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Televisions are especially complicated pieces of equipment. As well as voltage and power frequency, there are the following problems:
| Broadcasting systems |
| There are 14 different broadcasting systems in use around the world. They are known by letters of the alphabet. The US system is known by the letter "M" for example, while the British system is given the letter "I". TVs will only receive broadcasts they are designed to receive. So an I set will not show broadcasts in the M system. |
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| Color systems |
| There are three different technologies by which color TVs turn signals into color images. They are known by the abbreviations NTSC (developed in the US), SECAM (developed in France), and PAL (developed in Germany). NTSC, SECAM and PAL are mutually incompatible. So, for example, a PAL TV will not show NTSC broadcasts in color. These systems also apply to video recordings (see below). Japan uses the NTSC standard. |
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| Channels |
Different countries use different channel frequencies for broadcasts. TVs will only receive the channels they are designed to receive.
If that wasn't enough of a headache, there are several different incompatible systems for stereo broadcasts, too. |
What does all this mean in practice? A TV made for Japan will only work in Japan. Despite the growing unity of the European Union, a standard-model TV bought in the UK will not work in France, a TV bought in France will not work in Germany, and a TV bought in Germany will not work in the UK. That's why many Europeans own multi-system TVs - models that are designed to receive stations in a range of systems and frequencies from broadcasters outside their home country.
 You can find a list of broadcasting systems, color systems and frequencies at Worldwide Power & Broadcasting Information.
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Video presents the same problems as TV.
| Broadcasting systems/Channels |
If you want to record programs in a given country, the broadcasting system, color system and receiving channels of the VCR tuner must match that country. Even if you just want to watch recorded tapes, the VCR and TV must match the color system of the tape. That applies to commercial recordings, too.
So if you buy your favorite movies on tape in Japan, then take them home to Australia, for example, all you will see are wavy lines. |
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| Color systems |
| Blank VHS videotapes can be used in any VHS recorder. But the recording speeds of PAL, SECAM and NTSC are different, so recording times are also different. A 120-minute NTSC tape will not record for two hours on a PAL VCR, for example. It's best to buy tapes that fit your local system. |
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| RF signal |
| You also have to be careful to match the RF signal of the VCR and the TV. Things should be OK if your TV has separate audio and video inputs. |
You can find a list of broadcasting systems, color systems and frequencies at Worldwide Power & Broadcasting Information.
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DVD Video players and discs are designed for use in one of six regions. This licensing system was designed to protect the copyright of distribution companies. The regional code appears on the product. For playback, the regional code of the player and the disc must be the same.
 Regional Codes
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Code
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Example Countries/Regions |
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1
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U.S., Canada, U.S. Territories |
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2
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Japan, Europe, South Africa,
and Middle East (including Egypt) |
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3
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Southeast Asia and East Asia
(including Hong Kong) |
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4
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Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands,
Central America,Mexico, South America,
and the Caribbean |
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5
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Eastern Europe (Former Soviet Union),
Indian subcontinent, Africa,
North Korea, and Mongolia |
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6
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China |
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7
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Reserved |
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8
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Special international venues
(airplanes, cruise ships, etc.) |
This means for example that a DVD Video disc bought in the US will not work in a DVD player made for the Japanese market. Things are further complicated by the color system problem. Japan and western Europe are both in the regional code 2 zone, but a Japanese NTSC DVD disc will not work in a French SECAM DVD player.
DVDs are small and easy to carry, so you might think they make the perfect souvenir for the family back home. But please read everything carefully before you buy, otherwise you may be disappointed.
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Radio presents some of the same problems as TV. Apart from voltage, you have to worry about broadcasting wavelengths and frequencies.
There are four wavelength bands: short wave (SW), medium wave (MW), long wave (LW) and frequency modulation (FM).
Some radios have AM (amplitude modulation), which is more or less the same as MW. Most countries broadcast on SW, MW and FM, some broadcast on all four (especially in Europe). But that doesn't mean you can use one radio anywhere.
Countries use different frequency bands. For example, for FM broadcasts, Japan uses the frequency band from 76 megahertz to 90 megahertz. In contrast, the US uses 87.5 megahertz to 108 megahertz. So if you buy a Japanese-model FM radio and take it to the USA, you will miss all the stations that broadcast from 90 to 108 MHz.
See Worldwide Power & Broadcasting Information for details.
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