MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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So, quite simply I want to know what the simplest way of being able to operate by Bose Solo Sound System is in the US. I made the assumption that all I need to do is buy a US power cord and the product should automatically work? Am I being stupid?
Also, I am making the assumption that even if I did a similar thing for my LG TV, it still wouldn't work in the US as the signals are different. Again, am I being stupid?
US Travel plug?
I was told that the travel adaptors won't work due to the power draw of the electronics.
Most modern consumer power supplies will auto detect 110V and work fine (e.g. laptops, portable stereos etc). Anything power hungry or crude (lamps, hair driers, washing machine etc) won't work.
The US TV signal (NTSC) is different to PAL, but a modern LED TV might auto detect and cope, you'd have to look at the specs.
I was told that the travel adaptors won't work due to the power draw of the electronics.
US products draw twice the current as they use half the voltage, however for most consumer stuff the current is still very low. Heavy current appliances eg washing machines, kettles, hair driers, etc wouldn't work at 115v and even if they did, they'd need thicker mains cables as they'd be using up to 26A rather than 13A.
Isn't the US 110volts not 240?
So unless the product has a separate transformer type plug (like laptops do) then it won't work at all. If you can get an external 110v powered supply then it'll work ok.
Check on the adapter / device to see if it's dual voltage. If it says something like "110V - 240V" then all you need is an adapter plug to convert the UK plug to a US one.
If it doesn't then you're going to need a transformer to convert the voltage, which is probably a non-starter, or a US adapter for that device. If you can describe the mains cable that would help, is it an external power brick or just a wire?
If the Bose system can run on 110v AC then you just need a different cord or an adaptor.
With the TV, it may be possible to change the regional settings? Or get a US version of a Freeview set top box and plug that in?
I am making the assumption that even if I did a similar thing for my LG TV, it still wouldn't work in the US as the signals are different. Again, am I being stupid?
What WW said. You might be able to make it work, but you'd be far better off sourcing a TV in the territory it was designed to work in.
I'm over here at the moment and i wouldn't bother with a tv there's nothing worth watching anyway
What @footflaps said many devices auto detect 240 vs 110 (its cheaper to build one power supply you fit to all the products you sell worldwide)
Yes the TV signals are different but it's my belief modern HD TVs work, certainly the wife's Samsung does (bought in US works in Europe), we watch through the HDMI input though rather than an ariel plugged in the back.