Buying a US PS3 to use in Europe

[Cheezdoodles]

Any specific cons for doing this? Can US PS3s play european games? Will there be any problems TV vise? (got a HDTV and thats the same all around isn't it?)

Seing that the PS3 is dirt cheap in the USA (compared to Norwegian prices atleast) and im going there soon, i might just pick me up one.

In Norway the PS3 is priced at 6000 NOK. Which is a little more than 1000 USD, so a potential $500 in savings

 

[Arwin]

You can't play some BluRay discs (if they have region protection on). You can't play any EU DVDs. You can't play EU PS2 or PS1 games. Warranty could be more complicated, obviously.

That's about it though, afaik. You don't even need a different power adapter, just take one of your basic PC EU style power cables and plug it in.

 

[Cheezdoodles]

So, it will play all PS3 euro games ?

 

[sevanig]

All Ps3 Bluray games are region free (only at HDTV resolutions)
The movies are not (but some are)
http://bluray.lindsite.dk/ check out the ones that are...
Also auto switching power supply is cool

 

[archangelmorph]

With the joys of the internet it shouldn't be a problem..

Even you can always buy US movies [if you care] anyway.. probably work out cheaper too..

And the PS3 gameas a region free..

Unless you have an extensive back-catalogue of PS1/2 games you want to play on it then u should be fine..

 

[Cheezdoodles]

I only have 2 PS2 games, GT4 and GoW, so no problem there.

Voices in my head keep telling me to buy a couple and sell them when i come back home (keeping one)

 

[mech]

A lot of Blu-Ray titles are region free. The only thing you're really missing out on is warranty, backwards compatibility, and DVD regioning (PS3 is an AWESOME DVD player).

 

[[maven]]

I wouldn't worry much about the DVD and Blu Ray region issues, as both of those are usually cheaper when imported from the US anyway, unless you also have a huge existing R2 DVD collection.
The only issue for me (as I also imported a US console) was my existing PS2 games, of which I rebought NTSC versions for the ones I still wanted to play.

 

[Arwin]

I only have 2 PS2 games, GT4 and GoW, so no problem there.

Voices in my head keep telling me to buy a couple and sell them when i come back home (keeping one)

Don't forget that you'll still have to pay import tax (which is probably partly what makes them expensive in Norway - but it'll be loads cheaper still anyway, mind you), and that they're heavy. Could be tricky to carry more than one.

 

[Cheezdoodles]

Don't forget that you'll still have to pay import tax (which is probably partly what makes them expensive in Norway - but it'll be loads cheaper still anyway, mind you), and that they're heavy. Could be tricky to carry more than one.

Importax is only to be paid if you declare it

 

[Arwin]

Importax is only to be paid if you declare it

Yes, but if you fly in with these things ... well let's just say that the import tax usually isn't nearly as much as the fine is when you get caught.

 

[Cheezdoodles]

Yes, but if you fly in with these things ... well let's just say that the import tax usually isn't nearly as much as the fine is when you get caught.

That would be true, if i lived in holland.

Norway import tax laws are rather wierd. The fine involved is extremely low, basically you just pay the import tax and a very small fine. And because of the small fine, this is not concidered a criminal act, but something else (i dont have the english word for it) so its not part of your perma record either (atleast not the perma record employers can check)

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Shame Norway isn't in the EEU. Otherwise you could freely export to other EEU countries without them having to worry about local import tariffs.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

Biggest drawback for me would be the problems associated with the rental of Blu-ray movies. I don't buy movies and quite frankly buying them is waste of money imo, but I quess people collect much more weirder things than movies...
In time there will probably be ways to make it totally region free anyways, so it's a rather low risk import if you ask me.

 

[infinity4]

Don't forget that you'll still have to pay import tax (which is probably partly what makes them expensive in Norway - but it'll be loads cheaper still anyway, mind you), and that they're heavy. Could be tricky to carry more than one.

regarding tax issues, is it worth trying out importing ps3 as a "gift"

or did i confuse with early ps3 import adoptors in the UK...

 

[Cheezdoodles]

Gotta tax gifts in norway above $40

 

[Jov]

Given most if not all HDTV in EU are 50Hz (ok some recent LCDs are 100Hz), will there be an issue running those 60Hz games?

I thought all these 50/60Hz is a thing of the past and only applicable to SDTV?

 

[Cheezdoodles]

Um, all TV's marked "HD-Ready" in europe must support 50 and 60hz