ between the US and the UK. You might find a funky looking picture if you return to the US with a machine that outputs analog as PAL.
The online connectivity may be a problem too. Some games and the Playstation store will default you to servers to match your console's region. This means that you may forever be playing online with UK folks and (maybe) stuck with the UK software updates and console features once you return to the states. For instance, I believe that streaming Netflix is a US feature only. You probably won't be able to take advantage of region-specific features with a UK machine, though I haven't tried personally so mea culpa if I'm mistaken.
If the majority of your console's life will be spent in the US, it may be a better idea to import a US machine.
posted by owls at 9:26 AM on November 3, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
As for software... I don't know. I don't internet connectivity would be an issue, it's a pretty standard ethernet adaptor in there, and to my knowledge those don't change overseas.
posted by Stagger Lee at 9:20 AM on November 2, 2010