Hello,

There are some surround receivers that can be changed from 230V to 115V
with the flick of a switch. I'm most familiar with the Arcam units
(www.arcam.co.uk) but I'm sure there are other brands out there too.
Basic ink jet printers are so inexpensive in the US ($75-$150) that it
is probably not worth shipping one over. Give the old one a way to a
friend, and buy a new one when you get here.

The DVD recorder is the big problem. In Europe, the commercial discs
are region 2, and the US is region 1. It is not legal for a repair shop
to 'deregionalize' a machine, though it may be possible, and many can be
set for one region or another. Discs you record yourself probably have
no regional code and will play anywhere. Video turners will be
incompatible between PAL and NTSC. You might be able to find a
multistandard unit that will work everywhere.

Regards,
Tim Schwartz
Bristol Electronics


wrote:

Hi,

I am looking to buy an inkjet printer, DVD recorder with hard disk, and
home theater system. The problem is that I am living in Italy
(220V/50Hz) and may move to the U.S. (110V/60Hz) in the future. I
would the option to use these electronics in both countries.

I have the option of buying the products in the U.S., but would prefer
to buy them here in Italy. From a technical standpoint, is it better
to step down from 220/50 to 110/60 or step up?

I would like to avoid purchasing a voltage transformer/converter. Is
it feasible to have these products rewired by an electrician to handle
both voltages and frequencies?

I assume there is some form of a motor in all of these products. Is
this a problem as far as the frequency is concerned?

Thanks in advance for the help!