electronic stuff in japan?

[kendokamax]

I'm thinking of bringing my ps2 in japan....but I wonder is it going to work ok with the different in tention (or whatever) of the power over there? Will my american ps2 work well in japan?

[Keith Hong]

Your PS2 hardware has a wired-in region coding that prevents softwares with different region codings from playing.
As North America and Asia(including Japan and Korea) have different codes, I am pretty sure you won't be able to play on your machine games you could buy in Japan.
Talk to the people at Sony. Maybe there's a chip or some patch program for the problem.
Hope this helps.

[dorkusxmaximus]

just get a mod chip for your ps2 (north american) and ask somebody to install it for you or you could do it yourself.

[KhawMengLee]

If you were in Malaysia it would be no problem cause they open up your PS2 and modify it for you. It also depends on what format your PS2 reads. eg. mine is the japanese version NTSC so I can't watch PAL dvds. But you can also buy a codebreaker, it comes with a mmemory card with all the codes and a dvd to operate it. Quite simple, you push in the dvd, let it upload, open the tray and insert the game...fun

Its about $40US here.

[Paburo]

can't you get all those ntsc/pal converters and chips in akihabara for cheap too?

[nodachi]

The voltage is different here, but your PS2 should run fine. Mine does. :) If it didn't I would have separation anxiety... :)

[nodachi]

Sorry, you can also mail order games if you don't want to go the mod chip route.

[kendokamax]

well i knew about mod-chip and all that

it,s really the voltage difference that was a preocupation for me...

so paburo you say there is some stuff that can convert it?

is akihabara is that famous place where sell all this electronic stuff in tokyo?

[Ostrak]

I'm not in Japan...but I've experienced the difference in voltages between the U.S. and Europe....you can pick up a converter...it's really small. You should be able to get it (or order it) from an electronics store.

[nodachi]

Kendoka, the voltage in Japan is a little less than Canada (if Canada is the same as the States which I think so). The lower voltage makes things like clocks run slower, hair dryers run slower and less hot, and things like shavers recharge slower. Computers still run (but the clock time gets messed up), play stations still run, etc.

The problem is when you have something made for a lower voltage and you put it in an outlet with a higher voltage.

The converter is a good idea for a computer if you are the rare exception that has a problem with the voltage, but all the people I know here haven't had problems with their computers. The PS2 should be fine.

And yes, Akihabara is the neat electronic capital of the world, or at least, it is super cool. :)

[kendokamax]

Thanks a lot!

I will try to find such adapter!

[kendomushi]

Its not the voltage so much that screws things up as much as the megahertz. Eastern Japan is set to 100 volts, 50 MHz (megahertz), if you are in Western Japan the power is set to 100 volds 60 MHz. The standard in the US is 120 volts, 60 MHz. There are some computer components that will not run well or will shut down if the voltage drops too low. Look at the transformer for your PS2 (and anything else you intend to bring) if it lists exactly a required input of 120 volts, 60Mhz you may have trouble. If it, as many stereo components do today for example, lists a range of 100 - 120 volts, 50-60Mhz then you are on easy street.
However, sockeets in Japan are all 2 prong, not 3 prong, and if you are in an older place, the socket is not polarized (both prong holes are the same size and will not accept the american plugs where one prong is slightly larger than the other). That can be overcome with a 3 to 2 prong adapter for less than $1.

[nodachi]

Sorry, voltage, Mhz... my techno lingo is not up to date... :)

[kendokamax]

but now everyone knows!!!!

yey


(damn my megaman is cool!!!!)